Door Sweet Door

I have been in the my site in the campo of Lambayeque for two weeks now, and overall it's been really good. I'm in the regional capital this weekend for meetings and to shop for more of the stuff that I need for my room. I've also been enjoying the free wireless internet (and hot showers!) at the hotel. I could probably write a short book about my first two weeks in site, but for now I think I will stick with a story that exemplifies much of my time here.

I visited my site for about 3 days about 2 weeks before I moved there. During that time, I had to make an arrangement with the family for how much I would pay them every month for room and board, and how we would fix up my room. They had already put cement over the adobe brick walls, which is nicer than I expected, and they told me they would have cement laid down over the dirt floor by the time I got back. I have a large window in my room, which had metal scroll work so no one could get through, but lacked glass. I also did not have a door. I told the family that I at least needed screens on the window to keep the bugs out (and I planned on getting a better curtain) and that Peace Corps required me to have a door. I said that I could pay for it up front, and then take a little bit out of the rent each month until it made up the difference (that's what Peace Corps told us to do). They just kind of said, 'yeah, yeah we'll figure it out when you get here.'

So I was pleasantly surprised to find that a very thick cement floor had indeed been laid, and even painted. The had put textured frosted glass panes in the window, though one had broken in the process. We'll see how long it takes for that to get completed; right now I have a piece of cardboard. I have mixed feelings about the glass: it blocks the nice breeze and nice view, but doesn't block much light, and still isn't 100% private. However, it's their house, and it does look nice and keep a lot of the insects and dust out. I still didn't have a door, only an undersized curtain. Most people in rural northern Peru don't have inside doors since it gets so hot and that would block ventilation. I have been told that people are still respectful of privacy, but I haven't found that to be entirely true.

I decided to wait a little while and see if the host family brought up the door, or just went ahead and put one in. I stopped by a hardware store in the big town 30 minutes away, but they said that surely I had a carpenter in my site; it would be really expensive to get one in town. A week went by, and I got a phone call from one of the administrative staff (in Spanish, and I actually managed to have a semi-intelligent conversation) about my window and door. I told her the windows were in process, but that I didn't have a door, yes, I would ask about it that same day. I was then able to tell my host parents, "I got a call from my boss this morning, and she says that it is a rule of Peace Corps that I have to have a door with a lock. Is there a carpenter in town I can talk to?" They said, 'oh, no, you'll have to go back into the big town for that.' Well, crap. Turns out they were going into to town later that afternoon, so I was able to ride in with them.

So my host parents ended up taking me to this carpenter's shop and going in with me. At first I was a little uncomfortable, because I wanted to be able to haggle and firmly stipulate the kind of lock and door I was looking for without a judgmental audience, but then I decided I was glad to have both a male presence and a native Spanish speaker because the shop owner seemed a little shifty. I ended up decided to buy a door from him, even though it was a little more than I was expecting to spend. We get some money for settling into our sites, and I still had a decent chunk left. He said it would be ready at the end of the week; I managed to talk him into one day earlier because I would be gone the day he initially said. I told him I would go ahead a pay half, and made him write out on the receipt my stipulations of the kind of door, the kind of lock, and the time it would be ready, so I would have proof if he didn't follow through.

Friday at noon was the big deadline. I attended first communion ceremonies that morning (and somehow got nominated to be the one to take everyone's picture as they took their communion, even though my camera's not that great and I wasn't entirely sure of what was going on). The ceremony and festivities continued for a while, but I finally managed to excuse myself by 1:00. I wasn't too worried, people don't really have the same sense of keeping to a schedule here. Fortunately I didn't have to wait too long for a moto taxi (basically a motorcycle with the back taken off and a metal frame/plastic cover 3 seat cab added), and got into town by 1:30. I also had my 5-year-old host sister in tow. Her mom was out of town for the day, and the dad and 16-year-old sister seemed otherwise occupied, so I volunteered/got volunteered to take her to the first communion and then into to town with me.

