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We tried to blend in. We bought a beautiful bag that looks like what the indigenous women carry as soon as we flew into Lima 4 months ago. We though for sure this bag would disguise us as locals. Of course it wasn’t long after that we concluded it was useless. We are so obviously foreigners. It is written on our clothes, backpacks, Spanish, mannerisms, skin, hair and eyes. I assumed that it was also obvious that we are American. However, first guesses usually included German, English, Norwegian, and even Italian. One woman even started speaking to us in Swedish! We soon realized that it is far more likely to encounter European travelers than American travelers given that only 20% of Americans have passports and they usually only get 2 weeks of vacation per year. A guy in Canoa Quebrada actually asked us, “What are 2 Americans doing in Canoa Quebrada?”
When people ask us where we are from, we initially feel like we need to apologize on behalf of our country. Steve often immediately tells people that we don’t like Bush. Usually, this is followed by a chuckle and even a look of confusion, reassuring us that at least our politics is not the first thing on their minds. This comment does spark some intense political conversations, especially with the Europeans and our good friends Juan and Sol to whom we try to explain exactly how someone like Bush could be elected to office. Twice. It does seem that we have sympathy from the South Americans whose nations have been plagued with corrupt and oppressive governments. We met two Venezuelans who ended up defending our country more than we did in one of these political discussions which was surprising to me given tense relations between our countries, but it goes to show that not every citizen of a country supports the actions of his/her country-like us.
I was also surprised to hear that most people are ashamed of their country for one reason or another. Obviously, I knew the violence that the Spaniard conquistadors brought to South America, but I never imagined what it would be like for a Spaniard to visit. Of course, a few Spaniards that we met were somewhat defensive even though they needn’t be, at least with me, since I wouldn’t think of blaming an individual for the history of his/her country. Then I realized that is probably true of most people and that we are not automatically blamed for the actions of our nation. That was a relief!
More impactful is our interactions with people. I do like telling people we are American. I am proud of who I am, but also I like representing our country in a positive light. I like being an ambassador. However, this comes with a tremendous amount of responsibility. We never want to be insulting in any way, but what if we are without knowing it? My Spanish is not perfect, which I can accept, but what if when I translate directly from English something that may be polite, ends up being rude in Spanish? I always thought that attempting to speak the native language would be seen as positive; I never realized that it could have a detrimental impact. God only knows what I have agreed to in Brazil because I was politely nodding my head when in reality I had no idea what people were saying to me. What is customary in the states that I assume is customary here but in reality my assumption results in rudeness? I hope nothing, but you never know because normally someone would be too polite to tell you. I can only hope that the people I encounter here can understand that we’re just different and that we really do have the best intentions at heart.
Being a traveler raises questions like, do you give beggars money? What if they are children? Do you buy stuff you don’t need, hire guides and always take polluting taxis because it gives people jobs? Do you tell people not to throw trash into the water from which they drink, fish and bathe? When is a tip insulting? How does giving a very generous tip to one person impact the economic balance of that person’s community? What do you do when someone tries to hustle you out of a few extra soles (a couple of cents to us but that goes a long way here)? What do you do when you know you are getting the gringo rate? On the one hand, I condone giving locals a discount especially to see the sites of their own country when they would otherwise be unable to afford it. However, if the situation were reversed, I would never think it acceptable to charge someone visiting the US more simply based on their appearance.
Being a traveler forces you to reflect on who you are and where you come from. For example, at home I used to tell people I was part Swedish, German and English. When I went to Europe, however, it was clear that I was American. We met a Spaniard on our trip who said Americans have no culture, and I used to believe that. But now I am here, and I see our culture everywhere–music, movies, clothes, food, tv shows. Not to say it is good culture necessarily, and I would rather not see it here since I am here to see the culture of South America, but it is culture nonetheless. I had an epiphany–it is impossible to be without culture. Your daily routines, the food you eat, your beliefs are all part of your culture. I think we forget that we have culture because it is just our normal lives. We travel to see the culture of the world, and whether that is the hustle bustle tourist culture of Cuzco or the llama tamales of Bolivia, it is all culture, and all a new experience for us.