Iendeduplost,bothfigurativelyandliterally.

SeveralmixedfeelingsofwhatI'dbeentaughttobe
'universaltruths'clashedwiththemoreIlearnedfromothers.AndtherewasalsothefactthatIwas
alone,wanderingthestreetsofParisduetomyfearofheights.AsImademywaythroughthewindyand
chillyweather,theTHIMUN(TheHagueInternationalModelUnitedNations)Conferencecameto
mind.I'dlearnedalotfromwatchingothersdebateandengaginginsomemyself.Ididn'tcomeacrossother
PeruviansbutIdidmeetmanypeoplefromdifferentnationalitiesandwasevenabletoputmyFrench
skillstouse.ThisconferenceintroducedmetomanyglobalissuesthatIdidn'tthinkweresocommonsuch
as;thedevelopmentofbiotechnology,thepreservationofbiodiversityandencouragingfairtrade.

WeweresupposedtomeetattheendofAvenuedesChampslysessothat'swhere
Iheaded.WhilecrossingtheroadIwasremindedofthespeedingcarsthatracedintheroadsofMexico
andPeru.Irememberedmymom'sadvicethatshewouldgivemeinproverbs.Herfavoriteswere,"Ms
valeprevenirquelamentar.Apalabrasnecias,oidossordos."Whichmean,'betterbesafethansorry'and
'tofoolishwords,deafears.'Irememberthemtothisdayalongwithothertraditionalandfamilyvalues.

Timeandbeingexposedtodifferentcultures,leadmetoquestionthesetraditionsandwayof
living.Knowledgewasthesourceofmyincreasingquestionsanddesireforanswers,beginningwith
religion.Ifallreligionsbelievetheir'god'istheonlytrueone,thenhowcanweknowwhichreligionto
believe?Ifthis'god'isalmightyandloving,thenwhydoesheallowforcrueltytoexistintheworld?Why
doeshediscriminatepeoplewholoveothersofthesamegender?Isitnotstilllove?Thisextendedtobasic
humanrightsandourownfamilyvalues.Shouldn'tchildrenhavearighttoprivacyandhavetheirvoicebe
heardintheirownhome?Howcansleepoversbe'dangerous'?Dogradesreallydefinehowyourfutureis
goingtoturnout?Orwhoyouareasaperson?IrealizedthatI'dbetheonewhodecidedtheanswersto
thesequestions.

DuskbegantodescenduponthestreetsandIdecidedtokeepwarminsideanMNGstorenearby.I
staredinaweatthebeautifulclothingthatwasondisplay.Thiswasoneofmymom'sfavoritebrands.I
understoodwhyshelovedshopping,itwasaluxurythatneitherherormydadcouldaffordinyouth.Both
ofthemhadbecomeprosperousthroughtheirowntermswiththelimitedtoolsthatmygrandparentscould
provide.Althoughtheywantustohavealifewithmoreopportunitiesthantheyhad,theyneverletmylittle
sisterandIforgetwhoweareandwherewe'refrom.It'saconflictbetweenwhatIlearnandseewherever
welive,andwhatIvelearnedtobelieveisright.

Iwasfinallyabletocatchuptotherestofthegroup.Thefactthatseveralaspectsofaforeign
countrymademethinkofthepeoplethatIlovedremindedmeofwhoIwas.I'dbeenabletocallmany
countriesmyhomeandfromeachI'dcarriedapartwithme.AllthistravelingcontributedtowhoIam
today.I'mnotjustPeruvian,oralatinogirl,I'macombinationofseveralnationalitiesandcultures.Like
myself,myviewsareamixbetweenconservativeandliberal.I'mproudofbeingacholitaandenjoying
folkloricPeruvianmusicbecauseitdoesn'tcompletelydefineme.Although,mymixedfeelingsremained
andI'mstilltryingtodefinemyself,gettinglostinParisturnedouttobemorereflectivethanIthought