Lessons from History

You run into all sorts of colorful people when you travel alone or in small groups. Our collection of brief acquaintances in Peru included a friendly man who was developing a trip for R.E.I. members to Peru, an eccentric self-proclaimed shaman woman (that was Madeline's find!), and a British grad student studying the ancient history of the underworld (or something like that). We also briefly met a Computer Science professor from Florida, and I thought I'd relate the conversation we had.

Upon hearing we both studied History, he asked us what we thought was the most important lesson that can be taken away from the history of Peru. We both decided that it related to colonial relations, imperialism, and the gradients of power between so called developed and developing countries. I don't remember what his response was to this, but the question he raised is interesting to consider. I've thought more about it, and here's what I've come up with. I'd appreciate any feedback...

During Spanish and Portuguese colonialism, residents of what we call Latin America were exploited in many ways - natural resources were extracted, people were enslaved, and customs were suppressed. This conflict of cultures shaped what makes Latin America special today, but it also left many wounds- poverty, environmental degradation, political corruption, and hierarchies in society, to name a few.

The lesson to be learned comes from realizing that these wounds haven't healed. The colonial period technically ended in the 1820s as revolutions led to independent Latin American nations, but as of today, the region still has not gained significantly in terms of worldwide power gradients or escaped cultural stereotypes related to the capabilities and intellectual capactiy of indigenous peoples. Latin America is no longer officially under European control, but over the past hundred years, it has still been exploited by wealthier countries including the U.S. in what some describe as neocolonial relationships.

When talking to the Floridian professor, our specific examples for Peru were the debate about Yale's "plundering" of artifacts from Machu Picchu (and the U.S. ideas of imperialism and culturism that could have caused this) and trends of natural resource extraction by foreign powers that continue today (19th century rubber, 20th century guano, 21st century oil). Maybe if more people in the U.S. made connections between colonial and modern Peru and realized that our policies toward Latin America are still contributing to poverty, environmental degradation, political corruption, and societal hierarchies, then somebody would be inspired to work towards changing this relationship.

Strike Day Adventure

Today started out like any other day in Puno so far. I stayed in my warm bed for as long as possible (until about 7:30), then forced myself to brave the shower for the 1st time in 3 days. Just to describe the experience, there is a small hot water heater about the size of a 2L coke bottle that you switch on. The hot water comes out scorching and immediately begins its 10-second descent to ice cold. The trick is to get wet, turn off the water to re-heat, soap up, turn the water back on, race for 10 more seconds to rinse off, and repeat the process a few more times until satisfactorily clean. It certainly is a great way to conserve water, but it is simply no fun at all, especially since the apartment is freezing to begin with.

Our big adventure for the day started after lunch when we accompanied Victor on a visit to one of his education projects outside Puno. Because Puno is in the middle of a 3-day transportation strike, this simple trip was more complicated than it would at first seem. We had to get an All Ways employee to drive (nicknamed "Very Good" after his favorite expression, haha) and take backroads out of Puno. We only passed a few private cars along the way, and although it wasn't dangerous, kids had lined rocks across the road in places, and there was evidence of broken bottles, and many examples of grafitti, both for and against the strike (el paro or la huelga). We finally had to stop at a fork in the road by a group of stationed police officers because the road was blocked by ahead. After much debate, our driver dropped us off on the side of the road in the middle of completely flat farmland. We would walk from there!

There were 2 World Challenge volunteers from Britain with us, and Madeline and I shouldered two of their heavy bags each. We set out across the dry fields, and with the direction of a local woman ,we came to a small creek crossing. At this point, the fun really began. See, to cross the stream (or shallow body of water completely overgrown by algae) there was a raft made of sticks and old soda bottles, a fading rope attached to clumps of grass on the banks, and 3 little children, the oldest of which was no more than 7. This boy would pull himself and the raft across via the rope, and it took at least 6 trips to shepherd all 5 of us and our bags across on the rickety raft. Victor directed the entire operation, of course.

We paid the boy and the woman and continued to search for the elusive green school house, arrivng 30 minutes later with the help of two boys on their bikes. And we were greeted with one of the most enthusiastic welcomes I have ever experienced! We were almost knocked over by waving, hugs, kisses, and friendly handshakes from the students.

