The Spirit of Volunteerism

The other day I held a healthy homes session with a new group of moms in Chavin. At the end of the session, one of the mothers approached me and told me she would like to help me by serving as a Quechua translator when I go out to the more isolated communities where the majority of people don’t speak Spanish. It was a pretty significant moment for me because it was the first time in my year and a half here that I encountered someone wanting to volunteer their time to help others in the community without being asked. I was also encouraged to think that perhaps my passion for health promotion had inspired something in her. As a Peace Corps volunteer, my ability to make things happen is largely dependent on collaboration with community members. More often than not, this experience is like pulling teeth. I think a lot of this is due to the fact that I’m working with people that already have full-time jobs and other responsibilities so it can be challenging for them to find the time. But also, I think the concept of volunteerism is something we take for granted in the US. Starting in our youth we’re given opportunities to volunteer in any number of settings, and giving back to the community is something we’re encouraged to do at all ages. That’s not the case here. I often have to take a few minutes to explain what a volunteer is and people find it hard to believe that I don’t get paid to do my job. So, when I call on people to volunteer their time in the name of health, I think they find it hard to see the value especially when there is no material incentive. That being said, I think you can understand why I left this meeting unable to stop smiling. I had perceived the spirit of volunteerism in someone else and it was refreshing. As my service approaches its final months, I find myself reflecting on the past 22 months and sometimes feeling pleased with what I’ve accomplished and others times a little bit less than impressed. Behavior change is hard and takes time. Even the structural improvements we’re making to improve health, like improved cookstoves, have a limited lifespan. I realized a while back that, more so than anything, I want people to remember me as someone who was dedicated and gave of her time without expecting anything in return. One of the best possible accomplishments I can imagine is inspiring a few people in Chavin to do the same.

Kindergarten parade in the community of Machac

Handwashing demonstration with Sra. Libertad in the elementary school of Chavin

View from cemetery in neighboring Huantar

Hiking out to Chichucancha during the rainy (mud) season

Family garden session with the mothers of Chichucancha 



On the beach in Huanchaco with a very special guest

Mid-Service Reflections

It’s hard to comprehend how over half a year has passed since my last entry, but Peace Corps time seems to work that way. The days can be long, but overall the time moves unbelievably fast. Now, so much has transpired that it’s kind of daunting to even figure out where to begin but, for my own peace of mind (and my few faithful readers), I need to attempt to get some of these experiences and thoughts out. I now have less than one year left in Peru which makes for some very mixed emotions- part of me can’t wait to get home and be back with my loved ones, living in the much more predictable and on-time US of A; the other part of me realizes that I’ve come to feel at home in Chavín and I don’t even want to think about how hard it will be to leave my friends and colleagues here. For those of you that have lived in a small town, you can probably understand how you get used to seeing the same faces, going to the same lunch spot, and chatting with the same store owners almost every day.

One of my favorite community members...Elvis...aka Pigpen

While I’m very much a city girl, there’s a wonderful sense of security and community that comes with such a routine. It’s funny how 27 months seems like a long time at the beginning, but now with less than 12 to go it doesn’t seem long enough (I know that one will make my mom cringe as she keeps threatening me that coming home after November 27, 2012 is not an option in my life). So, I’m going to break it down like this…

Work

Work is hard…enough said? It’s everything all the volunteers and tech trainers said it would be during our training in Lima, and more. We were told to expect challenges- lack of commitment, people showing up late or not at all to trainings, and trying to change lives on a very limited (or non-existent) budget. All of these things have proven to be true, but I’ve also been blessed with some stellar community counterparts so I’ve never felt completely at a loss. More so lately (probably because I’ve been in my site for over a year and I don’t think it should still be this way), I’ve been frustrated with the lack of tangible products from my work. I’m a perfectionist and I have an idea of how I want things to go; not so feasible in a rural zone of a developing country. The upside is that when you have a really good training, or some good feedback from the community, it is the most wonderful feeling.

We have 3 target groups with which we work- mothers, youth and community health promoters. I’ve been advancing with all three groups. I continue to do regular cooking classes with a group of moms from the community of Virgen del Carmen. We’ve made everything from banana bread to potato latkes to lentil sloppy joes! I try to come to them with meals that are nutritionally balanced, tasty, and that use ingredients that are easy to come by here but prepared in a new way. I hope to have a nice little cook book to give to them at the end of our classes.

