Standing Out

Before traveling to Peru I had formulated images in my mind about how the locals in Cuzco and Lima would be and looked forward to interacting with them. However, I had given very little thought to the counterpart- how they would perceive me. However, I definitely noticed something different from the moment I arrived in Peru. From the beginning, I got many stares, from both men and women, and adults and children. Although I did not know why at first, I eventually caught on to the fact that it was because I was black. I have never felt that different from others before, especially being from the US where there are people of all shapes, colors, and sizes. However, I soon realized how much I stuck out, especially when also taking into out my different hair. Although the stairs did not really bother me much, I did find it interesting that I was in a place where people either rarely or had never seen a black person before. The attention I got in Peru however did make me appreciate the mixed culture of the United States. From the shouts and whispers I got from locals regarding my skin color, and even the group of children that wanted a picture with the Americans in downtown Lima, the attention definitely gave me insight into a perspective unique to the United States and other western countries- the commonality of seeing people of different races and backgrounds.