21 August 2010

Today was surreal

My first day as a Peace Corps volunteer was spent in Lima city.

On a day where nothing changed

The Lima sky bore its usual grey

The taxis their usual recklessness

the sidewalks their usual city coated filth

But everything changed today.

Today I awoke as a United States Peace Corps Volunteer and packed my things to travel to my site assignment.

With the same bag I have been living out of for the past 10 weeks, I pulled out an outfit I have worn a thousand times, and felt fresh. I felt like me.

With pride and familiarity we walked the city streets without need for a map, or PC staff assistance on how to gallivant. Now, in touch with the customs and culture of our new home, Peu, we prepare to leave each other. With divergent emotions we prepare for our new world today. This country surely has not changed sense we arrived, but in our eyes, nothing is the same. Do I look different? Can you see the transformation that happened over night? I can feel it.

With the capacity that is now instilled in us, we autonomously go.

The shadow over the novel day was the knowledge of our strongest support system being pulled away again. The newly sworn in volunteers are being scattered across the country. The strength in these young friendships are beautiful and everlasting. Libby has become a sister to me, and so many other trainees have provided the only ears that can understand, the only hearts that can empathize, and the only minds that can decipher my feelings with me.

With all due reflexive love and respect- we go.

20 Agosto 2010

Today we packed our things early in the morning, had a final meeting at the training center, and then were all shipped to Lima all dolled up with all our luggage to the Embassy for swearing in.

What a moment of pride. I think I was more proud in this moment than I ever was for my high school or college graduation. It was very hard to be on American soil, at my Peace Corps Commencement without my family. I wanted to share this happy day with you SO badly!

The oath we recited is the same as the military oath, and includes, "protecting the united states constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic" creepy.

My one-way ticket to Arequipa, Peru is gripping

19 Agosto 2010

This week I have returned to Lima and we have begun all of the formalities of finalization.

Reports, interviews, presentations, tests. ug

Today we also prepared a little celebration for the host families in appreciation. This was kind of a rough day in the end. Some volunteers have gotten very close to their host familys, mysefl included. They have really taken care of me, and I think I have become a little happy meal sized member of the family.

They have taught me so much of the Peruvian way and language. They are so patient with me and so giving. I have definitely learned more language by living with them than I learned in the curriculum based language classes.

We had language exchanges, recipe exchanges, help exchanges, and in the end, gift giving. I printed out photos of us all together for them in a frame, and had brought back the ladies earrings from Piura, and nice toffees from Arequipa. My host sister gave me a pair of heels that you can see me wearing in the picture because she said I needed them (yup, I didn't pack them, who would have thought I would need heels in Peace Corps) apparently heels are the way to get respect in government meetings, flats just don't cut it in Peru. My house mom and dad told me I needed warmer PJs for the cold nights in Arequipa. I agreed, but didn't get around to purchasing any. They of course surprised me with some VERY nice pajamas the night they all sat in my room and watched me pack my things. They took such good care of me. They taught me how to get around safely, and happily. We love each other in a way I never expected, and I know I have a South American family for the rest of my life, and they an American one. So if I call you some day and ask if my Peruvian sister can bum at your house while she travels The States, I beg of you to open your house to her as she has opened her family and heart to me.

The photo below is of libby´s host family´s kids. We became very close during my time in Lima.

14 Agosto 2010

an old Quaker proverb gives me flexibility and calm today

"proceed as the way opens"

13 Agosto

Woke up with diarrhea.

Then got on a bus and headed back towards Arequipa City.

It was uncomfortable.

I don't want to talk about it.

12 Agosto 2010

This day was empowering.

This was the day my new host father had invited me to come back to the house and spend the day with him. When I arrived he was just returning from the fields- 'chacras' and to my delight he seemed happy to see me.

He began by offering me chicha (a white, chalky, corn-made alcohol) and we began preparing my room. It seemed like his daughter had used this room half as a study space and half as a closet. So, there was probably a decade's worth of toys, school projects, nail polishes, etc littering the dirt floor. Because they are so poor throwing things away (pretty much ever) would just be wasteful. So I organized all the garbage into categories, and he sifted through what to move to another room, and what do discard of. I think about 2lbs made it to the trash pile, and about 50lbs made it into a new storage space. But, it looked neat and tidy when we were through with it.

