Wednesday, January 30, 2013

The good, the bad, and crying in public is ugly

This week I made a trip out to visit my first host family in San Juan.  I find the trip to be stressful.  It is about 3 hours of bus travel to get from Tacabamba to Bambamarca and from Bamba I waited for over an hour for a truck to fill up so we could ride up to San Juan.  However, once I got there it was a great relief.  I was greeted so warmly by my entire host family.  It felt amazing. 

I brought Witman, Eduar, and my host sisters (who weren't in town, because they are in University in Cajamarca) University of Michigan t-shirts.  The boys were so excited.  They wore them around the whole time I was there.  We walked in the rain to my previous sitemate's site to deliver something from Nate and Kelsey.  It took us about an hour each way, because of the mud.  We baked a chocolate cake.  I helped my host mom Dalila, host grandma Niceda, and some other neighbor women make tamales.  We ate a big family dinner.  We laughed, danced, sang, and were generally very inappropriate.  It was great. 

The next day I stayed through lunch.  After lunch I took Witman and Eduar down to Bambamarca with me to teach them how to use email.  We parted ways and I headed to the home of one of the nurses that I used to work with in San Juan.  She always invites me to her house.  Doli was very close with the previous 2 volunteers that lived in San Juan and she briefly host mom to a small business volunteer Josh, but he had a site change after a year.  Doli is a very kind woman and someone I really enjoy spending time with.  I didn't really get to spend time with her this visit, because she was frantically working on finishing the 2012 end of year reports for the health post. 

It was kind of an awkward visit, because I felt like I was just by myself in her house.  I hung out with Roymer her 5 year old son, but watching him play plants vs. zombies got old quickly.  I made a pizza, because she and I had talked about making pizza together.  We didn't eat it until 9pm.  The next day when I woke up her co-workers were back and I was sitting by myself in the kitchen again.  I decided to leave earlier than we had planned.  I just didn't want to sit around waiting, I felt like I needed to get back to site to get things done. 

So I guess writing this blog post isn't exactly getting things done, but it makes me feel  better.  It is a big effort for me to go visit Bambamarca; time, money, and it is sort of stressful bouncing from house to house with my stuff in a plastic bag.  It is really difficult when I am leaving San Juan and every one's response is to do this whiny nagging 'don't go, you only just got here,' and 'just stay another day, come on.'  It is nice to know that they love me, but it is hard when they do that to me.

I got to Chota today and I was really excited to finally call this woman from the admissions office at University of Illinois medical school.  She had called my parent's home phone on Friday last week saying that she needed to speak with me.  I tried calling her on Monday and Tuesday with no luck; she wasn't in the office and the second time the Internet was not strong enough to support a skype call.  Today when I called her I found out that all the urgency was about her needed to tell me that I would not be receiving an interview.  I was crushed.  I had worked myself up into the giddy happy fantasy that she was trying to get a hold of me to let me know that University of Illinois wanted to interview me when I will be home in February. 

I sent an email to all the schools where I applied to let them know that I would be in the U.S. in February and I was still very interested in an interview.  I thought I had gotten a bite.  I was so upset when she told me that my application was incomplete, because I only had two academic letters of recommendation.  When I was in school I didn't realize I need three and I got two; one from my biochemistry teacher who I really liked and one from my physics professor (because it was one of my only pre-med science classes that I got an A in and I was pretty surprised myself that I liked physics so much). 

I was kind of rude to her on the phone.  I was crying in the internet cafe, not a totally new thing for me-it's happened before.  Although, it has happened it is always humiliating.  I asked her why she couldn't have just emailed me the information.  Instead I was hanging on to this idea that I had an interview for 5 days and I had been trying to contact her for 3 of those days.  It just seemed unfair to me that it was so hard to get a hold of her when I am the one riding in a bus to get to the internet.  This lady probably has internet on her phone and she couldn't email me back Monday in response to the email I sent her on Friday.  (*this is what I think whenever anyone in the U.S. doesn't respond to an email quickly, "that person probably has internet on their phone what gives??)

So I cried for a while, bought myself a coca-cola and a chocolate muffin.  I feel better now, but worried.  I am so worried that I won't get in anywhere and that will mean that things won't go as planned.  I guess if Peace Corps has taught me anything it is to expect that nothing you plan will work out how you planned it to.  So what if I don't get into any of my schools?  I will deal with it and things will work out in a different way.  It is going to be okay. 

I am so lucky that I have such an amazing family and great friends who make me feel strong.  I am so lucky also, because I will get to have an interview at Central Michigan University in February.  Now, that one will go as planned I'm sure of it-I got a confirmation email itinerary and everything.  Sheesh the U.S. advance email itineraries are wonderful.  On the other hand coca-cola in Peru is made with real sugar...it's pretty wonderful too.

