Field Based Training: Kilometers Traveled, Charlas Given, Lessons Learned

June 13 – June 21 was the wild ride experience of Field Based Training (FBT).  I traveled to the coast of Lambayeque with seven other youth development trainees and two of our trainers. I am so grateful to the awesome volunteers currently working in Lambayeque who worked hard to make FBT a great learning trip for us – especially our coordinator Erin. Below is a super long post chronicling our travels, work experiences, and, most importantly, my lessons learned.

Traveling and First Day in Chiclayo

Our training group made our way to Lima (with a pit stop at the extravagant Jockey Plaza for American food, of course!) to board the overnight bus from Lima to Chiclayo – the capital city of Lambayeque.  We had about a 12 hour bus ride that left at 7:30 so we arrived in Chiclayo around 8 the next morning – bus-rested and ready to go!  (Please note, bus-rested and well-rested are two vastly differently things)

We were greeted at the bus station by our lovely host Erin.  Sunday we enjoyed a walking tour of Chiclayo before a panel session with current volunteers.  I was super impressed to have the opportunity to chat with something like 15 volunteers currently serving in different areas of Lambayeque in different programs such as youth development, business, and health.  Talking to current volunteers about their experiences, projects, and sites is one of the most helpful parts of training.  After hearing just as much advice as my brain could handle, I headed with a group to eat lunch at a menu place.

So what’s menu (pronounced men-ew)?  There are places in the communities here called menu that have set menus they serve for lunch for only a few soles – ranging, in my experience, from 3-7 soles – so we’re talking about a ton of food for a couple dollars.  This was my first experience with menu.  The first course was a choice of sopa (soup) or Papa a La Huancaina (a popular dish here made of potatoes covered in ahi amirarillo sauce).  Then there were about 4-5 choices of main dishes.  I had sopa and arroz con pato (rice with duck).  It was really pretty good and heaping portions.

Sunday we continued our travels 2 hours further to Olmos – the city of Betty, a youth volunteer, and her 2 MAC (environment volunteers) site mates. We settled into our hostal in Olmos and prepared for the work we would do in Betty’s site.

Olmos – Lambayeque – Peru

We stayed in Olmos for two days.  We were able to see the market and plaza de armas of el cuidad del limon (Olmos is super proud of it’s limes!)  We also visited the Health Post were we met Betty’s socio – the obstetrician – who shared experiences from the Pasos Adelantes class.

Pasos is a Peace Corps curriculum for sex education with teenagers that is used by many volunteers working for healthy youth and against the nation-wide issue of teen pregnancy. 

Our group also helped with Betty’s Damas Adelantes classes.  By volunteering in Peru we are working in a machisimo culture.  Betty developed the Damas Adelantes program to work with teenagers on combating some of the machisimo.  I worked with Scotney and Natalia – two other youth development trainees – on a charla for a group of high school girls in the Damas Adelantes program on critical thinking.  Critical thinking is something I have taken for granted through the education system of the states.  Critical thinking is inherently valued in my culture and therefore naturally incorporated into the curriculum.  That is 100% not true in the education system of Peru.  The majority of all education is done lecture style with an emphasis on correct answers and perfectly neat work rather than on any creativity or individual ownership of the learning process.  Therefore, critical thinking is an area of need (and therefore an objective of the Peace Corps’ goals for youth development) and something that must be specifically taught.  Betty chose to begin her Damas Adelantes program with lessons in critical thinking as critical thinking is needed to make the connections and gain the understanding at the core of the Damas Adelantes program. 

And so – Betty graciously let us give a critical thinking charla to her group. And with plenty of guidance from Betty, Scotney, Natalia and I gave a charla on the difference between fact and opinion and why it is important to differentiate between the two.  With a few mishaps, like running out of time and having one girl almost faint during it, the charla went well and all members of the class seemed to grasp the concept and enjoy the lesson. 

