Autographs and stamps…
Well it’s 6 am and I have some time to kill while I drink my coffee before work. No better way to kill time than to describe/rant/elaborate about a Peruvian process seen by those of us here on a regular basis. I am referring to the the great and mighty Peruvian paper trail and the steps behind it. Everything here in Peru, be it a document asking for millions of dollars of international aid or the simple work plan you propose for teaching a 6 week environmental class in the primary school, has to come with the right paper work. This includes solicitudes used for the asking of some thing, oficios for the declaration of some thing, invitations, work plans, etc. Every step of the way comes with an official form to document the process. Nothing unusual, I understand.
The next formality lies within my personal favorite, the sello or stamp/seal. Everyone in Peru has a sello. If you don’t have a personalized stamp with at least your name and title most of this paper work is laughed at or treated with minimal importance. The sello. I for one love them. Everyone has their own unique (well, as unique as copying your friends and fellow peers can be) style and design. At the end of meetings, the formation of such documents, or an other “official” business everyone takes turns stamping their approval. [As a side note I am in the market for a new sello, mine currently has my name and Peace Corps only….clearly not formal enough to hang with the big guys]. Nothing too crazy either, just part of the process.
To continue, the next logical step is that all of these documents need to be “signed, sealed, and delivered” to seek proper approval. A document normally appears more “professional” with an array of stamps, colors, and signatures. So naturally when I take it upon myself to write these documents I like to include the authorities whenever possible, specifically when it is something for the district or provincial municipal governments. As you can imagine, the municipal governments are the entity I work with most that simply love and need the sello/document combo to get anything done.
A quick recap: you need to create an official form document for any and everything and this document best include at least one sello if not more for the government.
Now a personal anecdote relating to the process in general…
I have recently been working to get the provincial municipal government of the nearby city Yungay to amplify their trash collection service, reaching my town. The process was complete: Alex (site mate) and I had written the soliciting document, ran around getting the necessary signature/sello combinations, asked for an authorization document from the district municipality, and finally (!) been approved for the trash collection service. Fantastic. We were both ecstatic as new environment volunteers looking for that first big project. The truck finally came for its first run through last week, passing through Alex’s town and then climbing the hill to make its rounds in mine. A few problems emerged however. Being Peru and the Peace Corps this was to be expected. The engineer who tagged along to pick out the most efficient route informed me that we had only but the name of Huashcao on the document and not the 5 surrounding caseríos, or neighborhoods, where the majority of the population, myself included, live. Ah, the fine details. Where was my lawyer father when I needed a proofread? So problem number one is that until we turn in a new document specifically asking for the service in these areas as well they will continue the trash collection only in the “city center” of Huashcao: a booming metropolis with about 40 houses and the school. Problem number two is that the bridge connecting the two towns and their new trash service is broken. The engineer told me we need to fix said bridge before the next go around of collection. Right now the only route from Alex’s town to mine is by driving up the mountain another 15 minutes, passing through a neighboring town, and then driving back down the mountain 15 minutes. This is a waste of time and gas. So two new problems that will need the proper documentation and stamps have arisen.
This was last week. As an individual with my own schedule I was able to draft up the documents the same day and arrange with the mayor to go down to the municipalities the following day to print, sign, stamp, and turn in the documents in a hope to expedite the process. Now, like the process calls for you need at least one authorities stamp/John Hancock to be approved. This being a matter of the legal reaches of Huashcao; the mayor is the one I need. A brief tangent to bring you to speed with our current mayoral administration: despite his friendly attitude our mayor has acquired the nickname of “machete” by some due to the amount of times he has cut meetings or skipped out on important dates. Now this is not the end of the world when you are working on the hora peruana, which calls for things to happen when the happen and not on any sort of deadline. I can normally afford to meander down to his house a few times, passing off notes, attempting the phone call that won’t go through, before getting the stamp. However, the engineer told us we need to fix this bridge within a week’s time in order to continue with the service. What the [expletive]!!! Not the best time to go all “time matters” on me. Whether or not this an exaggeration I do not want to take any chances losing the new trash pick up…that would suck.
So I have been attempting to corner the mayor on short notice to get these documents ready and the bridge fixed. I feel like that nature photographer from “Planet Earth” that staked out a rare bird species for weeks before catching him in his mating ritual. [Apologizes for those not savvy to the “Planet Earth” series…it’s fantastic; you should pick that one up.] The other day he pulled a normal stunt of not showing down the mountain to assist in the printing and more importantly the signing of the documents. So we try again. Yesterday was market day and the time was spent selling and buying bulls until late in the evening out of site. Another failed attempt. So we decided on an early morning meet today before we missed the deadline. I found myself walking the 30 minutes down to his house at 4:30 am guided by the stars in search of the mayor’s coveted sello. Now I don’t mind getting up and leaving early but it is during these wee hours of the morn that the people open up the irrigation canals and channel water to their fields, this being the dry season and all. “Channeling” water to their fields mostly entails flooding the footpaths that one would take to reach a certain mayor’s house. So I found myself stumbling and traipsing through the dark and muddy paths carrying the documents, attempting not to fall. The mayor has a pair of vicious dogs that have still not recognized me as a friend that “welcomed” me as I arrived at the house with barred teeth, plenty of barking, and the occasional sneak attack. After a 5-minute standoff between the dogs and this crazy stick wielding gringo the mayor woke up and realized we had planned an early morning rendezvous. He invited me in and asked me to help him with his stamps. So, I ended up stamping the papers myself after the 4 days of back and forth coordination. Now, with the proper stamps in order I can go down once again to the municipalities and hope for a quick approval. Ah, the process. I do enjoy it; keeps things interesting.
If you want a piece of paper with my stamp let me know, I can get it mailed out in no time…
Hope all is well and that you enjoyed Bastille day.