Thanks for reading.  Chau for now,
kb
*lots of photos of San Juan visit to come, I forgot to pack the cord for my camera-whoops.  Plus, my old person health class is on friday-I think it's going to be great!

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Carnival; when child snipers attack!


This week felt especially productive.  Diamond and I started writing a grant to fund a boys leadership camp in May, we got permission from the UGEL (Unidad de Gestion Educativa Local = United Administration Education Local) to teach sexual education classes in several high schools in our district, we went to a community meeting in El Naranjo one of the places we have been looking at for one of us to work, and I scheduled 2 more meetings in El Naranjo (sexual health with the ronderos and older adult health). 

My extended host family is still here so there is a house full of people at all times.  I am lucky that I have such a kind host family.  Rosa’s brother and sister have both invited me to go visit their homes.  And they tease me when I say ‘yes’, but explain that I don’t know if I will be able to get vacation time.  It would be especially interesting to go visit Rosa’s sister Elva, because she lives in the amazon jungle.  Plus, now I’m pretty close with her kids.  Still it really bothered me that they made such a big deal that I gave them what I like to call a 'peruvian yes', because I have to deal with that all the time.  Everyday people promise me they will show up to one of my meetings or work with me on something and then just completely flake out.  I have come to expect it at this point-so why where they so shocked? 

Since it is vacations the kids (and adults) around town have been playing a lot of carnivales, which is an excuse to soak innocent neighbors and friends.  I don’t mind playing carnivales with water guns, but the water balloons hurt.  And since anyone at any time could be playing I am constantly on the lookout for water balloons.  The kids hide in the balconies and throw their ammunition like snipers.  It’s fun, but it’s also a little stressful to constantly be looking over your shoulder.  Plus, Diamond and I pose as extra fun targets, so we get hit a lot. 

This week I went to what I think would best be described as a Peruvian wake.  A woman in a nearby community died of cancer, Rosa and her sister Elva were close to her and we went to her family’s house out in the country.  I did not know what to expect, but it really wasn’t very different from any event state side.  The woman’s family cooked a huge meal so they could be prepared to feed anyone who came to show their respects.  Only they cooked over small fires.  There were flies everywhere, probably because of the quantity of raw meat that was processed by hand by a group of women that plopped pieces of flesh into a large plastic tub and tossed the bone and fat aside. 

The smoke and the heat made me really tired and my eyes teary.  Every guest was invited in groups of 6 or so to sit at the kitchen table and eat a big plate of food.  The food was good, but we had just eaten lunch back at the house.  I didn’t know we were going unlike Rosa and her sister who didn’t eat lunch in preparation; I had to wolf down second lunch.  The quantity of food you are given is a reflection of how respected or loved you are by a Peruvian woman (at least that is my theory), and if you don’t finish your plate that is a sign of disrespect.  No matter what excuse you make or how much to tell a Peruvian momma you love her food, if you don’t eat your whole plate you can bet she’s going to hold a little grudge.
Also during carnival is a special tradition called a yunsa tree.  During this carnival celebration; which seems to go from New Year to Easter from what I can gather (not exactly the catholic Lent I know), the yunsa tree is moved week to week between different neighborhoods or communities.  The tree is filled with prizes.  The one that I saw last weekend in Tacabamba had shirts, brooms, big drums of cooking oil, toys, and lots of other stuff.  At the end of the yunsa tree weekly traveling parties people take turns trying to cut it down.  When you take your swing at the tree anything that falls out is yours to keep, but if you are the one to cut the tree down on your turn you are obligated to purchase all the prizes for the next tree.
I went with my visiting host aunt Elva and a family friend Manuel to the yunsa dance on Saturday night.  I had fun dancing.  I'm not such a big fan of the drinking circles, but at one point in the night I was being included in 3 independent circles.  Drinking circles are the just the way that people drink beer at parties.  Everyone in the circle shares a cup and a bottle of beer, it goes around person by person.  I think of it as doing beer shots...warm beer shots, yum right?  Not so much, but you get used to it after a couple parties. 
The music at the yunsa tree party was so loud that I couldn't hear anyone.  Even when a very intoxicated older gentleman shouted into my ear (he spit quite a bit on my face) I still couldn't understand what he was saying.  It may or may not have been worsened by the fact that in December I ruptured my ear drum on my right side.  The next day I was having a lot of ear pain and ringing on one side, but it went away by that Monday. 
This week Diamond and I started our aerobics classes.  Our first class was kind of a flop.  Only 3 people showed up; we calculated our BMIs and did 30 minutes of cardio.  However, we have high hopes for the future. Tomorrow I am scheduled to do a hygiene charla in a nearby community.  I was invited by one of our community health promoters.  It makes me feel really happy that these promoters that we helped to train are doing their own classes in their communities.  I'm excited to see how she does.  Plus, I'm doing the 'ano, mano, boca' or 'butt, hand, mouth' talk about how if you don't wash your hands you are basically eating your poop, thus giving yourself and your family parasites or diarrhea.  That one is always a fun one.
Chau for now, thanks for reading.
kb
first weekend back in Peru Marta invited Diamond and I to her family's home in Chota for lunch.  Marta works for a Peruvian NGO and she is one of my favorite people in Tacabamba.  The is me with her niece Tatiana.

