Training Week 2: Poco a Poco

I have made it through the second week of training – a week that absolutely flew by.  It was a typical week with language and technical sessions Monday – Thursday from 8 – 6 (because of an hour of tutoring at the end of the day).  There were a few highlights and new experiences this week including classroom facilitation, a trip to the movies, a Peru 21 fiesta, a visit to Lima, and McDonalds.

Classroom Facilitations

This Thursday we were in a school facilitating sessions for the first time.  We were all grouped into groups of 2 or 3 with people of varying language abilities and given 45 minute lesson plans.  I worked with Yesennia on a lesson about “Los Valores” (values).  We gave the lesson to 3 classes back to back.

I was pretty nervous since my Spanish is still elementary at best, but the experience was really great.  I was able to introduce us and lead a few dinamicas, games, and discussion (with the help of Yesennia jumping in when my Spanish failed).  It was awesome to meet the students and be in a classroom.  It made me very excited for the work I can do when I get into site.  It will definitely be an adjustment for me to be working with students in secundaria (essentially high school) rather than my previous 4 year olds up to 5^th grade. 

We will have our next facilitation in new groups in Week 4 at the same school, I believe.  So hopefully I can have a few more words in my repertoire to use next time. 

El Hombre de Acero

Thursday night I went to the movie theater in Santa Clara with my host brother, Samuel, and 16 year old niece, Estephany (I’m not actually sure how to spell her name but I’m working on it.)  We went to see Super Man dubbed over in Spanish.  It was quite an experience!

The movie theater was not really that different from those at home and we got the typical popcorn and drink combo – though this time I had Chicha instead of my usual Diet Coke.  I enjoyed the movie but it was pretty funny to see Amy Adams on the screen and then hear a totally different voice.  Somehow it all seemed more dramatic with Spanish voices – like the funny Spanish soap operas.  They also do something weird with the sound so the sound effects like doors closing, wind blowing, are incredibly loud while the talking is still typical volume for a theater.  It was fun but after 2 ½ hours of Spanish of which I only caught a small percentage, I was ready to speak in English.  

Feliz Cumpleanos, Seth!

Friday was one of the trainees’ birthdays and his host mom had all 35 of us over for a “fiesta.”  It was a lot of fun and a much needed time for our group to relax and have fun.  His host brother had transformed the house into a discotec of sorts complete with a disco ball and strobe lights. 

Visit to Lima

After a busy week and Seth’s fiesta on Friday, I was ready to catch up on sleep, but we had a trip into central Lima with our language facilitators.  We went pretty early and had “cultural” activities until about 1 and then were left in Lima to hang out and find our way home.  Our cultural event included going to the Palacio de Gobierno, (the White House of Peru), a catholic church, and up some mountain to see a big cross.  Going to the Palacio de Gobierno was pretty neat, it was very huge with ornate decorations.  My favorite part was when a group of soldiers came in and took their places around the palace – they reminded me of the guards at Buckingham Palace only not so regimented and serious.  The catholic church was really pretty and a great thing to see as religion places such an important role in the culture of many peruanos.  The tourist bus ride up the winding hill/mountain to the cross was not my favorite part.  I got a little car sick  on the ride up and spent our time looking out over Lima trying to settle my stomach.  Luckily, one volunteer had ridden in the front seat and was nice enough to let me take it on the way down and that made a world of difference.

After ending our “cultural learning” excursion and telling our facilitators good-bye, Scotney, DD, and I made a getaway to the McDonalds.  For those of you who know me at all, I was beside myself excited to enjoy a McBacon, fries, and a Coke.  While the 4 of us who ate at McDondalds were happy, we decided to really take advantage of the trip into Lima and went to meet a few other people at Pizza Hut for some delicious pizza to finish off our food binge.  I was incredibly pleased with my food coma and totally satisfied with my trip to Lima J

This coming week we have our site shadowing trip that I am really excited for.  All 35 of our training class are sent out to the sites of different volunteers around Peru to shadow them for a few days.  I really lucked out in my site shadowing placement thus far as I got the shortest bus ride – I  have a 5 hour bus ride while another group has a 16 hour bus ride – and I am shadowing Morgan, the volunteer of the week from our first week of training.  Each week there is a volunteer of the week that comes to training for the week.  They assist with our training sessions and also provide a person to chat with about questions, experiences, and more.  Morgan was our first volunteer to focus on learning Spanish and integrating with host families.  I am so excited to see her site and spend time with her and her host family.  Two other trainees, Karl and Keiko, are also shadowing Morgan so that should be great, too.   

So Wednesday I am off to Ica and will share my shadowing experience after!

