Landmarks and Excursions

Now that my trip has reached a point where I am getting into the routine, I have been reflecting on the first third of my stay in Peru. My trip really began when I was dropped off in the Parque de Kennedy after the airport. Parque de Kennedy (or JFK Park) is by far the most memorable landmark in Lima to me. Surrounded by restaurants, it is a natural meeting place for our Northeastern Dialogue group. The park is full of people, vendors, fountains, and cats! It is similar to Times Square in New York in that it is always busy at any time of day or night. I use the park as a reference point to find my way through the city, from the beach to my apartment to the Spanish school where I take classes. There is also a massive church in one corner of the park called la Iglesia Virgen Milagrosa.
A number of interesting events occur in the park every week. Now that I have been in the area for some time, I have learned that these events take place with regularity. My favorite is the dozens of street artists that display their work on the large sidewalk that goes all the way around the outside of the park. They only appear on weekends, and they have a variety of large and small paintings for a range of (negotiable) prices. There are pictures of Peruvians wearing colorful garments and babies wrapped around their chests with a bright sling. There are landscape drawings of lush vineyards and warm alleyways that almost pull you into the picture if you stare at them. There are pictures of exotic food and designs replicating ancient civilizations. Before I leave I am going to get my parents a painting as a souvenir. Naturally, I can’t decide on which one to purchase.
At 5 PM on Sundays a lot of locals gather in a circular amphitheater at one end of the park. They play salsa music and pick each other out to dance. I have watched the dancing with intrigue, and it is a public event for anyone to see or join in. I would stick out like a sore thumb if I participated in the dancing, but I have seen tourists leave their backpacks behind and have a lot of fun dancing with everyone else.
Finally, there are many people who fill a large circle in the center of the park each night to sell Peruvian clothes, small pieces of art, and other trinkets. Charms and necklaces can be bought here, along with figures of animals and other symbols of Peruvian culture, such as the designs found in the Nazca Lines. Here, I am still searching for the perfect bottle of hot sauce to bring home to my brother, who loves to try new blends of heat and flavor like the ones I am having here.
Branching out from this park on foot and by bus has been my life for the past two weeks. Our trips have been productive, exciting, and memorable. There is so much of this world I have never seen before. On Friday, we visited Villa Maria del Triunfo, the poorest village I have ever encountered in my life. Over half the population of 400,000 here has no regular income. There is a major lack of running water and electricity. The majority of the residents are three generations of squatters who fled the violence of the Shining Path, the communist uprising from the 1980’s that took over a million lives. Our Northeastern University group spent money from our own pocket to buy gifts for the children of the village. The children were overjoyed to play with us and their new toys for a few hours.
It was a very emotional moment for me to meet the dog of one of the village families that reminded me of my dog (Duncan) from back home. This dog’s name was Simba, which was fitting, because he and Duncan are both Shih Tzus, which means “Lion Dogs”. Simba was filthy and missing patches of hair. I thought of what the two dogs would look and feel like if they had switched places, and I felt a powerful empathy for the animals and people of Peru who have so little. Until this point in the trip my biggest concerns were focused on myself: how long the next bus ride would be, or whether our dinner would have enough vegetables. Seeing the beauty and wealth of the national palace, the parks in Miraflores, ruins, and other monuments has been pleasant and fascinating. But seeing the poverty of thousands who live in the desert and the highlands has been so new and impactful, I can say that these encounters with poverty (and our volunteer service there) shift my perspective and expand my worldview in ways just as deep and unforgettable as the famous landmarks.