Potato latke and salad

He approves of the finished product

Last month I began a healthy homes project in Chichucancha which I hope will be the masterpiece of my service. There is so much work to be done in this very isolated and impoverished community of Chavín. I’ve begun working with a group of 24 moms in a project that includes 5 sessions on a variety of health-related topics, infrastructural changes (like a family garden and improved practices in breeding of small animals), and the installation of improved cook stoves to eliminate smoke in the home. During our last round of house visits, I was struck by how difficult behavior change can be. I plan to work with these families for the duration of my service in the hopes that I make a tiny impact on their health behaviors. We’re trying to change practices that have existed for generations in a matter of months. I was moved to tears when I watched a little girl brush her teeth for possibly the first time ever and her mouth turned red from her bleeding gums. I felt overwhelmed and discouraged, but at the same time hopeful that the next time I visit her home she’ll be brushing her teeth regularly, along with her 3 siblings. The phrase “planting seeds” has been on my mind a lot lately. That’s what I’m doing, and I hope to see them grow in my time here; realistically, it will probably be many years down the road that the real fruits are seen.

Moms and kids during a nutrition session in Chichucancha

One of the senoras in a healthy home, showing off her homemade pantry

I’ve got some awesome adolescents that I’m working with in the secondary school of Machac. It’s taken a few months to get to know them and to identify the ones that want to learn and not just make jokes about our sessions and my accent, but I have a great time with them. We recently recorded a radio spot for World AIDs days which aired on the municipality’s radio station. Unfortunately, many of them will be headed to Huaraz or Lima to work during their school break, but I’ve got plans to train some youth health promoters when they return in March. I really had to think back to when I was a teenager to understand how to work with these guys. It's an age when the opinions of your peers matter more than anything so it was just a matter of spending time with them so they started to care about what I was bringing to the table- health may not be cool, but I think they're starting to think more about their futures and how health is a major part of that.

Together with the health center of Chavín I began a series of trainings with the community health promoters on themes like leadership, effective communication and teamwork. These promoters have had a lot of technical training, but many are lacking the interpersonal skills they need to be leaders in their communities. That’s what we’re focusing on and the feedback from the promoters themselves has been very positive.

Busting a very concentrated move with some of our health promoters during a training session

Chavín has proven to be a great place to complete my Peace Corps service. It’s kind of a unique and daunting site because it’s so large: a district with over 30 communities. But, this has allowed me the opportunity to work in multiple communities at once, and just like at home, see how great disparities in income, education and health can exist in one small area.

Travels

One of the best things about serving in Peru is the opportunity to travel and see such diverse landscapes within one country. I’ve already made it clear that the mountains of Peru are where I feel most at home and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. However, in these past months I’ve had the opportunity to visit some very awesome places:

•         In July, I celebrated our Independence Day by running a 5K race with several other volunteers. This was on the coast of Peru in Pacasmayo. It was a short trip, but a memorable one complete with fireworks on the beach. I hope to return next year for the 10K…or maybe the half marathon?...we’ll see!

Post run...we all got medals; no 1st place here!

•         In August I was overjoyed to welcome my mom to Peru! This was by the far the longest we’ve gone without seeing each other and I was so excited for her to see my reality here. We spent the first week of her visit in Cuzco, where we spent not one, but two days at Machu Picchu. I had visited this wonder before when I studied in Chile (almost 10 years ago!), but it was just as awe-inspiring the second time around. The natural beauty of this place is unlike any other, but there is also an energy there that is palpable. We were accompanied by the best tour guide ever, who was from Cuzco and able to explain the significance of many of the structures in Machu Picchu. From there, I took mom out to my site where we just hung out and enjoyed each other’s company. We had lunch with my host mom and my main community partner, where we were served the classic Peruvian dish, pachamanca. It was funny to see my mom’s face whenever she was given a plate of food; it made me remember how I used to be freaked out by the size of the portions here…not anymore! We hung out with the kids in my community who could barely get out a “hello” when they saw my mom, clearly taken aback by her light skin and grey hair. I had to serve as translator for my mom while she was in Chavín which made me realize how grateful I am for my translators in the communities where Quechua is the predominant language- it’s hard work! One of the funniest things was how people would practically yell at my mom in really slow Spanish thinking she would be able to understand them that way. Apparently people do that in all cultures. What really struck me though is how welcoming people were to my mom and what an effort they made to make her feel comfortable. I felt like I was bringing together my two families, and it was a beautiful union!

Daybreak in Machu Picchu

With our tour guide, Miguel

 

Mom and the kids

•   In October, I made a trip to Iquitos, in the jungle of Peru, where I participated with a bunch of volunteers in the Great Amazon River Raft Race. I knew going into it that this wasn’t going to be one of those comfortable vacations, but my expectations were surpassed in every way. Iquitos itself was an awesome city with all sorts of new sights and sounds. The majority of our time there though was spent rafting down the Amazon River in a raft constructed by locals (with a little bit of assistance from us) in some pretty rough conditions; I’d never done any sort of rowing before either so that was a new experience in itself. Honestly, I’m not going to get into all the details because it could be a whole entry in itself and there are people reading who don’t need to know how “exciting” things got, but suffice to say that it was epic, and the “Brown Team”- my raft mates and I- have become the stuff of Peace Corps legend. I returned from the jungle sunburnt and eaten by mosquitos, with a seriously injured knee, and minus my ipod and camera, but I wouldn’t take it back for anything.

