here i am, in the office, dedicating three days to helping the PCVC finish the end of the year report for our project group. it was apparently a nightmare last year, but this year it has been a breeze, and honestly i haven´t needed to do too much of the report because he had finished so much before i got here. this is now my last day here, and then it´s back to the district of Palpa. the other day i went to play ultimate frisbee at the embassy. amazing! the first real game i had played in months. within the walls of the embassy with those 16 other americans, i felt like i had transported back to the field at city park and was playing during the tuesday and thursday night pick ups, only this time with shoes and without beer. one of the players there happened to go to college with a highschool friend, abe graber. he was wearing a carelton hat and said they had played frisbee together...small world! the others were either studying, working at the embassy, some working with health NGOs, and some just looking to live there to improve their spanish. sweet!
i have also really enjoyed the variety of food here in lima, as i always do. whenever i get the chance to come up here i am always excited about the middle eastern food, the mcdonalds (yea, i just said that), sushi and the starbucks. this time i tried out indian food at a place called Guru´s. WOW! probably better than any of the other food that i have had here. will definitely be going back. it´s a switch up from the pollo a la brasa (though one night i was looking for just that but decided to take advantage of the options while here), papa de la guancaina, cevichi, and chaufa.
i have also really enjoyed the opportunity to run in lima without feeling like a million people are watching me. it´s normal here! usually i get around to doing some yoga as well, catching up with those friend, but this time i didn´t get the chance. i am still targeting out some musiums i want to visit, but that will happen on another visit.
when i head back to site i am going to be heading back to the moutain to continue work on the canal. it´s currenlty a sunday night to wednesday night job. then i get back and have to start up my HIV-AIDs prevention project with some doctors in my site to try and finish that before december. and i am finally starting up the ecology club! yay! my school is excited, i am excited, and i just need to buy the trashcans. it´s taken quite some time in the planning, but before i get frustrated at thinking about that, i remember that i am in peru. and that´s the way it is.
well, it looks like it rained a little last night, so i am gunna take a walk along the beach and soak up some of those water dropplets. it will be rain than i have had in palpa during the past year. then, later on to some amazing restaurant before heading down under again...
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
colgate
so, i just started using the colage toothpaste that mike brought down for me from the states. it´s amazing. first off, the actual tube it´s in is bigger than anything i have bought here in peru (not to be crude), and it has an amazing flavor. a little bit of america in a tube. fabulous.
recently i have been feeling a mixture of emotions - excitement, frustration, and distance. the excitment is because this past week has been filled with celebrations which were all leading up to my towns anniversary on the 15th. it started with the miss naranja event on the 6th. then each of the different offices had a different day to put together celebrations in the plaza de armas. i participated in two marathons and got first for both (since in the women category there were only 2 women each time). the best prize being a whoooping S/.30. watched a bike race, a carros tubulares race, a bull fight, i was one of the 5 judges for a miss gay palpa event which was hillarious (a little uncomfortable and shocking when the stripper came out), a concert, and cock fighting. on the 14th came a well known band from Trujillo (though i can´t remember their name! something like, bianuevos) and i showed them around town after randomly running into them and getting to know them. so, obviously, they had to do several shout outs to me during the concert. i would say that they were accepted into my groupy click! haha. at the final cockfight each of the 16 finalists recieved the plates i have been painting for the past 1.5 months. it was so satesfying to see them all situated on the table with the other prizes. i got interviewed by the press because they were interested in the prizes and wanted to publicise them on the web. and now i have people asking me if i will paint pictures of their family and more plates. awesome! more painting! sounds good to me!
now it´s tuesday the 17th and all the celebrations have come to an end. palpa has turned quiet again until the next year. as for the frustration, i am frustraited by politics. because it´s an election year, all the candidates are trying to promise projects to the people so they will be voted for. this means that politicians are trying to take credit for the canal project i am working on with jose in palpa, which has turned this mucky. it is absolutely annoying. people who you think are your friends will tell their friend politicians what is going on in the project, and then befor eyou know it ´they have taken credit. you really dn´t know who are your friends at this time. then, it comes to the money part of the proejct and all peruvians are trying to be incharge of it because that means they can steal the money. so, then we have to start worrying about who is dealing with the money. so there are a million things to get frustraited about with that. sigh.
