You are standing in the Cordillera of the Andes. Southern Perú. It's hard to breathe this high up. The sky is a clear, fresh, intense blue, stretching upwards into the deep realms of the heavens. You see rocky slopes sprawling before you, and some grassy fields splayed about. A river splices the horizon in two, snaking its way between the peaks. You note a small village beside a road. The inhabitants of the village have a skin tone unchanged from that of their ancestors: the mighty Inkas. They have a dark, awful secret, however. They speak the Inkan language, Quechua.
So? What's so bad about that? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. But the Quechuas feel that it is an awful thing to speak their native language. A Cuzcan tour guide named Ernesto once told me, "These people don't like to speak their native language [around others]. They have vergüenza - shame - to speak it. They feel it is a lower, dirtier language compared to Spanish." How can this be? Well, through centuries of cultural, legal and economic oppresion by the Spanish conquistadores, the Quechuas have been made to be ashamed of their culture, society, heritage and their language. Through this process, the ability to read quipus - the Inka way of writing by making knots - has been lost (although we have determined some numerical properities through analysis). Also, a third of all the words in Quechua have been lost. Most, if not all, speak Spanish, the official language of Peru. Any who hope to move to a big city and work, moving up the social ladder, must know how to speak this key language.
This is not a peculiarity limited to Quechua. The same has occurred with Aymara, another native language, along with many others throughout the world. I experienced this myself countless hundreds of times. People who communicate better in Quechua or Aymara, in front of other people, will speak only in Spanish. Even in the vast mazes in Peruvian markets, buried beneath tarps in dark alleyways, the Quechua or Aymara will, amongst themselves, oft not speak their most natural tongue, one they can both understand.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Friday, August 3, 2012
Este Nuevo Mundo Antiguo, Canadá
I recently read a blog post about embracing reverse culture shock, and I decided that was a good idea - use this time to highlight the differences between Canada and Peru.
Aire Rico
When I first walked out the door in Canada, I noticed just how fresh the air smelt in comparison to Tacna and Lima. It was humid, and with grass and trees even several metres from the airport, I was very impressed with the cleanliness and even delicious smell of Canadian air. My family told me Ottawa had been going through a bit of a drought, but the air was just so much more humid than Tacna's I didn't care.
Pasto tras pasto, árbol tras árbol
Since I lived in a desert for a year, there is basically no grass nor trees (except artificially planted and regularly watered ones). Grass is expensive, not just because it's really scarce and you have to buy it there, but you have to water it, since it only rains about 6-8 times a year (and even them it's only a very fine, light mist). Lush grass. And trees! And flowers!
La cortesía canadiense
I had heard, living in Canada, of how polite the people here were. I was just blown away when I returned and a day after arriving, went to a government building to get a document renewed. A cheerful grin, thank you's and please's were springing forth from not just the government employees but also the people they were helping. Then hours later I spoke with a bus company route-finder. He was very polite even though I had him on the phone talking for 20 minutes! Thank God.
Sí, riqueza material habita por acá
The people here are wealthy, rich, and affluent. The airport, the massive cars everywhere, the public transportation provided by the government, drying machines (in southern Peru we just leave them to dry hanging up on the roofs), massive TVs, the houses, washing machines, extra clothes, storage rooms to store more things, traffic lights everywhere, well paved roads, free public playing field after free public playing field... just nuts!
Tráfico Sano
The traffic here is not insane. People stop at stop signs, cars in traffic circles are given the right of way (in Arequipa cars inside these circles often have to stop completely to let another car in because they're so jammed pack), cars don't hover between lanes, right on the line...
Aire Rico
When I first walked out the door in Canada, I noticed just how fresh the air smelt in comparison to Tacna and Lima. It was humid, and with grass and trees even several metres from the airport, I was very impressed with the cleanliness and even delicious smell of Canadian air. My family told me Ottawa had been going through a bit of a drought, but the air was just so much more humid than Tacna's I didn't care.
Pasto tras pasto, árbol tras árbol
Since I lived in a desert for a year, there is basically no grass nor trees (except artificially planted and regularly watered ones). Grass is expensive, not just because it's really scarce and you have to buy it there, but you have to water it, since it only rains about 6-8 times a year (and even them it's only a very fine, light mist). Lush grass. And trees! And flowers!
