Before I Arrive In Peru…
Hey there!
My name is Ben, or you can call me Benjamin if you’d like, I don’t mind. I am beyond excited to use this blog to share my experiences in Peru and all the wonderful new things I learn. I am writing this from My mom’s home in Nayarit Mexico. While I’m officially here to visit my mom, it’s also a place to fumble about with my comically limited Spanish and soak in some Latin American vibes before landing in Lima. However, in typical Ben Collins fashion, I came down with a terrible cold shortly after arriving here. But hey, gotta look on the bright side, better to have a cold right now than in Peru. Now…a bit about myself: I just finished my fourth year at UBC studying International Relations, this global seminar could be my final class at UBC if I wanted it to be. This was the original plan, however, I recently found out that I am three courses away from having a minor in “Environment And Society” (whatever that means), so I will likely stick around for another semester, provided that I am able to do those 3 courses in the same semester. Outside of school, I love everything outdoors, I am a huge hiker, skier, hugger of trees, appreciator of critters etc. I am also a huge music lover, I help book artists for a Live music organization based out of UBC, and I hope to be able to hear some live music in Peru.
A major area of interest to me in my studies is anticolonial revolution, so I am excited to have this opportunity ahead of me to learn about how indigenous and regional movements in Peru have historically resisted colonial and post-colonial centralization efforts. More specifically, I am interested in the dynamic between center and periphery in these contexts, such as the disconnect between the needs of rural communities and the policies imposed by the colonial center acting as a motivating factor for revolution. Focusing on this center-periphery dynamic is huge for understanding the development of post-colonial states and I feel that this seminar is set up in a way that will help understand this in the Peruvian context in a very natural way. I am most excited to have the opportunity to interact with the local people, I am very curious to hear local takes on indigeneity
I think it’s great that you are going to stick around for an extra semester and add on the minor in Environment and Society. These add-ons will help you stand out from the rest of the pack, which I am sure you would regardless. I would have to agree with you; I am very interested in meeting and chatting with some locals about what they have to say about Indigeneity. It is one thing to learn in a class and another to hear it straight from the source, and I feel that is kind of why we are here.. Looking forward to getting to know more about you as the trip progresses
“Focusing on this center-periphery dynamic is huge for understanding the development of post-colonial states”
Indeed, the “centre-periphery dynamic” works on both large scales and small: Europe/the Americas, North/South America, the Coast/the Andes, Lima/the provinces, Lima city centre / the other districts and the pueblos jovenes and so on…