6 MONTHS

I have official been in Peru for 6 months. March 16^th marked the 6 month mark. It is amazing how fast that six months passed. When I look at it like that so much time has passed and that my service will soon be ending. Yet then I look forward and it is still almost a whole 2 years til the end of service it blows my mind. To be exact I now have 21 months left. I’m starting to get very excited and nervous and a jumble of other emotions because we are almost done with the diagnostic phase and will soon be starting actual projects and “work”. I’ve been biting at the bit to start projects since the new year and now….please give me more time to get prepared. Haha. Of course it happens that way you get what you want and then it is no longer what you want. Oh how funny is life.

So we just got back from our Early IST, a training session where we present what we have so far to the other volunteers of my group. The best thing about this meeting was seeing everyone!!!! Can’t believe how close some friends are but still so out of reach. Although looking forward to meeting up in Mancora with them and having one big party for Semana Santa. It will be like Early IST without time commitments. Yeah!!!! Yet the big downer to this plan is the fact we are going to the beach! I really don’t like the beach…especially here in Peru. Even with sunblock I burn, Burn, BURN! At Huanchaco we were outside maybe 2-3 hours and I had SPF 50 and reapplied and was under an umbrella and still got so burnt that my legs days after feel like they are bruised. This alone was bad but we are going to Mancora…the last time I went to Mancora was a week before returning to the States from study abroad and literally had 2^nd degree burns. Still have the pictures to prove it

                                                               

That sunburn hurt forever!!!!!!! Oh well still excited to go. We might even go snorkeling! So grateful for friends to travel with! Yeah yeah.

Anyways back to how Early IST went…I felt good about the work-progress I had made in my community and still do but feel so behind others. I know there is no real comparison available because communities move at a different rate especially when you aren’t a real city but….AHHHHHHHHHHHH! Gotta get a fire lit under my ass. Haha.

So on a completely different note: Something that really bothers me about Peru. The people of my community think it is a high compliment to tell me that I’m looking fatter, which is their equivalent to that I have adapted to the community. They talk about weight like we talk about I don’t know shoe styles that look good or bad on a person, to their face. So in the past few days I’ve been told I’m looking fatter by a couple of different families. They have effectively started me dieting and putting more emphasis in working out. Also, now I’m kinda melancholy because I think I’m looking fat: which no I’m not saying I am but it sure puts one down in the dumps. Yesterday spent almost the whole day in bed feeling sorry for myself. SO NOT GOOD!!! 1^st because having a pity party isn’t going to do anything 2^nd because laying around isn’t going to help me get skinny haha and 3^rd because I didn’t even use that laying around time to do the things I love like watch a movie, or tv or read a book or a million of other things. Ah…..well lets hope I snap to and quickly because there is shit I need to get doing. Bringing me back to Early IST and the list I made of things I should get started on. One huge success done from that list is a health schools project!!!! YEAH YEAH YEAH!!!! So so excited to actually have something to be working in and feel good about my time. So far only doing it with the “high school” but hope to include some of the other schools! Also, with my health post I’m going to start work with the health promoters that they have and hopefully a group of mothers. Yeah for finally having work to do that I feel will actually benefit the community, so far the work I’ve done on the diagnostic has mainly only helped or effected me.

Another fun note: this week we were without water for most of the week and then we lost power. Now I believe I’m not to set in a life of luxury. The water shortage…no problem just didn’t bath all week (I know gross on the hygiene meter) BUT the problem really came with the power outage…why because I couldn’t make coffee or use my computer after the battery died, etc. That was when I thought I might go a little crazy, it gets dark here at 6 ish 6:30 so nothin to do after dark. It was like the ice storm all over again but without as many candles and flashlights/lanterns.  

Early IST

So it is official! Have jumped past the first big mark in my service---Early IST. What that means is we have to stop laying around just working to get to know the community and start focusing in on the ideas that we want and can literally achieve during our service.
To begin we had our training in Huanchaco a beach town near Trujillo. Not being a beach person myself it was beautiful but sand everywhere, sun, and salt water. The sun has an intense hatred of me and my body...SPF 50 and left on my shorts and shirt for quite a while and my legs looked like nicely cooked lobster. Even now my legs are pink/purple and are physically painful to touch. How ridiculous is that!!!! Also, planning on going back to the beach in a month for not 1 day but 3-4....my body is going to DIE!!!!! and then I develop skill cancer yeah for good life decisions.
Anyways one day on the beach and I was done BUT the best part was getting to see my friends from training. To see how other peoples lives are progressing (seeing how much I still need to do-AHHHH!) Can't wait until Semana Santa when we will all be together again but without the training! Now I just gotta work on my beach body. Come on P90X and early morning runs...become a part of daily life. Will work on a detailed accounting of the week..........in a bit haha. Tired and going to bed!

The Fun Things I'm Learning

Today my family discussed my Little sisters ulcer among a few other health concerns. They believe she has an ulcer because she is not eating enough. If you didn’t know an ulcer is caused by not eating when you’re hungry or by not eating enough. When you go to town at lunch you should eat at least once if not twice before coming home. Also, drinking lots of water can help but only if it is hot and 3 times a day. Aka that means don’t drink a whole hell of a lot but more than normal. Gastritis is caused by drinking too much pop. So everyone put down that can of coke or beware that your stomach is about to start going haywire.

Never drink anything cold. Don’t you know that drinking something cold can give you a cold or make you very sick? There is no such thing as allergies to pollen. The weather is making you sick. Also, the sun can give you a headache but to cure it just put some water on your head and you will be fine. Aka the weather can be blamed for almost any sickness that befalls a person.

As a “gringa” the reason I’m weaker physically is that I don’t eat enough. For this we in general are weaker than Peruvians (who are able to carry their children on their backs up and down hills and in the fields). How can a person be strong if they don’t work every day in their charca? So therefore we don’t need to eat a full plate of beans and rice at mealtime. For this I will admit I’m not a physically strong person in upper body strength but can carry cargo and walk just as well as they do, I simply don’t have as much of a reason to carry heavy loads large distances. Argh…haha.

When you have an animal that is sick, the best way to cure it is by putting motor oil all over (especially if it is a skin sickness). Or to bring luck that your animals don’t get sick put garlic around their necks. Here we don’t often eat meat simply because it is expensive or the animal itself serves another purpose but by all means as a treat for the dogs feed them chicken bones and cuy (guinea pig) bones. If a dog suddenly dies the reason is someone poisoned the poor thing!