Se haciendo un ciudadano global

This is an incredibly jumbled post. i apologize.

One thing that I have learned here is that ignorance about the world is not an option. It is known by the world the the United States citizens had loads of confidence in their government, but they are not very involved. United Statsians are not involved because they think its boring, or they don't really want to add another thing to their to-do list, or they don't think their opinion will matter. Here in Peru, the people know that the government is pretty corrupt, and they don't have a ton of confidence in them, but they know that if they don't get involved and ignore whats going on, nothing good is going to happen. This amazes me. In 1920, not even 100 years ago, woman faught for their right to vote and have equal rights as their male equals. 30 or so years later the Native Americans of our country did the same thing. Fought for the right to vote and make decisions on their government, their democratic government. What happened to us? Where did our fiery passion go about rights and equality and liberty and justice for all? It seems that we know we have a good life, and that what needs to get done will get done, and we don't need to deal with it. In America Latina, the people don't get involved with politics because they could be killed if the opposing political party doesn't like them. This doesn't stop them from rioting, rallying, and making their voices be heard.

Today we watched a movie in our ciencias politicas that was incredibly thought provoking. It was about my favorite topic: good vs evil. This was about Columbia in the 80s and 90s, during the years of the drug lords. Se llama Los Dos Escobars, Andrés Escabar and Pablo Escabar, two very different people who fought for Columbia in two very different ways. Let's start with Pablo. He was one of the biggest most powerful drug lords of all time. He was in compleat control of the underworld by selling cocaine to the US and some other countries. He was involved with one of the most violent wars of all time as he tried to escape from the governments of Colombia and US. He killed hundreds of people, and when he died he left Columbia in ruin. However, in his mind, and kinda in reality, he was a Robin Hood. He grew up in a very poor town, and his family didn't have enough money to feed the whole family properly. He even said "We should take money from the rich and give to the poor." He got involved with drugs and started making quite a bit of money. He went around the country sides to all the horrendously poor towns buiding soccer fiends, because to Colombian and especially Pablo, futbol was the escape from the hard dark life they lead. Later in life, when a fire took over the homes of 400 families, he built them all homes. No one would listen to the poorest of the poor in Columbia, except Pablo. He got himslef into the house of representitives, but was later thrown out because of where he got his money from. Thats when the war began. Pablo stratigicly killed people in the government who had hurt drug lords in the past, and who were against his ideas. Finally with two other drug lords banding together with the help of the US governmnet, Pablo was killed, and the voices of the poor rang out to the world "With Pablo gone, what are we going to do?" and "Señor Presidante if you think the violence will stop because Pablo is gone... don't be naïve." As far as drug lords in history go, Pablo was not a terrible man. He gave all orders, and was in complete control of the underworld. Everyone had to come to him first before doing something illegal. When he died, UTTER CIAOS broke out in Columbia. And this is where Andrés Escorbar comes in. He was one of the greatest soccer players of all time. He played for the columbian national team in the greatest Columbian soccer years. He was a good man with a big heart who Loved his country and soccer. When the was broke out between Pablo and Columbia, he used his money and time to reach out to those kids in the campos. He and the rest of the Columbian soccer team reached out and showed the world that Columbia wasn't a bunch of drug crazed fiends. He and the team made their way to the world cup in 1994. Unfortunately, before they got there their soccer player was put into jail for visiting Pablo in jail, one of their teammate's 3 year old son was kidnapped, and when they lost their first game to Romania the whole team received death threats and they had to pull one of the starters or else their families bak home would be in serious trouble. In their last game against USA which they loss, Andrés made a goal on his own goalie accidentally. When the team returned to Columbia, the were no longer looked up too, and Pablo was dead. Andrés Escocobar was shot and killed at a disco a few weeks after returning form the world cup. He was shot by the body guard of 2 drug lords. Since Pablo wasn't there anymore to say what do to and what not to do, everyone did what they wanted and didn't think twice about it.

What had humanity come to in that moment? A young man who would do anything for his people, who had a fiance, who was the face of Columbia, and who made an honest mistake in a soccer game was killed without a thought. At these moments i really do feel like, Why do i even bother? Why don't i just get up and move to Alaska and leave the stupid people of Columbia to fight for their own. They made this miss and they need to get out out it. I don't care anymore. Well, in becoming a global citizen, you can't do that. You have to suck it up and keep trying to make this world a better place by staying informed and giving all you got. Leaving society is an option, but not if you want this world to change. Stop complaining and DO something.