The 2 British women were reunited with their group - about 20 high schoolers and 2 teachers who were on a sightseeing/volunteerism tour of Peru. The school has been here for 3 years, and Victor has sent various volunteer groups to help it out. It still has some unfinished rooms, and this current British group was doing painting. The school has a very interesting schedule - the kids come from remote areas, live at the school for a few weeks at a time, and then stay at home for a few weeks. They have class for much of the day and are also responsible for various chores. There was also a large set of bikes leaning up against their dormitory - maybe they use these to travel between school and home. There were 3 teachers and 1 principal, although I received the impression that they weren't the most dedicated of employees.

We spent over an hour touring the school, talking to the volunteers, and working out issues they and the school employees were having. Sounds like a pretty exciting day, right? Well, the adventure was not over there! We still had to get back to Puno, and our chosen method of transport ended up including a 6km bike ride to catch the All Ways car. Victor rode on a motorcycle with one of the school employees, but Madeline and I followed two boys via bike. The bike I rode was rickety, too short, and had no gears or brakes! Luckily, although our path was very rocky and we had to wait for some cattle to pass at one point, it was very flat the whole way. We eventually arrived in a small town and caught our ride back to Puno. I had been doubtful at points that our incredible adventure would end so smoothly!

The last bit of excitement for the day was finding a vegetarian restaurant in Puno! It was a great change of pace, but I wouldn't recommend ordering tofu in Peru, at least if you prefer your tofu to be cooked!

A Las Islas Regresamos - Journal from Fri. 7.10.09

Today began my 2nd trip to Amantaní - this time for a full 3 days! The All Ways tour guide who was in charge of the group we were traveling with was a native of Amantaní, and our boat driver was from the Uros Islands. I think that in general, tourism agencies in Puno should try to employ more islanders than they do currently - both because they have the best knowledge of the area and because it would be a further way for the tourism industry to help islanders improve their lives.

I particularly enjoyed talking with the boat driver. He described how tourism has completely changed life on the Uros. It has certainly brought in extra income, but the ancient societal structures, food practices, and even moral values have been vastly altered. The Uros people devote all their energy to showing off for the constant streams of tourists that pass by the floating islands. They no longer fish for food or rely on the totora reeds for nutrients, and instead must buy food in Puno. They have even started to build hotels, but tourism still does not provide enough money for them to live sustainably on the islands, and they have no other sectors of their economy. Family members often must supplement their tourism income with work in Puno and beyond. My impression of the Uros is that it is a much more negative and superficial type of tourism, and I suspect that the reason for this is its proximity to Puno and the large volume of tourists this brings in.

The boat driver understood why his people would be drawn to the income that the tourism industry brings in, but he also lamented all the changes that have been made. In contrast, during my time on Amantaní, I have gotten the impression that many of the traditional cultural practices and day-to-day activities remain despite tourism, and I have only heard praise for the tourism industry.

We are again staying in the friendly community of Sancayuni Alto with Aloy, Luz Marina, and their daughter Jaquelyn, but this time there are no tourists staying at their house with us. This should make for an interesting comparison. So far, Luz Marina and Aloy don't seem as worried about always wearing what I would call their "uniforms" - the colorful traditional outfits that they always wear in the presence of tourists. The still won't eat at the table with us, though, and instead kneel in the corner of the kitchen on the floor. I'm still not comfortable with this divided meal set-up.

Working in the library was once again so much fun! We had a bunch of pupils, and with the whiteboard markers we brought along, we taught Spanish-English vocab. for animals, fruits, veggies, colors, and subject pronouns. The kids loved it when we let them come up to the board and write an answer. We also wrote very simple sentences in Spanish and helped the kids translate them to English.

3 or 4 of the older boys were our best students, and it was exciting that they really seemed to enjoy the attention we were giving them. The girls still puzzle us because they are either too shy to participate or just don't want to. I know they understand us - we'll just have to work on connecting with them.

After closing up the library, I really enjoyed having no other options for the rest of the evening besides burrowing in our covers to read and talk for a few hours. Dinner was quinoa soup, local vegetables and potatoes, and muña tea. It's the standard island fare, but I'm not getting tired of it!

Solar Panel Ponderings

I first noticed them on the Uros Islands and later on Amantaní and Taquile also. In the middle of Lake Titicaca where poverty is a bigger concern than environmental sustainability, solar panels are popping up as an alternative to the fossil fuel energy of the developed world. This phenomenon provides not only interesting visual juxtapositions of traditional and modern technology for tourists who pass by but also hearty food for thought in relation to economic development issues.

