Today's Success Story

Homework is hard in any culture, in any language, in any family.  And my host family in Peru is no exception. The background sound to my house most school nights includes telenovelas on the tv, a few gossiping aunts, and my cousin or my aunt struggling with 8-year-old Valeria to understand and complete her homework for the night.  The homework usually continues past the gossiping and telenovelas and doesn't end until there are tears and yelling.  

A few times I have been asked to help with Valeria's homework, especially on nights before an English test.  One day Livia and Valeria asked me to help her study for her test on electronic vocabulary and on the verb "to have."  It didn't take me more than a few minutes to feel the frustration my aunt and cousin have when trying to help Valeria with homework.  The only teaching style used in Peru is lecture and copy which is not conducive to critical thinking, understating, or comprehending.  But even without the comprehension the material continues on.  So the students, such as Valeria, do not understand the basics and yet are working on my advanced worked.  As I felt my and Valeria's frustrations levels rising, I said we had to take a 2 hour break and come back just after dinner.  2 hours later we sat back down both with better attitudes, Valeria with a little more understanding, and me with more hands-on teaching ideas starting with the basics.  

That night homework ended with smiles, high fives and hugs.  And I got to go to bed to the noise of tv instead of crying and yelling.  I was already satisfied as a success. 

Then today I returned home from almost 2 weeks of vacation and was greeted by Valeria after school with the exciting news that she received "una nota de 20" - the equivalent of getting a 100 on a test in America - on that English test and asked if we could study together again tomorrow for a test on Wednesday. 

Selfishly I enjoy a little more peace and quiet in the house but even more its exciting to see homework being a more positive experience for Valeria. This is just one day and one test but hoping it continues, at least for the next little bit. 

One day working on a presentation on the classification of plants with Valeria. 

An Ancash Thanksgiving

This year I had my first Thanksgiving in Peru and certainly did it in style.  I traveled with other Peace Corps friends to the department of Ancash in the Andes Mountains to spend our holiday with Rebecca and Regan who are volunteers there from our training group.

DD and I took a bus Wednesday afternoon from Lambayeque to Trujillo in the department of La Libertad where we met up with a group of volunteers for dinner.  We had some awesome ribs and then hopped on another 8 hour bus to the capital city of Huaraz in Ancash.   

We arrived in Huaraz around 4:00am and rode around in circles with a taxi who did not know where our hostal was even though he so confidently told us he did beforehand.  After reaching Hostal Cayesh and catching a few more hours of sleep, we met up with everyone and explored Huaraz.  Huaraz is smaller city catered to all the tourist that visit Ancash.  Though in Peru, we spent Thanksgiving with hours of cooking, skyping with families, and being generally low-key as we adjusted to the altitude. So more or less a typical Thanksgiving. That night we went to Sierra Andina - a microbrewery owned by an ex-pat from Maryland.  We relaxed while playing cards and trying the 4 different brews.  Other Americans later showed up to stream a football game.  Drinking craft beers to the background of NFL football was a pretty great way to end Thanksgiving. 

Instead of having to bare the frightening display of consumerism on Black Friday, I spent this Black Friday on an amazing hike up to ruins and a waterfall in the countryside of Ancash near a fellow volunteers site. Regan lives about an hour up from Huaraz in a small, traditional, rural sierra town.  The women and even young girls were all dressed in the traditional polleras (skirts), colorful sweaters, tights, hair in two braids, and tall wide brimmed hats.  As neighbors chatted, you could hear the musical rhythm of the Quechua language. We went up through chakras to see ruins from the Wari and Incan cultures and then a beautiful waterfall.  It was mind-blowing to be in a place with such ancient roots and stand in a structure that was built and used thousands of years ago. We ended our hike with me slightly twisting my ankle and being herded by two dogs as they were not happy with how close we got to their chakras. 