La cortesía canadiense
I had heard, living in Canada, of how polite the people here were. I was just blown away when I returned and a day after arriving, went to a government building to get a document renewed. A cheerful grin, thank you's and please's were springing forth from not just the government employees but also the people they were helping. Then hours later I spoke with a bus company route-finder. He was very polite even though I had him on the phone talking for 20 minutes! Thank God.
Sí, riqueza material habita por acá
The people here are wealthy, rich, and affluent. The airport, the massive cars everywhere, the public transportation provided by the government, drying machines (in southern Peru we just leave them to dry hanging up on the roofs), massive TVs, the houses, washing machines, extra clothes, storage rooms to store more things, traffic lights everywhere, well paved roads, free public playing field after free public playing field... just nuts!
Tráfico Sano
The traffic here is not insane. People stop at stop signs, cars in traffic circles are given the right of way (in Arequipa cars inside these circles often have to stop completely to let another car in because they're so jammed pack), cars don't hover between lanes, right on the line...
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Los Informes: N° 10 - Junio
The same as when I last wrote this report. Gabriela is now on her cross-Canada trip and so my host family is a bit anxious because they haven't been able to contact her directly (only indirectly) because her phone is having some issues.
How's school?
Delicious.
I'll be going back to Humboldt in a week to collect the official "document" that records that I took about 3 months of Spanish classes allá, and I also plan on going out to collect my Portuguese class diploma from the UPT esta tarde. Also, my cooking class this module has had French class, donc j'ai pratique - quelque chose dont j'ai beaucoup de besoin.
Cooking class continues to excel :).
What's up with Rotary?
This month was both the departure of Gabriel, notre étudiant d'echange français, who left on the 12th, and then on the 17th we had a Father's day meeting - they gave the dads some nice flashlights with built in radio (which they'll probably end up using the next time there's an earthquake and power outage.
Problems?
Can't think of any except what I touched on last time. Time. It's almost gone. And it's sprinting. It seems like only a month ago I had already been in Peru for two months but that was really over 7 months or was it 8 months ago..... STOP THYSELF, O THOU CLOCK.
Praise God I'm making use of my time and living for eternity.
Anything else?
Yeah - I went and travelled to Puno and got to see lake Titicaca and Uros (and learn a few aymara words - like kamisaraki)
Los Informes: N° 9 - Mayo
How's your host family doing?
My host family continues to look forward to the return of Gabriela (their daughter) who shall be returning late July - along with her older sister, Denise. I'm looking forward to meeting Denise and saying hola again to Gabriela.
How is school?
School was good. I finished Portuguese on the 28th. I had been studying it at an anex of the UPT in the central plaza - basically a language institute, branching off of the main univesity. Se Joe estiver lendo isto, pode me dizer como vai o meu português? Espero que seja entendível. Além disso, I have also been continuing to study cooking at Esdit, although it is expensive. However it is very useful, and I look forward to using this God-given ability to serve my family when I return to Canada.
Any problems?
Yes, can you tell the clock to slow down? Man, the time goes by so fast. Se pasa volando.
What's up with the Rotary Club there?
Not much :)
Anything else?
Yeah; I went to Arequipa to say goodbye to the third exchange student to leave - Addey Meachum.
Friday, June 22, 2012
Los Informes: N° 8 - Abril
How is your daily life with your host family?
As it has progressed throughout the year. It's fine and there are no communication problems, thanks be to God. I love my host family. It's also clear at this point that there will be no change in host families (the Arequipa kids have changed around 3-4 times), while us Tacneños have yet to change even once. I'm quite fine with this; my host family is great, we live conveniently close to both my Cooking classes and Portuguese classes.
How is school?
My classes are going well; my cooking class is very helpful; I joke that when I leave Peru, I'll be bringing the best with me :) Also, my Portuguese classes are going well. I can communicate in it muito melhor do que French.
Problems?
At 5:00 AM this morning there was an earthquake of magnitude around 7. No one was killed and the damage was very, very minor (just some sections of wall in a few old houses), as well as some power problems and the like. 5 people in hospital). During the month of April itself I did come down with Gastroenteritis (the second time I've been sick) but that has been my only other malady I've had.
What's up with your Rotary Club?
It's fine. I went to the Rotary conference in April with the other exchangers in Arequipa. I've attached some photos of those events.
Other:
I will be departing Peru on August 1st, and arriving August 2nd.
Mmm, qué rico.
Ceviche de langostinas.
The conference.
As it has progressed throughout the year. It's fine and there are no communication problems, thanks be to God. I love my host family. It's also clear at this point that there will be no change in host families (the Arequipa kids have changed around 3-4 times), while us Tacneños have yet to change even once. I'm quite fine with this; my host family is great, we live conveniently close to both my Cooking classes and Portuguese classes.