**Also, I added photos to Facebook of this week so enjoy :) 

June 16, 2013

Cuerpo de Paz Training: Week 1 down – 9 to go. 

Peace Corps’ training is living up to its claim of being intensive immersion.  There are multiple programs out there that claim to be “intensive.”  I have to say, nothing deserves the title more than Cuerpo de Paz Peru’s training.  This first week of training has been a combination of highs and lows, lots of rice, zumba, Spanish and Spanglish, and a good bit of exhaustion – oh, and did I mention rice?!?

As I arrived in Peru and began training, I was so excited to begin my language classes and improve my Spanish.  I am still enthusiastic to continue my progress from even this week, but I am learning how truly frustrating it can be to learn a language.  I have always had interest in being bilingual in English and Spanish, but language does not come easy for me.  There are some people who have a natural ability to learn languages.  I am not one of them.  However, I have been continually impressed with Peace Corps’ approach to teaching – at least for those of us at the beginner level.  In order to swear-in as a volunteer at the end of training in August, we must reach a language level of Intermediate – Mid.  So I have a total of 10 weeks to move up 4 levels.  We have another language interview assessment in week 4 and I hope to have at least moved a couple levels to encourage my studying and work. 

I know full immersion and constant practice is the best way to learn, but it is not easy.  As a person who likes to express myself verbally and a person who likes excelling in most things I commit to, starting at the bottom to learn Spanish is not an easy road.  There are so many times I have something I would like to share with my host family or language facilitator and I just simply do not have the words to.  It has started to wear on me to constantly feel stupid when people speak to me, saying seemingly easy things, and I have no choice but to respond with a blank stare and then a smile and say “No entiendo, lo siento.”  The day I understand what my 3-year-old host sobrina says will certainly be a joyous day for me. 

This week, the novice Spanish speakers began our one-on-one tutoring classes after our full day of training.  We had all somehow missed that this was happening so it was a bit of a shock when we had an extra hour of classes instead of our planned Insanity workout.  In the end, I am happy to have my one-on-one time with my tutor Claudia.

Along with language, our training also consists of learning about Peru – history, economics, culture, ect – youth development, and Peace Corps’ approach to development, security, ect.  It is a lot of good information, but it can be overwhelming to take it all in.  Luckily, there are a lot of things that are similar to my classes from my MSW so it is more a review than new information which is nice.  It is also a nice feeling to actually be using what I learned in the classroom and implement what I spent two years learning.   

After being at the training center from 8-6, I have dinner and conversation with my host family which usually includes helping me with my homework for training.  After that, I am incredibly happy to go upstairs to my room and go to sleep early. 

This coming week is a similar training schedule and also includes a classroom facilitation in a school one day.  I am obviously nervous for this but also excited.  We will be grouped with other volunteers who have higher language level and it is the first chance for the novice speakers to get in the schools so I am excited.  

Today is Father’s Day, or El Dia del Padre.  Father’s Day is a big deal here with lunches, parties, and celebrations beginning at work on Friday.  My host family is having a big lunch for the fathers in the family today.  As I think I have mentioned before, my host family finds it funny how I cannot eat as large portions of rice and food as they do so they have instructed me I am not to be on my “diet” just for today and need to be able to eat, eat, eat, and eat at the lunch for mi padre anfitrion. 

Also, HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to mi Papa en EEUU!  Love you, Daddy!

 

And training begins...

Today was the first day of Peace Corps training and the first day of my "typical" days while living in 3 de Octubre and training to be a volunteer. I woke up early in anticipation since I wasn't exactly sure how the day would go.  I went to take my "hot" shower only to learn the family has hot water, but it isn't turned on.  So I took another nice cold, cold shower.  I don't want to inconvenience the family or live differently from them, so it looks like it'll be cold showers for me from here on out. 

After my cold shower I went downstairs to have breakfast. I was the only one up in the house. There was some confusion with my host mom about taking me to training today.  She thought I went on my own with the other volunteers living in the area and the Peace Corps had told me our host families bring us the first day so I had not, in fact, made plans nor did I know how to get there on my own.  So after a few early morning tears forming in my eyes and being asked if I was in "cultural shock," my host brother arranged for us to go together in his cousin's car.  Needless to say, I have made a plan for tomorrow morning to go with the other trainees. 

A few noteworthy things happened at training.  For one, we were put into our language groups and had an introduction with our facilitator.  My group consists of 4 girls who all live in 3 de Octubre and our wonderful facilitator is Pablo.  I am very excited to get started with our first language session tomorrow. 

