15 Agosto 2011 take two

Mondays are with 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd graders.

positives of first day of VALE

1. 24 children showed up. That is four more students that I estimated optimistically

2. all but 2 were on time

3. they were all excited and happy the whole hour

4. they all learned something new

negatives

1. they were all so excited it was extremely challenging to keep their attention and have fun at the same time

2. we only covered half of the materials and activities that I had planned

When writting curriculum, I always over plan. I would rather have too much to do and give them more information than they need, than run out of activities to fill the time. Staring at a room full of kids with nothing for them is probably the worst feeling in the universe. But, only doing half the day’s activities wasn’t in today’s stratagem.

I used methods to control the kids that I learned counseloring in summer camps, and they worked well as before, but I lose these kids faster than children I have worked with in the past. I get their ears and eyes all on me, then they are literally gone again in less than 60 seconds.

I might have to look at a new way of teaching them if things don’t improve once their excitement for the program wanes a little. I might just sit at the table working on a project, and as thy come in allow them to copy what I am doing and ask questions on their own time instead of trying to manage an entire class and keep them all operating at the same wave-length together. IT might even encourage some independence and investigation if they have to find the supplies they need in the room to do what I am doing.

We will see.

15 Agosto 2011

“ Silence embraced stuns with its presence, it’s pregnant reality. A reality that does not negate reason and argument, but puts them in their place.” –Krista Tippet

Rilka’s advice to a young poet, “To have patience with everything unresolved in your heart; and, to try to love the questions themselves, as if they were locked rooms, or books written in a very foreign language. Don’t search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them, and the point is to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.”

While waiting in line for the ATM yesterday in the city, the woman of a couple ahead of me asked if I live in Arequipa. I was shopping in the market part of town where you rarely to never find tourists, and my white skin gave me away. I explained that I actually lived in the colca canyon, more of a shock. These conversations happen all the time and are followed by an explanation of what Peace Corps is, and what I do. I explained that I studied psychology, interrupting, she grabbed my wrist and asked if she could talk to me about her son. I resisted and explained that I am not a licensed psychologist, but she insisted even a little advice would help and fell into her “problem”. Her husband joined in as they both explained that they had paid for their son to go to college but he had decided to drop out because school wasn’t for him and the parents didn’t know what to do. Repeating that I don’t know him or the situation, I recommended they let him explore a little. Perhaps he needs to travel,

“Has he ever been outside Arequipa City? “

“No,” the father says, “She doesn’t let the boys out of her grasp”

the wife shrugs

scared to death to make this recommendation I said, “If he never trips and falls, how will he ever know to watch his step?”

Then I went into something about how university isn’t for everyone.

“I bet he is creative, isn’t he? Does do art or make music?”

Both parents eyes grew wide as they explained that the husband is a musician and the son aspires to do the same, but the parents didn’t want their son to have to struggle financially like the father did.

Wincing at the effect my words might have, I explained the need, between the ages of 18 and 27 to self explore. How time alone, making your own decisions, builds self-esteem and self-knowledge. I recommended they give him that opportunity, and perhaps find a local psychologist they can talk to together.

The debate for this period of development continues in the world of psychology, unrightfully in my opinion. I believe I have written about this before, but there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the period of development in the early twenties is necessary to grow into healthy mental adulthood. Some psychologist argue that this stage cannot be official because it isn’t cross-cultural. Lower income human beings all over the world do not have the opportunity to travel and self-discover, they jump right into pregnancies and the responsibilities of maintaining families: adulthood. Other psychologists and myself argue that yes their bodies grow-up, but the mind never stabilizes and matures. It is necessary for the mind to have time to explore in order to better know the self. You can see individuals that never have that opportunity try to create it for themselves as adults, even in western culture. This is why programs like Teach for America, AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps are so important and necessary.

I am infinitely thankful for my opportunity to be here. Although it might have filled me with more questions to live out, it has also filled me with more possibility and self-efficacy. I can only hope that everyone is given and takes advantage of the same opportunities when presented to them.