How is school?
My classes are going well; my cooking class is very helpful; I joke that when I leave Peru, I'll be bringing the best with me :) Also, my Portuguese classes are going well. I can communicate in it muito melhor do que French.
Problems?
At 5:00 AM this morning there was an earthquake of magnitude around 7. No one was killed and the damage was very, very minor (just some sections of wall in a few old houses), as well as some power problems and the like. 5 people in hospital). During the month of April itself I did come down with Gastroenteritis (the second time I've been sick) but that has been my only other malady I've had.
What's up with your Rotary Club?
It's fine. I went to the Rotary conference in April with the other exchangers in Arequipa. I've attached some photos of those events.
Other:
I will be departing Peru on August 1st, and arriving August 2nd.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Los Informes: N° 7 - Marzo
Daily life with host family?
Just an introductory note: In the above questionnaire "How are often are you in contact with your club counsellor?", the answer is technically "monthly," but is less than a minute of contact (normally).
Host family:
In terms of daily life with my host family, I have an update to note: "Norma," my host mother's neice who previously cleaned the house, is no longer working for my host mother. Thus, there are less people in the house. Otherwise, everything is normal.
Just an introductory note: In the above questionnaire "How are often are you in contact with your club counsellor?", the answer is technically "monthly," but is less than a minute of contact (normally).
Host family:
In terms of daily life with my host family, I have an update to note: "Norma," my host mother's neice who previously cleaned the house, is no longer working for my host mother. Thus, there are less people in the house. Otherwise, everything is normal.
How's school?
How is school?:
March was a normal month of school, except that I was in Cusco and Machu Picchu for two weeks so I missed two weeks of classes, which did not prove (thanks solely be to the grace of God) to be difficult at all to catch up.
I am learning how to cook a great deal!
Problems?
Hidden costs present on the Machu Picchu trip were not made known until we were there. We ended up having to buy some meals that we did not think we would have to buy, along with other things.
But no financial nor national emergency, no.
How's the Rotary Club?
Fine as usual, but I was travelling for a week and a bit with some Rotarians to Machu Picchu instead of going to a normal meeting. Otherwise, all is normal.
Los Informes: N° 6 - Febrero
How is host-family life?
Going strong as usual. Not much to say, seeing as how I've been here for over 6 months going on 7. This is probably going to be my shortest report to date because there is just very little to say.
How is school?
Good. Portuguese classes 'recomeçaram' on the 5th of March. I'm still attending Esdit, thus learning to cook. Honestly, not much to say here, but I guess I can outline my weekly class schedule in terms of Cooking and Portuguese.
DAY A (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
-----
8:30 - 12:30 Cooking in Esdit
1:00 - 2:30 Portuguese
DAY B (Tuesday, Thursday)
-----
1:00 - 2:30 Portuguese
Going strong as usual. Not much to say, seeing as how I've been here for over 6 months going on 7. This is probably going to be my shortest report to date because there is just very little to say.
How is school?
Good. Portuguese classes 'recomeçaram' on the 5th of March. I'm still attending Esdit, thus learning to cook. Honestly, not much to say here, but I guess I can outline my weekly class schedule in terms of Cooking and Portuguese.
DAY A (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
-----
8:30 - 12:30 Cooking in Esdit
1:00 - 2:30 Portuguese
DAY B (Tuesday, Thursday)
-----
1:00 - 2:30 Portuguese
Problems?
There are always problems :)
The pattern for attending school and post-secondary options seems to be that the exchange student arrives in July to August and attends 4th or 5th year (the equivalent of Gr. 11 or Gr. 12) in school until school ends (around Dec. 15). This is expected to be paid for by the host parents. For me, I arrived Aug 20th, but two of the other exchange students did not arrive until later; then together we entered school and, taking into consideration the trips taken with Rotary, we ended in early December with only about 2 months of Peruvian schooling under our belt.
Then, afterwards, it seems the norm is to enrol in language, art, cooking, instrument classes or something else along those lines (this is not to say that there is not the option to go back to the same school to repeat the same courses over again). These post-curricular courses are not expected to be paid for by the host parents, meaning the parents at home must pay if their child is to do anything. Rotary does not pay for the schooling. As previously discussed, an American did not elect to do any courses, and so her parents (seeing she was to do nothing else for several months) brought her back home.
