I grew up listening to my mother constantly tell me that beggars can’t be choosers. I believed that until I lived in Peru. Poor mom, another illusion crushed.

I had lived in Peru for almost two years and seeing people in the streets begging was not uncommon. Unfortunately is still is all too common. I hate to make light of this way of life but I honestly try to find humor where I can.

Amongst those in Peru who we could classify as beggars, there are those who are in serious need and see it as their only opportunity to put food on the table and there are those who don’t wish to work and see an easy way to make some money. Just as there are different reasons for begging, there are different methods.

Some try a pity angle. I once saw two ladies walking towards me and the all of a sudden one developed a very pronounced limp when the two money toting Gringos came into view. Of course they needed money for some urgent medical attention. This turned out to just be the result of opportunity. I’d been in town for a few months and got to know who would be asking for money and those who those in real need were.

There were also groups of campesinos, or subsistence farmers from the Andes, around the city of Cajamarca. These were people who would come to the coast dressed in their ponchos and straw hats typical of their highland homes. So, they came as sort of a curiosity for the people of the coast. They were different and appeared to be in need. They used that angle, but even went further to meet their needs. The knocked on doors throughout town and asked for hand outs.

I ran into an extended family of enterprising campesinos at a public gathering, actually, it was a street fight. I hadn’t been to the Andes at this point and was enthralled at first site of these people. Listening closely, I could tell that they were speaking Quechua, the adopted language of the Incas and the language of their empire. I had rarely heard Quechua being spoken and well, they had me hook line and sinker.