FYI...algo sobre el Perú

• Perú es el 1er. productor mundial de plata, estaño y harina de pescado. Es el 4to. productor de cobre, el 5to. de oro, y uno de los países líderes en pesca, gas natural, agro exportaciones, petróleo y minería.

Peru is the world's 1st. producer of silver, tin and fish meal. It is also the 4th. producer of copper, 5th. of gold, and one of the top producers of fishing, natural gas, agro exports, oil and minerals.

• La economía del país ha crecido un total de 24% en los últimos seis años. Solamente en el 2006 creció en 7%. Sin embargo, el 48-52% de los peruanos aún viven en la pobreza extrema.

Peru's economy has grown continuously in the last six years with a total of 24%. Only in 2006, it grew 7%. Still, between 48-52% of Peruvians live under extreme poverty.

• Perú es el 2do. productor mundial de cocaína. El problema de el narcotráfico no es la hoja de coca, la cual no es droga, sino la creciente demanda de los países compradores. La cocaína se elabora en un proceso químico, donde la hoja de coca es solamente uno de los ingredientes.

Peru is the world's 2nd. biggest producer of cocaine. The narcotraffic problem isn't caused by coca leave, which aren't a drug, but is the growing demand from consumer nations. Cocaine is made in a chemical process, where coca leaves are only one of the ingredients.

• Lima es una de las 25 ciudades más pobladas del mundo (8'630,000 habitantes en 2006). Es la más poblada de la costa occidental del Pacífico Americano, y es la quinta más poblada de Latino América.

Lima is among the 25 most populated cities of the world (8'630,000 habitantes in 2006). It is the most populated of America's Pacific coast, and it's the 5th. most populated in Latin America.

• Lima es la ciudad donde más gente habla quechua en el mundo, superando a Cusco, Quito o La Paz. Es la tercera ciudad donde más personas hablan castellano, después de México D.F. y Buenos Aires, encima de Madrid.

Lima has the biggest Quechua-speaking population in the world, beating Cusco, Quito or La Paz. Also, it's the 3rd. largest city where most people speak Spanish, less than Mexico, DF and Buenos Aires, and more than Madrid.

• El quechua es el idioma nativo-americano más hablado del mundo y la quinta lengua con más hablantes de todo el Hemisferio Occidental (Continente Americano). El pueblo quechua son los descendientes de la civilización Inka.

Quechua is the most spoken Native language in the world and the 5th. most spoken in the Western hemisphere (American continent). The Quechua people are descendant of the Inka civilization.

• La amazonía cubre el 50 % del territorio peruano pero sólo el 5 % de los peruanos viven en esa región. Esto podría cambiar gradualemente cuando se inaugure la carretera Interoceánica entre Perú y Brasil. Muchos ecologistas se oponen a este proyecto.

The Amazon forest covers 50% of Peru's territory, but only 5% of Peruvians live in that region. This could change dramatically when the Interoceanica highway between Peru and Brazil will be open. Several environmentalists are opposing this project.

• El 92% de los hombres peruanos y el 79% de las mujeres peruanas saben leer (alfabetismo). Las mujeres peruanas tienen una esperanza de vida de 72 años y los hombres peruanos de 68 años apenas.

Peruvian literacy rates are 92% for men and 79% for women. Peruvian women has a 72 years old life expectancy, while Peruvian men hardly reaches 68 years old.

• Perú tiene tres idiomas oficiales: el quechua, el aymara y el castellano, pero el gobierno peruano casi no usa los tres idiomas en sus documentos oficiales. Existe discriminacion contra los peruanos que no hablan castellano.

Peru has three official languages: Quechua, Aymara and Spanish, but the Peruvian government hardly uses them all on its official documents. There is discrimination against Peruvians who do not speak Spanish.

• Perú está dividido en 25 regiones o departamentos. La capital es Lima, donde viven 8 millones de peruanos (casi la 1/3 parte del total nacional). Cerca de 2 millones de limeños no tienen servicio de agua potable en sus casas.

Peru is divided in 25 regions (states) or departamentos. Lima es the capitol city, where 8 million Peruvians live (almost 1/3 of the national total). Almost 2 million of Lima's habitants lack of running water in their homes.

• Perú es el 6to. país más grande de América y el 19vo. del mundo. Incluye 1,285,220 Km.2 de tierras, 5,220 Km.2 de soberanía marítima y una costa de 2,414 km. Solamente el 3% del territorio nacional es usado para la agricultura.

