It´s not a new term, in fact, it´s an entire genre of writing. But by the words you can guess what it means. The ever so perceptive people who created this way of ¨putting things¨ could not have explained Latin America, and my experience in Peru, better. Things are normal...but not really. Just a bit off...but normal. Unexplainable. A bit odd, if you look close enough; if you have a poetic eye.
Like people watering the sidewalk and dusting the plants. Or a bus driver yelling at you to hurry and get on, NOW, and starting to drive before your foot is on the step (you freaking out that you´ll miss the only bus for the day) so that he can roll 5 feet down the road and stop to eat for 20 minutes (GO! GO! GO!, vroom, screech, hisssssss.....) When asked when something is going to happen, a Peruian will always tell you right now (ahorita), or in English translation, anytime between 15 minutes and 15 hours. Peruvians live in the moment, know how to laugh, love to socialize, and are not in a hurry for anything. All this gives a somewhat unpredictable and flamboyant air to life here. Which, obviously, can cause extreme frustration for an North American who is trying to organize, plan, hold meetings, and do things now. No, I really mean now.
But then there´s the other side. Like how we are learning to calm down. How to truly be generous – with your time and your interest in others. How to not do something if we don´t want to.
So, all strengths have their weaknesses. If they tightened up a bit, they´d make a lot of progress and improvements in their lives. If we loosened up a bit, the whole process would be a lot more fun. And so, I invite all of you to come experience for yourself the very REAL magic that exists here.
(To my family: Our Cusco trip is a perfect example of Peruvian Magic Realism)
Side note to Dad: Brian and I walked a total of 8 miles round-trip to watch the Broncos vs. Patriots game at a friend´s house with DishTV. If they only knew the sacrifices of their fans, maybe they would have made it worthwhile! Damn!
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