10.18.2010
Museo Larco
This past Friday a few friends and I did something productive and went to Museo Larco. It's one of the best museums here in Lima and it's only 10 minutes away (walking). One of my classmates is an archaeology major and is very well versed in pre-historic Peruvian history and he invited us so it was like going on a personal tour. He was better than any guide we could've paid. He's very passionate about what he talks about and in three hours we didn't completely cover the museum. It's a really great museum and I hope I get the chance to go again before I leave.
10.13.2010
Failed by the System
The American educational system has failed me.
As a business major I've never had to take a sociology class. But what I'm having problems with is my history class. In all of my educational career, I have never been taught any Latin American history. ABSOLUTELY NONE. Nada. Zip. Zilch. It leaves me asking myself how I made it this far not having any inkling that the Incas existed or that South America is really considerd th first America. I feel dumb sitting in class because all of this is new to me. Not just Peruvian history, but any Latin American history. Before coming here, I couldn't name a single major leader. I could barely name the president (Alan Garcia).
Everyone speaks English. This is an over damatization but it's too close to being true. In all of the foreign countries I 've ever been to( Europe, China) english was taught as a second language. Children grow up actively speaking 2 langages. At the place I volunteer, there are people from other countries like France and Belgium, so they speak Spanish and a little english, plus maybe a little bit of another language. While I had intermittent spanish classes throughout my career. When I went to Germany, I met another girl who was the same age as me (16 at th time). She spoke German, English, and was going to start spanish classes soon. What is wrong with us as Americans if we can't learn to speak just one other language? Why was I never required to take a foreign language for longer than just a year or two? Why was it optional for me as an American student but required of students everywhere else in the world?
It's not an overdramatization to say that everyone knows American history. Ok. Maybe it is. But my point is, most people know enough American history to put me to shame. Granted, I'm not a history buff, but it's really a problem that the world knows the U.S. better than I do. My host parents keep track of the dollar and watch CNN. A vendor at a market asked me how I felt about Obama so far. I read BBC online everday and American news is covered. Yet the only time Latin American countries make the news in the states is when there's something bad like a natual disaster or miners trapped for 69 days. So maybe not quite Ameican history, but it's embarrassing when people know what's going on in your country more than you do. And it's not because they want to, it's because they have to. And to me that doesn't make any sense.
How can I be an international business major, or just a world citizen, when all I know is what's right in front of me? I know that I'm not the only person who feels like this. Yes. I blame the educational system for all of this. I've taken more than one World History class and it focused on every continent except Lain America.
We've got to do better.
As a business major I've never had to take a sociology class. But what I'm having problems with is my history class. In all of my educational career, I have never been taught any Latin American history. ABSOLUTELY NONE. Nada. Zip. Zilch. It leaves me asking myself how I made it this far not having any inkling that the Incas existed or that South America is really considerd th first America. I feel dumb sitting in class because all of this is new to me. Not just Peruvian history, but any Latin American history. Before coming here, I couldn't name a single major leader. I could barely name the president (Alan Garcia).
Everyone speaks English. This is an over damatization but it's too close to being true. In all of the foreign countries I 've ever been to( Europe, China) english was taught as a second language. Children grow up actively speaking 2 langages. At the place I volunteer, there are people from other countries like France and Belgium, so they speak Spanish and a little english, plus maybe a little bit of another language. While I had intermittent spanish classes throughout my career. When I went to Germany, I met another girl who was the same age as me (16 at th time). She spoke German, English, and was going to start spanish classes soon. What is wrong with us as Americans if we can't learn to speak just one other language? Why was I never required to take a foreign language for longer than just a year or two? Why was it optional for me as an American student but required of students everywhere else in the world?
It's not an overdramatization to say that everyone knows American history. Ok. Maybe it is. But my point is, most people know enough American history to put me to shame. Granted, I'm not a history buff, but it's really a problem that the world knows the U.S. better than I do. My host parents keep track of the dollar and watch CNN. A vendor at a market asked me how I felt about Obama so far. I read BBC online everday and American news is covered. Yet the only time Latin American countries make the news in the states is when there's something bad like a natual disaster or miners trapped for 69 days. So maybe not quite Ameican history, but it's embarrassing when people know what's going on in your country more than you do. And it's not because they want to, it's because they have to. And to me that doesn't make any sense.
