To give light in Spanish means to give birth, which is very fitting as I saw my first live birth this week. Being a community health volunteer has its perks since I get to witness things that I wouldn’t normally see in the United States, namely a birth. This is how it went down:
Jessica, ob-gyn nurse: We have a patient at the health post that is going to give birth pretty soon.
Me: Cool. Could I come and watch?
Jessica: Sure, that would be fine. You can even take photos for us.
And boom, I’m right in on the action. Again, I cannot say enough how many things I do here that would not happen in the U.S. and for many of them, I’ve very thankful to be here to witness them, and photograph them to boot.
Being the youngest in a family of four, I’ve never had any younger siblings; nor do I have many young cousins, so I’ve never seen a woman giving birth before. And for those of you that know me, you know that I want to have a big family (4 or 5 kids tops), so it might be handy to see a woman in labor just to see what I would be getting myself into.
My nurses and I were hanging out at my house watching our one and only TV channel (Peruvian PBS basically), when the patient’s husband came running over to us to let us know that her labor had started. So up and out the door we went to the awaiting patient. Luckily we only had a good 10 steps to go as I live right next to the health post.
Now like I said before, I’ve never seen a birth, so I’m not sure what I was expecting. But from the movies (Shout out to “Father of the Bride”) and TV shows that I’ve seen, the typical position for a woman in labor , from what I’ve seen, is on her back, so I was a little surprised to see the woman squatting while her mother held on to her. Supposedly this position is ideal as gravity works with you instead of against to, so here I was, camera-in-hand as I stood awkwardly to the side witnessing her fight her contractions.
The nurses had laid a plastic mat on the ground to brace for “impact” of the baby covered with a few cut-up food bags to make the clean up easier. Jessica was kneeling all the while shouting “Empuje! Empuje! (Push! Push!)” while checking to see the babies progress. Before I knew it the mother pushed her last push and the baby just slid out, but again, my warped expectations told me that the baby should be crying by now, but instead there was just silence.
Doli, the other nurse, took the baby to the table immediately to start cleaning it up and taking the fluid out of the mouth and nose, but still, no crying. Minutes pass by and the baby was still not breathing and was quickly turning purple. Jessica immediately took over and started massaging the back and giving it small smacks to try to get the fluid out of the lungs, and even going so far as to start mouth to mouth breathing. Then after my prayers had been said, the baby miraculously started coughing up fluid and slowly opened its eyes. God’s miracle.
The grandmother, who was laying her daughter, who just gave birth, down to rest, came over with a smile. She sneaked a peek between the baby’s legs then walked over to the door and said with a smile to the awaiting family members “Tenemos una otra cocinera (We have another cook).” Putting Feminism aside, I simply laughed.
As time went on, the baby girl continued coughing up fluids and testing out her arms and legs in her new environment. And slowly, but surely, color came back to her cheeks and fingers. The family was then able to come in and I witnessed her family welcome her into the world.
While this birth turned had a happy ending, unfortunately so many other births in my town don’t. I was kind of surprised at the nonchalant attitude of my nurses when discussing how just the other day a baby died during labor. When I asked why that happened, they said it was mainly because the parteras or midwifes here don’t have much formal training. And all I could think of was that if this lady gave birth in her house, which many women do, her baby might have easily died if the partera didn’t know what to do when the baby came out.
Death is such a part of life here, that it doesn’t surprise people that much if a baby dies or not. And coming from a very developed nation, I keep on thinking how this would not happen in the U.S. And yes, I think our health care system is very messed up, but one thing they do well is give adequate care to patients and do anything they can to prevent a death.
Witness this birth has given me a new outlook at life and death in the sierra and also the idea to have a possible training with the midwives in the future. But the one thing that hasn’t changed is I still want those 5 kids. Well, maybe just 4.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
A photo is worth a thousand words...
Finally heading back to the campo after a weekend full of water fights, paint wars, good friends, and awesome food.
Just wanted to show you a small piece of my weekend:
Me and "mis chicas"
Imagine "Gangs of New York/West Side Story" mixed with paint and that is Carnaval
The Aftermath
More to come soon!
Just wanted to show you a small piece of my weekend:
Me and "mis chicas"
Imagine "Gangs of New York/West Side Story" mixed with paint and that is Carnaval
The Aftermath
More to come soon!
Thursday, February 11, 2010
School for Thought
6 weeks, 32 students later, and less patience later, my “Vacacciones Utiles” is finally over....and I couldn’t be happier. Don’t get me wrong, I love the little kiddies, but they were definitely a lot to handle. Most days were great and I felt like I was really teaching them something, but other days not so much…so I would say it was more of a love-hate relationship.
My primary kids were my first headache, since I didn’t know quite what to do with them. I’ve never had much experience with little ones, and I was probably frustrated because I was trying to teach them too much. But once I let go of my dream of having them actually speak my language and instead focused on English vocab, things went a lot better, especially when I started incorporating drawing into my class.
While even though the kids loved their drawing time, I was amazed at their lack of creativity and not just in drawing, but when we played other games as well. I blame this partly on the school system here, since the basic formula for teaching here is writing stuff on the board and having the kids copy it down. That’s about it. So when I tell kids to draw whatever they want to draw, they ask me “How? What should we draw?” And when I answer, “be creative,” I get blank stares back. Most of the time, the kids would run and find a book to copy a picture from. I can’t tell you how sad this makes me feel, since I feel like creativity was all about my childhood through playing house during recess to making “bomb squad” videos with my swimming friends. I don’t know what I would have done without it.
My secondary kids were originally the class I looked forward to because I could do more advance stuff with them like verb conjugation and grammar, but eventually they became my new headache. At times I felt like I was a ring leader trying to control my wild animals! I believe part of that has to do with the fact that I don’t speak their language, and hence couldn’t always think of a good way to control their rowdiness, but the other part has to do with good ol’ fashion hormones. Ha. Yeah for those. A lot of my time was spent trying to stop the boys from annoying (aka flirting) with the girls and vice versa. Good Lord.
Things I learned through my first go-through with teaching English? Simplicity is key. Flashcards are a god send. Never underestimate the joy of Bingo. And 5 days is waaaaay to much.
I am definitely thinking of continuing teaching English in my town, since there is no English teacher to speak of, but I think it’s going to be on my terms this time. One to two times TOPS a week, and the teacher better be there in attendance to quiet down the students.
So that’s about it. I survived my first time being a teacher. All those times of pretending to be a teacher growing up finally paid off. But overall, I’m pleased with how things. Even if my kids didn’t learn any English, at least they got to do something different and have fun in class, and I suppose in the end, that’s all I could ask for.
My primary kids were my first headache, since I didn’t know quite what to do with them. I’ve never had much experience with little ones, and I was probably frustrated because I was trying to teach them too much. But once I let go of my dream of having them actually speak my language and instead focused on English vocab, things went a lot better, especially when I started incorporating drawing into my class.
While even though the kids loved their drawing time, I was amazed at their lack of creativity and not just in drawing, but when we played other games as well. I blame this partly on the school system here, since the basic formula for teaching here is writing stuff on the board and having the kids copy it down. That’s about it. So when I tell kids to draw whatever they want to draw, they ask me “How? What should we draw?” And when I answer, “be creative,” I get blank stares back. Most of the time, the kids would run and find a book to copy a picture from. I can’t tell you how sad this makes me feel, since I feel like creativity was all about my childhood through playing house during recess to making “bomb squad” videos with my swimming friends. I don’t know what I would have done without it.
My secondary kids were originally the class I looked forward to because I could do more advance stuff with them like verb conjugation and grammar, but eventually they became my new headache. At times I felt like I was a ring leader trying to control my wild animals! I believe part of that has to do with the fact that I don’t speak their language, and hence couldn’t always think of a good way to control their rowdiness, but the other part has to do with good ol’ fashion hormones. Ha. Yeah for those. A lot of my time was spent trying to stop the boys from annoying (aka flirting) with the girls and vice versa. Good Lord.
Things I learned through my first go-through with teaching English? Simplicity is key. Flashcards are a god send. Never underestimate the joy of Bingo. And 5 days is waaaaay to much.
I am definitely thinking of continuing teaching English in my town, since there is no English teacher to speak of, but I think it’s going to be on my terms this time. One to two times TOPS a week, and the teacher better be there in attendance to quiet down the students.
So that’s about it. I survived my first time being a teacher. All those times of pretending to be a teacher growing up finally paid off. But overall, I’m pleased with how things. Even if my kids didn’t learn any English, at least they got to do something different and have fun in class, and I suppose in the end, that’s all I could ask for.
Sunday, February 07, 2010
The festivities have finally arrived...
...Roll up your windows…
...look before you cross the road...…
....because Carnival is finally here!
Ever since we first learned of our sites in Cajamarca, Carnival was one of the first thing that was mentioned. It just so happens that my department, Cajamarca, is home to one of the best Carnival festivities in Peru…so lucky for me!
Now I’m still learning what Carnival is about, but what I’ve deduced is that it’s a lot like “Mardi Gras” in the states, but I think done on a bigger scale. It also has a special twist to it, which is water balloon fights…all…the…time. I believe the first water balloon was thrown at me in mid-January, and the festivities don’t officially start until February 12th, so people get really excited about celebrating it here.
Usually I’m not targeted in my site, but when I venture down to Bambamarca, our combi is usually under fire to a few suspecting kids down the road who are waiting with water balloons and water guns in hand. I didn’t realize what was going to happen at first, but luckily I had my host brother sitting next to me because he had the bright idea of rolling up the window….and just in time too because moments later, our combi was pounded with water balloons. Thank god for having a seat inside.