Brown Team on the Amazon...yours truly is in the back right of this photo

Randoms & Funnies…

It seems that many of my most memorable moments at site happen while I’m in Chichucancha. One day I was returning to Chavín from the health post there with the doctor. We had made arrangements for a car to pick us up from the health post, but it hadn’t showed so we decided to start walking. On our way down we encountered a campesino walking his many animals including a pair of bulls which seemed calm enough. However, at that moment our car came roaring around the corner of the very narrow mountain road which totally freaked out the bulls, which then came charging in our direction. I’m not going to lie- there have been a few times where I’ve thought “this could be it” on that road, but at that moment I found myself wondering whether I would die being speared by a bull or jumping off the side of the mountain. In the end, the bulls ran right past us, but the doctor and I were huddled together on the edge of the road; I was saying, “Oh my God, Oh my God!” while she was saying, “Ay Dios Mio, Ay Dios Mio!” In moments like those, you can’t help but revert to your native tongue. Once our heart rates went down, we had a good laugh in the end. Occupational hazard I guess! I love my job!

Speaking of bulls, I saw my first (and last) bull fight in Chavin during their annual fiestas. It was a little bloody for my tastes, but still an impressive event. The stadium in Chavin is huge!...the closest thing I'll get to Fenway Park for a while.

Holding a chicken while he gets a vaccine; you should have seen me trying to catch the thing!

Beyond reading, watching movies on my laptop, and trying to teach myself how to play the guitar, cooking and baking are my favorite hobbies in site. I've gained quite the reputation as a baker in site. Below is one of my masterpieces...pie de limon. It's similar to lemon meringue pie, but so much better.

Pie de Limon!

Que es lo que pasa en mi barrio?

With the moms of Lanchan, at the monthly weighing and measuring of their kids

After a whirlwind training in the north of Peru, I am beyond content to be back home, in the picturesque mountains and rainy afternoons of Ancash. March has been a month of significant milestones: the 6 month anniversary of our arrival in Peru and our Early In-Service Training. Periodic trainings and workshops are a major part of Peace Corps service and this was the first time all of the health volunteers have been together since November. Of course the main purpose of the meeting was not a volunteer reunion, but rather a chance for us to practice presenting our community diagnostics before we do it in front of our communities in April. This training was a much needed recharge for me. Over the past month I had been feeling increasingly frustrated with the obstacles encountered in getting to know my site and integrate into the smaller surrounding communities (where the need is greatest), where I am still just a visitor who comes in for a few hours to do health questionnaires. I’ve been lacking that experience of living with the people that I’m serving- eating with them, going out to work in the fields, just hanging out and talking. After talking with my program director, we’ve decided it would be beneficial for me to stay out in the caserios for a few days rather than hiking up and down the mountain in one day. This works out well since both Chichucancha and Challhuayaco have health posts where I can sleep. This is my main plan of action for the month of April. I actually already spent my first night in the health post in Chichu earlier this month, during which I learned a few valuable lessons, first and foremost to bring an extra pair of socks because they can get soaking wet through one’s rain boots and that makes for an uncomfortable night’s sleep. Plus, it gets COLD up there at night. I slept in an exam bed with several heavy wool blankets, and was thankful that I had thought to pull out my long underwear for the first time in Peru.

With this new plan of action, and a number of potential project ideas from our recent training, I’m anxious to get back to work in my site. It’s a good feeling to miss your site and the familiar faces you’ve grown accustomed to seeing. On my walk to buy bread the first evening I was back I had to explain to several people that I wasn’t on vacation for two weeks and I was actually doing work. I think a few of them had thought I went back to the US.

I was able to visit two new departments of Peru during training- La Libertad and Piura. It was a great opportunity to experience more of this amazing country, but it also meant way too many hours on buses. I experienced climates and scenes totally unlike that of Ancash- Huanchaco, a lazy tourist/surfer town on the coast, and Sicchez, a rural town in the semi-tropical mountains of upper Piura that reminded me of the interior of Puerto Rico. We could see Ecuador from Sicchez to give you an idea of how far north we went. I can’t say that I minded a little extra oxygen and some sol, playa y arena, but my time out of site helped to assure me that I was placed just where I’m supposed to be. Not only did I miss the climate but also the way of life. I wanted to embrace the first little old Quechua lady that I saw in Huaraz. The common phrase among volunteers in my department is “Ancash is better.” I always thought this was a little silly and elitist because our living conditions tend to be “rougher” than in other departments, but now that phrase genuinely means something to me.

