Good news from the Universe

Just so you know beforehand, we live very simply and close with the land-- living in tents, bathing in the river, dealing with bugs and jungle creatures, and living communally with other volunteers and us. A typical day: we get up early, practice yoga and meditation (optional), start work after breakfast, go till midday, eat a big lunch, then have the afternoon to play in the river, do crafts, nap, personal projects, or whatever you like, then some gardening and watering the evening, and a light dinner before bed. Very simple and relaxed. We like people to be self-motivated and even create their own projects. You´ll see, we have lots of room for creativity, and practicality too!

This is the note we got from our WWOOFing host in Misiones, Argentina (It's right next to Iguazu falls...!!!). We start March 2nd. We end...who knows when. It sounds amazing and like such a wonderful opportunity to get in touch with the land and with ourselves and our inner work ethic and motivation. I know I'm especially excited about getting to know our hosts and the other workers on the farm, most of whom will be other foreigners from across the globe.

In other news, we're nearing the end of our stay on Lago Titicaca in the town of Puno. We just came back from a very ridiculous, if rewarding, trip out on the lake in which we toured the Uros Floating Islands and stayed overnight at the house of an indigenous family on the relatively untouched island of Amantani. The night was freezing and absolutely silent; there are no cars, televisions, or electricity on the island. We were up so high (over 4,000 meters) that the relatively mild hike up to Pachatata (a local holy site) took the wind out of all of us--as did the impromptu soccer game that broke out on the field below. Today we spent a few hours on the island of Taquile, a much more touristy island whose socialist government has decreed that tourist restaurants may only serve fresh grilled trout...seriously.

So why was the experience ridiculous? Mostly because of the obvious exploitation that occurred, both by the locals and implicitly by us, the tourists. Tourism only came to Amantani seven years ago, before which point they subsisted on a barter economy with little to no contact with the mainland. Now, even the host families try to sell you their wares and it is clear that the influence of electricity and oil companies has created a demand for their products that has not existed in the hundreds of years the community has been around. It was truly sad to get to the top of Pachatata with panoramic views of the island and the lake at sunset--the air is so clear and thin--and be assaulted by several small children selling simple bracelets for 1 sol each (around 33 cents). Not having brought my money--and not feeling compelled to buy compulsively--we tried to politely refuse, which elicited a reaction of anger, frustration, or persistence, depending on the child. This dependence on tourist cash for their existence saddens me, because I know that there is no other way for them to fulfill their lives at the moment and the trend is certainly to heed the desires of the outside world, which clearly state a need for an increase in tourism and a decrease in the traditional lifestyle.

The flipside of this is that they peddle their culture for our dollars in ways that make us feel that we are tapping into something genuine, such as the traditional dance they threw for us last night. We were somewhat forced to dress in the traditional garb and then danced with the locals somewhat obligatorily to traditional music. It felt weird not just because of the condoned social appropriation but also because it seemed that the locals were fulfilling some sort of contract that they had verbally signed by saying there would be a dance. There was no genuine interest on their part, and that absolutely affected the experience. I would have to say that besides the fact that we were able to pay our family directly for the service of staying at their house that this was a troubling and problematic tour at best.

We DID meet a lot of great travelers on the way, though, the most notable being the British couple who we shared a family with and whose travels include choosing a camper over a fancy hotel at a friend's wedding.

So. That was this morning. Right now we're back in our 35 sole room in Puno (that's $6 a night per person) waiting to go out to a local bar with some australians we met on the tour. I feel a bit odd being even a little sedentary after all the exercise we just experienced, and it will feel good to get out tonight and then to be on the road again tomorrow to Arequipa. Puno is generally unremarkable and besides the lake experience I cannot say I will have many memories of the place itself--good or bad.

That's it for now, more to come later, as always. Apparently I end all my posts with ¨stay tuned,¨ so don't even bother checking the gorgeous lake photos we will be uploading sometime in the next day or so.

(that was sarcasm. stay tuned.)