6 Abril 2011

I shot out of bed at 9 am. I had fallen asleep around 9 pm last night and wasn’t worried about setting an alarm because I was sure I would be up with the Sun as usual. From Sun-up to Sun-down, yesterday, we were in the fields harvesting potatoes. By the end of the day we had over 50 100-lb-bags of potatoes. We were 5 people in the field. My hands, feet and back ached and I started contemplating giving myself a chiropractic and acupuncture visit in Arequipa for my birthday. We will see if it is affordable next trip. But, in the middle of the night last night a hail storm came through and the dancing ice on my roof woke me up around 3am. Too cold to go to the bathroom or even make myself some tea, I laid in bed and waited for the ice to tap me back to sleep. Slowly, it became rain again and drummed to me the rest of the night. Stunned that I slept so late, I sprang out of bed and started readying myself for a day of teacher workshops. Coffee, bucket bath, cereal, and I am off. Today’s talk was the first of a 6-part workshop for the teachers. They selected the themes they wanted me to brig to them, and I focused the themes on what I thought they needed most. Today’s theme: basic brain development for teachers (focusing on memory and learning), and how to motivate and keep your kids’ attention. The first part was based on a Brotherson publication that really breaks the basics of brain development down well for parents and I applied this for the teachers here. First, I really focused on how important experience is for the brain to fully develop. Second, how teachers can teach for long term memorization with semantic methods as opposed to repetition which only leads to short term memorization (this was based on Crack & Lockart’s theory of semantic processing). Third, we finished with a program called “SLANT”, that I translated to “SEPAS” that is used in Charter schools of the KIPP program in Houston and NY (this was developed by some Teach For America Volunteeers names Levin & Feinberg). The program is a positive reinforcement program that encourages specific actions that lead to unavoidable attention from the students. I was completely and utterly stunned how interested the teachers were in everything I talked about in this 1-hour charla that turned into 2-hours for both the Primary and Secondary sessions. The teachers were full of great questions and extremely attentive. Somehow, I managed to make the session interactive and funny at parts so the teachers were engaged and laughing (this leads well into the next session about non-formal education and the importance of play in the classroom). I think that this was one of less than 5 times in my site where I was really able to identify with ME. I wasn’t playing the good PC volunteer. I wasn’t bored. I was just me, and only me. I was busy and professional all day. I was talking about my passion for over 4 hours today with people that want to hear about it. Arriving home late there were literally kids waiting outside the door for homework help. If only my everyday could feel so good! But, you know what, I wouldn’t change any day here for the world. Happy Birthday, Mom!