The coming and going of training has also put a little fire in me because I’m realizing how quickly the time is passing and how much work there is to be done. In analyzing the data on my community that I have thus far and seeing the work that other volunteers are doing, I have a better idea of what is and isn’t feasible in my site. I’m starting to organize the mess of qualitative and quantitative data that I have into potential projects. I’m also realizing that there are some serious gaps in information that need to be filled as well. A large part of my success depends on the potential for collaboration with community partners which isn’t always easy. However, one of the realizations I had during training is that I am one of my greatest obstacles to completing a successful two years of service. The job of a Peace Corps volunteer is relatively unstructured. We have numerous reporting requirements, but there is no boss or supervisor monitoring your progress on a daily basis. Each site is unique so there is no standard formula for success. I recently found myself missing having an office or at least a desk to work at. While the hike out to Chichu never ceases to amaze me, sometimes I wish my commute was a little less physically exerting. Basically, what it comes down to is the importance of our personal motivation, and making our actions align with our attitudes. I am strongly motivated by my passion for public health, Christian principles of service and a firm belief that this is my vocation. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve given thanks for doing this at this time in my life, when I have the maturity and discipline to function well in this environment. However, I also have to occasionally fight my tendency towards solitude and believing I can do things just as well on my own. Sometimes it takes a lot of effort to leave my room because I know I can’t just put on my ipod and walk down the street, unnoticed, like I so often did at home. Here, I have to greet strangers with a ‘good morning’ or ‘good afternoon’ and closer acquaintances with a kiss on the cheek and few inquiries about their well-being. My gut reaction when not receiving the warmest welcome at the health center was to say, I don’t need your help, and keep my distance. I’m realizing that a better response is a little more persistence on my part. Peace Corps (and Latino culture in general I believe) is forcing me to be more assertive and step out of my comfort zone. The best part is that these extra efforts at integration always pay off. My happiest times at site are when I’m interacting with people, even if we can’t understand each other in the case of Quechua speakers. In regards to the health personnel, just like me, I’m finding that they start to open up as we get used to seeing each other. I know it's trite, but what I get out of this experience totally depends on what I put into it.

Some potential project ideas for when I have wrapped up my community diagnostic at the end of April are:

·         Begin a “Healthy Families” project in Chichu which would incorporate elements such as improved kitchens, latrines, family gardens and small animal husbandry, as well as sessions on hygiene and nutrition.

·         Implement a behavior change campaign among mothers in Chichu with children (0-6 mo.) to reduce the rate of chronic malnutrition (currently 8 out of 10 children are chronically malnourished).

·         Start a youth group in Chavin with high school students to provide training in health themes so they can later serve as peer health promoters.

·         Small business initiatives including working with the already established artisan group, and helping the mothers of Virgen del Carmen to generate income through baking in their homes.

·         A regular radio spot on health themes.

In other news, Mama Jean is coming to visit for my birthday in August….yay!!! Everyone is excited to meet her here. I can’t wait to see their reaction to my mother being a different color. Even in the US, that was sometimes a tough one for people to grasp. Peruvians share a similar obsession with skin color and lighter skin rules here. From looking at advertisements, you would think all Peruvians are light skinned…kind of like they think all gringos are white with blue eyes from what they see in the media. Sometimes I question whether my arrival would have been met with more excitement if I looked more like the stereotypical gringa, but I’m thankful for the opportunity to change some misconceptions.

I recently had my most US experience in a long time. During a brief layover in Piura City, I ate Pizza Hut, drank a cappuccino, and saw my first American film in a movie theater in Peru. It was a classically cheesy Nicholas Cage film about a witch hunt. I thought it was super entertaining, but my friends told me they would never let me pick the film again; apparently, it was too scary. After the movie, we rode a ferris wheel and saw the most amazing view of the city at sunset. We screamed like we were on a roller coaster (to the delight of the operator), and some of the fear was legit since the structural integrity of the ride was questionable upon close examination. In short, we titled it one of the best days ever.

Overall, it’s been a great first quarter and I look forward to all that is to come. Stay tuned and stay in touch…

Brown team in Sicchez

My bus buddy, Tony...it was such hard work getting this smile!

Me and the ladies in Piura during the best day ever

Welcome to Chavin!

