Body Language Barrier

A new Peace Corps volunteer in the sierra of Peru has a lot to learn in order to communicate with any kind of success with her community.  First there's Spanish, then likely a bit of regionally hyper-specific Quechua sprinkled into that Spanish, then slang, swears, and innuendo.  Even though I thought my language skills were pretty solid when I arrived at site, I had to deal with a whole new sort of body language.  Folks were sticking their tongues out and flapping their arms and being mystified that I was mystified.  Thankfully, after a year, I've decoded some of it and have created this handy picture-guide. 

1. 

"Ven aqui" or hailing a cab.  Hold arm out straight and flap wrist up and down like a dead fish.  The more violently the mom's wrist is flapping, the more trouble the kid is in.

2. 

"No."  Say in no uncertain terms that you will not pay that ridiculous price for that watermelon.  Make a fist, point index finger to the sky, and pivot the wrist back and forth rapidly at as great an angle as is comfortable.

3. 

"It's hot out, no?"  When Peruvian men are overheated, lifting up the shirt to air out the belly is the preferred method of cooling off.  My host siblings were embarrassed to do it for the camera, so we only have a blurry shot.  

4.  

 
"That girl, over there."  To surreptitiously indicate/incriminate the person next to you, stick your tongue in your cheek to be less obvious than pointing with your finger. 


5. You would think that after all this time, I'd be used to being a sideshow, but my cultural sensitivity is getting a bit careworn and frayed at the seams.  Especially when being gaped at, especially in the town where I've been living for a year, especially by adult men with better things to do.  I used to put my head down and walk by faster, but now some days I hit them with one of these bad boys.

 They usually get the point after 30 seconds or so of this.  I just hope my face doesn't stick that way.