The Great Game

     Today was one of the funnest days of the volunteering sessions. After our morning classes, our day began with a round of dancing with the students of our class. After a presentation about the culture of the Peruvian Amazon region, we were instructed by two of the students. Then they brought several of their classmates up to join us (predictably, the boys were more reluctant to join). It was very humanizing to see that even though the movements and clothes the Peruvians used were different in their dances, they had the same objective as dancing in the US - to attract and bond with others, to show skill, and to lose oneself to music.
     After this, we had a presentation about the state of the Peruvian economy. It was fascinating to see how the economy of Peru is impacted by its geographic location, demographics, and resources. Its main problem is a lack of access to capital, which it is seeking by increasing trade with the USA. It is also trying to boost industry (particularly manufacturing) to increase employment.
     Finally, the day ended with rousing games of soccer and volleyball. The teams were a mix of Northeastern students and Peruvians, rather than pitting one against the other. The students were great at both sports, and their players contributed many of the points on both teams. The informality and ease with which the teams were able to organize together despite different languages and tactics is probably what struck me most. When people have a common goal, they can do a lot together.