How To Talk To A Peruvian

On my way to Bolivia to celebrate Thanksgiving with an old friend and his new family, I was inevitably asked the question, "Why is your first real vacation trip outside of Peru instead of seeing somewhere in your host country?" 

Fair enough. So I started to explain that this trip wasn't really about the place so much as spending the holiday with friends, which was met with shrugs, nods and murmurs of acknowledgement.

But I then followed it up with, "and really, it's even more about the food." At which point there were enthusiastic nods and exclamations of understanding. Ah yes, how could I forget? For Peruvians, it's always about the food!