I spent the majority of Tuesday in Olmos working on Spanish and tutoring with Isabel – the wonderful language facilitator that accompanied the trainee group to Lambeyeque.  Other groups gave charlas to Betty’s second group of Damas Adelantes girls.  After charla-ing, we enjoyed a delicious lunch at a fun, coastal restaurant where I had my first taste of the famous seviche – a dish of fish that is chemically cooked by lime juice usually served on a bed of platanos and camote (sweet potato).  After filling up, we headed back to the capital city of Chiclayo to Hostal Amigos where we would stay for the remainder of the trip. 

So Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, we stayed in Chiclayo but traveled by combi 30-60 minutes away to a different site each day.

Pimentel – Lambeyeque – Peru

Wednesday we visited Ali’s site of Pimentel – a site on the beach!  With Ali, we visited the municipality to hear from one of the psychologists about partnering with the muni on projects, and then spent the majority of the day at the local colegio.  Some of the members of our group gave charlas to secundaria classes which I got to observe.  It was the first time I had observed other trainees giving charlas so it was pretty cool to learn from them and see others teach.  We also all observed Ali’s Pasos Adelantes class with two of her socios – a teacher and the obstetrician. 

Following our work, we were able to see the beach for the first time in Peru!  However, we did not stay long or get too close as the wind was blowing the Peruvian winter air making it a little too cold to fully enjoy – but we saw the beach none-the-less.

Also noteworthy for the day – I had my first REAL Diet Coke since arriving in Peru.  Peru, for some unknown reason, does not have Diet Coke.  Instead, Coca-Cola Zero is sometimes available and considered to by the same (which it is not, just so we are clear).  But in the city of Pimentel, there is actual, real Diet Coke.  Which I happily enjoyed in honor of my mother’s birthday, which so appropriately fell on the same day as I found the Diet Coke treasure – so Happy Birthday, Mama!

Zaña – Lambayeque – Peru

Thursday we spent the day visiting Zach’s site of Zaña – a city with a lot of history.  We began the day with a walking tour and a visit to Zach’s health post where we once again heard from the psychologists on partnering with health posts on projects.  We visited the Museo Afro-Peruano – located in Zaña because of the African influence in the community.  It was really an interesting experience to see similarities and differences between what I know of the African culture in America and now Peru.  In Zaña, we enjoyed the customary large and delicious lunch prepared by Zach’s host mother.

Following lunch, we gave charlas at a local public colegio.  This charla was one I’d like to forget happened so I’ll leave it at that.  Let’s just say I won’t be jumping into any more classrooms anytime soon before I have improved the Spanish and established a relationship with the group I will be teaching. We enjoyed seeing some of the ruins in Zaña before heading back towards Chiclayo. 

Back in Chiclayo, I went with Scotney and DD, our tech trainer Ana Maria and some other volunteers to the large Plaza Real (like a big mall) for a fashion show.  A current business volunteer had worked with her community to organize a great fashion show exhibiting the beautiful embroidery work of her local artisans.  It was really cool to see how so many of the volunteers serving in Lambayeque in different sectors came to Chiclayo to support her project.  Even a Cuerpo de Paz staff member (the great Luis Lee) who happened to be doing site visits in Lambayeque came out to support.  It is great to feel there will be support for my projects as I move away from the group and into our more isolated sites.

Patapo – Lambayeque – Peru

Friday we visited Patapo – Cayce’s site.  The day started out quickly with charlas at a local colegio.  Cayce had organized a day around the theme of women’s empowerment.  This started with me and the other trainees giving charlas to students about important women in Peru’s history and in our lives and other trainees giving charlas on discrimination and women’s empowerment.  Following our charlas, we participated in a futbol game Cayce organized for all the girls to play while the boys had to hang out around the field and watch.  It was pretty cool to see the girls get in there and play (something they rarely have the opportunity to do since the boys take it over) while the boys watched in frustration (and sometimes amusement). 

Also in Patapo, we met with the alcalde (mayor) and worked with the local youth group to begin work on a mural as part of the Accion Poetica movement in Lambayeque. 

Chiclayo – Lambayeque – Peru

Saturday we stayed in the capital city of Chiclayo – La Cuidad de la Amistad (The City of Friendship).  We began the day leading sessions at the institute of English.  I worked with Scotney, Natalia, and Linsday to first present two lessons to a group of teenage students about going to the doctor and shopping.  The four of us then presented to a group of English teachers who worked in and around Chiclayo.  The teachers were part of a program of the United States Embassy. 