My Ancash adventure continued Saturday with nothing short of the most hilarious adventure yet. DD and I got up bright and early to go back to Rebecca's site with her and deal with her lost/stolen wallet.  It was fun to meet her host family and see her community. After going back down to Huaraz and meeting up with the rest of the group, we all took a combi (bus - I will one day do a blog post about the types of transportation we have here) to the community of Marcara to go to their thermal baths.   Arriving at the Baños termales, we decided to pay the 5 soles to get two private caves.  The idea was pretty cool - the execution left a lot to be desired.  After waiting our turn, DD, Rebecca and I went into the cave first.  There is a small room for changing and then a door that opens into the mountain.  The second room is literally in the side of the mountain with a sauna and a natural hot spring heating the room at the end.  Sounds cool, right?  Unfortunately, the entire room smelled liked 100 years of heated urine.  We held our noses while snapping a few pictures and then ran out to let Marvin, Regan, and Amy do the same.  After our moments in the pee-cave, we got in the outdoor pool but the damage was done.  We then felt like we were swimming in pee and couldn't get over the young Peruvian boys climbing the walls the place to see the gringos swimming.  After recovering from the hilarious and disastrous pee cave, we stopped just outside of the Baños Termales to eat pachamanca - a traditional Peruvian dish especially in the Sierra made with sweat potato, potato, choclo (a type of corn), and various meats all traditionally cooked in a hole in the ground. 

Needless to say our first priority after leaving Marcara was to take showers.  We all had buses leaving Huaraz that night around 10:00 so we spent the last few hours eating pizza and drinking Sierra Andina beers.  We were also luckily enough to have wi-fi in the tourist spots of Huaraz so I could follow the Clemson vs USC game (Go cocks!). We made our way to the bus station, said a few good-byes, and then DD, Rebecca, Regan and I got on our bus to head to Lima for a week of training. 

I did miss the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and my mama's Pecan Pies, but Ancash with great volunteer friends was a pretty awesome way to spend Thanksgiving! 

*As always, there are more pictures from my Ancash adventure on Facebook.  Enjoy! 

30 Days of Thankfulness

I joined in the practice of writing about something I am thankful for every day for the month of November.  I thought I would share my thanksgivings with y'all and a glimpse into this year's November!  HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!

1. MY PARENTS. I am thankful for two of my best friends - my parents. They have continually showered me with unconditional love and support, showed me how to make the world a better place through their examples, and done their fair share of teaching me right from wrong.  They have followed me through some hair-brained ideas and have never called me crazy for them.  And I would never be able to be where I am now without their daily support.  Of course there are moments they drive me absolutely crazy, but that's in their job description as parents.  And I've found the amount of craziness is negatively correlated with my age.  The older I get the righter they become and scarily enough, the more like them I become.  "Mirror Mirror on the wall, I am my mother after all"

How can you not love these two? 

2. MY BROTHERS AND SISTER. I am also thankful my parents had 4 kiddos.  I am thankful for each one of my 3 siblings.  I have always felt incredibly blessed to get to experience the love and fun of having brothers and sisters.  There was always someone to play with as a child and holidays are always exciting.  I also knew what it meant to care for another person more than myself first because of my siblings.  They have pushed me to become the best person I can be, challenged me to think in different ways, and supported me through many adventures.  

3. MY BROTHER-IN-LAW. I am thankful for my brother in law Matt.  When asked in Peru how many siblings I have (a super common question) I found I usually answered "3 y un cuñado" (brother-in-law).  It doesn't feel like I have correctly stated the number of brothers and sisters I have without including him.  I mean the guy's been around for 8 or so years by now.  He was a part of a large chunk of my growing up in high school, college, and beyond and even more of my little brother's growing up.  We may not always see eye to eye on everything but I am thankful to have a fun, caring, and super smart person added to the family.  I am even more thankful for his relationship with my sister.  Along with my parents, they are a wonderful example of love and marriage.

4. TECHNOLOGY.  I am thankful for technology.  In the US everyone is so connected and attached to technology it can be overwhelming.  In Peru I have drastically less attachment and connectability, but the technology I do have has been a lifeline.  First and most obvious is the ability to communicate with home. With apps, cell phones, iPads, emails, Facebook, and more I can still stay connected with the lives of family and friends.  And also with technology I have work outs, teaching resources, music, movies and tv - all things that help long days pass (if I have electricity to use them).  And technology in the medical field is literally saving lives!  I mean come on - technology, you're pretty cool in my book.

5. WATER. I am thankful for water. The majority of people in Peru do not drink water - or really much of any liquid during the day but if they do it's sugar and caffeine filled "gaseosa" (soft drink) or sugar filled fruit juice.  Possibly because water is less available.  You can't drink the water from the tap as it's full of bacteria and parasites (yum!) So to drink water you have to have some means of boiling or purifying it.  And you have to have access to water.  My pueblo doesn't have water all day every day so unless you store enough from when it was running, you could be left without.  And that's sad because water is delicious!  I can literally taste the goodness giving energy and life back to my body after a few days of dehydration!  I will be excited to be back in a place where water is clean and abundant but I hope I do not forget what a luxury that is. 