We sprinkled dirt water on the floor and swept up the entire top layer. Tiffyn recommended I make a zen garden with my dirt floor. I love it, off to search for a rake.

Then my Don Juan de la Cruz Suni (my host dad) fed me alpaca heart soup. I got two hearts, and the dog got the rest of the guts in my soup when Don Juan wasn't looking. Then it was back to the fields. He explained to me their aqueduct system to water the fields and we walked each cow and bull one at a time to get a drink. Over our hour long hike to and from the fields we exchanged information on plants and animals in our home countries. He was full of questions like, "what is a squirrel?" or "deer?", "what trees to you have in the states?". It was a great test of my vocabulary. After stopping by the municipality to discuss the changes to my new bedroom that they need to fund in order for me to stay there, we headed back to the chacra to train a teenage bull.

I wish I could have taken photos. They tied two bulls' horns together (an elder experienced, and the bull in training) and tried to make them walk in straight lines pulling a plow. Let me explain: crazy young bull that does not want to be tied to anything, being whipped, bleeding from the nose because he is whacked with a log every time he disobeys, running around in attempts to escape, and they tied a huge knife to the back of him! Does that scream dangerous to any of you? And the clincher, the women and children sat around the small field watching (yes, as a form of entertainment). There were exactly two times the bull decided he had enough and took off full speed for his small audience. I nearly shit my pants. The women laughed, the babies cried, and a lot of "ay-carambas" were floating in the air.

But, sitting back and looking at the scene pleased me to no ends. I was sitting on the side of a BEAUTIFUL canyon watching the sun set between its peaks, and learning the ways of the local community. And above all, integrating. After four hours of chatting with the women and playing withe their kids they tied the babies to the backs and we hiked back to the houses with the more obedient bull. Yup, he showed dramatic improvement.

The small gift I brought for my house father from the states was perfect. A maple leaf shaped bottle with sweet syrup. It was a perfect opportunity to teach him about tree sap, the maple tree, and delight his sugary pallet.

He was so proud to teach me all day, and he seemed excited for my return in a week.

He kept telling me that these walls of his house are my walls now. He offered anything I needed, and any comfort he could provide.

HE is why I look forward to going back to Madrigal. I can't wait to meet his wife. They have so much to teach me, and I think I have potential to help them and their community

11 Agosto 2010

Happy Birthday Matthew!

Today I was reborn.

After the uneasy meetings/interactions of yesterday, I went to meet a potential future counterparts.

The municipality told me to come down for tea at 6am. Tired, but with bright eyes I pull myself into the frigid air to be greeted by the help staff, not the councilfolk. The sweet cook, Victoria explained to me that no one really does anything before sunrise at 8am due to the cold. Having expected this from the Peruvian culture, I was not upset, just nervous about how I was going to meet with the municipality if they didn't come to the meetings they themselves scheduled. Instead, I went to a local woman's house that served me soup the night previous. With sweet protective eyes she brewed me some tea and inquired about the progress of my altitude sickness. I took a breather walk to pull in some patient energy:

It is so beautiful here, just looking around never ceases to lift my heart.

Then, when I went back to the Municipality, breakfast was served, and I met with a few community members that were curious about who the new Peace Corps Rep was; or more like, who the new gringa in their town is.

Full of potatoes, rice, and broth, I swung by the health post and was delighted to talk with a young, educated nurse I briefly met the night before. She explained a bit about what she does and how the post operates, and invited me back to shadow her on rounds to at-risk houses in the neighborhood. We began at a government provided day care center. This was a fabulous opportunity for me to be seen in the community as well as be invited into the homes of community members to see their living situations, as well as learn the concerns of the nurse in town. I observed her inspect the restrooms, food preparation, and general sanitation of the day care center called Wawa wasi. She checked everything from the iodine content in the salt, to the cleanliness of the fingernails of the chef. Each house we went to following had children, and each was distinct. One commonality: no nutritious meals, and no one, i mean, no one washes their hands. It just isn't something they do. The nurse, Lilly, invited me to come back at 2pm and sit in on a health promoter meeting after lunch that day.

