The UB Post

Last year, my wife and I had the marvelous experience of living in Lima, Peru, during my sabbatical from the University of Baltimore. With support from Rotary International, we taught classes at a Peruvian university, worked on Rotary club projects and studied Spanish. The experience of living in this country taught us lessons from which we and others in the United States can benefit.

In particular, I returned to UB thinking we can learn from Peruvians how to be happy, even when we do not have everything we want or think we need. People in Peru, basically a developing country, have much less money and fewer material things than we do here. Yet they exude a sense of happiness that is often missing among those of us who call the United States home.

There are many little things that convey what I mean. For example:

• The gentle “tut, tut” of the taxi horns asking if I need a ride,

• People in stores, offices, restaurants and shops who want so much for you to be happy with them as they offer their services,

• The kiss on the check or the hug

as a greeting or a sign of goodbye,
• E-mails signed “un beso” (a kiss)

or “un abrazo” (a hug),
• The doorman at our apartment who greets us, opens the door, gets the elevator and gives us our mail,

• Our housekeeper, Estella, with her nice smile, thorough cleaning twice a week and the luscious meals she prepares,

• The arm-in-arm walking together of adult kids with their parents, even with the endless stream of kids
begging for money.

Peruvians are basically gentle people, not prone to violence. Very few thieves carry weapons; they just want something you have that has value. When street kids ask for money, they are usually satisfied with a touch on the head and saying “otra vez” (another time) to which they respond, “OK,” and smile as they walk away.

In cafés, street kids come in to beg where they are not welcome. The staff escorts them out with a kind hand on the shoulder and a smile. In six months, we hardly ever heard a baby cry or saw parents raise their voice at their children. Yes, Peruvians are patient, gentle people.

But they are also poor. Over 50 percent live below the poverty line, existing on less than $200 per month. Roughly 60 percent of Peruvians do not have official jobs—that is, they are not on the books of their

employers. This means they get paid less, have fewer rights on the job, but they also pay no taxes to the

government. So, the government is also poor and does not have the money to fix roads, provide social services, hire and train skilled police forces, etc.

People work from one paycheck to the next, with little hope of saving money or getting ahead. As a result, there are always people around to do things for you for just a little money. This fact creates a sense that everyone has lots of excess time on their hands. For example, there is no perceived problem for waiting in a line 40 to 60 minutes to pay your phone bill—what else do you have to do? And if you are so busy, you can pay someone a few soles (Peruvian currency) to go for you.

Let me sum up by saying:
• The vast majority of people in Peru have too little money to live well, yet they are happy and not dismayed when things are inefficient.

• Material things are less important than being happy and spending time with your family, making them happy, as well.

• And besides, Peruvians can buy wonderful fruits and vegetables that are really delicious and cheap from street vendors.

So, while Peruvians are poor in material ways, they are rich in gentleness, patience and happiness. Perhaps we could all learn a lesson or two from our less fortunate friends from Peru—or are they less fortunate than we are?

Randolph, Ph.D., is professor of management at the University of Baltimore and can be reached at wrandolph@ubalt.edu.