But on other occasions, I haven’t been so lucky. It’s usually a 50-50 chance of getting a seat inside the car, and last weekend as I was headed back to Bambamarca, as the car slowly turned around a corner we were like sitting ducks! And before we knew it, had water balloons tossed at us. Luckily I saw one coming and ducked just in time, but my friend next to me wasn’t as lucky…as she got it right in the face. But a few minutes later we were all soaked as some kid had sprayed us with a hose…so as you can see, no one is safe during Carnival. My plans are to fill up water balloons and give them to the people in a combi, so that we can all nail those kids coming into town. They won’t know what hit them.
This coming weekend I’m heading down to Cajamarca, our capital, which is where the heart of Carnival is. I don’t know exactly what to expect, but what I do know is that one day is completely devoted to water balloon fighting and the next day, paint fighting. Yes, I said paint. Apparently people throw paint and sometimes even oil and eggs at people…I honestly don’t know what is going to happen, but what I do know is that it’s going to be a lot of fun.
I’ve met some Peace Corps volunteers that absolutely loathe Carnival, but to me, I think it’s a chance for everyone to be a kid again. And since I feel like a kid most of the time, this festival is right up my alley. So wish me luck! There will be lots of crazy pictures to come, that I am sure of.
...look before you cross the road...…
....because Carnival is finally here!
Ever since we first learned of our sites in Cajamarca, Carnival was one of the first thing that was mentioned. It just so happens that my department, Cajamarca, is home to one of the best Carnival festivities in Peru…so lucky for me!
Now I’m still learning what Carnival is about, but what I’ve deduced is that it’s a lot like “Mardi Gras” in the states, but I think done on a bigger scale. It also has a special twist to it, which is water balloon fights…all…the…time. I believe the first water balloon was thrown at me in mid-January, and the festivities don’t officially start until February 12th, so people get really excited about celebrating it here.
Usually I’m not targeted in my site, but when I venture down to Bambamarca, our combi is usually under fire to a few suspecting kids down the road who are waiting with water balloons and water guns in hand. I didn’t realize what was going to happen at first, but luckily I had my host brother sitting next to me because he had the bright idea of rolling up the window….and just in time too because moments later, our combi was pounded with water balloons. Thank god for having a seat inside.
But on other occasions, I haven’t been so lucky. It’s usually a 50-50 chance of getting a seat inside the car, and last weekend as I was headed back to Bambamarca, as the car slowly turned around a corner we were like sitting ducks! And before we knew it, had water balloons tossed at us. Luckily I saw one coming and ducked just in time, but my friend next to me wasn’t as lucky…as she got it right in the face. But a few minutes later we were all soaked as some kid had sprayed us with a hose…so as you can see, no one is safe during Carnival. My plans are to fill up water balloons and give them to the people in a combi, so that we can all nail those kids coming into town. They won’t know what hit them.
This coming weekend I’m heading down to Cajamarca, our capital, which is where the heart of Carnival is. I don’t know exactly what to expect, but what I do know is that one day is completely devoted to water balloon fighting and the next day, paint fighting. Yes, I said paint. Apparently people throw paint and sometimes even oil and eggs at people…I honestly don’t know what is going to happen, but what I do know is that it’s going to be a lot of fun.
I’ve met some Peace Corps volunteers that absolutely loathe Carnival, but to me, I think it’s a chance for everyone to be a kid again. And since I feel like a kid most of the time, this festival is right up my alley. So wish me luck! There will be lots of crazy pictures to come, that I am sure of.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
The day the electronics died...
So about every two weeks or so, I’ve had just about enough of my remote site and go into Chota with my other peace corps friends for a weekend full of good food, English, and best of all internet. But this weekend, little did we know, things would be a bit different.
It started first with the cell phone signal. Usually I have pretty good signal in my site, but for some reason I didn’t have any on Friday. I thought it was just a fluke, so I didn’t start to worry until I got to Chota and I still didn’t have signal. Didn’t think it was a big deal until I realized that without cell phones, there was no way to find out where my friend was. So decided to go to the restaurant we always go to and just play on the internet until she gets there.
So we go to our restaurant and find out…no internet. Without cell phone signal, the internet doesn’t appear to work. So that wasn’t the greatest news, but I figured people would be working to get the signal back in no time right? Then my friend Barbara, who finally found us at the restaurant, reminds me that “Annie, we aren’t in America. This is Peru.” Which means sometimes things don’t get fixed so quickly…But no sweat, I thought. At least we can still watch a movie or something on my computer, but no…here comes the kicker.
We find out that on Saturday, the city of Chota was planning a black-out to do some maintenance on the electricity. So there you go folks: no cell phone, no internet, and no electricity. It’s almost as if I was back at my site. Ha.
So what did we do? We went and played basketball with some friends and their host family and then went over to their house for some good ol’ “Jenga” and lunch. Turns out that without phones, internet, and electricity, we actually had a pretty fun day. So when the electricity finally turned back on and cell phone signal came back, we weren’t so desperate to run back to it all.
So lesson learned? Life still happens without electronics, and it’s not all that bad. But do I still love cell phones, internet, and electricity? With my whole heart, yes.
It started first with the cell phone signal. Usually I have pretty good signal in my site, but for some reason I didn’t have any on Friday. I thought it was just a fluke, so I didn’t start to worry until I got to Chota and I still didn’t have signal. Didn’t think it was a big deal until I realized that without cell phones, there was no way to find out where my friend was. So decided to go to the restaurant we always go to and just play on the internet until she gets there.
So we go to our restaurant and find out…no internet. Without cell phone signal, the internet doesn’t appear to work. So that wasn’t the greatest news, but I figured people would be working to get the signal back in no time right? Then my friend Barbara, who finally found us at the restaurant, reminds me that “Annie, we aren’t in America. This is Peru.” Which means sometimes things don’t get fixed so quickly…But no sweat, I thought. At least we can still watch a movie or something on my computer, but no…here comes the kicker.
We find out that on Saturday, the city of Chota was planning a black-out to do some maintenance on the electricity. So there you go folks: no cell phone, no internet, and no electricity. It’s almost as if I was back at my site. Ha.
So what did we do? We went and played basketball with some friends and their host family and then went over to their house for some good ol’ “Jenga” and lunch. Turns out that without phones, internet, and electricity, we actually had a pretty fun day. So when the electricity finally turned back on and cell phone signal came back, we weren’t so desperate to run back to it all.
So lesson learned? Life still happens without electronics, and it’s not all that bad. But do I still love cell phones, internet, and electricity? With my whole heart, yes.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
P-P-P-Pictures
Here are some photos from my past couple of months...enjoy!
Making banana pancakes with my Cajamarqueñas chicas
These crazy boys did a community map for me (Part of my communnity diagnostic)
Farmer Annie! Me planting semillas with the help of my padres: Brocolli, Radishes, Zucchini, Pumpkin, Lettuce, Spinach, and Cabbage! Yum Yum!
My host grandma pouring fresh milk to take back down the mountain. There is nothing like fresh milk! (Sorry, couldn't resist...)
My living room complete with TV and DVD player. My room is right on the left.
Caras Locas with my relatives. Selene, the one with the spatula, is waving the Panchamanca, the traditional peruvian food of the sierra.
My cousins and brother making Papa Rellenas, glorified french fries with eggs stuffed inside. MMmm good!
New Year's Eve 2009! My whole family and our two burning muñecas
Coffee and puffy jackets make Annie a happy girl!
The Christmas stockings I made my host family
My Room and all it's glory. Here's hoping to cement floors pretty soon...
Christmas Eve dancing the night away...
My kitchen...it looks more like a storage closet, but it does the trick.
Me and my host cousin and friend posin' with the muñecas
Introducing...the CHALI!
Señoras and Senores, are you tired of carrying that heavy bag over your pained shoulder? Tired of being caught in the rain without an umbrella? Tired of not having anything to wear when doing your washing your last pair of pants?
Well LOOK to further…Your answers have finally been answered…thanks to the CHALI!
The Chali is a multifaceted, brightly colored, finely crafted, piece of cloth that really has it all…
Need to haul manure to the chacras, but don’t have a wheel barrow? No problem! Just Chali-it!
Need to sit on a wet, dirty ground waiting for the next combi to arrive? No problem! Just Chali-it!
Need to carry your 5-year child to the health post? No problem! Just Chali-it!
The Chali is easy to use…Simply, lay your Chali on the ground. Next, place whatever you need to carry in it and then, gather both ends and hoist it up over your back, and simply tie a knot. It’s that easy!
The Chali is a certifiable and trusted all over Peru, just listen to one of our many supporters…
Juana Marina Carajulcra Ruez of San Juan de Lacamaca says “The Chali has made a world of difference in my life. Before I had to make 2 or 3 trips up the mountain a day because I didn’t have enough hands to carry all my potatoes back. But with the Chali, I only need to make that trip once and can be back in time to milk my cows before lunch!”
The Chali has revolutionized blankets everywhere by using the strongest part of the body, the back, and have put all backpacks to shame by a having limitless capacity. There is no knowing how much a person can fit in their Chali.
Well LOOK to further…Your answers have finally been answered…thanks to the CHALI!
The Chali is a multifaceted, brightly colored, finely crafted, piece of cloth that really has it all…
Need to haul manure to the chacras, but don’t have a wheel barrow? No problem! Just Chali-it!
Need to sit on a wet, dirty ground waiting for the next combi to arrive? No problem! Just Chali-it!
Need to carry your 5-year child to the health post? No problem! Just Chali-it!
The Chali is easy to use…Simply, lay your Chali on the ground. Next, place whatever you need to carry in it and then, gather both ends and hoist it up over your back, and simply tie a knot. It’s that easy!