As another step to becoming a global citizen, I have started listening to the news. I have the BBCs Global News iPod and CNN's 2 minute news updates. (If anyone has any other suggestions please let me know!) The CNNs are very unbiased, just what happened today in a few minutes. Sometimes the global news pods have stories that are fluff and sometimes the reporters curve the story, but I'm glad i know enough to realize when that happens. I also know that wehn i get back to the states and my netflix online starts working again i need to start watching documentaries, and when I'm done with the open veins of America Latina i have to read other books on the history of our world. I want to be a global citizan who is involved and who knows about what is happening , has happened and what will happen in the world we live in. Because there is only one of them, and if we don't understand and and accept what has happened... who knows what our future holds.

I got a letter from President Huddelston of UNH saying that the government is thinking of making a 45% budget cut for state funded schools. WHAT!?!?! In times of economic hardship, why in the wordd are the schools the first things to go? What kind of future are we giving the kids of America if programs are cut, teachers are fired or payed less, and they can't have the opportunity to learn how we learned. Andy and I have this conversation alot, about money and people and who needs what. Andy and I have had the privileged of being born into middle class families in the US, which is the richest of the rich in any país de American Latina. When we graduatate and get jobs, just by what our professions are we too will be middle class American. We had the opportunities as children to do ANYTHING, any sport, any musical intruments, becasue we were born into the world of oppurtunity. It is our job, our responsibility to give our money to those who don't have it, to those who were not born into our opportunity. We will have the money, and I live how i want to live, minimal and sustainable, what else am i going to do with the money? We need to support the programs of schools, and volunteer organizations, and health care for all because we have what hardly anyone else has Opportunity.

Sin Titulo

How easy it is to loose sight of what you believe in. To loose sight of your dreams.

The last few weeks here have not been my favorite for my time in Perú. First I was getting frustrated with my classes and the work and just wanting to get away from Cusco. Then I wanted to get away from some people during my spring break. Then I just wanted to go back to Occururo and volunteer, but of course that couldn’t happen because we needed to make up some Spanish classes we will be missing when we hike the incan trail. We only have three more times going to Occururo, and as much as I want to go I’m almost nervous because we haven’t been in SO long. All the community building we have done I feel wont be there when we return. I miss my families and wish that we could stay there more and get to know them deeply, no just on the surface.

My life in the US is not always what I want it to be. Being in college I have to do my work first and always. Being on the campus I have to eat in the dining hall. Being virtually jobless I cant do all I want and need to. Its hard to live how I imagine and how I really truly want to. Sometimes the college life and 21-year-old wants get infront of what I really need.

What I need in my life:

Food and Water

Clothes and Shoes

A roof over my head

My friends and family

My computer and internet

Good health

Love

Being here and also what I saw from Nicaragua I see what is really needed to live, what is needed to live with happiness, and what is too much. I want to live minimally. I want to help whoever I can whenever I can. I want to learn as much as possible and teach others if they want to learn. I want to make the world a free and open place for every soul the great power above has put on this earth. I want to reduce my carbon footprint and not kill this world that has given us so much. I want to Love every moment of my life. I want to live.

I picked ProWorld and Peru for a few reasons. No other study abroad program has projects like what we do in Occururo. Its hard to find a program that also has the opportunity to stay with a host family. Peru is rich with history, and has very clear Spanish. So far the experience with my host family has been absolutely wonderful, better than I could have ever hoped for. What I am learning in school is so valuable and interesting, although at time I hate going to class. My Spanish grammar teacher is awful, and I can’t stand that class. And it seems that ProWorld pushes the projects to the side when something else comes up. I would have gladly come back from Spring break early if it meant another project at Occururo. I would have made up my Spanish classes in the morning if it meant another project on Friday. I don’t want to go out every night. I want to meet people like me and I want to help the world.

Today and my best friend on this trip, Laura, had another wonderful conversation about life and desarrollo. We talked about everything in everyway, and she is one of those rare people like my Nicaraguan Gringos who believe in the power of people they have on the global community in which we have to make to keep this world a livable place. She believes that change is possible and like me will live her life helping those who can not help themselves. And step by step making our way to a sustainable life for all.

(I just want to make a note that I LOVE ProWorld and will use them for an internship or volunteer project again. All of the interns here world way more with the community tan we do. We need to go to school and stuff. ProWorld just needs to work on the semester programs volunteering part. All other aspects of ProWorld has been fabulous. Yay ProWorld!!!!)