Best,
Pete
7/03/2010
distract yourself for 10 minutes...
Did I miss all of June? I apologize on behalf of the dedicated readers.
Now it’s July. Another month has drifted by and before long the one year mark will be upon us. So how was June you ask? June was great. June was busy. June was fun.
Why was June great? Well a lot of productive work actually came out of the month as well as some seminars and workshops that may or may not have generated some future ideas for projects. The last month or so I have been working to get a trash collection service in my sight. The current municipal government on the bottom of the hill doesn’t come up and after a few meetings decided they also didn’t have the budget to expand the collection program and climb up the mountain twice a month. Not to worry, we took our request to the provincial municipality (county vs. city kind of thing) and they have agreed to come up to the top of the mountain and pick up trash. Damn, that’s a win I think. Along with the service the two municipalities have pitched in and donated some old metal petroleum cylinders to act as communal garbage cans…yeah those didn’t exist either. This coming week the trash truck is going to make its first trip through the community to check out a route and start picking up trash. Awesome. We are going to paint the cylinders and place a few out for the test run of the service. Now what do you need? Ah that’s right the organization of 1000 Peruvian farmers who understand the risks and benefits of trash management. It’s a good thing the tax dollars are paying me to do just that. We have already spoken with most of the local authorities about the new trash day and have programmed a meeting to discuss the general basics of trash management such as the harms that contaminating the rivers and burning plastic bottles can cause to the environment and us. So, a bit of work is on the plate for this upcoming week and probably into the future with more meetings, trash talks, and the hopeful formation of a trash committee. I am going to keep my fingers crossed for now that the whole thing works out semi-smoothly. You can never have a perfect first run at things but I’m hoping for good results. June was also great because we attended a workshop on designing and managing projects. Now the workshop itself was a bit grueling and long but the result and overall message was positive and helpful. I was able to sit down with my counterpart and think over some future project ideas in the context of writing up project plans and budgets and applying for funding. So all in all a good workshop that will hopefully lead to some bigger things.
Why was June fun? Well every month in Peace Corps is fun in its own interesting and often times odd ways, but June was lots of fun. We (the environment volunteers from Ancash) were able to host and then visit another group of environment folks from the highland region of the department of Lima. They first came to Ancash to see some of our sights and have meetings with local park services and sustainable tourism companies along with other events. The tech exchange then moved to Yauyos (the mountain region south of us in Lima) and we were able to see alpaca farming, lake trout nurseries, go horse back riding, and view some great artesian work. More than anything we were able to see Yauyos, which is an unbelievable part of Peru. It is made up of small mountain towns dropped in the narrow valleys of the central Andes, continuously intersected by waterfalls, raging rivers, and forests. A very cool place with lots of interesting work being done by volunteers. So we were able to relax with our friends and travel a different part of Peru. These weeks of tech exchanges coupled with the “regular” life of a PCV made June fun.
Why was June busy? I just explained 3 different trips out of my site in one month, the constant hassle of going back and forth to municipal governments, and finally starting a large-scale project. That’s why June was busy.
So that was June. I hope you enjoyed reading about it as much as I enjoyed living it. As we move on into July things should calm down…maybe? …a little bit. The end of the month brings about a two-week vacation in the schools due to the Peruvian Independence Day. A 4-day trek is also on the horizon for the month of July, which will be amazing, but perhaps not relaxing. Other than that I hope to start a world map mural in the school this week as well as a biogas science experiment with the kids. The work is starting to pick up and things are falling into place. Peru 15, the newest group to PC Peru, has arrived and is in training in Lima. They should be out to their sites by the end of August. Alas, I am no longer the n00b. It is crazy to think I was in their shoes last September and now sit here writing a blog 10 months later in my site. Boy the time does fly. Anywho, that is the June update/July forecast. I hoped you enjoyed reading and that life finds you all smiling with good health. Keep sending me updates on your whereabouts. If I don’t respond right away fear not, I will get to it when I have a free minute. Okay guys, thanks again for the support and keep in touch.
Best,
Pete
Now it’s July. Another month has drifted by and before long the one year mark will be upon us. So how was June you ask? June was great. June was busy. June was fun.
Why was June great? Well a lot of productive work actually came out of the month as well as some seminars and workshops that may or may not have generated some future ideas for projects. The last month or so I have been working to get a trash collection service in my sight. The current municipal government on the bottom of the hill doesn’t come up and after a few meetings decided they also didn’t have the budget to expand the collection program and climb up the mountain twice a month. Not to worry, we took our request to the provincial municipality (county vs. city kind of thing) and they have agreed to come up to the top of the mountain and pick up trash. Damn, that’s a win I think. Along with the service the two municipalities have pitched in and donated some old metal petroleum cylinders to act as communal garbage cans…yeah those didn’t exist either. This coming week the trash truck is going to make its first trip through the community to check out a route and start picking up trash. Awesome. We are going to paint the cylinders and place a few out for the test run of the service. Now what do you need? Ah that’s right the organization of 1000 Peruvian farmers who understand the risks and benefits of trash management. It’s a good thing the tax dollars are paying me to do just that. We have already spoken with most of the local authorities about the new trash day and have programmed a meeting to discuss the general basics of trash management such as the harms that contaminating the rivers and burning plastic bottles can cause to the environment and us. So, a bit of work is on the plate for this upcoming week and probably into the future with more meetings, trash talks, and the hopeful formation of a trash committee. I am going to keep my fingers crossed for now that the whole thing works out semi-smoothly. You can never have a perfect first run at things but I’m hoping for good results. June was also great because we attended a workshop on designing and managing projects. Now the workshop itself was a bit grueling and long but the result and overall message was positive and helpful. I was able to sit down with my counterpart and think over some future project ideas in the context of writing up project plans and budgets and applying for funding. So all in all a good workshop that will hopefully lead to some bigger things.
