As the half-way point of my time in Peru came and went, I've been forced to think a lot about my exchange- the ups, the downs, the adventures, the lessons learned, the lessons yet to be learned, the laughs, the cries, and everything in between. I've thought back to my first few days in Lima and how I've grown since then. I've thought ahead to what it will be like during my last few days in Lima, and what I hope to have achieved by the time these 11 months are over.
I have spent the last 5 and a half months of my life learning valuable lessons, exploring a new country, becoming fluent a foreign language, making new relationships... It's overwhelming to even think about all that I've done during this short amount of time. I have matured in ways that I wouldn't have been able to at home. I have seen parts of the world that I would never be able to see had I never left Ohio. There are times when all I want is to just open my eyes and be back in Bexley, sitting on my basement couch watching Friends reruns with my little brother like we do every day after school. I would be lying if I were to say that every waking moment here is a happy one, that I don't get homesick every once in a while. I definitely have times where I miss home, but once I sit myself down and think about it, I realize that there is no point in missing home. If I were at home I wouldn't be doing anything special. I wouldn't be growing in the tremendous ways that I am here. I would still be at a high school Spanish 4 level. I would be missing out on the most amazing experience of my life.
I have learned so many lessons, but there is one that has stood out above the rest. Always say yes. When you're presented with an opportunity, you should take it, no matter how scary it may seem. It may be a leap of faith; you may not know how it will turn out in the end. But you'll never know if you never try, right? Even if it isn't some amazing, life-altering experience, something positive will always come out of it. You will learn how to be outside of your comfort zone, how to make the best of the situations you're placed in, and how to use that experience to grow as a person. These are lessons you'll never learn if you never actually get out and do it! You have to take the leap of faith, and trust that something positive will come out of it, even if not every moment is positive. This has become more and more clear to me every day since I arrived in Peru.My original decision to be an exchange student was not an easy one. I've always had the idea in my head that it would be cool to do, but once I had that application in my hands, it became reality. It occurred to me that I might actually be leaving everything I've ever known to be placed in a completely different world, knowing no one and not speaking the language. That's a scary thought. I had a couple moments where I broke down.... I didn't think I was strong enough; I didn't think I would make it. But here I am, almost half of a year in, and I can easily say that the choice to turn in that application over a year ago was one of the best choices I've ever made. I took the leap of faith, and it has paid off.
I am hoping to use these lessons that I've learned thus far as a guide for the second half of my exchange. I've gotten through the hardest part, and now I can take what I've already learned and use it to my advantage. There are still lessons yet to be learned and experiences yet to be had, and I'm ready to go into the second half of this year with a smile on my face!