The Chali is a certifiable and trusted all over Peru, just listen to one of our many supporters…
Juana Marina Carajulcra Ruez of San Juan de Lacamaca says “The Chali has made a world of difference in my life. Before I had to make 2 or 3 trips up the mountain a day because I didn’t have enough hands to carry all my potatoes back. But with the Chali, I only need to make that trip once and can be back in time to milk my cows before lunch!”
The Chali has revolutionized blankets everywhere by using the strongest part of the body, the back, and have put all backpacks to shame by a having limitless capacity. There is no knowing how much a person can fit in their Chali.
According to Lindomira Flor Idrogo Garcia of Ahijadero, “I’m able to carry more than twice my weight of firewood on my back using the Chali and the best part is I can even KNIT while I go down the mountain.”
The Chali can be used to carry large loads of anything imaginable from firewood to small children to roof tiles to tanks of gas. It can also be used in cold weather to bundle up or hover under during the long rainy season. It even can be used as nice dining room table cloth, once cleaned after use. The uses are really endless…
So hurry up to your local mercado and haggle yourself a good deal with the Chali. Prices start at 20 soles, and don’t forget to ask for your chela!
My Host Brother and Cousin going to Grandma's House...
Friday, January 08, 2010
Rhinestones are a girl's best friend
So since the holidays are now over, I finally have to think about my job at hand: my community diagnostic. And frankly, that is a daunting task. And since I don’t have any projects going at the moment, I find that when I have a lot of time on my hand, I tend to over-analyze things (analysis paralysis as it is called…) and question my being in Peru. So when I get in those moods, what always cheers me up is….CRAFT TIME! My latest project has been wanting to BLING-out my cell phone, so I set out today in search of rhinestones...
But something as simple as finding rhinestones in the U.S. seems to turn into a major goose-egg hunt in Peru. If I were in the land of amazing (aka U.S. of A), I would simply jump in my car and drive to Michael’s arts and crafts and maybe even stop by Dutch bros to grab a quick coffee…all in the span of 20 min.
In Peru, however, first you have to figure out how to say rhinestones in Spanish which you awkwardly try to describe as “those things that are like pearls but sparkle and are small.” Then ask a person where one might find rhinestones and are pointed to the nearest fabric store. Go to the fabric store and stumble through your half-hazard description and get shown buttons instead. Then find another fabric store nearby and instead of finding rhinestone, find men’s underwear called “stripper” (no joke!). Then almost give up, but find one more fabric store. Go in and get told they don’t have any, but get shown another store where they think they might have them. You walk in and think you’ve hit the jackpot, as there are spools of sparkly ribbon and glitter everywhere. Again describe the elusive rhinestones that you are so feverishly looking for and instead are shown sequins, which you determine to be just as good as rhinestones. Then it finally dawns on you that the cell phone you were planning on “be-dazzling” with rhinestones is rented and therefore, cannot be defaced.
You walk away and shake your head while trying to control you laughter, as laughter is probably the only thing that will stop you from crying.
So another day has come and gone and Peru has gotten the best of me. But tomorrow is a new day…with new possibilities…and new craft ideas...
But something as simple as finding rhinestones in the U.S. seems to turn into a major goose-egg hunt in Peru. If I were in the land of amazing (aka U.S. of A), I would simply jump in my car and drive to Michael’s arts and crafts and maybe even stop by Dutch bros to grab a quick coffee…all in the span of 20 min.
In Peru, however, first you have to figure out how to say rhinestones in Spanish which you awkwardly try to describe as “those things that are like pearls but sparkle and are small.” Then ask a person where one might find rhinestones and are pointed to the nearest fabric store. Go to the fabric store and stumble through your half-hazard description and get shown buttons instead. Then find another fabric store nearby and instead of finding rhinestone, find men’s underwear called “stripper” (no joke!). Then almost give up, but find one more fabric store. Go in and get told they don’t have any, but get shown another store where they think they might have them. You walk in and think you’ve hit the jackpot, as there are spools of sparkly ribbon and glitter everywhere. Again describe the elusive rhinestones that you are so feverishly looking for and instead are shown sequins, which you determine to be just as good as rhinestones. Then it finally dawns on you that the cell phone you were planning on “be-dazzling” with rhinestones is rented and therefore, cannot be defaced.
You walk away and shake your head while trying to control you laughter, as laughter is probably the only thing that will stop you from crying.
So another day has come and gone and Peru has gotten the best of me. But tomorrow is a new day…with new possibilities…and new craft ideas...
Saturday, January 02, 2010
Goodbye Christmas, Hello New Years!
(written in my room on Dec. 31, 2009)
So Christmas has come and gone, and things are more or less back to the way things are. I tried to remind myself of the experiences I was having rather than focusing on the things that I was missing and that more or less worked. I mean, it’s not every day that you get to celebrate Christmas by having a dance off to 80’s music with your very inebriated uncle. That is for sure, but hey, I’m not going to have another Christmas like it, so better enjoy it right?. Christmas Eve was full of everything I thought it would be: dancing, beer, paneton, dancing, cocoa, and more dancing…and as soon as midnight rolled around, everyone said “Feliz Navidad” and went on their merry way.
Christmas day itself was a bit uneventful in that I slept in until 10:30 am (which is the longest I have slept in ever in Peru), had the biggest and weirdest breakfast ever (cold soup, rice and cuy, left over paneton, and biscuits in honey), then basically sat around outside enjoying the sunshine. I also opened the rest of my Christmas gifts my parents sent me (and I mean “rest” because I couldn’t wait 5 days to open them all…sorry Mom), and had my own mini-Christmas in my room complete with Handel’s Messiah playing in the background.
My stockings were a hit with the host family. I think they forgot that they were to be filled on Christmas day, so I had to bring them to them or else I’m pretty sure they would have hung on the wall until the New Year. I had stuffed them full of sweets and a small gift. For my mom I gave her some earrings since she had her ears pierced, but didn’t have any earrings. Well I had the earrings wrapped at the market in some wrapping paper, so as she would get to open at least something…When she pulled out the wrapped gift, she starting stroking the paper and saying how beautiful it was and asking where I had bought it. It then dawned on me that she thought I had actually given her wrapping paper for Christmas, so I politely told her that there was something else inside. Needless to say the earrings were a big hit. Take THAT American consumerism!
Since then I’ve been trying to occupy my time to the best of my abilities since people still appear to be on vacation. All the professors have left, since school is out and the majority of them live out of town, and as for the health post, most of my community partners are still on holiday vacation. So I’m mainly been biding my time with my host family by hiking up the mountain (to grandma’s house we go...literally), planting my first garden (let’s see if I have my mom’s famous green thumb), learning how to make papas rellenos (glorified French fries stuffed with meat), and eating my first REAL sierra-style panchamanca (complete with bananas!). I’ve also taught my cousins and brother the chorus to “Jingle Bells” and they haven’t been able to stop singing it, so the Christmas spirit may very well last until summer at the rate they are going.
But now comes the time for yet another Peruvian celebration: New Years. It’s basically like Christmas only bigger, better, and stuff on fire. Like any other holiday, Peruvians do it up in style and New Years means burning life-sized dolls made of old clothing and stuffed with hay. My host dad, at this very moment, is putting the finishing touches on our two dolls. Unfortunately I didn’t have any clothing to spare, as my clothing is few and far between, but that wasn’t a problem. My host family appears to stock pile old clothing special for this occasion. New Years also consists of some other “not-so-American” customs, one being to wear different colored underwear: yellow (luck), red (love), and green (money). My host mom bashfully admitted that she only ever wears red underwear on New Years. Ha. Oh my! Peruvians also crawl under the table to eat 12 grapes come midnight, as well as bathe at midnight. 1. I’m not sure we even have grapes and 2. I have a hard time getting in the cold shower during the hottest hour of the day, so not sure how I feel at the dead of night. And last, but not least, no Peruvian celebration is complete with dancing and the passing of the beer bottle. So it looks like I’m in for another night to remember…
Everyone keeps on asking what Americans do to celebrate the New Years and honestly I don’t even know. I mean, as far as my past New Years’ go, it mainly consists of hanging out with friends and more or less watching the Time Square party on TV. But somehow watching a giant ball drop is not the same as seeing a life-sized doll go up in flames.
So on that note, I need to go find my lighter… Hope everyone has a great New Year! Espero que tengan un Feliz Año Nuevo!
Now for some photos from the past few weeks:
Making French Toast in my kitchen
The view outside my house. The yellow building is my health post, we are neighbor-ee-nos...
This is our only source of water, which is right outside our front door. That is my host mom, Adela, collecting some water to cook lunch with.
This is me and my cousin Marion, who just graduated high school...their graduations are a lot like our proms, but I never recieved the dress code memo. ha.
So Christmas has come and gone, and things are more or less back to the way things are. I tried to remind myself of the experiences I was having rather than focusing on the things that I was missing and that more or less worked. I mean, it’s not every day that you get to celebrate Christmas by having a dance off to 80’s music with your very inebriated uncle. That is for sure, but hey, I’m not going to have another Christmas like it, so better enjoy it right?. Christmas Eve was full of everything I thought it would be: dancing, beer, paneton, dancing, cocoa, and more dancing…and as soon as midnight rolled around, everyone said “Feliz Navidad” and went on their merry way.