4 Abril 2011

At 4:30 this morning I was growling as I rolled out of bed for my 5 o’clock meeting with the mayor and council members. They meet at sunup because by about 8-10am they need to be in the fields. After a cup of Stumptown coffee and a splash of fresh melted icecap water on my face I was good to go. I was surprised at how professional and formal they were so early in the morning. Extremely gracious, extremely attentive they listened to my half-hour community diagnostic presentation. Madrigaleñans never cease to amaze me. This “administration” is new. It is not the administration that invited me to live and work in Madrigal so there was potential for things to go very badly. But, it didn’t at all. The opposite, in fact. The presentation consisted of 6 short parts: Who is Peace Corps Who am I What have I have been doing (surveys, mini projects, etc) What I found out about Madrigal What projects I would like to develop with the citizens. How the Municipality can contribute. The main contribution I requested from them was a space for me to use to teach the VALE program and for the youth to convert into a library over time. They were eager to offer me a large lovely space in the municipality. It has natural lighting and a tile floor (yay!). I had originally wanted this space to be in the school, but there was resounding agreement among the parent surveys that the public library should be in the municipality so they could use it too and so it was more centrally located for their children to come in the evenings. It is FANTASTIC news that the municipality is on board. They promised to install a door that locks within a week! I also requested that they fund buying paint supplies for painting a world map mural in the primary school with the secondary school students. The council was split on that one. Some said that because they are a new administration they are low on funds right now. The other half wanted me to write up a smaller budget, which I said was possible. So, if we can’t get the funding from the municipality perhaps I might be contacting you folks to see if you are interested in funding a VERY inexpensive project that is extremely important for the youth here and get your name painted on a wall in Peru. Why is painting a world map so important? Why do I focus 3 entire months on world arts projects with the students in the VALE program? They never study the world. Anything they learn about the world outside of Peru is strictly word-of-mouth. The governmental publicly administered text books leave the world out almost completely. The students only have knowledge on the history of Peru, and a little bit about South America, very little to nothing on anywhere else. In my surveys, when I asked them to draw a map of the world, most drew Peru. Some drew a rough South America. Few drew other continents. When I was in Ancash doing AIDS awareness workshops I passed some time playing with kids at their school. The volunteer at their site had done a world map project, and when I asked the kids where Russia was on the map, none knew. China? The United States? The continent of Africa? A couple knew US, one little girl knew were Africa was. This isn’t abnormal here. It is to be expected. I want to change that in Madrigal. The VALE program not only has them painting the map to familiarize, but it is linked with activities to view the culture of some representative countries. Wow, sorry about that ramble. Can you tell I am passionate about my work? Here is the updated VALE outline that went out in all my grant applications: Each small roman numeral represents a week. Outline of Volar A Las Estrellas (VALE): I. Exploration of the World a. Community Leadership Project: Paint World Map i. Who are we?-what is VALE and what are our names ii. What planet are we on?- our planet, gravity, and weather iii. What happened on this planet?- a short history of the world iv. What is Russia? v. What is Japan? vi. What is India? vii. What is Egypt? viii.What is Ghana? ix. What do they eat?- preparing World foods x. What can I do with trash?- recycling activities II. Exploration of the Community a. Community Leadership Project: better community library i. Do I like to read? –sparking interest in reading books for fun ii. How can I find what I need on a computer?- getting to know Windows computer programs iii. How do I find out? –learning how to research answers to questions iv. What is a democracy?- learning what democracy means v. What is a good leader?- learning how to lead vi. How do I organize?-Learning how to put and keep things in their place vii. How do I work in a group?- Practicing working together viii.How do I manage a business?- learning about supply and demand and how to keep record books ix. What is the role of a woman/man? Discrimination exploration x. What is domestic violence? How to recognize abuse and what can be done about it xi. What is alcoholism? What alcohol does to the body III. Exploration of the Self a. Community Leadership Project: building a community newspaper as well as personal diaries b. Salud i. How do I feed my body? Nutrition ii. How do I keep my body healthy? Hygiene and sanitation in the house iii. How does my body work? A look at organ systems and healthy body excrements iv. What is safe sex? Sexually transmitted diseases and family planning* v. Why is my body changing? An explanation of puberty* c. The individual and their personalities i. How can I collect my thoughts?- work with the diaries ii. How do I think up something new? Sparking creativity and art iii. What is my favorite? Being an individual iv. How can I be a great leader? Practice leading v. How do I feel about me? Self-esteem *Only for the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades of the Secondary school. I don’t think the Municipality members really understood the importance of all the topics in the program, but they were all about it when I sad, “Lots of volunteers find funding to build beautiful libraries that sit empty. We don’t want that in Madrigal. If the youth develop the library themselves they will want to protect it. And, if they accustom themselves to coming there nightly to do homework and activities (instead of my house) the potential for the library to be active is huge. We hope that this program VALE will secure that.” To be totally honest, I did feel a little bit assertive in the meeting. I have been extremely tool-like to the citizens of Madrigal until recently; Asking them what they want, being the bounce back for them to brainstorm on how to get it done, then the human resource to help get it done. This municipality is stepping in a little late in that process. I don’t have so many questions anymore, potential solutions have been developed, and I want the mayor and council members to be onboard. The assertiveness could be a good thing considering I was one of two women in a room full of men. But, I am also HYPER-sensitive to conceitedness. I put a huge effort forward to not appear narcissistic in this work because I see such a HUGE majority of other volunteers and NGO workers acting that way. Like they are offering a service to the people here as if they aren’t receiving anything in return from them. I probably fall on the other end of the spectrum sometimes and even appear weak because I really don’t want to intimidate any locals. I am a politician in a sense and always trying to make Peace Corps and Americans look gracious and good so people work with me and ultimately they receive more. I reflect on the meeting hoping that I didn’t step on any toes with my confidence and everybody just wants to dance with me! Tomorrow is the first teacher workshop that is linked to the VALE program. The teachers requested that I show them a way to motivate students and keep them focused. So, I am teaching them a program developed by Levin and Feinberg for KIPP used in Houston and NY and other inner-city Charter schools. I also decided that I wanted to throw in a very basic brain development lecture. The main teaching method in these schools is wrote. Just read and copy. It is known that this form of memorization never enters long-term-memory, it just hangs out in short-term for a bit then dissolves. So the teachers are going to get a quick (very, very skim the surface) chat on teaching for semantic learning. Aka, play. So, the rest of my day will be focused on finishing writing the talk and making poster boards to present with. Wish me luck!

3 Abril 2011 take two (9:40pm)

I really am not good at knitting. I am sitting here, knowing that the Peruvian presidential debates are being broadcast publicly right now, but my entire town is asleep. I have no tv and would kill to be watching these debates right now. So, I am knitting and listening to recorded NPR podcasts. It is so cold that my tea stays hot about 5 minutes, so I am making a coozie for my tin teacup. It really isn’t very pretty, and soon I will be doubting its functionality. Knitting is really not my calling. Oh well.

