tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820936377795392355.post5752622892709177273..comments2023-08-07T08:09:17.957-07:00Comments on 27 months in Perú ~ A Peace Corps Journal: "The United States is my alcoholic brother". An expats thoughts on his homeland and a volunteers reviewDavid Wittehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11151550062506261411noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820936377795392355.post-73035281855931268182013-05-04T07:49:59.904-07:002013-05-04T07:49:59.904-07:00I have to agree with the comment from Tricia that ...I have to agree with the comment from Tricia that you posted above - as a woman living abroad I think I'm pretty justified in being paranoid, particularly in the city, because of the way that some men (not all but enough that I've resorted to avoiding most of them) feel they can treat women. And from what I hear, it's not just women that experience inappropriate advances from men here in Peru - men looking to make an interesting foreign man as a new drinking partner can be quite forward (and physical) about their intentions. In addition, we certainly have cases of robbery (armed or unarmed - unarmed being the kind I've experienced and which is still startling) and sometimes physical assault among PCVs in Peru, either the author enjoys some protection from being a white male, or he's just been lucky not to be a victim.<br /><br />In response to the first comment, I'm sure other PCVs have experienced that after a while living in the same small community not everyone is nice to you anymore. They get accustomed to your presence and start to accept you at least as a fixture in the community if not a fully fledged member - there are a lot of Peruvians in my town that are also from somewhere else and just assigned to work there that get the same kind of treatment. And because everyone is human, you don't get along 100% with everyone. For example, I walked out of a volleyball game a few days ago because my teammates were yelling at me so forcefully for not getting to the ball that I just decided it wasn't worth the stress anymore (and the yelling has been going on since the first few months I played). As another example, someone has tried to spread rumors that I specifically didn't give her part of the incentive from my project because I don't like her, not because she didn't complete the required tasks to receive the incentive. So, yes, people are polite and nice when you're just passing through, but real life isn't like that. A lot of American regions are well-known for their hospitality too, but those of us who live there know that everything is not all smiles and niceties all the time. People are people and if you stay somewhere long enough you'll always find they're not so one-dimensional.<br /><br />I agree with the author though, that Americans do get caught up in material comforts to an unhealthy extreme. Granted I miss toilet seats and sinks and floors as much as the next person who used to have them and now doesn't, but I've met plenty of people who've never had these comforts and are still happy with the situation they're in. In fact I really don't feel uncomfortable or unhappy since I initially adjusted to going without all those things. I'm not going to lie, it helps that I know I'll get all that back in a fixed period of time, but I know it's not essential to being happy now.Alisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05913173318521854894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7820936377795392355.post-10198218287865430902013-04-30T19:27:02.124-07:002013-04-30T19:27:02.124-07:00A few things I noticed is how anomalous America...A few things I noticed is how anomalous America's health care situation amongst advanced countries, and how our lack of investment in infrastructure is showing compared to a lot of other countries. I came to think we're quite lucky in having a lot of space per person relative to certain countries, and a relatively dynamic economy with a lower structural unemployment. There is a certain amount of American insularity, which makes sense based on the sheer size of the country, and a certain amount of arrogance that comes from a strain of national chauvinism in the national media. <br /><br />I also gained a more concrete feeling of America being "home" as compared to just the place that I happen to be from. I didn't really see myself as an "American" as much before I went abroad.Kamry Bowmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02525772964183581087noreply@blogger.com