CARNAVAL!

This week I had my first Carnaval experience. Never having celebrated Mardi Gras or Carnaval, I have been looking forward to engaging in the debauchery inherent in this holiday. Courtney had spent the previous weekend in Venice at their Carnaval so after hearing about her experiences I got even more excited to celebrate . Since I arrived at my site, every conversation has been guaranteed to include three topics, my opinion of Pacora, the weather, and which "bando" I will join for carnaval. Everyone in town either belongs to the Bando Rojo or the Bando Verde (red and green) and they take these affiliations very seriously. The majority of my friends here belong to the red band but my host mother was once queen of the green band so I always said that I would participate in both. On the day of carnaval I ended up wearing a red dress (by chance, not having to do with my affiliation), and a green lei in order to show my support of both teams.
The festivities began with a parade for each band complete with giant floats and marching bands. After the parade, I had lunch with my family. I refrained from drinking during the day but I was the only one. After a few beers the lunchtime conversation turned to creationism as the reason for different races. I held my tongue for a while but when my host mom started talking about a "crazy theory where humans came from monkeys" I couldn't keep it in any longer. She started telling everyone that some people believe that monkeys walked into the ocean one day and the water made their hair fall out and that is where humans come from. I politely interjected that science shows us that over generations, natural and sexual selection for desirable traits has led to development of different species. This concept was difficult to explain in Spanish so I probably just left them thinking I am a crazy person. I often worry about my reputation as my true opinions and beliefs emerge. I usually express that I am not Catholic but I am Christian and then smile and nod as they explain to me the importance of having God in our hearts and souls. These talks only get more intense as the level of alcohol involved increases. Probably my favorite example is an old man who chases me down every time he sees me to ask when he can baptize me and, thereby, become my godfather. I think his main motive is so that I can marry his grandson (who is already married with a child) in the Catholic Church.
After my very interesting lunch, it was time to go out and start dancing the day and night away. The different bandos had concerts going simultaneously so I bounced between them but eventually settled into the red concert because I liked the music better. The Ivan Roberts Orchestra is essentially a glorified cover band that plays everything from Cumbia and Salsa to American 80's pop favorites. There is little I enjoy more than seeing grown men from a very machista culture jumping around like mad to "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun." I ended up dancing all afternoon until midnight with my host mom, her sister, and various other family members. I figured out that the secrets to the Peruvian party endurance are drinking slowly due to passing one glass around, and taking mid party naps. It is perfectly acceptable to sit down on the curb, bench or floor and take a twenty-minute nap while the party rages around you. I can't see myself doing this but my host family has mastered this skill.