6. HOT SHOWERS. I am thankful for hot showers.  I haven't taken a hot shower in about 3 months.  Instead I bucket bath - meaning I use a bucket full of water and a small pitcher to bath myself.  And I miss showers.  Showers are awesome - with the heat, and the water pressure. It's refreshing and feel so clean.  I am thankful showers exist even though they are not a part of my life right now. 

7. COAST & SUNSHINE. I am thankful for the coast and sunshine.  Peru has 3 environments - desert coast, the Andes mountains, and the jungle.  Before moving here I thought I could like either of the two options for Peace Corps volunteers - coast or mountains.  But now that I have lived here I have found I am much more fit for coastal living.  The mountains are beautiful and perfect for visits, hikes, and vacations, but the coast is the place to live.  There is nothing to spring me into action faster than a bright, sun-shiny day. And, contrarily, nothing to put me back to bed faster than a cold, overcast, and rainy day.  

8. SUNSETS - Tonight I was walking back to a hostal with a friend when she pointed out the sun setting over the beach.  I turned and was greeted with one of God's most beautiful gifts - a glorious big, perfectly round sun making its decent past the distant waves.  We stood and looked for a moment before deciding to walk out on the sand to watch.  By the time we walked the 10 yards to the beach, it had already drastically changed.  There was now only a semi-circle left and the brilliant red and pink hues had given way to more yellows, oranges, and blue reflecting from the water.  In another moment it was gone.  Sunsets are a reminder of the mysterious beauty held in this world. 

9. EDUCATION. My parents would probably be surprised to hear me say this as much as I have complained, but i am thankful for my grade school education.  Working in Peru in an education system that does not teach critical or analytical thinking, I can see the amazing benefit of an education system with such skills inherently built-in.  The benefits for me as an individual and the benefits for society. 

10. PRESBYTERIAN COLLEGE. I am thankful for my four years at Presbyterian College.  PC gave me the opportunity to dabble in many different areas and expand my horizons.  And I learned just as much out of the classroom as I did within.  I learned great lessons in friendship, leadership, and life.  I am thankful for the campus, staff, and traditions and especially the life-long friends I made as a Blue Hose. 

11. SEMESTER AT SEA. I am thankful for my adventure with Semester at Sea. "Before you change the world, let the world change you". Semester at Sea was influential in preparing me for where I am in life now.  The opportunities to experience different cultures with their languages, foods, dress, and especially religion was eye opening to say the least.  And to be able to learn in such a different environment with people from vastly different lives from mine and professors with such unique experiences was something that has led me to pursue opportunities I would have otherwise left in a distant daydream.

12. INDOOR PLUMBING.  If I have learned anything in Peru, it is how thankful I am for indoor plumbing and clean bathrooms.  At a wedding last night I had to tip-toe through the soaked floor, add to the used toilet paper thrown on the floor, and go back home just to wash hands.  During the fight to close the wooden board propped as a door to hope for some privacy I cut my finger and was reminded to be thankful for tetanus shots and Peace Corps medical staff, as well.  

13. OLD FRIENDS.  It is a natural human need to be connected with others - and for that, we have friendship. Friendships that have lasted through years are no longer friendships but chosen family.  There is something magical about people who chose to go through life together with all the moves, changes, dreams, and heartaches.  I am thankful each and every time I can be with an old friend (even if only through the phone) for someone's perspective who knows you and your life just as well as you do.  

14.  NEW FRIENDS.  But you've never met all your friends - there are new friendship possibilities every day and the new friendships are special and amazing and needed just as much.  I continue to be thankful for the experience of making new friends.  To get to learn from a new person's different experiences and connect on our similarities.  The Peace Corps is a wonderful opportunity to build new friendships with fellow volunteers & Peace Corps staff as well as new friendships with Peruvians - lookin' at you Peace Corps Goals 2 & 3 (and the nerd shows up again!)

15. PEANUT BUTTER.  When I need a taste of something other than Peruvian cuisine while in site, nothing is as satisfying as having a jar of Peanut Butter on hand.  I have finished the 1 pound jar I brought with me and am do thankful to have another jar from Mama's recent care package.  My childhood heart is happy! 