First stop was ice cream, then a short walk to the workshop. Big surprise, when I got there, the door was not finished. However, he was clearly working on it. He told me two more hours. I said, "Come on...you said noon," in my best Peruvian fashion, and he said "Okay, one hour." I agreed, and said we'd be back. I planned to go to the internet cafe to check my email and facebook account, and try to send a couple of emails that I had been working on during the week. But my host sister, who can be pretty headstrong at times, said, "Let's go see my uncle," and started walking confidently in that direction. I said alright, thinking we were going to his house, and wondering if she would be able to navigate there.

A few blocks later, we cross the highway and arrive at a restaurant. Turns out the uncle and his wife own the restaurant. My host sister strides into the kitchen, surprising her uncle, leaving me hanging at the doorway awkwardly trying to introduce myself. It turns out they were very nice, and told me to have a seat. They offered me some soup, and even though I had already eaten, I said "Okay, just a little," not wanting to be rude and thinking there's always room for some soup. Well, they bring out a big bowl a soup, and shortly later, some sort of beverage I didn't recognize and an entree plate with rice, noodles, and chicken. The food was good, and I didn't want to appear rude after their generosity, so I manage to stuff most of it down. We chatted for a while, and after almost an hour-and-a-half I said we had to go.

Guess what? Door still not done. The guy said he was finishing up, and he would take us out in his moto, so I told him we were going to wait in the moto. A few minutes later he comes out and asks if I have big nails at home. Well, of course I didn't, so he sent us to a hardware store a block or two away to buy a 6 nails. I spent the extra sol and bought 8, just in case. As we are finally loading up, I am assuming he's going to put the door on top of the moto or in the back cargo area. Wrong. He slides it in on the floor in front of our foot. I am taller than many Peruvians (believe it or not) so that didn't leave me much leg room. My knees are still a little sore from being pressed up against the door on the bumpy 30+ minute ride. Not to mention that his moto lacks the plastic covering that most motos have that adds wind protection and the impression of safety.

About 5 minutes out of town, I hear the engine start to sputter, and sure enough we run out of gas. Luckily the next gas station was only about a kilometer away, so we wait while the guy walks to get gas. By this point, I could have gotten very impatient, frustrated, mad, or upset with the situation, but I just had to laugh. They have drilled into us during the application process and during training that you have to have patience and flexibility to be a Peace Corps volunteer, and after 3 months here, I pretty much knew how things would play out (running out of gas still surprised me!). Fortunately my host sister was being very patience and good-natured this whole time. We entertained ourselves by taking pictures of the nearby fields and the kid playing across the street. The guy managed to get a ride back, so we didn't have to wait for long.

The ride was slower going and more cramped than usual because of trying to avoid jostling the door and tools off the moto. Luckily I knew my way well enough by then that I could give the guy directions. Finally we get back to my house. It takes the guy a few hours to put it in because he has to shave the door down to size a bit. In the meantime, my host sisters and I watch "The Transporter" in Spanish.

Overall the door looks really nice. The guy did exactly as I asked in terms of having the door open on the side and in the direction I wanted. He had to leave a little gap at the top and bottom because my host dad wants to be able to run electric cords through (I'm not sure for what else; I have a light and an outlet), so that cancels out some of the noise-blocking ability that I have been looking forward to. One side of the frame is at kind of a funky angle, but the door shuts smoothly. The lock seems solid enough. Hopefully it meets the regulations. I now finally have the privacy that I am accustomed to, and don't have to worry about standing in a back corner when I have to change. My host dad came home at one point, and supervised as I paid the second half of the price. I'm not sure whose idea it was, but my host dad told me I had to pay an extra S/.8 for the trip out. I had already paid so much, and was just so ready to be done, that I didn't argue.

