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Back in 1970, little time before I
traveled to United States for the first time, I read the famous
novel “BROAD AND ALIEN IS THE WORLD” (EL MUNDO ES ANCHO Y AJENO) by Ciro Alegría. This story
narrates the struggles of the native Peruvian Indians standing
against tyrannies, heroically confronting exploitation and the
unjust expropriation of their lands. The name of this novel is what
caught my attention and I wanted to know the motivation of the
author for naming his novel. There are many sayings that popular
philosophy creates base on its own experiences.
Since the time I was a child I
also heard that “It is a small world” and this last weekend I saw
evidence of this, and once again, it is very true. Of course,
“Globalization” would be a modern way to describe it, even when I
consider that from the times when Marco Polo traveled to China or
Columbus to America, already the world was globalized with the
cultural exchange they initiated.
My wife Rosa was invited to a
wedding by her cousin, who is from the side of her family whom Rosa
has not seen for the last 25 years. Elvira Sun Han (Rosa’s cousin)
married Steve Wilson in a ceremony that took place in Seattle.
Washington where we traveled from New York on Friday the 13th,
day on which the Rehearsal Ceremony took place…no, it was not to
find out if the newlyweds continued with the same interest by
contract nuptials, it was just a “practice wedding”. We were invited
to it. At the end of it, a lady asked me: Are you Luis Ramirez,
calling me by my name… My memory failed me. She told me her name:
Nancy Angulo and I were still on the moon! Until she introduced
herself as the former wife of an old friend from my neighborhood in
my beloved Pueblo Libre, Manuel Bustinza, a.k.a. “Nono”. Everything
stood still for that moment while my memory was being reset! I
analyze this lady hers physical characteristics. Comparing this
visual analysis with what my subconscious had impregnated in the
perfect past of the memories of my far away land. This anecdote
showed me just how small the space is in our seemingly big planet.
On Saturday, the Religious
ceremony took place which had its most emotional moment when soon
before being declared wife and husband by the Pastor, Elvira
received a phone call from two of her sons, from Lima, Peru. It must
have been difficult for her, since she could only hear them, without
answering back. The seriousness of the ceremony did not allow a
conversation.
After the ceremony we moved on to
the Golf Club saloon where more relaxed could find out more about
all the other guests. It was very interesting how such a ceremony
blends different people, besides people on the bride’s family,
friends from childhood in Huacho…louder than them I only remember
the “Arequipeños” in some reunions the AIPEUC organize annually.
I never saw such a big number of
people from the same neighborhood get together here in the United
States. After the wedding ceremony it was patty time with all the
anecdotes of memories of the old neighborhood in Huacho and the new
experiences in the land of Uncle Sam.
This party could not lack the
“Criollo” moment, so of course we all dance a very festive “Vals”
and others even with more swing like the “Marinera” and the “Festejo”.
The napkins and candles were on the table, it was used later to
recreate the scenery of the “Toro Mata”. After that the “Salsa”
arrived, even the surprised locals came out to dance following the
lead of real dancing masters such as Nancy, "Chacha", Teresa and
Elvira the bride , even Steven himself the groom whom already been
trained in these endeavors did not lose the step once. Lucho Sun Han
almost did not sit once during the musical period. Teresa Oshiro in
the name of all to thanked Steven for his hospitality, promising
that everyone will be back again each anniversary, which the groom
did not enjoy very much.
Seattle is one of the cities that
we most enjoyed from the few we had the chance to visit in the
United States. Territory peaches producer, fruit that is precisely
on time of picking, so we enjoyed fresh peaches that reminded us a
bit of our time in Hawaii where we enjoyed the juicy pineapples.
The day after the wedding, the
Wilson’s invited all the remaining guests to a seafood restaurant at
the Yatch Club where we tasted different kinds of fish among those
the Ahi, Mahi Mahi, Halibut and even Salmon that is native to
Seattle. We had dessert ice cream from peaches that were picked
ripe.
Steve was a pleasant gentleman,
now Elvira’s husband. He has a business of mobile homes and a great
part of his vehicles served as lodging for all the “huachanos”. I
can picture them jumping from mobile home to mobile home reminiscing
about the childhood in the neighborhood now so far away from home.
In Seattle, we found very
hospitable people. The last day before we came back to New York, we
spent the day with the very pleasant Shirley C. Roberts, who has a business that
specializes in organizing all kind of receptions and who ran all the
details in Elvira and Steve’s wedding. Shirley C. Roberts took us
around the city. Some places look a little like San Francisco,
because of the hilly roads and others like Hawaii because of the
vegetation, something very unique being a Costal city.
It was a very beautiful
experience, we would like it repeat sometime… No, not the wedding,
that we wish it lasts for ever full of happiness and joy… I was
referring to the visit of the city; there is so much to see.
Regards to the “huachanos”. We
return to New York with amazing memories.
© Luis A.
Ramírez S.
Editor
September 24, 2006 |
