Last Weekend

Hello to all!

So last Thursday we headed south to Bernales, a small town outside of the larger city of Pisco. It is the site of a current volunteer, where we were planning on building several latrines. As usual, things didn’t go quite as planned. We arrived several hours behind schedule, and none of the materials had arrived either. We had planned on getting started soon after we got there, at least getting a little jump on our project while there was still a little sun left. However, it didn’t happen that way, and we just had enough sunlight to get our materials to our respective places. I wasn’t feeling great, so how it all went down was fine with me. We all slept in a local building. Very camp/mission-trip esq. But it was fun, and actually pretty comfortable on the cots we were given. Before I went to bed a couple of my friends and I got in on a game of soccer with some local kids. We kicked some major ass…and no it doesn’t matter that were pre-teens :s

The next morning came quickly, and we started our work by about 7:15. Most of the morning consisted of making cement and mortar to lay the bricks for our dry bathroom. It was overcast, but the signs of the coming fierce sun were all but written for us to see. Even without the sun it was pretty warm. But by the time the sun hit the temp had risen even more, which was bad for on several levels: 1.) because the cement was drying almost as fast as we could lay the bricks and 2.) because I am very an Oregonian and therefore basically have an allergy to the sun. We really weren’t getting far, and the project wasn’t looking great. None of us, even one of the current volunteers that was there to help us, had ever built a dry-bathroom.

After lunch, which consisted of a bowl of soup with an entire chicken leg and foot emerging out of the broth, we returned to the worksite to find the owner of the house had built a make-shift canopy for us to work under. This was greatly appreciated!!!! And eventhough the cement was still drying really fast, it wasn’t quite so bad. My skin certainly was thankful.

We gained some more help from our Third-year WatSan guy, John, who’s job is basically to lend tech support and to have a good time with us. He just got down with two years of service in the Dominican Republic, and was therefore very knowledgeable in the construction of such things. We didn’t however get to the place we were hoping to by the time the sunset, but it was better than nothing. Bret and I played more soccer that night, and then were surrounded by a group of kids who said we were taking them to dinner after we told them we had to stop playing in order to go get dinner.

Most people stayed up late and had some fun, but I was exhausted, and conked out while laying on my bed. Unfortunately, the next morning one of my group mates and friend, Lexie, awoke to some pretty bad flu symptoms. After talking to her today, it seems that she has pretty much the exact same symptoms that I had a week ago. It’s going around! So we were out one person, but that spot was filled quickly by other volunteers that had already finished their project.

By the end of the day we had finished all that we had set out to do. It wasn’t easy, and at times (like when we were pouring concrete on top of some wood that resembles wafer) we weren’t sure if things would work, but it all turned out well.

After lunch it was time to leave. WatSan separated into two groups, one that went directly back to Lima, and the other (which I joined by default because I was in the bathroom while the Lima group left) went to checkout a lagoon/oasis that was only a few miles away from the site. It was the best decision for sure. Basically the area is a dessert that resembles something like that of Satan’s pooper, but amidst all of the sand dunes and sun, there was a small paradise…that smelt a little funny. But this place was amazing, and the water was fine (but I wouldn’t be surprised if I have some crazy Peruvian parasite). We swam out a ways into the lake, and enjoyed a treat that only comes around so often.

Unfortunately the day was not all amazing. During our work, one of my teammates broke my leatherman tool. That is sad in general, but it was also a graduation present, making it a worse. I also had to say goodbye to my favorite sunglasses, which disappeared after our bus ride back to Lima. I think they fell out of a pocket…ot they were stolen. Either way it was kind of a big day for material losses.

That night (Halloween) my older brother, Carlos, took me to this huge Halloween dance party. I really wasn’t that up for it, and didn’t have a costume, but that turned out to not be a problem. We met his cousin and her friends there, and didn’t stop until the early morning hours. Sunday was spent recovering from the entire trip, and to be honest I’m still a bit drained. I suppose that is one thing I can look forward to in my new site, and that is that I can take a few days to just rest and of course get accustomed to the new living situation. We find out our site locations on Friday!!!! I’m both nervous and excited.

I’m looking forward to tomorrow. Being Tuesday that means that it is soccer day, but also it means that we are teaching an English class across the street at the local school. It is only for 45 minutes, but it also means that we get to sleep in and I only have to cross the street. Today was a day for learning about different ways to teach English in our sites. I am actually looking forward to doing it, which is the opposite to a surprisingly large portion of the group. This morning I saw the remains of a pretty horrible accident not too far down the road from my community. I guess a small car was trying to cross the road at the wrong time, and a combi (small bus) collided into the driver’s side door. I asked a combi worker later that day what had happened, and he told me pretty much exactly what I could have deduced myself, but also that two passengers in the small car had died.