Why was June fun? Well every month in Peace Corps is fun in its own interesting and often times odd ways, but June was lots of fun. We (the environment volunteers from Ancash) were able to host and then visit another group of environment folks from the highland region of the department of Lima. They first came to Ancash to see some of our sights and have meetings with local park services and sustainable tourism companies along with other events. The tech exchange then moved to Yauyos (the mountain region south of us in Lima) and we were able to see alpaca farming, lake trout nurseries, go horse back riding, and view some great artesian work. More than anything we were able to see Yauyos, which is an unbelievable part of Peru. It is made up of small mountain towns dropped in the narrow valleys of the central Andes, continuously intersected by waterfalls, raging rivers, and forests. A very cool place with lots of interesting work being done by volunteers. So we were able to relax with our friends and travel a different part of Peru. These weeks of tech exchanges coupled with the “regular” life of a PCV made June fun.
Why was June busy? I just explained 3 different trips out of my site in one month, the constant hassle of going back and forth to municipal governments, and finally starting a large-scale project. That’s why June was busy.
So that was June. I hope you enjoyed reading about it as much as I enjoyed living it. As we move on into July things should calm down…maybe? …a little bit. The end of the month brings about a two-week vacation in the schools due to the Peruvian Independence Day. A 4-day trek is also on the horizon for the month of July, which will be amazing, but perhaps not relaxing. Other than that I hope to start a world map mural in the school this week as well as a biogas science experiment with the kids. The work is starting to pick up and things are falling into place. Peru 15, the newest group to PC Peru, has arrived and is in training in Lima. They should be out to their sites by the end of August. Alas, I am no longer the n00b. It is crazy to think I was in their shoes last September and now sit here writing a blog 10 months later in my site. Boy the time does fly. Anywho, that is the June update/July forecast. I hoped you enjoyed reading and that life finds you all smiling with good health. Keep sending me updates on your whereabouts. If I don’t respond right away fear not, I will get to it when I have a free minute. Okay guys, thanks again for the support and keep in touch.
Best,
Pete
6/02/2010
the blank's tackle peru
05/29/10
The rains are gone….at least for now. The sun is shining and the nights are cold. A good time to be in Huashcao. So what’s new you ask? Well just hold on a tick, I am going to explain everything.
The biggest news since my last blog (which was put up about two weeks late….yikes) is the Blank family vacation that took place a little over a week ago here in Peru. It was a success. Everyone tried cuy and no one got too sick. We started off at the Lima airport…where all great things begin. We held up one night in the airport hotel and the family was able to decompress after a long trip and enjoy their first of about 43 free, complimentary pisco sours, the national cocktail of Peru. The next day we flew to the jungle city of Puerto Maldonaldo, the capital of the southern Madre de Dios department. We were greeted at the airport by the friendly staff from the lodge we stayed at. After a brief check in and some time in a butterfly house we were herded onto a river boat and started the one hour journey down river to the beautiful and secluded Reserva Amazonica. It was gorgeous. Little screened in bungalows with little to no electricity surrounding a bigger lodge/dining area of the same design all in the middle of the Peruvian rainforest. Not a bad set up. We spent our time here taking various day excursions into the jungle such as a canopy walk at 90 ft on rope bridges, a night walk looking for tarantulas (I would say my brother’s favorite), and a hike/canoe excursion to a huge jungle lake in the Tarampota National Reserve. While we weren’t sweating and hiking through the impressive rainforest we were again enjoying free pisco sours and amazing food at the lodge. A great few days were spent here in la selva (rainforest).
The next leg of the journey took us back to Cuzco and into the Sacred Valley of the Inca. We spent a few nights in a city outside of Cuzco in the Sacred Valley and had an awesome, and a bit strenuous, mountain bike tour of some surrounding Inca sights and the beautiful Andes of Cuzco. By the end our energetic guide had to watch or help as the tired and beaten Blank family walked their bikes down the last section, which to our defense was pretty much a mountain. We enjoyed some great meals here in Urubamba and then started bright an early the next morning on our section of the Inca trail. We did a one day section of the Inca trail that passed through some impressive Inca sites and lead to the Sun Gate, the end of the trail overlooking Machu Picchu. The hike was beautiful and we had a perfectly clear and sunny day with which to appreciate the surrounding beauty. We arrived at the Sun Gate around mid-day and took our lunch overlooking one of the Wonder’s of the World. It was incredible to finally see Machu Picchu in person and not just google images. We were able to hike into and around the Incan city thank to the quick thinking and anti-rule attitude of our guide Elkin. We found ourselves exploring the city and enjoying the amazing beauty and history that lies there. We also had time to sneak in the inevitable family Christmas picture…sorry to spoil it for you all. We spent that night in the small pueblo (or should I say the once small pueblo and now the large tourist hub with nothing but restaurants, an artesian market, and hotels…and one out-of-order ATM) of Aguas Calientes. We found another beautiful hotel tucked away on the outskirts and set into the natural surroundings of trees and rivers. We enjoyed a good session of artesian shopping and bargaining for all the necessities like linen pants and alpaca hats. The next day we took the bus back up to Machu Picchu and had an extraordinarily thorough tour of the city. Our guide really helped us understand what went on there during the Incan time, after the Spanish conquest, and the eventual “discovery” by Bingham in 1911. A good day. We then took the train/bus back to Cuzco and spent one last night there. The following day we had a city tour of the same caliber with Elkin and then it was off to Lima and the night bus to Huaraz…my turn.