When I returned to the Municipality for lunch a congregation of councilfolk and their significant others had collected in traditional dress to celebrate tingache. This celebration takes place twice a year. They offer gifts to the official municipal paperwork, wrap them in a blanket, and walk from important house to important house in town. All the while they sing, and drink. This image to the left is of the women sipping chicha (thick, white, corn alcohol) clothed in their traditional dress. At each house they arrive to a meal is offered. Yup, full blown entire meal, 9 times. I was beyond pleased to be able to duck out after meal 2 for the heath promoter meeting.

Lilly is amazing. The one individual in the community I can identify with. She is bright and motivated. She wants to make change in this town, and she is full of ideas on how I can help. She could keep me busy at the health post for 2 years if i wanted it that way. During the meeting she explained the break down of Peruvian medical system to the health promoters in training; it is like a triangle with the Health Posts forming the base. They see the most civilians, but provide the most basic care, and promote healthful practice. There is one in just about every community in the country. Just above the is the Help Hospital. They have more medical capabilities, and are in medium sized towns. Above that would be the General Hospital which has all forms of medical assistance. Then above that at the tip of the triangle would be the Institutes that provide specialized care like heart or oncology.

MINSA is the Ministry of Health-they offer SIS to everyone that is a registered worker in the country. The state pays for treatment when you need it.

ESSALUD is a better form of insurance that those that work use. the government takes 10% of your paycheck and uses that to help pay for you to receive the best care possible. More kush.

10 agosto 2010

The one day ascent from Lima to my site assignment, Madrigal, left me with altitude sickness. Dizzy, nauseous, and convinced my skull was imploding I tried all the herbal remedies the townsfolk had to offer in order to keep myself functional.

No local coworkers/counterparts showed up at the urban hub to meet me or attend a scheduled PC meeting, so one of the PC staff took me by taxi into Colca Canyon's winding, unpaved road (yup, there is just one). The municipality that requested a PC volunteer was locked. The local health posts was locked, and no one was home at the family's house where I was to be hosted. As we turned away from the last door we could knock on feeling defeated and out of ideas a tired elderly man with his sheep and donkey shuttled by quickly. He seemed disappointed we recognized him to be my host father as he lead the livestock through the front door we had just turned away from. With slight agitation and every ounce of politeness he could muster he showed me into my 'room'. Four crumbling cement walls, a roof speckled with holes, and dirt floors greeted me at first with utter amazement but a hard smack on the nose swiftly followed. While I marveled at the simplicity of their lifestyle the challenge of living there with them for the next two years of my life refused to be overlooked. But, with a smile in my eyes and ambition in my heart my stride did not waver in the presence of this generous, tired, hardworking Peruvian man. I offered with heartfelt sincerity to clean the decades worth of child's toys and homework pages up that formed a small mountain in the room.

Through the door and up the wall is strung a single chord dangling a bulb awkwardly. With no window, this bulb is my only light source.

I was supposed to sleep there for the night, but the room was obviously not livable yet. The next two years of life there did not carry as much weight in my mind as the thought of the setting sun pulling warmth away with it. That leaves me; having nowhere to sleep and rest my head for this, my first evening at site.

My new house mother had been injured in a bus accident weeks ago and still remains in the hospital recovering. Her continued presence out of the house could explain the complete lack of cleanliness in the compound. My sweet house father apologized and explained that he would be ready to receive me in 2 days. Between his garbed Quechua and my rough spanish the conversation birthed awkwardly painful moments. I can only hope my eyes were not obviously wide when he showed me the doorless bathroon, or the communal wall-less shower that consisted of a hose like spicket and a bucket.

The kitchen is made of a pile of bricks around burning logs, and some bricks piled to make stools. Guinea pigs and rabbits scurry under food shelves while a teenage hen hitches a ride on my house tour via my father's head.

After agreeing to return when he is more ready, we leave to hunt down a councilwoman. We found her, and after 20 minutes of meeting I knew she was praying with all her might that I wouldn't notice the drunkeness of the other municipality member who entered her office. A room in the municipality was offered to me for the evening to sleep. Resembling a hotel room with an unfinished shower and no hot water, I was greatful.

Naturally, in the bed that evening I found myself questioning everything. I felt like I had just been slapped around.