then, there is the distance. i have been told that month 10 is a difficult one and i am now at month 11 in peru, month 9 in palpa. so, i am feeling distance. something that i don´t really notice until i am talking with friends in site about my family and sometimes i can´t help but tear up. aaaah. so, i miss my home, friends and family. it´s wonderful to have people come visit, but it´s nothing like just being at home. i am excited to be back to visit, but i know once i am there the time is going to fly and it´ll be difficult to return. we´ll have to wait and see when that time comes. currently, i enjoy the toothpaste i use in the morning and at night, and am looking forward to making peanutbutter with the new blending i got in exchange for painting plates!
recently i have been feeling a mixture of emotions - excitement, frustration, and distance. the excitment is because this past week has been filled with celebrations which were all leading up to my towns anniversary on the 15th. it started with the miss naranja event on the 6th. then each of the different offices had a different day to put together celebrations in the plaza de armas. i participated in two marathons and got first for both (since in the women category there were only 2 women each time). the best prize being a whoooping S/.30. watched a bike race, a carros tubulares race, a bull fight, i was one of the 5 judges for a miss gay palpa event which was hillarious (a little uncomfortable and shocking when the stripper came out), a concert, and cock fighting. on the 14th came a well known band from Trujillo (though i can´t remember their name! something like, bianuevos) and i showed them around town after randomly running into them and getting to know them. so, obviously, they had to do several shout outs to me during the concert. i would say that they were accepted into my groupy click! haha. at the final cockfight each of the 16 finalists recieved the plates i have been painting for the past 1.5 months. it was so satesfying to see them all situated on the table with the other prizes. i got interviewed by the press because they were interested in the prizes and wanted to publicise them on the web. and now i have people asking me if i will paint pictures of their family and more plates. awesome! more painting! sounds good to me!
now it´s tuesday the 17th and all the celebrations have come to an end. palpa has turned quiet again until the next year. as for the frustration, i am frustraited by politics. because it´s an election year, all the candidates are trying to promise projects to the people so they will be voted for. this means that politicians are trying to take credit for the canal project i am working on with jose in palpa, which has turned this mucky. it is absolutely annoying. people who you think are your friends will tell their friend politicians what is going on in the project, and then befor eyou know it ´they have taken credit. you really dn´t know who are your friends at this time. then, it comes to the money part of the proejct and all peruvians are trying to be incharge of it because that means they can steal the money. so, then we have to start worrying about who is dealing with the money. so there are a million things to get frustraited about with that. sigh.
then, there is the distance. i have been told that month 10 is a difficult one and i am now at month 11 in peru, month 9 in palpa. so, i am feeling distance. something that i don´t really notice until i am talking with friends in site about my family and sometimes i can´t help but tear up. aaaah. so, i miss my home, friends and family. it´s wonderful to have people come visit, but it´s nothing like just being at home. i am excited to be back to visit, but i know once i am there the time is going to fly and it´ll be difficult to return. we´ll have to wait and see when that time comes. currently, i enjoy the toothpaste i use in the morning and at night, and am looking forward to making peanutbutter with the new blending i got in exchange for painting plates!
Thursday, August 5, 2010
a new breeze
palpa is cold. arequipa is colder. arequipa is also drier and browner from when i went there in march with rion. however, the condors still fly at the mirador and the tourists still come to take their pictures so they can forever remember those seconds when they were standing on top of the worlds second deepest canyon.