So, now I have a door. I had to jump a few hurdles to get it, but I feel pretty accomplished for negotiating the situation, and getting the outcome I wanted, without freaking out or feeling too terribly taken advantage of. I feel a lot more confident now about my ability to handle situations on my own, and probably won't have to rely on my host family or other volunteers as much for similar things in the future.

A little glimpse into my new life, with more stories on the way!

I'm leaving, on a night bus...

Hola todos!

Sorry for the delay in my update, and sorry in advance for the lack of details. I am leaving tonight to move to my site in Lambayeque, so, once I get moved in I'm sure I'll have some free time to write a nice long post.

In the meantime...it will be quite a long trip to my site, and somehow I have to make it there essentially by myself with two large bags and three small bags. I have a lot of household items to buy once I get there, including a nice mattress and storage shelves for all my clothes and other junk. However, today I had the good fortune of finding a nice, big, fluffy down pillow for S/. 11, or roughly $4.

Once I get to my site, I will have to contend with a latrine that is about 50 yards from my house and only a hole in the ground (though at least it has a cement floor) and a makeshift bathing stall in the backyard. However, I have a nice big room with a bed. Hopefully they will have the cement floor, door, and better curtains installed by the time I get there, though I'm not counting on it.

On Thursday we had a Thanksgiving celebration for our host families. We had prepared a skit, a traditional dance, a modern musical number, a slide show, and an embarrassing Spanish quote guessing game for the entertainment, along with pictures of us in recycled newspaper frames for our families, and lots of snacks.

On Friday, we wrapped up our training. In the afternoon we had a nice swearing-in ceremony. The ambassador even came and spoke. We had to swear an oath that is essentially the same as the one used by the military. It felt a little weird to say something along the lines of 'protect and defend the constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic' when talking about the Peace Corps, but at the same time it felt important to join the long and broad traditions of foreign service.

So, wish me luck in settling in to my new site, and hopefully I'll more to share soon!

Drumroll, please.

Here it is folks, the moment we´ve all been waiting for! This week we finally got our site assignments!

I will be in the region of Lambayeque, in northern Perú.

My site will be in the northeastern portion of the region, in the dry forest (bosque seco). Apparently, this type of ecosystem is very unique, and the only place similar to this particular forest is in Africa (Namibia, I think my director said). The weather there is pretty warm, and, obviously, dry most of the year. I won´t have to worry about altitude, because my site is at less than 500 feet above sea level.

My town has about 800 people (similar to my hometown in Kansas!). At least at first, my main counterparts will be the director of the school and a municipal worker. My host parents are both in their early 40s, and I have three host sisters, ages 21, 16, and 5. I´m still not sure if I will have electricity, but apparently I do have water in my house. However, I´m told I will have to use a latrine which is a little way away from the house and I will have to take bucket baths. If there is a shower, at least in the warm weather I won´t dread taking a cold shower!

One other volunteer from my group will be in a site about 20 minutes away by car, so that will be nice, and several other volunteers from previous years will be within 30 minutes or so. Another volunteer from my group will be about an hour away, another about 3 hours, and one more about 4 hours. The county seat, for lack of a better term, where I will probably have to go to use the internet, will be around 30 minutes away. The regional capital, Chiclayo, where I will have to go regularly for meetings, is about 3 hours away by bus.

Next week we are going on field based training as a group, and then on site visits to our individual communities. I am very curious to learn more about what is next for me!

Inca Kola

I heard some good trivia on the news tonight:

Perú is the only country in the world where the Coca-Cola flavor of soda doesn´t have the highest sales. Here...why, it´s Inca Kola, of course!