Teaching English was a really neat experience for me for a few reasons.  For one, I am working to learn Spanish and have daily frustrations along the way so it was neat to connect with Peruvians working to learn English experiencing similar difficulties.  Also, we hear and see a lot of examples of disengaged teachers – specifically English teachers – in our training.  It was humbling and inspiring to work with a group of such dedicated teachers who had passion to learn English and better teach their students.  I know I and some of the other trainees have interest in working with the English teaching institutes in our capital cities when we get to site after this experience.

In the afternoon we visited the Museo Tumbas Reales del Senor Sipan.  Senor Sipan is a mummy of the Mochican culture found in Lambayeque.  The Mochican culture ruled the area during the early hundredsAD.  As a person who enjoys the ambiance and knowledge of museums, I really enjoyed seeing the artifacts, culture, and rich history included in the museum and all of Lambayeque.  

Following our trip to the museum, I picked up a quick present for my host family (the King Kong sweet that Lambayeque is famous for) and headed to the bus station for another 12 hour bus ride to return to Lima. 

After a long week of traveling it was nice to return home to my neighborhood of 3 de Octubre in Chaclacayo and my host family.  The past week put two things into perspective –

One, I am so excited to learn what my site is and where I will be living for the next 2 years.

Two, I will miss Chaclacayo, my first host family, and the comforts of the training center as we finish training and begin our work as Peace Corps Volunteers. 

Overall, I came back energized to continue improving upon my ever-growing Spanglish, finish training to begin my work, and thankful for my host family here.

And, of course, I need to share my two biggest lessons of the trip:

With the crazy drivers of Peru and specifically Chiclayo – ALWAYS CROSS WITH CONFIDENCE

And at the end of each day – put your hands in the air and remind yourself – I WON TODAY

50 Years of Peace Corps - The Poem of a RPCV

Today a current volunteer in Peru shared this poem with my training group today.  It so clearly articulated my experience and affection for my service in the Peace Corps thus far that I wanted to share it on here.  Enjoy :)

50 years of Peace Corps: A Message for soon to be Volunteers
-Meleia Egger
RPCV Malawi 2008-2010

Peace Corps is a twenty-seven-month-long-commitment,
Little do you know, you are in it for life.

It all starts with that spark from someone, "Uncle Dave served in Peace Corps and he loved it," "Do you know they work in Thailand?" or the best and the most simple, "You would be great in the Peace Corps."

The highest compliment, the deepest calling.

And then the paper trail begins, blazing a path through a dense bureaucratic network of uploaded dreams and poorly stated ambitions.

We trace every spark believing that it will one day lead to a full fire of intention.

Really, it's your first endurance test, and it is not a smooth process - believe me.

When volunteers start, their minds are wrapped around 1,000 different words for help...
empower, assist, aid, facilitate, uplift, yet no idea how to use them in a sentence.  Let alone in life.

Yes, we open borders, but more importantly, minds and hearts.
Winning them, earning them with the skills of our training and the purity of our efforts.
This is something those who are new to the family realize, and eventually, eventually, 9-12 months eventually...
You will go forth from this time, and this place, toting all that you can carry of your past life and loved ones.

And then,
you serve.

Never, will you feel more alive - it will surprise you.

It is a progression of connection.
at first, you are in your head and it's American, meets other.
Then you get more grounded, and volunteer, meets villager or teacher, meets student.
And then, if you are lucky, the simplicity settles in, and it's human meets human, heart to heart.

It's all right there.  It's tucked into the humble corners of each day.
Two years - will fly by.
Watch carefully or you might miss it.
Blink twice,
and it's gone...

And then,
you will leave those same coveted, carefully packed objects turned artifacts in the fault lines of all your cultural earthquakes.

And then,
you come back.

You are returned volunteers, never former, and you try to trace the patterns of home and you stumble, and you get dizzy, and people from the place you once knew ask...

How was Malawi? Ecuador? Mauritania? Poland?
How was Nicaragua? Mali? Panama? Vanuatu? Romania?
How was Tanzania?
And what did you do there?