After a little over one month at site, I would like to share some observations and anecdotes from life in Chavin de Huantar:

• The questions I'm asked most frequently are, "Have you tried guinea pig yet?", "Are you adjusting?", and "What are your favorite Peruvian dishes?" Can you tell it's a very gastronomically proud country...with reason of course!
• Guinea pig is good, but too much work.
• Washing clothes by hand is some serious manual labor. I dream about a washer and drier.
• Hiking 3 hours to work is not so bad when you get to see the sunrise over these mountains.
• Public drunkenness is pretty much condoned here. I had a meeting with community members and the president of the community showed up drunk, repeatedly apologizing for being a sinner and demanding several rounds of applause for me before I even spoke. I was the only one who was surprised.
• Rain boots are awesome (and essential).
• Food is love. My host mom has a tendency to love me too much :). For that reason, I am happy to be cooking for myself finally. I ate salads, veggie stirfry and vegetable soup for a week.
• Even after going a week without showering, I'm still the best-smelling one in the room.
• Intermittent access to running water will make you acutely aware of what a blessing it is....sweet water, I will never take you for granted again.
• I occasionally find myself defending my gringa status since the stereotypical gringa has blond hair and blue eyes...I'm working on changing that one.
• Nothing beats the feeling of receiving a care package.
• One must always be prepared to be pulled into an awkward dancing in public situation.
• They waited until AFTER we got to site to inform us that rainy season in Ancash is also the peak time for fleas!
• Fresh baked bread every day is a treat.
• Administering health questionnaires is exhausting, but totally worth it when the senora gives you several kilos of just harvested potatoes for visiting her.

And that's about it for now. My diagnostic is progressing nicely and I'm really starting to feel at home in my site. In my free time, I'm going to start giving English classes next week to students during their summer break. I'm a little intimidated to get up in front of all those kids (and teach for the first time), but I trust that they'll see my good intentions and hopefully go easy on me. If anyone has any teaching/working with youth experience they'd like to share, send it along! 

Graduation, Goodbyes, and What Now?

At the close of my last entry, I was headed to Ancash for my site visit. It’s now about a month later, and I’m back in Ancash (permanently). As I write this it’s thundering and lightning and raining outside, and I’m realizing that this will be my daily reality for the next several months- the rainy season lasts through March. Good thing I invested in a pair of rain boots!

My site visit was good overall. I spent three days getting to know my site, Chavin de Huantar, my community counterpart and my new host family. Chavin is not necessarily what I was preparing myself for over these next 2 years. It’s a medium sized town with a market, hostels, restaurants, internet cabins (although the connection is slower than a turtle), a museum and archeological ruins. Apparently the tourist season is from May through September- when it’s not raining of course. I’m sure there are health behaviors to be addressed in Chavin, but the main town is not in need of latrines and improved kitchens. However, I learned from my counterpart at the health center that there are about 20 caserios, or small communities, that access health services in Chavin. I had the opportunity to visit one, Putcor, with my counterpart as she was doing an evaluation of the school there to see if they were implementing certain health practices (i.e. hand washing and brushing teeth). It was inspiring to see how much these kids knew about good hygiene and how eager they were to show off their healthy behaviors. It was clear that Putcor and the other caserios we passed along the way are much more humble communities and I look forward to doing some exploration in the coming weeks to see where health promotion services are most needed.

My community counterpart in Chavin is a social worker at the health center. Her name is Libertad and she is an amazing lady. She’s older and has been in her position for many years. It’s clear just walking down the street with her that she is well-known and respected. She explained that there used to be 2 social workers at the center and they alternated working out in the community and in the center. However, for about 10 years now she has been on her own. She still does some community outreach and I hope to be able to expand on that. She introduced me to the health center staff and several community officials. Having good community counterparts and people that are willing to carry out projects with us is critical for our effectiveness. I already have a very good feeling with the people I’ve met so far.

While I like my new host family in Chavin, it’s hard to compete with the family that I left behind in Lima. Honestly, it’s just a completely different dynamic. Both of my host parents are teachers so they’re out of the house early in the morning. They have 3 sons and one daughter. The sons are older and are busy working outside of the house and doing their own thing. The daughter is gone most of the week studying in the capital city. My host mom is a sweetheart and very talkative, although she’s super hard to understand. I found myself missing the family dinners in Lima, and most importantly my little Kiarita. What a difference a 2 year old makes! But what I have to understand is that there’s an adjustment process and I went through it in Lima as well. It’s just a matter of time until I’m as comfortable in my new home. The house itself is really nice. My room is part of an addition they’ve recently put on. I have cement walls, a tiled floor and a bathroom with a shower…trust me, this is living large.

Our last few weeks in Lima were nonstop craziness. In those two weeks I had to complete my mini-project (giving a talk on nutrition to the mother’s club in my community and painting a mural of the food pyramid with a fellow volunteer), complete a mini-diagnostic of my community in Lima, as well as preparations for our host family farewell party (for some reason I thought it would be fun to be head of the entertainment committee) and prepare for my departure for sight. This was in addition to our regular routine of technical training and language class. Being so busy made the time go by faster which was exactly what we did NOT want. As slow as those first few weeks of training seemed, suddenly I didn’t want it to end. I grew to love my host family, the Peace Corps staff and language trainers and my fellow volunteers. We threw a great party for our host families. While I was nervous about the entertainment up until the last minute, in the end I think it was a hit. We had everything from interpretive dance to step to Aretha Franklin to saya, which is a typical Peruvian/Bolivian dance. We even rented the costumes so it would be as authentic as possible. We definitely set a precedent for groups to come!

