Hey everyone!

We should talk about phones in peru. Ha yes, phones. As a Peace Corps Volunteer on the coast, this is my number one means of communication. PCVs have unlimited minutes for calling each other and people working in the Peace Corps office, and buy credit to call people in our community. I can spend anywhere from 5 to 20 soles a week on credit! Depending on who I am calling and what I am trying to organize. If its a parade on not burning trash, theres alot of calling involved. If its a school presentation on HIV, then not so much.

Now, peruvians have a slightly different culture when it comes to phones. They rush to answer it whenever it rings, during meetings, presentations, even interviews! If their phone goes off, they answer it in the movies, in those meetings, even during the presentation that they are giving about biodigestors to a bunch of white people working in communities as volunteers! BUT, if you ask them to do something, and they havent done it, they will NOT answer their phone no matter how many times you call. They go as far as to turn off their phone. Even lie. I have been told many times that their "phone got stolen" and they had no contact with anyone. But after getting this answer so many times, I asked my host family about it, and it turns out that manytimes, they are lying.

They call at least twice in a row if you dont answer the first time, never by credit so you have to call them if you want to talk, say "bye" at least three times at the end of a conversation, and talk at lightening speed to not use so much credit, then hang up on you, leaving you wide eyed and dumbfounded, trying to figure out what they just said. Phones are probably the item that is stolen the most in peru, you can buy that same stolen phone (if your lucky) if you go to the shady side of town from the guy who stole it from you, or you can just steal another phone from someone else. (just kidding. dont do that)

I have caught someone in the act of stealing my phone, and almost hit her when I found it. (though didnt because I knew she had at least 2 other guys working with her. I would have lots all of my stuff) And have seens someone run off with my friend's phone after he walked up behind him and took it from his hands while he was talking on it.

Though with all of these cultural differences, I think my favorite difference is the WAY peruvians talk on the phone. They have this impression that the mic wont catch anything they say unless they put the phone right up to their mouth and scream in the the phone, then quickly put it back to their ear. And repeat. I could spend hours watching peruvians talking on the phone. Its one of my favorite pass times, in fact. There's nothing like an icecream cone and peruvian phone watching for an afternoon in the plaza of Ica!

Hope everyone is well!

Teigan