Mi Mama falso, pero muy real

My host mother is one of the most amazing woman i have ever met in my entire 21 year existence. Pilar Maria Romana has had a hard life and still has the happiest most caring personality i have ever witnessed. Here is her story:

When she was 2, her parents decided they didn't want to raise her anymore, so they gave her to her grandparents. 4 years later after having 3 more kids, all boys, they decided they wanted her back again. So Pilar moved from her grandparents house in Cusco to Lima, to a family she hardly knew. A few years later her parents split up in a messy divorce, and she played mom to her brothers who were having a hard time with it. She was married to a man named Manuel in her early 20s and had her daughter Claudia. Pilar, Manuel and Claudia lived in Paraguay, Argentina I believe, and Venizuella whilst Claudia was growing up. Before Claudia finished high school, Pilar and Manuel separated. I'm not sure why, but my mom says that they were still friends after the divorce. Pilar and Claudia moved back to Lima where Claudia went to college and Pilar worked to support her daughter. This was during the Sendero Luminoso, the horrible terrorist group that wreaked havoc on Peru for 15 good years. She lived though the fear and uncertainty, and through the corrupt 10 year reign of Fugimori. Before Claudia could finish college, Pilar was diagnosed with cancer, i believe uterine, but I'm not sure. With not enough money for the operation, she asked her family, and the onlly person who gave her the money was her tio in the United States. It wasn't a gift, it was a loan. In order to pay him back Pilar and Claudia had to sell their home in Lima and move to Cusco, into the house of her grandparents which was a gift to Pilar, and didn't cost her anything. This past November, Manuel died very suddenly. Now, Claudia has a boyfriend who Pilar is very against. He doesn't have a job, mooches off of Claudia, is married but "seperated" and is very disrespectful to Pilar and her house. Claudia is a completely different person around Eduardo, and not a nice one. Pilar is beside herself. She can't stand to see her daughter like this. Claudia doesn't come home for lunch anymore, doesn't call her mom, and doesn't help her with anything anymore.

I look at her life, and wonder how she can still function. The Love Pilar has in her heart for the world, for her daughter and her pets, for her friends and family, and even for me, a gringa stranger from a completely different world. One day i walked in my house form school and there were two 25 Argentinian girls sitting at the table. I asked them how they new Pilar and they said they were in the market buying food and Pilar come up to help them negotiate the prices, and then invited them over for dinner before they leave to Ecuador. She studies Andian medicine and the religion of the Inkas, and she feels for everything in the world. The bond we have, the conversations we have had, and what we have taught each other... I have never had a relationship like this before. I have three more weeks with her, and that's it before i return to the united states. I know that we will see eachother again after this adventure, but when.... i have no idea. Every time i think about leaving her i start to cry, and i won't let myself think about that right now. Its too hard.

Her Love and passion for the world has helped me so much. I will never forget this woman. I Love her so much.

******UPDATE. So my moms ex husband cheated on her, and a few years later begged her back again, so she said ok one more try. And he cheated on her again. After that my mom filed for divorce, and no matter how many times he begged her to take him back, she never did. She knew that he deserved better than that. And the while Claudia and he stupid boyfriend thing right now... its spinning out of control. My mom says she has nevr been in so much pain before.

Los Colores

The number of colors and the types of colors that I have seen here are pretty unbelievable.

Cusco’s flag is the arcoiris, the rainbow because rainbows here are all but rare. Since the weather here changes in the blink of an eye (LITERALLY), the light reflecting off the rain happens easily, and in everyway possible. I have seen full rainbows, double rainbows, think and thin rainbows, rainbows without the BIV, rainbows with 13 different colors in it. Bright rainbows, dim rainbows, and rainbows where I swear I can walk to where it begins.

The sky as it set in the desert, when we were on the bus back from Mollendo, was the pinkest, orangest, yellowest sky I’ve seen yet, with bits of twilight settling in as it got darker outside. This was the same night as the closest moon to the earth in a while.

When the gray gray clouds finally part and the blue of the sky shows, the light blue is so free and clear I want to go swimming in it. I swear it is bluer and lighter than in the US. I can smell the brightness of the sky.

Orange, or at least shades of it, run wild and free. The peachy pinky color of lúcuma, the second most interesting fruit ever (next to guanabana) and my favorite, is the walls of San Blas. The roofs here, the ceramic half moon tiles on every house in Cusco scream with the burnt orange they own.

In the rainy season the grass on the mountains is so fresh and clean. Where ever I look it’s the same beautiful color. At night. the yellow and orange light from the houses scattered all over the city. From the plaza de armas it looks like its going to consume the valley.

The sky at dusk on a clear night, when the blue of the sky is in that perfect balance between real dark and swimmable blue, with the clouds reflecting the yellow sun as it sets behind the mountains, is a unique color that I don’t even want to try to explain. It was the color we saw tonight in our ciencias politicas clase when we were talking about what is democracy in America Latina. When we were talking about Guatemala’s inequality and Uruguay’s 89%. When we were thinking about the world we live in and trying to make since of this thing called politics, that seems to mean more to people in all countries that we know.