Also at training, we had our first round of shots. For me, this meant 4 shots. I now understand why past volunteers said they felt like a pin cushion at times during training.  Both of my arms are slightly sore tonight 😞

The final noteworthy moment of training was the 2 hour doctor presentation on shit - a term he thought was a medical term for 3 years!!  It was informative and certainly needed for us here in Peru but I am not necessarily looking forward to the other session because I hear there are 2. At least the staff has a great attitude about it.  Enjoy the picture below of Jorge telling us about what we have to look forward to as PCVs. 

The 5 other volunteers in my neighborhood and I navigated the bus back home, an activity that definitely needs a little more practice haha But I'm sure it will improve with time

Until I write again, Chao! 

My New Home in 3 de Octubre

Yesterday I moved in with my host family for training and I feel like I am really living in Peru for the first time.  I am in a small neighborhood called 3 de Octubre, aptly named because it was founded on the third of October.  I live with my host mom Dora, her husband Santiago, their son Samuel, their daughter Sara and Sara's family - her husband, 16-year-old daughter Stephanie and 3-year-old daughter Ariana.  Dora and Santiago have 5 children total so there are more sons and daughter-in-laws I have met but who do not live in the same house. 

Yesterday was Ariana's third birthday so we celebrated with a big Minnie Mouse fiesta fit for a princess - complete with una torta grande (a large cake), sweet treats like arroz con leche, a clown who I think is off of some game show on tv, and a real live Minnie Mouse.  After three hours of the dancing and games last night, I was incredibly tired but the young children were still up and going!  All the children thought I was hilarious since I speak English and not Spanish.  

There are 5 other volunteer trainees in my community just a block or two away.  It is really nice to be with my family but have other volunteers so close - especially one who is already fluent in Spanish.  He  is able to help me communicate a little better with my host mom and the neighbors.  

I feel like I hit the jackpot of sorts with my host family.  Dora's son Samuel speaks English and used to be an English teacher.  He is super helpful in my learning and communicating with the family.  He is also very well read about the states and has even traveled to Charleston before so I have enjoyed getting to talk with him about South Carolina and the US.  

My family has wi-fi, a real rarity that I am so thankful for.  So as long as I am not traveling, I have no excuse not to keep in touch and update the blog 

We also have hot water for my shower, though I have not tested it out yet.  I am extremely thankful for this after taking a freezing shower at Villa de Paz.  I do not yet know what my host family situation will be like for my two years of service beginning mid-August but I will certainly enjoy the Internet and hot water while I have it.  

I have already learned why girls in the Peace Corps tend to gain weight.  Peruvians love their food and they eat a lot. Like a ton. I finally told them last night I had no more room in my stomach for more food!!  A fact my family found most hilarious.  I have already had more rice and chicken than ever before.

I have a nice room to myself on the second floor that you can get to from outside and it opens up to an open veranda so I love that. It is nice to have a little privacy while leaving with a big family.  I have a twin bed, a small desk and chair, and a pretty neat semi-built in dresser and shelves.  I will post pictures to Facebook soon to share my home and my community.  

Later this afternoon there is going to be a procession from 3 de Octubre of a cross up to a hut up the mountain.  Apparently, the cross came down on May 1 for the people to pray over for a month or so and today it will be taken back.  I have been told by a neighbor there will be live music and fireworks to celebrate so I'm pretty excited for that. 

 I also start training at the Training Center tomorrow - all day 5 days a week. 

I look forward to sharing more later in the week! 

Goodbye America, Hola Peru!

I am now sitting at Villa la Paz, a retreat center the Peace Corps uses for orientation retreats before we begin PST (Pre service training.). It has been a whirlwind few days to get here and the adventures will continue tomorrow. 

On Tuesday, I left from Charleston to go to DC for our one day welcome.  There I met the 34 other Peace Corps trainees of Peru 21 and began to learn how this crazy cool thing will go.  Our training class consists of youth development volunteers and community economic development volunteers.  Apparently our two sectors train together and then health and environment sectors come together in September.   Wednesday we left the hotel early to begin the long travel day to Peru.  We flew from DC to Houston, a flight I mostly slept through, and then from Houston to Peru, a flight I couldn't fall asleep on to save my life.  

We got in to Lima about 10:00pm and were welcomed by many exciting and wonderful Cuerpo de Paz staff members, including one of our doctors.  We then took a bus ride for about an hour and a half out of Lima to arrive at Villa de Paz.  After struggling to carry my luggage to the room, I fell fast asleep as soon as I got in my bed.  

Today was a full day with breakfast at 7.  We have had a crash course in safety, medical, Spanish, and more in preparation to meet our training host families tomorrow.  I am pretty nervous for that just because my Spanish is probably one of, if not the, worst.  But that will change quickly (hopefully) with immersion, immersion, immersion!   Excited to share about my host family soon!