Adolescence is typically a difficult, confusing stage for any individual. Angst and raging hormones almost never miss a growing teenager. Media today has an immense concern for the supposedly hellish high school life. But other teenagers in other parts of the world experience more severe types of pain. There are certain tribes that require adolescents to undergo traditional rites of passage, which can be excruciatingly painful.

Initiation for the youth in Suriname, South America involves wasps. These agonizing stingers are locked in a weave that is to be tied to the adolescent. The teen should not whimper during this initiation. For the Wayana culture, the boys are the ones subjected to the pain. For the Carib, however, it is the girls who undergo the ritual, but with ants instead of wasps. This rite of passage is not exclusive to Suriname. The tradition is practiced in other tribes in South America to signify strength and bravery.

Finger mutilation is another agonizing rite of passage. Some tribes in Africa have different reasons for chopping off their fingers. For the Dugum Dani tribe of New Guinea, the practice is a must for young girls. Few grown women have their complete 10 fingers. There are some men who also have incomplete fingers, but they were not forced into the practice since most of their jobs required complete fingers (i.e., hunting). This tradition, though agonizing, has cultural significance for the dead. It is mostly done as part of grieving for the deceased.

Papua New Guinea also has a painful ritual for young boys. Nasal mutilation is a common practice for the Gahuka-Gana tribe. Mothers cover their sons with mud before they are sent off to the river to live with warriors for six weeks. The warriors use sticks and leaves to injure the adolescent’s nose. Inducing nasal hemorrhage is repeatedly done until the boy is welcomed to manhood. The practice has something to do with cleansing and girls’ menstruation.

There are many other tribes which induce pain as part of coming of age. But come to think of it, these tribes are not that different from modern societies. Human seems to have an innate yearning for self-inflicted pain. Hazing, for example, is a common initiation rite for fraternities around the world. Others choose to adorn their bodies with tattoos no matter how long and painful the needle will prick the skin. Pain is prerequisite to achievement wherever you come from. It simply takes many forms and various meanings for different societies.

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Greeks centuries ago have started the tradition of listing seven of the world’s wonders. Yes, this list that has been numerously altered is older than Jesus Christ. The first list of wonders is more known as the Wonders of the Ancient World. This is an appropriate title because almost all of the sites in the list come from places that you probably have only heard from myths and ancient history. Plus, only one site from the list survived calamities and still stands today. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Statue of Zeus at Olympia, Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, Mausoleum of Mausolos at Halicarnassus, Colossus of Rhodes and the Lighthouse of Alexandria all exist only in drawings or text descriptions. The six are already in ruins. The Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt is the only wonder that got passed the ancient times.

During the Middle Ages, people have gone far in the field of architecture and were able to put up yet another seven marvelous structures. The next list include England’s Stonehenge, Rome’s Colosseum, the Taj Mahal in India, the Great Wall of China, The Porcelain Tower of Nanjing, Turkey’s Hagia Sophia and Italy’s Leaning Tower of Pisa. Many lists came to follow this one, but most of them include these sites as well. Splendor and distinctiveness in architecture placed these seven in the Wonders of the Medieval World.

Most recently, another group who conveniently call themselves The New 7 Wonders Organization came up with a new list. International voting through the internet, text messaging and phone calls the world took part in naming the new 7 Wonders. The list includes familiar places; sites that have already been included in previous lists. Unsurprisingly, the Great Wall, Colosseum and Taj Mahal made the list. South America has a lot to be proud of as three of the New 7 Wonders come from Peru, Mexico and Brazil. The Machu Picchu of Peru, with a combination of long mountain ranges and amazing architectural ruins, should undeniably be on the list. Mexico’s Chichen Itza also is another remnant of a great South American civilization. Brazil’s monument of Christ the Redeemer also makes the list. This tall statue of Christ with arms wide spread stands on a mountain. Petra in Jordan concludes the list of New 7 Wonders. As with the others, it has exemplary architecture and history.

There are many other lists. There is the Natural Wonders of the World, Wonders of the Industrial World etc. It is inevitable to come up with new lists because it is impossible to sum all of the world’s wonders in a list of seven sites. There are so many structures, places and sceneries that we are yet to unearth and discover. There are other wonders that we will never see again. We never know when an earthquake will bring a building to rubbles. It is always good to acknowledge these structures and appreciate them for their grandeur and beauty while it still stands.

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Mystique envelops South America. Despite colonization and the adamant pressures of globalization, the continent was able to clearly keep remnants of their enigmatic past. So when visiting the south, go deep and explore these five must-visit places to get the subliminal trip that you can’t get anywhere else in the world.

The Inca Trail. This is a long trail leading to Machu Picchu. This is said to be a sacred path. Not like any other hike in the world, passing through this trail is not only good for sight-seeing. More than the gorgeous mountains that you can come across, the ruins that you will see along this site give a combination of spiritual and historical experience. Ruins exude the grandeur of the continent’s lost Incan civilization.

Machu Picchu. At the end of the already exhilarating hike in the Inca Trail, one will find the Machu Picchu. It is the symbol of the great Inca Empire. Dry-stone walls characterize this centuries old city that Spanish colonizers were never able to set foot on. Despite being abandoned, its awe-inspiring architecture withstood various natural disasters. Thus today, this remains one of the most amazing sites in the world, not only because of its aesthetics, but most importantly because of its historical and mysterious ambience.

Nazca Desert. Peru proves to be the cradle of the most baffling historic remnants. The Incas were not the only ones who left their mark on South America. The Nazca culture left lines on their land, literally. This desert rests on a plateau and bears images that are believed to be made by pre-colonial civilizations which used to inhabit that land. Nazca culture is also recognized for its top of the line pottery and weave just like many areas of South America. But the Lines give Nazca its distinctive and recognized magnificence.

Floating Islands of Lake Titicaca. Unique to the other ancient civilizations previously mentioned, one South American culture is still alive today. The Uros tribe is very interesting not only because its culture survived through the centuries, but also because they give us another of South America’s unbelievable sites – the floating islands. These islands are made from totora reeds. This material for land, being reeds, dies and have to be carefully replaced and maintained through out the years. The Uros, similar to other tribes, offers fascinating history and mythology.

Tambopata National Reserve. This site may not have the same historical depth as the others but this rainforest should definitely be on the list. Tambopata may be described as Earth’s Eden. There are numerous other rainforests around the world, but this one may have the most colorful variety of creatures. Macaws, black otters, jaguars, deer and many more are the only residents of this national reserve.

These five sites are only few of the many transcendent experiences that one can get from a journey in South America. These places are mainly from Peru, but there is a lot more to explore in other countries from the mystical South. Mexico is a very interesting place as well. Click here to fly to Cancun Mexico for free!