Well,
and you will pause.

I changed the world.
I changed myself.

It's been 50 years of sweat and smiles, moments and memories, adventure and admiration, respect and realization and waiting and waiting and waiting,

It's been 50 years of imagination and inspiration.

Fifty years on paper,
but we are a part of so much more.
We bring hope to the forgotten corners of the world, and find peace at our core.

Training Week 5

Training is absolutely flying by!! Here are the highlights from training week 5

Voy a ir a la costa!

This week began with the excitement of finding out our region placements.  Basically this means we were told we would either be placed in a costa or a sierra (mountainous) site.  There are three types of sites in Peru – Costa, Sierra, or Selva (jungle) but only costa and sierra are options for youth volunteers. 

I am thrilled to be one of the youth volunteers going to the COSTA!!  Getting assigned to the costa essentially means it will be hot, better food, and more energy but does not necessarily mean beach.  Some regions considered costa look that the desert so it’s still unknown what my site will be like.  There are also some small differences between the culture of the coast in the south like Ica and coast in the north like Lambayeque.  But either way I am excited to be a volunteer going to the coast.

Adios Bajo-Bajo – Hola Intermedio-Bajo

After our language interviews last week we were given new levels for language.  I was super excited to be considered Intermedio-Bajo – three levels up from my original nivel de Bajo Bajo and only one level below the required Intermedio-Medio for service.  So proud of all the novice speakers, especially the girls in my language group, for moving up so well!

This week we began our new language classes with Monica as our facilitator.  After 2 crazy weeks without formal classes, it was nice to get back to a schedule of learning grammar and vocabulary.  We also had a day to cook a traditional Peruvian meal together so that was really fun.  As a class we went to the mercado in Chaclacayo to get ingredients and then prepared the meal to eat together for lunch.  My group made Locro de Zapollo – a dish with squash and of course lots of rice.  One of my friends in our language group is a vegetarian so we stuck to dishes she could eat.

Charla en Chosica

This week we gave a charla at a colegio in Chosica.  I worked with Taneesha on the theme of vocational preparation with a group of older students in secondaria.  Overall the charla went really well – I felt I connected well with the students, they got my activity, and I picked up a few new tips to better facilitate sessions in the Peruvian culture.  I also got to a point that I am comfortable enough in a Peruvian classroom that the biggest obstacle is language so it was a great class but left me slightly frustrated.

Preparation for FBT

The final highlight of the week is our preparation for next week’s travels for Field Based Training! Our training group split up by program (so desorrollo juvenile y business) and then within program by region.  I will be traveling with seven other trainees, one youth tech trainer, and one language facilitator to Lambayeque for Saturday June 13 – Sunday June 20.  Check back soon for a blog post about our adventures in Lambayeque! 

Training Week 4: 4th of July sin fireworks y con chompas

This week proved to be busy and full of excitement. 

For one, I have been sick.  Beginning Saturday, I had a roller coaster of headaches, fevers, and stomach issues.  My illness peaked in the middle of the night Tuesday with a fever of 103.  With that, I called the Peace Corps doctors and started an antibiotic.  Suni, one of our doctors, instructed me to stay home and miss training for the day.  Unfortunately, I needed to prepare for a class facilitation we had planned in a colegio for Wednesday morning.  So I took my meds and slept through my morning language class but made my way to the center in the afternoon to prepare.  My time at the center was brightened by a beautiful delivery of gerber daisies (thanks Matt!)  I worked on my charla during youth development training and then slept in the infirmary the rest of the afternoon until I had tutoring to work on my Spanish for facilitations. 

Wednesday we presented our charlas at a colegio (what they call schools) in Yanacoto, a nearby neighborhood where a group of trainees live, similar to 3 de Octubre.  I am getting more confident with my Spanish and managing a classroom in Peru so it was a successful day. 

