La Comida Peruana

Food has definitely made up a significant portion of my experience in Peru. Over the course of my trip, I've had the chance to try a ton of delicious Peruvian dishes. And the chance to talk to everyone I meet about these dishes. The standard conversation with a cab driver/waiter/co-worker I meet goes something like this:

Them: Are you American?
Me: No, Canadian.
Them: How long are you in Peru?
Me: I'm here for just under three months doing a placement with a microfinance organization as part of a work-study university course.
*note: this may seem like a complicated sentence, but I've mastered it in Spanish
Them: Wow, you speak Spanish very well!
*note: see!
Me: Umm, ahh, not really, I don't have the vocabulary to say everything I want to say, ummm....
*note: now they realise I don't actually speak all-that-impressive Spanish due to stuttering and mind-bending verb conjugation
Them: What do you think of the food in Peru!? What dishes have you tried!?

And then I go into a random stream of dishes saying 'A mi, me gusta' and  'muy rico' a billion times. But its true, food makes up a significant portion of Peruvian culture (or any culture for that matter), and Peruvians are very proud of their cuisine, with good reason, which they claim is the best in Latin America. On here, I think I have mentioned my love of aji de gallina already, yet I haven't managed to find a place quite as good as the first time I tried it in Cusco, despite searching high and low. Lomo saltado, beef stir-fry with tomatoes, potatoes, onions and rice is always a safe bet. Some new favourites include pollo a la brasa - Peruvian roasted chicken served with french fries, and various things that Maria prepares for us at the house (this one dish that looks like green goop, but is absolutely delicious). Not to forget chifa either! A fusion between Peruvian and Chinese cuisine (although, it tasted mostly like Canadian-Chinese food to me...) Or the sangucherias (Peruvian sandwich shops), which I have become addicted to, because rarely have I tasted sandwiches or juices that delicious.

 Aji amarillo peppers

I feel like my love for Peruvian food stems mainly from the Peruvian aji amarillo pepper. I haven't figured out how yet, but when I return to Canada I'm going to try to smuggle aji with me, in various forms (paste, powder, pepper). I'm doubtful I'll be able to find it in Kingston or Calgary, which is a problem because I've become addicted. It is a fairly spicy pepper, hotter than a jalapeno, with a slightly fruity/sweet flavour as well. The spice doesn't have an immediate kick though, as you don't really feel its full force until the aftertaste. It is sometimes served as a pepper (I've had this in a chifa stir-fry), but usually it is served as a yellow sauce (either in aji de gallina, on the side of pollo a la brasa, or on top of your sandwich). Whatever it's in though, it makes the dish. Peruvian cuisine wouldn't be the same without it.

Huacachina Weekend

This weekend, there was a moment that was a perfect microcosm of my experience in Peru thus far. It completely encompassed my feelings about my placement, how I think I've grown through this trip, and how everything has gone thus far. Having that moment of clarity was an incredible experience. Did I forget to mention that this all occurred at the top of a giant sand dune? Perhaps I should back track and give some more context.

This weekend, I had the chance to travel to Huacachina with Laura, another volunteer who recently arrived at BaseCamp. Huacachina is an amazing place - it is a desert oasis in the middle of giant sand dunes just outside of Ica, about 5hrs south of Lima. It looks like something out of a cartoon, where a character who's been wandering aimlessly through the desert sees a mirage on the horizon, a pool of water surrounded by palm trees. Huacachina wasn't on my list of need-to-visit places in Peru, but I'm so happy I was lucky enough to stumble into an opportunity to go.

What types of things do you do while staying in a desert oasis? Well... dunebuggying through the desert (best described as a rollercoaster ride without leaving the ground) and sandboarding down the massive dunes. We also did a day trip to the coast to see the Islas Ballestas - an amazing place, completely different from Huacachina and less than an hour away. Incredible rock formations, birds everywhere, sea lions, and Humboldt Penguins! Such an amazing weekend of tours, with incredible things to see. But I digress, I was talking about my revelation on the sand dune.