On a happier note (kinda), last night I was sitting in the living room, just watching some tv with Chris when I felt a slight movement under my bare foot. I didn’t think it was anything, but then it got more obvious. I looked down and saw the largest grasshopper/cricket I’ve ever seen. Obviously nothing dangerous, but it did confirm my fear that every little movement of even a single hair is some giant bug or something about to bit me!

Just to let you know i´m alive

Hello all,

I´m back home after a couple of long of days. My group was about five hours south of here, working in the site of a current volunteer. We were separated into different teams and were to build different types of latrines for several families. My team built the maing part of a dry bathroom. The sun was fierce, and almost dried the concrete as fast as you could put it on the bricks. But we got it done. I´ll write more tomorrow evening. I´m way to tired to get too into it tonight. Hope all is well!

Try'n to Catch You Up!

Hello everyone,

So last week (Thursday) the WatSan group came to my community to clean the water reservoir and some individual house tanks. We spent the first part of the morning making our way up the waterline, all the way up from the road. After a bit, I went to clean and family’s water tank. Actually I had to climb into it, which wasn’t so bad because it was blazing hot. The chlorine that we used to scrub down the walls did however burn a little bit of my skin…but apparently that’s just how you do it is WatSan

Friday we headed up to Ayas. It is a small community high up in the mountains. Well it is high compared to my community, but overall 10,000 ft really isn’t that high in Peru. It was nice to finally be somewhere that isn’t dry and dust filled. We hiked up for a little over an hour, and then stopped off at a small waterfall to eat lunch. Afterwards we continued up the mountain for another hour. I couldn’t believe how far up the mountain the towns pipeline went. The beginning of the spring, where the water is collected, was easily an hour and a half away from the town if you were moving steadily. It made me think of how hard it must have been before they had the water system set up. Its hard to imagine having to get water from that source everyday. The trip took all day, and by the time we were coming back down the mountain it started to pour. When the rainy season starts, it really starts! It didn’t rain at all the fist month we were here, and then within a week I rained two or three times I think. However, I think that is not usually the way it goes. Depending on what site I get, the rainy season could have a huge effect on my first couple months. If I am in the mountains, or on the north coast, the rain can make it seriously difficult to get anything done, or even get around for that matter.

Saturday our class let out really early, so I headed into Lima with a few of my friends. We headed in to do some shopping at this renowned market, where everything is cheap…most certainly illegally. Afterwards we headed over to Mira Flores, which is basically the tourist part of town. The first time we went with out class I really didn’t notice as many tourists as I did this time. It was pretty weird actually. One of our main goals was to find a place that sells Guinness. The need for a dark beer was growing strong among the men folk! But unfortunately we didn’t find anywhere, and that was after searching high and low. We did however get directed to a middle eastern restaurant, which was really great because it was completely different from what we have been eating. We had originally planned on being home by the early evening, but of course that didn’t happen. Didn’t really do anything that night because I was exhausted by the time we got home.

Sunday was the day that the really well known country club, right next to Yanacoto, opened it’s doors to visitors. It is a pretty big event for a lot of the local people, who could never even dream of affording the membership fee. It is amazing, and pretty sad, how a wall can separate two distinct ways of life. Here the grass was green (and in existence) and there were pools and restaurants, and all sorts of things that seemed so out of place when they were a few short steps away from the place I am not living. However, it was a good time. I went with Chris and my oldest host brother, Carlos. There are several bingo games that people love to play, hopefully to win the grand prize. We only stayed for a few hours because we all had things to get done.

This work week hasn’t been too exciting. Classes have pretty much been the same, although the urge to stay in beg and sleep straight through the hours and hours of lecture and Spanish classes is only growing exponentially. It seems to be a shared feeling amongst the group.

Tuesday we did go into a museum in Lima. That was interesting. The most interesting part was the exhibit on the top floor, which is dedicated to the time of terrorism in Peru. It really represents both sides well, and is quite moving. The entire museum is also made of solid cement, so it gives an extra eerie feeling to the exhibit. That night (last night) was also great because it was the first time I played soccer in almost four weeks. It was really great being back out there with my friends. It is by far the best way to let of steam. My ankle didn’t hurt very much, which was great, but was stiff today.

Tomorrow we are heading south again for a couple of days. We are going to a current WatSan volunteer’s site out side of Pisco, which is in the department of Ica. I believe the town is called Bernales, but don’t hold me to that. It was greatly effected by the earthquake of 2007. We are going to be building latrine and latrine related things Thursday, Friday, and Saturday morning. We have been told that this is definitely going to be a roughing it type trip, and that in order to get all of our work completed it might require very few hours of sleep. YAY! Something that really excites all of us! But really, I’m actually looking forward to getting out and working. The two other programs (health and environment) already left for their trip. They are going up in the mountains of Ancash.