Christmas day itself was a bit uneventful in that I slept in until 10:30 am (which is the longest I have slept in ever in Peru), had the biggest and weirdest breakfast ever (cold soup, rice and cuy, left over paneton, and biscuits in honey), then basically sat around outside enjoying the sunshine. I also opened the rest of my Christmas gifts my parents sent me (and I mean “rest” because I couldn’t wait 5 days to open them all…sorry Mom), and had my own mini-Christmas in my room complete with Handel’s Messiah playing in the background.
My stockings were a hit with the host family. I think they forgot that they were to be filled on Christmas day, so I had to bring them to them or else I’m pretty sure they would have hung on the wall until the New Year. I had stuffed them full of sweets and a small gift. For my mom I gave her some earrings since she had her ears pierced, but didn’t have any earrings. Well I had the earrings wrapped at the market in some wrapping paper, so as she would get to open at least something…When she pulled out the wrapped gift, she starting stroking the paper and saying how beautiful it was and asking where I had bought it. It then dawned on me that she thought I had actually given her wrapping paper for Christmas, so I politely told her that there was something else inside. Needless to say the earrings were a big hit. Take THAT American consumerism!
Since then I’ve been trying to occupy my time to the best of my abilities since people still appear to be on vacation. All the professors have left, since school is out and the majority of them live out of town, and as for the health post, most of my community partners are still on holiday vacation. So I’m mainly been biding my time with my host family by hiking up the mountain (to grandma’s house we go...literally), planting my first garden (let’s see if I have my mom’s famous green thumb), learning how to make papas rellenos (glorified French fries stuffed with meat), and eating my first REAL sierra-style panchamanca (complete with bananas!). I’ve also taught my cousins and brother the chorus to “Jingle Bells” and they haven’t been able to stop singing it, so the Christmas spirit may very well last until summer at the rate they are going.
But now comes the time for yet another Peruvian celebration: New Years. It’s basically like Christmas only bigger, better, and stuff on fire. Like any other holiday, Peruvians do it up in style and New Years means burning life-sized dolls made of old clothing and stuffed with hay. My host dad, at this very moment, is putting the finishing touches on our two dolls. Unfortunately I didn’t have any clothing to spare, as my clothing is few and far between, but that wasn’t a problem. My host family appears to stock pile old clothing special for this occasion. New Years also consists of some other “not-so-American” customs, one being to wear different colored underwear: yellow (luck), red (love), and green (money). My host mom bashfully admitted that she only ever wears red underwear on New Years. Ha. Oh my! Peruvians also crawl under the table to eat 12 grapes come midnight, as well as bathe at midnight. 1. I’m not sure we even have grapes and 2. I have a hard time getting in the cold shower during the hottest hour of the day, so not sure how I feel at the dead of night. And last, but not least, no Peruvian celebration is complete with dancing and the passing of the beer bottle. So it looks like I’m in for another night to remember…
Everyone keeps on asking what Americans do to celebrate the New Years and honestly I don’t even know. I mean, as far as my past New Years’ go, it mainly consists of hanging out with friends and more or less watching the Time Square party on TV. But somehow watching a giant ball drop is not the same as seeing a life-sized doll go up in flames.
So on that note, I need to go find my lighter… Hope everyone has a great New Year! Espero que tengan un Feliz Año Nuevo!
Now for some photos from the past few weeks:
Making French Toast in my kitchen
The view outside my house. The yellow building is my health post, we are neighbor-ee-nos...
This is our only source of water, which is right outside our front door. That is my host mom, Adela, collecting some water to cook lunch with.
This is me trying to find out who my "Amigo Secreto" was...and by jobe, I got it right!
This is Brando, one of my host dogs, and my friend Diana at the 6th grade graduation
This is a map of San Juan de Lacamaca. I live in Sector 4 (81 families).
This are some ladies in the caserio, Ahijadero, about a 45 min walk from my house. The women in my site where the typical clothing of the sierra: skirts, cardigans, and tall hats. And most every woman I know can knit up a storm.
This is me and my cousin Marion, who just graduated high school...their graduations are a lot like our proms, but I never recieved the dress code memo. ha.
A little girl in a caserio where I helped vaccinate dogs.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Tis the season to by crying???
I’m not sure if I’m punishing myself or not by listening to Christmas music. Every time Josh Groban’s “I’ll be home for Christmas” comes on, the water works start up. But at the same time, I can’t resist since the thought of NOT listening to Christmas music is almost worse than listening to it and missing home.
This is going to be my first Christmas away from home…My first Christmas away from my family…One day more than I’ve ever spent away from the U.S…My first Christmas without presents, Christmas lights, and Christmas trees…You get the picture.
It’s hard to wrap my mind around the fact that in less than 5 days, Christmas will have come and gone and will officially mark my one-month anniversary of being in site. But, with everything that I do here, I try to look at in a positive light and be grateful for the experiences that I get to have, and the people I get to share them with.
For starters, Christmas is done a bit differently in Peru, of which, I’m not surprised, as almost everything is different here than from the states, Christmas not being the exception. Here are a few ways that Peruvians celebrate Christmas:
Paneton and Hot Chocolate: I don’t want to make any generalizations, but I’m pretty sure that almost every Peruvian follows this custom. Paneton (Pronounced Pan-i-tone) is a type of Christmas bread that has fruit jellies inside and it is accompanied by hot chocolate before, during, or after Christmas. I’ve had Paneton a few times and it’s not bad, but I’m a little suspicious since Paneton first started appearing in stores when I first arrived to Peru in September. And any bread product that can last on the shelves for more than 3 months makes me stop and wonder what kind of chemicals are inside.
Nacimiento (Nativity): Starting around the first of the month, stores start brimming with Nativity figurines since here in Peru, people put up Nativity scenes in their houses to mark the Christmas season. There of course the angels, the wise men, and all the barnyard animals you want, but Baby Jesus is not put out until Christmas day. It reminds me a lot about my advent calendar back in the states when my sister and I used to fight over who would get to put up baby Jesus. Usually the Nativity scenes are accompanied by little Charlie Brown Christmas trees, but not always. In the case of my family, we have neither a Christmas tree nor a nativity scene, but we do have a string of Christmas lights so there is at least some acknowledgement of Christmas in the house.
Gift Exchange: Having grown up with THE Mrs. Santa, it’s going to be a bit weird not exchanging gifts. Don’t get me wrong, Christmas is not all about the presents, but being the gift-person that I am, it is a bit weird. To amend this problem, I purchased socks at the market and decorated them, so as my family can have Christmas stockings (Christmas Gym-Socks more likely…). I got a few sweets and trinkets to put inside Christmas day, but I thought it would be a fun thing for them.
Amigos Secretos (Secret Friends): This is just like Secret Santas, only it plays out a bit differently. We exchanged names in my Health Micro-Red, of which I found out about only 2-hours before. The way in which you find out is by having a scarf tied around your eyes and having to pat down the mystery person in front of you while everyone laughs. Ha. People seem to really get into the “patting-down” part, so things get a bit exciting. I come to find out later that Amigos Secretos wasn’t down this way with my friend’s health post, so I’m pretty sure my Micro-Red is just extra special (and a bit weird).
So those are some of the customs I have seen so far, but I’m sure there is more to come. I’m going to be celebrating with my new host family and some family friends my site, so I’m not sure what’s in store, but it should be fun.
As always, and maybe even more, I miss you all very dearly and will be thinking of you all come Christmas Day.
This is going to be my first Christmas away from home…My first Christmas away from my family…One day more than I’ve ever spent away from the U.S…My first Christmas without presents, Christmas lights, and Christmas trees…You get the picture.
It’s hard to wrap my mind around the fact that in less than 5 days, Christmas will have come and gone and will officially mark my one-month anniversary of being in site. But, with everything that I do here, I try to look at in a positive light and be grateful for the experiences that I get to have, and the people I get to share them with.
For starters, Christmas is done a bit differently in Peru, of which, I’m not surprised, as almost everything is different here than from the states, Christmas not being the exception. Here are a few ways that Peruvians celebrate Christmas:
Paneton and Hot Chocolate: I don’t want to make any generalizations, but I’m pretty sure that almost every Peruvian follows this custom. Paneton (Pronounced Pan-i-tone) is a type of Christmas bread that has fruit jellies inside and it is accompanied by hot chocolate before, during, or after Christmas. I’ve had Paneton a few times and it’s not bad, but I’m a little suspicious since Paneton first started appearing in stores when I first arrived to Peru in September. And any bread product that can last on the shelves for more than 3 months makes me stop and wonder what kind of chemicals are inside.
Nacimiento (Nativity): Starting around the first of the month, stores start brimming with Nativity figurines since here in Peru, people put up Nativity scenes in their houses to mark the Christmas season. There of course the angels, the wise men, and all the barnyard animals you want, but Baby Jesus is not put out until Christmas day. It reminds me a lot about my advent calendar back in the states when my sister and I used to fight over who would get to put up baby Jesus. Usually the Nativity scenes are accompanied by little Charlie Brown Christmas trees, but not always. In the case of my family, we have neither a Christmas tree nor a nativity scene, but we do have a string of Christmas lights so there is at least some acknowledgement of Christmas in the house.
Gift Exchange: Having grown up with THE Mrs. Santa, it’s going to be a bit weird not exchanging gifts. Don’t get me wrong, Christmas is not all about the presents, but being the gift-person that I am, it is a bit weird. To amend this problem, I purchased socks at the market and decorated them, so as my family can have Christmas stockings (Christmas Gym-Socks more likely…). I got a few sweets and trinkets to put inside Christmas day, but I thought it would be a fun thing for them.