It occurred while I was sandboarding. Or what could be more aptly described as sand-tobogganing, because there were no attempts to snowboard. Much more fun to slide down on your stomach than fall over repeatedly and eat a whole bunch of sand in my opinion. But while standing at the top of the last dune (I was told it is approx. 250meters high, see picture below), I had my moment of clarity. This may seem like an odd moment to describe as a microcosm of my trip. How can one compare sandboarding in the desert to a 3 month volunteer placement with a microfinance NGO in Peru? Well, I'll tell you how.

 "The Dune" - those little black specks at the top are people

First, it is important to understand that I am terrified of heights. Looking over the edge of this giant sand dune should have been a truly gut-wrenching experience for me, but yet, somehow, despite the huge drop that I was about to plummet down on my stomach, the expected feeling of horror never came. I never once thought "nope, no way, can't do this" but instead accepted a certain degree of fear, and just went for it. And by the time I had raced down to the bottom of the hill, I was thoroughly glad I had done it, because it was an amazing experience.

For me, this represents my placement as a whole. Jumping on a plane to Peru, traveling by myself, and staying here for three months is a scary thing to imagine, and I definitely grappled with nervousness at the start of my placement. But, ultimately, excitement overcame the nervous feeling, and like letting myself glide down the hill on the sand, I hopped on the plane and haven't really looked back. Of course there have been bumps along the way (did I forget to mention the bumps at the bottom of the sand dune before? They felt kind of like being on choppy waves), but that's to be expected. Getting to the bottom happens in a blink of an eye, and its hard to believe that it's already over. And looking back to the top of the dune, its hard to believe how far I've come. I've learned so much from this trip, and absolutely loved every second of it. It's been a phenomenal ride.

So yeah, go to Huacachina.

 

Mapping My Placement

After visiting two more agencies today, I wanted to make a visual representation of where I've been in Lima on my placement. I'm living in Miraflores (the bottom red star) and working regularly at the office in Jesus Maria (the top red star). My first agency visits were to Vitarte (the blue star that is lowest and fairly east of the office) and Huaycan (the blue star furthest east) on May 24th. On May 27th, I visited the agency in San Juan de Lurigancho (the blue star just north of the center of Lima). Today I visited the agencies in Los Olivos and Comas (north and to the west). I still have yet to visit the agency in Huarochiri, but that should be in the near future (the star that's to the north and east). The seventh agency is in Huancayo - a city well outside of Lima that would take more than a day trip, so I'm doubting that I'll be visiting. It's been really cool to see so much of Lima though. I was struggling to find words to describe why I appreciated getting the chance today, and William my boss put it perfectly in saying "Es la realidad" ("It's reality). Seeing all of these places has really helped me gain perspective on the scale of Lima (and its over 9 million inhabitants), the work of my organization, and the complexity and extent of poverty in Lima.

Election Day in Peru

One aspect of my experience that I haven't really taken the time to mention yet has been having the opportunity to see the Peruvian election unfold over the course of the first month of my placement. Seeing as the final results of the run-off election to determine who the newest leader of Peru will be are currently being tallied, now seemed like a good chance to share my glimpse into Peruvian politics.

When I arrived in Peru, it was a few weeks after the first round of polling, and the fact that the country was in the middle of an election could not have been more obvious. When I arrived in Juliaca, and along the entire ride to Puno on my first morning, I was immediately struck by the number of political advertisements. There, and the majority of places I've been since (although much less so in privileged districts of Lima), ads are spray painted directly on the side of houses, buildings and fences, like political graffiti. One tour guide told me people were paid for the space, but others told me it was voluntary, so I'm not sure who to believe.

In Peru (and the majority of Latin America), elections occur in two rounds. The top-two vote getters in the first round of polling are pit against each other in a run-off election to determine who will lead the country. With the first round complete, it had already been determined that the run-off election would be between Ollanta Humala and Keiko Fujimori. For those familiar with Peruvian politics, the intrigue of a match-up between these two candidates is immediately apparent, but for those of you who are less familiar, I'll give a brief run-down of the basics. If the name Fujimori sounds familiar, its because you've probably heard of Keiko's father, Alberto. He was the president of Peru from 1990-2000, and a controversial figure to say the least. He may have managed to crack down on the Shining Path movement, and bring some economic stability to Peru, but he ruled with an authoritarian iron fist, ran a government rampant with corruption and human rights abuses (see: death squads). In 2000, he fled the country, but he was (finally) extradited to face criminal charges in 2007, and convicted in 2009 (sentenced to 25 years for human rights abuses, and 7 1/2 for embezzlement). And now his daughter, running on a platform including giving her father a pardon, is a leading presidential candidate. Ollanta Humala has a less dramatic and violent family history (although his brother attempting to orchestrate a coup against the Toledo government in the early 2000s), yet still is well known in Peru. He was the runner-up in the 2006 election to Alan Garcia, at the time portraying himself as part of Latin America's New Left Turn, and emphasizing a close relationship with other leftist leaders in the region, drawing many comparisons to Venezuela's Hugo Chavez. In this election he has backed off of this portrayal in an attempt to appear more moderate, to some degree of success.