Peru is the 6th. biggest country in the Americas and the 19th. in the world. It includes 496,349 sq. miles of land, 2016 sq. miles of marine territories and 1, 242 miles of coast line.

• Existen varias regiones naturales en Perú, agrupadas en ocho áreas principales. La geografía peruana es retadora, difícil pero fascinante y está definida por tres elementos principales: la corriente marina peruana, los Andes y la selva amazónica. There are several natural regions in Peru's geography, divided in eight main areas. Peruvian geography is challenging, difficult but fascinating, and it's defined by three elements: the Peruvian marine current, the Andes mountains and the Amazon forest.

• El 73% de los trabajadores peruanos trabajan en el área de servicios, 18% en la industria y 10% en la agricultura. El 75% no tienen derecho a formar sindicatos prohibidos por las leyes laborales peruanas, porque trabajan en pequeñas empresas.

73% of Peruvian workers work in services, 18% in industry and 10% in agriculture. 75% of them don't have union rights according to Peruvian labor rights, since they work in small businesses.

• Solamente el 18% de las exportaciones peruanas van a EEUU, mientras que el 36% van a otros países de Sur América.

Only 18% of Peruvian exports go to the US, while 36% go to other South American countries.

• La moneda de Perú es el Nuevo Sol (S/.) que vale 0.31 centavos de dólar de EEUU. El sueldo mínimo legal en Perú es de S/.500 Nuevos Soles osea $157 dólares de EEUU al mes aproximadamente.

Peru's national currency is the Nuevo Sol (S/.) or new sun, which exchange is 0.31 cents of a US dollar. The minimum wage in Peru is S/. 500 Nuevos Soles or $157 US dollars per month approximately.

• Perú está en la lista de países donde ocurre el tráfico humano. Mujeres y niños peruanos han sido llevados a Japón, EEUU, España y Venezuela para explotación sexual y laboral. La mayoría de empleadas domésticas peruanas trabajan más de 60 horas a la semana, por un sueldo mínimo.

Peru is included in the world's list where human traffic occurs. Peruvian children and women have been taken to Japan, EEUU, Spain and Venezuela for sexual and labor exploitation. Most Peruvian domestic workers work as many as 60 hours per week, for a minimum wage.

• Perú comparte con Bolivia el lago Titicaca, que es la reserva de agua potable más grande de Sur América, y el más alto del planeta. Bolivia es el país más cercano cultural y racialmente a Perú.

Peru shares with Bolivia the Titicaca lake, which is the biggest reserve of fresh water in South America, and the world's highest. Bolivia is the closest nation to Peru culturally and racially.

• En Perú existen 84 de las 104 regiones climáticas del planeta. Aquí viven el 20% de las especies de aves y el 10% de las especies de reptiles. Casi 13% del territorio nacional está protegido en Reservas Nacionales.

Peru has 84 of the world's 104 natural regions. 20% of bird species and 10% of reptiles. Almost 13% of the country is protected as natural reserves.

• Perú es parte de la región Andino-amazónica, la cual concentra el 20% de las reservas mundiales de petróleo, muy importantes reservas minerales y de gas natural, el 20% de las reservas de agua fresca y 25% de la bio-diversidad de plantas. La Amazonía es uno de los más grandes productores de oxígeno del planeta.

Peru is located in the Andean-Amazon region, which concentrates 20% of the the world's total oil reserves, very important mineral and natural gas deposits, 20% of the fresh water resources and 25% of the biodiversity of plants. The Amazon forest is one of the biggest producers of oxygen in the world.

• Perú tiene 7.646 hospedajes ofreciendo 131.624 habitaciones y 229.886 camas, en 26 hoteles de 5 estrellas, 26 de 4 estrellas, y 487 de 3 estrellas.

Peru has 7.646 hotels with 131.624 rooms and 229.886 beds, in 26 5-stars hotels, 26 4-stars hotels, and 487 3-stars hotels.

• Perú tiene 69 aeropuertos comerciales, incluyendo 10 destinos internacionales: Lima, Arequipa, Chiclayo, Pisco, Pucallpa, Iquitos, Cusco, Trujillo, Tacna y Juliaca.

Peru has 69 commercial airports, including 10 international destinations: Lima, Arequipa, Chiclayo, Pisco, Pucallpa, Iquitos, Cusco, Trujillo, Tacna and Juliaca.

• El mar de Perú es uno de los más ricos del planeta, debido a las corrientes frías del antártico que atraen el plancton, alimento de varios tipos peces. Sin embargo, 3 de los 6 puertos más importantes peruanos están en la Amazonia.

