First Project Success!

Indeed, I wasted very little time in getting to work. Yes, first I am supposed to perform a formal diagnostic of my new site (which I'll get to); but I have to make up for lost time, right? I see it this way: They knew I was coming, my language skills are sufficient to be effective, and I had to chase the opportunities knocking at my door. Honestly, I've been very lucky to encounter so many motivated people so quickly; I didn't want to miss an open window while pursuing procedural paperwork.

The municipality wanted to start a campaign to empower local youth while they are on their summer vacation from school. Originally, they wanted me to be the supervisor of the program. However, that is far from sustainability. They have since hired a man with whom I have been working to organize a gang of do-gooders.

We have 120 enthusiastic local adolescents teamed up on a citywide recycling campaign. It's been absolutely phenomenal! We gave them a week-long seminar on the project plan, recycling basics, and even threw in a couple guest speakers. From there, we planned a parade around the entire town carrying banners and stopping in each barrio where the group members performed skits (which they wrote themselves). We even had a band marching with us helping pull the community members out of their houses. To top it off, we talked the municipality into buying us all matching shirts. It was absolutely sensational, and a great "kickoff" day for the cleanup campaign. And, of course, everyone decided it best to have the huge gringo guy front and center leading the way...I suppose that also works as an attention getter.

Currently, the members of the group have been split into subgroups and are going door-to-door and teaching the community how to sepperate their refuse (organic, inorganic non-recyclable, and recyclable. The project itself has proven to be successful as the local recycling plant reports increases in volume. It's great to know that these folks are having a positive impact regarding environmental progress and community mindset. However, I'm especially proud of the way the youth have dedicated their time and efforts for the sake of community improvement. Some of these kids have demonstrated remarkable leadership skills and have really kept me motivated throughout the process. More so, this project has been an excellent opportunity for me to put my foot in the proverbial door and hit the ground running in my new site.

On other notes, life has been great. My new site continues to provide me with a profusion of positive experiences. In addition, the celebrations of Carnival have wrapped up and I managed to make it through relatively dry for the most part. However, there was one day when I would have been better off walking around in full rain gear.

About a week ago I was running some errands in the department capital, which looked more like a water world war zone. After lunch, as I was getting ready to head back to site for a meeting with the mayor, I was bombarded by a gang of bucket carrying hooligans. This was after a morning of successfully avoiding water balloons and balcony offenses. I ostentatiously thought I would actually be returning to site in time for the meeting in dry wardrobe. However, if recollection serves correctly, I was doused with three buckets of water in succession as I retreated to a local café to seek refuge. From there, I avoided one more bucket as I frantically rolled up the taxi window.

Soaking wet, I jumped in a combi (mini-bus) to take me back to site. I caught the last available spot and was seated in the back row center. I thought the worst was over as the rusted roof and walls of the vehicle shielded us from roadside attacks. Nevertheless, as we made a stop along the way, the back door of the combi had been pulled open and an assailant unexpectedly (and very successfully) launched about five gallons into the rear section of the combi as the driver peeled away. At this point, I looked like I had taken a shower with all of my clothes on.

When I arrived at my site, I witnessed similar chaos. The majority of the moto taxis (motorized rickshaw-type things) had fellows riding sidecar with full buckets as well. To avoid the pandemonium, I walked about six blocks out of the way to my living quarters. There, I changed and headed back down to the municipality for my meeting with the mayor. Of course, the municipality is located right on the Plaza de Armas whose central location and water fountains made it a red zone for the battles. Suddenly, my ambitious adolescent do-gooders turned on me. As I sprinted to the building, I could hear the pubescent voices announcing my presence. I picked up the pace and made it just in time for the meeting looking surprisingly presentable.

However, to my dismay, the mayor wasn't even there and the meeting had been postponed to the following day. After all, this is Perú, and things sometimes workout that way. Therefore, I waited on the balcony watching the bedlam in safety. Once the dust settled, I moseyed on home reflecting on how an ordinary morning can bring unexpected afternoon episodes. Just another day at the office, I suppose.

¨Say Hello and Wave Goodbye¨

After an extended session of wandering throughout the month of January, I have officially landed in my new site. It's great. Really, it's like a dream site for a Peace Corps Youth Development Volunteer. I'm living at a much lower altitude and thus enjoy a much milder climate (and still maintaining the mountain views). Some spectacular family members sent me a travel clock with a thermometer for Christmas. Therefore, I can tell you that it hits about 80 degrees in the day and bottoms out at about 65 at night. It's paradise; like living on the beach, but surrounded by mountains (and I have incredible views from my bedroom window). Yes, I even have palm trees and banana plants; a valley paradise, indeed. In fact, the city is nicknamed “dulzura”, which translates to “sweetness”...and I really dig that. My opportunities seem endless, which has me riding a motivational wave. Living in a city of just over 22,000 has also restored a mild sense of anonymity. More so, I have espoused such luxuries as having both a shower and an operating toilet. Yes, things are first-rate, superb.

However, waving goodbye to my old site issued one of the most awkward and cumbersome experiences of my life. It's not that one thing in particular bestowed the perturbation. Rather, it was the conglomeration of repeatedly explaining that I would be on my way, combined with the trounced sense of failure and embarrassment that hit me ungentlemanly. Not to mention that my room had been flooded due to the winter rains. There goes the family, friends, projects, and life I had become accustomed too. The situation proved to be thorny through and through. Living without certainty in one's future is no doubt part of a vagabond code, which I had never felt so exposed to. It was brilliantly catastrophic, humbling, and somewhat peaceful.

Be that what it may, in the paragon that is hindsite, I truly feel like it was for the best (cliché, I know). For certain, I will miss many aspects of that community. In addition, I have a lot of work to do here in order to start anew. Nonetheless, I will NOT be missing the spouts of precarious illness, nor the morning walks through the pastures to find a good place to defecate. It's all gone. It's all behind me; for better or worse...but, I think “for better” pays heed.

I moved in to my new site at a very peculiar time. Perú, along with much of the Christian world is currently celebrating Carnival. Things get especially foreign to me for the duration of the celebration here. Somewhere along the line, water-fights became a ritualistic part of the observance of this holiday. Therefore, at any given time, one is subject to being hit with a water balloon or a brisk bucket shower from a balcony above. Keep your eyes open and be wary of all underpasses. A battle starts suddenly, and with little warning. Some days are a little hair-raising, but I've been pretty careful; doing my best to arrive at meetings in dry apparel. This will continue for the nest two weeks! “You can't beat fun”...but I'm glad to see that they're trying!

However, there are upsides. The community has circumscribed parades, marches, and dances surrounding our plaza. It's been a great opportunity to get out and meet the people. More so, the brilliant colors, loud music, traditional dancing, and smiles have made me feel very welcome in my new community. Good things are going to happen here...I can feel it!

On another note, I also spent a week of last month in the department capital with six other volunteers taking Quechua classes (the native language of the Inca...actually, pre-Inca). Yeah, that's not something that is going to come easy. Especially, when I gaze at my notebook and see a wrecking combination of English, Spanish, and Quechua gawking at me. I even wrote my first song in Quechua and performed it on guitar! It's a dying language, and will serve no purpose beyond my immediate future. Nonetheless, I've always wanted to learn a third language. Perhaps I should have been a little more meticulous with my aspirations!