16. CARE PACKAGES.  While it is true that you can find many 1st world comforts in the capital city, they come with a high price tag and are rarely equally matched to what I once had.  And that is where the joy and love of care packages come in.  Whether it's full of school supplies for my kiddos, my favorite Hershey's cookie drops, or some new Target tees, I LOVE care packages. It's feels like getting a big hug from the sender and nothing is better than a big hug :) 

17. AIR CONDITIONING. The summer heat is starting to arrive on the coast of Peru and I am already remembering to be thankful for air conditioning.  Right now I can get enough relief by leaving my windows open at all times, but that's not looking good for summer in another month or so.  

18. PCMOs.  Peace Corps Medical Officers are the bees knees and I am thankful for them every time I get sick - so at least a few times a month.  It's a pretty low time to be helplessly sick in a foreign country but a wonderful gift to pick up a phone and have a doctor who truly cares ready and waiting to assist - usually in the form of the magical cipro pill.  Which brings me to number 19.

19. I am thankful for Cipro.  Cirpo is an antibiotic that our PCMOs prescribe for most ailments.  And it's a miracle drug.  I am going to turn into the father for My Big Fat Greek Wedding only instead of Windex, I will use Cipro for any slight irritation.  

20. SUPPORT.  It's pretty awesome to feel more secure in my ability to do the Peace Corps after every conversation with the most important people in my life.  It would be easy to use my moments of loneliness, frustration, or just down-in-the-dumps-days to ask me to abandon my service and head home, but instead my friends and family continue to build me up, push me on, and fuel my energy.  There is nothing in the world I am more thankful for right now than those relationships - what they mean to me now and what they will continue to mean when I am once again stateside with my favorites! 

21. CHOICE. Wow am I thankful for the ability to choose - choose what to eat.  Choose when to eat.  Choose what to wear.  Choose wear to go.  Choice is what gives us independence.  In the Peace Corps I have sacrificed a lot of choice (especially with food which is a super problem for me!) Choice and independence are things that bring joy to my life so I am now searching for ways to be okay without them. 

22. My MSW. I started graduate school without truly knowing what it was I wanted to do professionally.  During graduate school I had the opportunity to really think about that idea while learning and having many diverse and rich work experiences.  I ultimately found I do not aspire to work as a social worker but that I did want the teaching and experiences of a MSW to do any and all work with a social work mindset.  And every day in the Peace Corps I am putting to use the readings, discussions, and assignments I learned during my MSW.  I will probably never choose to have the title of a social worker, but I am grateful to have a social work framework and my MSW.  It's pretty awesome to be able to spend a couple years putting everything I learned into direct practice in youth development. 

23. PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS.  Today we welcomed the newly sworn in volunteers from Peru 22 to Lambayeque as they move to their sites. It is hard to believe I have moved past staging, Pre service training, swearing in, and my first few months at site and am continuing my service.  I am thankful for the work Peace Corps volunteers who are working in many corners of the world but especially thankful for their friendships.  It is wonderful to share adventures, stories, and various backgrounds with some pretty cool volunteers and I am super excited to see some lots of great volunteer friends over the next few weeks of Thanksgiving and EIS Training.

24. YOGA, RUNNING, DANCING. Basically I am thankful for exercise and active activities. There is something magical about getting in a great work out and pushing your body to its physical limits.  As a few of my friends have seen, I am definitely a huge fan of the runners high and endorphins and strength that come after a great work out.  While living semi-isolated in a different culture, I am especially thankful to be able to get out of my head and tune out the world for a good workout. 

25. LAZY BED DAYS.  Just as I am thankful for an active life, I am also thankful for the blissful feeling of a lazy day.  There is something very freeing and rejuvenating about a day with nothing on the schedule when you can lay in bed to read, watch movies, and just veg-out.  But these are only rewarding when sparingly available.  There is nothing fun about a week full of laziness.  

26. MUSIC. I am thankful for music.  Music is a way to feel connected to my new Peruvian culture or a way to immediately escape back to my home.  With the right song, music gives you strength and sets you to succeed.  It can be a prayer, a daydream back home, the push to finish the final kilometer of a run, or just a happy feeling.  So glad I have music with me! 