We got on the bus after an hour delay or so and arrived in Huaraz at 8 the next morning. We left most of our things (or the family did at least) at our hotel for the following night and after a breakfast started the “day in the life” part of the trip. We took public transport all the way to my site. I think my dad enjoyed the small Peruvian bus with people constantly climbing over you so much that he decided to take a taxi back instead. We got to my house around 11am. Don Julio was waiting with open arms to show us around the house and make us (or them rather) feel at home. We had some awesomely awkward introductions with the language barrier and then lunch was served. After a quick nap we hit the town with Julio. We hiked around and saw the fields, the place where we keep the cows, more fields, the mountains, the forest, and all the other goodies that Huashcao has to offer. We came back from the walk around and settled in for the live huayno show. It was a little late to start so in the mean time we watched some on DVD and my two moms attempted to converse about the cooking of the dinner. It looked like a very profound conversation. Finally the band arrived: Julio on violin, my brother on harp, and some other neighborhood folk on guitars and accordion. We bought a few beers and taught the family how to pass the vaso. We also brought out some of the scotch my dad brought down…just enough for a taste though. So with that the night wound down and the music came to an end. We were in bed by 9 in true campo fashion. The next morning we awoke and went out with my brother-in-law to meet up with my dad in the field. We got the taste of farming life and harvested some potatoes in the morning light underneath Huascaran. My two families loved the fact that everyone was harvesting papa. We came back to a mid-morning feast of potatoes, rice and the famed cuy. My mom wasn’t going to try the little guy but in the end she had a good amount and really enjoyed it…or at least that is what she claims. After the great and filling lunch we waited for our car that didn’t come. So we decided to walk down to the town an hour away and get a car there. From there we made it back to Huaraz and enjoyed a good meal and a drink with some other volunteers and then headed for bed. The next day the family got on a plane bright and early after a round of goodbyes and the trip was over, at least for me. They arrived in Lima that morning and had to spend the day there until their 12am flight back home.
It was an amazing trip overall. We got to see some truly amazing parts of this amazing country. More importantly we were able to spend 10 days together for the first time in 8.5 months. That was the best part of the trip. And like I said before, we all made it through alive and ate guinea pig, so in my mind the trip was a success. Now my family understands a little more of the Peruvian culture, how I live, what I eat, and what life is really like apart from emails and phone calls. I wish I could upload some pictures but my camera seems to have lost itself. It’s a shame but I am glad that was the only fall back to the trip. So for now no pictures but if you know my mom, or even if you don’t, I’m sure she will send you all of hers in a lengthy email. If you want anymore stories or updates on the trip don’t hesitate to ask.
Due to the length of this post I won’t bore you with the usually “work” update. Just know for now that things are going well and I recently received 4 big trash cans for my site from the district municipality. Yeah you might not think that’s a lot but these are going to be the first 4 trash cans in the whole town and they were free. You have to start somewhere! So for now that is about the only really cool and exciting thing in besides the family visit.
I hope you are all well and safe wherever life finds you. Feel free to send my candy and books whenever you like. Until next time…
Cheers,
Peter
The rains are gone….at least for now. The sun is shining and the nights are cold. A good time to be in Huashcao. So what’s new you ask? Well just hold on a tick, I am going to explain everything.
The biggest news since my last blog (which was put up about two weeks late….yikes) is the Blank family vacation that took place a little over a week ago here in Peru. It was a success. Everyone tried cuy and no one got too sick. We started off at the Lima airport…where all great things begin. We held up one night in the airport hotel and the family was able to decompress after a long trip and enjoy their first of about 43 free, complimentary pisco sours, the national cocktail of Peru. The next day we flew to the jungle city of Puerto Maldonaldo, the capital of the southern Madre de Dios department. We were greeted at the airport by the friendly staff from the lodge we stayed at. After a brief check in and some time in a butterfly house we were herded onto a river boat and started the one hour journey down river to the beautiful and secluded Reserva Amazonica. It was gorgeous. Little screened in bungalows with little to no electricity surrounding a bigger lodge/dining area of the same design all in the middle of the Peruvian rainforest. Not a bad set up. We spent our time here taking various day excursions into the jungle such as a canopy walk at 90 ft on rope bridges, a night walk looking for tarantulas (I would say my brother’s favorite), and a hike/canoe excursion to a huge jungle lake in the Tarampota National Reserve. While we weren’t sweating and hiking through the impressive rainforest we were again enjoying free pisco sours and amazing food at the lodge. A great few days were spent here in la selva (rainforest).
The next leg of the journey took us back to Cuzco and into the Sacred Valley of the Inca. We spent a few nights in a city outside of Cuzco in the Sacred Valley and had an awesome, and a bit strenuous, mountain bike tour of some surrounding Inca sights and the beautiful Andes of Cuzco. By the end our energetic guide had to watch or help as the tired and beaten Blank family walked their bikes down the last section, which to our defense was pretty much a mountain. We enjoyed some great meals here in Urubamba and then started bright an early the next morning on our section of the Inca trail. We did a one day section of the Inca trail that passed through some impressive Inca sites and lead to the Sun Gate, the end of the trail overlooking Machu Picchu. The hike was beautiful and we had a perfectly clear and sunny day with which to appreciate the surrounding beauty. We arrived at the Sun Gate around mid-day and took our lunch overlooking one of the Wonder’s of the World. It was incredible to finally see Machu Picchu in person and not just google images. We were able to hike into and around the Incan city thank to the quick thinking and anti-rule attitude of our guide Elkin. We found ourselves exploring the city and enjoying the amazing beauty and history that lies there. We also had time to sneak in the inevitable family Christmas picture…sorry to spoil it for you all. We spent that night in the small pueblo (or should I say the once small pueblo and now the large tourist hub with nothing but restaurants, an artesian market, and hotels…and one out-of-order ATM) of Aguas Calientes. We found another beautiful hotel tucked away on the outskirts and set into the natural surroundings of trees and rivers. We enjoyed a good session of artesian shopping and bargaining for all the necessities like linen pants and alpaca hats. The next day we took the bus back up to Machu Picchu and had an extraordinarily thorough tour of the city. Our guide really helped us understand what went on there during the Incan time, after the Spanish conquest, and the eventual “discovery” by Bingham in 1911. A good day. We then took the train/bus back to Cuzco and spent one last night there. The following day we had a city tour of the same caliber with Elkin and then it was off to Lima and the night bus to Huaraz…my turn.
