I’ve been living in Peru, specifically in Huancayo in the Central Andes of Peru, for over 10 years now, and I always tell my friends that it’s so worth visiting here if you want a taste of the real Peru that you wouldn’t get in Cusco because Huancayo is still relatively untouched by international tourism. These are the places I’d recommend seeing to get a feel for what it’s traditionally like living in Peru and in the Andes mountains.
Huancayo
How I Cured My Eczema in Peru: Part 3 – Eczema-Free in Huancayo
This past year has been a journey of connection for me – just as every cell in the body is separate and simultaneously part of a whole, so too are we as human beings individuals that are intimately interconnected. It’s what I come back to when I feel lost, and I believe it’s what underlies healing: the realization that everything we do (eat, breathe, say, etc.) and experience affects the whole, then harnessing this knowledge for growth in any area.
How I Cured My Eczema in Peru: Part 1 – The Birth of FrankenSam
“There is a story within every illness and something to be learned from listening to it…Much of our pain is rooted in our deafness to spirit. We remain in an ongoing struggle to break free from the illusions of who we think we’re supposed to be so that we may live the life we are called to live and become the person we were born to be.” – Life Is Your Best Medicine, Dr. Tieraona Low Dog
Feeling at Home in Dusty Davao City: Parallels to Living in Peru
It’s been 6 years, maybe 7, since I’ve been to the Philippines. The last time I arrived in Davao City, we used a staircase to exit the aircraft, suffocating in the dust and heat as we walked ourselves to the terminal, which was really just a simple box-like building. I would never have guessed that this time, I would walk into a renovated airport through the jet bridge that I’m used to and into maze-like hallways pristine in white that I associate with larger airports to ease our transition to a new world.
Huancayo Rastas, Peru: Good Vibes and Bad Vibes
The world seems so much simpler when we consider the good vibes and bad vibes in our lives. That’s how Alan Espinoza explained Rastafarianism to me. The Rastafari movement started in Peru around 20-25 years ago, arriving in Lima and spreading even to the Central Andes here in Huancayo. There are now around 30 Rastas in Huancayo, including 4 women, many who have come to know about the community through Alan’s store.
Corruption in Peru: The Police at Christmastime
This is how it often works in Huancayo — the police can basically do whatever they want. I had heard about police officers stopping cars in the street and taking bribes, but this was the first time I had seen police officers outright stealing.
Skateboarding in Peru and a Lesson on Invincibility
“When adults say, ‘Teenagers think they are invincible’ with that sly, stupid smile on their faces, they don’t know how right they are. We need never be hopeless, because we can never be irreparably broken. We think that we are invincible because we are.” — John Green, “Looking for Alaska”
Skateboarding in Peru is as much a part of the youth culture as hip hop and breakdancing. I recently attended a local skateboarding event and competition at the skatepark here in Huancayo:
Crash Accidents, Risks and Consequences
In Huancayo, there’s mutual disrespect when it comes to pedestrians: Cars rarely give pedestrians the right of way and pedestrians rarely pay attention to designated crosswalks and crossing times. I’ve learned to be both a defensive pedestrian, stopping and judging risk so that I’m not a victim of crash accidents, and an offensive pedestrian, confidently … Read more
Tourism in Huancayo: 4 Reasons You Should Visit
When I first arrived in Huancayo in 2008, I took a tour with a stellar tourist agency in the area: Adrenalina Tours. This past month, I was able to meet the director of that very agency, Katty Mosquera. In the video below, she chats with me about why tourism in Huancayo is so important and … Read more
The Untouchable Schizophrenic in Huancayo
Pablo* was one of the strongest breakdancers in Huancayo. At the time, no one could do all of the acrobatics and tricks that he could do on the dance floor. Everyone knew his name and respected him. Pablo’s life changed overnight when on a morning like any other, he woke up with vacant eyes and … Read more