So, in summary, the problem is that Rotary at this end is not fully communicating the true future financial situation and schooling situation to our end.
How is the Rotary Club there?
As it always has. My host councillor is supposed to bring me to Arica and back soon so I can renew my passport days, yet this has not come to pass.
Also:
- The biggest trip (to Machu Picchu) is currently being discussed. We should be leaving in a few weeks.
- My camera was either stolen or lost (more likely). I have resorted to using my camera phone, so I don't have many photos to show :(
Friday, February 3, 2012
Los Informes: N° 5 - Enero
Daily Life: After speaking with the Youth Exchange Chairman for district 4300, it was revealed that the change of families will take place towards the end of February, beginning of March: 6 months into the exchange, instead of 3. This is fine with me, as I am now orientated within the city and my current host family's main house is close to all my classes, of which I will speak shortly:
Photos from the roof of the house. See Psa 19.
On a clear day, looking to the East, mountains can be seen (click on the image to see a bigger picture).
Day at School: I have been attending the Universidad Privada de Tacna's language institute for a few weeks now in order to learn Portuguese. É uma lenguagem muito fácil de aprender se você sabe espanhol. However, it will not be taken during the month of February (everyone wants to go à praia) - it recommences on the 5th of March.
Problems: I have been trying to figure out how much longer of a student visa I have. Sra. María Torres, a lady who works at the Governmental Immigration Office here in Tacna, told me on the third week of January that I only have "24 days left". When I asked about the "+180 (days)" stamp on my passport, which is added on whenever a non-Peruvian citizen leaves the country and re-enters, she said "it doesn't have value" and "it doesn't matter". She then instructed me to go to the Chilean border (40 minutes away) and ask to change to a "tourist visa" (upon which an extra 180 days will be added). When I asked if she had any of this written down (in a pamphlet, etc.) she said "no". According to the senior members in my Rotary Club, she was lying and was just trying to make me pay more for a tourist visa. So, my councillor (my real one) is going to bring me to the border and back in February to get another +180 (day) stamp, which they say does have value. So I'll just wait for that day, and when I get more information I'll relay it back to anyone interested.
How's your Rotary Club?
It's been doing well! Not much to say I guess. Although I presume I will need to start thinking about my next presentation soon!
I also just started to take cooking classes at Esdit. I'll eventually learn Bread-making, Pastry-making, native Peruvian food and much more.
Problems: I have been trying to figure out how much longer of a student visa I have. Sra. María Torres, a lady who works at the Governmental Immigration Office here in Tacna, told me on the third week of January that I only have "24 days left". When I asked about the "+180 (days)" stamp on my passport, which is added on whenever a non-Peruvian citizen leaves the country and re-enters, she said "it doesn't have value" and "it doesn't matter". She then instructed me to go to the Chilean border (40 minutes away) and ask to change to a "tourist visa" (upon which an extra 180 days will be added). When I asked if she had any of this written down (in a pamphlet, etc.) she said "no". According to the senior members in my Rotary Club, she was lying and was just trying to make me pay more for a tourist visa. So, my councillor (my real one) is going to bring me to the border and back in February to get another +180 (day) stamp, which they say does have value. So I'll just wait for that day, and when I get more information I'll relay it back to anyone interested.
How's your Rotary Club?
It's been doing well! Not much to say I guess. Although I presume I will need to start thinking about my next presentation soon!
Friday, January 6, 2012
Los Informes: N° 4 - Diciembre
Daily Life: The daily life with my host family is, as of yet, unchanged*. I will soon be changing families to the Barreda family, whom have three children (their daughter is an exchange student in France right now, I believe) and two younger boys.
*That is a good thing :)
Day at School: School ended for me on the 1st of December (officially on the 15th, but the exchange students ended earlier for reasons previously explained). I will soon by attending the culinary school, Esdit, from 8:00am-1:00pm each Monday, and in the coming weeks as more courses are made available, I will attend those. I am also looking to attend classes at a language school.
Problems: I'm kind of in a "half-way" point right now - school, Christmas, and New-Years Eve ended so recently, and I'll soon be starting up again at cooking school. So, not really any problems.
How's your Rotary Club? Good as ever! However, I have been unable to attend it quite so frequently due to the holidays and past trips.
What were the Holidays like?