Amigos Secretos (Secret Friends): This is just like Secret Santas, only it plays out a bit differently. We exchanged names in my Health Micro-Red, of which I found out about only 2-hours before. The way in which you find out is by having a scarf tied around your eyes and having to pat down the mystery person in front of you while everyone laughs. Ha. People seem to really get into the “patting-down” part, so things get a bit exciting. I come to find out later that Amigos Secretos wasn’t down this way with my friend’s health post, so I’m pretty sure my Micro-Red is just extra special (and a bit weird).
So those are some of the customs I have seen so far, but I’m sure there is more to come. I’m going to be celebrating with my new host family and some family friends my site, so I’m not sure what’s in store, but it should be fun.
As always, and maybe even more, I miss you all very dearly and will be thinking of you all come Christmas Day.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
A Walk in the Clouds
So it’s come under my understanding that a lot of people have no idea what I’ve been up to lately, so I’m going to try to answer that question as difficult as it is. It’s complicated since I myself am trying to figure that out as well…
So basically for the first three months in site, we are supposed to be doing a “Community Diagnostic,” which is basically a way for us to get to know our communities and for our communities to get to know us. At this point, I’m just the strange “gringa” in town and most people have no idea why I’m here. The diagnostic is also a chance for me to find out what the needs of my community are and what they want help with. So it’s really a win-win.
To help me integrate and get to know my community, I’ve been saying “yes” to any opportunity that presents itself. Not sure if this was a smart or stupid idea, but it has led to some interesting days for sure…
Just the other day, my day started out accompanying one of my aunts to the soup kitchen in town and ending up agreeing to accompany my other aunt to a “caserio” later in the day. I’ve been trying to make it to all the “caserios”, basically small towns nearby, since there are about 15, so I was excited to go.
After lunch I met up with her and she asked me if I was sure I wanted to walk with her since she said we were going to be walking up-hill, which I replied “I love to walk.” She just laughed at my response, which should have been an indicator to me of what lied ahead. But soon enough, I discovered that indeed we walked up-hill….walked up a mountain more like it.
My community is at the base of a huge mountain, and our destination was actually up and over the other side of the mountain. I don’t know if it was the fact that I am out of shape or we were at a high altitude, but I was huffing and puffing for sure. To make matters worse, my aunt was charging up the hill while knitting! Way to make me look bad….ha.
After about 2 hours, we reached the crest of the mountain and continued to the other side, when we eventually reached our destination….the field where my aunt had planted potatoes and her cows. My cousin Roxanna and I rested our legs while my aunt pulled up some potatoes, and then we headed back down the mountain.
Throughout this whole hike, we were in the clouds, which was probably a good thing since I’m a bit scared of heights. So on the way down, I didn’t have to think about what would happen if I took a wrong step…There were a couple close calls as I kept on slipping on the muddy stones while my aunt kept shouting at me “Bonito bajo! Bonito bajo.” I finally made it back to my house in one piece, but almost a week later my body still aches. And to think, my aunt hikes that path everyday to milk her cows. Geeeez!
So little by little, I’m figuring out what I’m going to be doing in my community, as my first couple months are a lot like walking in a cloud. I’m only focusing on what’s directly ahead of me, as I can’t see very much ahead. I have to keep reminding myself that things take a while in the sierra and that I’m here for 2 years, so to just take things slow. I’m hoping after a few months, I will start to see my role in my community take form, but until then, I will keep on taking one step at a time and hope I don’t fall...
So basically for the first three months in site, we are supposed to be doing a “Community Diagnostic,” which is basically a way for us to get to know our communities and for our communities to get to know us. At this point, I’m just the strange “gringa” in town and most people have no idea why I’m here. The diagnostic is also a chance for me to find out what the needs of my community are and what they want help with. So it’s really a win-win.
To help me integrate and get to know my community, I’ve been saying “yes” to any opportunity that presents itself. Not sure if this was a smart or stupid idea, but it has led to some interesting days for sure…
Just the other day, my day started out accompanying one of my aunts to the soup kitchen in town and ending up agreeing to accompany my other aunt to a “caserio” later in the day. I’ve been trying to make it to all the “caserios”, basically small towns nearby, since there are about 15, so I was excited to go.
After lunch I met up with her and she asked me if I was sure I wanted to walk with her since she said we were going to be walking up-hill, which I replied “I love to walk.” She just laughed at my response, which should have been an indicator to me of what lied ahead. But soon enough, I discovered that indeed we walked up-hill….walked up a mountain more like it.
My community is at the base of a huge mountain, and our destination was actually up and over the other side of the mountain. I don’t know if it was the fact that I am out of shape or we were at a high altitude, but I was huffing and puffing for sure. To make matters worse, my aunt was charging up the hill while knitting! Way to make me look bad….ha.
After about 2 hours, we reached the crest of the mountain and continued to the other side, when we eventually reached our destination….the field where my aunt had planted potatoes and her cows. My cousin Roxanna and I rested our legs while my aunt pulled up some potatoes, and then we headed back down the mountain.
Throughout this whole hike, we were in the clouds, which was probably a good thing since I’m a bit scared of heights. So on the way down, I didn’t have to think about what would happen if I took a wrong step…There were a couple close calls as I kept on slipping on the muddy stones while my aunt kept shouting at me “Bonito bajo! Bonito bajo.” I finally made it back to my house in one piece, but almost a week later my body still aches. And to think, my aunt hikes that path everyday to milk her cows. Geeeez!
So little by little, I’m figuring out what I’m going to be doing in my community, as my first couple months are a lot like walking in a cloud. I’m only focusing on what’s directly ahead of me, as I can’t see very much ahead. I have to keep reminding myself that things take a while in the sierra and that I’m here for 2 years, so to just take things slow. I’m hoping after a few months, I will start to see my role in my community take form, but until then, I will keep on taking one step at a time and hope I don’t fall...
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Old Miss Annie had a farm…
eeee…iii….eeee….iiii….oooohh…..
So having grown up in Roseburg, while it is known for its country-folk, I didn’t exactly grow up on a farm. In fact, I pretty much grew up in Suburbia, and going to the farm meant going to Kruse Farm to pick out our pumpkins. That’s about as close as I’ve ever gotten, yet here I am today, living the true farm life.
My family, including most of the families in San Juan de Lacamaca, own farm land either beside their houses or close by. The rainy season is about to start and this past week we have been blessed with minimal rain, so many of the men in town are working the land to get ready to plant. What I have noticed in my town is that most people’s jobs consist of working the land and raising animals. The few professionals in town, like the nurses and teachers, live in Bambamarca, the nearest big city, and commute to and from everyday. My family plants cabbage, carrots, corn, and beets and from what I’ve heard, most of the families sell their produce instead of keep it. So I’m hoping to persuade my family to keep some, as I’d hate to see fresh veggies leave.
In addition to farm land, we also have animals, and quite a few I might add. We have 2 cows (shared with my Aunt and Grandma), 3 pigs, 2 turkeys and 9 baby turkeys, 5 guinea pigs, 3 dogs, 1 cat, and 1 laying hen (and a partridge in a pear tree!) I usually wake up to the turkeys gobbling and the dogs barking (not far off from Lima), and we constantly are battling with our mischievous chicken, who likes to sneak into the kitchen. Just the other day, it snuck into the kitchen and found the bag of corn and dumped it all over the floor! That’s either one smart chicken or one very stupid chicken.
So far I have not killed any animals, but I’m pretty sure my pigs have it in for me. As I think I’ve mentioned before, my pigs are by the latrines out back and every day I have to find a way around them or else they like to attack me. My friend told me pigs like to bite and I don’t want to be on the receiving end of their dirty schnauzers. There was a close call the other day when one of the pigs came up behind me and head-butted me. I’m just glad that it wasn’t raining or I would have fallen flat on my butt.
Having just mentioned my latrine, I have also made the discovery of just how annoying it is to have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. My mom used to tell me stories of her and her sisters having to brave the snow to make it to the outhouse while at grandma’s farm. Well I think I now feel their pain, and for that reason I have bought myself my very own “bucket” or as my mom likes to call it “a chamber pot.” I have yet to use it, and am saving it for a rainy day (literally). Ha.
Overall though, life in the “campo” is good. It’s great to wake up to the fresh air, and glimpse at the mountains overshadowing me. It reminds me of where I am everyday and to appreciate it for what it is. Because when else am I going to have a chance to have fresh eggs and milk for breakfast or have to battle pigs just to go to the bathroom…
That´s right...probably never...
So having grown up in Roseburg, while it is known for its country-folk, I didn’t exactly grow up on a farm. In fact, I pretty much grew up in Suburbia, and going to the farm meant going to Kruse Farm to pick out our pumpkins. That’s about as close as I’ve ever gotten, yet here I am today, living the true farm life.
My family, including most of the families in San Juan de Lacamaca, own farm land either beside their houses or close by. The rainy season is about to start and this past week we have been blessed with minimal rain, so many of the men in town are working the land to get ready to plant. What I have noticed in my town is that most people’s jobs consist of working the land and raising animals. The few professionals in town, like the nurses and teachers, live in Bambamarca, the nearest big city, and commute to and from everyday. My family plants cabbage, carrots, corn, and beets and from what I’ve heard, most of the families sell their produce instead of keep it. So I’m hoping to persuade my family to keep some, as I’d hate to see fresh veggies leave.
In addition to farm land, we also have animals, and quite a few I might add. We have 2 cows (shared with my Aunt and Grandma), 3 pigs, 2 turkeys and 9 baby turkeys, 5 guinea pigs, 3 dogs, 1 cat, and 1 laying hen (and a partridge in a pear tree!) I usually wake up to the turkeys gobbling and the dogs barking (not far off from Lima), and we constantly are battling with our mischievous chicken, who likes to sneak into the kitchen. Just the other day, it snuck into the kitchen and found the bag of corn and dumped it all over the floor! That’s either one smart chicken or one very stupid chicken.