We got on the bus after an hour delay or so and arrived in Huaraz at 8 the next morning. We left most of our things (or the family did at least) at our hotel for the following night and after a breakfast started the “day in the life” part of the trip. We took public transport all the way to my site. I think my dad enjoyed the small Peruvian bus with people constantly climbing over you so much that he decided to take a taxi back instead. We got to my house around 11am. Don Julio was waiting with open arms to show us around the house and make us (or them rather) feel at home. We had some awesomely awkward introductions with the language barrier and then lunch was served. After a quick nap we hit the town with Julio. We hiked around and saw the fields, the place where we keep the cows, more fields, the mountains, the forest, and all the other goodies that Huashcao has to offer. We came back from the walk around and settled in for the live huayno show. It was a little late to start so in the mean time we watched some on DVD and my two moms attempted to converse about the cooking of the dinner. It looked like a very profound conversation. Finally the band arrived: Julio on violin, my brother on harp, and some other neighborhood folk on guitars and accordion. We bought a few beers and taught the family how to pass the vaso. We also brought out some of the scotch my dad brought down…just enough for a taste though. So with that the night wound down and the music came to an end. We were in bed by 9 in true campo fashion. The next morning we awoke and went out with my brother-in-law to meet up with my dad in the field. We got the taste of farming life and harvested some potatoes in the morning light underneath Huascaran. My two families loved the fact that everyone was harvesting papa. We came back to a mid-morning feast of potatoes, rice and the famed cuy. My mom wasn’t going to try the little guy but in the end she had a good amount and really enjoyed it…or at least that is what she claims. After the great and filling lunch we waited for our car that didn’t come. So we decided to walk down to the town an hour away and get a car there. From there we made it back to Huaraz and enjoyed a good meal and a drink with some other volunteers and then headed for bed. The next day the family got on a plane bright and early after a round of goodbyes and the trip was over, at least for me. They arrived in Lima that morning and had to spend the day there until their 12am flight back home.
It was an amazing trip overall. We got to see some truly amazing parts of this amazing country. More importantly we were able to spend 10 days together for the first time in 8.5 months. That was the best part of the trip. And like I said before, we all made it through alive and ate guinea pig, so in my mind the trip was a success. Now my family understands a little more of the Peruvian culture, how I live, what I eat, and what life is really like apart from emails and phone calls. I wish I could upload some pictures but my camera seems to have lost itself. It’s a shame but I am glad that was the only fall back to the trip. So for now no pictures but if you know my mom, or even if you don’t, I’m sure she will send you all of hers in a lengthy email. If you want anymore stories or updates on the trip don’t hesitate to ask.
Due to the length of this post I won’t bore you with the usually “work” update. Just know for now that things are going well and I recently received 4 big trash cans for my site from the district municipality. Yeah you might not think that’s a lot but these are going to be the first 4 trash cans in the whole town and they were free. You have to start somewhere! So for now that is about the only really cool and exciting thing in besides the family visit.
I hope you are all well and safe wherever life finds you. Feel free to send my candy and books whenever you like. Until next time…
Cheers,
Peter
5/23/2010
another one...
Hello friends.
Sorry I have fallen back into my sporadic and rare blog posts. You’ll just have to deal with it. Plus I am sure you all have other things to keep you occupied during the gaps between updates. If this is not the case please find some kind of hobby soon.
I once again find myself sitting in my room with a little time to kill before the mid day potato feast. Things have been going well the last month or so with some promising “leads” on work projects, some cool travel time, and illnesses.
The entire environment crew from Peru 14 traveled to the northern coast in the department of Lambayeque for a week long in service training. It was a great trip, experience, and all that jazz. We were with our community counterparts for the first few days of the excursion, which made for a fun and slightly awkward mingling and sharing of ideas. We traveled to an amazing private ecological reserve known as Chaparri and got a personalized tour, discussion of how eco-tourism works, and see how various groups benefit from the tourism brought in by the reserve. If you have a spare minute (which I know you do because you are reading this blog) google search Chaparri reserve in Peru. It is a truly beautiful place inhabited by speckled bears, a number of bird species, snakes, foxes, and a ton of other exciting Peruvian wildlife. Check it out. The rest of our time was spent in the near by town of Chongoyape in various meetings and presentations form ourselves and the rest of the Peace Corps staff. All in all a great week with regards to training, seeing a new part of Peru, and more importantly hanging out with my other Peru 14 environment buddies. I returned to site a little over a week ago and hopped back into the routine of teaching, thinking, talking, and all that good stuff.
I’ve have been investigating the idea of bringing the municipal trash pick up service up the mountain to help eliminate to rampant burning and throwing of garbage. We are still in the initial phase of this (by that I mean thinking about it), but if it all works out if would be an awesome step in the right direction. We are also trying to coordinate to get some trash cans donated (yeah that would be a good first step right?) and some workshops on why burning plastic bottles in an enclose space isn’t the best method for disposal. Anywho, that’s the work situation. Pretty much a status quo if you will. The next few months however will keep me busy, both in and out of site. To start things off the Blank’s arrive in Peru in two short days (wed.) and we start that hilarious adventure. I am really excited for them to get down here, show them around the new homeland, and watch them watch me slaughter guinea pigs for lunch. So that should make for an exciting and uplifting week or so. It will be great to see the family and experience a different part of Peru with them. After the family trip I will be intertwined with some technical exchanges between the enviro crew here in Ancash and those in the highlands of Lima. That should be another fun few days to bounce ideas off each other, and see one another’s sites. Then to wrap things up we have tentatively planned a trek to research a new tourist trail system here in Ancash. We would be going with the Park Services and doing some work and trail maintenance along the way. Not a bad few weeks lined up eh?
