I'm a model. The hilarity of it outweighed any culture/power relationships/whatever reservations I could come up with.-Michael
Thursday, October 30, 2008
On a Lighter Note
My host brothers design websites, do graphic design, and are photographers. They recently were asked to make a brochure for a local coffee company called Cafe Rio Mayo and wanted to have pictures of gringos in the brochure because gringos only drink good quality coffee. So.....
I'm a model. The hilarity of it outweighed any culture/power relationships/whatever reservations I could come up with.
-Michael
I'm a model. The hilarity of it outweighed any culture/power relationships/whatever reservations I could come up with.-Michael
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
An Incident
On Sunday, I woke up at 3:30 to go with a group of Swedish women, my boss, and the two other interns in my house to a tourist place called Tingana. It́s a river forest reserve and you have to get there really early to see the monkeys. Anyways, we took a van on a dirt road for 50 minutes or so to get there. On the way 3 men with guns tried to stop us and rob us. I only saw 2 of the men pointing their guns at us as we passed. Apparently there was another one in the front who tried to stop us and fire his pistol in the air to scare us, but it didn´t fire so our driver hit the gas. So, we escaped and were told later that the police caught them. I didńt know wéd be on a remote dirt road going there and that it would be dangerous, which it apparently is. It happened so fast but I was pretty shaken and worried for the rest of the drive.
I´m fine, but think that people reading this might want to know about that.
-Michael
I´m fine, but think that people reading this might want to know about that.
-Michael
Friday, October 17, 2008
Obama on the Free Trade Agreement with Peru
I just watched the third U.S. presidential debate on youtube last night and two things stood out to me. First; both Barack Obama and John McCain are left handed. Other people probably didn't notice because they were watching the debate from their right handed seats of power. This is good news for southpaws everywhere.
Second, Barack Obama brought up his support for the current U.S.-Peru Free Trade Agreement. Now, I bet that when everyone heard that they all got pretty excited at any mention of a great country like Peru and probably thought "Hmm, I don't know much about that trade agreement. I wonder what Peruvians think of it." I'm so glad you asked! I'm certainly no expert on international trade, but have read a little bit about this trade agreement. I also regularly read a blog by a Peruvian living in Washington D.C. He has a good post providing a Peruvian perspective on what Obama said Wednesday night here. It's not too long and worth the read. His perspective is very much like that of Peruvians I meet here on our election and politics. They overwhelmingly support Obama over McCain (I haven't and won't meet any McCain supporters here), but well informed Peruvians recognize that Obama still stands for much of the status quo. However, as portrayed clearly in the debate Wednesday night, Obama is at least concerned about things like the environment and human rights when it comes to trade agreements; not just how much more money we can make than the other country.
Also, I do agree with McCain that Obama should definitely visit countries in Latin America. It will be funny when he does though. They'll gush over him more than J Lo and Mana (Latin Coldplay) combined.
-Michael
Second, Barack Obama brought up his support for the current U.S.-Peru Free Trade Agreement. Now, I bet that when everyone heard that they all got pretty excited at any mention of a great country like Peru and probably thought "Hmm, I don't know much about that trade agreement. I wonder what Peruvians think of it." I'm so glad you asked! I'm certainly no expert on international trade, but have read a little bit about this trade agreement. I also regularly read a blog by a Peruvian living in Washington D.C. He has a good post providing a Peruvian perspective on what Obama said Wednesday night here. It's not too long and worth the read. His perspective is very much like that of Peruvians I meet here on our election and politics. They overwhelmingly support Obama over McCain (I haven't and won't meet any McCain supporters here), but well informed Peruvians recognize that Obama still stands for much of the status quo. However, as portrayed clearly in the debate Wednesday night, Obama is at least concerned about things like the environment and human rights when it comes to trade agreements; not just how much more money we can make than the other country.
Also, I do agree with McCain that Obama should definitely visit countries in Latin America. It will be funny when he does though. They'll gush over him more than J Lo and Mana (Latin Coldplay) combined.
-Michael
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Something I am learning
I spent a lot of time before coming to Peru preparing. Due to many factors I believe I had expectations to really grow spiritually while here. Though these expectations weren't too specific, I still unknowingly put quite a bit of pressure on myself. Of course I'm still the same person as before. So much of my time here I've felt burdened by my own shameful weaknesses without acknowledging that it was largely my pride that had caused this. Only recently have I really articulated this burdensome feeling and it has helped me to feel much better and I believe understand my situation and myself better. I think I have also been able to see more clearly some of the things the Lord is teaching me here, so I'll talk about one thing.
There is a very good quality that I see in people sometimes; I'd say that it is part of compassion, but does not get at the whole meaning of what compassion is. These people wisely seek to understand others, especially those with whom they disagree. They hear their stories and listen. They ask the right questions and they do not make assumptions of others. They never demonize or mischaracterize others.
