I'm on my last day here in Peru, and although I feel like I should be updating updating updating about what's been going on... it's all been going off without a hitch. Not too story-worthy, I'm afraid.

Since I left Huaraz (and I do miss it and think of it often--- Benji, Davíd, Leo!!! Donde están??) I've been far snugglier and much more tan than I've been since leaving Indonesia. I spent something like 8 days in Huanchaco... a place I had planned to scorn for its cemented spot on the gringo trail... but somehow-- I'm not sure HOW... I ended up loving it. DAMMIT HUANCHACO! I was only supposed to spend 2 days in you--- and somehow I ended up blowing all my time eating yummy food and joking with my Peruvian students. I took some more Spanish classes there with a guy named Manuel (REALLY good course- people need to tell me if they're headed to Peru- I'll hook you up) who was also doing English classes for Peruvians who wanted to work for Carnival or Royal Caribbean. Guess how much they get paid to work 12 hours a day (normal- 14 hours a day when they have inspection), 7 days a week, not a day off, for 8 months?

500 bucks a month. Pre-tax.

There´s something heartbreaking about that. If you really like your students, which is pretty much guaranteed if you met this bunch... it'd kill you to drill them on interview questions whose answers are pre-created with the intent of making these kids seem like they are willing to endure just about anything for the piddling amount they'd receive. Cruise lines don't take people who complain.

YEAH, I KNOW I KNOW. It's a lot of money in Peru. I get it. But look at this. The average cruise to South America from LA averages 1,019 bucks. That's the starting point, like... if you're sleeping in the lowest deck, just the basics. One person. The average galley sla-... ahem... I mean STEWARD (the word ¨slave¨keeps just falling out of my mouth when I use that phrase) gets roughly $1.34 bucks an hour for busting his ass. That´s pre-tax.

The worst thing is that the kids are scrambling all over themselves to get these jobs. Oh, and they have to PAY to even take the interview exam ($20 USD--- more than a week´s wages for most of them). This is simply because there IS no other work. I'm going to get heat for getting all riled about this, but I'm riled. RILED I SAY!

Anyway, getting them ready is what I did for about a week. The interviews came and 4 of ours passed. Only 1 got through to the final round--- the others didn´t have the money to pay for the interview.

That's fucking mierda.

OK, fine--- comment away. I know... I know... economic differences, hiring out of country... etc etc etc. I still think it´s bullshit.

Anyway, after that, I went a-racin' up to Máncora, which is where I am now. Almost threw my bag onto a bus bound for Lima (whoops!)... but I managed to make it here alright. Loving it here... particularly loving the dollar plato of ceviche at the mercado... but I'm itching to get north. Ecuador calls!

I'll post photos soon. Particularly of Cambodia til now. Waiting til I settle somewhere long enough to fight with Flickr.