There is an unfortunate lack of genuine disparity between the holidays in Northern America and Southern America (and, most likely, most of the world) due to Americanization. So, everyone's got their fake pine tree with presents underneath, we see Santa costumes everywhere (when I was in the Peruvian jungle, in the city of Tarapoto, there were a bunch of Santas on motorcycles with produce-carts attached to the front [to make a "sleigh"] circling the main square for the entire month of December. Quite comical!) and "snowflakes" on frosted glass windows. What's really funny is that most Peruvians haven't even seen snow with their own eyes!
However, there is still some differences: there is Christmas bread here (called Panetón), which is really interesting, in both shape and flavour, which is popular all year round, but especially so at Christmas - they have special Christmas panetones. Also, while we are accustomed to having a nice meal on Christmas Eve and going to bed early in order to get up early, and the big day and the big meal is on Christmas day - it's almost as if the two days are switched here. Dinner is eaten at around 11pm - 12am, with a gradual crescendo of exploding firecrackers (people purchase loads and loads of firecrackers [some even fireworks] and are supposed to light them off at 12:00am, but do it before and after for hours). At midnight, it sounds like a war with exploding bombs. Sometimes people say "Happy New Years!" soon after midnight (which confused me seeing as how it was December 25th). It's almost like they want to have Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's eve and New Years Day all at the same time!
*That is a good thing :)
Day at School: School ended for me on the 1st of December (officially on the 15th, but the exchange students ended earlier for reasons previously explained). I will soon by attending the culinary school, Esdit, from 8:00am-1:00pm each Monday, and in the coming weeks as more courses are made available, I will attend those. I am also looking to attend classes at a language school.
Problems: I'm kind of in a "half-way" point right now - school, Christmas, and New-Years Eve ended so recently, and I'll soon be starting up again at cooking school. So, not really any problems.
How's your Rotary Club? Good as ever! However, I have been unable to attend it quite so frequently due to the holidays and past trips.
What were the Holidays like?
There is an unfortunate lack of genuine disparity between the holidays in Northern America and Southern America (and, most likely, most of the world) due to Americanization. So, everyone's got their fake pine tree with presents underneath, we see Santa costumes everywhere (when I was in the Peruvian jungle, in the city of Tarapoto, there were a bunch of Santas on motorcycles with produce-carts attached to the front [to make a "sleigh"] circling the main square for the entire month of December. Quite comical!) and "snowflakes" on frosted glass windows. What's really funny is that most Peruvians haven't even seen snow with their own eyes!
However, there is still some differences: there is Christmas bread here (called Panetón), which is really interesting, in both shape and flavour, which is popular all year round, but especially so at Christmas - they have special Christmas panetones. Also, while we are accustomed to having a nice meal on Christmas Eve and going to bed early in order to get up early, and the big day and the big meal is on Christmas day - it's almost as if the two days are switched here. Dinner is eaten at around 11pm - 12am, with a gradual crescendo of exploding firecrackers (people purchase loads and loads of firecrackers [some even fireworks] and are supposed to light them off at 12:00am, but do it before and after for hours). At midnight, it sounds like a war with exploding bombs. Sometimes people say "Happy New Years!" soon after midnight (which confused me seeing as how it was December 25th). It's almost like they want to have Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's eve and New Years Day all at the same time!
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Los Informes: N° 2 - Octubre
[Opening note: I'm going to change how I've been managing my blog - I'll be posting ~1-2 times a month with good, meaty content and a few pictures, instead of a bunch of pictures and little written content. This is done on the excellent suggestion of my parents.]
Daily Life: My daily life is the same as when I sent the last report - I'm having a great time with my family, and I've become so used to living here. It's really comfortable, interesting, and fun! I love adapting to other cultures - I can't believe I've already spent 2 months with my family! I have less than another 2 months before I will end up leaving to go live with another family. I've picked up a lot more Spanish - I can now communicate ideas with a very, very high quality (I've mastered all of the essential, and some of the more complicated verb tenses), my reading comprehension is pretty good, but my actual ability to pick words out of a quickly spoken sentence and perfectly understand it needs a lot of work. No worries - I still have quite a while to go.
School: The English teachers (and 2 Spanish teachers) at our school have agreed to teach all the exchange students at our school - all 4 of us at their own expense of time. We are taking 45 minutes to an 1h45min every day to learn Spanish - new words, verb tenses and modes, and we're also learning verbal communication and written comprehension. It's been a real privilege.