14 Agosto 2011

Somehow, everything on my to-be-purchased-for-the-VALE-program list got checked off yesterday morning in Arequipa City. So, I hunted Roxana. Her half sister she was staying with, Jobana, had taken her daughters and Roxana to a Carnival that had been set up for the Arequipa City city-wide anniversary celebration. In the taxi over, my mind flipped to my Latin American Studies class on Circuses and Carnivals. I half giggled at how different I knew this would be, and it was. The oldest, rickety, and rusty machines, set up in a hurry, were surrounded by latina’s too young to be in the low cut shirt and high heels they displayed for attention from the boys in their band name plastered t-shirts and dark jeans. When I saw that the haunted house was held up underneath by an awkwardly placed two-by-four I decided I wasn’t interested in riding anything; this decision is incredibly uncharacteristic of aunt luz, and confused the kids a little. Instead, I proceeded to watch them scream and laugh as they were thrown and spun and I stuffed myself with everything sugary I could find. Picarones, cotton candy, churros, more cotton candy, chocolate covered strawberries, and even more cotton candy. I was able to keep myself and the kids munching on sugar for hours for less than $3.

I remember going places like this with adults when I was younger, and begging the adults to join us on the rides, only to be disappointed. I had a vague memory of someone once telling me they enjoyed watching me ride, as much as I enjoyed riding. As a child, this was impossible to believe. But, this day, I think I was laughing with Jobana as hard as the kids were screaming. As Roxanna de-boarded I fixed her tousled hair and listened to her chatter about this flip and that spin. My face hurt from smiling so much.

That night, we decided it was best for Roxana to stay with me at Hirma’s house because our bus back to Madrigal was leaving at 5am. We decided to ‘aprovechar’ or ‘take advantage of’ being in the city and eat yet more junk food and catch a late night showing of Harry Potter. Popcorn and chocolate covered raisins along with the movie tickets broke my bank a little, but it felt fabulous to treat this little lady. Roxana even familiarized herself with the ice cream sundae for the first time after the film. We strolled into the house around midnight, true ladies of the night, and I asked Roxana if she wanted to take a hot shower before returning to the canyon. Her eyes grew wide. The only hot shower I think she has ever had is in a bathing suit at the hot springs. I taught her how the electric heater works and left her to enjoy. About an hour later wrapped in my towel and smelling of lavender Brommers, she squeezed out the bathroom door and flopped into bed while I, of course, continued working. I am still trying to hunt down some reference books for the library (encyclopedias, dictionaries, etc) online. She fell asleep with the light on for me in our bedroom,, tucked under the blanket that Tiffyn gave to her months ago.

11 Agosto 2011

the mountaineera

The morning following the wedding became a mad dash back to Madrigal to hike up to the llama and alpaca ranch.
This is about a 12 hour hike straight up that concludes at about 5,300 meters altitude.
Bitter cold, but less dry, once we arrived we spent the days either being shepherds or offering "tingachi" or "payment to mother earth".
Part of the ceremony is cutting the ears of the young alpacas with the family's mark and taking the year's birth count. I was placed as the official counter (probably because I was the most sober and reliable). My host father treated me like a daughter, and gave me the responsibilities associated with that position. As exciting as it all was for me, it was kind of 'everyday' for them.


Doña Juana's brother, the owner of all those alpacas and llamas.
my host dad, elvis, his drunk father, and an aunt.

The other part of tingachi involves placing coca leaves, llama droppings and dried body parts carefully in a circle of stones, then doing a burning while shaking cow bells. I have to admit, when they perform these ceremonies after days of continued drunkenness, it loses it's rapture. At moments, it almost felt as special as being given the chore of putting up the christmas tree with the drunk uncle you don't get along with.

One particular day will hold a special place in my heart. This is Elvis' family that we were staying with up at the ranch. I was told that because Roxana couldn't come up, I needed to take her place with Elvis herding the alpacas. Elvis said something about "animalitos" or "little animals". I didn't understand. We rode the donkeys out with the alpacas to a river. He then took a handful of half frozen clay from the riverbed and suddenly I understood. We molded little animals out of clay as the big animals grazed...

