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.
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