The election has been incredibly interesting to watch, and it has been a hotly contested race. Over the past few weeks, Keiko had been leading the polls, but in the last few days Ollanta had gained back a bit of the ground he had lost. Now, according to exit polls, Ollanta is projected to be the next president, leading with 51.7% of the vote to Keiko's 48.3%. I've loved being here to see the election unfold, and feel lucky that my time in Peru happened to fall on this once-every-5-years experience. Not living in Peru or spending enough time here to appreciate the full complexity of the debate has made me more of a spectator than commentator on the candidates, but I have to say that I'm glad Ollanta is leading. It will be interesting to possibly watch his presidency over the course of the next few years, and monitor what impact his commitment to social justice has on poverty in Peru.

edit* I forgot to mention that in Peru they have a law where no alcohol can be served in the country over the span of the election weekend (from noon Friday until noon Monday). Preventing people from drunk voting and drunk rioting? Perhaps Canada needs this law based on the fact that intoxication HAD to play a role in electing a Conservative majority government.

The Problem with High Repayment Rates

So, I wanted to take some time to critically reflect on my placement and microfinance on the blog. So far, I've talked a lot about the experiences I've had in Peru, but not really delved into why I'm actually here and what I'm actually doing. If you are reading the blog purely for fanciful travel updates and stories about my adventures, feel free to skip this post. Actually, feel free to find a new blog, because as you've probably seen, I'm more of a "go on long tangential rants" type of blogger than a fanciful-fun-travel blogger.

There are lots of things to do with microfinance that I want to critically reflect on over the course of my placement, and possibly this blog, but for now I want to focus on repayment rates. If you've had any exposure to the field of microfinance, you've probably noticed that these rates are a huge selling point for MFIs (microfinance institutions). Many will state, front and center in any of their advertisements, that they have repayment of higher than 99%. This seems great. Lend money to the poor, "help out", and get all of it back. Score.

Less sarcastically, this makes microfinance a financially sustainable and viable operation. MFIs serve as the middle-men between lenders and borrowers, charge interest rates to cover their operating costs but no more (unless they are a for-profit MFI, a completely different story), and thus facilitate the lending process. High repayment rates minimize 1) the amount of money that needs to be sunk into the organization to keep it afloat or 2) the interest rate charged to borrowers. Given that many MFIs, including my MFI in Peru, do not operate on donations, the former isn't really an option. Thus, high repayment rates are essential. Thus, it's understandable that high repayment and a low rate of non-performing loans (look at me, using the lingo I've been learning) are essential requirements for good ratings and continued funding.

But what does this end up meaning in terms of loans? How do organizations ensure that their repayment rate is high? What I've realized in my time with the organization thus far is that organizations achieve these high repayment rates by avoiding risk. Part of this process is evaluating potential borrowers, which is an important step in lending. However, evaluation is an inexact science, so typically, more is needed to ensure that repayment rates are high than simply a good evaluation. Organizations are forced to lend to those who they are sure will be able to repay, which understandably limits the pool of those who can possibly receive loans.

One way this inevitably ends up limiting who has access to credit is by cutting out those who could be referred to, for lack of better phrasing, as "the poorest of the poor". Those who have next to nothing are typically a much higher risk, because they have less of a foundation to work from and a variety of other reasons that they are generally less reliable (that I won't start to list here, because I fear you are already asleep). Thus, MFIs start making loans to microentrepreneurs who already have established businesses rather than those trying to get started, and the businesses become less and less "small", also pushing things into a higher loan bracket.