Thursday was the 4th of July and I can definitely say I celebrated in a way different than ever before.  In the morning we had "Olympic games" at the training center with our language facilitators.  I watched the first half since I still didn't feel great and just wasn't quite feeling the 4th spirit with cuy games and eating contests.  After the Olympics, we were taken to Sanjay's house in Lima for a celebration.  Sanjay is the Country Director of Cuerpo de Paz - Peru. The celebration at Sanjay's was a blend of American and Peruvian traditions.  It was in the backyard with a pretty red, white, and blue tent complete with a dj and a dance floor.  We had a great lunch with hamburgers that actually tasted good (a rarity in Peru), American flag cake with fruit salad, and toasts with Pisco Sours.  After a few hours of dancing, the dj changed into a clown costume and began the "hora loca" a big deal at Peru fiestas.  Basically there are balloons, confetti, and organized group dances led by a clown for between 15 minutes and an hour depending on the party.  It was incredibly nice of Sanjay and his family to host us and all the Cuerpo de Paz staff to celebrate America's independence but I was thrilled to return back home and prepare for Friday with early sleep. 

Luckily Friday I was finally feeling a lot better.  Friday training included 4 interviews on our progress so far - especially language.  My second language interview was worlds better than my first and I am anxious to hear what level I am now classified as - something I think I will learn on Monday.  I by no means speak fluent Spanish nor will I by the end of training but I have improved and can at least figure out what is going on sometimes.  It was also nice to hear feedback from our trainers on both technical skills and language skills. 

The work week wasn't over yet - we had additional charlas / facilitations in Lima Saturday morning with a group of children that are classified as "at-risk" or "in need."  It was definitely different from the private schools we have been practicing in thus far and an interesting experience - I was sad to have to work on Saturday but I am glad for the experience.  I also thoroughly enjoyed the Pizza Hut and gelato I had in Jockey Plaza in Surco, Lima following the facilitations.  

Now I am greatly looking forward to a quite Saturday evening and Sunday to relax, spend time con mi familia anfitriona, wash clothes, and study my Spanish before another full week of training in the upcoming week.  Oh, and tomorrow we will hopefully be told the regions we will be placed! 

So that was my week and here are a few stories I didn't include: 

A host family tale:  So my host family has usually let me do as I please without too much comment.  For example, they ask how much food I want rather than the typical serving of massive portions with expectations to at it all.  This changed with my getting sick.  While sick, my host sister and mom gave me a bit of a lecture on why they think I am sick - I don't eat enough and I don't wear jackets.  A few things about Peruvians:  most Peruvians think food is the answer to any question.  Reason to celebrate? Eat!  Reason to mourn? Eat! Feeling healthy? Eat! Sick? Eat!  So they explained that I was not eating enough to keep a body strong and they expected me to begin to eat more and take bigger portions.  My host mom was tickled pink when I finished my dinner plate as she gave this little talk. 

Also, Peruvians do not like cold things.  There is a wide belief that cold is bad.  It is rare to find cold drinks and even more rare to find the use of ice. Most Everything is served either hot or room temperature.  It is technically winter here in Lima now but the sun is still strong and the days, I would venture to guess, average in the 60s.  Peruvians bundle in jackets, scarves, and hats.  So my family explained I need to wrap in a blanket immediately following my shower and take at least one if not two "chompas" (jackets) with me when I leave the house.  I thanked them for taking care of me and moved on.  The advice went further the next morning when I was forced to stand in the kitchen and finish my hot milk before I could leave for the bus - like a small child.  It was cute but also slightly annoying.  

On the topic of food:  overall, I have enjoyed the food of my host country.  It is a lot of rice and chicken, granted, but usually tasty so I can't complain.  However, this week marked my first complete month in the Peace Corps and the food started to take a toll.  Especially when I was served a potato on which I was not the only one dining.  During dinner one night, my host parents served me the most purple potato I have ever seen.  I began peeling it as they were doing and as I was doing so, I began to uncover maggots that were already feasting on my purple potato.  I tried to be polite and nonchalant but I couldn't bring myself to eat my potato or any of the other purple potatoes on the plate.  I know I have a lot of interesting food experiences ahead of me, but I am already missing the luxury of a simple drive through Zaxby's for a satisfying club with Zax sauce. 

Site Shadowing Trip to Ica

Thanks to the hospitality of our host volunteer Morgan, her host family, and other volunteers placed in Ica, I had a wonderful experience during shadowing. I will try to share my trip and some of the highlights. 

