Still corresponding from Lima, and wishing you the happiest holidays! 
Little by little my life appears to be getting back to order. That shows promise for the new year...2008 is going to be great!
So, my communication efforts with the former volunteers paid off. The preliminary prognosis forecasts me moving back to the same department I was in before, but now to the northern section. I'll be finally heading out of Lima this upcoming week! The city I will be moving to is famed and well-recognized for it's easy access to beautiful day retreats; mountain lagoons, hot springs, and awe-inspiring views. It's located right where two mountain ranges come within spitting distance of one another. Whereas before, I was in the third mountain range in the southern section of the department. The new site is about 1000 meters lower in elevation (but still at about a mile and a half above sea level). More so, I will have easy access to many commodities, including fresh fruits and vegetables which burgeon in the area. Also...I will have access to the best commodity of them all...the bathroom! That's right, no more fields and holes! Yup, back to the first-class “classy” life.
My primary project there has me working with the hospital...which seems like the perfect counterpart for “sickboy”, eh? In addition, the size of the city (pop. about 22,000) should make it a little easier to pick up secondary projects. It will most definitely be a change of pace, no doubt.
On another note, I'm sure some of you are curious about what the holidays are like here in Peru. Well, like most places, it has it's fair share of traditions and customs. First, Christmas is celebrated on the 24th. On the outset, people shoot off fireworks from dusk till midnight. Christmas Day is reserved for tranquil family time. However, it is the New Year's praxis which are most intriguing.
It is pretty much mandate to have some piece of yellow clothing in your wardrobe as the calendar turns. The most recognized article (for women especially) is having yellow underwear. Of course, the underwear is died yellow...no, you cannot just wear your dingy briefs which you've kept in that drawer since Y2K. More so, they are supposed to be gifted to you. The color of yellow is supposed to have some relevance to luck in the new year.
Another common practice is eating 12 grapes under the table exactly at midnight; one grape for each DONG of the clock. Again, it has something to do with good fortune in the new year. Or, if risking
asphyxiation on bite-sized fruit isn't your bag, you can always race around the block with a suitcase. This is just to ensure that you will travel in the upcoming year.
Lastly, many people in Peru (especially those in the rural areas) make a doll out of straw and dress it up in there clothes. Then, they set fire to the figure. This practice is symbolic of ridding yourself of the year prior and starting out fresh. However, my biggest concern is people burning their cloths just to participate in tradition. This is a practice in my site, but I just don't think that they can afford to burn both a pair of pants and a shirt. Really, I guess you'd better thank your grandma for that shirt she gave you for Christmas...I hope you liked it, because now you'll be wearing it ALL the time!
OK, so I'm sure a few of you are also a little curious in regards to the diagnosis to my ailment. Well, the conclusion was pretty much that I had been too sick too often with various infections, parasites, and don't forget that whole Dysentery thing. The culprit could quite possibly been a number of things such as the water, food, people's general lack of hygiene, or aliens. It's hard to say, really. The heart of the matter being that my insides got pretty ripped up and I became a little over-sensitive. But now I feel good, and damn glad!
I'm ready to get back to a site. I am not looking forward to the goodbyes I will have to say; goodbyes to people, places, and projects. However, I have grown weary of being the vicarious volunteer and having to constantly be on the “listener only” side of conversations regarding accomplishments.
Nonetheless, the one month I lived in Lima has been a ride, no doubt. Really, that's not something that most people incorporate into their Peace Corps experience. In retrospect, it wasn't all bad. I had a rare opportunity to cross paths with a large amount of volunteers as they passed through, I got to meet some of their friends/family/fiancés visiting (even once getting treated to a good glass of whiskey and a Cuban cigar as we watched a sunset), and I got a chance to really get to know another part of this incredible country. More so, I think some of them really enjoyed having a Lima tour guide! However, if I had to change one thing (other than not doing it at all in the first place), I would have disposed of my original optimism when I left site, and packed more than two outfits. These clothes are beat. Is the grunge look coming back yet? Well, at least I was smart enough to pack extra underwear. Otherwise, I would be picking through the bins in the streets trying to find an alluring pair of yellow boxer shorts! I hope you have a Happy New Year and that you revel in the possibilities that lie ahead!
