Architecture and Society

     Our day at UNIFE began with our usual lunch with the translation school students, and then moved on to our history classes. The focus of the latter was primarily on the war of independence; Peru was the last place in South America to declare its independence since it was the main seat of Spanish authority on the continent. José San Martin, Argentina's much beloved liberator, came to the country and freed it with some help from Simon Bolivar in 1821. The two disagreed about what government to place there - Bolivar wanted a republic, while Martin was a monarchist. Peru ultimately became a republic, and the forces of the liberating armies left shortly afterwards.
     Afterwards, we had a socialization session with the UNIFE students. We began in Spanish, answering some surprisingly somber questions. For example, the first question asked was, "If your home was on fire and you could save only one possession from it, what would it be?" The American students were more materialistic - iPhones, wallets, and computers usually ranked first place. The Peruvians, however, were more concerned with family photos, pets, and more personal items.
     Next, we had a lecture on the architectural traditions of Peru. It turns out that much of Peru's colonial and neocolonial architecture was indirectly influenced by Islamic art. The Spanish copied many different Muslim motifs and patterns in their buildings after the Reconquista of the Iberian peninsula from the Moorish. Before, their buildings were simple, square things with little ornamentation. After the Reconquista, however, they adopted many colorful, abstract designs for their artwork and domes for their buildings from the Moors. They then brought these designs with them to their colonies in the New World, where they were copied by colonists, Indians, and their Creole descendants.
     Finally, we had our presentations on our textbook. The focus was mainly on Peruvian politics, with an emphasis on its development in the 20th century. The most prominent subject was the Cold War, particularly the competition between the social political party ARPA and Peru's more right wing government. Ultimately, the military took power and implemented many of ARPA's policies, decreasing its power. Later on, the Peruvian government took a decidedly liberal turn by privatizing many industries and brining more investment. Other presentations focused on Peruvian art, Criolla music, and more.
     I anticipate that tomorrow will be a useful time of rest. Our activities at UNIFE have been cancelled, giving more time for us to prepare school work. In addition, it will be a great opportunity for us to explore the city on our own and make plans for our final weekend in Lima before our trip to Cuzco.