It has been easy for me not to think about the holidays with all that has been going on, but thankfully we did recognize Thanksgiving. That was our final day at the Center and the tech trainers made us breakfast. Before we ate, we all went around and said what we were thankful for. Also, the other volunteers in my community and I made all the fixings for our own thanksgiving dinner that night (I made cornbread), so I got my stuffing, green bean casserole and apple pie, and went home uncomfortably full.

Our official swearing in was this past Friday. The US Ambassador to Peru came to deliver the volunteer oath. It was a very nice ceremony followed by about an hour of picture taking with friends, family and staff. Usually they ship volunteers off to site right after swearing in, but thankfully we were able to spend that night in our communities. It was odd because while each goodbye was difficult, I didn’t feel the need to cry even when others around me were crying. That changed the following morning when I came out of my room and was greeted by Kiara screaming, “Sarita!” and running to me with open arms. The flood gates opened at that moment. It’s amazing how a person can integrate into a family and community in just ten weeks….how will it be after two years? While the goodbyes were difficult, I feel more blessed than anything for having spent this time with my host family and Peace Corps family. Plus, I know we’ll be seeing each other again during my service so there’s some comfort in that.

I traveled with all the Ancash volunteers from Lima to Huaraz. We spent a few days there buying much of the things we’d need to furnish our rooms at site (a bed, small gas stove, cooking supplies, etc.) before parting ways. I know we wanted to make the most of those last few days, but everyone was beyond exhausted from all the activity of the past weeks. I was even more handicapped by a cold and “stomach issues”. I was frustrated because I had been so healthy up until that point. It was just something I didn’t need in addition to the stress of moving to site. However, after some much needed rest and Ciprofloxacine, I’m feeling almost 100% again.

I arrived at site on Tuesday afternoon and have enjoyed this slow down in my routine. Wednesday, December 1st, was World AIDS Day, so I helped my counterpart to give a few talks at the high school on HIV/AIDS and hang a banner on condom use outside of the health center. Beyond that, I’ve spent much of my time in bed trying to get myself in shape to begin the process of integration and my community diagnostic, which will be the foundation of my work. While it’s been a little frustrating to start out this way, it’s given me a chance to write this blog entry and work on my work plan for the first three months. It’s easy to feel a little overwhelmed and lost at this point, even with all the training we’ve been given. It’s just hard to know where to start- hence, the “What Now?” of this entry. However, I know myself and getting out a list of concrete steps will surely help. I can’t believe I’ve reached this point already, and I’m so excited to get going in my work here. However, I need to be patient with myself and the diagnostic process and see where it takes me.

Here is my mailing address for the next 2 years....send me some love!

Sarah Peterson, PCV
Cuerpo de Paz
Casilla Postal 277
Serpost
Huaraz, Ancash, Peru
South America

To the Mountains We Go!!

I recently returned from four days of field-based training in the department of Ancash. It was a welcome break from my daily routine of technical training and language class in the training center. We traveled overnight by bus from Lima to Huaráz, the capital city of Ancash. After a brief stopover there, we continued another 3 hours on bus to Chavín. This trip was a lot more bumpy and curvy. I am so thankful to not suffer from motion sickness or I think travel over these next few years would be miserable. The landscape on the other hand was incredible. After 6 weeks in dusty Lima, it was a breath of fresh air (literally) to be in the mountains of the sierra. There is the cordillera (mountain range) negra and the cordillera blanca so we could see lots of vegetation and occasionally a snow capped mountain. Altitude sickness was a concern for many people including myself, but I didn’t find it necessary to take the medicine they provided for us. It did take a bit of an adjustment and I found myself short of breath at times, especially on some of the hikes we had to do to get to the communities where we were working, but overall I would say the altitude agreed with my body- which is a very good thing since this is where I will be completing my service!

We had a few hours to explore the Chavín ruins upon our arrival. These ruins remain from a pre-Incan civilization, and similar to Macchu Picchu, it is a mystery how they managed to construct the structures and tunnels that remain.

From there, it was work, work, work! Day 1 was spent at a local secondary school. We worked with kids to create a sociodrama, which is basically a brief skit which incorporates a health message. Our kids were reluctant to go along with anything until I asked if they liked sports and we then settled on a skit that involved soccer along with the message of why exercise is important. Honestly, I think they were more excited about getting a chance to play soccer, but it was nice to see some enthusiasm from an otherwise very quiet group. After that we worked with youth health promoters that had received training from a Peace Corps volunteer who has been in the community for about 2 years now. It was pretty challenging to get them to open up to us about issues in their community, but it’s understandable given that we are strangers and they are adolescents. That combination does not make for the most stimulating conversation. However, it was a useful exercise and we did learn a lot from them in the end. I learned that I need to be patient with the process, and this is why we serve for two years. It takes time to build up the trust necessary to execute our projects. We finished off the day with a mural on HIV/AIDS prevention.