Bucket loads of questions were flowing through my mind. Can I? How and I do it best? What is it I should do? Who are the people of this town? Do they really want me here? Will they teach me? Will they take care of me? How have I put myself in such a position of helplessness?

Battered and worn I tried to escape into electronically pumped music in my ears, but fear of the noises outside kept one headphone resting on the pillow and one ear alert.

I did not sleep well.

7 Agosto 2010

Tomorrow I leave for sight visit.

I have about a day's worth of bus travel ahead and will get into Madrigal Monday. This is an opportunity to make introductions, make sure my living situation is safe, do some surveying and report back to Lima on the 15th.

My emotions are all over the board. One minute in the heavens excited, the next haunted house frightened.

tomorrows travel plans are carnivalesque:

chacrasana-lima: taxi (2 hours)

lima-arequipa: night bus (14 hours)

arequipa-chivay: bus (3 hours)

chivay-madrigal: comvi (1 hour-i have heard they hand out barf bags when you get on, it's straight up)

6 Agosto 2010

Today was rough. A trainee I felt close to was kicked out and the energy in the group was low today for this.Also, last night the dog myself and a couple children in the neighborhood were nursing to health died. With much sadness her sweet heart has left the torturous life she lived.

I played with another dog today in attempt to heal my own wound for her loss and found myself in some heathy tears.

Tomorrow, I pack. I will go to Arequipa and visit my sight for a week. I am glowing with excitement and nervousness. On the 15th I will return from my future home and report to PC in Lima. Provided all is well, on the 22nd I move there. Madrigal, Peru, "Here I come!"

Here are some photos of our last youth group meeting. The girls elected a president, and she will be planning the meetings for the youth group to continue after Peace Corps (me and friends) leaves in two weeks. SO EXCITING to see the goals we have set in place with these girls in such a short time and the potential for it to perpetuate. Our closing activity was putting a paper on everyone's backs and then everyone writing something nice on the back of someone else. The kids LOVE it. They hung their kind statements in the tree for everyone to see. It was beautiful.

5 Agosto 2010

My language class went to the Anthropology Museum today in Lima. While the budget for the museum was obviously low, the information and our guide were fascinating.

p.s. gaged ears and peirced noses were a sign of community importance

One of the most interesting facts that our guide stressed was that when a culture "disappeared" it wasn't that everyone just vanished, it was that that government ceased to further rule. The people under that governemnt continued to live on and perpetuate their social culture until the next government took over. Who knows the truth, but interesting thought.

Also, arquiologists discovered some funny looking skulls. It was determined that children born into prestigious familys had "molds" put on their heads. These "molds" molded their skill growth to make them deformed in a way that their forehead sat higher. crazy. Some skulls also had very large holes. The funny part, was that there was some growth after the trauma, meaning whoever it was lived for some time after the hole was made. They hypothesized that these holes were either accidental, operational, or created to release deamons.

3 Agosto 2010

Today was one of my biggest and most exciting days in Peru. After two months of proving ourselves we have been assigned where they deem us fit.

Their method of presentation was entertaining. 52 stool sample cups had a puzzle piece with our name on it floating in the pool at the center. We had to fish them out and put the puzzle together with the other people who's pieces matched to discover our region. This is a picture of me with my stool sample cup containing my site assignment

SITE ASSIGNMENT: MADRIGAL, , AREQUIPA!
Southern Peru.
I could not be more pleased

Madrigal is located in the Colca Canyon of Arequipa.

apparently it is just beautiful. cold by nigh, warm by day.

some links

http://www.traveljournals.net/explore/peru/map/m532326/madrigal.html

http://www.trazzler.com/trips/colca-canyon-in-madrigal-peru-pe

The Municipality requested the following from The Peace Corps:

-youth development

-english classes

-community leadership development

- life plan development

- summer vacation opportunity development

- health education

The Educational Director requested:

- English classes.

- computation

- after school program development and tutoring

- school for parents (we will see what that means)

- art education classes: music, dance, painting, and theatre

The Elementary school Director requested:

-art classes

- education on health and nutrition

- english classes, and after school programs

- computation

- reading, writing, and studying techniques

The Health Post has requested:

- drug use prevention

- nutritional education

- prevention of respritory diseases

- classes on public speaking and writing

- vocational orientation

My placement officer put me here because she thinks i can work towards these goals, and i think it is a fabulous fit. I would love working in these fields!!

