So far the roads are open

It sounds like the roads are going to be open for a while, because they can't decide when to start the strikes again.  A fellow volunteer emailed me these links to a PBS documentary about the mine that the people are protesting it's very interesting;

"This video is interesting, and I just wanted to share it with other volunteers in Cajamarca.  It's a PBS documentary about Yanacocha from a number of years back.  If you do watch it,  keep in mind that an ounce of gold is now worth USD$ 1600.00."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OdJ9eRv_LY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjtwrBJwVVg&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pklvtvq5g8g&feature=related

Chris Cobb

Voluntario de Cuerpo de Paz
Desarrollo de Pequeños Negocios
Tembladera, Cajamarca

My family decided not to travel for Christmas and I am kind of relieved-this way I can definitely skype home on Christmas day and hang out with the other volunteers in the area.  I have heard that someone got a hold of the movie Elf and the original Grinch cartoon...I'm pretty excited.  Also I can finally send my mail on monday 26.12-there are a lot of people that I are going to be getting some late responses from me.  

So if anyone is available to skype on Christmas day or the 26th I will have internet.  I'm thinking I can get to Chota by the afternoon and I'll try to just log on and if people want to talk I'll be hanging out.  Otherwise email me if you'd like to skype I can usually get down to Bambamarca 2 (sometimes 3 times!) a week to use internet.

Apparently in Peru Christmas day isn't really a big deal, but on Christmas Eve at midnight families eat a big meal together.  I'm not sure about the gift exchange customs yet, but I'll report back on Sunday/Monday.  Even though the majority of people are Catholics here it sounds like nobody goes to Church ever- not even Chrieasters (the people that only go on Christmas and Easter)!  There is a small; but present, population of Jehovah's Witnesses and Evangelicals in my community.  Last week a man tried to evangelize me while we were crammed into the back of a truck going back up to San Juan.  I couldn't escape from it for the would 30 minute ride, but I am proud to say that I found that I had the vocabulary to defend evolution.  

This week I started doing encuestas or surveys at the health post as part of my community diagnostic project.  I am starting to realize that they may be harder than I thought, because it seems that the a lot of women cannot read or at least not well enough to do my encuesta without me filling it in for them.  I may have to revise it somehow.  This diagnostic is due at the end of February, so I have plenty of time to procrastinate more.

Hope everyone is well and Feliz Navidad!  Please skype/email when you want to skype!

Cuidate mucho a todos!

KB