Overstimulated

I am coming to the end of a very, very long week and feel beyond exhausted. More tired than I have felt in a long time. It's a combination of having very little sleep the past four nights, plus the feeling of just overstimulation. Being here definitely keeps me on my toes: when I go out into the streets, I have to be aware of my surroundings, keep an eye on my bag, and try to ignore all the cars and people that comment or honk at the gringo girl walking down the street. When I am in class, I am also very engaged, listening to controversial speakers and ideas, or speaking in Spanish. At home, I am either with my host family, talking, and more often listening. There is so much around me to be stimulated by: new sounds, a new language, new ideas, new cultural customs, and new relationships. Another thing is, I do not really get alone time here, which normally I just take for granted. I am never alone here. Maybe my five minute walk in the morning to LASP, but other than that I am always with people and having to be completely engaged. I miss just time to be alone and think. I feel a little overwhelmed, especially thinking about the next step of this journey: Nicaragua.