mike came to visit for the past 19 days. it was so great to have a little piece of iowa come to peru. having him come visit was like jumping back into the pace of life at home, but here. kind of like pushing the play button again for the continuation of the life i left in iowa - how is the lab, the engineering friends, the frisbee peeps, what´s new in iowa...etc. he passed several days in my site and it was wonderful to show him kind of a glimps on what i day daily (though every day is different). he was introduced on the radio station in palpa as the ¨visiting engineering specialing in canal designs¨. haha! so hillarious how that worked. he helped out with the canal design and came to a ¨paying the mountain¨ occasion that we had to do as part of the canal project. that is to say, as we had been walking on the mountain making the elevation marks, the mountain was ´bothering´ the peruvians who came to help so we had to ´pay the mountain´ so it would leave us alone. this consisted on a ritual in the evening aftering driving 3 hours out to the site and digging a hole to put a lot of different things into it. what went in was some inka cola, chocolate, coca leaves, candles, apples, flowers, carmels, ... and other stuff a mountain would like. then we had to repeate what the shamen said as we were asking the mountain to take our offerings and leave us in peace as we walked on the mountains and did our work. next came the part when we played a card game with the mountain. this consisted of flipping cards over to see what was revealed and the shamen enterpreted what it said. then, we ended by taking shots of alcohol with the mountain. so, all in all i would say it´s fun to drink with a mountain, but it isn´t much of a conversation holder. hehe. it was a super cool experience.
well, then mike went off to cusco and we met up again in arequipa. in arequipa we did a three day hike in the canyon and i ate some of the best food in peru! wow! who knew - deep canyon, great food, fun random friends from spain and england. to finish off his trip he didnt only experience the awesomness of peru, but unfortunately the sour as well. his backpack got stolen from the bottom of the bus on the way home. gosh. every time something gets stolen from me (i am at count 3 rigth now) or someone i know i just turn hatred onto all peruvians. sometimes....gosh...just sooo unfair and the sick things is there is just nooooothing you can do about it. it´s just the damn fact of it all. well, he is now heading back to the states and i am here, back in palpa, planning an HIV-AIDs project, a kids project, and a canal project...HOPING i can squeeze in a few days to go home one of these days soon.
coming up, however is the miss naranja festival of palpa. one of the big celebrations! they are currently having the showing of the candidates...and i was about to be one! hah! three different organizations in town asked if i would be their candidate, but seeing as i wasn´t born in palpa i had to ¨respectfully decline.¨ though it would have been one of the funniest thigns if i won miss naranja of palpa! instead of that, i am going to be one of the judges for a miss drag queen event on the 12th. should be a good one. one of my friends and a stereotypical gay person in my site asked if i would assume the position, and there was no way i could say no! this will be the 4th time it´s been put on and i hear it´s one of the best events of the year! yea! so let´s go palpa...
besos!
mike came to visit for the past 19 days. it was so great to have a little piece of iowa come to peru. having him come visit was like jumping back into the pace of life at home, but here. kind of like pushing the play button again for the continuation of the life i left in iowa - how is the lab, the engineering friends, the frisbee peeps, what´s new in iowa...etc. he passed several days in my site and it was wonderful to show him kind of a glimps on what i day daily (though every day is different). he was introduced on the radio station in palpa as the ¨visiting engineering specialing in canal designs¨. haha! so hillarious how that worked. he helped out with the canal design and came to a ¨paying the mountain¨ occasion that we had to do as part of the canal project. that is to say, as we had been walking on the mountain making the elevation marks, the mountain was ´bothering´ the peruvians who came to help so we had to ´pay the mountain´ so it would leave us alone. this consisted on a ritual in the evening aftering driving 3 hours out to the site and digging a hole to put a lot of different things into it. what went in was some inka cola, chocolate, coca leaves, candles, apples, flowers, carmels, ... and other stuff a mountain would like. then we had to repeate what the shamen said as we were asking the mountain to take our offerings and leave us in peace as we walked on the mountains and did our work. next came the part when we played a card game with the mountain. this consisted of flipping cards over to see what was revealed and the shamen enterpreted what it said. then, we ended by taking shots of alcohol with the mountain. so, all in all i would say it´s fun to drink with a mountain, but it isn´t much of a conversation holder. hehe. it was a super cool experience.