My last big trip: About a month ago, all of the exchange students in our district (and in the Lima district) went on a big trip to Arequipa, the Colca canyon, Cambaya, Ilabaya, and Arica (the northernmost city in Chile). We had a bunch of fun - toured all through the city of Arequipa (we went through Monasteries, old Cathedrals, toured around the outskirts of the city and past the city limits), up to 5000m at the Colca Canyon (up there we went to hot springs, toured around the Colca canyon and saw beautiful Condors), travelled around the province of Tacna (we visited Ilabaya and Cambaya - two relatively minute villages wedged in the foot of the Andes mountains - we hiked past Cambaya and bathed directly underneath the large "Cataratas de Panina" - the Panina waterfall), as well as touring around Arica and seeing important historic places.
My plans for my future stay here, in Tacna: I have talked to my host district president, Roy Cárdenas, and I will be able to attend a Peruvian culinary school here, after school (which ends on December 15th). So after school ends, I'll start attending the culinary school. I don't know whether to attend the 2-month (Summer only) program - (if I do, I will definitely get some kind of a diploma), or a longer program without the certainty of getting a diploma - but with a longer program, I would learn much more. It's pretty interesting, and I'm looking forward to what's going to happen!
Two of Arequipa's three volcanoes: Chachani, Misti, and Pichu Pichu
Alpacas grazing in the region of Colca canyon.
High altitude ponds on a plateau above the tree level, near the Colca Canyon.
"Mmm, that was a good meal." Really? Have you tried Peruvian cuisine?
An alpaca and a condor, native to the mountains of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia.
Colca Canyon: one of the most, if not the deepest canyons in South America. Frozen waterfalls are visible in the far background, with a white speck of cloud overhead.
Los Informes: N° 1 - Septiembre
[Opening note: I'm going to change how I've been managing my blog - I'll be posting ~1-2 times a month with good, meaty content and a few pictures, instead of a bunch of pictures and little written content. This is done on the excellent suggestion of my parents.]
- Monthly Report, September
Daily life: Daily life with my host family is absolutely great - they are kind and we rarely have communication problems. I live with my host mom all the time, and I see my host dad on weekends. My host sister just left a few days ago for Kingston, and my host sister's mom visits the house regularly, usually daily. It's a really eye-opening experience living in this house, and I have to face cultural problems I never even considered before. But my host family has helped me with all of those problems, and I'm getting along great with them.
School: School is brilliant - the pupils are incredibly warm and welcoming to newcomers. Unlike in Canada, an exchange student here is friends with the entire school within the first hour - instant friends, just add school. Some of the classes are incredibly boring because I am unable to understand them, like Math, and some are funny because they are very easy, like English, and some are very useful, like Spanish class.
The school day here is an hour longer than what I'm used to - it starts at 7:15 instead of 9:05!
Problems: I have had only one major problem, which is now resolved - setting up a bank account with the aid of my counselor. After receiving no help from my counselor, my host parents told me that the bank account needs to be set up IN CANADA, and then I use a debit card HERE. I had to actually go into several banks with my host family to determine why I couldn't create a bank here - I am underage and a foreigner. Fortunately I found an ATM in which my debit card works, by simple trial and error.
So now everything is fine!
Rotary Club: The Rotary Club of Tacna actually owns several large buildings - the principal one in Tacna, which they use for meetings. The meetings are awesome - because there is food. Delicious, delicious food. Our Rotary Club then talks, and everything unravels like a normal Rotary meeting. I am supposed to go only once a month, but I have gone more than that, before knowing the limit.
- Monthly Report, September
Daily life: Daily life with my host family is absolutely great - they are kind and we rarely have communication problems. I live with my host mom all the time, and I see my host dad on weekends. My host sister just left a few days ago for Kingston, and my host sister's mom visits the house regularly, usually daily. It's a really eye-opening experience living in this house, and I have to face cultural problems I never even considered before. But my host family has helped me with all of those problems, and I'm getting along great with them.
The view from my window
The school day here is an hour longer than what I'm used to - it starts at 7:15 instead of 9:05!
Problems: I have had only one major problem, which is now resolved - setting up a bank account with the aid of my counselor. After receiving no help from my counselor, my host parents told me that the bank account needs to be set up IN CANADA, and then I use a debit card HERE. I had to actually go into several banks with my host family to determine why I couldn't create a bank here - I am underage and a foreigner. Fortunately I found an ATM in which my debit card works, by simple trial and error.
So now everything is fine!
Rotary Club: The Rotary Club of Tacna actually owns several large buildings - the principal one in Tacna, which they use for meetings. The meetings are awesome - because there is food. Delicious, delicious food. Our Rotary Club then talks, and everything unravels like a normal Rotary meeting. I am supposed to go only once a month, but I have gone more than that, before knowing the limit.