27.  GLOBALIZATION.  The connectedness of today's world is pretty mind blowing.  While each corner of the world still has a unique, special culture and lifestyle, there is more in common now than ever.  And the western influence can be seen in almost any place.  There are certainly negative consequences to such influence to keep in mind but the positive benefits and connects are amazing.   When I am living 3,000+ miles away it is pretty awesome to see some of those influences.  Let's just say I am happy to have had a Starbucks latte and muffin this week! 

Wanna an interesting (at times boring) read?  Thomas Friedman's "The World is Flat" I read it during my travels abroad with Semester at Sea 

28.  HAPPY THANKSGIVING. Today, I am happy for holidays.  Holidays like Thanksgiving and upcoming Christmas are such wonderful reasons to decorate, cook and eat yummy food, continue old traditions and start new ones, and spend time with loved ones - even from afar.  Holidays are fun and fancy! 

29. LIFE NOT GOING AS PLANNED. Anyone who knows me at all knows how much I love plans.  I love calendars and lists and agendas, oh my! I make plans to make plans.  I make plans for the day, for the week, for life.  But as much as I enjoy making the lists, I love when plans change and life surprises you with adventures and fun that I could have never dreamt of in my oh-so-organized plans.  Even just 5 years ago I would not have believed where my life has now taken me and I hope for more surprises to come! 

30.  FOOTBALL.  On this the day of the beloved rivalry game between Clemson and South Carolina it is most appropriate to share my thankfulness for the sport of football.  Every Fall football gives us the opportunity to gather with friends and cheer on our teams as they fight week after week towards various achievements and championships.  While I have missed the ritual of putting on my game day garments and tailgating while seeing my teams play (especially my favorite defensive linemen William) this year, I have enjoyed the tweets, blogs, highlights, and excitement that come from good ol' fashion football fun.  And I will be following as many things as I can find to keep up with tonight's game.  Eat your heart friends at home and GO COCKS! 

Celebration of San Francisco / St. Francis

As a devout Catholic country, Peru takes the celebration of saints pretty seriously. The past saints have given the Peruvian society the perfect reason to have a holiday from school and government offices like the post office and have large celebrations in the streets complete with dancing, games, food, fireworks, and plenty of drinking. 

A few weeks ago was the celebration of San Francisco de Asis (St. Francis of Assisi).  San Francisco is the patron saint of my town of Mocupe and the third saint celebration I have experienced since moving to Peru.  Here is the recipe for the perfect celebration of a patron saint:

I. Misa con Desfila (Mass with Parade)
There is an elaborate altar constructed to display the saint.  A picture of the saint - in this case, St. Francis - is surrounded by flowers and lights on a hefty wooden structure that has four parts to be carried by the men of the community.  In some celebrations, I have seen a generator attached to the back on a wheeled cart to power the lights and a small speaker as the altar is carried through the town.  It is usually accompanied by a small marching band, women continually throwing flower petals at it, and the entire town walking and praying along the way.

II. Games, Venders, Food - Carnival Style
Town celebrations here include games, restaurants/bars, venders, and rides setting up around the main square - called the Parque or Plaza de Armas.  The carnival like attractions continue anywhere between 3 and 10 days depending on the seriousness of the celebration.  A highlight of the celebration of San Francisco was getting dragged by little sabrinas to ride the "tren" as the majority of the town watched the gringa ride.  The train consisted of trailers made to look like a caterpillar hooked up to an old pick up truck.



III. Fireworks
Bottle rockets are a standard element to any town celebration.  They lead the desfila (parade) of the saint's altar and continue randomly through the entirety of the celebration.  The main firework attraction ends the carnival every night.  It is a 3 - 10 story constructed apparatus that spins and shoots fireworks called "Fuego Artificial" (artificial fire).  It's kinda scary to watch flames get flung at the dry ground and spin towards the watching children but it's pretty cool.

 

IV. Baile and Drinking Circles

No Peruvian event is complete without dancing - and dancing until the wee hours of the morning. Everyone in a Peruvian community dances - the young, the old, everyone!!!  And another integral part of any celebration is the drinking circles.  Drinking circles are essentially the only way people in my town "toma"- or drink.  Beer is only sold in 40 ounce bottles and usually accompanied by 1 cup.  The cup is then ceremoniously passed person to person to share the bottle of beer.  The ritual itself is kind of neat, but anybody who knows my germophobic tendencies can probably figure out this is not my thing!  At the celebration of the school's anniversary my first week in site I was invited to participate in countless drinking circles - I made a quick decision to just not drink in site at all to avoid having to participate.  So instead I explain my need to be an example to the youth and participate in all celebrations without drinking.  Being a good example is great and all but I really am just scared of the germs!