So when I get back I’ll write to tell you how it went. Happy early Halloween to you all!

Feeling much better today, and i think that can all be attributed to the antibiotics my doctor gave me. Yesterday, much like monday night, was filled with hot and cold spells, fever, headache, frequent bathroom visitation, and pretty much overall a shitty demeanor. However, it meant a legitimate reason to stay out of the training center for a day, which under different circumstances, might have been preferable.

Today has been a lot better, although some symptoms persist. Eventhough i am begining to feel better, my host-mother´s investigation continues. No matter how many times we go over what foods i´ve eaten, or that it is probably just a flu like illness, she will not rest until she has pin-pointed the cuplrit (which i believe secretly she just doesn´t what to be herself). I really don´t think it was caused by something i ate, and even if it was, it wouldn´t change anything now. However, as i have learned over th past two day, that logic is wasted on a peruvian mother. It´s funny cause she tell me to not be worried, when it should really be the other way around.

Side note: i just saw my host brother help another volunteer with some computer problem, and he seemed really happy when she say thank you to him. Probably because he has a raging crush on her. But in a sweet way...not like ted bundy (or any bundy for that matter). Those of you who have watched married with children will understand that last one.

Dani (personal shout-out): Got your card today, and really loved it. Thanks for the love.

Teddy (doggie-shout-out): if you were literate this would probably mean more to you, but i´ll just have mom give you a pat on the head for card you sent me. I have the feeling she might have written it for you. I´m sorry you get confused when you hear my voice through skype, but can´t see me around the house. I would be confused too. I´m also sorry Dogger is still making messes on the floor. But i think there comes a time in any dogs life, and hopefully my life, when you just say, ¨screw it, this is just as good as any place to go!¨ Plus you´re so old nobody really blames you.

Tomorrow, for our practice day activity, we are cleaning some of the water tanks here in my community. Then on friday morning, we are heading to the sierra so that we cand do around a 3 hour hike up to a city, to look at their water system, and spend the afternoon coming back down. Should be fun, but probably pretty tough, because it think the elevation is around 10,000 ft. Not quite like back home at our awesome 500 ft, but i it should give me a run for my money.

So hopefully i´ll have some good stories, and photos after. I could have taken photos from the past two days...but i´m sure you all want to eat, and caring on normal trains of thought, so i opted not to. Just looking out for you

ps. Some of you have probably noticed that my spelling is not what it once was...don´t judge people.

Fire down below!!!!!!!

Yep, woke up sick today. Won't go into details, but i did make it to the center, but then slept in the infirmary for a solid 5 hours. The doctor said i should wait until tomorrow to see if it persists, and if so we are going to attack with some antibiotics. Quite possible the worst part of it is the ceaseless pondering and investigation by my host mother into what i could have eaten to make me sick. The investigation is fierce. "no mom, i didn't eat anything strange...no mom, i don't think it is the soup from 7 days ago...no mom, i don't think it is an evil spirit, so put down the guinea pig (ok that last one didn't really happen...but could if i don't get better)." Hope all of you are better thank myself at the moment.

Lazy sunday...

Today has been highly unproductive. Unless you consider watching several bad movies productive. All this time i could have been doing things that actually need to be done... however i didn't, and therefore must do them now. So here are a couple pictures of my house and Yanacoto, as well as our dogs and cats.

The oldest one looks like a pirate because it only has one eye. The female (the one that is smiling) apparently is pregnant.

I really don't know how they figured that out, seeing that she is extremely small, but i'm sure their is some Peruvian magic that went into it. The proud father is the white guy next to the

pirate. Their names are Niña, Niño, and the pirate is Naño. All very original names as you can see. The cat...well i'm not sure what its name really is, cause my host brother just calls it gato-perro (cat-dog). I guess it is fitting, because they all just hang out and play with each other.

Here are a few pictures from outside of my house, and from the rooftop.

Rebecca, i promised i would write more about Chris, so here is a new story just about him. So as usual Chris strolled into my house with a bag full of food (his after-lunch-lunch). My brother and i were watching a horrible horror film (why in the middle of a sunday i don't know). Well chris wasn't really paying much attention because... well there was food to be eaten, so

enough said. Well there was an explosion in the movie just as chris was about to rip open some type of Peruvian mystery sauce. To make the story short, it got all over him and anything around him. Although the dogs were pretty excited. So here is picture:

Hope you enjoy it as much as i did seeing it happen.

Week 5 down!