The cultivation of this kind of wisdom, compassion, and understanding certainly does not require one to spend 6 months in some exotic foreign country, and of course my being here does not guarantee any greater spiritual maturation than anybody else. In fact it's just the sort of thing that could possibly make me a more prideful, less understanding person. However, I do believe God has used my experiences here to teach me about my failings in this area and to hopefully cultivate this kind of compassion in me.
In the book Compassion, Henri Nouwen (and others) talk a little bit about St. Francis of Assisi. St. Francis being one of the most admirable people I know of, I paid close attention.
"From this displaced position, Francis could live a compassionate life; he was no longer blinded by apparent differences between people and could recognize them all as brothers and sisters who needed God's grace as much as he did."
Through voluntary displacement God made St. Francis a more compassionate, understanding person. He understood his own weakness better and, in the difference or "otherness" of displacement, he better understood our common humanity. I have prayed (though not nearly enough) that God would do the same the same thing in me. He has certainly been making my weakness and selfishness clear to me. Here's a few quick stories about just that.
Back in June there was a holiday week that basically celebrated everything about Moyobamba. I was exhausted a lot that week and my family and coworkers kept making me participate in all sorts of things that an anthropology student like me should have been thrilled about, like watch and participate in some typical dances and taste typical regional food (i.e. weird chewy sausage in front of 20 giggling high school kids). However, I often didn't want to do these things. I wanted my alone time and my sleep. I made all the obvious non-verbal signals around the people I was dependent upon to get home like frequent yawns and looking impatient. When I was ignored I became upset. Only much later did I realize that much of the problem involved cultural differences. I don't think more details to the story are necessary, but suffice to say that my host brother and coworkers weren't intentionally putting me in uncomfortable situations and ignoring me like I felt at the time.
Another quick story involves my church here. In general, the church that I attend, which my family and friends attend, was not what I was expecting. The kinds of flaws that I see in it are not the flaws that I hoped or expected my church here in Peru to have. Many of them are just like the weaknesses of churches I know in the U.S. I didn't expect to agree with everything about my church here, but I was hoping that their problems would be different and that they would get right what home churches get wrong. This weekend the church is sponsoring a conference which features a man from Australia coming to talk about the great threat of evolution and why it's wrong. I have not seen my church focus at all on the many social problems here in Moyobamba like poverty, domestic violence, and care for the environment. Of course that doesn't mean they don't; I haven't been here too long.
Anyways, the point is that my church has obvious flaws like any church; flaws which are all too familiar to me. But I have been presumptuous and judgmental. Rather than asking what it is that I can learn from my brothers and sisters at this church, I have far too quickly put them down in my mind and thought highly of myself as more "enlightened". Only as I have learned more about the church's long, complicated history which has often involved complex relationships with Westerners, have I become more understanding and compassionate toward it. And the truth is, there are things that I can learn from these brothers and sisters. As an institution, the church may not be doing the things I think it should, but some of the individual members I am closest to are living lives worthy of my imitation in their compassion toward each other and their neighbors outside the church. The church also places quite a bit of focus on prayer and fasting; two things which I have never been too concerned about in actual practice.
I do pray that the Lord would continue to use failures like these to teach me how to be a more compassionate person, especially when encountering disagreements and differences. Perhaps the greater challenge will be in returning when I will inevitably encounter the sorts of differences in people at home that I have always had impatience with; and the differences may likely be starker than I remember as I see them from new lenses. May the Lord give me grace in those times when I am tempted to to be prideful and judgmental rather than compassionate and understanding.
-Michael
There is a very good quality that I see in people sometimes; I'd say that it is part of compassion, but does not get at the whole meaning of what compassion is. These people wisely seek to understand others, especially those with whom they disagree. They hear their stories and listen. They ask the right questions and they do not make assumptions of others. They never demonize or mischaracterize others.
The cultivation of this kind of wisdom, compassion, and understanding certainly does not require one to spend 6 months in some exotic foreign country, and of course my being here does not guarantee any greater spiritual maturation than anybody else. In fact it's just the sort of thing that could possibly make me a more prideful, less understanding person. However, I do believe God has used my experiences here to teach me about my failings in this area and to hopefully cultivate this kind of compassion in me.
In the book Compassion, Henri Nouwen (and others) talk a little bit about St. Francis of Assisi. St. Francis being one of the most admirable people I know of, I paid close attention.
"From this displaced position, Francis could live a compassionate life; he was no longer blinded by apparent differences between people and could recognize them all as brothers and sisters who needed God's grace as much as he did."
Through voluntary displacement God made St. Francis a more compassionate, understanding person. He understood his own weakness better and, in the difference or "otherness" of displacement, he better understood our common humanity. I have prayed (though not nearly enough) that God would do the same the same thing in me. He has certainly been making my weakness and selfishness clear to me. Here's a few quick stories about just that.
