June 25, 2004
I took my time getting ready this morning. Probably shouldn’t record this but I am going to write it anyway. I have not taken a shower since I left the hotel 3 weeks ago. I know that sounds disgusting. To clarify my hygiene habits: it is too cold to stand under that freezing water! So, I take a sponge bath every morning. Needless to say… no shaving.
At work, my counterpart took me for a walk around El Milagro. We walked by the state penitentiary that is next door, the only jail in Trujillo where both men and women are housed. She explained that innocent people are held in prison until they are proven guilty; opposite of the system we have in the USA. (Yet, another reason to be thankful!) Also, if you want to visit a prisoner, women must wear a skirt and they give every person a full-body check to prevent someone bringing in weapons, etc. I am assuming that means that they can’t afford a metal detector. We ventured on our way, down streets of pure sand, filled with garbage. You can see personal ‘landfills’ where the families bring their collectibles to their homes to guard them; if not their things will be robbed. Robbery is extremely common. Each family has a pack of dogs that protects their property, whether that means their houses, their pigs, or their garbage. I have to be extremely careful with my things while I am in El Milagro, for at any moment a kid might decide they want it. But as a way for me to understand this lack of values, I must remember that these children and families are struggling to survive. I believe I might steal too under those conditions. We continued on our walk and talked of many subjects. She explained that there are 3 types of families that live in El Milagro: families that live in the landfill in plastic houses, those that live in plastic/whatever material outside the landfill and work in the landfill, and those that live in cement houses outside the landfill. Those families with the cement houses mostly raise pigs; pigs that graze freely in the landfill. Another problem she mentioned (which I have noticed by working with the kids) is that many of the kids are developmentally delayed, a side effect of their lack of nutrition and stimulation as babies/children.
I had lunch with my family, and then returned to El Milagro where I played and drew with my favorite group of girls. After work we visited some of the ladies of the communities who had developed a couple of small businesses, one selling ducks and the other has opened a small market. YMCA encouraged them to start these projects.
June 24, 2004
Around 9:00 this morning the carpenter came to hang a curtain on my bedroom window. This entire house is made out of cement, so to get a nail into the wall it takes a big drill. My mom sewed me a cute little blue curtain for my window, so now I can take the piece of construction paper down I was using for privacy. Tuesday night, I moved down to a room on the second floor. It is a bit warmer in this room and I have my personal bathroom. I am slowing getting it organized. I bought a new wooden table for 30 soles, which is less than $10 bucks. You can’t beat it.
I got to El Milagro at about 11:00. We cleaned up the office a bit and reorganized the kid’s library. I was back home by 2:00 for lunch. I am still getting lots of veggies and fish. Yeah!
Tonight, my brother and I went to town to shop for me a bookcase. He also had to buy his bus ticket to Lima, he goes there every weekend to attend classes; he is working on his masters in engineering. The market is dangerous to visit at night and that is where the cheapest furniture is, so we are going to come back this weekend. For supper, we ate ‘antecucho’ – cow’s heart. It was fantastic. Tasted like a great steak! We also stopped by the supermarket then we headed home.
Still haven’t paid a dime to live here or to eat lunch here. Who knows?
June 23, 2004
I made my way to work around 9:30. I am supposed to be there at 9:00 or at least that is when they say the center opens, but nobody is ever there before 9:30, so that is when I show up. Suits me fine, I am always late. I played a game called ‘leader of the band’ with the kids after a workshop on how to care for guinea pigs. They seemed to enjoy it. I also announced that I would be starting English classes next Friday. The kids are constantly asking me how to say various words in English. I hope to be able to incorporate some other activities into my English classes, like team building, songs, games, and sports.
I didn’t make it home for lunch until 2:00 today and my family was worried. I had told them 1:00, so they had already called my cell phone and was getting ready to come looking for me. That brings me to a good topic: my family. They are so great! I eat lunch with them everyday and they love to show me around Trujillo. What impresses me is that when they say they are going to do something, they really follow through with what they say they are going to do. I had the impression that Peruvians were bad to be the opposite. They also seem to really care about me and take good care of me. I feel like we have a lot in common and that I can relate to them. They really value education. My dad has two jobs: he is a professor at a night school for adults who want to continue their education and an economist at a sugar factory. My mom stays home, cooks, and is a great seamstress. She makes all my dad’s clothing.
At 5:00 this afternoon, I met my coworkers in downtown to buy a baby gift for my counterpart. She just had a new baby girl on Saturday and we bought her a gift then visited with them.
June 22, 2004
I went into town to check my mail and received 3 packages. This makes my day!
My dad invited me to his sister’s house for lunch. It’s her birthday. I felt a little like I was intruding, but the family was super nice. My dad always looks out for me – he introduced me to everyone, keep my glass filled with coke and made me take a photo with him and his sister. He is such a funny guy, too. He is always teaching me new slang or telling me a joke.
I headed to El Milagro for the afternoon session.
June 21, 2004
I got up late this morning. It was great to sleep in. I went with my mom and dad to see their house that they have in downtown Trujillo. It is in a really cute area and is very nice, 6 bedrooms all with bathrooms, 3 floors, and ceilings with chair railing that is gorgeous. My family is definitely doing ok financially, they don’t have many modern conveniences like cable tv, hot water, their own car, but they are comfortable.
At 3:00, Angela and I took the combi into town again for the weekly meeting at the YMCA office. Except that we couldn’t find it and had to call them to get us. I told the group that I would like to organize some kind of sports activity in El Milagro, like a soccer tournament or mini Olympics and also I would like to start English classes. They were excited to hear about my ideas.
Angela and I had dinner in town at the supermarket (they have a pseudo-Starbucks upstairs) and returned to our houses. When I got home, my sister and neighbors were on the front patio chatting. I asked my sister about accompanying me to the university library and she said that there is going to be a protest by the students tomorrow, so we will have to wait. I ended up talking with them until 2:00 in the morning. They were teaching me Peruvian slang and I told them all about the states. It is crazy how Peruvians are under the impression that the USA is a utopia, where there’s no violence, no corruption, no poverty. Granted I would have to agree our situation is better, but we have our share of problems too.
June 20, 2004
I did some great shopping today. My site mate and I headed to Trujillo for some great things like a blanket and a table. We ate lunch at a typical Peruvian restaurant, where I had some indistinguishable meat that was very tasty. We went to a very shady area of town for shopping. Someone told us that is where to get the best blankets, we went. In fact, while we were there I think I witnessed a pick pocking incident. A kid just ran up to this guy and grabbed what he had his hand. The lady with the guy screamed ‘robber’ but nobody even flinched. It happened so quick I wasn’t really sure that was what I had seen.
I have heard that you can compare being a volunteer to wearing a bunny suit everywhere you go. People look at you, some laugh, and others think you are crazy. That is how I feel here. Living in a fish bowl where everyone watches what you do. Good points, people remember you. If I visit a store more than once, they mention it. Others know my route home better than me and tell me where to get off the combi. Bad points, a million questions from everyone when you just want to continue on your way, the money changers who hang out in the streets haggle you for dollars, and you just can’t blend in, even though you want to so bad.
We returned to my house and my dad invited us to tea and bread. He is so sweet. He just loves to talk with us. My whole family walked Angela home. They had never been to Winchanzao, how crazy is that? So, we all took the walk there. After we got back home, my dad sat me down and told me he wanted me to feel at home and to come to the family with any problem/doubt I encountered. He said on Tuesday we could sign the lease. So far, I still haven’t paid anything for my rent. I feel so lucky to be here, in a home that is so welcoming and protecting. God is looking out for me.
June 19, 2004
Thought I would start this entry with a description of my daily routine, just to take note of it, because it is quite different from my previous life at home in the states.
I wake up at about 7:30 am, I still let my alarm go off at least 5 times and I just continue to push snooze. I plug in my water boiler for my bath. (Picture a plastic pitcher with a plug-in that boils water.) I grab my shower caddy with all my essentials, my hot water, and head to the bathroom. I first wash my hair with the shower, but only get my head wet, because the water is freezing. I bucket bath with the hot water. Brush my teeth (with the water out of the tap, they tell us not to…), return to my room to iron my clothes on my bed, and then get dressed. Then I boil more water for my instant coffee/tea. As I wait for this to cool, I head downstairs and across the way for some fresh bread for my breakfast. There is a little old lady who sits daily with her fresh bread, just on the corner. I return to my room, for some jelly and butter sandwiches and maybe some fruit.
Around 9:00, I head to the street to catch the combi for my ride to El Milagro, $.50 and it takes about 5 minutes to get there. I walk the couple of blocks from the highway to the YMCA center and inevitable there are a couple of kids who meet to walk with me. At the center, the first thing we all do is greet each other with a ‘buenos dias’ and a kiss on the cheek. You greet each and every person in this manner, young and old. We then open up the office and get things ready for the day’s activities; that may mean sweeping the center or rearranging the tables to make room.
Around 1:00, we start to close the center for ‘siesta’; it usually takes until 1:30 to get out of there. I return to my house for lunch. I eat with my family and my mom is a great cook. After lunch, sometimes I may return to El Milagro for the afternoon activities from 3:00-6:00. If not, I may head into Trujillo for groceries or hang out with my family or visit my site mate.
Around dark, I head to the internet café. Afterwards, I head to my room for the evening. I have bought several DVDs, which I may watch, read, or listen to music. For supper, I usually just eat something in my room or in the park where they sell some really great fried chicken and fried potatoes (I can’t do that too often, but it sure is good!) My volunteer pals in Piura may call and we’ll chat for a while. Around 9:00, I am usually beat. Speaking Spanish all day is very mentally exhausting, so I turn in.
That’s a day in the life of this volunteer serving in Trujillo, Peru.
June 18, 2004
I went this morning with my family to their other house inside the city of Trujillo. The father says that they have been planning on moving there for 2 years now. He says that I can live in either place. I told him I would live where I am for the time being. I ate lunch with my family. The meals are much more balanced here. I have at least 2 servings of vegetables and one meat, which is so much better than before. The dad has been so nice to me; he is very interested in my culture and continues to praise my Spanish. He is a professor at a high school and works a second job at a sugar factory. All the kids of the family attend the university and the mom stays at home. There is a 92 year old grandmother living next door too; she is so cute, but can’t hear a thing.
It is really crazy how everyone just wants to go the USA. Everyone I talk with has a friend or family member that is living there. Even my dad here can’t imagine that jobs are hard to come by in my home too. I have to admit, things aren’t nearly as bad in the USA, as they are here. I am so lucky.
As for my work in El Milagro, I am learning more about how things run. My counterpart gave the same workshop that we gave at the town meeting to the mother’s group. The mother’s group calls themselves the ‘Dream Recyclers’, which is catchy since they also work as recyclers in the land fill. I mostly just hung out with the kids and talked with the mothers.
Saturday, June 19, 2004
June 18, 2004
I went this morning with my family to their other house inside the city of Trujillo. The father says that they have been planning on moving there for 2 years now. He says that I can live in either place. I told him I would live where I am for the time being. I ate lunch with my family. The meals are much more balanced here. I have at least 2 servings of vegetables and one meat, which is so much better than before. The dad has been so nice to me; he is very interested in my culture and continues to praise my Spanish. He is a professor at a high school and works a second job at a sugar factory. All the kids of the family attend the university and the mom stays at home. There is a 92 year old grandmother living here too; she is so cute, but can’t hear a thing.
It is really crazy how everyone just wants to go the USA. Everyone I talk with has a friend or family member that is living there. Even my dad here can’t imagine that jobs are hard to come by in my home too. I have to admit, things aren’t nearly as bad in the USA, as they are here. I am so lucky.
As for my work in El Milagro, I am learning more about how things run. My counterpart gave the same workshop that we gave at the town meeting to the mother’s group. The mother’s group calls themselves the ‘Dream Recyclers’, which is catchy since they also work as recyclers in the land fill. I mostly just hung out with the kids and talked with the mothers.
It is so great to be able to prepare my own food. I have gotten into a hot tea habit too.
June 17, 2004
My family took me to the big market in our community today. It is about 5 blocks away and has anything you can think of. I have been eating lunch with my family, but I haven’t even paid my rent yet. I told the dad a couple of days ago, that I need to pay, but he doesn’t seemed concerned. I guess I will just wait until he asks.
Today in El Milagro, we did home visits. What an experience. I can’t really even explain it. Imagine a land fill, then imagine families and animals (dogs, pigs, burros) living there in whatever they can find to make walls (mattresses, plastic, wire, bags). The odor is horrendous. The YMCA has implemented a latrine project, so there are outhouses sporadically amongst the houses. At 5:00pm every afternoon, the families take their pigs to the landfill to eat. These pigs are humongous. The families are raising these animals to sell, but they can’t sell them in Peru. Of course, the pigs carry disease because of what they eat, so these families go to the Ecuador border and sell them there. I was once again astounded at the extreme level of poverty that these people are living in.
Not feeling so well tonight, must be something I’ve eaten. I was asleep by 8:00pm.
June 16, 2004
I did some much needed grocery shopping today. I made some great finds like: Equal sweetener, Campbell’s soup, and even Romen noodles. I dropped some laundry off at the laundry mat – not cheap, but it is just so hard to hand wash jeans. So, the other half I will hand wash here.
I went to work in El Milagro at 3:00. I attended a community meeting with my counterpart. She held a workshop on advocacy. The YMCA in El Milagro, functions a lot like Family Connection does at home. They serve as a community resource where kids are mentored and tutored, families receive counseling, health fairs are organized, and community meetings are held. I was able to see the main plaza and the church and we also visited with some families of the community while we were there.
I introduced myself to the mini market owner and the guy who cuts hair here where I am living. They were nice and warned me to be careful getting off and on the bus from certain areas, there is a history of robbers.
June 15, 2004
I got up this morning and packed my things to move to my new house. I ventured to the market to find some breakfast – bread and mandarins. Around 11:00 am, my counterpart showed up and we moved all my stuff. My family took the news well; my counterpart told them I had to move because Peace Corps wanted us in separate communities.
My new family is nice. There are 3 kids (21, 24, 26 years old), their parents and they rent out the 2nd and 3rd floor rooms. I am in a room on the third floor. My neighbors are a young married couple and a single 21 year old. The oldest son of the family is 27 and he has been a real help to me. He helped me move in and put up my bed; he took me for a tour of the neighborhood, and even helped me get a bus into town. He has studied English and wants me to tutor him. I went into Trujillo to go to the supermarket, but it was closed. I am figuring out that most things close here around siesta time of 1-4pm. I will be eating lunch with the family but I want to cook my own breakfast and dinner. I pay $100 soles a month for rent. That is like $35 American dollars, you can’t beat it.
I made my first visit to El Milagro today. I prepped myself for the shock of it all and I have to admit that it wasn’t such a shock at all this time. All the kids were happy to see me. My counterpart gave me a set of keys to the building and went over the objectives of the YMCA in El Milagro. They are doing so much! They have a full-time social-worker, a full-time psychologist, a part-time teacher, and several volunteer college students who all do programs/activities in the center. There weekly schedule is packed full of workshops, therapy sessions, activities. It is all a little intimidating, but I can see where I can bring some of my skills to the table. I told them I was interested in doing sports activities with the kids (which they lack), team building activities, and a paper making project and they seemed excited that I had some new ideas. In fact, they wanted me to hop right in the schedule for this week. I had to try to explain that I am still in the adjustment phase and would need some time to observe and learn about the culture and way things work.
I told my counterpart that I didn’t even know how to take the bus or where to shop for things like laundry soap, so before I jump into work, I need to feel organized and settled in at home. She was great and immediately took me to town. We bought me an electric hot plate, a dish, a fork, a knife, a spoon, Tupperware, and a bucket to wash my clothes. She gave me a tour of Trujillo on the way. We also decided that I would only work the afternoons this week, so I could get more settled in.
I am feeling more and more confident with my Spanish. My new host family dad told me I speak better Spanish than he does, I know he was kidding, but it does feel good to be able to communicate and share ideas with others in another language.
I don’t think I picked up lice from my sister. Thank goodness!
June 14, 2004
I returned to the house I found by the internet cafe to see about moving in. The dad of the family says all is good for me to move in, so I believe I will just do it. God is telling me this is where I should live, so I am going to follow his advice.
At 4:00, we visited the new YMCA office; the building is brand new and very nice. It is in an area of town that is pretty shady. They don’t even have water, electricity, or telephones and they can’t move in until they do. So, it will probably be forever until that all is ready. We had a YMCA staff meeting at the temporary office. It was quite overwhelming; they want us to start doing activities immediately. Peace Corps tells us to take 3 months to get settled in before we start any projects. Also, they want me to be in the center in El Milagro, 6 days a week, 9:00-6:00 with a 2 hour lunch. That is like a full-time job!
I am worried about how my current family will take the news that I am moving out. Hopefully, everything will work out. I am learning so much, but the lessons are tough ones. To not be liked or to be liked or to stand out wherever you go, simple because of your skin color is harsh.
June 13, 2004
I had a bad night last night. I couldn’t sleep because I am so worried about my living situation. I keep praying, but I just can’t shake my anxiety. I bought some things today for my family, like milk, bread, fruit, and rice.
I met the missionary family for lunch at a golf club in Trujillo. I met their children, visited with them at their house, and afterwards, we again looked for housing. I think God put them in my life for a reason. What a coincidence to be able to know them here in Peru.
June 12, 2004
This area of Trujillo where I am living doesn’t have police, so it is pretty much self-patrolled. People are extremely worried about being robbed. I have been warned several times about it. This common opinion is that if you are stupid enough to allow your stuff to be stolen, then so be it.
This being a ‘rich’ foreigner thing is tough. I so obviously have so much more than they do, and it makes things so difficult.
I went to the YMCA center of Winchanzao to a leadership workshop, but nobody showed up. However, I did chat with another YMCA volunteer, she’s Peruvian and lives in Winchanzao. I have yet to visit El Milagro. I ate lunch at a little house and the family was super nice. This house is a couple of doors down from the house I want to move into to. They said they would give me 3 meals a day for $6, when I move.
I met the missionaries that I had been corresponding with via email. What a nice couple! They helped me for a room to rent in some nice areas of Trujillo.
June 11, 2004
I had a weird night last night for sure. I had absolutely no privacy. I am still sleeping in the same room as my sister. Even though I was writing in the living room, my mom just turned off all the lights said to get in the bed. So we went to our bedroom and she said I could use her bedroom if I wanted to change. There are no doors on either of the 2 bedrooms. Something has to give! Oh, yeah, my sister has lice. I helped my mom pick the nits out of her hair this morning. My mom says its something she has to do every morning. I realize we are supposed to compromise as volunteers, but this is too much. I have to look for somewhere else to live ASAP. My sanity depends on it. Who’s going to look out for me if I don’t?