I will be living with a family that works int eh fields and I will have a 13 year old house sister. I have been told it is a very rural situation and I CAN NOT WAIT TO SEE IT!!!!

filled with joy, I am off to grab a drink with friends to celebrate our assignments

1 Agusto 2010

Today we went to visit a governmental orphanage. This particular orphanage houses young teens that needed to be removed from their homes. Many of their mothers, siblings, and relatives visit them often, but living in their house is not safe, or their family cannot support them.
The orphanage is in a dangerous part of Lima, so I didn't want to carry my camera and do not have photos to show you. I don't know how to present the situation, the facility carried many positives and many negatives. Because I don't yet know how it could be any better I am just going to share the information I learned and allow you to carry any feelings that arise. If you have any questions feel free to e-mail me.
All the girls are in their teens and treat each other like sisters.
About 12 girls share 5 bedrooms 5 toilets, and 4 showers.
They have a medium sized sitting room for music and TV, and a dinningroom table large enough for them all to eat dinner together every evening.
They have running water, electricity, and a hot water heater.
They have a functioning stove and oven.
There is a room set up for piano lessons that is obviously never used.
This same room has a table and chairs for the psychologist that comes to see them once a week an hour a piece. The girls report to hate the psychologist. They say she is mean. I have been told that the psychologist has no degree and only comes so that she can write it on her resume.
They have a full computer lab and internet access.
The building is falling apart. It needs a paint job badly, probably some new support beams.
They one washingmachine, and hang their clothes out to dry on the roof.
Girls run away often.
One woman lives with the girls. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The girls only go to half-day public school because the government doesn't want to have to financially support them. They are encouraged to study on their own, and some of them really do. One girl is quadralingual. She moved into the center in Lima from a quechua speaking province, picked up spanish, and took a liking to studying language.

The center is funded by the government and one NGO had been sending girls there as well as finding donations.
It is said that a lot of the money donated to the center is skimmed off the top by government officials.
The government officials that represent the girls never go there. They would rather not have to think about these girls, generally ignore them, and do not allow any paperwork through that would change anything about the way it is presently run.

One anecdote. The volunteer that works there presently took time to paint a world map on one of the walls with the girls, when she came back one week it had been painted over because it wasn't the approved wall color. When she asked about receiving funding and painting all the walls with the girls because the paint is chipping and dirty, they said she couldn't, and gave no reason.

31 Julio 2010

What a lovely little change of events.
Today was empowering.

I woke up with my host sister in the kitchen preparing omelets (known here as 'tortillas'). Delicious! We were interrupted by 3 little ladies pounding on the door (10 minutes EARLY- unheard of in Peru culture). Our youth group had their trash bags and were ready to go pick up trash in the neighborhood before the 'basurero' - 'trashcollector' came. When they saw I was still eating they insisted I relax and finish my food, they would collect the other neighborhood girls for me. They returned promptly in 10 minutes with the rest of the crew. My counterparts and I announced the rules (no touching glass and such), and explained the competition: The girls had 15 minutes to fill their trash bag, and the person with the most full bag at the end won a prize. The girls could not contain their excitement. We had to hold them back and count down from three... they were off, literally running and laughing. I couldn't believe it. It reminded me of a youth group event I had with St. Marks a good 10 years ago. On a ski trip, we paid our lodging in a church by cleaning out expired cans of food for recycling. It was disgusting, and we laughed every minute. I know I will never forget that night. How long will these girls remember today? We encountered the trashcollector and he promised he wouldn't leave the neighborhood without collecting our bags (there is no where to put trash if you don't give it directly to the trashcollector or put it in the container in your kitchen), so this was a relief. The girls filled their bags quickly and emptied them into the dumptruck. The trash collector said he had 10 more minutes worth of pick-ups to do, and the girls were still so full of energy they wanted a second round. 3...2...1... they were off, and I have to say they collected twice as much the second time, and they all won a sweet little dessert in the end.

