A Few Faus Pax

I feel as thought I have been ragging on Peru a lot in my recent blogs. It's easy to gripe about the negative things in any culture. So this time I'm gonna give Peru and it's citizens a break and pick some one my own size. Specifically, me. I've almost completed a year here and I find myself still committing the same cultural errors on a regular basis. Sometimes they are by mistake and sometimes the stubborn american in me just doesn't feel like doing it 'there way'. There are two things in particular that I habitually screw up. Both of which are aspects of the culture I find beautiful, sweet and sometimes very annoying.

The first is the way Peruvians greet and say goodbye to each other. It is considered impolite not to greet every single person individually when you walk into a room. Likewise when saying goodbye when leaving. Both hello and goodbye mandate a kiss on the cheek and a few kind words. I find this practice lovely, except when there are 30 people in the room. I often pull an American move by walking into a crowded room by waving and saying "hey guys" and thinking that is more than appropriate. But in the eyes of Peruvians, it makes me the rude American. I must say it is a lot less annoying than having to give the Spanish double kiss to everyone. Manners are in the eye of the beholder. It is considered less rude not to greet every one formally than it is to arrive late. That means, in the middle of a meeting when some on arrives late, instead of quietly slipping in and briefly apologize for their tardiness, they have to interrupt even more by going around the table and kissing and saying hello to every one.

I really love the kiss hello but sometimes I just forget. Peruvians are so formal and it makes me feel like I was brought up in a barn. Another beautiful cultural norm I am prone to f***ing up, is sharing. In states, I often received Outstandings in the "shares well with others" category. I had no problem sharing my blocks or jump rope. Although some might argue I'm not very good at sharing a blanket, few would consider me to be a possessive or greedy person. But in comparison to the selfless peruvians who give even when there is nothing to give, I feel like the stereo typical American who hoards all her stuff for herself.

For example, if you are eating something, anything, Peruvian norms stipulate that you invite every person in the room to whatever it is you are eating. If you have a small 4 pack of cookies and there are 8 people in the room, than you offer and split up the cookies accordingly. To me, cookies are a prized possession. If I have 4 cookies in a room with 8 people, the idea of offering some to everyone and only getting to eat half a cookie in the end, is frightening. I am always so surprised to see young girls and boys selflessly offer there special snacks to others. It makes my heart smile and simultaneously makes me feel really guilty seeing I just down the entirety of my special snake without so much as thinking about any one else.

On any given day I am likely to screw up at least one of these cultural norms. Sometimes I wonder if I am just a huge burden on my host family and all my peruvian friends. After many many months at the beginning of my service, I got so tired of always trying to the right thing. It is really exhausting trying not to offend any one with language or cultural slip up. So much so, that I've let my manners slip. Perhaps I will set aside some time to try and make some of these things habits. When my parents come I know I will loose all sense of trying to fit in with my surroundings and relax and just be foreign tourist. When my parents leave I may try and channel my inner potato once again and try to be the best Peruvian I can.