I tutored the neighbor in English a bit this morning, before I headed to the internet café, a couple of blocks from Winchanzao. I asked the attendant in the internet cafe if she knew of any place for me to live. What do you know? She says she rents a room from a family close by and that they have a room with bathroom that is available. The room is clean and nice, totally cute and only $100 per month. I have to wait until Sunday to talk with the father about the logistics. But I think this is definitely an option for me.
On a good note, our counterpart really seems to understand our roles as volunteers and the importance of being happy where we live.
I am so scared! What am I scared of? Being lonely, I think. I know that this pace of life will take some time to get used to and some adjustments on my part. I really haven’t had to be truly on my own. I will have to fill my days with activities. I can get a membership at a gym. I will be able to cook my food in my new room. I can read and I could get a Spanish tutor. I could make jewelry, sew, paint, or draw. See, I have lots of activities to keep boredom stay away.
Secondary projects I would like to tackle are: teaching English, youth group for Niyelo activities, reading group.
I am thinking about the 2 years before me and it seems like an eternity. I just hope to make this place my home. I know that just means putting myself out there and getting involved. I just want everything to happen quickly and naturally. Patience, I keep telling myself.
When I returned from Trujillo, my family had rearranged the house. The sister’s bed is now in the parent’s room. We had supper or bread and coffee. That is all they seem to ever have for supper. I think financially this family is suffering. It puts me in such a tough situation. I know any number of churches would happily donate to this poor Peruvian family. It would be a temporary fix, one that is not sustainable in the long run. I could I help this family help themselves? That is the real goal of a volunteer.
June 10, 2004
Wow. Here I am in my new home. I am with the same family I stayed with during my site visit. Granted they are very nice, sweet in fact, but this home is pretty rough. As long as I have my own space, I will be fine. The arrangement for me staying here is that I will make repairs on the house in place of rent. In the first 10 minutes, my mom showed me the things that she wanted me to fix or install like: a window, door, and bathroom. The dad even sat me down and said he needed a pair of eye glasses that cost $200. Definitely, not the foot I wanted to start off with in my new home. Peace Corps warns us that people will think we are made of money because we are from the USA. At this point, I am sharing a room with my sister. Hopefully, they will clean out the room so I can have it to myself. They do have a refrigerator here, but like in Santa Eulalia, it is unplugged (I think that is to conserve electricity, but what good is it?) Good things about this home: a flush toilet with a seat, water, electricity, telephone – so all and all I will be ok. Bad things: extremely close to other volunteer (about 2 blocks), no privacy, money issues.
I am having the urge to cry, but hopefully I can hold out. As for my work in El Milagro, I have to get myself prepared for my work there. I know it will be a shocker if not, especially the first couple of days. It is a good thing to be close to Trujillo.
Our counterpart took us shopping. We bought a bed and shelf for our rooms. I am glad I spoke up for myself and told my counterpart that I wanted to live somewhere else, they were supportive. Yeah! Now I have to find somewhere else to live.
June 8, 2004
We have spent two more days in Trujillo enjoying the cafes, shopping, and cable TV. We were supposed to move into our host families today, but something came up with our counterpart, so we are going to move into tomorrow or at least that is the new plan. We also mentioned to our counterpart our concerns about living so close together and they completely understood. They said that we were living in different sections of Winchanzao, so hopefully, it will all work out.
June 6, 2004
We got into Trujillo at 7:30 this morning. Our hotel is ok; not the greatest, but it does have hot water. I slept all night on the bus. We explored the city first thing this morning. I have to admit I am very excited about Trujillo. It is a great city. There are supermarkets that have great stuff like American sliced cheese, sandwich meat, milk, and peanut butter. I was so excited! We found the post office and the bank. Also, there are some great restaurants. For lunch, we ate in a cute little café where I had a great grilled chicken salad with oil/vinegar dressing. We found lots of appliance stores and even a department store with almost anything I would need. We sat in the Plaza for a while and it didn’t take long before people just came up to us and asked us what we were doing in town. It was so funny how incredible friendly and curious people are here. After we chatted for a while, we headed to the movies. I can’t believe there is actually a cinema here. We watched the Day after Tomorrow; it was fair, I wouldn’t recommend it.
Tomorrow is another day to laze around here in Trujillo, and then on Tuesday we head to our sites and to our host families. I am very nervous. I am praying things will be ok.
I went this morning with my family to their other house inside the city of Trujillo. The father says that they have been planning on moving there for 2 years now. He says that I can live in either place. I told him I would live where I am for the time being. I ate lunch with my family. The meals are much more balanced here. I have at least 2 servings of vegetables and one meat, which is so much better than before. The dad has been so nice to me; he is very interested in my culture and continues to praise my Spanish. He is a professor at a high school and works a second job at a sugar factory. All the kids of the family attend the university and the mom stays at home. There is a 92 year old grandmother living here too; she is so cute, but can’t hear a thing.
It is really crazy how everyone just wants to go the USA. Everyone I talk with has a friend or family member that is living there. Even my dad here can’t imagine that jobs are hard to come by in my home too. I have to admit, things aren’t nearly as bad in the USA, as they are here. I am so lucky.
As for my work in El Milagro, I am learning more about how things run. My counterpart gave the same workshop that we gave at the town meeting to the mother’s group. The mother’s group calls themselves the ‘Dream Recyclers’, which is catchy since they also work as recyclers in the land fill. I mostly just hung out with the kids and talked with the mothers.
It is so great to be able to prepare my own food. I have gotten into a hot tea habit too.
June 17, 2004
My family took me to the big market in our community today. It is about 5 blocks away and has anything you can think of. I have been eating lunch with my family, but I haven’t even paid my rent yet. I told the dad a couple of days ago, that I need to pay, but he doesn’t seemed concerned. I guess I will just wait until he asks.
Today in El Milagro, we did home visits. What an experience. I can’t really even explain it. Imagine a land fill, then imagine families and animals (dogs, pigs, burros) living there in whatever they can find to make walls (mattresses, plastic, wire, bags). The odor is horrendous. The YMCA has implemented a latrine project, so there are outhouses sporadically amongst the houses. At 5:00pm every afternoon, the families take their pigs to the landfill to eat. These pigs are humongous. The families are raising these animals to sell, but they can’t sell them in Peru. Of course, the pigs carry disease because of what they eat, so these families go to the Ecuador border and sell them there. I was once again astounded at the extreme level of poverty that these people are living in.
Not feeling so well tonight, must be something I’ve eaten. I was asleep by 8:00pm.
June 16, 2004
I did some much needed grocery shopping today. I made some great finds like: Equal sweetener, Campbell’s soup, and even Romen noodles. I dropped some laundry off at the laundry mat – not cheap, but it is just so hard to hand wash jeans. So, the other half I will hand wash here.
I went to work in El Milagro at 3:00. I attended a community meeting with my counterpart. She held a workshop on advocacy. The YMCA in El Milagro, functions a lot like Family Connection does at home. They serve as a community resource where kids are mentored and tutored, families receive counseling, health fairs are organized, and community meetings are held. I was able to see the main plaza and the church and we also visited with some families of the community while we were there.
I introduced myself to the mini market owner and the guy who cuts hair here where I am living. They were nice and warned me to be careful getting off and on the bus from certain areas, there is a history of robbers.
June 15, 2004
I got up this morning and packed my things to move to my new house. I ventured to the market to find some breakfast – bread and mandarins. Around 11:00 am, my counterpart showed up and we moved all my stuff. My family took the news well; my counterpart told them I had to move because Peace Corps wanted us in separate communities.
My new family is nice. There are 3 kids (21, 24, 26 years old), their parents and they rent out the 2nd and 3rd floor rooms. I am in a room on the third floor. My neighbors are a young married couple and a single 21 year old. The oldest son of the family is 27 and he has been a real help to me. He helped me move in and put up my bed; he took me for a tour of the neighborhood, and even helped me get a bus into town. He has studied English and wants me to tutor him. I went into Trujillo to go to the supermarket, but it was closed. I am figuring out that most things close here around siesta time of 1-4pm. I will be eating lunch with the family but I want to cook my own breakfast and dinner. I pay $100 soles a month for rent. That is like $35 American dollars, you can’t beat it.
I made my first visit to El Milagro today. I prepped myself for the shock of it all and I have to admit that it wasn’t such a shock at all this time. All the kids were happy to see me. My counterpart gave me a set of keys to the building and went over the objectives of the YMCA in El Milagro. They are doing so much! They have a full-time social-worker, a full-time psychologist, a part-time teacher, and several volunteer college students who all do programs/activities in the center. There weekly schedule is packed full of workshops, therapy sessions, activities. It is all a little intimidating, but I can see where I can bring some of my skills to the table. I told them I was interested in doing sports activities with the kids (which they lack), team building activities, and a paper making project and they seemed excited that I had some new ideas. In fact, they wanted me to hop right in the schedule for this week. I had to try to explain that I am still in the adjustment phase and would need some time to observe and learn about the culture and way things work.
I told my counterpart that I didn’t even know how to take the bus or where to shop for things like laundry soap, so before I jump into work, I need to feel organized and settled in at home. She was great and immediately took me to town. We bought me an electric hot plate, a dish, a fork, a knife, a spoon, Tupperware, and a bucket to wash my clothes. She gave me a tour of Trujillo on the way. We also decided that I would only work the afternoons this week, so I could get more settled in.
I am feeling more and more confident with my Spanish. My new host family dad told me I speak better Spanish than he does, I know he was kidding, but it does feel good to be able to communicate and share ideas with others in another language.
I don’t think I picked up lice from my sister. Thank goodness!
June 14, 2004
I returned to the house I found by the internet cafe to see about moving in. The dad of the family says all is good for me to move in, so I believe I will just do it. God is telling me this is where I should live, so I am going to follow his advice.
At 4:00, we visited the new YMCA office; the building is brand new and very nice. It is in an area of town that is pretty shady. They don’t even have water, electricity, or telephones and they can’t move in until they do. So, it will probably be forever until that all is ready. We had a YMCA staff meeting at the temporary office. It was quite overwhelming; they want us to start doing activities immediately. Peace Corps tells us to take 3 months to get settled in before we start any projects. Also, they want me to be in the center in El Milagro, 6 days a week, 9:00-6:00 with a 2 hour lunch. That is like a full-time job!
I am worried about how my current family will take the news that I am moving out. Hopefully, everything will work out. I am learning so much, but the lessons are tough ones. To not be liked or to be liked or to stand out wherever you go, simple because of your skin color is harsh.
June 13, 2004
I had a bad night last night. I couldn’t sleep because I am so worried about my living situation. I keep praying, but I just can’t shake my anxiety. I bought some things today for my family, like milk, bread, fruit, and rice.
I met the missionary family for lunch at a golf club in Trujillo. I met their children, visited with them at their house, and afterwards, we again looked for housing. I think God put them in my life for a reason. What a coincidence to be able to know them here in Peru.
June 12, 2004
This area of Trujillo where I am living doesn’t have police, so it is pretty much self-patrolled. People are extremely worried about being robbed. I have been warned several times about it. This common opinion is that if you are stupid enough to allow your stuff to be stolen, then so be it.
This being a ‘rich’ foreigner thing is tough. I so obviously have so much more than they do, and it makes things so difficult.
I went to the YMCA center of Winchanzao to a leadership workshop, but nobody showed up. However, I did chat with another YMCA volunteer, she’s Peruvian and lives in Winchanzao. I have yet to visit El Milagro. I ate lunch at a little house and the family was super nice. This house is a couple of doors down from the house I want to move into to. They said they would give me 3 meals a day for $6, when I move.
I met the missionaries that I had been corresponding with via email. What a nice couple! They helped me for a room to rent in some nice areas of Trujillo.
June 11, 2004
I had a weird night last night for sure. I had absolutely no privacy. I am still sleeping in the same room as my sister. Even though I was writing in the living room, my mom just turned off all the lights said to get in the bed. So we went to our bedroom and she said I could use her bedroom if I wanted to change. There are no doors on either of the 2 bedrooms. Something has to give! Oh, yeah, my sister has lice. I helped my mom pick the nits out of her hair this morning. My mom says its something she has to do every morning. I realize we are supposed to compromise as volunteers, but this is too much. I have to look for somewhere else to live ASAP. My sanity depends on it. Who’s going to look out for me if I don’t?
I tutored the neighbor in English a bit this morning, before I headed to the internet café, a couple of blocks from Winchanzao. I asked the attendant in the internet cafe if she knew of any place for me to live. What do you know? She says she rents a room from a family close by and that they have a room with bathroom that is available. The room is clean and nice, totally cute and only $100 per month. I have to wait until Sunday to talk with the father about the logistics. But I think this is definitely an option for me.
On a good note, our counterpart really seems to understand our roles as volunteers and the importance of being happy where we live.
I am so scared! What am I scared of? Being lonely, I think. I know that this pace of life will take some time to get used to and some adjustments on my part. I really haven’t had to be truly on my own. I will have to fill my days with activities. I can get a membership at a gym. I will be able to cook my food in my new room. I can read and I could get a Spanish tutor. I could make jewelry, sew, paint, or draw. See, I have lots of activities to keep boredom stay away.
Secondary projects I would like to tackle are: teaching English, youth group for Niyelo activities, reading group.
I am thinking about the 2 years before me and it seems like an eternity. I just hope to make this place my home. I know that just means putting myself out there and getting involved. I just want everything to happen quickly and naturally. Patience, I keep telling myself.
When I returned from Trujillo, my family had rearranged the house. The sister’s bed is now in the parent’s room. We had supper or bread and coffee. That is all they seem to ever have for supper. I think financially this family is suffering. It puts me in such a tough situation. I know any number of churches would happily donate to this poor Peruvian family. It would be a temporary fix, one that is not sustainable in the long run. I could I help this family help themselves? That is the real goal of a volunteer.
June 10, 2004
Wow. Here I am in my new home. I am with the same family I stayed with during my site visit. Granted they are very nice, sweet in fact, but this home is pretty rough. As long as I have my own space, I will be fine. The arrangement for me staying here is that I will make repairs on the house in place of rent. In the first 10 minutes, my mom showed me the things that she wanted me to fix or install like: a window, door, and bathroom. The dad even sat me down and said he needed a pair of eye glasses that cost $200. Definitely, not the foot I wanted to start off with in my new home. Peace Corps warns us that people will think we are made of money because we are from the USA. At this point, I am sharing a room with my sister. Hopefully, they will clean out the room so I can have it to myself. They do have a refrigerator here, but like in Santa Eulalia, it is unplugged (I think that is to conserve electricity, but what good is it?) Good things about this home: a flush toilet with a seat, water, electricity, telephone – so all and all I will be ok. Bad things: extremely close to other volunteer (about 2 blocks), no privacy, money issues.
I am having the urge to cry, but hopefully I can hold out. As for my work in El Milagro, I have to get myself prepared for my work there. I know it will be a shocker if not, especially the first couple of days. It is a good thing to be close to Trujillo.
Our counterpart took us shopping. We bought a bed and shelf for our rooms. I am glad I spoke up for myself and told my counterpart that I wanted to live somewhere else, they were supportive. Yeah! Now I have to find somewhere else to live.
June 8, 2004
We have spent two more days in Trujillo enjoying the cafes, shopping, and cable TV. We were supposed to move into our host families today, but something came up with our counterpart, so we are going to move into tomorrow or at least that is the new plan. We also mentioned to our counterpart our concerns about living so close together and they completely understood. They said that we were living in different sections of Winchanzao, so hopefully, it will all work out.
June 6, 2004
We got into Trujillo at 7:30 this morning. Our hotel is ok; not the greatest, but it does have hot water. I slept all night on the bus. We explored the city first thing this morning. I have to admit I am very excited about Trujillo. It is a great city. There are supermarkets that have great stuff like American sliced cheese, sandwich meat, milk, and peanut butter. I was so excited! We found the post office and the bank. Also, there are some great restaurants. For lunch, we ate in a cute little café where I had a great grilled chicken salad with oil/vinegar dressing. We found lots of appliance stores and even a department store with almost anything I would need. We sat in the Plaza for a while and it didn’t take long before people just came up to us and asked us what we were doing in town. It was so funny how incredible friendly and curious people are here. After we chatted for a while, we headed to the movies. I can’t believe there is actually a cinema here. We watched the Day after Tomorrow; it was fair, I wouldn’t recommend it.
Tomorrow is another day to laze around here in Trujillo, and then on Tuesday we head to our sites and to our host families. I am very nervous. I am praying things will be ok.
Saturday, June 05, 2004
June 5, 2004
I am just hanging out in the hotel room today. I couldn’t really sleep last night. I woke up early and checked my email here at the hotel. They had a continental breakfast which was excellent. With Peru’s ways of little waste, the all you could drink, eat of my breakfast was fabulous. I took a shower, disappointingly my water wasn’t very hot, and then we headed to the beach for some shopping and lunch at Pizza Hut. It is very cold here and there’s no heat. So I have been bundling up when we head outside. I got a 10 minute massage at the mall for 10 soles; it was worth every minute of it! We don’t head out to Trujillo until 9:00 pm. Everyone else leaves earlier. It is so sad to see everyone leave for their sites. Everyone has gotten so close – going through training together, laughing & crying together. It is hard to think about not seeing everyone everyday for now on.
June 4, 2004
Swearing in today! I got up extremely early to get my luggage sent off and myself ready for the big day. With a borrowed dress and shoes and an up-do I said my goodbyes to my Santa Eulalia family. It was very sad. They have treated me so well and made me a part of their family. We left for Lima with a crowd waving us farewell from the training center. Needless to say, I was very nervous about giving my speech.
We made our way to the Peace Corps Office, then to the Presidential Palace. Our ceremony was very formal with about 200 people attending, including past volunteers, world diplomats, the US ambassador, the Peace Corps director, and of course President Toledo. I have to admit, my speech went well! I spoke just before President Toledo. Afterwards, many congratulated me on a job well done and even complemented my Spanish. There were a lot of press cameras present and we even made it on Peruvian television.
After our ceremony, we had an amazing lunch at a restaurant called Mango’s on the beach in Lima -- a complete buffet where I stuffed myself full of chicken, beef, pork, vegetables, and salad. It was scrumptious. The Peace Corps Director, Gaddy Vasquez, dined with us and he sat by me at the table -- my first experience conversing with a President Bush appointee. He told us of his experiences as a politician and his job at Peace Corps Director. Later, we checked in our hotel and just chilled out. For our last night together as a group, we headed to Miraflores with our trainers and language teachers. We had a lot of fun.