Through the past week I have been doing some snooping. There are a lot of street dogs, but they are all male. I have not yet figured out why there are no female street dogs. Perhaps Peruvians are more likely to keep females as pets, or they just don't survive on the street due to the rapings.
Anyways, there is one family that decided they don't want a dog anymore. They put a sweet little 2-3 year old black spaniel looking mix on the street. Being so young and inexperienced she started losing weight immediately, and fighting the dogs that wanted to inseminate her, leaving here very wounded and more and more sick by the week. Every time I see her it breaks my heart. Sometimes so hungry she can't walk, other times bloody and dirty. What can I do? The house I live in is not mine to offer, nor do I have connections or funding enough here to take her to a vet. I saw the dog again today, her nose and eyes almost completely caked shut with snot and dirt, she recognized my voice and struggled to come to me. She wouldn't take water or food. Today was the day I had had enough. I started talking around. My house mom told me Marino's family dog is old and they might want a new dog. I went to their house and they said they can't afford a sick dog, but told me the daughter of one of the bodega owners is a veterinarian. I know the niece of this young woman is in my youth group. So I went over to her house and explained everything to my little Julisa. She got her aunt to come outside and talk to me. Sylvia is her name, and with her huge heart she explained to me that she had seen this dog in the street and had tended to her wounds a couple weeks ago, and last week saw that she was having trouble breathing and gave her antibiotics out of her own pocket. The dog had followed me to her house today, and one look at this dogs pitiful little face sent her into the house for supplies, no questions asked.
I took to washing the sweet dogs nose, eyes, and ears while Sylvia tended to 3 injections, an oral antibiotic, and flea/tick prevention application. This took us a good hour, so we chatted away. She is an AMAZING young woman. Probably the most educated person I have met in the neighborhood, and so kind. She explained to me what the dog needs in the week to come, and we split the duty. She cannot take the dog in as she has pets, nor can I, but we both are on the lookout. She would not accept money from me to pay for the medications, so I offered her a language exchange. The dog ate and drank after we cleaned her up, and the language exchange is scheduled for Monday night. How beautiful this happenstance!

When I got home my host parents had packed a picnic lunch! We put on our swimsuits and sun dresses and headed to a private club about 45 minutes outside town.
***club photo*** The club is owned by the government and is for military families. This relaxation I received was what the doctor prescribed. I put on my house mom's big floppy sun hat and stuck my nose in a book. It was such a nice day for everyone. Today, I consider myself integrated. When my house mom laid her head on my lap and asked me to put sunscreen on her face for her, I took that as a representation of our comfort level with each other. acculturation: check.


We have returned home for 'lonche' -'light dinner' and I think we are going over to the neighbors for dessert later.

feelings of refreshment and exuberation will roll me into tomorrow

30 Julio 2010

reality is sinking in.
the impossibility of leaving this coutry in two years and seeing change
the difficulty of the lifestyle I need to take on
and the general exhaustion of working with youth

they all smacked me in the face today

i need to feel loved
i ask for love to fuel my work



-youth group last night was rough. Due to the holiday weekend every 'carpenteria' and 'ferroteria' was closed. I could not find a window screen for the life of me in Chaclacayo after class. I needed a screen because we had planned to teach the girls paper making at 5:30; 4:45 rolls around and I still have no screen. So I hopped on a 'comvi' -'over-crowded bus' to go to the nearest superstore in Chosica. There was no screen to be found. I took too the streets and asked every kind eye I saw about an open 'carpenteria' or 'ferroteria' in Chosia. Keep in mind that everything here is locally owned. Every shop is connected to a house, and there is no such thing as posting hours of operation. Everyone I met was convinced I was not going to find anything open. At 5:15 I stumbled around the open market and was brainstorming alternate activities when I was lucky enough to find one! The owner of the shop was a sweet older woman fluent in quecha and spanish, and a younger man she was trying to sell to me more than her products. Ronald (the young man) was AMAZINGLY helpful and actually built me a wood frame with screen to fit my needs exactly. His determination to be precise was not something I could take for granted at the moment; I didn't rush him and watched the clock tick while the sweet owner taught me quechua.
I returned (through holiday traffic and another comvi ride) 45 minutes late to youth group with very excited adolescents. My awesome counterparts had taught them some 'dinamicas' on the spot that kept the girls occupied until I arrived. It was a huge challenge to get my exhausted body up to their level, but the girls had fun and loved the paper project. Half way through, my house mom came outside with a worried eye that the blender shouldn't be used for the paper anymore. With utter exasperation and every ounce of politeness that has ever been instilled in me I cut the project in half. But, I have to say, the girls went home happy, and I went to bed at 9pm.
This is a perfect example of what I anticipate is coming. Things working out very differently than expected, but turning out alright in the end.
The best part of this story was while wripping paper and chatting the girls were flowing with ideas of what we could do the next week. Then the decided they wanted to meet more than once so they could do more than one project. Then they decided they wanted to meet three times so they could go to the pool too. I am proud to say that I actually had to tell them we couldn't meet as many times as they wanted. I am so blessed to have such an excited and motivated group of kids. My counterparts and I agreed that we could meet Saturday as well as Thursday. The girls want to pick up trash in the neighborhood. Who can say, "no" to that?!

