El Fin de Semana de Amistad y Amor

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Hello everyone and Happy Valentine's Day weekend! Down here in Peru, el dia de la Amistad is the Peruvian version of St. Valentine's Day and Peruvians know how to celebrate! We went out last night until deep into the night, and at 3AM, thousands of Peruvians crowd the streets in the district of Barranco. They walk around singing, dancing, giving their loved ones flowers and other gifts, and displaying their affection for one another in public. It's quite an intimate scene.

At INABIF on Friday, Tyler and I brought the kids some games and a few bags of candy -- they went crazy! We had a tug of war: me vs. 10 kids (it was a hard fought battle), relay races, water balloon tosses and other games. They loved it, and I cherish their responses to the event. They were sad to see us go for the weekend and it hurts to be apart for a couple of days.

What else can I say? I am nearing the half way point of my journey, and as I was telling my good friend Jack recently, the weeks are flying by and I already feel as if I have accomplished the objective of this experience; namely, the way I view the world and my valuation of all people has drastically shifted, and I can't wait to return to the US! However, I absolutely love every day I spend here and I wouldn't trade one single hour of this experience for anything!

Furthermore, I am also quite certain that I will be returning to the US after my 3 months here. Several factors are weighing in on that decision: first, it costs money to extend my visa, secondly a work visa is difficult to obtain, thirdly, Peruvians are reluctant, in general, to give jobs to whites, fourthly, the Peruvian currency is extremely weak and any type of job I could obtain would pay the equivalent of less than minimum wage in the US, and fifth, finding adequate living quarters in a relatively safe part of town appears to be increasingly difficult. But, the most important factor is earning power. My earning capability, even in an American economy that is apparently foundering, is exponentially higher than here. As bad as it may appear to be in the US, the overall economy here is much worse, and so, it just wouldn't make sense for me to stay. My idea, rather, is to return and make a modest income, any way possible, which would enable me to do more volunteer work in the future.

Anyway, that's where I am at right now. I also am currently seeing Elisa, who is pictured in several photos. She is an absolute angel and my situation may prove to be more complex if our relationship continues at its' current pace. A group of good friends of mine have a good montra, however -- to live life one day at a time; and, that's what I have resolved to do. I really miss America and with each passing day I realize the uniqueness our country. Consequently, Tyler and I had an ineresting debate with one of Elisa's cousins last night, Myriam, who seems to be somewhat involved in world affairs and had her opinion on America and our involvement in Iraq. You see, the world has a certain opinion of America, right now. The media in countries like this one paint America as an oil-seeking, imperialist monster. I tried to remind her of the promise of America. The idea that we the people are the government of our nation. That in other countries women can't walk down the street without covering their faces, and that countries like those hate us and want to oppress the entire human race. I reminded her of our truimphs in WW1 and WW2 over Hitler. I reminded her that we aren't perfect but to picture a globe without America on it. Think about that. What would this world be without the US? Without the ideals of the US? It is the idea of the a country that is free and where immigrants from every corner of the Earth can come to build a life and a future living in peace and with certain inalienable rights that make us a beacon of hope and a source of light in a dark cave. I reminded her and I struggled to do so in Spanish, but I did try.

Peru is wonderful as well! But, it is the government that makes it less than it could be. People are treated like animals here. The government doesn't seem to care. I wish that every human being on Earth could experience the liberty that we experience in los Estados Unidos.

Anyway, I am entering my 6th week here, and currently, there are 30 people in our house. A big group just descended upon our house yesterday and they will be here for a week. Most of them are from Toronto and our new roommate's name is Jackie Chan, 19, from Toronto; actually, it is spelled Kaki Chan -- but he is called Jackie Chan (lol). So, I will be Chris Tucker for the next week. The upcoming week will feature much of the same routine. The kids at my school leave in early March to return to their normal school and I may try another volunteer site for a few days. We are also trying to help INABIF with a marketing program which would generate more conversation within the community and possibly generate more revenue for the government run school.

All is well in Peru and I hope all is well with you and your families in the US.

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