Hoping once I was done w/ training, I would keep up w/ my blog at least once a month. Unfortunately that had not happened, thought I would have more time, and yes, I do. It’s just that I have to catch up on other things that actually have dead lines. Something I never thought I was going to have to do once here.
So let me start by sharing a few experiences and things I’ve done through out my first three months at site……….
October: Spring time is here, my favorite season. Well at least back in the states because it meant my birthday would be coming up. Not this time. It’s typical here to celebrate spring with a yearly parade. It's presented in the capital of Trujillo. A few volunteers from the department of La Libertad (The Liberty) and I went to check out this spectacle that everyone talked about. It ended up being a parade well choreographed. Some floats were really creative and some not so much. At bit, there were some international beauty queens that seemed to misinterpret their country, something you’d had to see to believe. Over all the parade was very entertaining,
I’m sure I would have enjoyed it more only if I had not gotten my CELL PHONE STOLEN!! Snatch, right out my by back pack…. For me that’s theft experience number two. Fortunately PC sent me a replacement cell phone that same week with the same number and all, so you all can still NOT call me on the same number, jaja! I’m still waiting for the big one several Peace Corps volunteers go through. I’m not talking about getting an expensive laptop stolen, b/c we already know I experienced that one. I’m talking about the assault/beat down just for one or possibly both of my shoes, hat, and if they're lucky my wallet. OK, that may be a little extreme, but it sure happens with frequency to PC volunteers. That’s just one of several risks we put our self through just to be a volunteer.
Here in Peru it is not customary to celebrate the lively holiday of Halloween. Only the upper class city residents go out and make a night out of it. So I spent the night with one of the artisans I work with and his family. They were very curious as so how Halloween is celebrated back home. I shared some of my many scary stories I experienced as a child and kept my experiences as an adult going to Halloween parties to a minimum.
Through out the month of October, other than working and hanging out at the shop, I’ve been attending meetings with youth from my community and teaching them leadership skills. The same group has also been invited by a Peruvian Congressmen to help him with a toy drive this Christmas. I will also be assisting with the toy distribution next week here in my community and also in coastal towns near by.
Something with a bit of importance that happened in October was the celebration of the”Virgen del Rosario” (St. Rosary). I participated in an eight mile run that began the festivities. Prior to the run I had a little discomfort in my right knee but nothing that would concern me till the day of the race. I won’t get into greater detail about it but I ended up running and finishing the race in an hour twenty. By the end of the race I was no longer able to bend my knee. It was hurting with great pain, that’s when it began to concern me. I knew I was in great condition to attempt such race. I ask my self, what could it be? Two weeks later I attended an artisan fair at the US Embassy with the artisans I work with. While there, I spoke to the Peace Corps doctor. After having an MRI done and analyzed the results here, then in Washington, it concluded being a minor cyst. They said I could wait two years and finish my service but with no strenuous sporting activities or I could get the surgery done sometime soon. Since I don’t want to wait around with the pain in my knee for two years, I decided to get the surgery. I will find out when and where the surgery will take place early next month.
November: About three weeks ago the Peru 11 group (the group I flew down with and trained for three months) completed the first three months of service. Yes, we know it’s not much compared to how much we have left (21 months).
After three months each PC group gets together again in a meeting called reconnect. Not only did we celebrate and shared all our experiences so far but we also had sessions with several PC staff. It was nice to hear what some people are going through and a great opportunity to share ideas for future projects in my town. Reconnect was held in a mid-size town on the beach called Pacasmayo. The first day there I was playing in a game of American football, concluding in a sprained ankle. Nothing serious but it impaired my plans to rent a surf board and catch a few waves. Coincidentally, reconnect was held during the same week as thanksgiving. We were able to enjoy a wonderful thanksgiving lunch on Wed. since it was the last day of our sessions. So everyone was ready to hit the road and enjoy the rest of the week that was given to us as free vacation time. Myself and three other volunteers, Nate and his wife Milene, and a new volunteer that transferred here from Bolivia (since Peace Corps program no longer exist in Bolivia due to political reason) we all headed even further north to Mancora. Mancora is a Beach town about two hrs. south of the boarder of Ecuador. The weather was perfect, the food was awesome and the swelling in my ankle had gone down enough for me to enjoy the swells of the ocean. So I went out for a few rides and also gave the other surfing-virgins a few lessons. All-in-all, a great week!!
I enjoyed Mancora so much I will be accompanying several volunteers for the welcoming of the New Year! My way to celebrate…. Beach, beer, and
As far as Christmas goes, I will take it easy and enjoy the festivities here in my town and enjoy whatever exquisitely exotic foods they prepare.
While on the topic of surfing, I began giving surf lessons to the kids
on Trujillo’s main beach called Huanchaco. Its one thing I really wanted to do as a volunteer and its already happening. Unfortunately I’m not giving lessons here in my own town due to the fact that the water is quite choppy and there are no shops to rent out boards from. Once the kids start their summer break I will bring a few of them down with me and give them lessons. I was able to meet a great o
wner/instructor of a surf shop. They provide the boards, wetsuits, tamales and drinks for after the sessions, at no cost at all…. Including me : )
On a final note, I’d like to say that everything out here isn’t going as easy or great as it may sound. I have had my times where I question what I am doing; I’ve had my ups ands downs, from dealing with culture shock and having to adjust not being able to be my complete self in order to succeed as a volunteer. These are all things also included in our extensive training, but in reality you learn it while in the field. Its great having such a great PC support system here in Peru to get you through those though times. No worries, I’m sticking through it and enjoying this rollercoaster experience, no matter how many worms I poop out (no, that has not happened to me yet).