well, then mike went off to cusco and we met up again in arequipa. in arequipa we did a three day hike in the canyon and i ate some of the best food in peru! wow! who knew - deep canyon, great food, fun random friends from spain and england. to finish off his trip he didnt only experience the awesomness of peru, but unfortunately the sour as well. his backpack got stolen from the bottom of the bus on the way home. gosh. every time something gets stolen from me (i am at count 3 rigth now) or someone i know i just turn hatred onto all peruvians. sometimes....gosh...just sooo unfair and the sick things is there is just nooooothing you can do about it. it´s just the damn fact of it all. well, he is now heading back to the states and i am here, back in palpa, planning an HIV-AIDs project, a kids project, and a canal project...HOPING i can squeeze in a few days to go home one of these days soon.
coming up, however is the miss naranja festival of palpa. one of the big celebrations! they are currently having the showing of the candidates...and i was about to be one! hah! three different organizations in town asked if i would be their candidate, but seeing as i wasn´t born in palpa i had to ¨respectfully decline.¨ though it would have been one of the funniest thigns if i won miss naranja of palpa! instead of that, i am going to be one of the judges for a miss drag queen event on the 12th. should be a good one. one of my friends and a stereotypical gay person in my site asked if i would assume the position, and there was no way i could say no! this will be the 4th time it´s been put on and i hear it´s one of the best events of the year! yea! so let´s go palpa...
besos!
Sunday, June 27, 2010
A Walk About
Tomorrow is the start of a canal project. AKA ¨Long Stream¨ Project. Details: 30km long, 90m drop, wrapping around the edge of the mountains of Rio Grande to the stream of Santa Cruz. It will be an agricutural project to bring more water to the river basin of Santa Cruz which only gets water in their stream once every 5 or 8 years. So, they are really falting water. Have been working on the 3D modle which is 2m by 1m in size and has an image of the mountain range to illustrate how the canal will wrap around. It is necessary, because Peruvians are having a hard time imagining how the stream is going to go. This will be the visual to explain it to them, again, and the sheer size will impress them. Guess that`s what we`re going for as well, because we need support. This type of a project has been talked about for the past 50 years and never done, so the people have lost faith. Now, however, we have renewed strength with a better project plan that will cost no money and the time. So, let`s get started!!!
Aside from that, working on getting some projects going in the schools here. A recycling project, water cleaning group, reforestation and solar oven project. The schools are all suuuper excited, but sometimes too excited without seeing the details of the project. What doest his mean exactly? Well, that they want this project to start now, and in alllll the school in the province, not just in Palpa. So, I have to remind them to start small, do the job well, and grow the next year. Otherwise, I would be the one running around to all the 8 schools and going the classes. IMPOSSIBLE, since I also want time for myself and for my primary projects. So, told them only 3 schools max. Let`s see if it will happen.
Um, the other day I started hearing stories about spirits in Palpa. In houses, in the mountains, all around....and, well, I haaaate scary stories, scary movies, scary books...all of it. So, well, it was quite hard for me to sleep. Jeez. So, I brought my pup home with me that I help take care of but stays at the water office where there is more room for it to run around, and she slept with me. It was perfect. Think I may need her company more permenanty! We`ll see.
Coming up is a holiday - Fourth of July! Gunna run a 5K.
Hope all is well with everyone! Paz y Amor!
Aside from that, working on getting some projects going in the schools here. A recycling project, water cleaning group, reforestation and solar oven project. The schools are all suuuper excited, but sometimes too excited without seeing the details of the project. What doest his mean exactly? Well, that they want this project to start now, and in alllll the school in the province, not just in Palpa. So, I have to remind them to start small, do the job well, and grow the next year. Otherwise, I would be the one running around to all the 8 schools and going the classes. IMPOSSIBLE, since I also want time for myself and for my primary projects. So, told them only 3 schools max. Let`s see if it will happen.
Um, the other day I started hearing stories about spirits in Palpa. In houses, in the mountains, all around....and, well, I haaaate scary stories, scary movies, scary books...all of it. So, well, it was quite hard for me to sleep. Jeez. So, I brought my pup home with me that I help take care of but stays at the water office where there is more room for it to run around, and she slept with me. It was perfect. Think I may need her company more permenanty! We`ll see.