V. Peruvian Pasos Horses Dancing Marinera
Peru is well-known for the horse breed Peruvian Paso.  The horses have an unique 4-step gait sometimes compared to Tennessee Walkers.  The Paso horses are a part of all big town celebrations leading parades and displaying their talent for all to see. 
One of the national dances of Peru is Marinera - a pretty display danced in pairs with handkerchiefs. A really cool thing to see is a girl dancing Marinera with a horse as her dancing partner.  And this is included in all big celebrations! 


That is more or less the recipe for a town celebration of a saint.  I will continue this celebrating this weekend with the Celebration of Senor de Los Milagros (Father of Miracles) that will blog about soon!





Meanwhile, in the ole' USofA, St. Francis is celebrated with the annual (and usually much needed) Blessing of the Animals.  Thanks to my sister Elizabeth for sharing some photos from her church in Lookout Mtn, TN of their Blessing of the Animal celebration complete with special visitors from the Chattanooga Zoo

Pasos Adelante Conferencia

Pasos Adelante (Steps Forward) is a sexual education program of the Peace Corps with the goal of training a group of youth to be promoters of sexual health in their community.  The program begins with sessions to teach the students about sexual health and the prevention of HIV/AIDS, STIs, and teen pregnancy and then continues with teaching the students how to promote health in the community and teach their peers about sexual health. I will start working with Pasos groups the beginning of the next school year in March or so.  But for now I have been helping with other Pasos groups in my region.

On October 5, I helped other volunteers in my region to put on the first Regional Pasos Adelante Conference.  The conference is an opportunity for up to 6 students from each community near the end of the Pasos training to come together and reinforce their learning but really to focus on how to effectively promote sexual health in their communities and be a peer counselor in their schools.  The socios that help lead the groups – usually obstetricians and sometimes teachers – also come and have the opportunity to network and learn new activities and ideas from other groups.

The conference took place at Universidad de Senor de Sipan – one of the national universities in our region of Lambayeque.   So it was an added bonus for the kids to see the campus and university campus as many of these students from small rural pueblos have never been on an university campus. 

The obstetrician from my community, Guadelupe, was able to go with me to participate in the day’s events.  I never saw myself as a sex ed teacher per se (I mean, who does?!?!) but Pasos is an effective and needed program.  In the senior class at one high school I work with, 5 of 25 16-year-old girls will not graduate because of pregnancy.  That’s 20%! The most rapidly growing population of those infected with HIV in Peru are married women – a result of the machismo culture that allows men to sleep with other women as well as their wives and to never use a condom, as that is seen as “unmanly.”  So clearly we have some work to do here and the youth are the place to start.  I am looking forward to working with Guadelupe to improve sexual health and prevent HIV/AIDS and teen pregnancy in Mocupe!

 

III Concurso de Canto en Ingles / III English Song Festival

As a Peace Corps Youth Development Volunteer I work with public high schools, here called national schools.  In my site, I work with two – IE San Francisco in the main town of Mocupe and IE 11185 in my pueblo of Ucupe.

 

The English teacher at IE San Francisco worked with the past volunteer to organize an English singing competition with all of the students of her school.  And so when I arrived I began working with the students and teacher to organize and prepare for the 3^rd annual competition.  I spent a few weeks essentially working as a chorus teacher – something I never thought I would say and something I certainly don’t have the talent for!  But it was really fun!  Peru has an undying love for all things 90’s (scrunchies and track suits are still very fashionable here) and 90’s music is no exception!  Song choices ranged from Sting & The Police to Eric Clapton, Black Eyed Peas to Backstreet Boys.

On September 27, three other Peace Corps Volunteers in nearby sites came to Mocupe to emcee and judge our competition.  Students were judged based on Pronunciation, Organization, Originality & Impact.  The winners were the senior class girls with Christina Aguilera’s “Come On Over” - I will be working on posting the Peru version of Christina Aguilera on YouTube soon!!  The winners received 80 Nuevo Soles (the Peruvian currency).  80 students had donated 1 sole each to make the prize money.  Other prizes included cakes, candy, and drinks donated by teachers.