29 Julio 2010

I have a tan line from my vaccination Band-Aid

28 Julio 2010

Happy Independence Day Peru!
We had the day off of classes to celebrate.

I was so excited to see this plate:

**** cuy y camote****

I have been told that guinea pig is a dark fatty meat being promoted by the Peruvian Health Department due to its high iron content and easy accessibility.
I like dark meat, that is always my favorite part of the chicken, and steak close to fat is always the richest. I was stoked.

I don't know if it was the smell of the raw cuy soaking in the herbs the night before, seeing the cuy guts all over the house (and when I say "all over" I mean a liver on the kitchen counter, skins on the edge of the sink where we wash laundry, etc), the unappetizing presentation, or a combination of all of the above; But, half way through the meal I discovered that I don't like cuy. In fact, I dislike it very much.
With all my heart I wanted to love it, but when I realized that I was holding my breath with each bite and looking forward to the potatoes I have been avoiding for the past month I allowed admittance of displeasure. It took all of my strength to keep my nose from wrinkling up with each bite. I took to my childhood mastery of making food appear to be eaten. Hiding the meat that has even the slightest bit of fat on it under skin, stuffing some unidentifiables in the ribcage, and the like. I ate it as quickly as possible, and must have drunk 4 glasses of water to wash it down, but was still quite hungry. I took to the potatoes, and couldn't handle the smell of the cuy dressing so I decided to eat them adjunctless. Let me tell you, a potato with no salt, butter, or anything has ever tasted so good. Then, when I cut into the 'camote' I discovered that means 'sweet potato'!!! I have NEVER been so excited for a toppingless sweet potato in my life. I must have inhaled it.

Then, I focused on getting rid of the evidence. I helped wash the dishes and get all the cuy guts and bones out to the trash in the road as quickly as possible. This morning they had cleaned the cuy bodies in the sink outside. When I went to hand wash my clothes for the week I gave all the random scraps of cuy to the dogs and went to town with a scrub brush on the sink. I could not fathom the idea of my clothes smelling like the mess I had just stuffed into my belly. Her outdoor sink has never sparkled so brilliantly. My family thought it such a nice gesture that I was helping so much with the cleaning so they could relax a bit and enjoy the holiday. I finished in record time and decided a shower was required. When I stepped into the house feeling a sense of accomplishment in having arrived to the last step of ridding my nose of the cuy scent, a waft from the kitchen reached my nostril. Tomorrow we will mop and then have at cleaning the tablecloth.

27 Julio 2010
If anyone can guess what this is a picture of you get a brownie point from me




Tonight my house mother's parents showed up to surprise my host sister for her birthday. They are pretty much the cutest little Peruvian Sierra couple I have met yet, and they pulled a classic and brought CUY (guinea pig)!
Sorry the video is crooked.






transcript:

Me: Yeah? Great!
Rosa (my house mom) in the background: Mom raised these cuy.
Me: Yeah? And how many cuys do you have?
Grandma Santa Maria: One little one more now.
Me: Oh. And you killed the cuy to celebrate Sheyla's birthday?
Grandma Santa Maria: Yes.... of course.


I am sure you will hear more details about cuy as I experience them. Yes, Peruvians often raise them in their house, but they never eat them until they are big enough. I have to say, I haven't seen many cuy, but these were the biggest ones I had seen thus far.
They are stewing now with basil and some other spices who's names I don't think there is a translation for.
Lunch tomorrow.