What first struck me in regard to the growing use of solar panels on Lake Titicaca was that the rural subsistence economies that are benefiting from these technologies had never fully harnessed the benefits of fossil fuels that have spurred the development of the U.S. and the rest of the world's wealthiest nations. The Quechua-speaking farmers of Amantaní still clear fields and grow crops without mechanized tools or chemical fertilizer and fish in row boats. They have benefited in the past few decades from gasoline-run motor boats that have been responsible for making the island easily accessible to tourists, but for the most part, the Industrial Revolution largely skipped over Amantaní.

This makes it even more interesting that families on the island are now investing in small solar panels, a technology that is very expensive and almost elite in the U.S. The island had an electricity generator for a while, but it was too expensive and difficult to maintain on the isolated island. Individual solar panels are actually a better option - they're smaller scale investments and cater much more directly to the region's most abundant natural resource - solar energy.

I think this trend is a great illustration of an important and often overlooked tool in development. As Amantaní has developed its tourism industry and become incorporated in the international economy, it has not just benefited from receiving direct monetary investments from tourists who visit the island. Being connected to the rest of the world has also allowed the diffusion of ideas and knowledge from the vast storehouse of the developed world to the needy shelves of poor Peruvians. It is not just our money that we should think about contributing to international poverty relief - our ideas are just as important.

And along this line of thinking, some ideas will be more suited to developing countries than to our modern economy. I think solar panels have taken hold on Lake Titicaca precisely because it is physically isolated, abundantly sunny, and there is little competition from the traditional fossil fuel grid. We tend to think of technologies we use as the final fix to any problem anywhere, but we forget that the environments technologies are utilized in arecrucial to their success. Just because fossil fuels were convenient and economical in 19th century Britain doesn't mean that they will have the same efficiency in 2009 in remote Peru.

I found it so intriguing to see solar panels on Amantaní because like many people in the U.S., it is all too easy for me to fall into the trap of attempting to prescribe our Industrial development path to the rest of the world. Contrary to popular belief, a country doesn't have to start its growth with dirty coal and gasoline and only switch to sustainable energy options once it's rich. Sometimes, there is a benefit to being different and off-the-grid.

Side note - What, you may ask, were these solar panels actually used for on Lake Titicaca? On the Uros Islands, they provide electricity at night, radio, and sometimes sporadic television. According to a man born on the Uros who we talked to, one of the biggest benefits of these panels was that candles no longer had to be used at night, and thus, catastrophic fires no longer wipe out whole islands (photo is of these floating reed islands with a solar panel on a reed house in the background). On Amantaní and Taquile, they are also used for a few hours of electricity a day.

This technology is nowhere near perfect yet, however. For example, the doctor we talked to who is stationed on Taquile said that solar panels don't generate enough power for him utilize computers and many diagnostic machines that he needs to be able to give adequate care. As the name implies, development is certainly an ongoing process...

Finding the Island Groove - Journal from Sat. 7.11.09

It was definitely chilly last night, even under my 5 layers of wool blankets. To warm up, Madeline and I set out on a big morning adventure after breakfast. We followed a well-worn set of paths along the ridge of Sancayuni Alto and down into the neighboring community. We clambered down valleys, across fallow fields and community spaces, and enjoyed a view from a mirador near a stand of eucalyptus trees. Making our way back was the most difficult part because we opted to walk along the shore instead of the well-worn path. We slid down a hill on our butts, climbed across giant rocks in the water and narrow paths by cliffs, and we had to ask for directions at one point. But the weather was gorgeous, and we enjoyed every minute of our 3-hour expedition.

Also, we probably passed five people at most during the walk and no tourists. I can't understand how this island has a reputation for being touristy. Yes, it does have tourists, but its inhabitants are still farmers who grow much of their own food, rarely have electricity, and speak Quechua as their first language.

In the afternoon, we had a very successful session in the library. We had the kids write stories in Spanish, most of which turned out to be legends, some that were part of the local oral history. We read with them - everything from Harry Potter to fairy tales. We also played games such as Around the World using simple math, Hangman, and Categories. All these group games were a big hit, and we didn't close up until 4:30. Many of the kids were still milling around happily. And as we left, one of the older boys yelled after us with "see you tomorrow"- one of our vocabulary lessons!