June 3, 2004
Our last day of training. We had breakfast at our trainer’s house. We cooked for ourselves: pancakes, scrambled eggs with veggies, smoothies from fresh fruit, and coffee. Afterwards, we presented our mentoring experience. At 3:00 pm, we had a party for our families. I was on the gift committee – we gave the families flowers, framed photos, and homemade candles. Also, we had a food committee (and, boy, they did a great job!), decorations, and entertainment committee. The party was a huge success. We sang a song we dubbed the CHP Blues, did a skit where we acted like our Peruvian moms, and presented the gifts. All and all it was a great end to training.
Tonight is my last night here. I dread packing! My family took me for my last dinner to a restaurant in Chosica. They are too sweet. I will miss them.
June 1, 2004
I practiced my speech for my language class today. We went to Chosica for errands this afternoon. I bought another pair of handmade sandals; thought it might be my last chance! I practiced my language interview questions with another trainee. I have had late nights everyday this week. Just not enough time in the day to get everything in and completed.
I am just hanging out in the hotel room today. I couldn’t really sleep last night. I woke up early and checked my email here at the hotel. They had a continental breakfast which was excellent. With Peru’s ways of little waste, the all you could drink, eat of my breakfast was fabulous. I took a shower, disappointingly my water wasn’t very hot, and then we headed to the beach for some shopping and lunch at Pizza Hut. It is very cold here and there’s no heat. So I have been bundling up when we head outside. I got a 10 minute massage at the mall for 10 soles; it was worth every minute of it! We don’t head out to Trujillo until 9:00 pm. Everyone else leaves earlier. It is so sad to see everyone leave for their sites. Everyone has gotten so close – going through training together, laughing & crying together. It is hard to think about not seeing everyone everyday for now on.
June 4, 2004
Swearing in today! I got up extremely early to get my luggage sent off and myself ready for the big day. With a borrowed dress and shoes and an up-do I said my goodbyes to my Santa Eulalia family. It was very sad. They have treated me so well and made me a part of their family. We left for Lima with a crowd waving us farewell from the training center. Needless to say, I was very nervous about giving my speech.
We made our way to the Peace Corps Office, then to the Presidential Palace. Our ceremony was very formal with about 200 people attending, including past volunteers, world diplomats, the US ambassador, the Peace Corps director, and of course President Toledo. I have to admit, my speech went well! I spoke just before President Toledo. Afterwards, many congratulated me on a job well done and even complemented my Spanish. There were a lot of press cameras present and we even made it on Peruvian television.
After our ceremony, we had an amazing lunch at a restaurant called Mango’s on the beach in Lima -- a complete buffet where I stuffed myself full of chicken, beef, pork, vegetables, and salad. It was scrumptious. The Peace Corps Director, Gaddy Vasquez, dined with us and he sat by me at the table -- my first experience conversing with a President Bush appointee. He told us of his experiences as a politician and his job at Peace Corps Director. Later, we checked in our hotel and just chilled out. For our last night together as a group, we headed to Miraflores with our trainers and language teachers. We had a lot of fun.
June 3, 2004
Our last day of training. We had breakfast at our trainer’s house. We cooked for ourselves: pancakes, scrambled eggs with veggies, smoothies from fresh fruit, and coffee. Afterwards, we presented our mentoring experience. At 3:00 pm, we had a party for our families. I was on the gift committee – we gave the families flowers, framed photos, and homemade candles. Also, we had a food committee (and, boy, they did a great job!), decorations, and entertainment committee. The party was a huge success. We sang a song we dubbed the CHP Blues, did a skit where we acted like our Peruvian moms, and presented the gifts. All and all it was a great end to training.
Tonight is my last night here. I dread packing! My family took me for my last dinner to a restaurant in Chosica. They are too sweet. I will miss them.
June 1, 2004
I practiced my speech for my language class today. We went to Chosica for errands this afternoon. I bought another pair of handmade sandals; thought it might be my last chance! I practiced my language interview questions with another trainee. I have had late nights everyday this week. Just not enough time in the day to get everything in and completed.
Saturday, May 29, 2004
May 29, 2004
Back home by 10:30 am and cleaning up a little. Hand-washing all your clothes is not fun. I definitely have appreciation for my old washer and dryer. I can’t believe we swear in as volunteers in less than a week. It is crazy that training is almost over. I am excited to get started with the next step in my adventure. Santa Eulalia has a new internet cafe. Yeah, I won’t have to head to Chosica every time I want to use the internet. You would know internet would make it here a week before I move!
May 28, 2004
We went back to the school. The director was there, but he didn’t think we should do a presentation. We’re not really sure what to make of our last visit to Callahuanca. I think in a lot of ways our novelty of being Gringas has worn off. On to plan B, we are going to plan a playtime for the kids at 3:00 and hopefully sneak in a couple of words about leadership (our homework for our last visit). We had an announcement made on the loud speaker, inviting the whole town the Peace Corps activity and it worked. We had several kids and adults showed for our activity. We played ‘Leader of the Band’ then ‘Trust Walk’ and had a discussion afterwards. The kids brought up some great ideas about what they would do if they were president of Peru. We continued to play with the kids and took another walk. Another early night for me, I am in bed at 9:00 pm.
May 27, 2004
We’re back in Callahuanca for our final visit. I am staying with the elderly couple again. It is definitely a little uncomfortable, we just don’t have much in common and there are several ‘silent’ moments. They are sweet and their home is comfortable. We visited the school to set up a time to do a presentation, but the director wasn’t there, so we have to try again tomorrow. Ate lunch, boy was it yummy! Speaking of my eating habits, you might as well call me a vegetarian, cause I am not getting meat. All I eat is pasta, rice, potatoes, and bread. I buy my own fruit to supplement my diet, but I can really tell my body needs more protein. After lunch, we had Spanish classes, and then we took a walk with the kids of the community. I pulled out my Uno cards and had fun teaching the kids to play. In bed by 8:00 pm, I guess it’s lot of rest for me!
May 26, 2004
Language class this morning was better, not quite as boring. Maybe I just had more energy. The PCMO came today. I always like the days she comes, her sessions are always fun. We talked about security again. PC really takes that part of their job seriously. She also took our blood, since we are on malaria medication. After classes, we talked about who should speak at our ceremony and would you know, they picked me. Needless to say, I am already nervous and I have no idea what to say; but what an honor, to speak on behalf of our group and to such important world leaders. After class, we watched Shrek II; it was good to just enjoy a movie in English. Pirated movies/dvds/cds are the craze here and you can get them for cheap. I taught my family to play Uno. They liked it. I also showed them my gadget box that has my locks, binoculars, flashlight, and Gerber knife. They were so intrigued by it all.
May 25, 2004
The Country Director visited today for lunch. She cleared up some questions about our swearing in ceremony. Looks like it is going to be a pretty big deal! The Peace Corps Director from DC will be there and so will the Peruvian President, Toledo. It is going to be at the Presidential Palace, think Peruvian White House. We have to pick someone to speak on behalf of our group during the ceremony.
May 24, 2004
Today was definitely nothing to write home about, but I will record my thoughts for future reference. We started out the day with an alcohol workshop that we can do with youth. We had 2 volunteers present to help out. It is always good to get to know other volunteers and hear about their experiences. After lunch, I had language training. Our professor took us to Chosica for class which added an air of excitement to the afternoon. Then I went to internet and home. This is a really challenging time for me. I feel so ready to get to Trujillo, to get things started and organized. I don’t want to rush things, but I can’t seem to help my feelings of impatience. We have about a week left of training.
May 23, 2004
I headed to Lima with a friend. We went to Jockey Plaza again for some shopping and “Americanism”. We had Starbuck’s and Burger King. It was great! I made it home by 5:00 because my sister said that she wanted to go to her school’s party, but we didn’t end up going. That is a thing about this culture that really gets on my nerves. They may or may not follow through with their plans. They always just say what they think you want to hear. So I headed back to Chosica for some internet. When I got home, my sister helped me with my homework and the family hung out in my room, eating my fruit, and generally having a good time. It was cool.
May 22, 2004
We had classes this morning. Not fun to get up on a Saturday for school, believe me. After lunch, we headed to Surco for an environmental session. This included local girls leading us on a hike to the waterfalls of Surco, a small town about an hour from Santa Eulalia. On our way there, we were pulled over for illegally passing someone. Our driver had to pay the cop off -- $4. And the ticket would have cost him over $150. We made it there and made our way up the trail to the waterfalls. Because there hasn’t been much rain, the river was a bit dry and the waterfall not as impressive. But I did get to see some really cute sheep up close. In fact, I picked up a little white lamb and I thought its mom was going to ram me! We had a scary experience—one of our trainers, fell on the slippery rocks and cut his nose. There was blood everywhere. We had to escort him off the mountain and then to the hospital. He had to have 3 stitches. I made it home before dark and decided to stay in for the night.
Back home by 10:30 am and cleaning up a little. Hand-washing all your clothes is not fun. I definitely have appreciation for my old washer and dryer. I can’t believe we swear in as volunteers in less than a week. It is crazy that training is almost over. I am excited to get started with the next step in my adventure. Santa Eulalia has a new internet cafe. Yeah, I won’t have to head to Chosica every time I want to use the internet. You would know internet would make it here a week before I move!
May 28, 2004
We went back to the school. The director was there, but he didn’t think we should do a presentation. We’re not really sure what to make of our last visit to Callahuanca. I think in a lot of ways our novelty of being Gringas has worn off. On to plan B, we are going to plan a playtime for the kids at 3:00 and hopefully sneak in a couple of words about leadership (our homework for our last visit). We had an announcement made on the loud speaker, inviting the whole town the Peace Corps activity and it worked. We had several kids and adults showed for our activity. We played ‘Leader of the Band’ then ‘Trust Walk’ and had a discussion afterwards. The kids brought up some great ideas about what they would do if they were president of Peru. We continued to play with the kids and took another walk. Another early night for me, I am in bed at 9:00 pm.
May 27, 2004
We’re back in Callahuanca for our final visit. I am staying with the elderly couple again. It is definitely a little uncomfortable, we just don’t have much in common and there are several ‘silent’ moments. They are sweet and their home is comfortable. We visited the school to set up a time to do a presentation, but the director wasn’t there, so we have to try again tomorrow. Ate lunch, boy was it yummy! Speaking of my eating habits, you might as well call me a vegetarian, cause I am not getting meat. All I eat is pasta, rice, potatoes, and bread. I buy my own fruit to supplement my diet, but I can really tell my body needs more protein. After lunch, we had Spanish classes, and then we took a walk with the kids of the community. I pulled out my Uno cards and had fun teaching the kids to play. In bed by 8:00 pm, I guess it’s lot of rest for me!
May 26, 2004
Language class this morning was better, not quite as boring. Maybe I just had more energy. The PCMO came today. I always like the days she comes, her sessions are always fun. We talked about security again. PC really takes that part of their job seriously. She also took our blood, since we are on malaria medication. After classes, we talked about who should speak at our ceremony and would you know, they picked me. Needless to say, I am already nervous and I have no idea what to say; but what an honor, to speak on behalf of our group and to such important world leaders. After class, we watched Shrek II; it was good to just enjoy a movie in English. Pirated movies/dvds/cds are the craze here and you can get them for cheap. I taught my family to play Uno. They liked it. I also showed them my gadget box that has my locks, binoculars, flashlight, and Gerber knife. They were so intrigued by it all.
May 25, 2004
The Country Director visited today for lunch. She cleared up some questions about our swearing in ceremony. Looks like it is going to be a pretty big deal! The Peace Corps Director from DC will be there and so will the Peruvian President, Toledo. It is going to be at the Presidential Palace, think Peruvian White House. We have to pick someone to speak on behalf of our group during the ceremony.
May 24, 2004
Today was definitely nothing to write home about, but I will record my thoughts for future reference. We started out the day with an alcohol workshop that we can do with youth. We had 2 volunteers present to help out. It is always good to get to know other volunteers and hear about their experiences. After lunch, I had language training. Our professor took us to Chosica for class which added an air of excitement to the afternoon. Then I went to internet and home. This is a really challenging time for me. I feel so ready to get to Trujillo, to get things started and organized. I don’t want to rush things, but I can’t seem to help my feelings of impatience. We have about a week left of training.
May 23, 2004
I headed to Lima with a friend. We went to Jockey Plaza again for some shopping and “Americanism”. We had Starbuck’s and Burger King. It was great! I made it home by 5:00 because my sister said that she wanted to go to her school’s party, but we didn’t end up going. That is a thing about this culture that really gets on my nerves. They may or may not follow through with their plans. They always just say what they think you want to hear. So I headed back to Chosica for some internet. When I got home, my sister helped me with my homework and the family hung out in my room, eating my fruit, and generally having a good time. It was cool.
May 22, 2004
We had classes this morning. Not fun to get up on a Saturday for school, believe me. After lunch, we headed to Surco for an environmental session. This included local girls leading us on a hike to the waterfalls of Surco, a small town about an hour from Santa Eulalia. On our way there, we were pulled over for illegally passing someone. Our driver had to pay the cop off -- $4. And the ticket would have cost him over $150. We made it there and made our way up the trail to the waterfalls. Because there hasn’t been much rain, the river was a bit dry and the waterfall not as impressive. But I did get to see some really cute sheep up close. In fact, I picked up a little white lamb and I thought its mom was going to ram me! We had a scary experience—one of our trainers, fell on the slippery rocks and cut his nose. There was blood everywhere. We had to escort him off the mountain and then to the hospital. He had to have 3 stitches. I made it home before dark and decided to stay in for the night.
May 29, 2004
Back home by 10:30 am and cleaning up a little. Hand-washing all your clothes is not fun. I definitely have appreciation for my old washer and dryer. I can’t believe we swear in as volunteers in less than a week. It is crazy that training is almost over. I am excited to get started with the next step in my adventure. Santa Eulalia has a new internet cafe. Yeah, I won’t have to head to Chosica every time I want to use the internet. You would know internet would make it here a week before I move!
May 28, 2004
We went back to the school. The director was there, but he didn’t think we should do a presentation. We’re not really sure what to make of our last visit to Callahuanca. I think in a lot of ways our novelty of being Gringas has worn off. On to plan B, we are going to plan a playtime for the kids at 3:00 and hopefully sneak in a couple of words about leadership (our homework for our last visit). We had an announcement made on the loud speaker, inviting the whole town the Peace Corps activity and it worked. We had several kids and adults showed for our activity. We played ‘Leader of the Band’ then ‘Trust Walk’ and had a discussion afterwards. The kids brought up some great ideas about what they would do if they were president of Peru. We continued to play with the kids and took another walk. Another early night for me, I am in bed at 9:00 pm.
May 27, 2004
We’re back in Callahuanca for our final visit. I am staying with the elderly couple again. It is definitely a little uncomfortable, we just don’t have much in common and there are several ‘silent’ moments. They are sweet and their home is comfortable. We visited the school to set up a time to do a presentation, but the director wasn’t there, so we have to try again tomorrow. Ate lunch, boy was it yummy! Speaking of my eating habits, you might as well call me a vegetarian, cause I am not getting meat. All I eat is pasta, rice, potatoes, and bread. I buy my own fruit to supplement my diet, but I can really tell my body needs more protein. After lunch, we had Spanish classes, and then we took a walk with the kids of the community. I pulled out my Uno cards and had fun teaching the kids to play. In bed by 8:00 pm, I guess it’s lot of rest for me!
May 26, 2004
Language class this morning was better, not quite as boring. Maybe I just had more energy. The PCMO came today. I always like the days she comes, her sessions are always fun. We talked about security again. PC really takes that part of their job seriously. She also took our blood, since we are on malaria medication. After classes, we talked about who should speak at our ceremony and would you know, they picked me. Needless to say, I am already nervous and I have no idea what to say; but what an honor, to speak on behalf of our group and to such important world leaders. After class, we watched Shrek II; it was good to just enjoy a movie in English. Pirated movies/dvds/cds are the craze here and you can get them for cheap. I taught my family to play Uno. They liked it. I also showed them my gadget box that has my locks, binoculars, flashlight, and Gerber knife. They were so intrigued by it all.
May 25, 2004
The Country Director visited today for lunch. She cleared up some questions about our swearing in ceremony. Looks like it is going to be a pretty big deal! The Peace Corps Director from DC will be there and so will the Peruvian President, Toledo. It is going to be at the Presidential Palace, think Peruvian White House. We have to pick someone to speak on behalf of our group during the ceremony.
May 24, 2004
Today was definitely nothing to write home about, but I will record my thoughts for future reference. We started out the day with an alcohol workshop that we can do with youth. We had 2 volunteers present to help out. It is always good to get to know other volunteers and hear about their experiences. After lunch, I had language training. Our professor took us to Chosica for class which added an air of excitement to the afternoon. Then I went to internet and home. This is a really challenging time for me. I feel so ready to get to Trujillo, to get things started and organized. I don’t want to rush things, but I can’t seem to help my feelings of impatience. We have about a week left of training.
May 23, 2004
I headed to Lima with a friend. We went to Jockey Plaza again for some shopping and “Americanism”. We had Starbuck’s and Burger King. It was great! I made it home by 5:00 because my sister said that she wanted to go to her school’s party, but we didn’t end up going. That is a thing about this culture that really gets on my nerves. They may or may not follow through with their plans. They always just say what they think you want to hear. So I headed back to Chosica for some internet. When I got home, my sister helped me with my homework and the family hung out in my room, eating my fruit, and generally having a good time. It was cool.
May 22, 2004
We had classes this morning. Not fun to get up on a Saturday for school, believe me. After lunch, we headed to Surco for an environmental session. This included local girls leading us on a hike to the waterfalls of Surco, a small town about an hour from Santa Eulalia. On our way there, we were pulled over for illegally passing someone. Our driver had to pay the cop off -- $4. And the ticket would have cost him over $150. We made it there and made our way up the trail to the waterfalls. Because there hasn’t been much rain, the river was a bit dry and the waterfall not as impressive. But I did get to see some really cute sheep up close. In fact, I picked up a little white lamb and I thought its mom was going to ram me! We had a scary experience—one of our trainers, fell on the slippery rocks and cut his nose. There was blood everywhere. We had to escort him off the mountain and then to the hospital. He had to have 3 stitches. I made it home before dark and decided to stay in for the night.