Coming up is a holiday - Fourth of July! Gunna run a 5K.
Hope all is well with everyone! Paz y Amor!
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Timblor in Palpa
Hey All! It`s another sunny day here in Palpa. Don`t be fooled, however, because winter time is beginning! This really just means that at night you need to wear a sweater. Yea, when people told me this when I showed up I didn`t believe that I would ever have to wear a sweater, but it`s true. It gets cold!
Just a few seconds ago I felt a timblor. That would be, an earthquake. They happen quite often in Ica, and when they aren`t big ones they are `timblors` instead of `terrimotos.`
The other day I had my Diagnostico Comunitario, which was an opportunity for representatives to come from the 7 caserios I went to, to listen to the information I gathered. It went really well (except that the powerpoint didn`t function and we started 45 minutes late). Well, hora perunan, as I say. But, a whooping 30 people showed up which is amaaazing! I was so pleased with the numbers, even though unfortunately no one from the municipality came. That was a dissapointment, but hopefully it can be worked around and they can still get involved. To do projects it`s much easier to have the support of the municipality than to do it alone!
So, I am thinking of making a chinese checkers board. Just saw a picture of one on the web, and I think it would be a great game to play with the kids and my brothers here.
All for now....life is good...planning on my trip home to be in august or september! Can`t wait!!!
Just a few seconds ago I felt a timblor. That would be, an earthquake. They happen quite often in Ica, and when they aren`t big ones they are `timblors` instead of `terrimotos.`
The other day I had my Diagnostico Comunitario, which was an opportunity for representatives to come from the 7 caserios I went to, to listen to the information I gathered. It went really well (except that the powerpoint didn`t function and we started 45 minutes late). Well, hora perunan, as I say. But, a whooping 30 people showed up which is amaaazing! I was so pleased with the numbers, even though unfortunately no one from the municipality came. That was a dissapointment, but hopefully it can be worked around and they can still get involved. To do projects it`s much easier to have the support of the municipality than to do it alone!
So, I am thinking of making a chinese checkers board. Just saw a picture of one on the web, and I think it would be a great game to play with the kids and my brothers here.
All for now....life is good...planning on my trip home to be in august or september! Can`t wait!!!
Saturday, May 22, 2010
1/4 of the marathon done.
Yesterday I woke up all giddy after realizing the 21st marked a quarter of my service in site as `done`. Yea! Can hardly believe that much is done...and I think, where did that time go?
Well, yesterday I also met an Australian couple who is living in Palpa. To my surprise, when I was at the post office in my town the other day I noticed a postcard written in English. I thought nothing of it until I was walking out the door, and then realized - THERE IS AN ENGLISH POST CARD BEING SENT HERE AND IT^S NOT FOR ME! Wow! So, found out it was this family from Australia and was hoping some day our paths would cross and I would meet them. Well, then the day after that I was running a 5k with a school who just started a new campaign to promote exercise and an older gentleman was running. He just happened to be this guy from Australia. Crazy how the lines cross. So, found out he is here with his family for a bit and went over to meet them. I spent the evening with them and we talked and talked about live abroad, in Palpa, projects, volunteering. Everything and anything. It felt like a little haven into a true and honest perspective on life in Palpa and how to go about working with the people. It was a relief, but then again quite frustrating because at times the coruption of the political council just wears on you. Try to get projects started, them to support you, and it`s like moving a boulder from stone hedge alone. Got to seak another tactic.
Then...I have recently been holding more educational meetings in the villages about good water use and how to maintain household connections to the water line and improve their water system. And looking into starting an Eco Club in the schools, and an NGO Trees for Cities is interested in coming down to help.
Ah, it`s getting cold at night. I actually wear a sweater. During the day it is still roasty toasty hot and the sweat still drips down the back.
Random words for thought:
The other day I was thinking about how each day I feel the need to wake up, get out of my house and go to the hospital, municipality or caserios to do work. Why, I was thinking, do I feel this way. Well, it dawned on me. It`s because I live on the PanAm where there is movement. There is the movement of cars that are going somewhere for an appointment. They have something to do and are on a mission. It is that same feeling I get when I wake up and hear the cars. That I need to do my work, and get going.