And now to leave you all with a chuckle. This past week I went down to the town of Yungay to drop off some paper work with the municipality and pick up a few things. My host sister asked me to pick up a chicken for her to prepare and sell up here in the hills. Of course I agreed, I have brought back many a chicken, rabbit, etc on public transport before. Now here in Peru you don’t buy boneless, skinless chicken breast for 3.99 a lb. You can buy pieces already butchered or go with the whole deal. Most people opt for the whole deal; I mean you get all the bits and pieces that way…liver, feet, head, etc. So I picked up about a 3 kg hen in the market and instantly knew this bird was trouble. As the woman tried to weigh out the bird on the scale it proceeded to projectile defecate (that’s the cleanest I can put it) all over her. Then it hopped off the scale and we had to jam it into my little market bag. Trouble. So in the bumpy, crowded, hot old station wagon on the way back up the hill the damn bird decides to squawk its way out of the bag and start fluttering around and “making a mess” , if you will, in the trunk of this car. For those of you who have seen Borat….think of that subway seen. It was hilarious after the fact. However I had to awkwardly turn around and basically climb over an old Quechua woman and wrangle this stupid chicken back into its bag. Of course an escaped doomed piece of poultry doesn’t want to go anywhere without putting up a fight, so it was Peter vs. the chicken for a few minutes on the way up the hill. I finally got it all tied down and “safely” home (I think I intentionally tried to break its wing). The reaction from the rest of the car: nothing, just another normal trip up from the market. I can’t wait until my sister puts this little guy under the knife and fries up some chicken. I’m sorry but he deserves it. Anywho, that might not have been interesting or humorous for you, but I got a little chuckle out of it and I figured it was a good day-to-day story that could help illustrate my life down here. Well, that’s all I have for now. I need to go prepare a class and then anxiously await the arrival of the family.
I hope all is well wherever you may be and that this blog has successfully distracted you from a few minutes of work, studies, or just the day-to-day grind! Send me an update when you have a chance! Until next time…
Best,
Pete
Sorry I have fallen back into my sporadic and rare blog posts. You’ll just have to deal with it. Plus I am sure you all have other things to keep you occupied during the gaps between updates. If this is not the case please find some kind of hobby soon.
I once again find myself sitting in my room with a little time to kill before the mid day potato feast. Things have been going well the last month or so with some promising “leads” on work projects, some cool travel time, and illnesses.
The entire environment crew from Peru 14 traveled to the northern coast in the department of Lambayeque for a week long in service training. It was a great trip, experience, and all that jazz. We were with our community counterparts for the first few days of the excursion, which made for a fun and slightly awkward mingling and sharing of ideas. We traveled to an amazing private ecological reserve known as Chaparri and got a personalized tour, discussion of how eco-tourism works, and see how various groups benefit from the tourism brought in by the reserve. If you have a spare minute (which I know you do because you are reading this blog) google search Chaparri reserve in Peru. It is a truly beautiful place inhabited by speckled bears, a number of bird species, snakes, foxes, and a ton of other exciting Peruvian wildlife. Check it out. The rest of our time was spent in the near by town of Chongoyape in various meetings and presentations form ourselves and the rest of the Peace Corps staff. All in all a great week with regards to training, seeing a new part of Peru, and more importantly hanging out with my other Peru 14 environment buddies. I returned to site a little over a week ago and hopped back into the routine of teaching, thinking, talking, and all that good stuff.
I’ve have been investigating the idea of bringing the municipal trash pick up service up the mountain to help eliminate to rampant burning and throwing of garbage. We are still in the initial phase of this (by that I mean thinking about it), but if it all works out if would be an awesome step in the right direction. We are also trying to coordinate to get some trash cans donated (yeah that would be a good first step right?) and some workshops on why burning plastic bottles in an enclose space isn’t the best method for disposal. Anywho, that’s the work situation. Pretty much a status quo if you will. The next few months however will keep me busy, both in and out of site. To start things off the Blank’s arrive in Peru in two short days (wed.) and we start that hilarious adventure. I am really excited for them to get down here, show them around the new homeland, and watch them watch me slaughter guinea pigs for lunch. So that should make for an exciting and uplifting week or so. It will be great to see the family and experience a different part of Peru with them. After the family trip I will be intertwined with some technical exchanges between the enviro crew here in Ancash and those in the highlands of Lima. That should be another fun few days to bounce ideas off each other, and see one another’s sites. Then to wrap things up we have tentatively planned a trek to research a new tourist trail system here in Ancash. We would be going with the Park Services and doing some work and trail maintenance along the way. Not a bad few weeks lined up eh?
And now to leave you all with a chuckle. This past week I went down to the town of Yungay to drop off some paper work with the municipality and pick up a few things. My host sister asked me to pick up a chicken for her to prepare and sell up here in the hills. Of course I agreed, I have brought back many a chicken, rabbit, etc on public transport before. Now here in Peru you don’t buy boneless, skinless chicken breast for 3.99 a lb. You can buy pieces already butchered or go with the whole deal. Most people opt for the whole deal; I mean you get all the bits and pieces that way…liver, feet, head, etc. So I picked up about a 3 kg hen in the market and instantly knew this bird was trouble. As the woman tried to weigh out the bird on the scale it proceeded to projectile defecate (that’s the cleanest I can put it) all over her. Then it hopped off the scale and we had to jam it into my little market bag. Trouble. So in the bumpy, crowded, hot old station wagon on the way back up the hill the damn bird decides to squawk its way out of the bag and start fluttering around and “making a mess” , if you will, in the trunk of this car. For those of you who have seen Borat….think of that subway seen. It was hilarious after the fact. However I had to awkwardly turn around and basically climb over an old Quechua woman and wrangle this stupid chicken back into its bag. Of course an escaped doomed piece of poultry doesn’t want to go anywhere without putting up a fight, so it was Peter vs. the chicken for a few minutes on the way up the hill. I finally got it all tied down and “safely” home (I think I intentionally tried to break its wing). The reaction from the rest of the car: nothing, just another normal trip up from the market. I can’t wait until my sister puts this little guy under the knife and fries up some chicken. I’m sorry but he deserves it. Anywho, that might not have been interesting or humorous for you, but I got a little chuckle out of it and I figured it was a good day-to-day story that could help illustrate my life down here. Well, that’s all I have for now. I need to go prepare a class and then anxiously await the arrival of the family.