3 Abril 2011

The bus from Arequipa dropped me off in Chivay at 5am. There was a comvi leaving for madrigal at 6 so I jumped on. Once there were 20 people crammed into the 15 passenger van they decided to pull out. I can’t believe how much colder it has gotten in the canyon since a week ago when I left. I had sandals on in Arequipa city and thought I was being a little silly piling on 3 pairs of the smartwool socks my mother sent me to come back home. No, not silly. Two pairs of paints, three long-sleeve shirts, sweater, gloves, scarf, hat, and hood weren’t silly either. And, I was still a little chilly. I always think that I am being a wimp when I make these little jaunts and see the tiny 70-year-old woman with bags of potatoes to sell in Arequipa City on their backs. Yeah, I have a bag full of a month’s worth of fruit and vegetables, but they do not weigh like potatoes do… and I am 24 without a humpback.

When I arrived at the house at around 9am my host sister and father were boiling the morning’s milk. They were delighted when I pulled hot chocolate mix out of my bag. I kind of feel sneaky with this hot chocolate. I found it about 4 months ago and it is pumped with vitamins, so I keep getting it every month. I feel like I am sneaking something dangerous into their food when I offer them chocolate.
Hey, that just gave me an idea. What if I could get local governments to economically supplement foods with vitamins so they are less expensive for poor communities to purchase? Especially something like hot chocolate! They already love the stuff, there wouldn’t be much of a daily shift to “get to” eat hot chocolate more often. Hmmmm.

Any ways, over hot chocolate my host father says, “El liebre ha partido!”-“The rabbit has parted”. I had never heard this phrase before. I am thinking, “It left?”. I gave him my confused face that he knows all too well and he says laughing, “The rabbit has parted, now we have a bunch of little rats running around in the pen.” Ah ha! So he said, “the rabbit has split”, not parted. I found this phrase hilarious and he made a joke about me being nauseous so often that maybe I will part soon too. Yeah, not so funny anymore. I promised him that the stuff that was growing in my belly has definitely ‘parted’. No more parasites for me.
But, in all honesty, it is cute how much Don Juan treats me like a daughter. He would just be fit as a fiddle if I brought a man home to him and announced marriage or pregnancy. I think he gets worried sometimes that I am 24 without a wedding or babies in the near future. And we share worry every time I think of the fact that the average age for a woman to give her first birth here is 19.

2 Abril 2011

I got to talk to my brother for almost an hour today.

It was beautiful.

Absolutely beautiful.

So beautiful it made me want to spend everything I have to get a USB stick that will connect me to the internet in the canyon.

I miss my family and friends. I miss newspaper articles that are well written and pertain to the world. I miss movies. I miss reading journal articles. I feel like the world of neuroscience has left me in the dust... literally.

I know this opportunity is beautiful in itself, and I love it, with all my heart. I just wish I could have my cake and eat it too!

So I went to the phone store to try and buy the internet stick. After almost a year of resisting it, I was proud of my decision to succumb to the interweb.

The guy at the counter says, "sorry, but I can't sell you that if you are going to use it in the canyon. The signal is not strong enough."

We had an extremely polite argument about him letting me buy it and try. If it doesn't work, I will be out the cash, not him. But, apparently, that isn't the case. He would be fined if I broke a year contract.

A little crushed... or maybe a lot. I return to the canyon tonight still nauseous from the parasites but in a remarkably good mood.

No matter how frustrated I get with life, my world in the canyon always balances itself out.

1 Abril 2011 take two

ladies and gentlemen,

i have survived multiple intestinal infections, altitude sickness (bloody noses, headaches, weakness and nausea), and multiple dangerous bus rides in the canyon.

now...

it is time....

for parasites.

The poop analyses are in, an I am on an anti-parasitic drug waiting to see worms in the toilet.

ew.

1 Abril 2011

After I blogged yesterday I received a post master message that the e-mail I sent to the NGO with my grant application didn't go through.

I sent it again.

Got it back.

Broke it into three e-mails. sent it again.

got it back

called the NGO, they said try again

again

nothing

again

nothing

from around 10am-3pm i kept sending it in different ways and formats.

my bus was supposed to leave at 4 from the city.

at 3:30 the grant that was due today still hadn't gone through.

I had to leave by 4 and I had to have this grant go through.

what happens when lauren has a conundrum like this?

she starts crying.

I froze. there was nothing i could do to control the situation.

only one bus goes to my site.

where i don't have internet

one application, one due date.

"Prioritize," Cesar says. "I know you want to be able to do everything these people need, but you can't. Reschedule your presentation with the mayor. Stay on the computer until the grant goes through.

"You have been so busy with the grant application and presentations this week you haven't even had time to get your groceries for the month, and I really don't want you to go back to the canyon without any fruits or vegetables.

"It will be fine, breath. The most important is your health, darling."

Seems logical now.

I think the solution is to try and figure out a way to purchase a usb device that connects you to the internet via cell phone service. I didn't want it before because I liked being cut off and it is expensive. But now, the idea of not having to leave my site in order to advance my projects is beautiful. The idea of being able to talk to my family from my very own home is delicious.

And not having nervous breakdowns like this one would be delightful...