Miércoles, 26 de junio 

Wednesday was a traveling day.  We had a Cuerpo de Paz driver take us from the training center in Chaclacayo to the bus station in Lima.  From Lima, 5 of traveled together on the Cruz del Sur bus line the 5 hours to Ica - the capital city of the department/province of Ica.  There, 2 volunteers met us to escort us to their communities. So the 3 people in my group (Karl, Keiko, and me) then had another 2 hour bus ride to Morgan's site of Ingenio. 

 Ingenio is a small rural site that consists of roughly 300 people and really centers around one main road. Morgan's large host family lives right in the center of town on the Plaza de Armas. After arriving, we met Morgan's family and settled in. 

jueves, 27 de junio

The majority of Peru were on feriado (holiday), so the municipality and schools were closed inhibiting us from seeing Morgan's typical work.  However, Morgan had planned some great activities for us to still practice the work we will be doing in site.  

First, Keiko, Karl, and I were on the local radio show with Morgan introducing ourselves to the town and explaining a little about Cuerpo de Paz and the youth development program.  Apparently we were the talk of the town for days so that was pretty fun.  Morgan typically has an afternoon slot on the radio every week to make announcements about her projects and give charlas sobre temas como nutrición.  

Thursday evening we went to the neighboring area of San Jose to give charlas to a group of mothers a previous Water &Sanitation volunteer had worked with.  Keiko prepared a short charla on nutrition and Karl and I prepared a short charla on communication.  This group had participated in the previous volunteer's program to come to a serious of charlas and at the end received new bathrooms.  This is especially important in San Jose were there are really no bathrooms as I understand it to be and so people use the bathroom in the streets making for a real sanitation and health problem.  

The participants were really wonderful and were a great introduction to what we have to look forward to working with adults in site.  They patiently suffered through my broken Spanish and eagerly participated in all the planned activities.  One women even gave palabras at the end thanking us for coming and giving our time and stressed the importance of hearing this information.  

On Thursday we were also able to walk up to Morgan's "quiet place" that was really beautiful and a neat view of the area. 

viernes, 28 de junio

Morgan planned a more "play day" for Friday.  Two of her closest volunteers in Ica came to Ingenio to join us Friday morning and help with a scavenger hunt Morgan had prepared.  We had a few hours Friday morning to talk to community members on our own and learn about Ingenio - an activity that mimics how our first activities and responsibilities in site will go.  This included policemen, youth, owner of the Internet cafe, shop owners, and others in the streets.  Since it was feriado, we were not able to speak to people in the health post, school, or municipality.  

After the scavenger hunt, we explored Ingenio, including the river, a cow farm, and an under construction hotel.  

After exploring and having one of my new favorite Peruvian meals for lunch, escabeche, we went to the bus station to go to the mirador to see the Nasca lines.  The Nasca lines are literally lines drawn in the sand in the desert in Ica that have been around since the Nasca people - before the Incans.  They include geographic lines and then shapes.  From the Mirador, we were able to see the hands and the tree design.  In order to see the other lines, you have to go up in a plane. During my time here, I'd love to take the plane up to see the other lines.  

We then took the bus the 2 hours back to Ica to go to the area of Huavachina - an oasis in the middle of Ica - to meet up with the other trainees on shadowing trip and their host volunteers for the night.  We stayed in a hostel there so we were close to the bus station for our return trip to Lima the next day. 

While in Huavachina, I tried the typical Peruvian drink of Pisco sour and the anticucho (cow's heart).  After a few sips I gave away my Pisco sour - the comparison to margaritas did not hold true.  I could not get past the foaming egg white on top...maybe during my time here I'll acclimate to it.  As for the anticucho, I will happily try it again.  It reminded me of beef tenderloin on a swish kabob.  ¡Muy rico! 

sábado, 30 de junio 

We told our host volunteers thank you and good-bye and made the 5 hour trip back to Lima and then the additional 1 hour trip back to Chaclacayo and our host families.  Exhausted and not feeling so hot, I fell into my bed. 

Thanks for a wonderful experience with work and play, Morgan!