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.