Carlos-Wigan wrote:Broncano wrote:Carlos-Wigan wrote:
My old lady's family are from Peru and thats the same - I came away from those places feeling very fortunate that we live in this country.
Others might think differently.
Sometimes I feel the same way about people in the U.S. or in Europe. And I was born in Peru...

Nice one! Where in Peru were you born?
My old lady is from Mollendo near Arequipa, but the family live in Spain
and in Jesus Maria in Lima! Jesus Maria is quite nice, but we went to La Victoria for some ceviche and that was a bit hair raising to be honest.
If you think there are worse places than La Victoria or Comas in the states then thats your perogative (though it would have to be questioned)but I can tell you now that there is no city in the UK that's anything like Lima and it is defientely nothing like Managua because I was brought up in Wigan and have lived in Manchester.
I would like to hear Phenonemal Nutritons view because hes a Brit who has lived in Peru (or visited at least)
There is nowhere in the UK like Managua or Lima! And thank God for that as well but I can understand why Mayorga is the way he is.
I never encountered much violence in Lima but there was a great deal of poverty. The poorer people I encountered all seemed to be using none criminal ways to make ends meat. There were 5yo children trying to sell sweets, counterfeit CDs, 11yos trying to make money polishing your shoes.
Interestingly you would have money traders in quite poor neighbourhoods with £1000s that they were exchanging and you didnt ever hear about them being robbed. I was told people had a degree of honesty where they wouldn't steal from honest hard working people.
Yes I saw an occasional bag snatching and I was pick pocketed myself once. I hear in recent years there have been more organised gangs kidnapping westerners for money. Overall I think the people had more dignity than the people here. If they were criminals (and there were suprising few) they were doing it for money. There was no violence for the sake of violence that we have over here.
I did actually wonder round the some quite poor neighbourhoods, poorer market places quite allot. Which was insightful and inspiring to see how different people live.
Being white in Peru and other South American countries will make you stick out like a sore thumb especially in the middle to poorer areas. They will assume you are rich, not only rich you are the equivilent of a millionaire. Being white is also VERY attractive to the women there it is there ideal. So if you look half decent you are treated like a movie star and can get nearly any girl. Going round the market places I would have women gather round, stare and even wolf whistle, despite the fact I was with my ex-wife. Also a typical western man will be far taller than the typical malnourished Peruvian. At 6'0 I saw many few (out of 100000s) that were taller than myself.
I haven't been in a few years and apparently there is far less poverty now from what I hear. I think Peru is certainly a developing country that seems to building a good economy. I'm sure you can find violence if you goto the worst places in Lima and you can encounter crime but the same can be said for this country.