Back home by 10:30 am and cleaning up a little. Hand-washing all your clothes is not fun. I definitely have appreciation for my old washer and dryer. I can’t believe we swear in as volunteers in less than a week. It is crazy that training is almost over. I am excited to get started with the next step in my adventure. Santa Eulalia has a new internet cafe. Yeah, I won’t have to head to Chosica every time I want to use the internet. You would know internet would make it here a week before I move!
May 28, 2004
We went back to the school. The director was there, but he didn’t think we should do a presentation. We’re not really sure what to make of our last visit to Callahuanca. I think in a lot of ways our novelty of being Gringas has worn off. On to plan B, we are going to plan a playtime for the kids at 3:00 and hopefully sneak in a couple of words about leadership (our homework for our last visit). We had an announcement made on the loud speaker, inviting the whole town the Peace Corps activity and it worked. We had several kids and adults showed for our activity. We played ‘Leader of the Band’ then ‘Trust Walk’ and had a discussion afterwards. The kids brought up some great ideas about what they would do if they were president of Peru. We continued to play with the kids and took another walk. Another early night for me, I am in bed at 9:00 pm.
May 27, 2004
We’re back in Callahuanca for our final visit. I am staying with the elderly couple again. It is definitely a little uncomfortable, we just don’t have much in common and there are several ‘silent’ moments. They are sweet and their home is comfortable. We visited the school to set up a time to do a presentation, but the director wasn’t there, so we have to try again tomorrow. Ate lunch, boy was it yummy! Speaking of my eating habits, you might as well call me a vegetarian, cause I am not getting meat. All I eat is pasta, rice, potatoes, and bread. I buy my own fruit to supplement my diet, but I can really tell my body needs more protein. After lunch, we had Spanish classes, and then we took a walk with the kids of the community. I pulled out my Uno cards and had fun teaching the kids to play. In bed by 8:00 pm, I guess it’s lot of rest for me!
May 26, 2004
Language class this morning was better, not quite as boring. Maybe I just had more energy. The PCMO came today. I always like the days she comes, her sessions are always fun. We talked about security again. PC really takes that part of their job seriously. She also took our blood, since we are on malaria medication. After classes, we talked about who should speak at our ceremony and would you know, they picked me. Needless to say, I am already nervous and I have no idea what to say; but what an honor, to speak on behalf of our group and to such important world leaders. After class, we watched Shrek II; it was good to just enjoy a movie in English. Pirated movies/dvds/cds are the craze here and you can get them for cheap. I taught my family to play Uno. They liked it. I also showed them my gadget box that has my locks, binoculars, flashlight, and Gerber knife. They were so intrigued by it all.
May 25, 2004
The Country Director visited today for lunch. She cleared up some questions about our swearing in ceremony. Looks like it is going to be a pretty big deal! The Peace Corps Director from DC will be there and so will the Peruvian President, Toledo. It is going to be at the Presidential Palace, think Peruvian White House. We have to pick someone to speak on behalf of our group during the ceremony.
May 24, 2004
Today was definitely nothing to write home about, but I will record my thoughts for future reference. We started out the day with an alcohol workshop that we can do with youth. We had 2 volunteers present to help out. It is always good to get to know other volunteers and hear about their experiences. After lunch, I had language training. Our professor took us to Chosica for class which added an air of excitement to the afternoon. Then I went to internet and home. This is a really challenging time for me. I feel so ready to get to Trujillo, to get things started and organized. I don’t want to rush things, but I can’t seem to help my feelings of impatience. We have about a week left of training.
May 23, 2004
I headed to Lima with a friend. We went to Jockey Plaza again for some shopping and “Americanism”. We had Starbuck’s and Burger King. It was great! I made it home by 5:00 because my sister said that she wanted to go to her school’s party, but we didn’t end up going. That is a thing about this culture that really gets on my nerves. They may or may not follow through with their plans. They always just say what they think you want to hear. So I headed back to Chosica for some internet. When I got home, my sister helped me with my homework and the family hung out in my room, eating my fruit, and generally having a good time. It was cool.
May 22, 2004
We had classes this morning. Not fun to get up on a Saturday for school, believe me. After lunch, we headed to Surco for an environmental session. This included local girls leading us on a hike to the waterfalls of Surco, a small town about an hour from Santa Eulalia. On our way there, we were pulled over for illegally passing someone. Our driver had to pay the cop off -- $4. And the ticket would have cost him over $150. We made it there and made our way up the trail to the waterfalls. Because there hasn’t been much rain, the river was a bit dry and the waterfall not as impressive. But I did get to see some really cute sheep up close. In fact, I picked up a little white lamb and I thought its mom was going to ram me! We had a scary experience—one of our trainers, fell on the slippery rocks and cut his nose. There was blood everywhere. We had to escort him off the mountain and then to the hospital. He had to have 3 stitches. I made it home before dark and decided to stay in for the night.
Wednesday, May 19, 2004
May 19, 2004
Received a call to let me know that my counterpart will assist in changing my home stay in Trujillo. Yeah! I know I still have a rough rode ahead of me.
May 18, 2004
After some intense soul searching, some intense studying of my Bible, and some intense conversations with God, I know he has a purpose for me here. After seeing and experiencing El Milagro, I have decided that I can work in the site, but would need to live outside it, in Trujillo.
I talked to the APCD and felt I was upfront with my needs. I told him of my dedication to serve as a volunteer, but in order to be the best volunteer I could be, I would need a certain living environment in which to escape. He was completely understanding and supportive. He said that he would call my counterpart and would discuss with her the options of another host family for me, outside of my site. He will let me know what he finds out tomorrow.
I definitely feel better about things, but I know this is going to be so hard. Possibly the hardest thing I have ever done in my life, in fact. With faith in God, I can do this. He is showing me that.
Like my APCD told me--if it was all rosy and great, then why would Peace Corps be in Peru?
May 17, 2004
I made it back to Santa Eulalia. What a beautiful home I have here. I called the PCMO to see what the APCD had said and she said that there are definitely some options for me. What a relief. She suggested that I talk with a trainer, to get her perspective on the situation since she had visited my site previously.
She helped me to realize that intense poverty is a reality in a 3rd world country and she validated my feelings of doubt and encouraged me to call the APCD. I pretty much just gave him my thoughts on my site. He asked that I come up with ideas on how I might be able to fix the problems that I have with the site. He said that El Milagro can be considered the most challenging site in the group, that it meets PC regulations for safety, and that housing is adequate. We scheduled a meeting for tomorrow at noon to talk face to face on a solution.
Since all the other trainees had gotten into town today too, we all met in Chosica for supper and time to exchange stories about sites. One thing that I realized is that many others had a miserable time too. And that I had some pretty great things going on in Trujillo. My counterpart is awesome, they have some great activities going on, they are progressive thinkers, educated, and resourceful. Plus they were just incredibly nice people. The beach is only a 15 minute drive away and Trujillo offers everything in the form of modern amenities. Some of my compadres didn’t fare so well either. One guy was sent 2 hours north of Cajamarca by milk truck to this extremely rural site, where he slept on the dirt floor, only ate potatoes, was unwelcomed by his reserved community, didn’t have a counterpart, had an outhouse (that you would just drather use the woods it was so bad), and was somewhat badgered by the town’s alcoholics because he was gringo. Other trainees, lived behind locked gates for the entire stay unable to leave, others didn’t like their counterparts or felt they didn’t have a role to fulfill in the community. In other words, maybe the grass isn’t greener on the other side.
May 16, 2004
Well I guess it is time for a recap on the previous 3 days of my experience in Trujillo. I really wasn’t able to write, to eat, nor to sleep. It was that bad.
Me and one other trainee arrived here on Wednesday in the afternoon. We were immediately shuttled from the bus station to our host family. Our host families were located in another site about 10 min. from my site, El Milagro. We started off with a big bang. We went to a mother’s club where we were introduced and expected to speak to the group. Then we headed over to a youth group meeting where the same thing happened. We talked, answered questions, and played a couple of games. My host family was marvelous. They had electricity, water, bucket flush toilet, and a shower. They had turkeys and guinea pigs in their patio. Their home was quite comfortable. It was a good first night. Reality set in the very next day.
The YMCA director and our counterpart, picked us both up early the next day to tour my site, El Milagro. I had no idea what to expect and there was no way I could have prepared myself for the reality of the site. El Milagro epitomizes the term ‘extreme poverty’. It is the last pueblo of the city of Trujillo before entering the desert, most famous for the city dump where many residents make a living ‘recycling’ trash and looking for anything of use. When I say city dump, it’s not to be confused with my experience of US’s landfills. This dump is as far as you can see out into the desert. Families live in little square black plastic shelters or in crude adobe housing. Over 40,000 people live in El Milagro. Most have no electricity, no water, and no bathroom. There are no regulations on trash disposal here, anyone may dump trash, and anyone may live in it or go through it. The community ‘recycles’ things found in the dump. They earn 10 cents a kilo for plastic, eat what food they find, and wear the clothes the recover. They take their pigs there to graze, not understanding the re-contamination they are producing. Also, El Milagro is also home to a state prison. The YMCA center, where I am to work, is located next to the prison. The center is a location where kids in El Milagro can hang out, do homework, and play. There are students from universities in Trujillo who volunteer to help with the kid’s with school work and 3 YMCA employees that organize activities for the youth and women’s club of the community. The center is open Monday – Saturday 9:00-6:00. Rocio took us for a driving tour of El Milagro and drove directly to where the children and adults were ‘working’ in the trash. After our tour, we drove into Trujillo to the YMCA office (in a very nice section of town), where I proceeded to break down. I had never experienced such inhumane conditions in my life and to think that I would be living there for 2 years was too much to bear. We took a walk and I just cried and cried. We returned to our home stays and I didn’t sleep. I finally was able to make myself calm down by praying for guidance, support, and a solution.
We returned to El Milagro the next day where we hung out in the center and played with the kids. What a loving group of kids. They had a ton of questions, big hugs, and smiling faces. I was able to visit my future home stay and boy was it a disappointment. The home was made of adobe, my room was supposed to be getting improvements but none by my eyes could be noted. There was no roof, no water, and an outhouse. In the afternoon, we returned to the other site. I attended a mass service at the Catholic Church with my host sister. She introduced me to the priest, who asked me if I was catholic. I told him no that I was Baptist. And he told me that was all that was important, that I was a Christian. How true, I find that to be. I immensely enjoyed the service and felt God’s presence and his calming hand. After chatting with the congregation after the service, I returned home to another restless night. I just remember experiencing this intense fear.
My last day in El Milagro was during a Health Campaign sponsored by the YMCA. There was a nutritionist, a dermatologist, an obstetrician, and general practitioner there to see the community members. I helped with the campaign and played outside with the kids. After another long day, I headed back to Angela’s site. I finally felt in control of my emotions enough to call the Peace Corps nurse, to tell her of my experience. I told her about my site and that I just couldn’t do it. I couldn’t live there in that site for 2 years, that I felt incredibly unsafe physically, emotionally, and mentally. She was absolutely great and told me that was the point of a site visit--to see if the site is the right match for you. She also said she would call Ken, the guy who does our placements, to give him a head’s up. What a relief to verbalize what I was feeling.
My last day in Trujillo was a good one. Before lunch, we helped the YMCA with a youth workshop and a women's group fundraiser in the other site. In the afternoon, we did the touristy things like visiting the Ruins of the Moon & Sun, touring down town, and visiting the beach.
May 13, 2004
Oh my goodness. My site is unlike anything I have ever seen. The worst situation I have ever witnessed, in fact.
May 12, 2004
The bus I was on to the ‘campo’ broke down, so I had to hail another one. I helped another volunteer with more presentations in the schools. I head to Trujillo tomorrow. Things that I have loved about Cajamarca are the traditional dress of the people. They wear such brightly colored clothing. The women have on big skirts and babies strapped to their backs. Big white hats are worn by all. Generally, the people are very nice and friendly.
May 10, 2004
I ventured to the ‘campo’ today. That’s Spanish for countryside. I met up with a health volunteer where I was able to help kids learn how to properly brush their teeth, to teach an English class to kindergarteners, and to do some team building activities with high schoolers. Interestingly, only boys attended the high school, it seems that the girls have dropped out of school at this point. After our work in the schools, we headed to the pasture to “water” the cows. The cows are staked to the ground by a lead rope and ever so often you move them to fresh grass and lead them to the creek to drink water. It was a fun experience. We ate lunch at another volunteers house: pasta with a vegetable tomato sauce. Her house is mostly dirt floors, has an outhouse, no refrigerator, and a wood burning stove for cooking. We headed back into Cajamarca to meet up with another volunteer, to visit the local artisan workshops. What a neat place, to watch them make such beautiful ceramics. Her home in the city is very modern. She has all modern conveniences including TV, refrig, and bathroom. I am experiencing some definite anxiety about what is awaiting me in Trujillo.
May 9, 2004
Today is Mother’s Day. I called Mom to wish her a good day. This morning we toured Cajamarca with the PCVs of the area and had lunch in on the plaza. I have the afternoon to myself and just climbed the hill to the church to overlook all of Cajamarca. I went to the market for breakfast goods.
Received a call to let me know that my counterpart will assist in changing my home stay in Trujillo. Yeah! I know I still have a rough rode ahead of me.
May 18, 2004
After some intense soul searching, some intense studying of my Bible, and some intense conversations with God, I know he has a purpose for me here. After seeing and experiencing El Milagro, I have decided that I can work in the site, but would need to live outside it, in Trujillo.
I talked to the APCD and felt I was upfront with my needs. I told him of my dedication to serve as a volunteer, but in order to be the best volunteer I could be, I would need a certain living environment in which to escape. He was completely understanding and supportive. He said that he would call my counterpart and would discuss with her the options of another host family for me, outside of my site. He will let me know what he finds out tomorrow.
I definitely feel better about things, but I know this is going to be so hard. Possibly the hardest thing I have ever done in my life, in fact. With faith in God, I can do this. He is showing me that.
Like my APCD told me--if it was all rosy and great, then why would Peace Corps be in Peru?
May 17, 2004
I made it back to Santa Eulalia. What a beautiful home I have here. I called the PCMO to see what the APCD had said and she said that there are definitely some options for me. What a relief. She suggested that I talk with a trainer, to get her perspective on the situation since she had visited my site previously.
She helped me to realize that intense poverty is a reality in a 3rd world country and she validated my feelings of doubt and encouraged me to call the APCD. I pretty much just gave him my thoughts on my site. He asked that I come up with ideas on how I might be able to fix the problems that I have with the site. He said that El Milagro can be considered the most challenging site in the group, that it meets PC regulations for safety, and that housing is adequate. We scheduled a meeting for tomorrow at noon to talk face to face on a solution.
Since all the other trainees had gotten into town today too, we all met in Chosica for supper and time to exchange stories about sites. One thing that I realized is that many others had a miserable time too. And that I had some pretty great things going on in Trujillo. My counterpart is awesome, they have some great activities going on, they are progressive thinkers, educated, and resourceful. Plus they were just incredibly nice people. The beach is only a 15 minute drive away and Trujillo offers everything in the form of modern amenities. Some of my compadres didn’t fare so well either. One guy was sent 2 hours north of Cajamarca by milk truck to this extremely rural site, where he slept on the dirt floor, only ate potatoes, was unwelcomed by his reserved community, didn’t have a counterpart, had an outhouse (that you would just drather use the woods it was so bad), and was somewhat badgered by the town’s alcoholics because he was gringo. Other trainees, lived behind locked gates for the entire stay unable to leave, others didn’t like their counterparts or felt they didn’t have a role to fulfill in the community. In other words, maybe the grass isn’t greener on the other side.
May 16, 2004
Well I guess it is time for a recap on the previous 3 days of my experience in Trujillo. I really wasn’t able to write, to eat, nor to sleep. It was that bad.
Me and one other trainee arrived here on Wednesday in the afternoon. We were immediately shuttled from the bus station to our host family. Our host families were located in another site about 10 min. from my site, El Milagro. We started off with a big bang. We went to a mother’s club where we were introduced and expected to speak to the group. Then we headed over to a youth group meeting where the same thing happened. We talked, answered questions, and played a couple of games. My host family was marvelous. They had electricity, water, bucket flush toilet, and a shower. They had turkeys and guinea pigs in their patio. Their home was quite comfortable. It was a good first night. Reality set in the very next day.
The YMCA director and our counterpart, picked us both up early the next day to tour my site, El Milagro. I had no idea what to expect and there was no way I could have prepared myself for the reality of the site. El Milagro epitomizes the term ‘extreme poverty’. It is the last pueblo of the city of Trujillo before entering the desert, most famous for the city dump where many residents make a living ‘recycling’ trash and looking for anything of use. When I say city dump, it’s not to be confused with my experience of US’s landfills. This dump is as far as you can see out into the desert. Families live in little square black plastic shelters or in crude adobe housing. Over 40,000 people live in El Milagro. Most have no electricity, no water, and no bathroom. There are no regulations on trash disposal here, anyone may dump trash, and anyone may live in it or go through it. The community ‘recycles’ things found in the dump. They earn 10 cents a kilo for plastic, eat what food they find, and wear the clothes the recover. They take their pigs there to graze, not understanding the re-contamination they are producing. Also, El Milagro is also home to a state prison. The YMCA center, where I am to work, is located next to the prison. The center is a location where kids in El Milagro can hang out, do homework, and play. There are students from universities in Trujillo who volunteer to help with the kid’s with school work and 3 YMCA employees that organize activities for the youth and women’s club of the community. The center is open Monday – Saturday 9:00-6:00. Rocio took us for a driving tour of El Milagro and drove directly to where the children and adults were ‘working’ in the trash. After our tour, we drove into Trujillo to the YMCA office (in a very nice section of town), where I proceeded to break down. I had never experienced such inhumane conditions in my life and to think that I would be living there for 2 years was too much to bear. We took a walk and I just cried and cried. We returned to our home stays and I didn’t sleep. I finally was able to make myself calm down by praying for guidance, support, and a solution.
We returned to El Milagro the next day where we hung out in the center and played with the kids. What a loving group of kids. They had a ton of questions, big hugs, and smiling faces. I was able to visit my future home stay and boy was it a disappointment. The home was made of adobe, my room was supposed to be getting improvements but none by my eyes could be noted. There was no roof, no water, and an outhouse. In the afternoon, we returned to the other site. I attended a mass service at the Catholic Church with my host sister. She introduced me to the priest, who asked me if I was catholic. I told him no that I was Baptist. And he told me that was all that was important, that I was a Christian. How true, I find that to be. I immensely enjoyed the service and felt God’s presence and his calming hand. After chatting with the congregation after the service, I returned home to another restless night. I just remember experiencing this intense fear.