Little by little my life appears to be getting back to order. That shows promise for the new year...2008 is going to be great!So, my communication efforts with the former volunteers paid off. The preliminary prognosis forecasts me moving back to the same department I was in before, but now to the northern section. I'll be finally heading out of Lima this upcoming week! The city I will be moving to is famed and well-recognized for it's easy access to beautiful day retreats; mountain lagoons, hot springs, and awe-inspiring views. It's located right where two mountain ranges come within spitting distance of one another. Whereas before, I was in the third mountain range in the southern section of the department. The new site is about 1000 meters lower in elevation (but still at about a mile and a half above sea level). More so, I will have easy access to many commodities, including fresh fruits and vegetables which burgeon in the area. Also...I will have access to the best commodity of them all...the bathroom! That's right, no more fields and holes! Yup, back to the first-class “classy” life.
My primary project there has me working with the hospital...which seems like the perfect counterpart for “sickboy”, eh? In addition, the size of the city (pop. about 22,000) should make it a little easier to pick up secondary projects. It will most definitely be a change of pace, no doubt.
On another note, I'm sure some of you are curious about what the holidays are like here in Peru. Well, like most places, it has it's fair share of traditions and customs. First, Christmas is celebrated on the 24th. On the outset, people shoot off fireworks from dusk till midnight. Christmas Day is reserved for tranquil family time. However, it is the New Year's praxis which are most intriguing.It is pretty much mandate to have some piece of yellow clothing in your wardrobe as the calendar turns. The most recognized article (for women especially) is having yellow underwear. Of course, the underwear is died yellow...no, you cannot just wear your dingy briefs which you've kept in that drawer since Y2K. More so, they are supposed to be gifted to you. The color of yellow is supposed to have some relevance to luck in the new year.
Another common practice is eating 12 grapes under the table exactly at midnight; one grape for each DONG of the clock. Again, it has something to do with good fortune in the new year. Or, if risking
asphyxiation on bite-sized fruit isn't your bag, you can always race around the block with a suitcase. This is just to ensure that you will travel in the upcoming year.
Lastly, many people in Peru (especially those in the rural areas) make a doll out of straw and dress it up in there clothes. Then, they set fire to the figure. This practice is symbolic of ridding yourself of the year prior and starting out fresh. However, my biggest concern is people burning their cloths just to participate in tradition. This is a practice in my site, but I just don't think that they can afford to burn both a pair of pants and a shirt. Really, I guess you'd better thank your grandma for that shirt she gave you for Christmas...I hope you liked it, because now you'll be wearing it ALL the time!OK, so I'm sure a few of you are also a little curious in regards to the diagnosis to my ailment. Well, the conclusion was pretty much that I had been too sick too often with various infections, parasites, and don't forget that whole Dysentery thing. The culprit could quite possibly been a number of things such as the water, food, people's general lack of hygiene, or aliens. It's hard to say, really. The heart of the matter being that my insides got pretty ripped up and I became a little over-sensitive. But now I feel good, and damn glad!
I'm ready to get back to a site. I am not looking forward to the goodbyes I will have to say; goodbyes to people, places, and projects. However, I have grown weary of being the vicarious volunteer and having to constantly be on the “listener only” side of conversations regarding accomplishments.
Nonetheless, the one month I lived in Lima has been a ride, no doubt. Really, that's not something that most people incorporate into their Peace Corps experience. In retrospect, it wasn't all bad. I had a rare opportunity to cross paths with a large amount of volunteers as they passed through, I got to meet some of their friends/family/fiancés visiting (even once getting treated to a good glass of whiskey and a Cuban cigar as we watched a sunset), and I got a chance to really get to know another part of this incredible country. More so, I think some of them really enjoyed having a Lima tour guide! However, if I had to change one thing (other than not doing it at all in the first place), I would have disposed of my original optimism when I left site, and packed more than two outfits. These clothes are beat. Is the grunge look coming back yet? Well, at least I was smart enough to pack extra underwear. Otherwise, I would be picking through the bins in the streets trying to find an alluring pair of yellow boxer shorts! I hope you have a Happy New Year and that you revel in the possibilities that lie ahead!