Happy Holidays to everyone and don’t forget to welcome this New Year with a great spunk!
P.S. I just reopened my guitar bag……
So let me start by sharing a few experiences and things I’ve done through out my first three months at site……….
October: Spring time is here, my favorite season. Well at least back in the states because it meant my birthday would be coming up. Not this time. It’s typical here to celebrate spring with a yearly parade. It's presented in the capital of Trujillo. A few volunteers from the department of La Libertad (The Liberty) and I went to check out this spectacle that everyone talked about. It ended up being a parade well choreographed. Some floats were really creative and some not so much. At bit, there were some international beauty queens that seemed to misinterpret their country, something you’d had to see to believe. Over all the parade was very entertaining,
I’m sure I would have enjoyed it more only if I had not gotten my CELL PHONE STOLEN!! Snatch, right out my by back pack…. For me that’s theft experience number two. Fortunately PC sent me a replacement cell phone that same week with the same number and all, so you all can still NOT call me on the same number, jaja! I’m still waiting for the big one several Peace Corps volunteers go through. I’m not talking about getting an expensive laptop stolen, b/c we already know I experienced that one. I’m talking about the assault/beat down just for one or possibly both of my shoes, hat, and if they're lucky my wallet. OK, that may be a little extreme, but it sure happens with frequency to PC volunteers. That’s just one of several risks we put our self through just to be a volunteer.Here in Peru it is not customary to celebrate the lively holiday of Halloween. Only the upper class city residents go out and make a night out of it. So I spent the night with one of the artisans I work with and his family. They were very curious as so how Halloween is celebrated back home. I shared some of my many scary stories I experienced as a child and kept my experiences as an adult going to Halloween parties to a minimum.
Through out the month of October, other than working and hanging out at the shop, I’ve been attending meetings with youth from my community and teaching them leadership skills. The same group has also been invited by a Peruvian Congressmen to help him with a toy drive this Christmas. I will also be assisting with the toy distribution next week here in my community and also in coastal towns near by.
Something with a bit of importance that happened in October was the celebration of the”Virgen del Rosario” (St. Rosary). I participated in an eight mile run that began the festivities. Prior to the run I had a little discomfort in my right knee but nothing that would concern me till the day of the race. I won’t get into greater detail about it but I ended up running and finishing the race in an hour twenty. By the end of the race I was no longer able to bend my knee. It was hurting with great pain, that’s when it began to concern me. I knew I was in great condition to attempt such race. I ask my self, what could it be? Two weeks later I attended an artisan fair at the US Embassy with the artisans I work with. While there, I spoke to the Peace Corps doctor. After having an MRI done and analyzed the results here, then in Washington, it concluded being a minor cyst. They said I could wait two years and finish my service but with no strenuous sporting activities or I could get the surgery done sometime soon. Since I don’t want to wait around with the pain in my knee for two years, I decided to get the surgery. I will find out when and where the surgery will take place early next month.
November: About three weeks ago the Peru 11 group (the group I flew down with and trained for three months) completed the first three months of service. Yes, we know it’s not much compared to how much we have left (21 months).
After three months each PC group gets together again in a meeting called reconnect. Not only did we celebrate and shared all our experiences so far but we also had sessions with several PC staff. It was nice to hear what some people are going through and a great opportunity to share ideas for future projects in my town. Reconnect was held in a mid-size town on the beach called Pacasmayo. The first day there I was playing in a game of American football, concluding in a sprained ankle. Nothing serious but it impaired my plans to rent a surf board and catch a few waves. Coincidentally, reconnect was held during the same week as thanksgiving. We were able to enjoy a wonderful thanksgiving lunch on Wed. since it was the last day of our sessions. So everyone was ready to hit the road and enjoy the rest of the week that was given to us as free vacation time. Myself and three other volunteers, Nate and his wife Milene, and a new volunteer that transferred here from Bolivia (since Peace Corps program no longer exist in Bolivia due to political reason) we all headed even further north to Mancora. Mancora is a Beach town about two hrs. south of the boarder of Ecuador. The weather was perfect, the food was awesome and the swelling in my ankle had gone down enough for me to enjoy the swells of the ocean. So I went out for a few rides and also gave the other surfing-virgins a few lessons. All-in-all, a great week!!I enjoyed Mancora so much I will be accompanying several volunteers for the welcoming of the New Year! My way to celebrate…. Beach, beer, and
As far as Christmas goes, I will take it easy and enjoy the festivities here in my town and enjoy whatever exquisitely exotic foods they prepare.
While on the topic of surfing, I began giving surf lessons to the kids
on Trujillo’s main beach called Huanchaco. Its one thing I really wanted to do as a volunteer and its already happening. Unfortunately I’m not giving lessons here in my own town due to the fact that the water is quite choppy and there are no shops to rent out boards from. Once the kids start their summer break I will bring a few of them down with me and give them lessons. I was able to meet a great o
wner/instructor of a surf shop. They provide the boards, wetsuits, tamales and drinks for after the sessions, at no cost at all…. Including me : )On a final note, I’d like to say that everything out here isn’t going as easy or great as it may sound. I have had my times where I question what I am doing; I’ve had my ups ands downs, from dealing with culture shock and having to adjust not being able to be my complete self in order to succeed as a volunteer. These are all things also included in our extensive training, but in reality you learn it while in the field. Its great having such a great PC support system here in Peru to get you through those though times. No worries, I’m sticking through it and enjoying this rollercoaster experience, no matter how many worms I poop out (no, that has not happened to me yet).
Happy Holidays to everyone and don’t forget to welcome this New Year with a great spunk!
P.S. I just reopened my guitar bag……