Costa, Celva, Sierra y Andies

The Biodiversity of Perú is something i don't think i will ever get over.

This last week we had spring break, and for the most part it was enjoyable. Some miss communication and flat out lying here and there, but good nonetheless. First we went to Arequipa, the second largest city in Peru. It's right in the middle of the sierra, so for once we were sweating and not shivering upon arrival. The sierra de Perú looks like rocks piled on top of rocks, shaped into mountains. And there's alot of them. It was a very starck contrast from Cusco, where virtually nothing is flat, to Arequipa where the rock/desert/mountains have large gaps in between each other, leading to a very flat looking city. Its very obvious upon arrival that not many tourists come here. Yes, they have to go through Arequipa to get to Colca Cañón, but not many choose to stay here for long periods of time. There were no vendadoras swarming around us with jewelry or pots or belts. The Plaza de Armas of Arequipa is gigantic, with tons of plant like thriving in the middle ofthe square. Unlike cusco, Arequipa is a very young city, only about 200 or so years old. Its not as rich with history, and therefore is without the cobblestone streets and clay roofs. Much more modern. The one piece of architecture that stood out to me was the white stone churches. Arequipa has three HUGE but dormant volcanoes. The rocks from the churches come from the volcanoes, and the whiteness of them is stunning. All the volcanoes are snow capped and they just take over everything.

Pichu Pichu and Misti

One of the many white stone churches

The next few days were spent in Colca Cañón, which at its deepest point is the deepest cañón in the world. Our tour guide Javier took us to many towns that reminded me of the floating islands of titicaca largo: they were there just to make money off of the tourists. I feel like that is the only reason some of these towns are still around. The tourists come, look, buy, and think they are really getting to know the Andian culture. The information that Javier gave us though was reall interesting. Did you know that condors sence when they are going to die, so just before the do they fly into the air and dive bomb down to the ground. What amazing birds, that can talk to the gods as well. We saw 4 of them in the cañón, as well as pachamama a few times over. The cañón was not what i expected at alllllll. I'm thinking ok Arequipa is the desert and the cañón is gonna look like the grad canyon ok cool. Nope. It is still used for agriculture and farming and there are cities so far down in the cañón i have no idea how they travel to anywhere else. Majestic i think is the right word.

Our condor friend

Here is a failed attempt at the majesty of Colca

Andy and I have both decided that when we come back to Perú, we will hike the cañón and climb a volcano. Just something more to look forward to :-)

On the way back from the green cañón, we saw snow. We drove through the snow and touched the snow. The brings me back to my first statement. The biodiversity of Perú, from the coast to the jungle to the desert to the two different zones in the Andian mountains, all within hours of eachother. The plant and animal life, and the culture of the people who live in these different regions is so dramatic its like your are traveling all of South America. Perú has EVERYTHING.

Um....

From Arequipa to Mollendo, the southern beach town, we traveled through the desert. The red mountainous desert that had snow capped mountains only a few hours drive away. The town of Mollendo was adorable. Very undiscovered by gringos, and i would like to keep it that way. The sun was bring and hot, the ocean was freeing with gigantic waves, the seafood was fabulous, and the ice cream was not very expensive. Walking on the beach and seeing all the different kinds of birds there were, and of course watching the sun set every night. It was so lindo.

Now, back in Cusco, i can say thta it feels like I'm home. I'm here in my house with my host mom who missed my and made me a huge breakfast to come home to. Andy and i have our favorite internet cafe we go to with great cake and chocolate caliente. We have a routine and plans and friends. Although I cannot wait for school and my internship to be OVER, I can't help but enjoy my life here.

Solamente un Pensamiento

My dad and uncle came to visit me last week. I think they enjoyed themselves. Moy host mom here took the three of us on a tour around the Cusco area (very pretty!) Most of the stuff, no all of the stuff i had already seen, but i did not mind at all seeing it again. They also went with us to Occoruro for our work. I think my dad had seen something that he has never experienced before. I'm not sure what my uncle thought, I only hope he made some reflections as well. The four of us went to Machu Piccuh on saturday onto sunday, and it was amazing. Everyday i fall in Love with the incans more and more. They built this city between two mountains, 8000 feet above sea level to be close to Apus, the god of the montañas. Pachamama is everywhere, from the miraposas to the pikaflores to the ruinas... and so much more. No picture in this world does the beauty of this place justice. When the group hikes the incan trail in a few weeks (3?!?!?!) I will talk about so much more. This is just a preview of the amazing stories i will have to come :-)

The best picture i have. Nothing can compare to seeing it

My Daddy!

