Hello,
Training has passed by, quite fast. The reason for this is having a busy and eventful schedule. It’s a universal tangent.
I talked about on my last blog about the types of activities we have at the training center in Chaclacayo.
Through time, I’ve observed my surroundings. I’ve analyzed and compared lifestyles and traditions. We’ve had discussions on cultural differences, Peruvian & American. My point of view is a bit different though, just like a few in the group of 52. I’m a Mexican American, raised in Mexico with Mexican culture,
Training has passed by, quite fast. The reason for this is having a busy and eventful schedule. It’s a universal tangent.
I talked about on my last blog about the types of activities we have at the training center in Chaclacayo.
Through time, I’ve observed my surroundings. I’ve analyzed and compared lifestyles and traditions. We’ve had discussions on cultural differences, Peruvian & American. My point of view is a bit different though, just like a few in the group of 52. I’m a Mexican American, raised in Mexico with Mexican culture,
learning Spanish first.
With that said, Mexican lifestyle is still different from Peruvian. A lot of differences that Americans see, are pretty explanatory for me, they are not strange. For example, having dogs outside/in roof. People here don’t see them as “man’s best friend.” Sure, anyone can learn that after a few days, but at the first glance, yes, it is strange. Outside dogs are scared of strangers, pretty much like a wild animal. And that is a very good thing for their “survival” or human abuse.
Every place is unique; every place develops depending on many factors. Ok, this is just general talk. Let me get into more of the specifics that don’t really happen anywhere else:
Car taxi driving is crazy as a roller coaster adventure. To be a driver here you must really have guts, you must really know the size of your car, and you must really calculate future paths (I do that when biking J). I think it makes driving more exciting. As I observe a driver, it is always a pretty lonely and tedious job. I put myself in their spot and only have one thing in mind, this is just a job that will sustain my family, pays well with no hard labor and no brain needed. Let me give you a scenario for mental visualization: Driver takes you in his red light, you deal with lowering the price so he doesn’t overcharge you, tell directions, takes off like an ambulance, changes lanes without signal, drives in two lanes, is passing then somebody cuts him really close, he shows no surprised expression, speeds up again, traffic jam, tries to get into other lane, gets as close as 3 inches from mirror touching the other vehicle, tries to get in again, the other car moves ahead too, taxi moves fast and makes it over passing by inches away from other…this goes on until out of the main city.
Now we have the great combi. This is pretty much a small bus that stops really fast, and takes off really fast. They are great because of their speedy method. But the driving style is the same as described on the taxi. Combis are cheaper, like 20% of taxis sometimes.
We move to street/town structure. Because of the varied topography that Peru has, the road structure can be really crazy. There is a lot of hills. Many people just love having their houses on high places or nearby cliffs, crazy. Usually the hills make a valley, this is where there will be the main highway. Most used roads are paved.
Lets get into bathrooms now. Ever heard of latrines? Maybe? Right, they are a kind of chocolate ice scream! Or not, I kid. They’re more of the chocolate, that goes in the toilet. Yeah, sorry for that, but poopie talk for us volunteers is pretty much normal now. Traveler’s diarrhea, happens often. Our body is not used to the food, so it tries to spray out when ever you’re on an important activity or meeting people. I havent had a shart or dirty pants yet, but we shall see.
Back to latrines, they’re just bathrooms without toilets and piping.
Another thing related to the bathroom, when ever a guy wants to pee. He literally just pees, in a ´´hidden spot´´. I have two examples: One time i went to a concert, the peeing station for the guys was literally by the entrace, by the full bathroom, leterally making a big pond of pee. Yeah, lovely. The other one was in the middle of town, in the middle of the street, a guy talking on the phone just peeing. haha, eventually all of these things will be normal to me. Very normal to where it is not even worth talking about.
That is what I have now. My next post will be very visualistic with pictures of most of the events we did during training. AND also keep up with my videos. I got all the footage down, and some finalized. I just need some good internet to upload them.
Hasta luego amigos. Hope ´murica is treating yall great!
My blog and vlog post frequency will depend on the type of activities I make, my own observations of Peru and life, and when i have internet. :D
With that said, Mexican lifestyle is still different from Peruvian. A lot of differences that Americans see, are pretty explanatory for me, they are not strange. For example, having dogs outside/in roof. People here don’t see them as “man’s best friend.” Sure, anyone can learn that after a few days, but at the first glance, yes, it is strange. Outside dogs are scared of strangers, pretty much like a wild animal. And that is a very good thing for their “survival” or human abuse.
Every place is unique; every place develops depending on many factors. Ok, this is just general talk. Let me get into more of the specifics that don’t really happen anywhere else:
Car taxi driving is crazy as a roller coaster adventure. To be a driver here you must really have guts, you must really know the size of your car, and you must really calculate future paths (I do that when biking J). I think it makes driving more exciting. As I observe a driver, it is always a pretty lonely and tedious job. I put myself in their spot and only have one thing in mind, this is just a job that will sustain my family, pays well with no hard labor and no brain needed. Let me give you a scenario for mental visualization: Driver takes you in his red light, you deal with lowering the price so he doesn’t overcharge you, tell directions, takes off like an ambulance, changes lanes without signal, drives in two lanes, is passing then somebody cuts him really close, he shows no surprised expression, speeds up again, traffic jam, tries to get into other lane, gets as close as 3 inches from mirror touching the other vehicle, tries to get in again, the other car moves ahead too, taxi moves fast and makes it over passing by inches away from other…this goes on until out of the main city.
Now we have the great combi. This is pretty much a small bus that stops really fast, and takes off really fast. They are great because of their speedy method. But the driving style is the same as described on the taxi. Combis are cheaper, like 20% of taxis sometimes.
We move to street/town structure. Because of the varied topography that Peru has, the road structure can be really crazy. There is a lot of hills. Many people just love having their houses on high places or nearby cliffs, crazy. Usually the hills make a valley, this is where there will be the main highway. Most used roads are paved.
Lets get into bathrooms now. Ever heard of latrines? Maybe? Right, they are a kind of chocolate ice scream! Or not, I kid. They’re more of the chocolate, that goes in the toilet. Yeah, sorry for that, but poopie talk for us volunteers is pretty much normal now. Traveler’s diarrhea, happens often. Our body is not used to the food, so it tries to spray out when ever you’re on an important activity or meeting people. I havent had a shart or dirty pants yet, but we shall see.
Back to latrines, they’re just bathrooms without toilets and piping.
Another thing related to the bathroom, when ever a guy wants to pee. He literally just pees, in a ´´hidden spot´´. I have two examples: One time i went to a concert, the peeing station for the guys was literally by the entrace, by the full bathroom, leterally making a big pond of pee. Yeah, lovely. The other one was in the middle of town, in the middle of the street, a guy talking on the phone just peeing. haha, eventually all of these things will be normal to me. Very normal to where it is not even worth talking about.
That is what I have now. My next post will be very visualistic with pictures of most of the events we did during training. AND also keep up with my videos. I got all the footage down, and some finalized. I just need some good internet to upload them.
Hasta luego amigos. Hope ´murica is treating yall great!
My blog and vlog post frequency will depend on the type of activities I make, my own observations of Peru and life, and when i have internet. :D
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