Obviously singing a few songs in English is not going to change anyone’s life or move the community forward, but it was a great opportunity to get to know many of the students with a fun activity they were all excited about!  Learning English is also helpful for students as they prepare to compete for a spot in university or an institute of higher education and the job market. So sing your hearts out Peruvian Backstreet Boys!

Rehearsal

4th Grade Girls (15 y/o) - NSync This I Promise You

2nd Grade Boys sing Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven; complete with an angel!

Thanks to the other Peace Corps Volunteers that came to help - Lenny, Zack, and Keiko!
All of us with my socio Profesora Jackie

 

Date Night in the Peace Corps

What goes into planning a relaxing date night for a couple of 20-somethings? 
First decide whether to cook or go out.  Cook it is.
Now what to cook?  Some sort of Italian pasta with a bottle of wine – easy enough.
What time?  This is where dates begin to get creative when you date a currently serving Peace Corps Volunteer.

Last Tuesday night my boyfriend and I planned to have our first “dinner date” since I left for Peru in June.  We planned to both cook Italian – me fettuccini and he ravioli – then eat “together” on Skype at 7 my time, 8 his time.  And this is where we have a problem – nothing ever goes as planned in the Peace Corps. 

Halfway through cooking and 15 minutes until my date, the electricity went out, as it sometimes does.  I finished cooking by candlelight and with high hopes it would be a short outage.  With no sign of light or internet, we moved to Plan B – a phone date.

20 minutes later I sat in my dark room with a plate of fettuccini talking on my cell phone with my “date.”  Just as I got the bottle of wine I splurged on in the capital city open, the cell service was cut in my pueblo, too – another occurrence that periodically happens with no explanation.

And so on to Plan C.  There I was eating fettuccini by flashlight in Peru while my date was eating ravioli in a well lit room in South Carolina without anyway to contact me or know what was going on with his date.

This is the story of a relationship with a currently serving Peace Corps Volunteer. When you decide to date a currently serving PCV, you decide to go on a wild adventure that includes ups like a great excuse to travel to a beautiful country and have an entire family and community love you before they even meet you and downs like unpredictability and isolation even though you still live in the wonderful cushions of first world America. 

A long distance relationship, especially in the Peace Corps, takes some creativity.  The “little things” become really big things that take plenty of effort but are so exciting and appreciated that they are worth every bit of that effort.  So far we have learned to send flowers in a 3^rd world country, to have hot cookies delivered on a birthday, the art of a snail mail letter or well-timed e-mail, and certainly how to be patient and go with the flow when nothing goes as planned. Thanks for being part of my Peruvian adventure, Matthew Strauss! I look forward to more creative Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, and “Forget the Plan” dates in the future.

 

*Other fun reads about LDR or dating a PCV for my friends in PC relationships:

12 Reasons to Date a RPCV http://www.peacecorpsconnect.org/2012/02/12-reasons-to-date-a-returned-peace-corps-volunteer/

LDR Gifs on Buzzfeed http://www.buzzfeed.com/jeremybender/reasons-why-long-distance-relationships-are-better-than-y

26 Reasons to Date a RPCV http://www.thedatereport.com/dating/advice/26-reasons-you-should-date-someone-back-from-the-peace-corps/

Tips for Dating a PCV http://www.wanderbella.com/very-long-distance-relationships-tips-for-dating-a-peace-corps-volunteer/

My Big Fat Peruvian Family - Part 1

My Peruvian Family
Left to Right: Tia Romel, Liva, me, Lily
In Front: Valeria y Dayana

I decided it is about time to share about my loving family here in Peru.  When I received my site assignment of Mocupe / Ucupe, Lambayeque, my family information listed 6 women in my family ranging in age from 61 to 5.  Then my regional coordinator and another current volunteer in Lambayeque told me I would really only be living with one women and my house would be super “tranquilo.”  So basically I had nerves, excitement, and all around no idea what to expect.
From the time I first arrived in Ucupe, I found a big, loving family waiting for me with open arms. 