Peruvian sea is one of the world's richest in sea life, due to the cold currents from the Antarctic which attract plankton, a food for many fish species. Although 3 of the 6 biggest Peruvian ports are located in the Amazon forest.

• El calentamiento global está afectando directamente a Perú: un 22% de los glaciales de los Andes peruanos que existían en 1970, han desaparecido, según una agencia del gobierno peruano. Científicos de otros países han dicho que los glaciales peruanos podrían desaparecer para el 2015.

Global warming is affecting Peru directly: 22% of the Peruvian Andean glacials that existed in 1970 have disappeared, according to a Peruvian government agency. Scientists from other countries estimate that Peruvian glacials could disappear by year 2015.

Heat wave

Well its hot. Really hot. Remember when you went to the beach as a kid and your mom always tried to get you to come inside between noon and 2 because it was the hottest time of day and the sun is strong (aka she didn't want to hear you whine about your sunburn for a week)? Well here that oppressive heat starts at 9 and ends at 6. And if she told you now you'd listen! And the worst is yet to come! I here it gets unbearable in February...we will see what that is like. If you get to the clinic early and stay downstairs in a room with a breeze and don't move all morning it is bearable. Its almost like we are living in a desert or something...



Oh and I covered an English conversation class today. Its was my first time to teach a class and the topic was leisure time (of course we talked about travel, climbing and farming/soil erosion in Haiti. Hehe. Conversations inevitably digress into the favorite subjects of the profesora!). The idea of teaching a class of 5 adults whom I didn't know seemed a bit daunting but the topic was an easy one. We managed to stretch out the exercises for the hour and they seemed to enjoy having a new English speaker to talk to. Its quite amazing how interested they are in everything you do or say. At last the perfect audience!

Jungle Love

I came to Moyobamba this past weekend for the boda (wedding) of Janet and Ludving. (Ludving is my friend Lenny´s brother and Janet is the younger sister of my friend Sonia). It was so fun getting to help with the wedding and experience a bit of real life here instead of just visiting as a tourist. I am staying in Sonias parents house and really enjoyed getting to know her family (which is huge!) and learning all sorts of interesting jungle customs, jerga (slang) an other tidbits. This week I have gotten to eat so many new foods and fruit and learned how to cook a few things! :) OH and how to drive a moto/motorcycle!

I love visiting the selva (jungle) but need to get back to work! But right now we are stuck here because there is a paro (24 hr strike) nationwide and until that gets worked out we are going nowhere! We thought about leaving today with th tickets we had bought but that would have put us smack in the midle between Moyobamba and Trujillo sitting in a hot bus hungry and tired at best, and at worst well who knows. But apparently how it works is there is a temporary strike (paro) and if thinkgs get worked out everything goes back to normal. There are a few rocks thrown and some burning tires/road blocks but thats about it. But if it is longer its is called a huelga.

Back in Trujillo

Well I am back here in Peru after spending Christmas at home visiting family and friends. I want to thank everyone who helped the Clinic with their donations...I got everything through customs (aduanas) with out paying anything! We can't wait to use the supplies, equipment and medicine that you sent. It really makes a difference...for example Dry's Pharmacy in Zachary donated Triple Antibiotic ointment among other things...we did not have ANY. So yes, things like that do make a difference!! Even small cuts here get nasty quick!

I got to spend New Years day eating with freinds from the clinic and went to Allen and Sandi Smiths later that night.
We celebrated the New Year using Peruvian traditions (reformed, of course!) It is Peruvian tradition to create a giant life sized "rag doll" (muñeco) of old clothes and fill it with anything flammable (fireworks too!) and set it on fire at 12 to welcome the New Year and leave the old one behind. Of course ours had a twist, we each wrote down a pecado (sin) that we burned with the muñeco and will (try!) to leave behind this year.
Also there are other traditions, such as walking around the block with a suitcase...doing this ensures that you will travel in the next year (I hope this one is true!) Everyone also eats 12 grapes...each one representing one month of the year to come and your hopes/plans/wishes for each!



More traditions por Año Nuevo:
http://www.demodaenperu.com/blog/2009/12/ano-nuevo-2010/

Ah and although both Christmas AND New Years have passed, the Plaza de Armas is still brimming with folks who come to see the Arboles de Navidad (Christmas trees) that diffenrent companies sponser and put up each year...I guess they want to get their moneys worth!