Day 3 - Sleep, Economics and Music

Ted here! Geez I realize that as I write "sleep" and "economics" together that many of you will think going to our economics lecture and sleep perhaps happened at the same time (okay perhaps they did). Lets go to the morning to explain.

It was a chance to sleep in as the group wasn't getting together until the afternoon. Some went off and enjoyed the ruins down the road from the hotels, others chose to explore the city by foot (perhaps more exploration than was expected as they "re-found" themselves on the map and then eventually back to the hotel). All sorts of different individual experiences that I was privileged to hear about!

For me the morning was about getting as healthy as possible with rest (the scratch in my throat turned into a full on fever which seemed to break at about 10am this morning).

On with the day! We grabbed cabs and went to the offices of Hernando de Soto's Institute for Liberty and Democracy. There we met Jess's friend Gabriel Arrisueno. He told us about the impacts of regulations (or lack of) in informal economies and how they are related to the inability of people to escape poverty. For me at least it helped put into context what we had seen in Vista Alegre (I think that I have finally spelled that correctly). We then had a brief presentation from his colleague Vanessa Banchero about her work with Anyak in getting scholarships and providing support to kids whom otherwise would not be able to attend university.

Ted and his two instructors

Donna rockin' out Peruvian style

It was then onto another meeting with Luz and her merry band of street kids / musicians. We had the chance to listen to them play. They then taught us individually to play instruments. Again, a chance to experience a part of Peru that most people only see from the outside. In talking with some of the group, we commented on how these kids (boys/men mostly between the ages of 17 and 22)  acted very much like our students / other Canadian kids their age! From being able to speak their language with them I can tell you that they TALK very much like our NAIT students. However, most of them already have one child they were trying to support (if not more or at least more on the way). They had held two sessions to decide whom would come meet with us, ultimately choosing those with the best combination of musicianship and financial need.

Everyone Together!

 Some members of our group seemed to be stuck between how to "pay" them...would it be all right? Should it be through Luz?  Many wanted to give more beyond the donation that was incorporated into the cost of the trip here. I would be curious to hear people's opinions on this. I felt myself stuck in the middle of competing thoughts and idealogies as to what would be best. I don't think I was the only one that didn't know quite what was best.

Making our way through the rush hour traffic (pedestrian and automobile), we again saw the drastic change between the culture of the streets and the the culture of the more well off at the nearby mall. There we enjoyed dinner at a french-esque restaurant. Some even opted for ice cream afterwards!

Now, most of us are at the hotel, getting ready for an early flight to Cusco and the beginning of our time in the mountains!!