Week 5 2/08/10-2/12/10 Cusco, Peru Geoffrey Strom

The experience of cultural differences is a norm of traveling and living abroad. A few
that I encountered during this week have made me appreciate the beautiful country of Peru.
While teaching the last of the health classes to the exuberant kids of San Antonio, it occurred to
me that gringos are a novelty in the
classroom for them. Unlike most
rational adults, children’s energy
tends towards the extremes, as
mentioned previously. Yet having
foreigners, who speak the language,
in the classroom is an effective
pedagogy. The fifth and six graders
who were taught about protecting the
environment were eager learners and
active participants. They voiced their
opinions and knowledge readily for a
new teacher, which has reciprocal
effects for the front of the classroom,
me. The cultural differences that we
both bring to the classroom positively
reinforce the successful outcome of more educated students. The second set of classes to San
Antonio, couple of days later, was not a shiny achievement of education. Thursday was the
second to last day for the students before a short summer break, coinciding with Carnaval
weekend which is primarily on Sunday. The younger kids were eager to participate in the
distracting activities of water
balloons and packets of dyed
flour tbvhrowing. After
getting through a majority of
the days lesson the fun
outside the classroom
overwhelmed our ability to
attract attention. The fun
only continued when Tim, I
and a Peruvian friend went
to eat ceviche for lunch at
our favorite local market.
Passing through the narrow
aisles was certainly a
mistake; the labyrinth was
not occupied by a minotaur
but super soaker sporting
vendors and other menaces
with foam spraying cans. Apparently Carnaval will continue the following weekend and I am
more than ready to participate in the cultural differences which one can experience while abroad.