Inca Kola is a very sweet, syrupy, neon yellow ´gaseosa´. I like it, but a glass a week is plenty for me. Most people here love it. I´m also not crazy about the Coke or Pepsi here. I prefer Crush Naranja orange soda. I have always liked orange soda, but this brand has an extra kick here. I try to keep it to one half-liter bottle a week, though. :)

Preview to Site Assignment

Yesterday I had a ´chat´ with my boss, the Associate Peace Corps Director who is the head of the Community Based Environmental Management Program. We all talked to him the first week about how training was going and our preferences for sites (mountains or cost, city or countryside, isolation, types of projects, amenities, etc). At the time, I tried not to have too many preferences--it takes flexibility to be a good volunteer, and I trust that the staff know more than I do about successful site placement. However, I did state that I couldn´t be too high in the mountains (more than 10,000 feet or so) because I get altitude sickness, and we talked about my interest in alternative energy projects, women´s and youth empowerment, and cuisine.

So, this week was supposed to be more of the same before site placements are finalized and we get our assignments next week. However, apparently he is already basically finished with his ´game of chess´. He is also infamous for not being able to keep it a secret once his decisions are made. He gave me some very telling hints about what department I will be placed in, but I am sworn to secrecy until it is official. Also, we had our first Environment trainee go home on Tuesday (Health, at the other training center, has already lost 3), so things could still change.

However, I can say that he promised me a site that wasn´t in the mountains. He also told me the names of three other people that will be in my cluster (people that live close enough that you could make a day trip of a visit). I will be the first Peace Corps volunteer that has lived in my site, which I think will be both positive and negative. Apparently the mayor in my town is very receptive, which is rare, as well as the school. My town has about 300 families, which would make it around the same size as the town I grew up in. He said I will have running water, but I probably won´t have electricity (I think I won´t know for sure until I get there). I will have 3 school-age host sisters, and my house will be part of an extended family complex that is near the school. I´m hoping that I will get to work with the alernative energy project that is starting up next year, but he didn´t really say.

Yesterday we did our first practice sessions of teaching in the schools. My partner and I did a 30-minute session on trash, recycling, and composting for 4th graders, and I think it went well. Today we all brought in a day´s worth of trash from our host families, and did a big waste characterization study. Tomorrow we are traveling to Asia...a town on the beach a couple of hours away. With a different partner, I somehow have to explain global warming and its effects on Perú in 15 minutes to 13-15 year olds. Then we get a free lunch on the beach, and depending on the weather, we may get to go in the water.

That´s it for now, but tune in next week for the news of my official site placement!

Español

Learning a new language is an interesting journey, especially when you are learning the specifics of the way a particular language is spoken in a particular area of a particular country during every day life. Here are a few of my observations.

Acá
When I was learning Spanish, I learned that the word "aqui" meant "here" (literally the place here, but also many of the other uses the word "here" has). In Peru, however, the word "acá" or "over here" is used most of the time instead.

Ahorita
The word "ahora" means "now". "Ahora" is used here, but "ahorita" is used more often, which specifies "right now". Apparently this term is very Peruvian, and not really used elsewhere. I have been expected to do a lot of things here "ahorita", without much warning or time to get ready. :)

Tranquilo/a
The word “tranquilo” is used here quite frequently. It seemed strange at first, because in the US we use the word calm a lot, but tranquil is pretty much reserved for things like pristine mountain lakes. “Tranquilo”, or “tranquila” for the feminine, is used here both as an adjective and as a command. For example, “Acá es más tranquila de Lima” or “Here it is more calm/quiet than Lima“, “El es un hombre tranquilo” or “He’s a laid back guy“, or “¡Tranquila!” or “Calm down!”.

Rico/a
Literally “rico” means a rich person, or sometimes an expensive thing. However, it can also be used to describe delicious or tasty food. Food is rarely described here as being good, delicious, really good, okay, bad-tasting, or anything else, but simply as (emphatically) “¡Es rico!” as (a little doubtfully) “Si, es rico…” or rarely as “No, no es rico.”

Bien
One of the Spanish words that most English-speakers know is “bien” or “good”. It took me a while to figure out that here, it more often means “very”. I kept getting confused and wondering if I was hearing things correctly when I heard things like “bien feo” or “good/very ugly”, “bien bonita” or “good/very pretty”, and “bien frio” or “good/very cold”.