Small, three wheeled "Mr. Bean cars" (he didn't drive a 3-wheeler, but he was always knocking one over) - these are taxis; they're really light, really cheap, and (as proven by Mr. Bean) really easy to knock over.
The Locumba valley, close to the city of Moquegua. The coastal-mountainous regions in the south-west are desert (as you can see from the sand dunes) - in fact, the largest sand dunes in the world can be found in south-western Peru. However, the few rivers which run through the area are used for irrigating fields.
Alta de la Alianza (Height of the Alliance) is a memorial commemorating the united efforts of Peru and Bolivia in a war against Chile - both Peru and Bolivia, although united, lost in the war, yet the memorial was erected nonetheless.
Los Informes: N° 3 - Noviembre
[Opening note: I'm going to change how I've been managing my blog - I'll be posting ~1-2 times a month with good, meaty content and a few pictures, instead of a bunch of pictures and little written content. This is done on the excellent suggestion of my parents.]
Daily Life: My daily life with my host family is great. I am currently living with the Calizaya family, and I will be switching to the Barreda family in the first week of January. My current family works like this: my host dad will be home about 0.75 times a week (75% chance he'll be at home for one day each week). This is unfortunate, and I wish he was home more often. My host mom, Eusebia, and her host sister, Norma, are home much more often, but they are also absent for around 1-3 hours every day. Some days only for a few periods of 20 minutes throughout the day, some days for 3 consecutive hours. I can only recall one mild argument ever occurring within the family, during the stressful week my host sister, Gabriela, was departing for her exchange in Kingston.
School: School in Peru runs from late February - early March until mid-December. My school ends on December 15th, with exams from the 7th to the 15th. The exchange students are unable to write this exam*, and because we were on a recent trip to the Peruvian jungle in the north, we missed the first two days of exams. This means we have started our summer vacation 1 week earlier than our peers. I will seek the will of God and figure out if He wants me to go to a post-secondary school. There are language schools here I could attend, or I could go to a culinary school.
In terms of credits and/or certificates, I will be able to get a certificate from my secondary school due to the generosity of the English teachers (and 2 Spanish/Communication teachers) in my school, whom offered to teach us Spanish on our breaks. Having given us tests, quizzes, and other assignments they are able to evaluate us, give us a grade, and some sort of "certificate".
*Because we arrived in the third quarter of the school year, and missed a month of school, we had only 2 months to learn 10 months of school curriculum in order to prepare for exams. Due to additional weeks lost due to trips, this proved completely impossible. Thus, exams are out of the question.
Problems: I have had no conflicts with my host family, nor with any friends nor school nor teachers. However, there have been some minor issues with my host club which I will in short discuss.
Rotary Club: My Rotary Club (Rotary Club de Tacna, Distrito 4300) is really interesting. The actual meetings are, as most are, well organized. It needs no saying that the food is delicious. I also recently (Nov 28th) presented my "from Canada to Peru" presentation, which was widely appreciated.
In terms of problems within the club, there are two issues I would like to address:
1) My official host councillor, Jorge L, is my councillor in name only, not doing any of the required or expected duties. I see him once a month, during the club meetings. I say "Hi", basic greetings, but no more. This would be a problem if it wasn't for Roy Cardenás, who is our youth exchange district (4300) chairman. He is the functional councillor, doing all the necessary duties and stuff. I meet and talk with him much more often then with Jorge.
2) The actual planned trips, while plentiful and, by the grace of God, affordable ... tend to not be that well organized. The trip agenda (sent out beforehand) tends to become useless by the 2nd or even 1st day of the trip because activities are added, left out, postponed or preponed. Sometimes days are even added/subtracted. This means that the travel coordinators will often either be overpaid, or underpaid. Sometimes when they are underpaid, they will ask we pay that which lacks, or they will kindly pay for it out of their own pockets (as they did the previous time).
Trips: The last trip we went on was a trip through Arequipa to Lima (touring the historical sites there), then we flew to Tarapoto, a city in the jungle. Let me tell you, if I could live anywhere in Peru, it would be in Tarapoto - small, poor, but a crime rate of almost zero; a very slow-moving town, with a relaxed atmosphere. We travelled around to various lagoons, visited a chocolate factory; later in Lima we went to the zoo and to a water-light-show-park.
