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!