Days 2 and 3 were spent learning how to build latrines and improved kitchens. I enjoyed engaging in some manual labor and getting my hands dirty. Both structures involve the use of adobe bricks and barro (basically earth, water and straw) to put them together. I helped to mix the barro both days which is pretty tough work. Both latrines and improved kitchens fall within the Peace Corp’s health goal of rural environmental health promotion. We promote the construction and proper use of latrines to prevent people from doing their business in the fields which is a major contributor to food contamination and sickness. The construction of improved kitchens helps to eliminate the health consequences of cooking over open fires within the home, i.e. respiratory illness, eye problems and back problems. It’s not enough to simply know how to build these things. We also have to be able to convince people to change their behaviors and understand how it will improve their health and that of their families.

Our final day in the campo was a little bit different. We took another long, curvy, bumpy bus ride to what seemed to be the middle of nowhere. Our bus couldn’t even make it to the final destination and we had to finish up the trip on foot. It was more than worth it. It was a beautiful retreat in the mountains where we were taught about the importance of nonverbal communication. It was somewhat of a ‘touchy feely’ exercise, but probably one of the best days I’ve had here so far. There were a lot of hugs going on, and I hadn’t even realized how much I miss that! The message that was really driven home for me was the importance of our motivations in serving as a PC volunteer. Inevitably, there will be culture shock and difficulty with the language (especially in the sierra where Quechua is spoken as much, if not more than, Spanish). However, we can communicate so much through our gestures, actions and attitudes. This was a message I needed to hear right now as I’m entering into the final weeks of training and thinking about what it’s going to be like when I’m on my own. I’m still in a relatively urban area and surrounded by other PC trainees and staff every day. It’s going to get a lot harder very soon, but my confidence was boosted by what we learned that day. Working in health promotion means that our “business” is people; if our work is motivated by love and respect, that will be apparent no matter how inadequate our language skills are. Our work needs to involve not only teaching people about behavior change, but inspiring them to do so.

And finally, yesterday was a significant day in our training. We received our long-anticipated site assignments so we all now know where we will be living for the next 2 years. I am in somewhat of a special situation since I’ve already been to my sight…and I know that I’m going to love it. I have been assigned as a replacement volunteer in Chavin which I mentioned above. Of course, I didn’t know it at the time we were there. Chavin is a larger community with a major health center. That resource, along with consistent internet access and cell service will be key to completing my MPH requirements along with my Peace Corps projects. I am totally thrilled with my site and happy to know that our Program Director took my concerns into account. On a side note, Chavin definitely draws tourists and has some great hostels…so visitors will be more than welcome (google Chavin de Huantar for more info)! Plus, I’m only about a 3 hour bus ride from the capital city of Ancash.

After just a few days at home to wash clothes and catch up with my family, I’m turning around and heading back to Ancash tonight for regional field based training. I will be there for almost two weeks and will be spending about 4 days with my new host family and getting acquainted with my new site. We are a group of about 14 health volunteers that will be in Ancash. Most of the volunteers are clustered around each other with the exception of myself and one other volunteer. While I will miss seeing my good friends on a daily basis, it will be good to be on my own and getting to know my new community.

As always, thanks for your comments and support!

One month anniversary

 

I just celebrated my one month anniversary in Perú!  Sometimes, it seems like I just arrived yesterday.  Then, at other times, when I consider all the information I’ve been given and experiences I’ve had, it’s hard to believe it has been ONLY a month.  Here are some highlights of the past few weeks:

Technical Training

Nearly every day we are covering a new topic related to the technical skills we will need to implement health projects in the community.  Now that we’ve covered community diagnostic tools, we’re turning our attention to health indicators in Peru and potential program areas.  Chronic malnutrition and anemia are major problems here, strongly related to poverty and lack of education.  In this area, mothers and children will be our target audience.  We’ve been given training in exclusive breastfeeding and complementary feeding which are both critical in a child’s development and growth.  I now know how to prepare a cheap, home remedy for diarrhea since diarrheal diseases are very prevalent.  We’ve been given training in the preparation of affordable, nutrient-rich foods such as liver and sangrecita, which is congealed chicken or cow blood…there’s no better way to say it, unfortunately.  And yes, we had to try these things ourselves.  The liver was a little tough to swallow, but surprisingly, the sangrecita was pretty agreeable when cooked with onions and other spices.