Daily Life: My daily life with my host family is great. I am currently living with the Calizaya family, and I will be switching to the Barreda family in the first week of January. My current family works like this: my host dad will be home about 0.75 times a week (75% chance he'll be at home for one day each week). This is unfortunate, and I wish he was home more often. My host mom, Eusebia, and her host sister, Norma, are home much more often, but they are also absent for around 1-3 hours every day. Some days only for a few periods of 20 minutes throughout the day, some days for 3 consecutive hours. I can only recall one mild argument ever occurring within the family, during the stressful week my host sister, Gabriela, was departing for her exchange in Kingston.
School: School in Peru runs from late February - early March until mid-December. My school ends on December 15th, with exams from the 7th to the 15th. The exchange students are unable to write this exam*, and because we were on a recent trip to the Peruvian jungle in the north, we missed the first two days of exams. This means we have started our summer vacation 1 week earlier than our peers. I will seek the will of God and figure out if He wants me to go to a post-secondary school. There are language schools here I could attend, or I could go to a culinary school.
In terms of credits and/or certificates, I will be able to get a certificate from my secondary school due to the generosity of the English teachers (and 2 Spanish/Communication teachers) in my school, whom offered to teach us Spanish on our breaks. Having given us tests, quizzes, and other assignments they are able to evaluate us, give us a grade, and some sort of "certificate".
*Because we arrived in the third quarter of the school year, and missed a month of school, we had only 2 months to learn 10 months of school curriculum in order to prepare for exams. Due to additional weeks lost due to trips, this proved completely impossible. Thus, exams are out of the question.
Problems: I have had no conflicts with my host family, nor with any friends nor school nor teachers. However, there have been some minor issues with my host club which I will in short discuss.
Rotary Club: My Rotary Club (Rotary Club de Tacna, Distrito 4300) is really interesting. The actual meetings are, as most are, well organized. It needs no saying that the food is delicious. I also recently (Nov 28th) presented my "from Canada to Peru" presentation, which was widely appreciated.
In terms of problems within the club, there are two issues I would like to address:
1) My official host councillor, Jorge L, is my councillor in name only, not doing any of the required or expected duties. I see him once a month, during the club meetings. I say "Hi", basic greetings, but no more. This would be a problem if it wasn't for Roy Cardenás, who is our youth exchange district (4300) chairman. He is the functional councillor, doing all the necessary duties and stuff. I meet and talk with him much more often then with Jorge.
2) The actual planned trips, while plentiful and, by the grace of God, affordable ... tend to not be that well organized. The trip agenda (sent out beforehand) tends to become useless by the 2nd or even 1st day of the trip because activities are added, left out, postponed or preponed. Sometimes days are even added/subtracted. This means that the travel coordinators will often either be overpaid, or underpaid. Sometimes when they are underpaid, they will ask we pay that which lacks, or they will kindly pay for it out of their own pockets (as they did the previous time).
Trips: The last trip we went on was a trip through Arequipa to Lima (touring the historical sites there), then we flew to Tarapoto, a city in the jungle. Let me tell you, if I could live anywhere in Peru, it would be in Tarapoto - small, poor, but a crime rate of almost zero; a very slow-moving town, with a relaxed atmosphere. We travelled around to various lagoons, visited a chocolate factory; later in Lima we went to the zoo and to a water-light-show-park.
The Plaza de Armas in Lima.
The Peruvian inquisition museum in Lima. The majority of the exhibits showed the tortures the Catholic Inquisition would apply to Christians, Jews, Pagans, etc. (Fox's Book of Martyrs, ch. 5)
At the sea-port in Lima (Callao) there still stands towers and walls of the Spanish, and later Peruvian, Navy. This tower was used to hold prisoners - there is a dark labyrinth within.
Tarapoto, San Martín - the jungle of Peru.
Taken on a large car-transporter-barge which crosses this (muddy) river.
The beautiful clear-water cascades, around 45-60 minutes from Tarapoto.
Glassy waters, further upstream of the cascades.
Hormigas (Ants) - there are many scattered along the floor of the Peruvian rain-forest. I would assume the largest in the picture is either a soldier-ant or the queen-ant (less likely).
Salamanders!
Taken at the zoo in Lima - a lazy bear, to be sure!
The light beams were projected through water fountains at this water-light-show-park in Lima.
Another of the many displays at the water-park (the location is called either 'Magica de las Aguas' [Magic of the Waters] or 'Las Aguas Magicas' [The Magic Waters]).
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