Lima, Peru: The People will invite you into their homes…
Action
Late one afternoon in Lima, Josh and I took a public mini-bus to a new neighborhood. We weren’t sure where the mini-bus was going to stop, so Josh tried to ask the attendant for directions. As often happens when it becomes clear that we’re not sure about bus stops, a local guy offered us some advice. When we got off the bus, the local guy began walking with us and we made small talk. Soon after he and Josh discovered that they both enjoyed independent music, Cesar invited us back to his place to listen to some Peruvian metal and hardcore and meet his family. We stayed at their place for a couple hours listening to music, eating dinner, and playing with his son Diego. The next night, Cesar and Andrea gave us a tour of Lima by night.
The day after we met Cesar, I had some interviews in another neighborhood. Between interviews, while I was taking pictures of a park, a woman who was walking her dog offered (in perfect English) to take a picture of me.
We began talking and I learned that she was a teacher at the American School in Lima and her son lived in the U.S. Before long, I was invited back to her place for a glass of water before I continued my walk to my next meeting.
Reflection
Guidebooks often tout the friendliness of locals by saying, “they’ll even invite you into their homes.” With the exception of one instance in Thailand, I’ve never been invited into people’s homes. I don’t take it personally, since I’m not sure I’d invite some traveler that I had just met on a NYC subway back to my apartment for refreshments. Yet, in Peru I was invited into two homes in 24 hours. I’m not sure why these people decided after ten minutes of conversation that they trusted me enough to enter their domiciles. I wonder if Cesar and Consuela were even more generous, because I was a foreigner. Surprised as I was by these interactions in Peru, they felt friendly and natural.
Question
When do you or would you invite people into your home? Have you ever invited a stranger into your home?
Late one afternoon in Lima, Josh and I took a public mini-bus to a new neighborhood. We weren’t sure where the mini-bus was going to stop, so Josh tried to ask the attendant for directions. As often happens when it becomes clear that we’re not sure about bus stops, a local guy offered us some advice. When we got off the bus, the local guy began walking with us and we made small talk. Soon after he and Josh discovered that they both enjoyed independent music, Cesar invited us back to his place to listen to some Peruvian metal and hardcore and meet his family. We stayed at their place for a couple hours listening to music, eating dinner, and playing with his son Diego. The next night, Cesar and Andrea gave us a tour of Lima by night.
The day after we met Cesar, I had some interviews in another neighborhood. Between interviews, while I was taking pictures of a park, a woman who was walking her dog offered (in perfect English) to take a picture of me.
We began talking and I learned that she was a teacher at the American School in Lima and her son lived in the U.S. Before long, I was invited back to her place for a glass of water before I continued my walk to my next meeting.
Reflection
Guidebooks often tout the friendliness of locals by saying, “they’ll even invite you into their homes.” With the exception of one instance in Thailand, I’ve never been invited into people’s homes. I don’t take it personally, since I’m not sure I’d invite some traveler that I had just met on a NYC subway back to my apartment for refreshments. Yet, in Peru I was invited into two homes in 24 hours. I’m not sure why these people decided after ten minutes of conversation that they trusted me enough to enter their domiciles. I wonder if Cesar and Consuela were even more generous, because I was a foreigner. Surprised as I was by these interactions in Peru, they felt friendly and natural.
Question
When do you or would you invite people into your home? Have you ever invited a stranger into your home?
3 Comments:
At 10:44 PM, Jen said…
The only time I've had a stranger in my home is when a neighbor that I never met before got locked out and wanted to make a phone call. I felt pretty awkward the whole time too.
I always MEAN to invite people over (not strangers though), but somehow it never happens. Not sure why. Plans get changed, fall through.
The picture of you in the park kind of reminds me vaguely of Forsyth Park here - that sense of the long "alley" with the path.
At 6:23 PM, Cesar said…
Hola Renata y Josh, leí el articulo, y me anime a hablar sobre lo que tratan en él.
Bueno, desde mi punto de vista personal, siento que eres libre de invitar a pasar un momento contigo, a la o las personas con las que desees hacerlo, claro que esto lo haces bajo ciertos riesgos que deben estar dispuesto a correr. Pero a cambio de esto recibes una satisfacción mucho pero mucho mayor, que es por ejemplo en nuestro caso, el poder haberlos ayudado a conocer un poco mas de nuestro país, y conocer un poco mas sobre los habitos, deseos, forma de vida, etc, de otras culturas. Además de tener un amigo y amiga mas.
Ahora que es cierto que esto es mas frecuente entre personas de forma de vida un tanto distintas, pero de igual grado de amabilidad, es muy cierto.
Bueno, no pudo seguir extendiendome tanto, pq tengo que seguir trabajando. Espero que les esté llendo bien, ya escribiré nuevamente.
Saludos de Andrea. Cuidense mucho.
PD: Josh ya mi computadora está bien, a partir de la semana que viene, puedo mandarte el disco, claro si me das una dirección a donde mandarla.
At 9:34 AM, lernerm said…
It's a sad commentary on modern day America that people rarely invite strangers into their home. I think it's mostly because of fears. When I was younger, I used to hitchike a bit, and was often invited into homes (and often picked up as a hitchiker, something that is rarely done today). I have invited "strangers" who I never met before but who live in my neighborhood into my home while walking my dog and meeting them, but that's not the same as a real stranger. I've given people rides in my car when they were caught in the rain (eg someone who was stuck with me at an ice cream parlor) - but usually they have been older (nonthreatening) folks, or women. I'm not sure I'd invite a dangerous looking character like Josh into my home (just kidding).
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