How can I be an international business major, or just a world citizen, when all I know is what's right in front of me? I know that I'm not the only person who feels like this. Yes. I blame the educational system for all of this. I've taken more than one World History class and it focused on every continent except Lain America.
We've got to do better.
10.12.2010
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I know that I have friends and family checking in on me every now and then and it helps to know who is actually reading (or skimming) or just looking at pictures. It makes me want to blog more when I know that I'm not speaking to an empty audience.
If you can't/don't want to subscribe, e-mail me or contact me (see the contact tab above) in some way just to let me know you're here!
More updates coming soon!
Thanks!
10.08.2010
*Social Reality: Race and Ethnicity*
Even though I’ve only been here for 2 months, I must admit that before coming to Peru, I was a bit naïve and misinformed. And not just about the city and things that I probably should’ve known. But when I saw the syllabus for my class on “Social Reality” I was really interested in the section on “Race and Ethnicity.” I’m a minority in the states. This should be really easy to relate to right? In the states when race and ethnicity are discussed, there’s really only black and white. There are other struggles with other ethnicities, but in all circles, black-white race relations always come up first.
Before the class discussion, I ignorantly assumed that maybe race relations would be the same. People everywhere are prejudiced against citizens of African descent right? Wrong. Three things I learned very quickly are:
Before the class discussion, I ignorantly assumed that maybe race relations would be the same. People everywhere are prejudiced against citizens of African descent right? Wrong. Three things I learned very quickly are:
- White skin is still preferred. All Peruvians don’t look the same. Some are lighter or have curlier hair, there really is no exact description. And there shouldn’t be. One would think that because such a large proportion of the population is Andean and speaks Quechua, characteristics like straight, dark hair and darker skin would be accepted. But this isn’t so. Lighter skin and curlier hair are preferred. Europeans looks are still considered a standard of beauty and power.
- Skin color is relative. It was surprising to learn that people are considered “whiter” if they are of a certain social status. So even if a person has darker, Indian skin, if they are successful and richer, they have more power. More power and more money means better, and better means “whiter.”
- Asian immigrants were not welcomed with open arms and smiling faces. This is what I was the most naïve about. For some reason I thought that Asian immigrants were welcomed everywhere. I thought that maybe they left their countries because there was a promise of a better life. Surely there wouldn’t be so many chifa restaurants here if people were prejudiced against them? But the terms that they arrived under (as contracted labor) and the discrimination they endured (bombing entire neighborhoods and name calling) were really surprising to me.
10.04.2010
La Dama Juana
On Thursday night I had the joy of attending La Dama Juana. It's a completely touristy show but it showcases the different traditional dances of Peru. It's a dinner show so there was also a buffet. And my program paid for it!
It was actually alot of fun to be so touristy. As you can see, I actually surprised myself and allowed myself to be dragged up on stage. I forget the name of the dance but the point is to try to light your partner's butt on fire. Good stuff!
10.03.2010
Tired Excuses
Everytime I try to explain why I don't speak a lot of spanish here...I just feel stupid. I pride myself on not making excuses. If I don't do something, then I'm not going to try to find a way to justify or explain why I didn't do it. So it's really hard to think that I've been making excuses this whole time. When someone asks me why I haven't been speaking spanish I say:
Since coming here, I have become more outgoing in everyway, except speaking spanish. Example: I went to the grocery store with a friend. There was a sign with a word I didn't know so I asked her. She didn't know either. Rather than dismissing it, she simply turned around to the lady behind her and asked, in spanish. I realized standing there, that I wouldn't have done that. I've been making all kinds of stupid, lame excuses. There are so many opportunities to speak spanish and I need to take advantage of them. Hopefully this was my "aha moment."
- "The classes in my program are all in english (except my spanish class)."
- "My host father and brother work alot and my host mom tries but we don't talk alot."
- "I can't speak spanish with the people in the program because they all speak better spanish than me...so they'll just switch to english."
Since coming here, I have become more outgoing in everyway, except speaking spanish. Example: I went to the grocery store with a friend. There was a sign with a word I didn't know so I asked her. She didn't know either. Rather than dismissing it, she simply turned around to the lady behind her and asked, in spanish. I realized standing there, that I wouldn't have done that. I've been making all kinds of stupid, lame excuses. There are so many opportunities to speak spanish and I need to take advantage of them. Hopefully this was my "aha moment."