Bastante
In a similar manner, "bastante" as I learned it and as it is written in the dictionary means "enough". I kept getting confused when my host sisters asked me if I had "bastante tarea" or "enough homework". Eventually I realized that "bastante" is used more often to signify "a lot" or even "too much". Hence, this past week I have indeed had "bastante tarea"!

Claro
One of my favorites. The term "claro" or "clearly/of course/that´s right" is used in Perú pretty much as it is used elsewhere in the Spanish-speaking world, and it is used fairly often. It always makes me feel like a bit of a genius when I am making a statement or confirming the answer to a question, and I get the response of "¡Claro!" spoken quite emphatically, like I have made a great revelation.

I have also found myself forgetting a lot of English words. I will be talking about something in Spanish, going along just fine, when I will get stuck on a somewhat uncommon word. Then, I will rack my brain trying to figure out the word in English, with the hopes that they will recognize the word in English, it will sound very similar in Spanish, or remembering the word in English will help me describe it in Spanish. At least once a day (and usually more), either in my Spanish class or at home with my host family, I will sit there for about 30 seconds trying to think of a word. Sometimes I eventually think of it, but a lot of times I just end up saying the equivalent of “Oh, I don’t know, anyway…” in Spanish.

Overall, I feel like my Spanish is coming along pretty well. I can now understand almost everything my host family says (at least if I am paying attention), compared with only the basics at first. My speaking ability is improving, but more slowly. I can convey pretty much anything I need to, but I know I will have some of the verbs conjugated incorrectly (it’s hard to think of conjugations quickly while you are trying to speak!), I will have to improvise some terms, and I will have to supplement with gestures or facial expressions.

Today, we got moved to our new language groups. At the very beginning, I was put into the intermediate low group (level 4 out of 10). Friday, we had our second round of interviews, and today I found out that I had advanced to the intermediate medium group. I feel like both of those placements were a little bit on the low side, but I get a somewhat flustered and stumble over some things when I get put on the spot speaking Spanish. Plus, a level of only intermediate medium is required to be placed at a site. Now that I have officially reached that level, while I still have a lot of room for improvement, I don’t have to stress out about my language ability.

Final Packing List

For those who are curious, here is a list of EVERYTHING that I brought to Peru.
These all had to fit in two pieces of luggage (each weighing less than 50 lbs. and totaling less than 107") and a carry-on. Many of the items can be found here, but I didn´t know much about the selection, and a lot of things will be harder to obtain once I am on site.

Daily/Purse Items
Pocket-Sized Wallet
with Cash, Driver’s License, and Credit Card
Coin Purse with Change (most common here)
Passport Holder
with Personal and No-Fee Passports
Copy of No-Fee Passport and Visa
Decoy Wallet with Student ID
and a few American Dollars
Emergency Alarm
Sunglasses
Collapsible Umbrella
Immunization Records
Mini Address Book
Mini Brush
Mirror
Gum

Clothes
Tops
1 Tank
1 Nice Tee
2 Short Sleeved Blouses
5 T-Shirts
2 Long-Sleeve Tees
2 Light Sweaters
Bottoms
2 Pairs of Twill Pants
1 Pair of Slacks
1 Pair of Bermuda Shorts
3 Pairs of Jeans
2 Skirts
Outerwear
Zip-Up Jacket
Multi-Colored Pashmina
Multi-Colored Skinny Scarf
Fleece Jacket
Fleece Scarf
Stocking Cap
Lined Leather Gloves
Poncho
Underwear
18 Pairs of Underwear
16 Pairs of Socks and Stockings
7 Bras
1 Pair of Long Underwear
1 Undershirt
PJs
T-Shirt
Long Cotton Pants
Chenille Socks
Miscellaneous
1 Cotton, Knee-Length, Short-Sleeve Dress
1 Belt
1 Swimsuit
1 Sarong
Shoes
1 Pair of Sneakers
1 Pair of Birkenstock Sandals
1 Pair of Teva Flip Flops
1 Pair of Black Flats

