WOW! I am in lima, peru. i met a cadre of people on the planes here from missionaries to indigenous villagers.
The country appears just as i imagined like in one of my favourite films, Baraca which i highly recommend.
There are burger kings funny little plugs all types of people from wealthy to poor indigenous on the streets selling chips clothing & jewelry.
the taxis are little yellow geos that have been crashed several times and then there are the buses which are fully decorated like hippy VW vans with political and other statements supporting the country.
their houses are from every style around the world and yet they look like doll houses because they rarely exceed four stories and look like modern cubism art, i have seen stores and houses in a japanese cubism chinese cubism, latin cubism.
the people are exceedingly friendly to Americans. They wanna know everything about our country and everytime i ask for help in spanish they want to know the equivalent word in english ie acetune - olive.
the price of a hamburger with happy meal here is $3.45 yet for a month working 12 hours six days a week they receive $110 and the price of a place to live a mediocre place is about $80, so they usually live in their cars or with a lot of people not on the lease. the division of wealth seems sadly unfair.
more later, i have a flight to the mountains in the morning.
hasta por ahora
i am now working on the four projects, which y'all should of received in a cry for donations ;-) mon-wed i am at the hospital in the morning. in the evenings i work with the street kids except wed, when i meditate with a group of vipassana practicers. thurs and sun i am with the eldery. saturday is a break.
ten days out of this month i lived with the Q'eros learning to weave and learning a mass about their spirituality, runasimi (quechua, their language) and medicinal practices. on my arrival they kindly cut up a sheep for me and hung it over my bed, which smacked me only twice when i awoke. it took two hundred chews to swallow a piece! after i mentioned i was vegetarian there seemed only to be broth. i was grateful for they also like to serve guinea pig ;-) i love their rock, mud and straw huts that are a days hike over several mountains in the andes. i will return in november.
the days are long working with children at the medical clinic because i am mentally different it can be a strain on my mind, maybe becuase i have to be extra simple. they love to be sung to, rocked and petted. and just make up wierd goofy noises. tomorrow i get to explore the medical labs upstairs. my next project is to find out more about cerebral palasy, autism and down syndrome. i tell the children they are angels sent for me and others to learn patience simplicity and compassion. once i learn to love myself as the great mysterious Lover loves me, then these angels are here to take me by the heart to a land of spiritual bliss and deLIGHT.
the culture here is broken into several groups and subgroups. from the latinos to the indegenous who have moved to the cities, to the poorest, the indegenous. half the children on the streets are involved in drugs and for me i believe as a mode of survival they lie and steal. it makes it difficult to access their needs, but like the children at the hospital, they are each angels for me to learn to be more Loving.
the q'eros are extremely friendly, but like everyone they know i am wealthier in comparison and are not afraid to ask for money or whatever. this is a time i wish i was part of bill gate's family.
most people work twelve hours a day and still they seem so friendly to americans. they are understanding when i tell them i have a budget for the year and so i am dividing my funds amongst us all.
i have written pages of observations from the villages and from the city life. as yet have i made deep comparisons, but they are obvious. as i have a lovely madrina (adopted mom) who is of the upper middle class and has an indigenous family for maids. every time i try and help she says they would not understand and i have still too much to learn about this culture. in ways she is right, but shh when she is out of the room i ask the maids if i can help and they love it.
Pardon my inablity to write back personally. PLEASE WRITE ME SNAIL MAIL i miss y'all. It takes about 15 days. My address until 20 dec is