So far I have not killed any animals, but I’m pretty sure my pigs have it in for me. As I think I’ve mentioned before, my pigs are by the latrines out back and every day I have to find a way around them or else they like to attack me. My friend told me pigs like to bite and I don’t want to be on the receiving end of their dirty schnauzers. There was a close call the other day when one of the pigs came up behind me and head-butted me. I’m just glad that it wasn’t raining or I would have fallen flat on my butt.
Having just mentioned my latrine, I have also made the discovery of just how annoying it is to have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. My mom used to tell me stories of her and her sisters having to brave the snow to make it to the outhouse while at grandma’s farm. Well I think I now feel their pain, and for that reason I have bought myself my very own “bucket” or as my mom likes to call it “a chamber pot.” I have yet to use it, and am saving it for a rainy day (literally). Ha.
Overall though, life in the “campo” is good. It’s great to wake up to the fresh air, and glimpse at the mountains overshadowing me. It reminds me of where I am everyday and to appreciate it for what it is. Because when else am I going to have a chance to have fresh eggs and milk for breakfast or have to battle pigs just to go to the bathroom…
That´s right...probably never...
Sunday, December 06, 2009
Rain, rain, go away...
So it’s been about a week and a half since I’ve been in site and I am slowly “acostumbrar-ing” as they say in my site. About every conversation starts with “Have you become accostumed yet?” which is then followed up by “lots of rain today, no?.”
While living in hot, dry, dusty Lima, there wasn’t anything I wanted more than rain, and it looks like I got my wish and then some. Being from Oregon, I thought I knew a thing or two about rain, but I have been sorely mistaken. In my site, there are only two seasons, Rainy season and NOT-rainy season. Rainy season starts in December and doesn’t let up until about April, which means I’m going to have a lot of time on my hands since it’s pretty difficult to really do anything while it rains, atleast that's what people have told me, and I'm starting to believe it.
While my friends on the beach are soaking up the sun, I’m hunkering down in my jacket, trying not to fall in the mud that appears to be everywhere. I suppose one thing I took advantage of in Oregon was the paved roads and the central heating systems. In my site, I have neither. Ha. So rain becomes more of an obstacle here. One of my first purchases in my site were rain boats, which have become probably my most important clothing item as my latrine is through a field of mud and past two very big pigs. I’ve come close to falling and think it’s only a matter of time when I do.
So until April, it’s just me and the rain….so bring it.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Feliz Dia de Accion de Gracias!
Boy, that´s a mouthful.
Well Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I thought I´d write a "special" blog today in honor of the holiday, since Thanksgiving is not just about the food, but about being thankful.
So I´ve compiled a list of things that I´m thankful for, so I hope you enjoy.
I´m grateful for:
-my two caring host familes. My host family in Lima is so full of life and made me feel apart of the family. I really miss Judy, my host sister´s, laugh. And as for my new host family in the sierra, I couldn´t ask for a nicer family. My host mom made sure I didn´t get cold my first night and definitely didn´t let me starve. Their goal is to make me fat, which only shows how much they care for me. ha.
-My peace corps experience in Peru. I know it´s a bit early to be talking about my pc experience in general, but I really am thankful for being placed in Peru and for all the professors, trainers, and friends that I have met along the way. Before I left, PC people were saying how I hit the jackpot with Peru, and I really feel like I have. The food, the culture, the people....they are all wonderful!
-Cafe con leche. Now I know it´s not the same as REAL coffee from the states, but it´s darn good. It´s basically fresh milk (Cajamarca baby!) and nescafe mixed together...MMmmmm good.
-My new home in the mountains. I said I wanted to be placed in the mountains and here I am! I look out my front door and can see the misty mountains and the cows in the distance. It´s really picturesque and I can´t wait to explore it all.
-Hot showers. I really never appreciated a good hot shower in the states, but here in Peru, they are few and far between. My new home has a "shower," which is basically a nossle of water inside a latrine. They basically picked up a latrine and moved it closer to the house and made it into a shower. We´ll see how that goes...Fortunately I have an alternative nearby. Both the health post and school nearby have showers that I can use...but sadly, no hot water. So it´s not until I stay in a hostel, when I can really feel "so fresh and so clean-clean."
-My cellphone aka my connection to the outside world. I hate to be dependent on technology at times, but it´s really been a lifesaver. Whenever I´m having a hard day, I can call a fellow PCV (for free...none the less!) and they are immediately there for me. Not to mention, it´s possible for people to call me from the states which makes my heart pitter-patter. Here´s hoping I don´t lose the darn thing...
-My health. While I´ve had a few bouts of diarrhea, I´m thankful not to be apart of 70% club (yet...) I´ve also haven´t had the unpleasant experience of having food poisoning, but we´ll see. My host family is preparing ceviche for me next week, so we´ll see how well I do in my latrine.
-My supportive family and friends in the states. I really couldn´t have left the states for 2 years without all of your support and well wishes for me. While it´s definitely not the same without seeing you all face to face, those emails, phone calls, and letters make me feel that much closer to you all and really make my day. So thank you!
Well I hope you all had a wonderful thanksgiving and had a chance to think about what your thankful for as well. While this thanksgiving was without turkey and stuffing, I celebrated with some new and old friends and that´s really what it´s about...right?
Here are some photos from swearing in:
My Oregon Boys
Peru 14 Salud!
Well Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I thought I´d write a "special" blog today in honor of the holiday, since Thanksgiving is not just about the food, but about being thankful.
So I´ve compiled a list of things that I´m thankful for, so I hope you enjoy.
I´m grateful for:
-my two caring host familes. My host family in Lima is so full of life and made me feel apart of the family. I really miss Judy, my host sister´s, laugh. And as for my new host family in the sierra, I couldn´t ask for a nicer family. My host mom made sure I didn´t get cold my first night and definitely didn´t let me starve. Their goal is to make me fat, which only shows how much they care for me. ha.
-My peace corps experience in Peru. I know it´s a bit early to be talking about my pc experience in general, but I really am thankful for being placed in Peru and for all the professors, trainers, and friends that I have met along the way. Before I left, PC people were saying how I hit the jackpot with Peru, and I really feel like I have. The food, the culture, the people....they are all wonderful!
-Cafe con leche. Now I know it´s not the same as REAL coffee from the states, but it´s darn good. It´s basically fresh milk (Cajamarca baby!) and nescafe mixed together...MMmmmm good.
-My new home in the mountains. I said I wanted to be placed in the mountains and here I am! I look out my front door and can see the misty mountains and the cows in the distance. It´s really picturesque and I can´t wait to explore it all.
-Hot showers. I really never appreciated a good hot shower in the states, but here in Peru, they are few and far between. My new home has a "shower," which is basically a nossle of water inside a latrine. They basically picked up a latrine and moved it closer to the house and made it into a shower. We´ll see how that goes...Fortunately I have an alternative nearby. Both the health post and school nearby have showers that I can use...but sadly, no hot water. So it´s not until I stay in a hostel, when I can really feel "so fresh and so clean-clean."
-My cellphone aka my connection to the outside world. I hate to be dependent on technology at times, but it´s really been a lifesaver. Whenever I´m having a hard day, I can call a fellow PCV (for free...none the less!) and they are immediately there for me. Not to mention, it´s possible for people to call me from the states which makes my heart pitter-patter. Here´s hoping I don´t lose the darn thing...
-My health. While I´ve had a few bouts of diarrhea, I´m thankful not to be apart of 70% club (yet...) I´ve also haven´t had the unpleasant experience of having food poisoning, but we´ll see. My host family is preparing ceviche for me next week, so we´ll see how well I do in my latrine.
-My supportive family and friends in the states. I really couldn´t have left the states for 2 years without all of your support and well wishes for me. While it´s definitely not the same without seeing you all face to face, those emails, phone calls, and letters make me feel that much closer to you all and really make my day. So thank you!
Well I hope you all had a wonderful thanksgiving and had a chance to think about what your thankful for as well. While this thanksgiving was without turkey and stuffing, I celebrated with some new and old friends and that´s really what it´s about...right?
Here are some photos from swearing in:
My Oregon Boys
Peru 14 Salud!
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Whiskey!
So in Peru, they say "Whiskey" instead of "Cheese" since "Cheese" in spanish is "Queso," which would lead to some awkward pictures. ha. Here are a few pictures from these past few weeks.
Pachamanca
Pachamanca means "food of the earth" in Quechua
Laying around in the sunSite Assignments in Surco
We are going to Cajamarca: Katie, Barbara, and me!
Peru 14FBT Ancash
My dream come true! My first time holding a baby lamb
Typical dress in Ancash: Cardigan, skirt with leggings/sweatpants
Me and the Cuyes
Almuerzo (Lunch) in AncashFBT in Cajamarca
The three Cajamarquenas in Chota: Katie (La Pancha), Barbara (Irraca Grande), Me (San Juan de Lacamaca)
Us building/mostly watching a "Cocina Mejorada" being built
Our finished mural (An Annie Embertson Original Design) that some local kids helped paint
My backyard in San Juan after a rainstorm
On a hike up to Cabracancha to paint our muralI hope you enjoyed the photos. More to come, so stayed tuned!
Soy una Cajamarqueña
Move over Ancash...Helloooooooo Cajamarca! San Juan de Lacamaca to be exact!
After 8 long-strenuous weeks of speculating about our future whereabouts, we finally found out our site assignments, and everything is now becoming a reality! I am happy to say that I am living in the land of cows, cheese, and green hills, which I couldn’t be happier about.
