This month, for our Princeton website update, my PBY group chose to write about special Peruvians with whom we've made important connections. Here's what I wrote about Reyner, our Spanish teacher.
If you had said the words “Spanish class,” to me at this time last year, I probably would have smirked. Or wrinkled my nose. Or stuck out my tongue. I’ve always had an interest and a fondness for the Spanish language itself, but in high school, the class just didn’t do it for me. I probably spent more time looking at the clock than anything else. Accordingly, I didn’t have high hopes for the language class component of Bridge Year when I arrived in Perú. More conjugation of tenses that all sounded the same, more puzzling over when and when not to use the subjunctive verb form, more rote memorization of vocabulary words. Or so I thought. But then I met Reyner.
My first encounter with Reyner was my language diagnostic interview. As I wracked my brains to answer his questions I was also trying to figure out what to make of this thirty-something-year-old man who was to be our Spanish teacher. I say “Spanish teacher” because I didn’t really expect to connect on a level any deeper than a student typically connects with a teacher. I don’t think any of us did. But now, as we near the end of our fifth month in Urubamba, I can say that Reyner is one of my closest Peruvian friends.
As I discovered almost immediately upon beginning classes with Reyner, his shining quality is his knack for conversation. As the director of a Spanish school in Urubamba, Reyner has met and taught hundreds of volunteers. His students are vary greatly in nationality and language level (from extremely basic to superior), but he finds a way to interact—to delve deeper than the surface—with all of them. At least, it seems that way, considering all the ridiculous stories Reyner has told us about the volunteers of the past, such as the one who hid food in her backpack so her host family wouldn’t know she wasn’t eating it. To make people feel comfortable enough to confide in you takes a certain talent, and Reyner’s is even more impressive because his students, even those who are beginners, are willing express that confidence in a language foreign to them.
Thanks to Reyner’s flair for banter, which makes our classes mostly conversational, I have learned so much, not only about Spanish but about Peruvian culture and history, Urubamba, and myself. Often, when someone asks “how are you?” or “what did you do today?” he or she seeks mainly to fill the silence. But Reyner has a genuine interest, and this leads to the most interesting discussions. We’ve talked about everything from presidential candidates to the definition of development to consumerism to art. I like our philosophical chats best because I’m challenged to think about my ideals and morals in Spanish.
Reyner also has another endearing ability, which I think comes from his incredible conversational talent: he is a connector. Some people have a way of recognizing where relationships should form and introducing the right people to each other. When Reyner found out that I am a musician, he told me he had some local friends who had a salsa/rock/latin jazz band. Soon after, he accompanied me to their house, and I’ve been a part of Son Tumbao ever since. Another time, Reyner decided that we (the Princeton kids) should learn to make Perú’s national drink: pisco sours. He introduced us to his friend, Guido, who has a beautiful house in the countryside just outside of Urubamba. Not long afterwards, we all went to Guido’s for a lovely campfire/pisco sours night. It’s truly amazing how many people Reyner knows in Urubamba. Sometimes, we take a walk through the town during class (usually with a food-related destination in mind), and Reyner typically stops to say hello to at least five people in the street.
Speaking of those class-time excursions, I have to add that one of my favorite things about Reyner is that his interest in our education extends far beyond mastery of the Spanish language. He’s incredibly willing to share what he knows about Peruvian culture and to encourage us to explore and integrate. To that end, we’ve had a variety of unconventional class sessions, from salsa lessons to a dessert tour to a trip to the cevichería. (Ceviche is a traditional Peruvian dish that contains fish cooked in lime juice.) Of course, these activities are enjoyable because of their novelty, but it’s also just plain fun to spend time with Reyner. His sense of humor, outlook on life, and stories of his eclectic past make for a good time no matter what we’re doing.
Reyner’s influence on us has certainly exceeded that of a Spanish teacher; he helps us to develop and learn linguistically, culturally and philosophically. When I reflect on my experience thus far in Perú, almost exactly half of the Bridge Year, I realize how much of an influence Reyner has had on our group. Through my relationship with Reyner, I’ve been able to understand better certain aspects of living in Urubamba and to integrate more smoothly. And what’s more, Reyner is simply a great friend.That is all.
Peace.