Next part, I was thinking, maybe it÷s the fact that there is that change in dynamic. Maybe this idea of `dynamic` could be transfered into another context to simply `changes` that occur. Such as CHANGES IN WEATHER. Also, most countries that are suffering from poverty are situated on the equator. Is this because they never experience a change in dynamic from the weather which creates a new separation of time. By separating time, one is allowed to notice and measure progress within these timeframes that are created. But, if timeframes never exist apart from going to sleep and waking up, then people continue on their normal pace of life. I realize many other factors also influence poverty such as climate, availability to resources, education, health. But, maybe a fraction of the root of it came from this lack of time separation which facilitated the ability to notice progress which then became work and spurred development.
Well, yesterday I also met an Australian couple who is living in Palpa. To my surprise, when I was at the post office in my town the other day I noticed a postcard written in English. I thought nothing of it until I was walking out the door, and then realized - THERE IS AN ENGLISH POST CARD BEING SENT HERE AND IT^S NOT FOR ME! Wow! So, found out it was this family from Australia and was hoping some day our paths would cross and I would meet them. Well, then the day after that I was running a 5k with a school who just started a new campaign to promote exercise and an older gentleman was running. He just happened to be this guy from Australia. Crazy how the lines cross. So, found out he is here with his family for a bit and went over to meet them. I spent the evening with them and we talked and talked about live abroad, in Palpa, projects, volunteering. Everything and anything. It felt like a little haven into a true and honest perspective on life in Palpa and how to go about working with the people. It was a relief, but then again quite frustrating because at times the coruption of the political council just wears on you. Try to get projects started, them to support you, and it`s like moving a boulder from stone hedge alone. Got to seak another tactic.
Then...I have recently been holding more educational meetings in the villages about good water use and how to maintain household connections to the water line and improve their water system. And looking into starting an Eco Club in the schools, and an NGO Trees for Cities is interested in coming down to help.
Ah, it`s getting cold at night. I actually wear a sweater. During the day it is still roasty toasty hot and the sweat still drips down the back.
Random words for thought:
The other day I was thinking about how each day I feel the need to wake up, get out of my house and go to the hospital, municipality or caserios to do work. Why, I was thinking, do I feel this way. Well, it dawned on me. It`s because I live on the PanAm where there is movement. There is the movement of cars that are going somewhere for an appointment. They have something to do and are on a mission. It is that same feeling I get when I wake up and hear the cars. That I need to do my work, and get going.
Next part, I was thinking, maybe it÷s the fact that there is that change in dynamic. Maybe this idea of `dynamic` could be transfered into another context to simply `changes` that occur. Such as CHANGES IN WEATHER. Also, most countries that are suffering from poverty are situated on the equator. Is this because they never experience a change in dynamic from the weather which creates a new separation of time. By separating time, one is allowed to notice and measure progress within these timeframes that are created. But, if timeframes never exist apart from going to sleep and waking up, then people continue on their normal pace of life. I realize many other factors also influence poverty such as climate, availability to resources, education, health. But, maybe a fraction of the root of it came from this lack of time separation which facilitated the ability to notice progress which then became work and spurred development.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
dropping
Two days ago I looked at my watch and it happened to be 4:20 and I had a revelation. It was, that I had gone through the hottest part of the day without feeling a drop of sweat drip down my back or chest. Oooooh man! It`s becoming `winter´ which means it is gunna get like 10 degrees cooler! How faaabulous! There is now water in the two rivers, the fields are turning green because finally have water and people can grow stuff. Life is thriving here in Palpa. Thriving.
I feel like I am thriving as well. I switched houses a little more than 2 months ago now and have grown used to my new family quite easily. There is more space than any one person needs, I play games with my little brothers, joke with my older brother and get help with anything from my mother. Also, another PCV, Kate, lent me her guitar for the next few weeks and I have started playing that which is just fabulous for my soul. Another fabulous thing is that I have had the chance to start painting after buying water paints and paper. Also cleaned out one of the many rooms I have and made it my `yoga room´. And, with the fabulous view from my roof I have enjoyed many nights stargazing and looking for the shooting stars (estrellas fugas).