Toiletries
Nail Kit
Clippers
File
3 Emery Boards
Scissors
Shimmery Nail Polish
Shower
2-in-1 Shampoo and Conditioner
Face Scrub
Razor with 4 Refills
Facial Moisturizer
Body Lotion
Wide Tooth Comb
Teeth
Toothbrush with Holder
Toothpaste
Floss
Eyes
2 Pairs of Glasses (Required)
7 Months of Contacts
2 Spare Pairs of Daily Contacts
Glasses Cleaning Solution
Contact Cleaning Solution
Contact Lens Case
2 Bottles of Eye Drops
1 Bottle of Allergy Eye Drops
Hair Supplies
Brush
Small Bottle of Texturizer
6 Claw Clips in Various Sizes
14 Hair Bands of Various Sizes and Colors
1 Barrette
12 Snap Clips of Various Sizes
20 Bobby Pins of Various Types
Makeup Kit
Loose and Pressded Powder
Foundation
Mascara
Eyeliner
Eyebrow Comb
Eyeliner Sharpener
Eye Shadow Duo
10 Plain and Shimmery Lip Balms
Tweezers
Jewelry Case
6 Pairs of Earrings
Spare Earring Backs
4 Necklaces
2 Bracelets
2 Ankle Bracelets
2 Watches
3 Scarf Pins
Miscellaneous
Deodorant
2 Small Bottles of Perfume
Cotton Swabs
Cotton Balls
Large Bottle of Hand Sanitizer
Oatmeal Soap Bar
Mini Hand Soap Sheets
Sport Sunscreen
Aloe Vera
Lint Roller
6 Travel Packs of Tissues
Travel Toiletries
Mini Shampoo
Mini Conditioner
Mini Clarifying Shampoo
Mini Face Scrub
Mini Lotion
Mini Face Lotion
Mini Toothpaste
Extra Toothbrush and Holder
Extra Floss
1 Spare Pare of Daily Contacts
Mini Deodorant
Mini Hand Sanitizer
Pressed Powder
Eye Liner
Mascara
Spare Tweezers
Mini Hair Spray
Mini Stick Sunscreen

Bags
25” Rolling Suitcase
55 Liter Hiking Bacpack
Overnight Bag
Backpack
Kidney-Shaped Travel Purse
Mini Purse
Mesh Tote
Foldable Reusable Bag
Peace Corps Shopping Bag

Gifts
Training Host Family
Calendar of Konza Prairie
Mini Calendar of North America
Chocolate Covered Sunflower Seeds
Site Host Family
Calendar of Konza Prairie
Mini Calendar of North America
Chocolate Covered Sunflower Seeds
Pet Tornado
For Kids
$1.00 in Pennies
Glow Sticks
Insect Bookmarks
Extras
2 other Kansas themed calendars
(I was told that Peruvians love calendars)

Mementoes from Home
Family Picture
Zen Calendar
Small Stuffed Animal
Photo Albums of Family, Friends, Home, and Travel

Games
2 Decks of Cards
Canasta
Korean Flower Cards
Mini Master Mind
Scrabble Tiles

Books
A Sand County Almanac
A Wrinkle in Time
The Catcher in the Rye
Fahrenheit 451
Pocket Spanish Dictionary

Art Supplies
Folding Palette with Watercolor Paints
Rollable Brush Mat with 12 Brushes
Pint Canning Jar for Water
Rag for Blotting, Masking Tape
4 Small Pads of Watercolor Paper
Box with Pencils, Sharpies, Charcoal, etc
Box with 15 colors of Micron Pens
Box with 12 colors of Pencils
Sunprint Kit

