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Perú, Lima, Bus - Racism? Reverse racism? | ||
Tags: Latin America | Living abroad | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Cultural Experiences in Foreign Languages |  | |
| BlondGirl Groupie United States Joined 5368 days ago 49 posts - 101 votes  Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish | Message 1 of 3 08 May 2011 at 3:47pm | IP Logged |
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This was a weird experience I had in Lima on my last day.
My other half and I had gone to the beach and were returning home on a cheap bus. Since there is no standardization to the distance between seats, I had walked down the aisle looking for the one with the most leg room (I am taller than the average Peruano). When we boarded, no one else was on-board. I picked a seat near the middle. After maybe 20 or 30 minutes, when the bus started to fill up, the caller guy told me that I had to move. (Note: buses there don't have a set route/schedule. A person yells out the route to potential riders from the side door and bangs on the side of the bus to signal the driver when to stop.) I didn't understand. He wanted me to sit in the front in one of the two granny seats. I protested because I was uncomfortable being young and healthy and taking up a space reserved for those who have some limitations. The guy said some things I did not understand and my other half told me to "Just do it. Just move now. Please don't argue." I said, "Fine!" and we moved up. Everyone stared at us and I felt like I was on display. Of course I did not understand what the issue was. When we got home later, the explanation was that because I am white and that white people really don't ever use those buses, the guy moved me up to the front to avoid any potential confrontations. (Note: I never felt any danger or anything other than what I have experienced in other buses--weary people who only want to get to Point B.) So, there you have it: I was moved to the front of the bus because I am too white. Absolutely, one of the weirdest experiences I had while I was there! 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| vientito Senior Member Canada Joined 6149 days ago 212 posts - 281 votes | Message 3 of 3 12 June 2011 at 6:01am | IP Logged |
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I as well have travelled in Peru and once I was in one of these minivans packed with
locals. Just at the departure point when people slowly filled up the van, I witnessed a woman started up a quarrel with a man. It turned out that because people were sitting close to each other and as they crammed more passengers into the van that woman probably sat on the hand of the guy. She immediately turned around and gave the guy crap. I think she thought the guy was molesting her. I was behind them so I knew the guy probably had no such intention at all (but who knows?) That guy left the van after a 3 minute long verbal combat with the woman. So that could be one of your potential "confrontations" travelling in a crammed minivan in Peru. Consider that gesture of goodwill on the part of that assistant. He just might have witnessed those things more often than you could imagine. By moving the foreigners apart from the locals he avoided dealing with a potentially explosive situation where he would not even have the linguistic ability to deal with in the first place. 1 person has voted this message useful |
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