A week ago was the Semana Santa here, which is the week leading up to Easter. All of Latin America makes a big deal about celebrating this holiday and the volunteers were given timeoff to take vacations is desired. With a group of 14 of us, we went to the selva in Oxapampa and Pozuzo to check out the green lusheshness of the forest. It was just gorgeous (though I literally thought I was going to die on the drive there and back. Because of the rain they have a lot of earthslides and it wipes out the road...and makes them very dangerous to drive on)! I felt like I was in the Appalachia Mountains of the US and felt like I was filling up with the joys of living where everything thrives with life all the time. We visited several waterfalls and went bathing, went on several hikes, checked out a bat cave at night which was quite interesting...a little scary, but no one got bit! In the route back we stopped by some volunteer`s sites in Junin and I became immediately jealous about their setup. They live in the mountains where there is greenery, even though it is too high up for trees to grow more than 3 feet tall. The people are very culturally traditional of Peru, and it felt like a very simple and tranquil life. Interesting to experience how the cultures of Peru change depending on where you are at. Definitely a difference between coastal, cierra and selva life. But, by the time we left at 11 at night I was freeeeezing and glad to be returning to the coast where I don`t really ever need a long sleeve shirt. I guess I have `acostumbrar´ed as Peruvians would say.
Now I am working on writing up my Community Diagnostic. Pretty much a report on all the findings I have made in my community so far. It`s currently 40 pages and I have about half left to write about. Jeez how I hate writing reports, let alone in Spanish!
Hope everyone`s Easter was fun and you are enjoying life and the weather wherever you are at! You are in my thoughts!
Paz y amor!
I feel like I am thriving as well. I switched houses a little more than 2 months ago now and have grown used to my new family quite easily. There is more space than any one person needs, I play games with my little brothers, joke with my older brother and get help with anything from my mother. Also, another PCV, Kate, lent me her guitar for the next few weeks and I have started playing that which is just fabulous for my soul. Another fabulous thing is that I have had the chance to start painting after buying water paints and paper. Also cleaned out one of the many rooms I have and made it my `yoga room´. And, with the fabulous view from my roof I have enjoyed many nights stargazing and looking for the shooting stars (estrellas fugas).
A week ago was the Semana Santa here, which is the week leading up to Easter. All of Latin America makes a big deal about celebrating this holiday and the volunteers were given timeoff to take vacations is desired. With a group of 14 of us, we went to the selva in Oxapampa and Pozuzo to check out the green lusheshness of the forest. It was just gorgeous (though I literally thought I was going to die on the drive there and back. Because of the rain they have a lot of earthslides and it wipes out the road...and makes them very dangerous to drive on)! I felt like I was in the Appalachia Mountains of the US and felt like I was filling up with the joys of living where everything thrives with life all the time. We visited several waterfalls and went bathing, went on several hikes, checked out a bat cave at night which was quite interesting...a little scary, but no one got bit! In the route back we stopped by some volunteer`s sites in Junin and I became immediately jealous about their setup. They live in the mountains where there is greenery, even though it is too high up for trees to grow more than 3 feet tall. The people are very culturally traditional of Peru, and it felt like a very simple and tranquil life. Interesting to experience how the cultures of Peru change depending on where you are at. Definitely a difference between coastal, cierra and selva life. But, by the time we left at 11 at night I was freeeeezing and glad to be returning to the coast where I don`t really ever need a long sleeve shirt. I guess I have `acostumbrar´ed as Peruvians would say.
Now I am working on writing up my Community Diagnostic. Pretty much a report on all the findings I have made in my community so far. It`s currently 40 pages and I have about half left to write about. Jeez how I hate writing reports, let alone in Spanish!
Hope everyone`s Easter was fun and you are enjoying life and the weather wherever you are at! You are in my thoughts!
Paz y amor!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