I hope all is well wherever you may be and that this blog has successfully distracted you from a few minutes of work, studies, or just the day-to-day grind! Send me an update when you have a chance! Until next time…
Best,
Pete
4/17/2010
phlog nymber two: beach, ruins, random. enjoy!
Evidence that I have planted at least one tree since being here. (During the AgroRural planting in Feb.)
A view from the farm fields of the community. It never ceases to amaze...
"Abrakadabra!!! We are having rabbit for lunch" This was my present for my little brothers birthday. It was delicious.
Embracing the ruins of Chan Chan. Incredible stuff.
Beach side ceviche and beers for around 3 USD. Not a bad vacation at all.
phlog number one: community pictures.
The kids and me standing over our awesome compost pile. They were so enthralled with the idea of composting, they forgot to smile.
Making yet another compost pile. Note the awesome vest and determination.
A well executed self-timer photo of me and the barbed wire fence that was mentioned a few posts ago.
My little brother and I triumphantly sitting on top of the source for the "mineral water"
This may look counter-productive for a tree promoter...but fear not we needed the trees to fence in our school garden. The kids were amazed at my sheer strength and force.
vacations?, training, and birthdays.
April 12, 2010. From the desk of Peter…
The huyano music is extremely loud today…and live. I have decided to write to you all in hopes that I can turn the “beautiful”, loud, repetitive music/lyrics into background noise. Here goes…
I have been back in site for a week or so now after our beach vacation to Hunachaco, a small beach town outside of Trujillo. It was quite the trip. I did nothing, and it was amazing. A group of the Ancash volunteers stumbled out of the mountains, beards and all, and made camp on the beach for a few days. It was lovely. The town of Huanchaco is a lively little place and attracts a great deal of tourists and eccentric surfers. When you mix these things with Peruvian beach hippies, good ceviche, and a reggae bar it’s a great recipe for a vacation atmosphere. We spent most of our days lying on the beach and when hunger found us we turned to the nearest beach side cevicheria and ordered a plate of Peru’s national dish and a cold beer. It was a bit different than time in site and the sierra to say the least. We also got to visit a group of incredible old ruins known as Chan Chan. If you are interested in Peruvian or South American history/archaeology, feel free to spend a few minutes on Wikipedia reading about the culture of Chimú and their city of Chan Chan. All in all, the vacation was a great way to rest, soak in the beach atmosphere, and escape the campo lifestyle for a while.
Now its back to reality; if you consider reality living in a small, rural Andean village teaching little kids how to compost. Classes have been going well this month. Since I started in the primary school down the road from me, we have completed two different compost piles, a micro-relleno (a hole for garbage in layman’s terms), and a garden. Not bad for only a month or so. Now we need to keep these things going and continue to talk about why we dug a big hole to put garbage in and why we mixed animal manure with vegetable scraps. Without the “why” it’s just a big hole and a pile of decomposing organic matter. Hopefully the students can become pro’s and take this knowledge home to their families…that’s the hope at least. The high school and I have been on a break since vacation and my last global warming class. I plan to venture back down there this week and start things back up. That’s the update on Mr. Blank’s classroom.
In other, more exciting news, I hiked to a mountain pass yesterday to bottle and bring home “mineral water” that my family has told me about since my arrival. My host brother, sister, and I hiked a good two hours through fields, hills, and streams to arrive at the Quebrada Ulta. This valley splits the Cordillera Blanca (my mountain range) and allows for travel between my side of the big hill and the other. It was a very beautiful site: a gushing mountain river flowing in between enormous peaks with scattered forests clinging to their sides. We climbed down to the river bed and found the magical source of the pure, clean mineral water. It was a trickle coming out of a rock and flowing into the river. I was hesitant to drink it at first when I noticed the cow patties scattered about and a piece of trash floating in it, but my brother assured me it was clean. I’m not sure it was the best idea to drink the bubbling water undoubtedly full of parasites but heck, why not. We had a few drinks and then filled up all my recycled plastic bottles we brought…it proved to be a great impromptu “this is one reason why you recycle” talk. We then headed back home with our bounty of bottled water. It was a fun and beautiful hike.
Today is my host dad’s birthday. That is the reason for the loud, live huyano music. It also kept us up late last night passing the vaso (cup) and enjoying a huyano jam session with my dad and his friends. It was fun but I had to call it a night after we sang “happy birthday” at midnight. The festivities are carrying on today as well. The chicken has been killed and meat is on the menu for lunch, something that excites me greatly. So the birthday activities should keep me busy the rest of the day.
I head into Huaraz this weekend for our monthly meeting, another round of Quechua class (yay!), and to post this blog for your enjoyment. Then I hurry back to site for another week before heading north to Chiclayo, Lambayeque for our early-IST training. I am bringing my host dad and my counterpart, president of the community, and good pal Daniel along for the first few days. It should be fun to see all of the MAC crew again and hear the sure-to-be enthralling talks on eco-tourism, trash management, and things of that nature. We also are presenting our community diagnostics to the group that week. This implies that the community diagnostic needs to be finished before than…I am finally writing the thing I have been “writing” for the last 4 months. It is coming along swimmingly and I hope to turn in a pretty good write-up of my community complete with graphs and pictures. If anyone wants a copy please don’t hesitate to ask. It should keep you entertained for days depending on what online translation website you use and/or previous knowledge of Spanish. The first 5 people to request a copy will get a complimentary kilo of community grown potatoes…so don’t wait!
