How My Life in the Peace Corps is like the Hunger Games

Peru is a centralized country.  To only see the capital city of Lima is to see any big city in any number of countries. There are historic areas. There are poor, underdeveloped areas.  There are well-to do, modern areas.  But to leave the capital city and travel out is to enter another world. 

This is mimicked in the capital city of each department. Peru has 15 departments, like states. And each department has a capital city.  In a capital city you can find things that do not exist outside.  Wi-fi. Taxis. American restaurants. Malls or shopping centers. Refrigerated goods. People in a capital city have had more opportunities so you see things like little girls leaving dance practice in pink tights and black leotards.  You have more conversations with educated and traveled people. There is not a layer of dust covering the sidewalk and every building, and usually a dusty film on each person. The smells are less invasive.  Even the people are different - more diverse, more European.  

But I cannot stay too long. For I am from the campo, I do not belong in the capital. I can not afford the fancy living of the capital. So I board my overcrowded, dirty bus and head back to the campo. 

Life in the campo isn't so bad. The people are nice and everyone has fallen into step of a different kind of living here.  The workers in the campo produce goods used by those in the capital - you have the areas that produce milk for the conglomerate Gloria.  The area that grows rice. The area that has artisans the capital brag about but don't dare join. Life in the campo is tranquilo, kept at bay by the capital.  Life is happy here, though I enjoy my privileged weekly trip to the capital to buy the foods and goods I cannot get in site. Yes, life is fine here...I just hope I never get chosen as tribute.