It is amazing to see so many kids voluntarily show up to learn on a Saturday afternoon. In the absence of TV and all our modern distractions, the library is an enjoyable option for them! I love their enthusiasm but wonder about what the future holds for them. Although public universities in Peru are free for those who can pass the entrance exam, I doubt any of these children will get to that level much less even see it as an option. I wonder how many of them have aspirations to move off the island? For those that do, will they find a better life? And I can't help thinking that if these kids I'm working with now were transplanted into life on the mainland, they would lose the passion and enthusiasm they excite me with now.

Misa en la Plaza - Journal from Sun. 7.12.09

When in Peru, do as the Peruvians do. On Sunday, that means attending a Catholic Church. We made our way from Sancayuni Alto to Pueblo for mass at 11 with the aid of a map that Aloy drew just for us. As we entered the stone church in the Plaza de Armas of Pueblo, there were a few other tourists milling about outside including what appeared to be a group of Peruvian tourism students from UNA. It was interesting to watch them take pictures of the town and the locals just like foreign tourists would.

Inside the church, decoration was very sparse with only a few small paintings and religious statues and plastic flowers strung from the ceiling and a donation box appealing to tourists. Basically nobody showed up at first, and we were just about to leave at 11:15 when people began flowing in! First came normal looking locals, men and women and a few children, who deposited themselves in the back rows. Then we noticed that a small ceremony of sorts was taking place in the plaza by the flagpoles. A group of men dressed in black suits and fedoras were singing something and using decorative whip-like contraptions for some ritual. Fearing we might be about to witness a funeral, Madeline and I moved back about 4 rows at this point.

We did indeed end up witnessing mass on Amantaní, not a funderal, but moving back was still a wise idea. The black-attired men soon proceeded into the church and filled the 3 rows in front of us. They were followed by women in the most elaborate traditional outfits I have seen - black, embroidered all over with birds, flowers, and intricate, colorful designs. These women filled in the rows directly opposite the men and then the service began.

Later in the day, when we described our experience to Aloy, he clarified what had been going on. The group of men were leaders of each of the 10 villages on Amantaní, as well as the governor of Amantaní and Tequile, plus the mayor of Amantaní. The women were the wives of these important men. Apparently, every Sunday this group gathers at the Pueblo Plaza for a weekly meeting. Part of the ritual appears to be attending church. Given that it was a formality of sorts would explain why few of these men or women seemed very interested in the mass itself. While the priest (?) was leading the service (prayers seemed to be in Spanish while the sermon (?) was in Quechua) the men were exchanging coca leaves among the colorful cloth bags they carry for this purpose. This is a traditional way of greeting on the islands.

We had to leave at 11:45, so I don't know how long mass lasted. When we stepped outside, we were amazed to see that it was filled with people waiting outside in what looked like their nice clothes. We later found out from Aloy that every week after mass, the group of officials will leave the church and have a meeting in the plaza concerning island news. Each community can have its say in important decisions, and the representatives can spread the news they learn back to their respective villages. Aloy said that today's discussion concerned getting a doctor on the island in the near future, something they sorely need.

Terrifying Tricicleta Travel - Journal from Mon. 7.13.09

This morning, we said goodbye to Luz Marina, each payed our 78 soles (like $26) for our room and board for the past three nights, and walked with Aloy down to the port. I really enjoyed our conversation with him on the way there. I asked about the effects of tourism, and he was completely of the opinion that it is nothing but a positive development. He said before tourism, Amantaní had fewer people, no stone roads, and was basically just farmland. He seems to just see advancement, more prosperity, and more options in the Amantaní of today.

I also asked him his opinion on the current Peruvian president, Alan García. Aloy seemed to dislike him very much, saying he is ineffective and not worthy of being president. He was much more positive about previous presidents Toledo and Fujimori because they both improved the tourism industry and carried through with goals that directly benefitted Amantaní. At the same time, he still believes Fujimori deserves to be incarcerated for his human rights abusues. It is a very curious phenomenon that so many people can love a man who they also believe deserves strict punishment. Maybe because political options in Peru are so corrupt and volitile to begin with, people just take any help they can get. They don't have the luxury that we do in the U.S. of quibbling over small issues and character flaws. I think of Bill Clinton, which seems like a similar, though much less severe case. Despite all he did and his potential, so many Democrats swore off him completely in the U.S. after his scandal. We can judge the whole package because it is likely that a better all-around candidate will come along. Not in Peru.