My last day in El Milagro was during a Health Campaign sponsored by the YMCA. There was a nutritionist, a dermatologist, an obstetrician, and general practitioner there to see the community members. I helped with the campaign and played outside with the kids. After another long day, I headed back to Angela’s site. I finally felt in control of my emotions enough to call the Peace Corps nurse, to tell her of my experience. I told her about my site and that I just couldn’t do it. I couldn’t live there in that site for 2 years, that I felt incredibly unsafe physically, emotionally, and mentally. She was absolutely great and told me that was the point of a site visit--to see if the site is the right match for you. She also said she would call Ken, the guy who does our placements, to give him a head’s up. What a relief to verbalize what I was feeling.
My last day in Trujillo was a good one. Before lunch, we helped the YMCA with a youth workshop and a women's group fundraiser in the other site. In the afternoon, we did the touristy things like visiting the Ruins of the Moon & Sun, touring down town, and visiting the beach.
May 13, 2004
Oh my goodness. My site is unlike anything I have ever seen. The worst situation I have ever witnessed, in fact.
May 12, 2004
The bus I was on to the ‘campo’ broke down, so I had to hail another one. I helped another volunteer with more presentations in the schools. I head to Trujillo tomorrow. Things that I have loved about Cajamarca are the traditional dress of the people. They wear such brightly colored clothing. The women have on big skirts and babies strapped to their backs. Big white hats are worn by all. Generally, the people are very nice and friendly.
May 10, 2004
I ventured to the ‘campo’ today. That’s Spanish for countryside. I met up with a health volunteer where I was able to help kids learn how to properly brush their teeth, to teach an English class to kindergarteners, and to do some team building activities with high schoolers. Interestingly, only boys attended the high school, it seems that the girls have dropped out of school at this point. After our work in the schools, we headed to the pasture to “water” the cows. The cows are staked to the ground by a lead rope and ever so often you move them to fresh grass and lead them to the creek to drink water. It was a fun experience. We ate lunch at another volunteers house: pasta with a vegetable tomato sauce. Her house is mostly dirt floors, has an outhouse, no refrigerator, and a wood burning stove for cooking. We headed back into Cajamarca to meet up with another volunteer, to visit the local artisan workshops. What a neat place, to watch them make such beautiful ceramics. Her home in the city is very modern. She has all modern conveniences including TV, refrig, and bathroom. I am experiencing some definite anxiety about what is awaiting me in Trujillo.
May 9, 2004
Today is Mother’s Day. I called Mom to wish her a good day. This morning we toured Cajamarca with the PCVs of the area and had lunch in on the plaza. I have the afternoon to myself and just climbed the hill to the church to overlook all of Cajamarca. I went to the market for breakfast goods.
Saturday, May 08, 2004
May 8, 2004
I made it to Cajamarca – 14 hours on a bus last night! The bus was nice granted, like a charter bus in US, but what a night. There is no good way to sleep, especially on bumping rodes. Cajamarca is beautiful, unlike anything I have ever seen. Rolling green mountains, quaint villages, huge farms, and friendly people. We are staying in a hostel right in down town. It is great. Believe it or not – I have hot water! My first hot shower in 8 weeks, what a treat. The rooms are neat and clean and there’s a tv. I feel like I am on vacation. We have the rest of today free to explore the city. Tomorrow I meet up with a volunteer named Amanda to learn first hand about PC service. Cajamarca is a big city with colonial buildings in the town center. There is a huge market a couple of blocks south of the plaza, where everything is sold – guinea pigs, fruits, vegetables, clothing, you name it.
May 7, 2004
What a whirl wind of a day. We found out of site placements, finally! I can’t believe I have made it this far in my PC experience. We leave this afternoon for Field Based Training for 10 days – where you stay with a current volunteer for 3 days to learn the ropes, then visit your site for 3 days to see your home of 2 years. Since there are no volunteers currently in Trujillo, I am heading to Cajamarca first, then will go to Trujillo at the end of the week.
A little about my site, from the written info I received: Intense poverty, final shanty town of the city before entering the desert, most famous for the city dump where many residents make a living recycling trash and looking for anything of use, there is electricity and water, latrines (outhouses), beach of Huanchaco is 15 minutes away, climate is warm and dry (often above 80), houses are made mostly of adobe and bricks, of any PC/Peru site offers the toughest daily reality, structured work (Monday-Friday) environment with YMCA, and Internet is a 5-minute walk away.
May 5, 2004
My family took me to thier uncle’s farm today, he raises exotic fish and has bananas, alvocados, limes, and apples. I was able to pick bananas right from the tree and eat them. He also took me to his ancestrial adobe home that is in his back yard. He said his great grandparents built it. Also got to see the guinea pigs and chickens he’s raising to eat.
May 4, 2004
Not too much happened today that is interesting. Just classes, then this afternoon two counterparts (agencies we will be working with in our sites) came to give presentations to our training group. A site in Cajamarca is in a group home/orphanage. The volunteer will have their own personal apartment, equipped with kitchen and hot water. You can’t beat that for living arrangements. However, the work seems arduous. The volunteer will live and work in this facility with 25 kids and one other adult. That’s a lot of responsibility and a lot of work. The other presentation was about Ancash, way up in the Andes Mountains. This site is a lot less structured. The volunteer will be living in a Quechua-speaking community and focusing on bi-lingual (Quechua/Spanish) education. I return to the Buenos Aires school on Thursday, so I am busy preparing a lesson. Supposedly, we are returning to help with tutoring, but the teachers have requested that we do another self-esteem activity.
May 3, 2004
Something that I have realized is -- you can really get used to any surrounding. The things I thought were just crazy and that I would never get used to, are a part of my everyday routine now. It’s almost like they’ve always been that way. You really don’t need a toilet seat, nor do you really need hot water to bathe in, and you can make due without a car. They say that reverse culture shock when you go home is even worse than the initial culture shock of the foreign country. I am beginning to see why. I can’t believe I have been here 2 months.
Classes today were great – my language improved! I’m up one more level. We’ve changed professors. We leave on Friday to visit our sites and to stay with another volunteer. We had a session on things you can do to improve the housing in your future site, so take notes on your first visit. PC gives you $200 as a settling in allowance, for things like a bed, stove, dresser, paint, or whatever you think you might need. All sites have some sort of shelter, latrine, and water source; but it is up to you to add what is not already there. The families can consider this part of the rent. If after a couple of months, your family is not working out, you can move homes. So, there is freedom in where you live, but you have to remember part of the PC mission is to live like the locals.
May 2, 2004
I went to a trainee´s soccer game today. She’s playing with the Santa Eulalia women’s team. It was fun to sit in the stands and hear the Peruvians root for the Gringa! I heard from a neighbor they want her to play for a team in Lima. Later in the afternoon, went with my family to the men’s soccer game, and had some great grilled chicken. They were having a chicken dinner for a fundraiser for the teams. Really, really sick tonight… You don’t want the details. Probably was the chicken.
May 1, 2004
This was my first experience staying in a hostel, but I have to admit, it wasn’t that bad. We still didn’t have hot water but my bed was reasonable clean. We toured the Plaza de Armas in downtown Lima, where I bought a great purse and had lunch. Service in a restaurant is definitely different here. One person does all the ordering and you better order everything at first or good luck getting it later. In the afternoon, we visited the PCMO´s place in Lima for homemade Mexican food. She pulled out her old PC scrapbook and told us her stories of her service in Paraguay. It has been a great weekend of speaking English and eating “normal” food. Back to Santa Eulalia.
April 30, 2004
We went to Huacan again today to do a health fair. We had a great time working with the kids. Supposedly this area of Lima, is a lot like my site in Trujillo, so I was taking notes. The area was congested with lots of people, shops, and houses. The streets were mostly dirt and lots of graffiti on the walls. On our way back to the training center, we saw a group marching to Lima. This group of 6000+ farmers had marched from the jungle in northern Peru. They were headed to the capital to protest new laws restricting cocoa plant production. Ventured back to Lima to eat dinner and watch a movie at the APCD´s house. What a great setup, working for the American Embassy. They have strict limitations on where employees can live, so that means you get a great pad. We played badminton in the back yard, snacked on chips & salsa, ate salad and Pizza Hut Pizza. Afterwards, we checked in at a hostel and headed to Barronco and Miraflores, nice sections of Lima, for some night scenes.
April 29, 2004
I had my second language interview today. It went pretty good. My Spanish has to of improved, right? I have been living here for 7 weeks now. I ventured to Chosica this afternoon for internet and some ice cream.
I made it to Cajamarca – 14 hours on a bus last night! The bus was nice granted, like a charter bus in US, but what a night. There is no good way to sleep, especially on bumping rodes. Cajamarca is beautiful, unlike anything I have ever seen. Rolling green mountains, quaint villages, huge farms, and friendly people. We are staying in a hostel right in down town. It is great. Believe it or not – I have hot water! My first hot shower in 8 weeks, what a treat. The rooms are neat and clean and there’s a tv. I feel like I am on vacation. We have the rest of today free to explore the city. Tomorrow I meet up with a volunteer named Amanda to learn first hand about PC service. Cajamarca is a big city with colonial buildings in the town center. There is a huge market a couple of blocks south of the plaza, where everything is sold – guinea pigs, fruits, vegetables, clothing, you name it.
May 7, 2004
What a whirl wind of a day. We found out of site placements, finally! I can’t believe I have made it this far in my PC experience. We leave this afternoon for Field Based Training for 10 days – where you stay with a current volunteer for 3 days to learn the ropes, then visit your site for 3 days to see your home of 2 years. Since there are no volunteers currently in Trujillo, I am heading to Cajamarca first, then will go to Trujillo at the end of the week.
A little about my site, from the written info I received: Intense poverty, final shanty town of the city before entering the desert, most famous for the city dump where many residents make a living recycling trash and looking for anything of use, there is electricity and water, latrines (outhouses), beach of Huanchaco is 15 minutes away, climate is warm and dry (often above 80), houses are made mostly of adobe and bricks, of any PC/Peru site offers the toughest daily reality, structured work (Monday-Friday) environment with YMCA, and Internet is a 5-minute walk away.
May 5, 2004
My family took me to thier uncle’s farm today, he raises exotic fish and has bananas, alvocados, limes, and apples. I was able to pick bananas right from the tree and eat them. He also took me to his ancestrial adobe home that is in his back yard. He said his great grandparents built it. Also got to see the guinea pigs and chickens he’s raising to eat.
May 4, 2004
Not too much happened today that is interesting. Just classes, then this afternoon two counterparts (agencies we will be working with in our sites) came to give presentations to our training group. A site in Cajamarca is in a group home/orphanage. The volunteer will have their own personal apartment, equipped with kitchen and hot water. You can’t beat that for living arrangements. However, the work seems arduous. The volunteer will live and work in this facility with 25 kids and one other adult. That’s a lot of responsibility and a lot of work. The other presentation was about Ancash, way up in the Andes Mountains. This site is a lot less structured. The volunteer will be living in a Quechua-speaking community and focusing on bi-lingual (Quechua/Spanish) education. I return to the Buenos Aires school on Thursday, so I am busy preparing a lesson. Supposedly, we are returning to help with tutoring, but the teachers have requested that we do another self-esteem activity.
May 3, 2004
Something that I have realized is -- you can really get used to any surrounding. The things I thought were just crazy and that I would never get used to, are a part of my everyday routine now. It’s almost like they’ve always been that way. You really don’t need a toilet seat, nor do you really need hot water to bathe in, and you can make due without a car. They say that reverse culture shock when you go home is even worse than the initial culture shock of the foreign country. I am beginning to see why. I can’t believe I have been here 2 months.
Classes today were great – my language improved! I’m up one more level. We’ve changed professors. We leave on Friday to visit our sites and to stay with another volunteer. We had a session on things you can do to improve the housing in your future site, so take notes on your first visit. PC gives you $200 as a settling in allowance, for things like a bed, stove, dresser, paint, or whatever you think you might need. All sites have some sort of shelter, latrine, and water source; but it is up to you to add what is not already there. The families can consider this part of the rent. If after a couple of months, your family is not working out, you can move homes. So, there is freedom in where you live, but you have to remember part of the PC mission is to live like the locals.
May 2, 2004
I went to a trainee´s soccer game today. She’s playing with the Santa Eulalia women’s team. It was fun to sit in the stands and hear the Peruvians root for the Gringa! I heard from a neighbor they want her to play for a team in Lima. Later in the afternoon, went with my family to the men’s soccer game, and had some great grilled chicken. They were having a chicken dinner for a fundraiser for the teams. Really, really sick tonight… You don’t want the details. Probably was the chicken.
May 1, 2004
This was my first experience staying in a hostel, but I have to admit, it wasn’t that bad. We still didn’t have hot water but my bed was reasonable clean. We toured the Plaza de Armas in downtown Lima, where I bought a great purse and had lunch. Service in a restaurant is definitely different here. One person does all the ordering and you better order everything at first or good luck getting it later. In the afternoon, we visited the PCMO´s place in Lima for homemade Mexican food. She pulled out her old PC scrapbook and told us her stories of her service in Paraguay. It has been a great weekend of speaking English and eating “normal” food. Back to Santa Eulalia.
April 30, 2004
We went to Huacan again today to do a health fair. We had a great time working with the kids. Supposedly this area of Lima, is a lot like my site in Trujillo, so I was taking notes. The area was congested with lots of people, shops, and houses. The streets were mostly dirt and lots of graffiti on the walls. On our way back to the training center, we saw a group marching to Lima. This group of 6000+ farmers had marched from the jungle in northern Peru. They were headed to the capital to protest new laws restricting cocoa plant production. Ventured back to Lima to eat dinner and watch a movie at the APCD´s house. What a great setup, working for the American Embassy. They have strict limitations on where employees can live, so that means you get a great pad. We played badminton in the back yard, snacked on chips & salsa, ate salad and Pizza Hut Pizza. Afterwards, we checked in at a hostel and headed to Barronco and Miraflores, nice sections of Lima, for some night scenes.
April 29, 2004
I had my second language interview today. It went pretty good. My Spanish has to of improved, right? I have been living here for 7 weeks now. I ventured to Chosica this afternoon for internet and some ice cream.
Tuesday, April 27, 2004
April 27, 2004
We took a feildtrip to Lima today to see the National Museum then had lunch at a ceviche place. All and all it was a good time -- great to get out of the training center for a little while.
April 25, 2004
Celebrated first thing this morning -- cold shower, finally! I went to Lima today with a friend. What a great day… Jockey Plaza (mall in Lima) should be sitting in downtown Atlanta. It’s a beautiful mall, with department stores, Payless Shoes, complete with a Starbucks. Yep, I couldn’t believe it either. I was in reverse culture shock when I walked in the place; I just couldn’t believe I was still in Peru. I had a French Vanilla Cappuccino, shopped, bought, ate a turkey sandwich, and had a great time feeling like an American (at least for a few hours!)
April 24, 2004
I haven’t slept this much in months. I have been able to sleep 12 hours a night here in CBT, must be my great sleeping bag. We helped make signs for the festival this morning. As we were walking down the street to the festival, a camera crew from the National TV station stopped us for an interview. I know…crazy! So, here I was talking in Spanish to a reporter with a TV camera in my face! Supposedly, it will be on TV in the morning. Just goes to show, Gringos are news here. The festival was hopping, tons of people from all over Peru head to the mountains for the annual festival. I had some great river fish for lunch and some chocolate cake for dessert. On the bus ride home, I got into a fascinating conversation with one of the school teachers from CBT. We talked about gender roles, psychology, marriage, and the differences in US and Peru. During our next visit to CBT, we are going to have a meeting with the teachers. I got home to find no water here… 4 days now without a bath.
April 23, 2004
I’m back at CBT. I’m staying with another trainee´s family (they couldn’t find another home stay) and I have to say it’s pretty bad. I can’t find an ounce of privacy anywhere. There are 10 kids in this family with a mom, plus me and the other trainee. The entire home has dirt floor and most of it is outside. There is a bathroom with a flush toilet, no shower, a sink in the “family” area, a wood burning stove for cooking. All I’ve managed to do is wash my face in the sink and brush my teeth a couple of times. There are two rooms in which everyone sleeps. We each have our own bed, and I only counted 4 others, so I’m not sure what the rest of the family is going to do. We’ve done 4 presentations at the schools and I believe they went well. We did self esteem activities and played a few games. All the kids know us now, so it’s cool when we venture outside. We immediately have kids holding our hands and generally crawling all over us! I am having some major stomach pain, probably shouldn’t have eaten that lettuce at lunch. It has been pretty cold here. We’ve taken several walks with the kids—to the cemetery, to the river, and just around town. I’ve even chatted with the kids about littering and self esteem. I am so ready to head to home for a bath! I haven’t been eating very well, just a lot of bread. The trip to the cemetery was interesting. Some of the graves were open. One of the kids, said that there are grave robbers looking for gold teeth and such. She also said it’s bad luck to look in the open graves. I saw my first pen of guinea pigs waiting to be cooked for supper. They were very fat and furry. Everyone was preparing the guinea pigs for this weekend’s Festival of the Chirimoya (native fruit of Peru).
April 20, 2004
What a day! I’ve already cried 2 times today. Homesickness, stress, and general bad-dayness will do that to you I guess. After my cry, I felt extremely better and I’ve made a resolution to run. Regular exercise is great for stress and it makes me feel good and I’ve been out of the habit sense heading to Peru. My friends here have really been there for me. I have to say they are some pretty great people. We vent with each other and we all have our days where we get upset. PC tells us it’s normal and to expect it, but the lows are not very fun! The highs definitely make up for them though and that is what gets me through. I led a team building activity today with my training group and it went well. As usual, I continue to learn things about myself and about others.
Crazy sights in Peru—women breastfeeding in public (leaves nothing to the imagination), everyone urinates in public (no need to find a tree/bush/hiding space), and they believe a cold/flu is caused from eating too many cold foods like ice cream.
April 19, 2004
I had another interview with the APCD today for my site placement. I believe it went well, I just told him the truth -- I would prefer a warm climate, an urban area, with modern amenities like water, lights, and internet. He said he had 2 places in mind for me, one in Trujillo working with the YMCA and one in Piura working with kids who are likely to be into drugs/gangs. I told him the site in Trujillo sounded more like me, so we’ll see. Heading to CBT again soon and I have to live with another family. I hope it’s ok! I played Frisbee with kids in the community today; most of the kids knew me from my session in their school. I am getting very anxious to get to my site, get to know my community, make friends, and settle in. Got a little homesick tonight -- I would like to just come home for about 6 hours, take a hot shower, see my loved ones, eat some great veggies, and head back out again.