                We spent last Saturday morning at the Agricultural University in Lima learning all about how to start our own (or community) gardens, and select seeds for planting and harvesting.  This was incredibly fun and useful.  I never thought of myself as someone who likes to garden, but I am so excited to get to site and start planting!  The university students taught us each step from the preparation of the earth, to planting, pest control, and harvesting.  Yesterday we returned to the University for our second lesson which was in small animal husbandry.  Let me know if you have any questions on raising ducks or chickens J.

                Another area we touched on is early stimulation for children.  I wasn’t aware until now how critical the first years of life are to a person’s development.  A lot of it is common sense really (to us).  Parenting resources abound in the states, and we don’t find it odd to talk or sing to babies.  However, in rural Peru this can be a little strange for mothers.  So, one way in which we can help is to offer educative sessions in early stimulation where mothers are encouraged to interact with their babies.  Since it wouldn’t really be feasible to tell these women to go out and buy toys, we were able to practice making toys from household materials.  The Peace Corps clearly understands the need to implement these activities in an affordable, sustainable way.

                Lastly, we learned about several of the initiatives that Peace Corps Peru has going on; this is in addition to (but complementary with) the health program goals. All volunteers will have the opportunity to join committees on Youth Development, Women in Development and Gender Issues, and HIV/AIDS.

Cultural Knowledge

                Our language professor arranged for us to take a trip to the National Museum in Lima to see a relatively new exhibit on Sendero Luminoso (SL).  For those that are not familiar with it, SL was a terrorist group in Peru, very active until about ten years ago.  Their idea was to do away with the bourgeois and foreign institutions and replace them with a revolutionary communist regime.  Their tactics became increasingly violent and it was the people in the rural areas of Peru that suffered the most.  Because this was taking place in the country, the government was slow to react.  When they finally did send armed forces, the peasants were caught in the middle.  Tens of thousands of people living in the rural areas were killed, either because they were suspected of being terrorists or because they did not support SL.  Only when the terrorism reached the urban areas did the government increase their efforts to stop the movement.  The leader of the SL movement was captured in 1992.  Many unjust imprisonments occurred as a result of the government’s fervor to eliminate SL from Peru.  However, SL is not completely dead and small cells are still active in the Peruvian jungle (one of the reasons that Peace Corps does not place volunteers there).  Nearly 70,000 people died between 1980-2000, and the photo exhibit we saw was a result of the National Commission of Truth and Reconciliation.  This is a part of recent history, and in talking with my host family and other Peruvians, the wounds are clearly very fresh.  We have to take this into account when dealing with issues of cultural integration once we go to our sites.  People in the rural areas may, understandably, be a little distrusting of outsiders.

Family Time and Just for Fun

                Last Sunday I made my first meal for my host family.  I made pizza and salad, which I’m pretty sure they liked.  It’s funny because while I’ve certainly consumed a lot of pizza at home, this is the first time that I actually made it… with homemade crust even!  It turned out beautifully, but it was kind of funny how it went down.  My meal ended up being an appetizer and then my host mom followed it up with soup and potatoes.  I wasn’t at all offended because they complemented the food a lot, but clearly the amount of food was not what they were accustomed to.  I was very pleased with the big salad which my host mom liked as well.  For my next meal, I will be making chili (by request).  This I can serve over a mound of rice so hopefully my meal can stand alone next time.

                Last week I attended Ms. Chosica 2010.  I’ve never seen a beauty pageant live and this was a trip to say the least.  The girls were pretty young so I couldn’t get over some of their outfits.  However, there was a traditional dress segment representing all the different regions in Peru that was really interesting.  In the end, my host sister’s friend was crowned Ms. Chosica so we went crazy for her.

                I went with a group of volunteers last weekend to see a salsa band from Cuba, and we danced non-stop.  I think they appreciated the enthusiasm of the gringos because they invited a bunch of us up on stage with them.  I jumped right up there and had a great time.  I believe video was taken so hopefully I’ll be able to share that via facebook.

                Finally, I went to Octoberfest in Lima yesterday.  I love doing things like that in foreign countries because they always have some local flavor.  Of course the main attractions were beer and sausage.  I had my picture taken with the guinea pig mascot in German couture…you have to see it.  That would be the Peruvian addition. As I mentioned before, guinea pigs are huge here- as food unfortunately, not as pets.

                I found out today that my host dad will be departing tomorrow to spend several weeks in the jungle where he’ll be working and spending time with family there.  I was pretty bummed to find out that he won’t be coming back until December so this was our last day together.  I made sure to get several family pictures.  He and I shared a nice moment today where he wished me all the best in my new site and assured me that I have a room here anytime I want to return.  I have been blessed with such a good family; I can only pray that the same happens for my two years in site.

And I think I’ll wrap it up for now…stay tuned!  Field-based training and notification of site placements will be coming soon…oh, the anticipation!!

Link to photo album with some new pics:

http://www1.snapfish.com/snapfish/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=3064331016/a=143181697_143181697/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/