I started reading "El Poder Invisible" written by Alfonso Baella Tuesta. A good way to go back to what I never paid attention to during my life in my home country.
As a child/teenager from an upper middle class, I never felt much change during the military government in Peru. Oh! Actually, yes I did! What bothered me the most (as I was a child, around 9) was that especially during Christmas time we were used to going to Sears to look and try the toys that they would sell there. I remember there was a huge table with all kinds of toys which you could see and play with so you would know what you wanted Santa to give you.
After the coup, the new President General Velasco, got rid of all foreign companies, so with that all the nice stores as well.
Anyway, I was so young that I only remember that just when my youngest sister was born, we saw in the news that the President Fernando Belaunde was practically in pajamas when he was taken from the presidential palace to the airport to be deported, or so I understood.
Also, I remember that meat price went up. That was what I would hear the most, as my family liked meat a lot, especially my grandmother. I also remember that there was children´s program, El Tio Johnny, and there he asked a kid what he had had for lunch that day and the kid answered, "bistec" (which is what in Spanish we say "Beef stake" LOL!) to which Tio Johnny replied, "Your father must be in the Army!" . Well... his program was closed, last I knew he was in Ecuador.
Another thing I remember was a curfew. By the way, it ruined my Prom party, it had to end early because of it, and even though we went to one of my school friends house to continue with it; we could not do anything but talk. I guess we either didn´t know what to talk about or all our fun conversation finished because it was soooo boring!! And we couldn´t even go home!!
Another night while we were all sleeping, I remember hearing a shot, so I ran to look out the window of my bedroom; we lived in a two floor apartment, so my bedroom was on the 7th floor, so I was looking out and saw a soldier walking when suddenly my dad said loudly, "GET OFF THE WINDOW!!!!" . See? I didn´t even have a clue of how dangerous it was, and I was already a teenager...
As you see, my perception of what was going on was null, maybe because I had a very good childhood and a loving family, or just because, in my personal life, everything was the same. Nothing had changed, so there was nothing to worry about.
Well, now after almost 5 years I want to know... this book belonged to my father who passed away almost 22 years ago because of leukemia :´( Last time I was in Lima I took some of his books that were on the bookshelf at home and brought them back with me.
When I started reading it I thought, even though I remember my father as a very loving, caring and incredible father, I never really knew what he thought about life, politics, real beliefs.... etc., but that is another story....
After the coup, the new President General Velasco, got rid of all foreign companies, so with that all the nice stores as well.
Anyway, I was so young that I only remember that just when my youngest sister was born, we saw in the news that the President Fernando Belaunde was practically in pajamas when he was taken from the presidential palace to the airport to be deported, or so I understood.
Also, I remember that meat price went up. That was what I would hear the most, as my family liked meat a lot, especially my grandmother. I also remember that there was children´s program, El Tio Johnny, and there he asked a kid what he had had for lunch that day and the kid answered, "bistec" (which is what in Spanish we say "Beef stake" LOL!) to which Tio Johnny replied, "Your father must be in the Army!" . Well... his program was closed, last I knew he was in Ecuador.
Another thing I remember was a curfew. By the way, it ruined my Prom party, it had to end early because of it, and even though we went to one of my school friends house to continue with it; we could not do anything but talk. I guess we either didn´t know what to talk about or all our fun conversation finished because it was soooo boring!! And we couldn´t even go home!!
Another night while we were all sleeping, I remember hearing a shot, so I ran to look out the window of my bedroom; we lived in a two floor apartment, so my bedroom was on the 7th floor, so I was looking out and saw a soldier walking when suddenly my dad said loudly, "GET OFF THE WINDOW!!!!" . See? I didn´t even have a clue of how dangerous it was, and I was already a teenager...
As you see, my perception of what was going on was null, maybe because I had a very good childhood and a loving family, or just because, in my personal life, everything was the same. Nothing had changed, so there was nothing to worry about.
Well, now after almost 5 years I want to know... this book belonged to my father who passed away almost 22 years ago because of leukemia :´( Last time I was in Lima I took some of his books that were on the bookshelf at home and brought them back with me.
When I started reading it I thought, even though I remember my father as a very loving, caring and incredible father, I never really knew what he thought about life, politics, real beliefs.... etc., but that is another story....
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