Healthy Gringos...Road Trip!

Greetings, greetings, greetings...and just think, in a few days, I will be giving salutations to some of you in person.  However, to relieve myself of some redundant explanations, I'll give you a quick update of what I've been doing around these parts in that last few weeks.

Myself, in collaboration with the other volunteers in my department, have been traveling all over the department conducting a theatrical performance in each of our sites.  And, in between, we even made a stop at some ancient ruins of the per-Inca society

 of Chavin de Huantar.  Now, I wouldn't go so far as to say we're ready for Hollywood, but as far as performances in a foreign language go, I would say we did pretty well!  So well in fact, that we were treated like celebrities...autographs, pictures, and the whole works.

Our little burlesque had a very serious message, but of course, we kept it comical.  In addition to sharing an important  message, this endeavor proved to be an excellent opportunity to visit one another's sites and get to know the people, projects, and area in general.  More so, I found it to be a great bonding experience for all of us.  I still maintain the belief that you can't really know somebody until you have traveled with them.  And, well, I guess I've gotten to know a few people a little better.  Let's just say, that we did more than our fair share of waiting for busses.

The message we were sharing with the people from our communities was gender equality.  Generally speaking, this subject is rather closeted in this area.  So much so, in fact, that most of the people in our communities strictly follow stereotypical gender roles.  Men, for example, are the breadwinners.  They feel obligated to do the "manly" things like work the fields and bring home the bacon, so to speak.  Meanwhile, the women do the cleaning, the child rearing, and often feel restrained in pursuits of their dreams.  In some cases, the matter is so deeply rooted that women haven't even been given the opportunity to learn Spanish and only communicate in Quechua.   In my opinion, this is a tremendous setback in the overall development and well-being of a country and its people.  Therefore, we set off with the mission to educate via satire how men can easily help out around the house, and how females are just as capable as men in both physical and intellectual capacities.  

I won't go into the details of our production, but I will let you know that I played the role of "Huascar", the profound and wise mountain (named after Huascaran, the highest mountain in the area, and the World's highest tropical mountain).  More so, I will apprise that there was a bit of cross-dressing and role reversal conducted by other members of the team.  

Overall, everything went swimmingly.  Most interesting to me were the faces of middle aged men in the audience when we reinforced the fact that they too can cook, clean, and assist with the children; some didn't seem to enthused about that little newsflash.  Nonetheless, the youth definitely got the message.

Oh Peace Corps!  You never cease to send me down previously unexplored personal paths!  I've determined that development work is best conducted when oneself steps outside-of-the-box in order to help others step out of theirs.

Bouncing Around the Room

Here and there and up and down I go...well, I went anyway.  The past month has recurrently kept me out of site.  Some of it was at my discretion, some at the Peace Corps, and a little at Peru in general.  Anyway you cut it, I spent about half the month out of site.  Although the time away from projects can damper progress, I enjoyed having the wandering shoes laced up.

I spent another week in the departments capital (Huaraz) wrapping up the second (and last) session of Quechua classes.  Unfortunately, I'm nowhere close to having a solid grasp on the language.  It's pretty tricky.  

When was the last time you tried to learn an indigenous language through a second language?  Nonetheless, I'm making progress...little by little.  In fact, I even overheard one of the old ladies in the market telling her friend how good my Quechua was the other day.  If only she knew that besides the "hello, how are you?" and the "how much for a kilo of tomatoes?" I know not much more than infinitive words and a few well-rehearsed phrases.  I suppose that's the true measure of intelligence anyway; fool everybody into thinking that you know what you're doing.  But, I'll get there...poco a poco.

I also went down to Lima again for the Peer Support Network 

meeting.  That too was a positive experience.  We met again for brief training and to see just how the rookie program is holding up.  It seems like all the representatives are doing a good job.  Whats more, I will continue to be the committee coordinator through the next six months, sharing the responsibility with another volunteer.  As you may predict, I'm very hopeful that this program will fulfill its goal of helping other Peace Corps Volunteers deal with issues they face throughout their service.  Afterall, a happy volunteer is one who will stay in the country and cultivate their communities and projects.  We have already seen seven volunteers from my training group alone return to the US for one reason or another; I would hate to lose another.

On another note, I also spent a few days (the Easter Holiday) at a beach with a few friends.  It was a very relaxing little vacation.  Peace Corps gave us a few days of free vacation in which we could leave our sites.  I figured I ought to check out a new part of the country.  There, I did nothing.  It was great!

Here in site, things have been very mellow, as well.  The big recycli

ng campaign has wrapped up, and school has resumed session.  The project seems to have maintained its sustainability and is holding up well.  I hope it stays this way!  More so, before we concluded the project, I help get the local Mountain Rescue Brigade to come in and teach a few classes on first-aid, CPR, and rescue techniques.  Like most things, I think that some kids got more out of it than others.  But, it was worth a shot.

Now, I'm busy planning a whole new project!  I'm hoping to enter schools in the local area and conduct vocational courses with the seniors in high school.  Of course, I'm looking at a few roadblocks with this.  However, the local municipality has already approved the funding for all photocopies; that was a big one.  With that out of the way, my biggest issue will be the coordinating of the actual classes.  

One of the reasons that the coordination will be an issue is that I will be taking a trip BACK TO THE U-S-of-A!  Yes, that's right!  I'll be back in the Minneapolis area in the end of April through the first week of May.  I will be attending the wedding of two good friends.  I'm very happy for them.  Family, friends, dancing, food!  Yeah, I'm pumped!  And, let's not forget about the warm showers!

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!

Happy Holidays!

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!