3-11-11 & 3-12-11
Welcome all to the newly returned postings of Claire Solomon. It’s been difficult to summarize all my experiences throughout our travels, but I came to some pretty startling realizations. For instance, I talked to my rural host mom in Achoma about some pretty heavy topics and one day we were discussing colonization. Keep in mind that my project there was to find out how education and opinions about education have changed in the last few generations. So as I asked her about education and colonization, mentioning the Portuguese in Brazil, she asked me, “So is that why they speak Portuguese in Brazil?” All I could say was yes, you’re right. Alejandrina only received an elementary education and she herself told me that she never learned history because there was only one teacher for all of the students of Achoma, therefore they skipped some subjects that we might now consider key.
Anyway, what did I do today? Yesterday we began Spanish classes, finally, and I actually really enjoy it. We get busy work, which I enjoy, and we spend the first hours reviewing, then alter break we have a debate. Yesterday we had to either support or stand against euthanasia. The debate lead to an interesting conversation – something that I feel like I miss in my host family conversations. Because so many people live in my house, I’ve found that it is all too easy for me to shut up and listen at meals, rather than participate. That, however, does nothing to improve my speaking ability. I’ve already come to the realization that my semester abroad will not end with me being totally fluent. My heart just isn’t in it. Today we discussed politics – including Bush, the corruption of the upcoming elections in Peru, why Peru might need a dictator just to change all the things that need changing here, Hugo Chavez, and his craziness.
We had a really enlightening Safe Space session, and at night we went to Jake’s house and I met some really nice Peruvians. I had a nice talk with this guy Francisco, who is an anthropologist, it turns out, and told me that he could get me some good connections here.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
On Saturday, the 12th, I had a wonderful day! I left the house with my host family around 10 am and we didn’t return until about six. We went to my mom’s cousin’s house, about a 40 minute drive away, and sat around, ate, and then celebrated Carnavales with the Yunsa! It’s strange to me that my family owns a van here, but only one person knows how to drive, and he is often gone for weeks at a time for work. So, like today, they hire a chauffer to drive their car for them.
The Yunsa is a traditional part of Peruvian Carnavales. Carnavales end tomorrow, which means that I will no longer be in danger of being hit by water balloons every time I leave the house. Essentially they decorate a tree, one that is still planted in the ground, with presents, balloons, candy, and ribbons. Then later on they gather about four couple to dance around the tree as each couple alternately goes inside the circle and swings an axe at the tree, attempting to chop it down. I made some fairly feeble attempts (that axe was heavy!) but I talked to a nice Peruvian named Edward and had a blast dancing around. They also make you drink the whole time. My host sister Iris kept coming around and telling them not to make me drink but then they would anyways. They’d be like, not even for Pachamama? They’d look so hurt that I’d do it anyway. What a safe combo: Alcohol, An Axe, and People in close proximity. It rained cats and dogs the whole time we danced, but it was just so fun! My host mom just about had a heart attack and as soon as the tree fell (I scored some lime green and pink little girls socks – yes!) (ps – a little girl of six named Valentina tried to steal my socks, but I couldn’t be mad cause she’s the most beautiful little girl ever with enormous eyelashes) Iris whisked me inside to change into clean clothes. No wonder! When I got back outside all the men who’d been dancing, including Tio Jorge, his random Swiss friend with a huge beard, and Edward we covered in mud from head to toe. They’d capture semi-clean people and drag them in the mud and rain, all in good fun. I was a little sad I missed it actually, but I was already changed. Papa Angel, my favorite grandfather figure of all time with whom I’d promised to dance before Edward asked me, told me that he couldn’t stand my treason. I said sorry, but I didn’t think you’d want to dance in all that rain! What a cute man.
When we got back I talked to Nate for the first time since getting back from my trip, and then I ate dinner, and went out with the usual group, only we didn’t go to all the usual places. Thank god! I had more fun dancing than usual, so that’s good! Rachel and I both got hungry and decided to eat and then go home before the others. That was the night! Pretty standard, but overall really good. I’m feeling really super positive about Cusco and Peru lately. Maybe it’s just because I’ve had a wonderful Peruvian day with my host family, but I’m not sure that I want to do ISP in Lima afterall. I feel, suddenly, like I’m quickly running out of time here and that there are so many things here that I have yet to do, see, or experience. And I want to feel like I actually live here! The difference is that I live in Santa Ursula, not in the center of Cusco. So I know Magisterio etc.., but that isn’t nearly as interesting or noteworthy as, say, San Blas.
xoxo,
Claire
No comments:
Post a Comment