Finding out our sites involved lots of emotions: excitement to be finally doing what I came here to do, sadness to be leaving my new friends, and anxiety of not knowing where I will be put....so needless to say, those emotions all came out in the form of tears! ha. Not as bad as at Jen and Ben´s wedding (those that were witness...) but still quite the show. There is even a video of it somewhere...which I may or may not show people. ha. How we found out was by throwing a javelin at a bunch of balloons each containing a small slip of paper with our names and sites on it. It was very nerve-racking wondering when my name was going to be called, but luckily I didn’t have to wait long as I was the second one to find out. Having not prepared myself well enough in advance, my heart nearly stopped as they read my name. I had to ask my friend where I was going because I didn’t even catch my site, I was too nervous! But after my small bout of tears, it was fun to see everyone else’s excitement. There are two other lucky health volunteers coming with me to Cajamarca, Barbara and Katie…and I’m sure you will all get to know them very well through my blog. ha
In true peace corps style, we had another jammed pack day which included meeting our regional coordinators, taking our official D.N.I. pictures (Peru’s version of SSN card), and filling out paper work for the following week because the very next day we hopped on buses the for another FBT (Field Based Training) in our regional departments AND our first visits to our sites.
This FBT was very similar to the last in that we hung out with current volunteers and helped with projects; although this time we were more in charge. In my group, we helped paint murals with some local kids, helped/mainly watched another “cocina mejorada” being built, and then took a stab at giving our first “charla” (Discussion) about HIV/AIDS to some primary school teachers.
In between all that fun, I had some exciting “firsts” take place. For one, I got to milk my first cow. Unfortunately, I wasn’t as good as it my first go-round (I thought I was hurting the poor cow), but I hope to change that very soon. I also witnessed my first cuy killing. At another health volunteer’s house, her host mom came out with a bag of guinea pigs. She asked if we like cuy, which of course, I answered with a big YES. So I figured she was going to go out back to kill them, but I was sadly mistaken. Instead, she reached into her bag and began to kill the cuys right in front of our eyes. I will spare you the gory details, but if you are curious…I did happen to make a video of it. ha. My friends were too grossed out to eat them at lunch, but my true Viking heritage came out and I went to town on my cuy at lunch. And boy was it delicious….claw and everything! Ha.
The other great part about our FBT was that we got a chance to meet all the other volunteers around our area and scope out Chota, which is going to basically be home-base for me as far as my bank and mailing address goes. Cajamarca actually has the most PC volunteers than any other department in Peru (36!), so it’s kind of like marrying into a big family. There are a lot of great, supportive people near me, so I’m looking forward to making even more new friends.
After our FBT, we finally got to see our homes for the next 2 years. My town, San Juan de Lacamaca, is about 1.5 hours from Chota, and another 20 minutes in car from Bambamarca, my regional capital. It is up in the hills, about 2500 meters, and looks down at Bambamarca. The view is breathtaking as I am surrounded my green hills and mist all around. I am the second volunteer in my site, and I even got to meet the volunteer, David, that I am replacing….which was great because I got a chance to really pick his brain.
When first arriving to my site, I was greeted with a going away/welcoming ceremony at one of the primary schools in town. The director of the school along with other members of the communities stepped up to the mic and told how much David meant to them, while also adding on how happy they were to have me in their community. This happened at least a dozen more times through my visit that I couldn’t help but feel humble and honored to live in a place so caring and loving to a complete stranger! There is a stereotype about people of the sierra in that they are cold and closed off, but I found that to be the exact opposite. They couldn’t have been nicer or more welcoming to me, so I know I’m going to be well taken care of at my new home.
My new host family are also very nice and were so welcoming towards me. My host parents are in their thirties, so it’s sort of like they are my siblings almost, but they also have a 12-year old son, who I know I’m going to become good friends with. We spent about 3 hours one day playing chess and listening to Peruvian mariachi music. Ha. I’m proud to say that I even won a few games, having not played since elementary school. More of my relatives live next door, including my cousin, aunt, and my grandma. We also have quite the zoo at my house: cows, pigs, chickens, guinea pigs, chickens, dogs, and cats (Oh my!). I know I used to say I had a zoo back home in the states, but this is way different. Ha. I’m excited to learn how to milk cows and plant in their fields! My house is pretty rustic, as in dirt floors, cooking over wood, and latrines by the pigs, but it is something I’m looking forward to at the same time.
It’s weird having to pack up my things and say goodbye to people again. It’s almost like living the states again, since I’ve become so accustomed to life in Chaclacayo and everything with training. It will definitely be a big adjustment, but I’m ready for my REAL adventure to begin…
On a side note:
As of right now, I don’t think there are any land line phones in my site, therefore in order for me to make a call to the states, I have to go to the nearest town, Bambamarca. On the flip side, anyone is welcome to call me on my cell phone (hint, hint). It’s best to buy a phone card or call my cell using skype. Both are relatively inexpensive and are guarenteed to make my day!
Also, as I said earlier, my mail box is in Chota, and so I updated my address on my blog. Please feel free to keeping the letters coming. I am going to try to be better about mailing letters myself, but I sadly have to budget the pennies that I make a day. Ha.
As always, I miss everyone. Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Be sure to eat an extra helping of turkey with CANNED cranberry sauce for me! Yum Yum!
After 8 long-strenuous weeks of speculating about our future whereabouts, we finally found out our site assignments, and everything is now becoming a reality! I am happy to say that I am living in the land of cows, cheese, and green hills, which I couldn’t be happier about.
Finding out our sites involved lots of emotions: excitement to be finally doing what I came here to do, sadness to be leaving my new friends, and anxiety of not knowing where I will be put....so needless to say, those emotions all came out in the form of tears! ha. Not as bad as at Jen and Ben´s wedding (those that were witness...) but still quite the show. There is even a video of it somewhere...which I may or may not show people. ha. How we found out was by throwing a javelin at a bunch of balloons each containing a small slip of paper with our names and sites on it. It was very nerve-racking wondering when my name was going to be called, but luckily I didn’t have to wait long as I was the second one to find out. Having not prepared myself well enough in advance, my heart nearly stopped as they read my name. I had to ask my friend where I was going because I didn’t even catch my site, I was too nervous! But after my small bout of tears, it was fun to see everyone else’s excitement. There are two other lucky health volunteers coming with me to Cajamarca, Barbara and Katie…and I’m sure you will all get to know them very well through my blog. ha
In true peace corps style, we had another jammed pack day which included meeting our regional coordinators, taking our official D.N.I. pictures (Peru’s version of SSN card), and filling out paper work for the following week because the very next day we hopped on buses the for another FBT (Field Based Training) in our regional departments AND our first visits to our sites.
This FBT was very similar to the last in that we hung out with current volunteers and helped with projects; although this time we were more in charge. In my group, we helped paint murals with some local kids, helped/mainly watched another “cocina mejorada” being built, and then took a stab at giving our first “charla” (Discussion) about HIV/AIDS to some primary school teachers.
In between all that fun, I had some exciting “firsts” take place. For one, I got to milk my first cow. Unfortunately, I wasn’t as good as it my first go-round (I thought I was hurting the poor cow), but I hope to change that very soon. I also witnessed my first cuy killing. At another health volunteer’s house, her host mom came out with a bag of guinea pigs. She asked if we like cuy, which of course, I answered with a big YES. So I figured she was going to go out back to kill them, but I was sadly mistaken. Instead, she reached into her bag and began to kill the cuys right in front of our eyes. I will spare you the gory details, but if you are curious…I did happen to make a video of it. ha. My friends were too grossed out to eat them at lunch, but my true Viking heritage came out and I went to town on my cuy at lunch. And boy was it delicious….claw and everything! Ha.
The other great part about our FBT was that we got a chance to meet all the other volunteers around our area and scope out Chota, which is going to basically be home-base for me as far as my bank and mailing address goes. Cajamarca actually has the most PC volunteers than any other department in Peru (36!), so it’s kind of like marrying into a big family. There are a lot of great, supportive people near me, so I’m looking forward to making even more new friends.
After our FBT, we finally got to see our homes for the next 2 years. My town, San Juan de Lacamaca, is about 1.5 hours from Chota, and another 20 minutes in car from Bambamarca, my regional capital. It is up in the hills, about 2500 meters, and looks down at Bambamarca. The view is breathtaking as I am surrounded my green hills and mist all around. I am the second volunteer in my site, and I even got to meet the volunteer, David, that I am replacing….which was great because I got a chance to really pick his brain.
When first arriving to my site, I was greeted with a going away/welcoming ceremony at one of the primary schools in town. The director of the school along with other members of the communities stepped up to the mic and told how much David meant to them, while also adding on how happy they were to have me in their community. This happened at least a dozen more times through my visit that I couldn’t help but feel humble and honored to live in a place so caring and loving to a complete stranger! There is a stereotype about people of the sierra in that they are cold and closed off, but I found that to be the exact opposite. They couldn’t have been nicer or more welcoming to me, so I know I’m going to be well taken care of at my new home.
My new host family are also very nice and were so welcoming towards me. My host parents are in their thirties, so it’s sort of like they are my siblings almost, but they also have a 12-year old son, who I know I’m going to become good friends with. We spent about 3 hours one day playing chess and listening to Peruvian mariachi music. Ha. I’m proud to say that I even won a few games, having not played since elementary school. More of my relatives live next door, including my cousin, aunt, and my grandma. We also have quite the zoo at my house: cows, pigs, chickens, guinea pigs, chickens, dogs, and cats (Oh my!). I know I used to say I had a zoo back home in the states, but this is way different. Ha. I’m excited to learn how to milk cows and plant in their fields! My house is pretty rustic, as in dirt floors, cooking over wood, and latrines by the pigs, but it is something I’m looking forward to at the same time.