The problem I have with this model is that it completely eliminates the allure of microfinance - that it empowers the poor to change their lives - and makes in more and more like a formal bank with a different lending model. I'm not saying this doesn't help microentrepreneurs - there is obviously a demand for loans, and this model of microlending serves that niche. I'm just realising that the rhetoric of microfinance doesn't match up with how it actually works. The story of a woman who buys her first sewing machine, which then eventually leads to her employing others and owning multiple sewing machines in her own business is just that - a story. It happens, but it doesn't represent the complexity or predominant reality of microfinance.

Travel Advisory

Today, I received an email message from the Canadian Embassy regarding a travel advisory for Peru. Here is an excerpt:

The Canadian Embassy in Peru wishes to inform Canadians travelling in and around the Lake Titicaca and Puno area of travel difficulties due to miners' strikes and demonstrations since May 9, 2011.   As it is an indefinite strike, we cannot estimate when it will be lifted. Roads to enter/exit the cities of Puno and Juliaca, where the airport is located, are currently blocked.  The road to Desaguadero border with Bolivia (located in the Peruvian region of Puno) is also blocked by local protesters. Travellers are strongly advised to avoid this route.

Interesting, and not just because of the persistent misspelling of "travelling" and "travellers". Obviously, I already had my trip to Puno and Lake Titicaca, and do not need to be too concerned, although I was unaware until today that a strike started just a week after I left the area. I've been trying to keep up to date on Peruvian news, but the upcoming second-round of elections on June 5th must have overshadowed this somehow. Sad that I'd missed out on reading more earlier, I decided to dig deeper, and what I found was really intriguing.

In order to determine what's really going on here, you need to read between the lines of the Canadian Embassy's statement. What they fail to mention is that the "miners" they referring to are are actually citizens protesting the presence of the Canadian mining company Bear Creek, which locals fear will contaminate rivers and lakes in the process of silver extraction. Just a small oversight, failing to mention this in the email I received, I'm sure. Nor does it mention that the protests are entirely peaceful.

I've been surprised by the extent of Canadian impact on Peru since arriving in Lima. There are Scotiabanks all throughout Miraflores, which was a bit of a surprise, and obviously the presence of Canadian mining corporations is a prevalent factor in the background of this. Although I'm sure Puno wouldn't be the safest place to be right now as a Canadian citizen, part of me wishes I had the chance to pick up a sign and join the protests.

Random Reflections

I thought rather than doing a full blog post today, I would just list a random collection of reflections on various things I've seen and done in Lima.

- There's nothing quite like taking a combi ride through the streets of Lima. A combi is basically a bus, although some are more like vans. Yesterday, I took four separate combis, each one a unique experience in and of itself. From the porters yelling out destinations trying to attract customers to an already jammed packed bus, to trying to keep your balance when the bus suddenly veers off to the side of the road to pick someone up. Not to mention that its scary enough when the tiny inconspicuous taxi makes a quick lane change, nevermind when your bus jumps out in front of another bus forcing it to slam on its brakes. A common occurrence, I assure you. Plus, where else can you purchase a slice of apple-pie mid-transit?

- The food in Lima has been incredible so far, and I still have lots to try. My favourite dish is aji de gallina, a chicken dish served in a spicy yellow cream sauce with rice and potatoes. It is absolutely delicious. Some other highlights (besides the sandwich and juice I've raved about) include lomo saltado, a steak stirfry with rice, potatoes (ie. french fries), tomatoes and lots of onions, and trout that I had while on the island of Taquile on Lake Titicaca. Also, yuquitos (yucca fries stuffed with cheese served with aji dip). Yum. Next on the menu? I've yet to try Lima's famous ceviches, and perhaps I'll attempt the infamous cuy (guinea pig) if I'm feeling brave.

- As of this Friday, it will have been one month since I got on the plane to fly to Peru. Where. Has. Time. Gone?

- I've only had a few embarrassing moments of Spanish thus far on my trip. Lots of stuttered sentences and jumbled conjugations, but rarely anything too bad. The other day, however, I was at the grocery store and tried to tell the cashier that I didn't need a plastic bag because I would put the stuff in my backpack. But I blanked on the word for backpack. What came out instead was "shirt". Backpack = mochila. Shirt = camisa. Lesson learned.