Couple Exchanges Cultures in Peru, Recounts Journey

Mike Deuschle made the audience gasp when he showed a picture of his girlfriend, Silvana Guzman, eating what looked like a slimy grub, or "Suri," a worm that grows in certain trees of the Peruvian Amazon.

"It wasn't that bad," Deuschle said as he answered questions from the audience that came to see his and his girlfriend's presentation on Peru, last week at the .

The presentation, "Perú, Land of the Incas," was part of the library's “Novel Destination Series,” a project complementing the library’s adult summer reading program.

After receiving a grant from the Edward Chase Garvey Memorial Foundation, the library started their summer reading program for adults as well as children. The topic this year in all the reading groups has been a global one, said Patricia Rohan, reference manager and organizer of the event.

"It's a broadening topic," Rohan said. "People often need to get out of their comfort zone so they can learn about the world."

The presentation gave Deuschle and Guzman the chance to broaden people's perception about Peru. Deuschle, who has known Silvana for about a year and a half, said he went at the invitation of his girlfriend and her family. The trip, he said, was a life-changing one.

"(When she asked me to come) I just dove in with both feet," Deuschle said. " I really had no idea what I was getting into. I got to meet her whole family and it was quite an experience. It was my first time out of the country, so to me everything was just really exciting; the landscape, all the people, the culture and the food was great."

The audience, who packed one of the computer rooms at the library, asked many questions about logistics of the travel, food and safety. Deuschle advised to buy tickets early, find someone who speaks the language and always be adventurous.

"Luckily, I had a great translator with me, so I really didn't have any problems because she stayed with me the whole time," Deuschle said.  "Just be open minded, you know. Try to do as many things as possible."

Deuschle's mom, Joan Deuschle, has worked at the Kirkwood Public Library for more than 30 years. It was she who suggested her son to give the presentation.

Joan Deuschle said she was very excited her son got to know a very interesting part of the world thanks to his girlfriend.

"We need to explore our world and what better way to do it than having your son date someone from such a fascinating country," she said.

Lucero Florez, Silvana Guzman's mother, was also at the event. She said in Spanish that it filled her with pride to hear her daughter and her daughter's boyfriend represent her native country.

Florez, who with her daughter came to America almost five years ago, was also part of the trip to Peru last year. While in Peru, she took Guzman and Deuschle to give presents and food to hundreds of poor children in her native town of Iquitos. Deuschle showed a photo of the children in Iquitos holding a sign that said “Thank you amigos USA.”

Florez said when two cultures come together, good things happen.

"I think it's nice for two people from different places to become one in the world," Florez said. "It doesn’t matter from what part of the world you are, when two cultures come together, so many good things come from each culture.

Florez's daughter echoed her mother's sentiments.

"The best part (of being with someone from another country) is that he is teaching me how to love in a different language," Guzman said. "I'm learning about his culture and how different we are. Those differences make us like us more everyday"

The "Novel Destinations" series will continue at the Kirkwood library Thursday from 7 to 8 p.m.. The topic will be "Travel France: Provence and Paris with a salute to Bastille Day.

"I hope many more people continue to come," Rohan said. "Traveling and telling the stories of your travels is a great form of life-long learning for adults."