It’s weird having to pack up my things and say goodbye to people again. It’s almost like living the states again, since I’ve become so accustomed to life in Chaclacayo and everything with training. It will definitely be a big adjustment, but I’m ready for my REAL adventure to begin…
On a side note:
As of right now, I don’t think there are any land line phones in my site, therefore in order for me to make a call to the states, I have to go to the nearest town, Bambamarca. On the flip side, anyone is welcome to call me on my cell phone (hint, hint). It’s best to buy a phone card or call my cell using skype. Both are relatively inexpensive and are guarenteed to make my day!
Also, as I said earlier, my mail box is in Chota, and so I updated my address on my blog. Please feel free to keeping the letters coming. I am going to try to be better about mailing letters myself, but I sadly have to budget the pennies that I make a day. Ha.
As always, I miss everyone. Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Be sure to eat an extra helping of turkey with CANNED cranberry sauce for me! Yum Yum!
Sunday, November 01, 2009
Ancash really IS better
So I finally got a chance to see more that Peru offers other than the desert when we traveled for our Field Based Training (FBT). Our FBT is basically a chance for us to see volunteers in action and get a better idea of what we will be working on when we get to our sites. We had our FBT in Ancash, which is where the Cordillera Blanca lies. If you google it, you will know what I mean when I say "Ancash really IS better!" I didn´t really how much I was missing my green, lush hills and temperate weather, but after 6 weeks of living in a dust bowl it was great to get away.
Our first day we went to Mato to visit some health volunteers. One of their biggest projects was a "Cocina Mejorada" project, which basically is an improved cooking stove. A lot of people cook over wood, which causes the black lung basically...so the idea of improved cooking stoves is to get rid of the smoke. We did house visits and talked to families who had just recieved "cocina mejoradas." The family we talked to was so nice, that they brought us hot corn from their fields in the evening. Later in the day, we were able to get our hands dirty, and I mean dirty, by building a "cocina mejorada" ourselves by using mud and adobe bricks. My job was to spread the mud around with my hands...brought me back to my childhood when I used to make mud pies. Yum Yum.
The next day we did some more house visits, only this time we talked about child stimulation with mothers who had small children. The two families I visited couldn´t have been more different. The first one had two little children, but the mom had a hard time speaking spanish, even our technical trainer had a hard time understanding. What was so sad about the first family was that the 4 year old daughter was not going to be allowed to go to school becuase they thought the paint in the school would make her sick. They didn´t have water or sewage either, so it was pretty tough to saying goodbye. The other family we visited was the exact opposite. They had a cocina mejorada, water, sewage and the mom seemed to very open minded about talking to us. I showed them a mobile I had made from a plastic bottle, and her one year old loved it, so I let them keep it. We showed her some more examples of easy, inexpensive toys she could make for her child and she seemed really excited. I really appreciated doing these house visits becuase I could really see how much affect I could have on people. In the afternoon, we worked with a group of teenagers and did arts and crafts! And the day ended with pizza and a hot shower in Caraz...I couldn´t have been happier...
Our last day, we visited up to Musho and visited another health volunteer who has been working on building latrines in his community. Musho was situated right next to Huascaron, the tallest tropical mountain in the world! Just picture snow capped mountains, rolling greens hills, and me playing with the baby lambs (Really, I did!) It was unbelievable, the view we had. We helped dig ditches so that they could connect to the sewage network in town. First time I handled a pick, but I thought I did quite nicely. We also took a short hike to see other types of latrines in the town, and even got to hear some Quechua, the indigenous language in Peru. We even got to sample cuy from the sierra. Mine was complete with a little claw and I was really tempted to bring it with me, but I resisted...ha...We left Musho in the afternoon and headed back to Huaraz, the capital of Ancash, to hang out and wait for our night bus of which we returned early this morning.
So all and all, I had a wonderful FBT. I got to see more of the country and definitely got a better grasp on what my job will entail in a few weeks, which I feel better about now. Now I get to wait one more week until I find out where I´m going for the next 2 years. I´m excited and nervous all into one...since this la-la land of being with gringos and going to school is almost over. It´s almost time for the real adventure to begin...wish me luck.
Now for some photos from these past couple of weeks...
This is a picture from the parade I went to in Chosica. There was a lot of traditional dresses and dances of Peru. Plus, they threw candy at the crowd :)
Me saying hello to my little friend. This little guy was in the Ceviche that we had. Quite tasty!
We visited a "Wawa Wasi" outside of Lima, which is a Quechua word for daycare center....more or less.
One of the other volunteer´s mom making Picharones and hamburgers for us! Found out that Peruvians like to put french fries on top of their hamburgers....excellent!
The Health group getting excited to learn about Cuy at La Agraria. This is where we go every Saturday and learn different agriculture techniques.
This is the one year old´s birthday party that I attended. I realized that Peruvians really do take birthday´s seriously...
Our health group put on a Feria de Salud (Health fair) at a small health center. Our group did "Comida Complementaria" (Complementary food), so we demonstrated how to mash up baby food and talk about the importance.
Cuy, it´s what´s for dinner...
Me and my host family celebrating my host father´s birthday. I was so glad to be eating meat, that I had seconds AND thirds. My family was quite impressed.
Okay doke, that is all for now. I will be putting up my pictures of Ancash soon, so don´t worry. Also, I just recived my cell phone in Peru. I will put it up on my blog, but I´m pretty sure it´s really expensive to call me...but just in case you feel the urge, it is there. Love you all and miss you dearly! Hope you had a fun Halloween!
Our first day we went to Mato to visit some health volunteers. One of their biggest projects was a "Cocina Mejorada" project, which basically is an improved cooking stove. A lot of people cook over wood, which causes the black lung basically...so the idea of improved cooking stoves is to get rid of the smoke. We did house visits and talked to families who had just recieved "cocina mejoradas." The family we talked to was so nice, that they brought us hot corn from their fields in the evening. Later in the day, we were able to get our hands dirty, and I mean dirty, by building a "cocina mejorada" ourselves by using mud and adobe bricks. My job was to spread the mud around with my hands...brought me back to my childhood when I used to make mud pies. Yum Yum.
The next day we did some more house visits, only this time we talked about child stimulation with mothers who had small children. The two families I visited couldn´t have been more different. The first one had two little children, but the mom had a hard time speaking spanish, even our technical trainer had a hard time understanding. What was so sad about the first family was that the 4 year old daughter was not going to be allowed to go to school becuase they thought the paint in the school would make her sick. They didn´t have water or sewage either, so it was pretty tough to saying goodbye. The other family we visited was the exact opposite. They had a cocina mejorada, water, sewage and the mom seemed to very open minded about talking to us. I showed them a mobile I had made from a plastic bottle, and her one year old loved it, so I let them keep it. We showed her some more examples of easy, inexpensive toys she could make for her child and she seemed really excited. I really appreciated doing these house visits becuase I could really see how much affect I could have on people. In the afternoon, we worked with a group of teenagers and did arts and crafts! And the day ended with pizza and a hot shower in Caraz...I couldn´t have been happier...
Our last day, we visited up to Musho and visited another health volunteer who has been working on building latrines in his community. Musho was situated right next to Huascaron, the tallest tropical mountain in the world! Just picture snow capped mountains, rolling greens hills, and me playing with the baby lambs (Really, I did!) It was unbelievable, the view we had. We helped dig ditches so that they could connect to the sewage network in town. First time I handled a pick, but I thought I did quite nicely. We also took a short hike to see other types of latrines in the town, and even got to hear some Quechua, the indigenous language in Peru. We even got to sample cuy from the sierra. Mine was complete with a little claw and I was really tempted to bring it with me, but I resisted...ha...We left Musho in the afternoon and headed back to Huaraz, the capital of Ancash, to hang out and wait for our night bus of which we returned early this morning.
So all and all, I had a wonderful FBT. I got to see more of the country and definitely got a better grasp on what my job will entail in a few weeks, which I feel better about now. Now I get to wait one more week until I find out where I´m going for the next 2 years. I´m excited and nervous all into one...since this la-la land of being with gringos and going to school is almost over. It´s almost time for the real adventure to begin...wish me luck.
Now for some photos from these past couple of weeks...
This is a picture from the parade I went to in Chosica. There was a lot of traditional dresses and dances of Peru. Plus, they threw candy at the crowd :)
Me saying hello to my little friend. This little guy was in the Ceviche that we had. Quite tasty!
We visited a "Wawa Wasi" outside of Lima, which is a Quechua word for daycare center....more or less.
One of the other volunteer´s mom making Picharones and hamburgers for us! Found out that Peruvians like to put french fries on top of their hamburgers....excellent!
The Health group getting excited to learn about Cuy at La Agraria. This is where we go every Saturday and learn different agriculture techniques.
This is the one year old´s birthday party that I attended. I realized that Peruvians really do take birthday´s seriously...
Our health group put on a Feria de Salud (Health fair) at a small health center. Our group did "Comida Complementaria" (Complementary food), so we demonstrated how to mash up baby food and talk about the importance.
Cuy, it´s what´s for dinner...
Me and my host family celebrating my host father´s birthday. I was so glad to be eating meat, that I had seconds AND thirds. My family was quite impressed.
Okay doke, that is all for now. I will be putting up my pictures of Ancash soon, so don´t worry. Also, I just recived my cell phone in Peru. I will put it up on my blog, but I´m pretty sure it´s really expensive to call me...but just in case you feel the urge, it is there. Love you all and miss you dearly! Hope you had a fun Halloween!
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