Peruvians can sleep anywhere.
I've determined that they are not necessarily tired; in fact, they could be wide awake at one moment, and if the conditions are right, they're asleep the next.
This phenomenon has been an on-going observation during my time in Peru. It wasn't until I realized that my roommate Julia and I have semi-succumbed to it that I decided to write about it. Here's the scenario:
Julia and I were on a bus from Piura (inland Northern Peru) on our way to the coast in Zorritos a few weeks ago. We had no idea how to get to the beach once we got off the plane, so we asked around and found that the cheapest option was to take a bus called "El Dorado" to the water.
We found the bus station, bought our 15 sol ticket and braved the crappy four hour ride, all while drugged-up on sleeping pills.
We immediately fell asleep once we got on the bus. Little did we know that the four hour ride should have been a two hour ride, except that no one told us that (of course). Instead, in typical Peru-fashion, our bus decided to stop every fifteen minutes.
Good thing we were drugged.
During our comatose state, I realized while enduring constant bouncing just how bad the Panamericana Norte is. Had I been fully awake, I would have thrown up several times.
Towards the middle of the trip the bus almost fell over sideways on the desert road. I'm jerked awake and I look at Julia, who, in a very Peruvian stance, is bouncing along to the precarious turns of the bus. Her head is flopping up and down like a baby doll; when it rests, it rests forward, with the neck in a very uncomfortable strained-looking position.
I look around with sleep still in my eyes and see everyone in the same position. Some might have their heads tilted back with their mouths open (there is unfortunately some photographic evidence of me guilty of this), others are hunched forward with their heads against the seat in front of them. All of them are either snoring or drooling. It's a lovely and comical sight.
As I continue to observe the silent state around me, hearing only the sounds of the bus's junky engine, I remember other instances in which Peruvians prove that they have a knack for falling asleep whenever, wherever:
1. Combis/collectivos. If you board any type of public transportation, you're guaranteed to see ninety percent of the people asleep. If you can't find a seat, no matter--You can sleep standing up.
2. Church. Fifty percent of Peruvians will be asleep during the first five minutes of the sermon.
3. Benches in parks or plazas. When you walk around these places, don't be fooled by the people sitting up straight with their arms crossed wearing sunglasses, looking right at you. Their sunglasses hide the fact that they are dreaming about their next meal or playing in the World Cup 2014 Peru match.
4. Movies/Plays/Concerts. Any sort of entertainment, really. If they are sitting down for any length of time, I'd bet five dollars half will fall asleep relatively quickly.
I've had people fall on me while they're asleep and they don't wake up. I've seen babies stay asleep on moving buses while their mothers are changing their clothes awkwardly and kind of violently. I've had Marta come over, say "Oh, no tengo sueno" ("I'm not sleepy"), lay on my couch, and she's snoring two minutes later.
While you may think this is a country of Narcoleptics, Peruvians have this process down to a science. They know precisely when they need to wake up. There exists within them an innate ability to know when they've arrived at their bus stop or when the stewardess (whether it be bus or plane) is coming by with food/drink.
In conclusion, Peru is a sleepy country, whether it appears to be so or not (observations about work-ethic in this country will be saved for another post). Just give them two minutes of being stationary, and it's siesta-time.
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