Only another month before the Blank’s tackle Peru. I am really excited to see the family and show them around my new home. I am even more excited to watch them all squeamishly try guinea pig for the first time. Photo documentation of the whole trip and especially the cuy eating will be available mid-June.
That’s all the new for now. I will be sure to update you when something really, really cool happens. Thanks for reading and take care!
Pete
p.s. I have been promising pictures for months now…the next blogs will be phlogs™ (photo blogs that is — I just trademarked it). If they are not up by Sunday April 18, PLEASE call me out on it with an email, phone, or messenger pigeon reminder!
The huyano music is extremely loud today…and live. I have decided to write to you all in hopes that I can turn the “beautiful”, loud, repetitive music/lyrics into background noise. Here goes…
I have been back in site for a week or so now after our beach vacation to Hunachaco, a small beach town outside of Trujillo. It was quite the trip. I did nothing, and it was amazing. A group of the Ancash volunteers stumbled out of the mountains, beards and all, and made camp on the beach for a few days. It was lovely. The town of Huanchaco is a lively little place and attracts a great deal of tourists and eccentric surfers. When you mix these things with Peruvian beach hippies, good ceviche, and a reggae bar it’s a great recipe for a vacation atmosphere. We spent most of our days lying on the beach and when hunger found us we turned to the nearest beach side cevicheria and ordered a plate of Peru’s national dish and a cold beer. It was a bit different than time in site and the sierra to say the least. We also got to visit a group of incredible old ruins known as Chan Chan. If you are interested in Peruvian or South American history/archaeology, feel free to spend a few minutes on Wikipedia reading about the culture of Chimú and their city of Chan Chan. All in all, the vacation was a great way to rest, soak in the beach atmosphere, and escape the campo lifestyle for a while.
Now its back to reality; if you consider reality living in a small, rural Andean village teaching little kids how to compost. Classes have been going well this month. Since I started in the primary school down the road from me, we have completed two different compost piles, a micro-relleno (a hole for garbage in layman’s terms), and a garden. Not bad for only a month or so. Now we need to keep these things going and continue to talk about why we dug a big hole to put garbage in and why we mixed animal manure with vegetable scraps. Without the “why” it’s just a big hole and a pile of decomposing organic matter. Hopefully the students can become pro’s and take this knowledge home to their families…that’s the hope at least. The high school and I have been on a break since vacation and my last global warming class. I plan to venture back down there this week and start things back up. That’s the update on Mr. Blank’s classroom.
In other, more exciting news, I hiked to a mountain pass yesterday to bottle and bring home “mineral water” that my family has told me about since my arrival. My host brother, sister, and I hiked a good two hours through fields, hills, and streams to arrive at the Quebrada Ulta. This valley splits the Cordillera Blanca (my mountain range) and allows for travel between my side of the big hill and the other. It was a very beautiful site: a gushing mountain river flowing in between enormous peaks with scattered forests clinging to their sides. We climbed down to the river bed and found the magical source of the pure, clean mineral water. It was a trickle coming out of a rock and flowing into the river. I was hesitant to drink it at first when I noticed the cow patties scattered about and a piece of trash floating in it, but my brother assured me it was clean. I’m not sure it was the best idea to drink the bubbling water undoubtedly full of parasites but heck, why not. We had a few drinks and then filled up all my recycled plastic bottles we brought…it proved to be a great impromptu “this is one reason why you recycle” talk. We then headed back home with our bounty of bottled water. It was a fun and beautiful hike.
Today is my host dad’s birthday. That is the reason for the loud, live huyano music. It also kept us up late last night passing the vaso (cup) and enjoying a huyano jam session with my dad and his friends. It was fun but I had to call it a night after we sang “happy birthday” at midnight. The festivities are carrying on today as well. The chicken has been killed and meat is on the menu for lunch, something that excites me greatly. So the birthday activities should keep me busy the rest of the day.
I head into Huaraz this weekend for our monthly meeting, another round of Quechua class (yay!), and to post this blog for your enjoyment. Then I hurry back to site for another week before heading north to Chiclayo, Lambayeque for our early-IST training. I am bringing my host dad and my counterpart, president of the community, and good pal Daniel along for the first few days. It should be fun to see all of the MAC crew again and hear the sure-to-be enthralling talks on eco-tourism, trash management, and things of that nature. We also are presenting our community diagnostics to the group that week. This implies that the community diagnostic needs to be finished before than…I am finally writing the thing I have been “writing” for the last 4 months. It is coming along swimmingly and I hope to turn in a pretty good write-up of my community complete with graphs and pictures. If anyone wants a copy please don’t hesitate to ask. It should keep you entertained for days depending on what online translation website you use and/or previous knowledge of Spanish. The first 5 people to request a copy will get a complimentary kilo of community grown potatoes…so don’t wait!
Only another month before the Blank’s tackle Peru. I am really excited to see the family and show them around my new home. I am even more excited to watch them all squeamishly try guinea pig for the first time. Photo documentation of the whole trip and especially the cuy eating will be available mid-June.
That’s all the new for now. I will be sure to update you when something really, really cool happens. Thanks for reading and take care!
Pete
p.s. I have been promising pictures for months now…the next blogs will be phlogs™ (photo blogs that is — I just trademarked it). If they are not up by Sunday April 18, PLEASE call me out on it with an email, phone, or messenger pigeon reminder!
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