Cole Malerba -- Peru (Home Club: Colonie/Guilderland)

Date: 09/04/2016
Host Club: Rotary Club Arequipa
Sponsoring Club: Rotary Club Colonie/Guilderland
Current Host Family: Yobana Chavez and Arturo Barrios
Counselor Name: Kattia Montoya

I would like to report that I am doing well and I am healthy. I am very comfortable in my current home, and I could not be more happy with my current host family. I have a room to myself, with plenty of space for my stuff and a nice comfy bed. The family I am staying with is great. They are friendly, funny, and always trying to make sure that I am happy. They have said that I am one of their children, which is very sweet. I have two host sisters, who live with their families in the same apartment complex as my family. My host brother is currently enjoying a Rotary exchange to Switzerland.  My family is always spending time eating and socializing together, another thing that I really love. Another thing I love about my family is the food. My host mom is a great cook and all the food she makes is fresh and delicious. I shared with her that I love to cook as well, and she said she wants to teach me how to cook Peruvian cuisine. My Spanish has been improving greatly since I have been here. I have found I can easily communicate all my needs with my host family.

I like my school as well. I go to school Monday-Friday from 8 am to 5:30 pm, so the school day is a little long. The students at my school are very nice and accepting of all the exchange students at my school. At my school there are a total of FIFTEEN exchange students! This is nice but it makes it harder to learn Spanish and assimilate with the other students because we all speak english to each other. Also, because there are so many of us, we have our own schedule which includes volleyball, swimming, and Spanish class.

Last Saturday I attended a Rotary meeting with my host club where I gave a presentation of myself. At the meeting I met my Rotary counselor and since then I have been communicating with her regularly through What’s App. My club president was very welcoming and I really like the other students in my host club. I received my first monthly allowance of 60 USD on August 31st.

I am so happy to be in the city of Arequipa. It is absolutely beautiful. My house is a 5-minute walk from the city center, the Plaza de Armas. There is a stunning cathedral and you can climb to the top to get a nice view of the city. Also, wherever you go in the city, you can always glimpse the volcano Misti. Because of the volcano, there are occasional tremors. Sadly, there was an earthquake in an area outside of Arequipa that resulted in much destruction and many deaths. Despite this, I feel very safe and I am confident that I know how to react in the event of an emergency.

As of right now I have no major concerns or issues to bring to your attention. I am looking forward to enjoying the rest of a fantastic exchange year. I am very grateful for this opportunity. Thank you!