Tanto TV

Here in Peru, people watch a LOT of tv. Not only do they watch a lot of tv, but it is totally socially acceptable to do so, despite the fact that few of the shows have much redeeming value. The excessive tv-watching issue is further exacerbated by each show's standard airing of new episodes every weekday for 1.5-2 hours per episode. In my house, one of five programs can almost always be found playing in the living room at all times:

1. Combate: A ridiculous game show where the red team competes against the green team in short survivor-esque games. None of the participants looks very Peruvian (all are white, most are blonde), and inter-contestant drama abounds. For example, one member of the green team broke up with his girlfriend (and teammate) on live television - so classy. My host family are strong supporters of los rojos, and will watch the entire 2 hours of this program every day to see what happens.

2. Yo Soy: Think American Idol, but instead of showing off their own talents, the contestants are showing off how well they can imitate the artist of their choice. I've seen imitations ranging from Kurt Cobain to Rihanna to Latino singers old and new. Almost all the volunteers' host families watch Yo Soy, so some of the particularly good (or bad) impressions are often the topic of lunchtime conversation at the training center.

3. Fútbol: Gooooooooooooool! It's been a busy few weeks of soccer: the European Championship, the usual schedule of intra-Peruvian matches, and one big World Cup qualifying match between Peru and Uruguay.

4. Telenovelas: Drama drama drama. Long meaningful stares, heavy silences, loud shouting, and absurd characters - the telenovelas do not disappoint.

5. Local news: Just like local news in the states, local news here revolves around the negative. Even if it's a little sensational at times, at least I learn a bit about what's going on around Peru.