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In a Strange Land
Young Men in Crisis
By Larry J. Pitman

"The job sucked.”

"My fiancé dumped me.”

"I don't know what to do with my life.”

Recently, I met a group of young men who came to Peru because they were unhappy with their lives. They wanted a chance to step away for a while, get a new angle on things. South America, and particularly Peru, figures in the minds of many young men as just the right place to get away, lick your wounds, and go back into the battle.

I met them in Arequipa, on a tour of the Colca Canyon. These three young men, all about thirty, told me their stories as we experienced this beautiful part of Peru. They did not know each other previously. Their stories, I suspect, are typical of many who come on a trip to South America.

Eduardo was a corporate lawyer with one of the major firms in Miami. He had just quit his job. The enormous paycheck was not enough to compensate for the "soul destroying work" he had to do. He could no longer motivate himself to work just for the money. His answer was to head for Peru, spend some carefully planned vacation time here, get his head together, and return to Miami with a clear idea of what he wanted to do next. The dilemma for him was whether to turn his back on enormous earnings or do something for his soul. I think that the money was going to win out, at least for awhile.
Randy was an aeronautical engineer with Boeing, working in Los Angeles. Disgusted with "an oppressive corporate culture that puts little value on initiative or quality," he quit his position and - guess what - headed for Peru. To add to the crisis, shortly before, his fiancé gave him back his ring. So he came to Peru to regenerate, heal his wounds, and get himself together to go on to a new job and a new life.

The last of my companions was from Germany. He came to Peru for a break, exhausted by his university studies, and to give himself time and space to consider whether he wanted a career in banking. He was asking the question "what do I want to do with the rest of my life?" Of course, his girlfriend had just shown him the door. And that added to his introspection.

They are not losers. In fact, they are intelligent, normal, young men who are experiencing the ups and downs of life. What makes them different is that they chose to come to Peru rather than staying at home.

When we have troubles or face major life changes, it can be helpful to step out of the situation, free ourselves from the concerns of the past, take a fresh look at ourselves, and then go back in or completely change direction.

The question is what draws them here rather than some other place. I believe it is because Peru is another world, completely unconnected to the one they are coming from. No one knows them here. Also, there is still a frontier-like quality to Peru. It offers adventure and the unknown.

Whatever. It seems to me to be a wise move. The therapy of an adventure in Peru is a fine prescription for the blues. I could see that they were not sad, but enjoying their time in Peru immensely.

My only regret about this is that I came in at the middle of the story. I will never know, but I would like to believe, that these young men will get their heads straight and go on to lead happy satisfying lives.

Now I am eagerly awaiting the next group so I can hear their stories.

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