Livia

My Host Mother SISTER

 

 The one women I was told I would be living with is 55-year-old Livia.  While Livia plays the role of my host mom, preparing my meals, washing my clothes, taking care of me, she rarely calls herself such and prefers to be thought of as my host sister ;)
         Livia is a petite Peruvian and devout Catholic.  She once spent 8 years on-and-off living in Argentina with a family as their “empleadora” – a person who cooked, cleaned, and took care of the children.  In this way, she is accustomed to the role of caring for someone and does exceptionally well making sure my every need and want is filled – almost to a fault.  She also has a keen understanding of what is means to live in another country away from family and for this understanding I am most grateful.
          Livia’s mother died this past March on March 11, a day before her 72^nd birthday.  The family is currently observing the one-year mourning period.  All adult members of the family wear only black, do not attend parties, and do not dance.  I will soon add a post about what it is like to live with a family in mourning – just another adventure.
          Livia frequently explains to me how she lived alone after her mother’s death before I moved in; however, 5 other people sleep in our house every night and even more spend every evening in our living room, watching TV and chatting.  And so, Livia, along with 4 other people make up my “immediate” family here.

By joining Livia’s family I joined a big, extended family.  Livia’s mother was one of 8 children – 5 girls and 3 boys.  One of the daughters and one of the sons live in Lima and I have not met them.  Livia’s mother, as I mentioned, recently died.  This leaves 3 aunts who are very involved in my house and daily life: Nelly, Romel, and Nicol. 

Tia Romel, her daughter Lily, Lily’s daughter Dayana, and Romel’s other granddaughter Valeria all sleep in my house every night along with Livia’s friend Peta.  

Romel

My Aunt
Romelia, called Tia Romel, is always happy and enjoys being the jokester.   She and her husband have a house in the campo within walking distance from me. She spends her days there and her evenings/nights in my house.  There is a neat outdoor kitchen area, fields where they grow squash and corn, a great garden with beautiful roses and avocado trees, and lots of animals including chickens, ducks, guinea pigs, a pig, and a dog.

Romel has 3 children and at least 4 granddaughters that I know.  2 children live in Lima and her youngest daughter Lily lives with us.

Valeria

My Niece

Valeria is my 8-year-old niece.  Her father Juan Carlos, is the oldest son of Tia Romel.  He, his wife, and their other 2 daughters live in a town in the department of Lima but Valeria lives here in Ucupe with multiple aunts as surrogate mothers.  I met her mother and sisters on their visit when I came on my site visit in August.
        As I understand it, Valeria’s family was visiting here when she was very young and she got very sick.  Her mother was pregnant with her younger sister and needed to return to Lima.  Unable to make the trip, Valeria stayed here to get better.  After some time, the family decided Valeria had gotten use to life here and would remain here indefinitely. 
        She is cared for by Livia, Tia Romil, and Lily and now I share in the daily tasks of getting her homework done, making sure she baths, ect.  She is full of energy and your typical 8 year old girl who would rather play outside with friends then sit down to study Peruvian religion before test day.  And life with her is what I would guess a typical relationship of a much older sister with a much younger sister – 16 year young sister to be exact.  To Valeria, everything I have or do is exciting and should be shared, or even just given to her. Including my attention.  We have lots of fun but sometimes doors just need to be shut for a minute ;)



Lily with her daughter Dayana

Lily
My Cousin/Sister/BFF
Liliana, called Lily (pronounced LeeLee), is Romel’s 29-year-old daughter.  She has her mother’s sweet disposition and a smile and laugh that can quite literally brighten any day. She loves to include me in anything she is up to from painting her nails to going to buy shoes to going to birthday parties and dancing until the next morning. 

Dayana

My Niece
Dayana is Lily’s 5-year-old daughter and literally the light of my day.  She is a burst of energy and cutest thing you’ve ever seen.  When the popular (and terribly overplayed) song “Soy Soltera” comes on the radio, she dances with more sass than I’ve ever seen.  A smile and hug from Dayana will quickly stop any headache or confusion with this sometimes frustrating society. 

The other person who sleeps here most nights is Peta, Liva’s best friend.  I have my own room, as required by Peace Corps.  The other 6 people sleep in one room in 3 beds; however, 5-year-old Dayana likes to beg her mother and aunts for permission to sleep with “Tia Carolina” and I can hardly object to her big smile.

While the entire community does an excellent job of being my family while I am away from my family, these are the people I more or less spend every day with and, as such, are the ones who expect and who have specifically requested to be on my gift list should I find time to visit the states. (All of us are pictured together at the top)

I realize this is one of those posts that goes on probably too long but I could go one forever about my family here just as I can about my family at home and I look forward to sharing more of my adventures with Livia’s family over my two years with them.