Its funny to phrase it this way, but in the month that we've been in Peru, Friday was the first truly "free" day. No classes, no activities, no group dinner, nothing. That meant that we visited Barranco the night before, a small district adjacent to Miraflores that is known for nightlife. We had a fun time dancing and socializing with Peruvians and other exchange students our own age. Through classes at "EL Sol," or because of rooming situations, we have met a bunch of other non-Northeastern students as well. For me, the best part of the trip has been meeting all the other laid back, adventurous people. For breakfast, I met up with two friends and had crepes and waffles before walking to the school to meet our teacher, Romeo.
   From there we headed outside the city to a small mountain (more like a hill in comparison to the Andes) called "Lomas de Lucumo." We took a two to three hour hike that was filled with switchbacks and inclines. It was the first time we were nowhere near a road and the silence was amazing. The only downside was that the misty fog that hangs over Lima all the time obstructed our view from the top of the hill. Regardless, we had a good time and were all exhausted by the time we returned to the city. Talking to our teacher was fun too, because outside the classroom, we found that he understands about the same amount of English as we do Spanish. Therefore, he would say something to us in Spanish, we would respond in English, followed by him responding in English and us ending in Spanish. While confusing sounding, it was a very easy way to communicate when you both only understand 75% of the others language. Today was also the last dinner I had with my host family because a group dinner is part of the itinerary for tomorrow.