April 18, 2004
I went to Lima today! It was a great time. We went to the beach just south of Lima. We walked and swam. I was definitely hesitant to get in the ocean (polution), but everyone was in the water and I didn’t want to seen weird…so I swam too. We ate lunch in a restaurant, which I could tell was a big thing for the family. It was absolutely scrumptious -- Roasted chicken, with fried potatoes, and salad. With a dressing, that was almost ranch. I couldn’t believe my luck. I have not been eating lettuce, since PCMO says it hard to clean properly and you are likely to get sick…but I did eat some of this salad and boy was it yummy! After lunch, we toured downtown. The downtown district is very Spanish colonial, mustard yellow paint, statues, museums, and park benches. I even saw a Pizza Hut, a Burger King, and a KFC. There for a second I thought I was back in the states! I had a very culturally faux pas moment. We visited a church which was very ornate with a golden altar. I didn’t hear the man say it, but my family said that he said we ought to be ashamed for coming to church in our street clothes. Then I crossed my legs while we were sitting and he was so embarrassed he left the service. Little did I know, you’re not to cross your legs in church! So, my whole family has laughed and laughed at me. I also experienced my first earthquake. It lasted for about 30 seconds and the people in the streets went crazy, screaming and running around. Nothing was damaged, but it was an experience.
April 17, 2004
Today’s Saturday but I had to go to school. What a bummer. We had language classes and a session on exactly what we will be doing as Youth Development Volunteers. I have another presentation next Tuesday and I’m also leading a team building session. (Thanks Niyelo!) So I´ll be doing homework this weekend. My mom taught me how to cook a Peruvian dish today. I had told her I am interested in learning, so she let me help out. It’s called Ahi de la Gallina...Chicken Spice...a chicken dish with red pepper and a bread like pudding. Interesting, different, and tasty!
April 16, 2004
We went to a shanty town area outside of Lima to work with an afternoon program for kids who work or don’t go to school. This is what they consider an urban youth project. Child labor is common, as is drug use, gangs, and violence. The kids were 6-12 years old. I had a blast! The program is from 3:00-5:00 in the afternoons and focuses on motivation and self esteem. We played games with the kids, sang songs, and mostly just acted like idiots! It was so fun. The kids were a little timid at first with all the Gringos but warmed up quickly and before I left I had to get a ton of kisses. If I were to be so lucky to be placed in a site like that program! I finally pin-pointed why I think this culture is so loving and great. They share absolutely everything. It is so beautiful really. That’s the meaning behind sharing the food I think. If anyone has anything, it is shared...completely. No matter how poor, everything is shared. It is so neat.
April 15, 2004
Getting to class this morning was an adventure in itself. The combi’s (public transportation) have decided to strike and protest. That means I had to cram into a taxi with 6 other Peruvians for a 10 minute ride to class. Most people couldn’t get to work or school because of the strike.
I went to a local school to do an activity on self esteem with a 5th grade class. Boy, was I stressed. There were 34 kids in one classroom. The activity was fun with lots of drawing and chatting. I don’t know what I would have done without the teacher. He was great and helped keep the kids in line and on task. At the end of the activity, it was neat to hear the kids tell me that they had never thought about stuff like “why I am important” or “who inspires me” before. So, even though it was stressful, I felt like I accomplished something.
I did a “Niyelo” activity with my language class, they thought it was cool. So, I’ve been asked to lead a session on Trust next week. Yeah! I’m excited.
April 14, 2004
Time is flying by! I’m in my forth week and I can’t believe it. Class has definitely been busy. I gave a presentation about Trujillo (a city in Peru) to the whole staff today. In Spanish! I feel good about it. I feel like the trainers throw so much info. at us and we never have time to work 100% on anything. I realize they only have 3 months to get us prepared for 2 years, but hey, it´s tough. I worked in our garden with the others this afternoon. We have learned how to make a bed, transplant, and water. I have enough more bug bites now. I look like a “Survivor” off the TV show. I have red spots all over me.
April 12, 2004
I’m not ready for another week of class! Alas, it’s here. This is my 4th week of PC training. Time is creeping by, I feel like I have been here for months. I bought a great pair of sandals. This guy in Chosica makes them by hand. He told me he studied shoe making in London for 2 years, so he speaks some English.
People eat/drink after each a lot here. In the market, if you want to try a salsa, just stick your finger in it. At meal times, anyone’s food is fair game. If you didn’t finish something, it’s almost rude to not offer it to someone else. And they don’t mind to pick up your fork to eat with either. They never eat at all with their fingers, always with silverware. That’s a problem for me, since I am used to eating chicken with my fingers! Drinks are passed around with pleasure. Somebody holds the bottle, and pours a small amount, drinks it. Then passes the glass, bottle, and somebody else does the same thing with just a small amount. It makes me want to pass around cups for everyone to use. But, no, they just need one. Nobody seems at all concerned about germs.
Gender roles are much defined here. Boys hang out with the boys and girls with the girls. Friends of the opposite seem to not exist. The kids in the town seem to be able to run around where they please, all hours of the day. They play at night in the park and are very trusting. Yet, it is seen as “bad” for a women, teen to walk by herself after dark. The ironies continue…
April 10, 2004
I got up early this morning to kick start the festival here. We hung the signs the kids had made about protecting the environment and not littering. We also marched in the parade along side the mayor. It was quite an honor. They announced our project over the loud speaker. So, all and all our project was a big success. I found a new friend. I never did quite get her name (some names here are impossible!), but she hung out with me all day. She was 11 years old and lived close to the town park. That’s common here with the kids, they are so curious about me. The Festival was fun—lots of booths of fruits, sweets, jewelry, clothing, and Panchamanca. Panchamanca is a Peruvian specialty. They dig a hole in the ground, put in chicken, corn, potatoes, and onions. Then they cover the whole thing with hot coals and dirt. Cooks for about an hour and ta-da an excellent dish! My family had a restaurant in our house for the weekend’s festivities. Many people come in from Lima to celebrate the Holy Week and to get away from the city.
I am working on a good farmer’s tan. The sun here is so bright, strong.
April 09, 2004
Mom’s Birthday. I’m thinking about you! Happy Birthday & I love you. I volunteered at another orphanage today; all girls, 31 in total, mostly older girls in adolescence. It was a little uncomfortable at first. They were watching TV and stopped to greet us all with a kiss. They were very sweet, just a little shy at first. We toured their home, which was very big and very clean. They had 3 big dogs that were ferocious. A 6-year-old was terribly scared of them. She was my fast friend. In fact, she cried when I told her I had to leave. I could tell she was absolutely starving for attention. They all need so much love.
After I got back home, nothing much was going on. My “mom” said that the priest had visited the house and brought holy water. I think it is a tradition in the town, for the Father to visit and bless each house during Holy Week
We took a feildtrip to Lima today to see the National Museum then had lunch at a ceviche place. All and all it was a good time -- great to get out of the training center for a little while.
April 25, 2004
Celebrated first thing this morning -- cold shower, finally! I went to Lima today with a friend. What a great day… Jockey Plaza (mall in Lima) should be sitting in downtown Atlanta. It’s a beautiful mall, with department stores, Payless Shoes, complete with a Starbucks. Yep, I couldn’t believe it either. I was in reverse culture shock when I walked in the place; I just couldn’t believe I was still in Peru. I had a French Vanilla Cappuccino, shopped, bought, ate a turkey sandwich, and had a great time feeling like an American (at least for a few hours!)
April 24, 2004
I haven’t slept this much in months. I have been able to sleep 12 hours a night here in CBT, must be my great sleeping bag. We helped make signs for the festival this morning. As we were walking down the street to the festival, a camera crew from the National TV station stopped us for an interview. I know…crazy! So, here I was talking in Spanish to a reporter with a TV camera in my face! Supposedly, it will be on TV in the morning. Just goes to show, Gringos are news here. The festival was hopping, tons of people from all over Peru head to the mountains for the annual festival. I had some great river fish for lunch and some chocolate cake for dessert. On the bus ride home, I got into a fascinating conversation with one of the school teachers from CBT. We talked about gender roles, psychology, marriage, and the differences in US and Peru. During our next visit to CBT, we are going to have a meeting with the teachers. I got home to find no water here… 4 days now without a bath.
April 23, 2004
I’m back at CBT. I’m staying with another trainee´s family (they couldn’t find another home stay) and I have to say it’s pretty bad. I can’t find an ounce of privacy anywhere. There are 10 kids in this family with a mom, plus me and the other trainee. The entire home has dirt floor and most of it is outside. There is a bathroom with a flush toilet, no shower, a sink in the “family” area, a wood burning stove for cooking. All I’ve managed to do is wash my face in the sink and brush my teeth a couple of times. There are two rooms in which everyone sleeps. We each have our own bed, and I only counted 4 others, so I’m not sure what the rest of the family is going to do. We’ve done 4 presentations at the schools and I believe they went well. We did self esteem activities and played a few games. All the kids know us now, so it’s cool when we venture outside. We immediately have kids holding our hands and generally crawling all over us! I am having some major stomach pain, probably shouldn’t have eaten that lettuce at lunch. It has been pretty cold here. We’ve taken several walks with the kids—to the cemetery, to the river, and just around town. I’ve even chatted with the kids about littering and self esteem. I am so ready to head to home for a bath! I haven’t been eating very well, just a lot of bread. The trip to the cemetery was interesting. Some of the graves were open. One of the kids, said that there are grave robbers looking for gold teeth and such. She also said it’s bad luck to look in the open graves. I saw my first pen of guinea pigs waiting to be cooked for supper. They were very fat and furry. Everyone was preparing the guinea pigs for this weekend’s Festival of the Chirimoya (native fruit of Peru).
April 20, 2004
What a day! I’ve already cried 2 times today. Homesickness, stress, and general bad-dayness will do that to you I guess. After my cry, I felt extremely better and I’ve made a resolution to run. Regular exercise is great for stress and it makes me feel good and I’ve been out of the habit sense heading to Peru. My friends here have really been there for me. I have to say they are some pretty great people. We vent with each other and we all have our days where we get upset. PC tells us it’s normal and to expect it, but the lows are not very fun! The highs definitely make up for them though and that is what gets me through. I led a team building activity today with my training group and it went well. As usual, I continue to learn things about myself and about others.
Crazy sights in Peru—women breastfeeding in public (leaves nothing to the imagination), everyone urinates in public (no need to find a tree/bush/hiding space), and they believe a cold/flu is caused from eating too many cold foods like ice cream.
April 19, 2004
I had another interview with the APCD today for my site placement. I believe it went well, I just told him the truth -- I would prefer a warm climate, an urban area, with modern amenities like water, lights, and internet. He said he had 2 places in mind for me, one in Trujillo working with the YMCA and one in Piura working with kids who are likely to be into drugs/gangs. I told him the site in Trujillo sounded more like me, so we’ll see. Heading to CBT again soon and I have to live with another family. I hope it’s ok! I played Frisbee with kids in the community today; most of the kids knew me from my session in their school. I am getting very anxious to get to my site, get to know my community, make friends, and settle in. Got a little homesick tonight -- I would like to just come home for about 6 hours, take a hot shower, see my loved ones, eat some great veggies, and head back out again.
April 18, 2004
I went to Lima today! It was a great time. We went to the beach just south of Lima. We walked and swam. I was definitely hesitant to get in the ocean (polution), but everyone was in the water and I didn’t want to seen weird…so I swam too. We ate lunch in a restaurant, which I could tell was a big thing for the family. It was absolutely scrumptious -- Roasted chicken, with fried potatoes, and salad. With a dressing, that was almost ranch. I couldn’t believe my luck. I have not been eating lettuce, since PCMO says it hard to clean properly and you are likely to get sick…but I did eat some of this salad and boy was it yummy! After lunch, we toured downtown. The downtown district is very Spanish colonial, mustard yellow paint, statues, museums, and park benches. I even saw a Pizza Hut, a Burger King, and a KFC. There for a second I thought I was back in the states! I had a very culturally faux pas moment. We visited a church which was very ornate with a golden altar. I didn’t hear the man say it, but my family said that he said we ought to be ashamed for coming to church in our street clothes. Then I crossed my legs while we were sitting and he was so embarrassed he left the service. Little did I know, you’re not to cross your legs in church! So, my whole family has laughed and laughed at me. I also experienced my first earthquake. It lasted for about 30 seconds and the people in the streets went crazy, screaming and running around. Nothing was damaged, but it was an experience.
April 17, 2004
Today’s Saturday but I had to go to school. What a bummer. We had language classes and a session on exactly what we will be doing as Youth Development Volunteers. I have another presentation next Tuesday and I’m also leading a team building session. (Thanks Niyelo!) So I´ll be doing homework this weekend. My mom taught me how to cook a Peruvian dish today. I had told her I am interested in learning, so she let me help out. It’s called Ahi de la Gallina...Chicken Spice...a chicken dish with red pepper and a bread like pudding. Interesting, different, and tasty!
April 16, 2004
We went to a shanty town area outside of Lima to work with an afternoon program for kids who work or don’t go to school. This is what they consider an urban youth project. Child labor is common, as is drug use, gangs, and violence. The kids were 6-12 years old. I had a blast! The program is from 3:00-5:00 in the afternoons and focuses on motivation and self esteem. We played games with the kids, sang songs, and mostly just acted like idiots! It was so fun. The kids were a little timid at first with all the Gringos but warmed up quickly and before I left I had to get a ton of kisses. If I were to be so lucky to be placed in a site like that program! I finally pin-pointed why I think this culture is so loving and great. They share absolutely everything. It is so beautiful really. That’s the meaning behind sharing the food I think. If anyone has anything, it is shared...completely. No matter how poor, everything is shared. It is so neat.
April 15, 2004
Getting to class this morning was an adventure in itself. The combi’s (public transportation) have decided to strike and protest. That means I had to cram into a taxi with 6 other Peruvians for a 10 minute ride to class. Most people couldn’t get to work or school because of the strike.
I went to a local school to do an activity on self esteem with a 5th grade class. Boy, was I stressed. There were 34 kids in one classroom. The activity was fun with lots of drawing and chatting. I don’t know what I would have done without the teacher. He was great and helped keep the kids in line and on task. At the end of the activity, it was neat to hear the kids tell me that they had never thought about stuff like “why I am important” or “who inspires me” before. So, even though it was stressful, I felt like I accomplished something.
I did a “Niyelo” activity with my language class, they thought it was cool. So, I’ve been asked to lead a session on Trust next week. Yeah! I’m excited.
April 14, 2004
Time is flying by! I’m in my forth week and I can’t believe it. Class has definitely been busy. I gave a presentation about Trujillo (a city in Peru) to the whole staff today. In Spanish! I feel good about it. I feel like the trainers throw so much info. at us and we never have time to work 100% on anything. I realize they only have 3 months to get us prepared for 2 years, but hey, it´s tough. I worked in our garden with the others this afternoon. We have learned how to make a bed, transplant, and water. I have enough more bug bites now. I look like a “Survivor” off the TV show. I have red spots all over me.
April 12, 2004
I’m not ready for another week of class! Alas, it’s here. This is my 4th week of PC training. Time is creeping by, I feel like I have been here for months. I bought a great pair of sandals. This guy in Chosica makes them by hand. He told me he studied shoe making in London for 2 years, so he speaks some English.
People eat/drink after each a lot here. In the market, if you want to try a salsa, just stick your finger in it. At meal times, anyone’s food is fair game. If you didn’t finish something, it’s almost rude to not offer it to someone else. And they don’t mind to pick up your fork to eat with either. They never eat at all with their fingers, always with silverware. That’s a problem for me, since I am used to eating chicken with my fingers! Drinks are passed around with pleasure. Somebody holds the bottle, and pours a small amount, drinks it. Then passes the glass, bottle, and somebody else does the same thing with just a small amount. It makes me want to pass around cups for everyone to use. But, no, they just need one. Nobody seems at all concerned about germs.
Gender roles are much defined here. Boys hang out with the boys and girls with the girls. Friends of the opposite seem to not exist. The kids in the town seem to be able to run around where they please, all hours of the day. They play at night in the park and are very trusting. Yet, it is seen as “bad” for a women, teen to walk by herself after dark. The ironies continue…
April 10, 2004
I got up early this morning to kick start the festival here. We hung the signs the kids had made about protecting the environment and not littering. We also marched in the parade along side the mayor. It was quite an honor. They announced our project over the loud speaker. So, all and all our project was a big success. I found a new friend. I never did quite get her name (some names here are impossible!), but she hung out with me all day. She was 11 years old and lived close to the town park. That’s common here with the kids, they are so curious about me. The Festival was fun—lots of booths of fruits, sweets, jewelry, clothing, and Panchamanca. Panchamanca is a Peruvian specialty. They dig a hole in the ground, put in chicken, corn, potatoes, and onions. Then they cover the whole thing with hot coals and dirt. Cooks for about an hour and ta-da an excellent dish! My family had a restaurant in our house for the weekend’s festivities. Many people come in from Lima to celebrate the Holy Week and to get away from the city.
I am working on a good farmer’s tan. The sun here is so bright, strong.
April 09, 2004
Mom’s Birthday. I’m thinking about you! Happy Birthday & I love you. I volunteered at another orphanage today; all girls, 31 in total, mostly older girls in adolescence. It was a little uncomfortable at first. They were watching TV and stopped to greet us all with a kiss. They were very sweet, just a little shy at first. We toured their home, which was very big and very clean. They had 3 big dogs that were ferocious. A 6-year-old was terribly scared of them. She was my fast friend. In fact, she cried when I told her I had to leave. I could tell she was absolutely starving for attention. They all need so much love.
After I got back home, nothing much was going on. My “mom” said that the priest had visited the house and brought holy water. I think it is a tradition in the town, for the Father to visit and bless each house during Holy Week
Friday, April 09, 2004
April 09, 2004
Mom’s Birthday. I’m thinking about you! Happy Birthday & I love you.
April 08, 2004
I visited the Children’s Home today. The children in the home are in need of medical care and have been abandoned by their family. It is somewhat of an orphanage too. There are children there with physical and mental problems. Many of the babies (there were about 15) have suffered extreme malnourishment, neglect, and/or abuse. Many babies were lethargic and unresponsive, very sad. Many of the older kids had obvious deformities. They were missing appendages, were in wheelchairs, or bedridden. The home was very comfortable with a pretty outside play area; it’s ran by an American doctor from Florida. He’s been here for 30+ years. I have to say this has been my most meaningful experience yet. We walked in the doors and were immediately swarmed by kids. They wanted hugs and to play. Some of the older kids (18-22 years old) were a little bit more stand-offish, but once I sat down and talked with them, they warmed right up. I spent time holding the babies, helping feed them, and playing games with the kids. The saddest part was leaving, when they wanted to know when you would be back.