Electronics
Netbook with Sleeve and Manual
Camera with Sleeve and Battery Charger
Memory Card and Adapter, USB/mini USB Cord
I-Pod with Case and Charger Cord
3 Wrist Straps/Lanyards
Short Ethernet Cable
External Hard Drive with USB/mini USB Cord
5 Blank DVDs with Jewel Cases
2 512 MB Flash Drives

Travel Supplies
1 Outlet Adapter
Money Belt
Mini Laundry Soap Sheets
1 Liter Nalgene Bottle
~30 Ziploc Bags
2 Microfiber Washclothes
Small Jar of Peanut Butter
UV Water Purifier
Water Filter Kit
2 Pairs of Shoe Laces
Spare Sunglasses
Basic Sewing Kit
Reading Light
Flashlight
Ear Plugs
Eye Mask
Inflatable Pillow
Cocoon Travel Pillow
2 Combination Travel Locks

Medicine
Multivitamin
Homeopathic Sinus Medicine
Nose Spray
Sudafed
Bandages
Acetaminophen
Ibuprofen
Aleve
(They also provided us a very comprehensive medical kit)

Tools
Schrade Multitool
Swiss Army Knife
Interchangeable Screwdriver Set
Small Measuring Tape
Small Adjustable Wrench
Utility Knife
Gardening Gloves
Duct Tape

Office/School/Professional Supplies
Writing Utensils
14 Pens
2 Felt Tip Pens
2 Mini Pens
4 Mechanical Pencils
4 Pencils
Clic Eraser
6 Highlighters
120 .5 Pencil Leads
30 .7 Pencil Leads
Paper Supplies
Multitudes of Peace Corps Paperwork
1” 3-Ring Binder
Looseleaf Notebook Paper
3 Composition Books
1 Folder of Research
1 Legal Pad
1 5x8 Moleskine Journal
1 3x5 Moleskine Notebook
1 Notepad
5 Pocket Memo Pads
3 Accordion Folders of Various Sizes
First Aid Reference
1 Box of Business Envelopes
2 Dozen Blank Note Cards
300 Index Cards in Various Colors
3 Colors of Post-It Notes
4 Colors of Post-It Page Markers
Desk Drawer
Small Basket
3 Rulers
3-Hole Punch
Scissors
Tape
Double-Sided Tape
Mini-Stapler
Staples
Staple Remover
Push Pins
Binder Clips
Mini Triangle
Twist Ties
Paper Clips
Elmer’s Glue All
Extra Strength Glue Stick
Super Glue
Electric Pencil Sharpener
Key Padlock
2 Business Card Holders
Business Cards

Hola desde Lima!

My Peace Corps adventure officially started on Thursday morning when my parents dropped me off at the airport in Kansas City (after very little sleep). I flew to Washington DC and joined 77 other trainees and about half a dozen staff at a hotel. We turned in documents, proofed our passports and airline tickets, got loan deferment certification, and did about 6 hours of socializing, team-building, logistics and other preparations. We even got a surprise visit from the Peru country director and a couple of other staff. Finally at 7pm we were free to find group to walk with to go out to dinner, and then I showered, sent an email to my parents, and crashed by 10:45.

Friday morning we had to be up at 5:30, checked out by 6:30, and loaded onto the buses with our luggage by about 7:30. Our flight was supposed to leave at 12:40. It ended up being delayed by about an hour, which would have put us into Miami right before our flight to Lima would have left. However, with 78 of us we weren't too worried about missing our flight. We arrived in Lima 9:30 Peru time (which is technically Eastern time, but is Central time during Daylight Savings Time). By the time we got through immigration and customs, and then were told that there were problems with our bus reservation, we didn't get loaded onto mini-buses and out of the airport until 11:30. We finally got to a retreat in the far outskirts of Lima by 1:00.