Other highlight (or lowpoint, really) of today. In an attempt to check another item off our Peru to-do list, we hired a tricicleta to take us from the port to All Ways - never again! Along small, quiet roads where traffic laws exist and are obeyed, I would have enjoyed being pedaled around, but in Puno, it was just terrifying! Our driver drove in and out of traffic, seemed to have an aversion to putting on the brakes, and drove us through an intersection in which a taxi was heading straight for us. Like I said. Never. Again.

Atahualpa's Revenge - Journal from Tues 7.14.09

Today was by far the low point of my time in Peru so far. I'll just say that I woke up feeling queasy, and you can imagine what I spent my day doing besides staying in bed. Was my dinner last night not cooked well or was it Puno's water? I don't know, but it was almost inevitable that something would get to me on my trip.

I did venture out of the apartment once today when I mistakenly thought I was recovering. Ivan came by in the early afternoon and took us to the university (UNA) to do some research for our papers. Universidad Nacional del Altiplano has a very open-air 1960s feel to it. Its architecture is functional and not of much aesthetic merit. The library system is also much different. There is a central library and small libraries for various departments. All the books are closed off from the students - you look up titles in the computer catalog and then ask the librarian to retrieve what you want. There's no browsing!

We each managed to find a list of books and theses on the card catalogue, and Ivan promised to retrieve them later, which was extremely nice of him. He also took me to briefly talk with a tourism professor who was helpful in directing me towards what to search for in terms of the economic and societal effects of tourism on Amantaní and in Peru.

I'm already feeling much better this evening. Maybe I was just lucky to not get very sick, or Atahualpa's revenge is just less severe than Moteczuma's in Mexico, which I've heard horror stories about from my dad. Either way, I'm glad to be putting it behind me!

Tell me your take on tourism.

I've been reading a thesis paper written in 1994 by María Magdalena Choque Chura, a student at la Universidad Nacional del Altiplano called la "Importancia de la Actividad Turística en la Economía familiar de la Isla Amantaní" [The Importance of Tourism in the Family Economy of the island of Amantaní]. The paper describes Amantaní, its history, and its economy. Although the paper and the data it contains were only compiled 15 years ago, I have found it interesting to try to compare tourism's importance and influence then to what I observed this summer. From what I can tell, much has changed over this time period.

First of all, Chura concludes that receiving tourists was only practiced by a small number of families on Amantaní in 1994. Tourism was profitable for those few families who were involved with it; however, the flow of tourists was very irregular. Specifically, agriculture and fishing accounted for 27.5 and 26.2%, respectively, of annual income for the average family on Amantaní. Tourism services only accounted for 1.18% in comparison. Tourism was more important for helping develop other sectors of the economy like textiles and handicrafts than for generating direct profits. And the economy overall was completely one of subsistence.

Chura also interviewed locals from Amantaní about their opinions of tourism in 1994. Of the 118 family leaders she interviewed, 47.5% viewed tourism as favorable and 23.7% viewed it is unfavorable. The main benefits cited were related to tourism's ability to raise the economic level of those participating in it. And it was precisely those people who relied most heavily on and benefited most from tourism who had a positive opinion of it. The most cited negative consequence was that tourism benefits were not distributed equally, and only those few families with access to a boat were able to prosper and gain power. Also, there were worries that Amantaní would lose some of its character and that the islanders would feel like inferior curiosities instead of equal human beings under the curious stares of tourists.

I do not have equivalent statistics for 2009, but it was obvious that tourism's footprint is much deeper and more widespread today. There are more tourists, more handicrafts, and updated island infrastructure such as stone roads and colorful community centers obviously built with tourists in mind. Las lanchas (small boats) that ferry tour groups between Puno and Amantaní are now outsourced to mainland companies instead of being monopolized by a few powerful Amanteños. And I have no numbers on this, but the economy appears to be dominated by tourism with agriculture taking a secondary role.

I also feel that overall, the locals' opinion of tourism has certainly improved. Tourism money has been invested in community infrastructure and advancement instead of simply channeling directly to a few select pockets. Education and health initiatives have sprung up. And at the same time, daily life and values have not been drastically altered, at least as far as I can see. All of the Amanteños I discussed the topic with had nothing but good things to say about the benefits of tourism. According to Aloy, our host in Sancayuni Alto and the community's kindergarten teacher, before tourism, Amantaní had fewer people, no stone roads, and less community organization; it was basically just farmland. Now there are more opportunities for everyone to have better lives.