10.02.2010
Mundo Libre
Este semestre, estoy una voluntariada en Mundo Libre. Mundo Libre es una institucion que es dedica a los chicos de los calles. Aca en Peru, hay muchas chicos que viven en los calles. Ellos venden chiclet, caramelos, etc para apoyar sus familias. Muchas veces, he visto chicos con sus papas vendiendo caramelos en los calles a las cuatro por la manana. La calle no es una buen lugar para los chicos. Chicos no deben estar en los calles preocupada por la salud de sus familias. Muchas chicos y chicas han sido prostitutos tambien. A causa los chicos estan en los calles, los chicos hacen drogas y esa es una problema mas grave.
Los chicos pueden elegir a entrar en Mundo Libre. Cuando entran, ellos van a una casa en donde pueden rehabilitar. Despues, ellos van a una casa en donde pueden aprender como ser normal. Ellos viven en este casa y tienen clases educativa y tambien apoyar psicologico. Pues ellos tienen otras activades, incluyendo talleres de arte .Hay dos casas, un de ninos y un de ninas.
Voy en los martes y jueves desde 2 hasta 5. Normalmente, he estado yendo a la casa de ninos. Pero cuando voy a la casa de ninos, me parece que no es necesario que yo venga. Hay 3 otras chicas de mi programa y algunas otras chicas que no estan en mi programa que vienen en lo mismo tiempo. Asi, hay mas de 10 voluntariados pero no mas de 15 chicos. Los chicos estan muy independentos y no hablar mucho. Es dificil para hablar y apoyar los. Por supuesto, hay un barrier de lengua, pero mas de nada, los chicos no necisitan ayudar. Es un poco dificil para explicar. En los horas que voy a la casa de niños, hay talleres de ceramica, arte, computadoras, etc pero no puedo hacer nada. Hay profesores que enseñar los talleres. basicamente, solo voy para mirar y hablar con los chicos. Para mi, es una problema porque no estoy una habladora y porque los chicos me contestan en no mas de una palabra. Me pongo aburrido.
Por eso, este jueves pasado, fui a la casa de niñas. Fue mucho mejor porque las niñas les gustan los voluntariadoras. No tantos voluntariadoras como en la casa de niños. Cuando llegué a la casa, habian 4 voluntariadas pero ellos salieron un hora tarde. Entonces, solo yo estaba con los chicas. Los chicas quieren jugar juegos activas y hablar mucho mas que los niños. Pienso que voy a empezar ir a la casa de niñas. Me parece que sera un poco mas fácil porque las chicas estan mas interactivas.
Vamos a ver...
Los chicos pueden elegir a entrar en Mundo Libre. Cuando entran, ellos van a una casa en donde pueden rehabilitar. Despues, ellos van a una casa en donde pueden aprender como ser normal. Ellos viven en este casa y tienen clases educativa y tambien apoyar psicologico. Pues ellos tienen otras activades, incluyendo talleres de arte .Hay dos casas, un de ninos y un de ninas.
Voy en los martes y jueves desde 2 hasta 5. Normalmente, he estado yendo a la casa de ninos. Pero cuando voy a la casa de ninos, me parece que no es necesario que yo venga. Hay 3 otras chicas de mi programa y algunas otras chicas que no estan en mi programa que vienen en lo mismo tiempo. Asi, hay mas de 10 voluntariados pero no mas de 15 chicos. Los chicos estan muy independentos y no hablar mucho. Es dificil para hablar y apoyar los. Por supuesto, hay un barrier de lengua, pero mas de nada, los chicos no necisitan ayudar. Es un poco dificil para explicar. En los horas que voy a la casa de niños, hay talleres de ceramica, arte, computadoras, etc pero no puedo hacer nada. Hay profesores que enseñar los talleres. basicamente, solo voy para mirar y hablar con los chicos. Para mi, es una problema porque no estoy una habladora y porque los chicos me contestan en no mas de una palabra. Me pongo aburrido.
Por eso, este jueves pasado, fui a la casa de niñas. Fue mucho mejor porque las niñas les gustan los voluntariadoras. No tantos voluntariadoras como en la casa de niños. Cuando llegué a la casa, habian 4 voluntariadas pero ellos salieron un hora tarde. Entonces, solo yo estaba con los chicas. Los chicas quieren jugar juegos activas y hablar mucho mas que los niños. Pienso que voy a empezar ir a la casa de niñas. Me parece que sera un poco mas fácil porque las chicas estan mas interactivas.
Vamos a ver...
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