Kristin

I have been staying in Peru for quite a time now, and its strange to recall what Norway is like. The people here are very poor compared to the ones over there, but I have been used to it and don’t think much about it anymore. What matters is what the people mean to you, the friendship you have, the good conversations. I have gotten “amigos” here that I will never forget. The Peruvians are so open, easy to get to know, its amazing. They give you everything as soon as you reach them your hand to greet them. We have been discussing with some friends; what things could the Peruvians improve, and in what aspects could WE learn from them. In the latter, there are various things. The western world is very stressful, there is a lack of time. Here you could pop in to visit a friend, and he always has time for a conversation, a cup of tee. (The negative side is that they never fulfill their appointments on time…) We have experienced that its possible to have a lot of fun with a person that you recently met. Its such a blessing for us, who don’t know a lot of people and are not going to stay here forever. In Norway it takes so much longer to build a good and close friendship. I have been thinking about how much harder it is to be a foreigner in my country. We have so much to learn from the Peruvians.

The people over here appreciate their relations a whole lot, that is their families and their friends. They are shocked as I tell them how we in Norway put the elderlies in appropriate homes, and keep living our lives separate from our parents. In Norway the focus is on effectivity, and to fulfill your own dreams, realize your self, without having in mind your family and the people around you. Here the children are fighting to have their parents to live in their house, as they get old. Can you imagine?

It seems that, when you are short of material things, you value more the ones that actually matter- your family and friends. And after all, they are so right. My friend Elizabeth told me this afternoon, that she early realized that money doesn’t make her happy. Her family hardly have money to live for, and if something should happen, like illness or accidents, they are in serious problems, as there is no “safety system”. But what they do is trust in God, who always has provided for them. Besides God, Elizabeth enjoys hanging out with her friends, who make her life worth living.

I wish you all will have a blessed Easter!