None-the-less, it was amazing to sit back and just look at where I was, who I was with, and what I was taking part in...

6 Agosto 2011

Today was the wedding of Stefan and Mila.
Stefan is a frenchman that was building a house with his Peruvian bride-to-be in the village of Corporaque in colca Canyon.
They have a vision of their space being a community center and library for locals, and living space for international touring volunteers. Gray was hired by them a couple months ago to help finish the living space before they were to hold their wedding there. They are a beautiful couple that have quickly become some of Gray and my closest friends.

Naturally, I spent a majority of the wedding playing with kids from town that I have come to know and love...





I have to say the most touching part of the service was the interculturality. Naturally you had the bride's family (Limeñan), the groom's family (French), and the culture of the Colca Canyon itself (Kayawa/Quechua). Then, you throw in their friends dentists from Doctors Without Borders (Chile and Colombia), a group of boy/girl scout volunteers (Swiss I think), Gray (England), and myself (US), and you get this beautiful blend of language and understanding.
The afternoon started off clicky. The french smoking to the left of the patio (no joke), the locals sorting corn, bean, and grain gifts to the north of the patio (also, no joke), the traveling doctors keeping their distance but taking pictures of everyone who looked interesting, then Gray and I bouncing around making conversation with everyone we could communicate with in our English/Spanish/French capabilities. It felt strange, and a little forced. But, then once a little alcohol got in their systems, the intercultural conga line began! As the sun went down and the coats came out everyone seemed to begin to adjust to the local culture.
It felt good to be there and with this company.

3 Agosto 2011

In a whirlwind trip to and from Lima I got to visit with and give a couple talks to the incoming volunteers.

I gave a quick talk on generational poverty and how to communicate effectively. I found the topic fascinatingly relevant, and I can only hope they did too and are able to use this new information in their two years of service.


I then set out on a fruitless adventure to purchase an encyclopedia set for the after school program and library space. When I say the phrase "encyclopedia set", what image pops into your head?
probably this one


there is a series of books that sit on a shelf. One letter per book. Before you had internet, when you had a question, you went to this row of knowledge to find your answer.

To almost every bookstore worker I talked to, when I said the word "enciclopedia" they pictured:


One book, on one topic.


the idea of a row of books that could answer all your questions was foreign.
I have now searched all of arequipa and lima to no avail and will have to ship a set in from spain or the us.
great.

It would be mean of me to say, "no wonder".
no wonder there is so much confusion and myth that passes orally. If you don't have internet or encyclopedias, how would you find answers to your questions?

2 Agosto 2011

Last night was the going away party for Russ and Jean. A wonderful married couple that had been serving as volunteers close to me in the canyon. A couple words about this lovely pair...
Jean was/is a Small Business Development volunteer. She did a lot of English teaching in the schools. Her main project was called "Warming Wawas" (wawa meaning baby in quechua). In this project she worked with an NGO from the states and the local government to pay local artisan knitters to knit baby blankets and clothes. These items were donated to the health post and given to mother's of babies entering families of the lowest economic status.
Russ, as a Small Business Development volunteer also did a lot of English teaching, but with local tour guides (this is how all of us volunteers got the hook up for testing new tour routes via raft, horse, or foot: good stuff). His primary project was called "Comprale al Colca" which menas buy it Colca. It is a program for artisans to register their work to prove it was maid in the canyon. It keeps people from buying stuff from the outside and trying to sell it as local to unknowing tourists. There was a very large festival celebrating it's beginning in Arequipa city.

They both are incredible individuals that all the volunteers will miss dearly. We will all feel a void in the Russ and Jean advice and support line (which we have encouraged them to make into an actual telephone line once they are back in The States so that we can contact them as needed).



Now, I am back in Arequipa City. Giving the presentation in the woman's convention today. A little nervous. Then quickly hopping on a bus to Lima to give the talk tomorrow on communicating with generational poverty.


Now, it is time to study powerpoints...