This week was busy with tests, papers, our internship starting, my internet at my house failing, and oh yeah back home my back up room mate bailed on me, so i have to find a new one of those. YAY!

More on the internship later. Andy and i have the same one and.... There is alot to say about it

Andy, myself, Corey, Jennie, Kelsey, Karyn, and Caitlin are leaving in t-5 1/2 hours for our SPRING BREAK in Arequipa. We will be spending 2-3 days in the city then going to the BEACCCCCCCCHHHHHHHH. My only goals for this vacation is to speak as much spanish as possible and read "The Open Veins of Latin America" I'm 28 pages into it and hooked.

No i want to leave you with only an observation that i have made many times here. I'm still just thinking about, no conclusions or theories or none, only a though.

In my neighborhood, the water turns off at about 8 at night, so i normally fill up a glass of water in the morning and use it at night for washing my face and brushing my teeth. The observation: When i have a full glass, i use the full glass. When the glass is half full i use the half of it. When the glass has 1/8th, i use the 1/8th. I'm running low on shampoo. I'm using less than before. It still works just as well.

Hum.

Doble proyectos!

So friday and saturday was our first double project weekend. I think we have another one coming up (which hopefully will turn into a double project overnight!!) I greatly enjoyed going to Occoruoro twice, the main reason being Corey and I worked with one of the greatest families ever, Carmina and her two kids Mariluz y i can't spell the boys name I have to ask Corey. That's one of the many amazing things about relationships. Carmina doesn't remember our names all the time, but she knows what we look like and our personalities. The first stove Corey and I (dream team Wat!) built was for Carmina. She and her family all pitched in, and we talked and laughed and practiced words and she fed us both times. She is just so excited to be receiving all these benefits for her house and her family. She trusts that we know what we are doing, and does everything she can to help us.

Corey and hijo working on the fridge
Corey and fam! With our stove and fridge we made for them
Dream team what!

On Saturday, when we first started working on her refrigeradora ecológical, she felt aweful cause she didn't have barro bonito: basically her mud we used to make the stove was kinda chunky and not smooth, but it was still usable. We kept on reassuring her that the mub was fine and the refrigeradora would be built. About half way throuh out work, with her 7 year old sin helping us the whole time, she said "Las quiero" I Love you girls. Corey and I both didn't know what to say, so we just said "Tambien! Te queremos! Y tu familia!" Then she went on to explain how she was going to miss us and we should come back to visit next year when her whole house is all done and how much she Loved us... It was alot. It's just really amazing that Corey and I and her family are so close, and we (we is actually I, because Corey rocks at castiano) can barely communicate with eachother, and the fact that we haven't spent more that a day with her at a time.

Andy had the joy of experiencing one of my other favorite families. This family was also SO ready and excited to help us build their stove, and Andy and Jennie got to experience them by building the fridge andd talking with the family. Our Occoruro community is building, poco por poco.

I have been super SUPER good about nit comparing this trip to Nicaragua or Trinidad, but after this weekend (after some other evenet unfolded as well) I was just thinking about the difference of people in the city and in the country. Those city dewllers are usually a little more well off, a little faster paced, and a little more "developed" in the sence that the United States is "developed." Those in the country are more chill, poorer, more resoursful, and are that of the "underdeveloped" -ness. However, the personalities of these two groups of people are the really interesting one. Even those families who don't particularly like the fact that a bunch of 20 something year old gringos from the United States are helping them and volunteering in our communities, they respect us. They are hospitable and thankful and nice and really do all they can for us because we are helping them. In the city, those people who are not to keen on a bunch of 20something year old gringos are planning to mug them. In Nicaragua I lived with the people of the country for three whole days, and my eyes were completly opened to a new kind of people in this world, and these people are actually the majority

I had a talk with Señor Juan yesterday (he rents a space from my house here and owns one of the best restaurants ever) He said that no matter where you go, mountains seperate the rich form the poor. He gave an example about Lima, then cusco, then i though about how the apalachian region of the US is some of the poorest, and realized that this theory of Juanito's is actually pretty valid. Isn't that funny, how some of the most majestic landscaping of the world can completely separate two differnt kinds of culture and people?

To leave of this entry, I'm gonna leave you kids with a newsweek study involving United State-sians and the rest of the world. other developed and developing (no underdeveloped) countries were asked to say what words they associated most and didn't associate at all with United Statesians. Ready?

Words associated with USAinas:
Friendly
Energetic
Industrious
Inventive

Words not associated with USAians:
Sexy
Honest
Lazy
Sophisticated

What do you think of that?