I must also point out my one reservation about this final observation. I only got to know the residents of Amantaní who were connected with tourism through hosting guests, selling handicrafts, or driving boats. I also never had a conversation with people in communities in which All Ways was not involved and maintaining libraries. I suspect that there are still some undercurrents of community power and the resulting resentment associated with the industry, but based on the island-wide tourism benefits I witnessed, I don't think these sentiments are nearly as prevalent.

In conclusion, tourism seems to have helped Amantaní move itself forward instead of locking it up as an exotic but impoverished menagerie enclosed by Lake Titicaca. If "exclusion and marginalisation is one of the defining characteristics of the poor,"* then the fact that inclusion and progress are being observed on Amantaní suggests that its people are moving beyond the cycle of extreme poverty. Dare I say that this island is an example of alternative but beneficial economic development?

*from:
2007. Goodwin, H. Indigenous Tourism and Poverty Reduction in Butler R & Hinch T. Tourism and Indigenous Peoples. Butterworth–Heinemann pp84-94

The Gringa Guides of Amantaní - Journal from Wed. 7.15.09

Our final trip to Amantaní began today, and this time, we weren't just in charge of teaching at a library; we were the tour guides and translators for a group of 14 British volunteers! They were World Challenge volunteers, and their original plans to paint a school on the mainland fell through when Peruvian schools were suddenly closed this week in order to be decontaminated of potential swine flu (H1N1) germs. And I must point out that not one of this group could string together a sentence in Spanish. All arrangements for the day were up to us to work out, but I actually enjoyed being a translator for the day!

One of the highlights of the day was a great hour or so of frisbee and intense volleyball with the local women and the WC group. Many of the women were dressed in their full skirts and traditional outfits. And volleyball is apparently very popular on Amantaní. The local women put all us gringos to shame! Madeline and I also introduced monkey-in-the-middle to one of the younger girls. :)

After playtime, we all headed into the library of this community (Villa). I was a little skeptical that the big British group would be much help in this second situation because none of them spoke Spanish, but everything actually worked out very well, probably because the kids that came to learn were so young that Spanish skills really didn't matter. In fact, when Madeline and I led some of the British kids out to climb Pachatata, a fair number opted to stay behind and work with the kids some more!

Pachatata is a main tourist destination on the island. Madeline and I were in charge of getting our group to the top, but this was not such a difficult task given that there was already a steady stream of tourists winding their way up the stone path. My favorite part of the hike was meeting a German girl at the top while watching the sun set. It was really neat that we could all 3 carry on a conversation in Spanish although it was not the native language of any of us!

We succeeded in being tour guides and didn't lose a single student! It was dark when we met Nestor in the plaza of Villa. He helped us direct all the kids to their respective homestays, and then we headed back to ours. This particular house in Villa only has candles in the bedroom and kitchen. Therefore, we enjoyed our rice and veggies by candlelight.

Wrapping Up - Journal from Thur. 7.16.09

We didn’t have much to say this morning – we were solemnly trying to accept that we were leaving Amantaní for the last time. Breakfast was pancakes, bread, and jam, and then our host mamá walked us down to the port. Either the water was choppier today or our boat was just not built with comfort of the passengers in mind. We rocked back and forth on the swells so much that both of us felt seasick for the first hour of the ride. Our boat did make good time to Puno despite this, and by 1pm, we were walking to the bus station to purchase tickets for Arequipa tomorrow.

We wanted to give Puno a worthy goodbye and decided that the best way to do so was just to explore our favorite spot, the black market, one last time. We didn’t actually buy anything, as usual, but we did have some exciting finds: an iPod for 300 soles, an awesome stand selling slippers, and all the ingredients to make s’mores (Hershey’s chocolate AND marshmallows)! I was also on a quest for some interesting graffiti as we ambled around, and I surprisingly did have some success. For example, I learned from one specimen that Peru has a national food assistance program (PRONAA – Programa Nacional de Asistencia Alimentaria). I will definitely have to do some research to learn more about this!

We invited Victor and Ivan to our final dinner in Puno. The highlight of the night - I tried to get rid of my torn 50 soles bill, but I guess I underestimated just how much Peruvians avoid any rips in money at all. We left it on the table and quickly left, but our waiter soon came tearing down the street after us to point out the tear! Oh well, I have now officially delegated this piece of currency to the status of souvenir.