My group of Noah and Jim got started on our community youth project. We met with the youth, about 15-20 in all, and made signs about not littering for this weekends festivities. It is Holy Week and The Avocado Festival. That means groves of people are coming into town to escape from the city. People see this community as a rural area for relaxing/vacation/and getting away. With all these people, they bring trash and more than likely with toss it into the streets. We’ve also been invited to march the parade on Saturday for our efforts.
Holy Week around here is a HUGE deal--hence the Catholic influence. Schools and businesses close Thursday - Monday.
April 05, 2004
A volunteer from Piura visited us at training today. She is in an “extreme” poverty site. She doesn’t have electricity and also has a very little water. She described Piura as very hot, yet with wonderful people. I’m either going to Piura or Trujillo… can I really live like that? House evaluations are being done today. That means one of my professors does a home visit to make sure my living situation is working out properly. Kinda scary! They ask my family about how I’m interacting, Spanish fluency, etc. Hope I do ok. Some stuff about culture around here—flip-flops are considered house shoes here. It is highly inappropriate to wear them out in public. What a shame, right? My food always contains rice and potatoes. Peru’s national dish is guinea pig. And no, I have not tried it yet. They also have a raw fish dish, called Ceviche. Everyone greets each other with a kiss on the cheek. I like it. Peruvians are very into physical contact. Not uncommon to see friends holding hands/arms, hanging on each other. That means the kids are always climbing all over you! Clothing is very dressy. Men always wear button up shirts. Women wear skirts and pants, button up shirts. My mom told me she told my professor the truth that I was doing great. Relief. The community doctor had dinner with us tonight. Interesting conversation, about the need for cultural diversity, US politics, helping those less fortunate and education. I comprehended almost everything!
April 04, 2004
Slept till 9:00, that’s late for me. I rearranged my room, really feeling at home here now. Made my first trip to town alone today. Freedom! I spent some time in the internet café, did some shopping (for a mirror, shirt, and tangerines). I found this really cool guy who hand-makes sandals out of leather—ordered a pair at $28 soles, that’s $8 US, can’t beat that. I ate a churro, which was absolutely amazing. Think hot donut, rolled in sugar, with a fresh apple stuffing. It was scrumptious. On the bus home, I encountered an American man who lives here. He said he and his wife have been here for 14 years and they work for the Baptist Mission. He invited me over. I’ll have to check it out. I needed some me time today, did me good!
April 03, 2004
Took a hike to the waterfall today, how beautiful! All and all it’s been a good trip. I certainly appreciate my little room here. I am learning that home can be any place you lay your head. As long as you give yourself time to adjust, you will be fine. I’m working on 3 weeks from home, odd hat it’s been that long. As times it seems so short, at others so long. I am learning so much here—what it truly means to be a minority, to be of a different religion, learning Spanish. I feel so “wanted” here. The people of Peru are so welcoming and generous. Finally made it home at 5:00. The 2:00 bus didn’t leave until 3:30, that’s how it goes.
April 02, 2004
Day #2 at CBT. What to say? It’s a pretty boring place. Tranquilo, as they say. A farmer’s wife’s work is never done. This woman just keeps working all day! I just watched a kid running with a curved blade, not good. As for our project here, I think we are on the way. We went to the school and scheduled 4 presentations about self esteem. We’ve got some work to do. Learning to live without modern conveniences has a positive side—you learn it doesn’t take money/things to be happy and people like you for you, not what you have or have not. It’s a real challenge to be hygienic. My fingernails are always dirty and my clothes look like I’ve been in a dust storm. Very few Peruvians wear glasses. Sad really, that they are too poor to afford things like vision care. Just heard a burro. They use them as pack animals to bring their products in from the field. Sounds like he’s dying! Since there are no telephones in this town to communicate with each other, they use a load speaker that is located in the steeple of the church. At times, it plays music and also makes announcements. I visited the medical post with my mom. There’s one lady doctor that does everything – secretary, pharmacist, etc. Dogs freely roam around the examining rooms. There are posters on the walls about parasites and the necessity of having a proper bathroom. I played soccer with the kids in the town center today. I think we have done a good job of integrating with our families and meeting with the kids. I am working on a good farmer’s tan. Sun is bright up here! The town is having a special mass service tonight. I explained to my mother that I am not Catholic, but Christian and would like to attend the service. The service was not unlike services I’m used to. A few children read bible verses and everyone sang a hymn. The most interesting part of the night occurred right after the service. The older women of the church came up to us and asked if we would like to carry a statue of the virgin. (After the service, there was to be a processional). Obviously, the women of the church were asking us because it would be an honor. We had to say no because we were not Catholic. How odd to ask complete strangers/foreigners to carry something as important to them as the virgin.
April 01, 2004
Holy smoke! I’m definitely isolated here, about 3 hours north of Lima. I am staying with a really nice old couple. They are in their sixties and all their kids live in Lima, so it’s just me and them. Talk about stilted conversations. I think my living arrangements here are above those of my group members. I am here with 3 other girls and I was lucky to be placed in my home. I have a nice clean bed with a flush toilet and shower. My friends didn’t fare so well. Emily doesn’t have a shower, has dirt floors, and she’s sharing a room with 3 other people. The worst thing I can say about my family is that there are no children in the home. So, the “youth” development part will have to start outside my family somewhere. Tomorrow we are going over to the school to see about doing a presentation for them. I think I figured out my trend in anxiety provoking situations. It’s the first night thing—my first night in Miami was a shocker, so was my first night in Peru, and now here. Maybe with practice it’ll get easier. A little about this town—it’s a small pueblo of about 800 people, high in the foothills of the Andes. I was a little altitude sick when we arrived. The road is treacherous! It looks like a donkey trail, no kidding. I can’t believe a bus can make it up here. Buses run at 5:00 am, 2:00 pm, and 6:00 pm. That’s it. So, plan ahead if you head to civilization. There is one phone in the entire city, no post office, no internet, and an unreliable water supply to the houses. They have a school, a medical post, central park, and a church. Everything pretty much centers around those areas. Most homes are made of cement with various parts of the homes being outside, like the kitchen or living area. It is a small farming community. The men of the town work in the fields all day, while the women stay at home and cook, clean. If the women have time in the afternoons, they help in the fields. The children attend school, but irregularly. Often they are needed to work in the fields. On weekends, the family heads to Lima to sell their products. They grow avocado, chirimoya (a very sweet fruit that tastes like bubblegum), limes, lemons, apples, peaches. I think I would give a body part, for some hot water right now. It’s cold up here, and just about miserable trying to bathe. I have to be careful what I eat too. All my water has to be boiled and vegetables have to be washed in a bleach solution (to kill parasites). So far, so good. I haven’t gotten sick yet. The PC Doctor tells us it’s inevitable. You know, something else I’m missing is ranch dressing. I haven’t had any since I left the states. Truly, I am so thankful that I have this opportunity to see Peru, not as a tourist, but as a worker here to help.
March 31, 2004
I had to give a presentation in class to day over the folklore of this community. I did ok in the beginning, but could have done better. Now I know better for next time. Oh, yeah… it was a 15 min. presentation in Spanish. Our first, but the first of many to come. That’s one of the main focuses of our training, to learn how to give interesting, informal presentations to groups. Kate, PC Director, came to talk to us about rules/regulations of service. Most important is that we can’t have visitors for the first 6 months. After class, I came home and talked with some friends of my family. We had an interesting conversation about ethnic diversity in the US. It’s funny to listen to stereotypes that Peruvians have of America. Like that we don’t have cheese. Where did they get that from? I can really tell my Spanish is improving. I understood almost all of our conversation. I went to the soccer field with Noah’s sister, Lucianna. She’s 14 and really ahead of her time. She’s into poetry and writing music. We played Frisbee and went for a walk. Peru plays Colombia tonight in soccer. That’s all the town is talking about. I head north of here for 3 days tomorrow. Community based training they are calling it.
March 29, 2004
I had a pretty good day. Class was class with a fun exercise where we went to town and I had to make a community calendar of events. It was fun after I found someone who actually had some information to tell me. I talked to a an old guy that was waiting for the bus. He said he was from Lima and he definitely couldn't hear very well. He told me to very careful because I am a North American and I could be robbed if I wore valubles. He also had to make a few comments about the US and our president and our business over seas. I didn't really have the spanish skills to respond properly. It was my first experience in Peru with a person who had an opinion about American politics. I gave a presentation in class which taught me just how much more spanish I need to know to be able to give a presentation to the Peruvian public. After class I went to use the internet (10 minute walk), then I played Frizbee with some other trainees and several Peruvian teenagers. It was a good time. I just got off the phone with Keisha, my cuz, it was good to hear from her. I told her I was eating good and having fun. Only to have been homesick once. I think that I have found a mentee. Yet, another community project we are working on in class. I told my family about the Mentoring project, where we mentor a kid for 1 hour a week for 10 weeks. They suggested a 9 year old named Bianca... we'll see I guess if it works out. Obviously, my job at Family Connection prepared me for PC service – mentoring, at risk youth, community services, working with city & country agencies. He knew what he was doing!
March 28, 2004
What an eventful day! Got up at about 9:00, before anyone else. Ate a couple of rolls and jelly, had some coffee. I'm really feeling at home now. At first I felt like a paying guest, now I'm stepping up and helping with things around the house. Today I helped with the laundry. Most things are washed by hand and hung on the roof to dry. I went with my mom and my sister to town to do some shopping. We bought a ton of groceries. First we went to a supermarket of a sort, I was glad to find it. Now I know where to go and get some things I may need. Then we went to the vegetable ad meat market. Meat market is unlike anything I've seen. It's a covered area of the open market. Dogs scavenged for food freely and the meat is unrefigerated and uncovered. The workers have blood everywhere! It was really gross and unsanitary. Hopefully, as long as my mother cooks the meat throroughly I'll be ok with eating it. Then we went to the fruit stands. The fruit is so rich and delicious here. Best watermelon I've ever had. Strangest thing I saw today was a man with a megaphone strapped to his head. He had this terrible sore on his leg that was covered with gauze, but oozing :( He was saying that he had leg cancer and was begging for money. It was super gross. My mom says that if you don’t have money, you can’t get medical services. So sad. I had "chinese" food for supper, at least Peruvian "chinese" food. It was good. We went for a walk after lunch, which turned into a hike to above our house on the mountain. My sister and brother are very knowledgeable about local plants and fruit trees. They were constantly showing me herbs and fruits that were growing wild. We found avocado trees, apples, mint, and many more I can't remember the names of! We also visited a family of pigs that were in a lot behind our house. After we got home from our hike, we watched The Passion. A pirated copy from a market vendor. A good movie, but definitely very graphic. I appreciated the point Mel Gibson was trying to make.
March 27, 2004
I had a pretty good day at school. We learned how to compost, make a garden, and plant herbs in buckets. Definitely something they want us all to do in our future sites. Sounds good to me. After class, we had lunch of fried steak, rice, and creamed spinach. It was good, I have to say. Although everything I eat in ladden with carbs and not very good for me. I went with Emily and Victoria to town. Shopped a little for some necessities. We had some great coffee in a little restaurant in town. Then went to the internet where I found a place to upload my photos. Yeah! I went out for a stroll with my sister, Noah, his sister, and Jim. Noah fell into a sewage hole. No kiddin'. It was definitely gross. Just another great thing about living in a 3rd world country -- litter and dangerously huge holes in the street.
March 26, 2004
Today was good. I had to vent a bit about the fact that I'm stuck up here far away from the other 7 trainees and can't ever do anything fun. The guys close to me are into their own thing and I'm just here hanging out with the family. I just don't like being stuck inside because I'm a girl, a foreigner, or what ever. I guess that just means i have to put myself out there more. I had chicken soup for supper and I've eaten so many sweets today. I have to be careful. I'm eating so many sweets and complex carbs! I wanted to hear from someone tonight via phone, but nobody called. It's actually harder with people calling, but it's a double edged sword because I get lonely and want to hear from someone, then they call and I'm sad. Next week we are going to another community to do training for 4 days. It should be fun.
March 25, 2004
I had a good day. I went to town with my class (of 4 trainees) and our professor, Claudia. We "learned" how to use the combis (buses) and how to go shopping for things we need. We have a project where you must use a recipe to shop for ingrediants of a pervian dish and then go to the post office to "learn" how to mail letters/packages to the US. It's $4.80 soles to send letters home and $50 soles to send a package that weighs 2.2 lbs. Not cheap.
March 24, 2004
Peru is a strange place. It’s unlike any of my expectations. The people are extremely nice. Everyone goes out of the way to be hospitable. I have not sensed any Anti-Americanism, which I thought I would probably have to deal with. I think it is mostly that the people here are just ignorant of American politics and happenings. They have American movies, but one must have money to go to the cinema and most don’t have it. Supposedly, 60% of Peru’s population is under 18 and living in poverty. That’s a lot. This is a very “macho” society. Men rule the roost. As you know, I’m pretty independent and being at home by dark because it’s “not proper” or safe to be out at night is really getting on my nerves. I have to rely on 2 guys (volunteers like me) that live close to me to “accompany” me to town (where internet, stores are). So, as for support here -- I have it, which is necessary and good. We have class Monday-Saturday 8:00-5:00. After class, I go home and hang out with my family. Today, Melissa, my Peruvian sister, taught me to salsa and meringue! Peru is 85% Catholic. There is a huge statue of Jesus in the town center and “pirated” copies of The Passion being seen at home on people’s TVs. I have TV, but not English-speaking stations. So, I’m certainly not keeping up with Reality TV. The water here is freezing! No hot water to bathe in, so it’s get washed as quickly as possible and get the heck out of there! We have water most of the time, so there are some days I just have to suffer. As for things I need, I’ve realized very quickly what you can really live without and be ok. Can you believe I never dry my hair now, don’t use more than shampoo and soap, wear the same clothes for 3+ days, wash my underwear in the sink, make due without a mirror, rely on public transportation, and don’t have power outlets. And honestly, I’m doing great! When I complete PC training, I will probably be going to either Trujillo or Piura, two very hot, coastal sites. Good and bad. Good that I’ll be near the beach, but bad that it will be so hot. No air conditioning, anywhere. Not even in stores. PC pays for everything. I haven’t spent any of my own money yet and I don’t foresee that I will ever have to. So, that’s great. I enjoy reading my emails when I get a chance. It costs $1-2 Sol per hour. Exchange is 3.5, so that’s like .60 US $. Can’t beat the price, but it’s just getting there.
March 23, 2004
Tonight is my 3rd night in my Peruvian host family home. It's been a lot better since the first night. I don't know what happened, except that I've not had such home sickness in all my life. At least that I can remember. Although it might have been a combination of many things. A new job, a new culture, new friends, new everything. And a new home that is far from what I would consider standard. My room has tan conrete walls with a concrete ceiling and floor. The bed is as hard as a rock. There is so much dust and it seems like this may be the storage space also for I have tons of old books and catholic relics in bookcases. There is a bare bulb hanging from all the cielings and I can't find a electrical plug-in anywhere. I have a desk that serves as my catch-all. I feel like I'm settling in and learning new things everyday. I'm making a conscious effort to involve myself in the family. Last night I took a walk with my sister. We went to the park. It seems that all the young people go to the park "to be seen". They circle the park and "hopefully" see a crush. The bathroom in this house only has cold water, so the showers are almost unbearable. The toilet doesn't have a seat, just a bowel. So, not to disappoint anyone, but I definitely won't be shaving in these conditions. My room is on the second floor. Downstairs is the kitchen, dining room, and living room. They have a TV and love to watch the peruvian soap operas. My mom seems to be very busy. Not sure with what, but busy none the less. There is a dog here, named Lassy. She is an Alaskain Husky and very beautiful. Up the stairs from my room is the roof, where laundry is hung to dry and for sitting and watching the passing traffic. All in all, I believe this home is considered middle-class by most peruvians.
March 22, 2004
Moved into house today. They are very welcoming and nice. We went to Lima to Plaza Vea for groceries. It was just like a Wal-mart.
March 21, 2004
I had my language interview today. This decides what class we'll be in. I couldn't remember nada! But that's one reason why I'm here, to work on my spanish. So I guess I shouldn't bum myself out about it.
March 18, 2004
Off to Peru today. Flight’s at 11:55. It's been 2 good days in staging. I'm already learning so many things about myself and about others. Especially on how to deal with other's differences. This group I'm to be with for the next 27 months is an ecclectic group for sure. We would never have been friends in normal circumstances, but that's the beauty of the Peace Corps. You are thrown together and you rely on each other because you have the same culture and background. Everyone is from a different part of the US, but we have a commonality too.
March 17, 2004
Well, it’s begun, my Peace Corps Adventure. I’m in Miami for my staging event (PC Orientation). What a whirl wind of information for me to soak in! I arrived here yesterday with 12 others from all over the US – 4 guys and 9 gals. Everyone is very different, yet very alike. All are college grads and 22-33 years of age. Unfortunately, I´m the only one with a Southern accent, so I’ve already endured many comments about it. We have people from California, Minnesota, Illinois, DC, Arizona, and New York. Like me, they are looking to see the world, help others, and learn some things about themselves. We have been in workshops where we discuss expectations, anxieties, and realities of PC. In order to be accepted into our Peruvian communities, we will be expected to act and dress in a certain manner – professional clothing and conservative actions. It seems like I will have ample opportunity to travel all over Peru and in South America if I choose to. Anyone may visit me in my site, but not until September. Same thing goes for me coming home. Hopefully, I can make it home for Christmas! I have to admit, yesterday was a tough day for me. I arrived at the hotel was sitting in a room with people I didn’t seem to have anything in common with and thought to myself, “WHAT HAVE I DONE?” Thankfully, after a good night’s rest and some time to get to know one another, my heart tells me I’m in the right place. Just to reassure anyone was concerned for my safety while in PC, these guys are fanatical about keeping us safe – both physically and emotionally. They want us to be happy and successful.
Mom’s Birthday. I’m thinking about you! Happy Birthday & I love you.
April 08, 2004
I visited the Children’s Home today. The children in the home are in need of medical care and have been abandoned by their family. It is somewhat of an orphanage too. There are children there with physical and mental problems. Many of the babies (there were about 15) have suffered extreme malnourishment, neglect, and/or abuse. Many babies were lethargic and unresponsive, very sad. Many of the older kids had obvious deformities. They were missing appendages, were in wheelchairs, or bedridden. The home was very comfortable with a pretty outside play area; it’s ran by an American doctor from Florida. He’s been here for 30+ years. I have to say this has been my most meaningful experience yet. We walked in the doors and were immediately swarmed by kids. They wanted hugs and to play. Some of the older kids (18-22 years old) were a little bit more stand-offish, but once I sat down and talked with them, they warmed right up. I spent time holding the babies, helping feed them, and playing games with the kids. The saddest part was leaving, when they wanted to know when you would be back.
