| The Youth of Peru | | | | the right thing to do, to show your youth? |
| Peru--a country with many rules mostly unenforced | | | | Everyone, or most everyone knows, Peru is a |
| and a lot of rights, again mostly overlooked and | | | | Christian society, and mostly Catholic, and you will see |
| unenforced when sought after. The youth of Peru are | | | | the churches filled on Sunday, and on Monday, some |
| confused, if not down right torn between these | | | | of those same folks will be searching out the parks to |
| dilemmas, adult behaviour (social comparison), and on | | | | still a bag, and think it was fate that brought them to |
| what they should do. I've been asked the question by | | | | that moment. And this is what the youth see on a |
| students from Radio Stations in Huancayo, to | | | | large scale. |
| University Students at Saint Martin, in Lima. I think they | | | | In many of the parks young females rent babies to |
| want to do what is right, they need leadership, and | | | | carry around, and/or kids, holding their hands, and they |
| they are influenced by adult actions, expectations, but | | | | walk the streets begging for money from the tourists. |
| what is right and wrong? A simple question, with many | | | | There are many now, tourists and beggars, much |
| variables for them, I do believe. Let me give you an | | | | more than there were several years ago when I first |
| example: | | | | came to Peru. When asked why they are not working, |
| The taxi, in Lima or the Andean city of Huancayo, | | | | they insult you, curse you, and stick their noses in the |
| there are many of them, and many have holy items in | | | | air as if you owed them a free ride. This is learned |
| their taxis; perhaps hoping the saints will keep them | | | | behaviour, and reinforced by the same society that |
| safe, while at the same time speeding through town, | | | | condemns it. |
| and running over pedestrians; not purposely of course, | | | | So what do I say to a youth from collage or radio |
| but if you don't move, you could be crippled or killed, or | | | | station that wants an honest statement from you, for |
| maimed somehow. I don't believe the question comes | | | | them? I mean they already feel caught in-between. I |
| up enough: who has the right away. Or perhaps, no | | | | can tell them (and I have) Peru is the most beautiful |
| one cares. In most cities the pedestrians do, in Peru, it's | | | | country in South America, and its culture is excellent, |
| in the air. Thus, every traffic rule is broken, or the police | | | | and that they have the best food in the world, and the |
| are paid off to be quiet: the justification for the police is: | | | | Mantaro Valley has the best weather in the world, and |
| we don't make much money. The question is: what is | | | | it is an ideal place to retire financially, but that is not |
| wrong with bribing, it helps pay the police. If you've | | | | exactly what they want to hear. So what can I tell |
| worked for the police for over ten years, you might be | | | | them, perhaps a simple statement will do: You are not |
| making 900 soles a month, less than $300-dollars. Not | | | | tied to anyone, do what is right, and things will change. |
| a lot of money in any country. But is it justification, and | | | | |