So, our bags are packed, our Arequipa adventure begins tomorrow, and we will be home in less than a week! Dios mio!

La Casa de los Pinguinos - Journal from Fri. 7.17.09

When we woke up this morning – Señora Pauca was here! It was the day we were leaving Puno, and she had arrived. So, as we were getting dressed, she was cleaning up the kitchen and generally putting the apartment back in order. She laid out bread and cheese for our breakfast and amiably talked with us (in Spanish, of course) while we ate.

Ivan came by for the last time, and we took a few pictures with Ivan and Victor, and then they were gone! We caught a taxi, headed to the bus station, and were on our bus by 8am. Oh, also, Victor and Ivan had doubts about our bus situation because it was with a bus company they were not familiar with. It ended up being a new, double-decker bus. We sat in the first row of the second level and so had a panoramic view. It didn’t fill up with locals until we stopped in Juliaca, but because we were at the front, it didn’t feel crowded. I’ll admit that our driver was a little bit of a maniac, but hey, the price was right, and we arrived in Arequipa in record time!

I have forgotten a major characteristic of this day – we attempted to only speak in Spanish! We did slip up a few times and revert to English, but for the most part, it was great practice. Spanish quickly begins to come so much easier when you aren’t constantly switching back and forth with English. By the evening when we took a taxi ride to dinner, our cab driver even complemented us on our Spanish abilities. Imagine that!

In Arequipa, our hotel is bright yellow and called Casa de los Pinguinos – and yes, it has a penguin motif in the décor. It’s a 10 or 15 walk from the Plaza de Armas, and we set off soon after arriving to find lunch. Our tourist desination for the day was el Museo Santury. The main attraction at this cultural museum run by la Universidad Católica de Santa María is ‘Juanita, the ice princess”- a frozen body of a young girl that was sacrificed by the Incas on the summit of Nevado Ampato over 500 years ago. This practice occurred throughout the Incan empire, was an attempt to placate the mountain gods, and was considered an honor for the children who were chosen for this purpose at birth. And yes, we got a very close look at Juanita. I’ve seen mummies before, but the fact that she was murdered with a blow to her head made it a very singular and chilling experience for me.

By the way, the city of Arequipa has a much different feel to it than the other large cities I’ve seen in Peru so far. It seems to have much less indigenous influence – no women walking around in Andean dress and very few darker skinned Peruvians at all. It is much more prosperous than Cusco or Puno, and the Plaza de Armas is grander and with palm trees! The architecture has a very grand colonial feel with balconies and white sillar rock (from the nearby volcanoes) buildings. Finally, the volcano Misti and the ragged, snow-capped peaks of Chachani and Pichu Pichu majestically peer over the town.

For dinner, we picked out a restaurant that Lonely Planet advertised as a favorite hangout of the locals. The restaurant was called Tradición Ariquipeña, and we did appear to be the only tourists there! We opted to sit outside under a shelter in the garden so that we could watch all the people dancing to the band inside the main part of the restaurant. Our waiter was very professional but the only drawback of being the only ones sitting outside was that at one point, these two creepy Peruvian guys came over and tried to make friends with us. They were at least 30 years old and wanted us to go out clubbing with them. We made up some excuse about how we had to get up very early tomorrow, so no, we couldn’t join them because we were going to bed! Sometimes, having an old lady’s schedule can come in handy, haha.

Internship Paper

I have finally gotten my initial impressions down on paper. Check out my paper about volunteering with All Ways!

'bout this blog

It has been over three weeks since Madeline and I returned from our seven weeks of adventuring in Peru. We both had an amazing summer and learned all sorts of things about the country, its people, and ourselves. Since returning to the U.S., we've had ample time to relax and re-acculturate, and with our summer quickly drawing to a close, we are now ready to reflect on our experiences.

Specifically, this blog is meant to summarize our experiences in Puno volunteering for All Ways Travel, a socially conscious tourism agency that runs tours on and around Lake Titicaca. Madeline spent almost all of her seven weeks in Puno with All Ways, and I joined her there for three weeks in July (I spent June traveling throughout Peru with a larger group from Wake Forest - see http://tropicalbiodiversity.blogspot.com/). Our main responsibility was working with All Ways' education project directed by Victor Pauca, especially on the island of Amantaní.

Since our trip has already ended, this blog will not be equivalent to a live, online diary. Instead, it will include excerpts from our journals, reflections on specific issues, papers we have written, and of course, lots of photos!