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.
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