Tatiana playing the princess game with me

she's making me beautiful like a princess she told me



now it's my turn


she was so friendly.  She asked Diamond and I if we are sisters.

Diamond and I with Marta's parents.  I had a good one with Marta too, but it's not uploading right now.  I'll put it up next time.
 
 
 

 

 

Sunday, January 13, 2013

First week back...


Coming back to Peru was rough.  It probably didn’t help that the trip back up to my site from Lima is exhausting.  I immediately felt very alone and I was alone for those 2 days traveling to Tacabamba.  Right now it is summer vacation from school in Peru.  Where I live in Cajamarca a lot of people leave their communities to make extra money as migrant workers during the coffee harvest in the jungle.  So there is not a lot of project work to look forward to during January and February, because people just aren’t around.

When I got home to Tacabamba on Tuesday night I was surprised to find 3 new kids at my house.  My host mom Rosa’s nephews and niece are staying with us for vacations.  They are a pretty rambunctious group and immediately showered me with questions.  My favorite was ‘are you a man or a woman?’ which I thought was uncalled for, but 5 year old Jesus just wasn’t sure about me.  He also asked me if I was married or if I have kids; pretty typical I get that a lot from adults too. 

The next day I hiked up to Ayaque with Diamond and Marta.  Marta works for a Peruvian NGO that has a lot of the same goals as Peace Corps health and we work together a lot.  Marta took over for the promoter who was in charge of Ayaque last year and she needed someone to show her around.  I did not want to hike up to Ayaque the community where Diamond and I spent so much time developing a project only to have it flop in early December, but I figured it would be good for me not to wallow alone in my room.  And it was, good for me.

Showing Marta around really made me realize what a big deal it is that Diamond and I put in all those hours visiting houses and getting to know that community.  I knew names, faces, where the worst dogs live, and the people there knew me too.  So it really sucks that our project didn’t work out and it won’t count towards anything, but I did successfully get to know this community that is so isolated that it seems to often get passed over.   And although my project didn’t work out, I will still be able to advocate on behalf of the community throughout this Municipality project.  Maybe I can keep them honest and make sure that Ayaque doesn’t get forgotten again.

So far our plan for an adult exercise class is not coming together so well, but I’m sure we’ll wear the municipality down.  We aren’t asking for any funding just a space to do the class, so I’m crossing my fingers that we get all the documents signed and stamped soon.  In the meantime the search is on for a new community to work in this year.  In December Diamond and I made a list of all the communities in the district that have a secondary school and a health post.  Now we need to find one that fits for a healthy homes project. 

I’m trying to keep busy.  I’m trying not to worry about med school stuff too much.  I’m trying to not let the rainy season bum me out too much.

Chau for now,
kb

 
 
 

 

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Back to the Rainy Season Reality

I am so lucky.  I was able to go back to the U.S. for the holidays and spend 3 whole weeks surrounded by the people I love.  It felt amazing to be back in my country.  I felt like I fit, I knew how things worked and what to expect.  It was wonderful to be able to express myself fully.  The amount of love and support I felt was incredible. 

On Sunday I left Detroit.  All the sleep deprived travel time between Miami, Lima, and now (I still have 7 hours of van rides to go as I am writing from the regional capital Cajamarca) back to my community Tacabamba.  I am surprised at how emotional it has been.  The sadness of leaving has surprised me.  Rationally I know that I have my Peruvian family and friends (I actually have 2 families since I had that site change in July), not to mention my wonderful Peace Corps family in the volunteers. 

It is much harder than I expected it to be.  However, I have so many great things to look forward to and I need to keep those in mind.  Plus, I have been here for 15 months already and as one volunteer friend pointed out we are 3/5th of the way finished with our service. 

So I'm on my way today to reunite with my Peruvian family in Tacabamba and survive the combes from here to there.  I have more to reflect on, but I think I'll post it this weekend.  I'm started to get worried about no getting back to site until really late.  Thank you everyone who welcomed me home.  I love you all so so much. 

hasta este fin de semana,
kb