So the weeks go back fast, and the go by slow. Such is life. However, a day goes much slower after a night out at a local concert, and you wake up to your host mom tapping on your window, and you are confused because she is waking you up early on a sunday...then you sit up and realize it is tuesday. Not that that happened to me :)

So monday night was the...100th anniversary of Chosica, which meant there was a huge concert with many bands playing throughout the night. It also meant bad news for several poor gringos. Four volunteers were robbed in one way or another in just the span of 3 hours. Two got their wallets taken (only one really had stuff in it) while others got their phones stolen. However, besides the theft, it was a really

great time. The past volunteer to live with my host family was in town, so along with him, and my two host brothers, most of the group from Yanacoto headed to the concert. We were there from around 10, until 2am. It was nice to switch something up in the routine.

Unfortunately those incidents at the concert weren't the only robberies to take place in the past week. (Warning to each and all mothers reading: scary incident coming up, but will not happen to many people...so mom don't worry :) ) A girl in our group went to a concert this last saturday with her host sisters. They were related to someone in the salsa band, and they were looking for a cab to take them to the after-party. They did find one, and luckily (so they thought) a cheap one! Well after a few turns here and there, the driver turned around and said he needed everything they had, while pointing a gun at them. They did as he said, and luckily were left unhurt, however the girl didn't have any of the numbers for our directors. The police apparently weren't great to them either, at least not until they got in contact with our director, and our security director (who looks like the spanish version of Robert De Niro from Meet the Parents...and equally intense). As it turns out, they found and impounded the car. I'm not sure what will happen next. But we are all just thankful that she was ok.

Funny story about our security director (ex military...and you can tell). He is very serious about always calling him and getting help whenever we need it, no matter where, and even if it is somewhere that we shouldn't be. so someone asked "what do we do if we have to kill someone?" (as in if we were attacked...i'm guessing...unless we have a killer amongst us) And he answers very nonchalantly, "I'll deal with it after." Like i said, very De Niro-like.

Anyways, the rest tuesday and wednesday weren't anything big. Pretty normal. I have a new spanish class. However, much to my embarrassment, i didn't raise up a level after my last interview. I guess i'm not surprised, but it i felt soooo stupid. And usually, as many of you know, i can usually be my biggest critic. I really miss my old class. My new professor is very sweet, and i like my classmates, but my old class with Ivan as my prof. was awesome. Plus i got to spend most of the day with Chris, Melissa, and Alyse. Sadly i don't see them as much now, especially because we are starting to focus more on out tech classes.

Speaking of tech classes, this week began our thursday/friday practical training days. So this thursday our WATSAN group separated into 6 teams and did handwashing training at the school right across the street from my house. It was a lot of fun. My team worked with the 10-12 year olds. We played a couple of games, and then my group of students and I presented conjuntivitis (pink-eye) to the rest of the class.

After that, we left for our two day excursion. We first went to a district of Lima that has been a success story as a place where the community got organized about their trash and waste, and is now very clean. Apparently before they got organized, no dump truck had been up the hill in decades. And by the stench, giant mounds of trash, and the swarms of flies, you could tell. I can understand how big trucks couldn't get up and into a lot of the community on the hill. It was really, really steep, and the roads were wide enough for maybe a honda to get through. Also, amazing to me, more people lived on this one hill than do in my entire home town of Roseburg (more than 24 thousand lived there). It was amazing to hear of the change that has occured.

Next we traveled a few hours south on buses (while watchign Tom Hanks in Big, in spanish). We arrived in Cañete that evening. We enjoyed a night away fromthe ordinary, but i certainly didn't try to "enjoy" it as much as some of my fellow volunteers, who didn't look so great during our many tours the next day. OH! I got my first warm shower at the hostel! It was awesome. Probably worth all the traveling.

Friday we met with the mayor of Cañete, and then went to several site visits around the area. We saw trash/recycling centers, as well as dry bathrooms. This took up most of the day, but most of the day was spent going from place to place. After eating a late lunch with the entire WATSAN group + those who showed us around (probably 30 in total), we started our way back to Lima, and then home. Once back in Lima 5 of us Yoco elite found a tiny cab. I mean that literally. This thing was really small. I had my friend Jess on my lap for a good halfhour, and just about before i though i would have permanent blood flow problems to my legs, the driver said it was safe to have someone in the way back.

After the long day, this morning came much to quickly. However, it was back to the usual saturday routine for WATSAN, back a the center. It has been really overcast today, and at lunch my mother said that it was about time for the very little rain that they get during the spring and summer to arrive. She must have felt it in her bones, cause i was amazed to see it sprinkling an hour after her saying that. I'm glad to see a little bit of precipitation! 24 years of Oregon in my blood doesn't make me used to this dry dessert! Well, that's about it for me. Sorry that i don't have many pictures from this week, but we were told that they could easily get taken if we brought them to our site visits. However, there is a picture of me with my first package, which I received today!!!!! I felt like i had won the lottery. So far the best part of my day, and maybe the week. Miss you. Talk to you all soon.