My group of Noah and Jim got started on our community youth project. We met with the youth, about 15-20 in all, and made signs about not littering for this weekends festivities. It is Holy Week and The Avocado Festival. That means groves of people are coming into town to escape from the city. People see this community as a rural area for relaxing/vacation/and getting away. With all these people, they bring trash and more than likely with toss it into the streets. We’ve also been invited to march the parade on Saturday for our efforts.
Holy Week around here is a HUGE deal--hence the Catholic influence. Schools and businesses close Thursday - Monday.
April 05, 2004
A volunteer from Piura visited us at training today. She is in an “extreme” poverty site. She doesn’t have electricity and also has a very little water. She described Piura as very hot, yet with wonderful people. I’m either going to Piura or Trujillo… can I really live like that? House evaluations are being done today. That means one of my professors does a home visit to make sure my living situation is working out properly. Kinda scary! They ask my family about how I’m interacting, Spanish fluency, etc. Hope I do ok. Some stuff about culture around here—flip-flops are considered house shoes here. It is highly inappropriate to wear them out in public. What a shame, right? My food always contains rice and potatoes. Peru’s national dish is guinea pig. And no, I have not tried it yet. They also have a raw fish dish, called Ceviche. Everyone greets each other with a kiss on the cheek. I like it. Peruvians are very into physical contact. Not uncommon to see friends holding hands/arms, hanging on each other. That means the kids are always climbing all over you! Clothing is very dressy. Men always wear button up shirts. Women wear skirts and pants, button up shirts. My mom told me she told my professor the truth that I was doing great. Relief. The community doctor had dinner with us tonight. Interesting conversation, about the need for cultural diversity, US politics, helping those less fortunate and education. I comprehended almost everything!
April 04, 2004
Slept till 9:00, that’s late for me. I rearranged my room, really feeling at home here now. Made my first trip to town alone today. Freedom! I spent some time in the internet café, did some shopping (for a mirror, shirt, and tangerines). I found this really cool guy who hand-makes sandals out of leather—ordered a pair at $28 soles, that’s $8 US, can’t beat that. I ate a churro, which was absolutely amazing. Think hot donut, rolled in sugar, with a fresh apple stuffing. It was scrumptious. On the bus home, I encountered an American man who lives here. He said he and his wife have been here for 14 years and they work for the Baptist Mission. He invited me over. I’ll have to check it out. I needed some me time today, did me good!
April 03, 2004
Took a hike to the waterfall today, how beautiful! All and all it’s been a good trip. I certainly appreciate my little room here. I am learning that home can be any place you lay your head. As long as you give yourself time to adjust, you will be fine. I’m working on 3 weeks from home, odd hat it’s been that long. As times it seems so short, at others so long. I am learning so much here—what it truly means to be a minority, to be of a different religion, learning Spanish. I feel so “wanted” here. The people of Peru are so welcoming and generous. Finally made it home at 5:00. The 2:00 bus didn’t leave until 3:30, that’s how it goes.
April 02, 2004
Day #2 at CBT. What to say? It’s a pretty boring place. Tranquilo, as they say. A farmer’s wife’s work is never done. This woman just keeps working all day! I just watched a kid running with a curved blade, not good. As for our project here, I think we are on the way. We went to the school and scheduled 4 presentations about self esteem. We’ve got some work to do. Learning to live without modern conveniences has a positive side—you learn it doesn’t take money/things to be happy and people like you for you, not what you have or have not. It’s a real challenge to be hygienic. My fingernails are always dirty and my clothes look like I’ve been in a dust storm. Very few Peruvians wear glasses. Sad really, that they are too poor to afford things like vision care. Just heard a burro. They use them as pack animals to bring their products in from the field. Sounds like he’s dying! Since there are no telephones in this town to communicate with each other, they use a load speaker that is located in the steeple of the church. At times, it plays music and also makes announcements. I visited the medical post with my mom. There’s one lady doctor that does everything – secretary, pharmacist, etc. Dogs freely roam around the examining rooms. There are posters on the walls about parasites and the necessity of having a proper bathroom. I played soccer with the kids in the town center today. I think we have done a good job of integrating with our families and meeting with the kids. I am working on a good farmer’s tan. Sun is bright up here! The town is having a special mass service tonight. I explained to my mother that I am not Catholic, but Christian and would like to attend the service. The service was not unlike services I’m used to. A few children read bible verses and everyone sang a hymn. The most interesting part of the night occurred right after the service. The older women of the church came up to us and asked if we would like to carry a statue of the virgin. (After the service, there was to be a processional). Obviously, the women of the church were asking us because it would be an honor. We had to say no because we were not Catholic. How odd to ask complete strangers/foreigners to carry something as important to them as the virgin.
April 01, 2004
Holy smoke! I’m definitely isolated here, about 3 hours north of Lima. I am staying with a really nice old couple. They are in their sixties and all their kids live in Lima, so it’s just me and them. Talk about stilted conversations. I think my living arrangements here are above those of my group members. I am here with 3 other girls and I was lucky to be placed in my home. I have a nice clean bed with a flush toilet and shower. My friends didn’t fare so well. Emily doesn’t have a shower, has dirt floors, and she’s sharing a room with 3 other people. The worst thing I can say about my family is that there are no children in the home. So, the “youth” development part will have to start outside my family somewhere. Tomorrow we are going over to the school to see about doing a presentation for them. I think I figured out my trend in anxiety provoking situations. It’s the first night thing—my first night in Miami was a shocker, so was my first night in Peru, and now here. Maybe with practice it’ll get easier. A little about this town—it’s a small pueblo of about 800 people, high in the foothills of the Andes. I was a little altitude sick when we arrived. The road is treacherous! It looks like a donkey trail, no kidding. I can’t believe a bus can make it up here. Buses run at 5:00 am, 2:00 pm, and 6:00 pm. That’s it. So, plan ahead if you head to civilization. There is one phone in the entire city, no post office, no internet, and an unreliable water supply to the houses. They have a school, a medical post, central park, and a church. Everything pretty much centers around those areas. Most homes are made of cement with various parts of the homes being outside, like the kitchen or living area. It is a small farming community. The men of the town work in the fields all day, while the women stay at home and cook, clean. If the women have time in the afternoons, they help in the fields. The children attend school, but irregularly. Often they are needed to work in the fields. On weekends, the family heads to Lima to sell their products. They grow avocado, chirimoya (a very sweet fruit that tastes like bubblegum), limes, lemons, apples, peaches. I think I would give a body part, for some hot water right now. It’s cold up here, and just about miserable trying to bathe. I have to be careful what I eat too. All my water has to be boiled and vegetables have to be washed in a bleach solution (to kill parasites). So far, so good. I haven’t gotten sick yet. The PC Doctor tells us it’s inevitable. You know, something else I’m missing is ranch dressing. I haven’t had any since I left the states. Truly, I am so thankful that I have this opportunity to see Peru, not as a tourist, but as a worker here to help.
March 31, 2004
I had to give a presentation in class to day over the folklore of this community. I did ok in the beginning, but could have done better. Now I know better for next time. Oh, yeah… it was a 15 min. presentation in Spanish. Our first, but the first of many to come. That’s one of the main focuses of our training, to learn how to give interesting, informal presentations to groups. Kate, PC Director, came to talk to us about rules/regulations of service. Most important is that we can’t have visitors for the first 6 months. After class, I came home and talked with some friends of my family. We had an interesting conversation about ethnic diversity in the US. It’s funny to listen to stereotypes that Peruvians have of America. Like that we don’t have cheese. Where did they get that from? I can really tell my Spanish is improving. I understood almost all of our conversation. I went to the soccer field with Noah’s sister, Lucianna. She’s 14 and really ahead of her time. She’s into poetry and writing music. We played Frisbee and went for a walk. Peru plays Colombia tonight in soccer. That’s all the town is talking about. I head north of here for 3 days tomorrow. Community based training they are calling it.
March 29, 2004
I had a pretty good day. Class was class with a fun exercise where we went to town and I had to make a community calendar of events. It was fun after I found someone who actually had some information to tell me. I talked to a an old guy that was waiting for the bus. He said he was from Lima and he definitely couldn't hear very well. He told me to very careful because I am a North American and I could be robbed if I wore valubles. He also had to make a few comments about the US and our president and our business over seas. I didn't really have the spanish skills to respond properly. It was my first experience in Peru with a person who had an opinion about American politics. I gave a presentation in class which taught me just how much more spanish I need to know to be able to give a presentation to the Peruvian public. After class I went to use the internet (10 minute walk), then I played Frizbee with some other trainees and several Peruvian teenagers. It was a good time. I just got off the phone with Keisha, my cuz, it was good to hear from her. I told her I was eating good and having fun. Only to have been homesick once. I think that I have found a mentee. Yet, another community project we are working on in class. I told my family about the Mentoring project, where we mentor a kid for 1 hour a week for 10 weeks. They suggested a 9 year old named Bianca... we'll see I guess if it works out. Obviously, my job at Family Connection prepared me for PC service – mentoring, at risk youth, community services, working with city & country agencies. He knew what he was doing!
March 28, 2004
What an eventful day! Got up at about 9:00, before anyone else. Ate a couple of rolls and jelly, had some coffee. I'm really feeling at home now. At first I felt like a paying guest, now I'm stepping up and helping with things around the house. Today I helped with the laundry. Most things are washed by hand and hung on the roof to dry. I went with my mom and my sister to town to do some shopping. We bought a ton of groceries. First we went to a supermarket of a sort, I was glad to find it. Now I know where to go and get some things I may need. Then we went to the vegetable ad meat market. Meat market is unlike anything I've seen. It's a covered area of the open market. Dogs scavenged for food freely and the meat is unrefigerated and uncovered. The workers have blood everywhere! It was really gross and unsanitary. Hopefully, as long as my mother cooks the meat throroughly I'll be ok with eating it. Then we went to the fruit stands. The fruit is so rich and delicious here. Best watermelon I've ever had. Strangest thing I saw today was a man with a megaphone strapped to his head. He had this terrible sore on his leg that was covered with gauze, but oozing :( He was saying that he had leg cancer and was begging for money. It was super gross. My mom says that if you don’t have money, you can’t get medical services. So sad. I had "chinese" food for supper, at least Peruvian "chinese" food. It was good. We went for a walk after lunch, which turned into a hike to above our house on the mountain. My sister and brother are very knowledgeable about local plants and fruit trees. They were constantly showing me herbs and fruits that were growing wild. We found avocado trees, apples, mint, and many more I can't remember the names of! We also visited a family of pigs that were in a lot behind our house. After we got home from our hike, we watched The Passion. A pirated copy from a market vendor. A good movie, but definitely very graphic. I appreciated the point Mel Gibson was trying to make.
March 27, 2004
I had a pretty good day at school. We learned how to compost, make a garden, and plant herbs in buckets. Definitely something they want us all to do in our future sites. Sounds good to me. After class, we had lunch of fried steak, rice, and creamed spinach. It was good, I have to say. Although everything I eat in ladden with carbs and not very good for me. I went with Emily and Victoria to town. Shopped a little for some necessities. We had some great coffee in a little restaurant in town. Then went to the internet where I found a place to upload my photos. Yeah! I went out for a stroll with my sister, Noah, his sister, and Jim. Noah fell into a sewage hole. No kiddin'. It was definitely gross. Just another great thing about living in a 3rd world country -- litter and dangerously huge holes in the street.
March 26, 2004
Today was good. I had to vent a bit about the fact that I'm stuck up here far away from the other 7 trainees and can't ever do anything fun. The guys close to me are into their own thing and I'm just here hanging out with the family. I just don't like being stuck inside because I'm a girl, a foreigner, or what ever. I guess that just means i have to put myself out there more. I had chicken soup for supper and I've eaten so many sweets today. I have to be careful. I'm eating so many sweets and complex carbs! I wanted to hear from someone tonight via phone, but nobody called. It's actually harder with people calling, but it's a double edged sword because I get lonely and want to hear from someone, then they call and I'm sad. Next week we are going to another community to do training for 4 days. It should be fun.
March 25, 2004
I had a good day. I went to town with my class (of 4 trainees) and our professor, Claudia. We "learned" how to use the combis (buses) and how to go shopping for things we need. We have a project where you must use a recipe to shop for ingrediants of a pervian dish and then go to the post office to "learn" how to mail letters/packages to the US. It's $4.80 soles to send letters home and $50 soles to send a package that weighs 2.2 lbs. Not cheap.
March 24, 2004
Peru is a strange place. It’s unlike any of my expectations. The people are extremely nice. Everyone goes out of the way to be hospitable. I have not sensed any Anti-Americanism, which I thought I would probably have to deal with. I think it is mostly that the people here are just ignorant of American politics and happenings. They have American movies, but one must have money to go to the cinema and most don’t have it. Supposedly, 60% of Peru’s population is under 18 and living in poverty. That’s a lot. This is a very “macho” society. Men rule the roost. As you know, I’m pretty independent and being at home by dark because it’s “not proper” or safe to be out at night is really getting on my nerves. I have to rely on 2 guys (volunteers like me) that live close to me to “accompany” me to town (where internet, stores are). So, as for support here -- I have it, which is necessary and good. We have class Monday-Saturday 8:00-5:00. After class, I go home and hang out with my family. Today, Melissa, my Peruvian sister, taught me to salsa and meringue! Peru is 85% Catholic. There is a huge statue of Jesus in the town center and “pirated” copies of The Passion being seen at home on people’s TVs. I have TV, but not English-speaking stations. So, I’m certainly not keeping up with Reality TV. The water here is freezing! No hot water to bathe in, so it’s get washed as quickly as possible and get the heck out of there! We have water most of the time, so there are some days I just have to suffer. As for things I need, I’ve realized very quickly what you can really live without and be ok. Can you believe I never dry my hair now, don’t use more than shampoo and soap, wear the same clothes for 3+ days, wash my underwear in the sink, make due without a mirror, rely on public transportation, and don’t have power outlets. And honestly, I’m doing great! When I complete PC training, I will probably be going to either Trujillo or Piura, two very hot, coastal sites. Good and bad. Good that I’ll be near the beach, but bad that it will be so hot. No air conditioning, anywhere. Not even in stores. PC pays for everything. I haven’t spent any of my own money yet and I don’t foresee that I will ever have to. So, that’s great. I enjoy reading my emails when I get a chance. It costs $1-2 Sol per hour. Exchange is 3.5, so that’s like .60 US $. Can’t beat the price, but it’s just getting there.
March 23, 2004
Tonight is my 3rd night in my Peruvian host family home. It's been a lot better since the first night. I don't know what happened, except that I've not had such home sickness in all my life. At least that I can remember. Although it might have been a combination of many things. A new job, a new culture, new friends, new everything. And a new home that is far from what I would consider standard. My room has tan conrete walls with a concrete ceiling and floor. The bed is as hard as a rock. There is so much dust and it seems like this may be the storage space also for I have tons of old books and catholic relics in bookcases. There is a bare bulb hanging from all the cielings and I can't find a electrical plug-in anywhere. I have a desk that serves as my catch-all. I feel like I'm settling in and learning new things everyday. I'm making a conscious effort to involve myself in the family. Last night I took a walk with my sister. We went to the park. It seems that all the young people go to the park "to be seen". They circle the park and "hopefully" see a crush. The bathroom in this house only has cold water, so the showers are almost unbearable. The toilet doesn't have a seat, just a bowel. So, not to disappoint anyone, but I definitely won't be shaving in these conditions. My room is on the second floor. Downstairs is the kitchen, dining room, and living room. They have a TV and love to watch the peruvian soap operas. My mom seems to be very busy. Not sure with what, but busy none the less. There is a dog here, named Lassy. She is an Alaskain Husky and very beautiful. Up the stairs from my room is the roof, where laundry is hung to dry and for sitting and watching the passing traffic. All in all, I believe this home is considered middle-class by most peruvians.
March 22, 2004
Moved into house today. They are very welcoming and nice. We went to Lima to Plaza Vea for groceries. It was just like a Wal-mart.
March 21, 2004
I had my language interview today. This decides what class we'll be in. I couldn't remember nada! But that's one reason why I'm here, to work on my spanish. So I guess I shouldn't bum myself out about it.
March 18, 2004
Off to Peru today. Flight’s at 11:55. It's been 2 good days in staging. I'm already learning so many things about myself and about others. Especially on how to deal with other's differences. This group I'm to be with for the next 27 months is an ecclectic group for sure. We would never have been friends in normal circumstances, but that's the beauty of the Peace Corps. You are thrown together and you rely on each other because you have the same culture and background. Everyone is from a different part of the US, but we have a commonality too.
March 17, 2004
Well, it’s begun, my Peace Corps Adventure. I’m in Miami for my staging event (PC Orientation). What a whirl wind of information for me to soak in! I arrived here yesterday with 12 others from all over the US – 4 guys and 9 gals. Everyone is very different, yet very alike. All are college grads and 22-33 years of age. Unfortunately, I´m the only one with a Southern accent, so I’ve already endured many comments about it. We have people from California, Minnesota, Illinois, DC, Arizona, and New York. Like me, they are looking to see the world, help others, and learn some things about themselves. We have been in workshops where we discuss expectations, anxieties, and realities of PC. In order to be accepted into our Peruvian communities, we will be expected to act and dress in a certain manner – professional clothing and conservative actions. It seems like I will have ample opportunity to travel all over Peru and in South America if I choose to. Anyone may visit me in my site, but not until September. Same thing goes for me coming home. Hopefully, I can make it home for Christmas! I have to admit, yesterday was a tough day for me. I arrived at the hotel was sitting in a room with people I didn’t seem to have anything in common with and thought to myself, “WHAT HAVE I DONE?” Thankfully, after a good night’s rest and some time to get to know one another, my heart tells me I’m in the right place. Just to reassure anyone was concerned for my safety while in PC, these guys are fanatical about keeping us safe – both physically and emotionally. They want us to be happy and successful.
Monday, March 08, 2004
About this time next week I will be landing in Miami, FL to begin my 2 days of staging. I can't believe it's only a week away. I'm so excited to begin this adventure. I would like to thank my friends and family for all the support they have given me. I definitely would not have found the courage to head to Peru without you all!
Much love to everyone.
Much love to everyone.
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