Back in June there was a holiday week that basically celebrated everything about Moyobamba. I was exhausted a lot that week and my family and coworkers kept making me participate in all sorts of things that an anthropology student like me should have been thrilled about, like watch and participate in some typical dances and taste typical regional food (i.e. weird chewy sausage in front of 20 giggling high school kids). However, I often didn't want to do these things. I wanted my alone time and my sleep. I made all the obvious non-verbal signals around the people I was dependent upon to get home like frequent yawns and looking impatient. When I was ignored I became upset. Only much later did I realize that much of the problem involved cultural differences. I don't think more details to the story are necessary, but suffice to say that my host brother and coworkers weren't intentionally putting me in uncomfortable situations and ignoring me like I felt at the time.
Another quick story involves my church here. In general, the church that I attend, which my family and friends attend, was not what I was expecting. The kinds of flaws that I see in it are not the flaws that I hoped or expected my church here in Peru to have. Many of them are just like the weaknesses of churches I know in the U.S. I didn't expect to agree with everything about my church here, but I was hoping that their problems would be different and that they would get right what home churches get wrong. This weekend the church is sponsoring a conference which features a man from Australia coming to talk about the great threat of evolution and why it's wrong. I have not seen my church focus at all on the many social problems here in Moyobamba like poverty, domestic violence, and care for the environment. Of course that doesn't mean they don't; I haven't been here too long.
Anyways, the point is that my church has obvious flaws like any church; flaws which are all too familiar to me. But I have been presumptuous and judgmental. Rather than asking what it is that I can learn from my brothers and sisters at this church, I have far too quickly put them down in my mind and thought highly of myself as more "enlightened". Only as I have learned more about the church's long, complicated history which has often involved complex relationships with Westerners, have I become more understanding and compassionate toward it. And the truth is, there are things that I can learn from these brothers and sisters. As an institution, the church may not be doing the things I think it should, but some of the individual members I am closest to are living lives worthy of my imitation in their compassion toward each other and their neighbors outside the church. The church also places quite a bit of focus on prayer and fasting; two things which I have never been too concerned about in actual practice.
I do pray that the Lord would continue to use failures like these to teach me how to be a more compassionate person, especially when encountering disagreements and differences. Perhaps the greater challenge will be in returning when I will inevitably encounter the sorts of differences in people at home that I have always had impatience with; and the differences may likely be starker than I remember as I see them from new lenses. May the Lord give me grace in those times when I am tempted to to be prideful and judgmental rather than compassionate and understanding.
-Michael
Psalm 146
I have to admit that I´ve followed the U.S. presidential campaign quite closely on the internet from here in Peru. To be honest, I have definitely followed it too closely considering what I ought to be doing with my time here. Anyways, I have plenty of thoughts and opinions I could start laying out if I desired and a few weeks ago I almost did. Instead however, I´ll share a Psalm I read the other day which really grabbed me.
Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
Put not your trust in princes,
in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
on that very day his plans perish.
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them,
who keeps faith forever;
who executes justice for the oppressed,
who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free;
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the sojourners;
he upholds the widow and the fatherless,
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
The Lord will reign forever,
your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 146
If anybody would like to share any specific thoughts or reflections from this Psalm, I´d love to hear them.
I plan to post again tonight.
God bless,
Michael
Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
Put not your trust in princes,
in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
on that very day his plans perish.
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them,
who keeps faith forever;
who executes justice for the oppressed,
who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free;
the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the sojourners;
he upholds the widow and the fatherless,
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
The Lord will reign forever,
your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the Lord!
Psalm 146
If anybody would like to share any specific thoughts or reflections from this Psalm, I´d love to hear them.
I plan to post again tonight.
God bless,
Michael
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Fractions
I have a confession to make. I always know how many weeks I have been here, how many I have left, and what fraction of my time I have completed in Peru. Today, Saturday, marks 19 weeks here. I have 7 left. This week I will reach 3/4 of my time here. I don't particularly hate it here or anything thing like that. Often I really like it, but I'm still looking forward to coming home. I'm looking forward to seeing my beautiful fiance Pamela again. I'm looking forward to being with my family and friends at home and all the familiarity of it, then to getting back to Wheaton and seeing other friends and talking with them and laughing. Hopefully though, I just like fractions more than most people.
Also, there's some pretty big news in Peru right now. Apparently an oil company has been bribing members of the president's cabinet, and they are all now being forced to resign by the righteous corruption fighting president Alan Garcia. I guess it's kind of a familiar sounding story. I'll try to post again soon with something more substantive but I have some papers to write first.
-Michael
Also, there's some pretty big news in Peru right now. Apparently an oil company has been bribing members of the president's cabinet, and they are all now being forced to resign by the righteous corruption fighting president Alan Garcia. I guess it's kind of a familiar sounding story. I'll try to post again soon with something more substantive but I have some papers to write first.
-Michael
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