Today, Saturday, we were up at 7:00. We spent most of the day learning more information about the different programs, getting our medical kits and money to pay our host families, giving our preferences about host family arrangements, and doing an interview in Spanish to determine in what level of class we should be placed. I can generally read Spanish pretty well, but I struggled a little trying to converse on the spot, especially when conjugating past tense verbs. I'm curious to find out what level I'm in. During our free time before dinner, several of us got to pick the brains of two volunteers that are almost done with their two years and have signed on for a third.

Tomorrow we will head out to our training centers. My group, Environmental Education, and the Water and Sanitation group will be doing our training at a new center in a suburb about an hour outside of Lima, while the Health group will be doing their training at the original center in a suburb about 30 minutes outside Lima. Then we will meet and go home with our host families...I am excited but nervous about this. I will be the only trainee in my family. I am very interested to meet these people, but I don't know what kind of family it will be (older couple, family with kids...) or anything else about the food or living situation. Mostly I am concerned about my level of Spanish and whether or not we will like each other.

So far I am enjoying myself. All of the other trainees seem nice, smart, and interesting, and I think the staff are even more excited to have us here than we are to be here. The weather here is beautiful, especially outside the smog of Lima, though I was surprised to have the sun set at about 6:30. I've liked most of the food, though it is a little different than what I am used to. I miss my family, friends, and familiar surroundings of course, but it is hard to feel lonely with so many like-minded people around.

Hasta luego para ahora!

Fun Facts about Peru and the Peace Corps

1. Guinea pig is considered a delicacy in the Andes. I am actually looking forward to trying it.

2. Riding or driving a motorcycle during my service is considered grounds for "administrative separation".

3. Peru is 3 times the size of California; nearly the size of Alaska. It has mountains, highlands, coastal desert, and tropical forests.

4. I will be doing 3 months of training in the capital, Lima. During that time I will find out where my host community for the next 2 years will be.

5. I will live with a host family for my entire service. I am guaranteed my own room, but I may have to use a latrine. I may or may not have access to running water, electricity, internet and cell phone service.

6. I am limited to 2 pieces of luggage, totaling not more than 107 inches and 80 pounds, and a carry-on. Many items can be obtained in Peru, but it is still tough to know what to pack!

7. Peru is where the potato was domesticated. It is still a staple, along with pasta and rice, and seafood on the coast.

8. Llamas are used as pack animals while alpacas are used for their wool.

9. The population of 28 million is 70% urban, with about 8 million in Lima. About 46% of the population (especially those in rural areas) live below the poverty line. About 85% of the population is either indigenous or mestizo. Spanish and Quechua are the official languages, though many other indigenous languages are common depending on the region. The vast majority practice Catholicism.

10. Peru and surrounding areas (northern Ecuador to central Chile) were home to the Inca empire. Spanish invaders captured their capital, Cuzco, in 1533. They subsequently founded Lima, which became the center of Spanish power in South America until Peru proclaimed independence in 1821. I am really looking forward to visiting the ruins of the Incan city Machu Picchu high in the Andes.

Thanks to the Peace Corps Peru Welcome Book, my new guide book, and various websites for this helpful information!

I got a huge packet of information and paperwork last Wednesday. I've been hard at work on my passport application, visa application, aspiration statement and custom resume which are all basically due this Friday. Thank goodness my mom has been able to help me brainstorm ideas, and will be making a special trip to Manhattan to bring me my passport. But, it's still all a bit overwhelming, so I'm procrastinating by working on the blog!

My First Blog

Hi Everyone!

This is my first attempt at a blog, and a blog post, so I'm just trying things out. Let me know what you think about how everything looks and if you can read it.

I finally got my official Peace Corps invitation and volunteer assignment today! I will be leaving in September to work as an Environmental Educator in Peru for the next 2 years. No promises on how often I will be able to update this blog, but I hope it will make it easier for me to share my Adventures in Environmental Education with all of you. More to come soon!

Sara in Peru