9 Days in Peru ... 9 Thousand Things to Write About

Hey everybody,

It´s hard to believe that it has been nine days already that I´ve been here.  When I set off to leave for Peru, I really had very little idea of what to expect.  However, I really don´t think I could have asked for more than I´ve recieved from both my host family, fellow Peace Corps Trainees (referred to as PCTs from here on out), trainers and the country in general.  My apologies for not getting around to posting sooner, but as I´m sure you can all understand, other things have taken priority over hopping on the internet and blogging. 

We arrived in Lima at about 1:30am on Saturday morning due to some flight delays (I think the PC did this on purpose to get us used to having patience from the VERY beginning).  The flight from DC to Miami was about an hour late and thankfully there were about 80 of us waiting to get on the flight from Miami to Lima so they had no problem holding the plane for us.  When we first arrived, rather exhausted but excited for the most part, we had to wait (again) for our rides from Lima to a town about an hour and a half away called Chaclacayo.  Those first two days we spent at a retreat center in Chaclacayo (in the same town that the Health PCTs are stationed).  As many of you can see from my facebook profile, the place was absolutely gorgeous. 

The place in which the enviroment (MAC - spanish acronym for community-based environmental management program) and water & sanitation (WATSAN) PCTs are stayingh is a town about 15-20 minutes from Chaclacayo called Santa Eulalia.  Don´t bother google-ing it, because you´re not likely to find very much.  The town is also a very cool - and in a lot of ways exactly what you would think of a small town in Peru to be like.  Both Chaclacayo and Santa Eulalia are completely surrounded by brown mountains.  They don´t get very much rain here (substituted with earthquakes, apparently), so the place is very dry.  I have lots of clothing and shoes that used to be black to prove it. 

As I mentioned above, I really came out here with zero expectation of what my housing sitatution (among nearly EVERYTHING else) would be like.  In line with typical Guise karma, I have lucked out incredibly.  I live in a (kind of) two story house with 9 other people.  It has taken me nearly a week to figure out who is who and what relationship they have with one another (largely to blame on my gringo ears which fall deaf to their light-speed conversation pace).  There is a great-grandmother (who I think leaves her room ... never?), my grandma (who won´t be happy until I´ve been served my entire body weight in food PER DAY), my aunt (who I think is the one who "owns" the house - assumption solely based on the fact that I´ve been able to make out the words Casa de Lorena from one of my neighbors), my host mom and dad (27 and 28 respectively), two cousins (Kevin -5; Milenka - 11), and (exhale) my two host sisters (Hilary - 4; Miley - 3 months).  Oh, and then there is some weird gringo from Chicago who can only really express his gratitude for all this family has done by playing with the many kids. 

(One thing that I´m very excited to get clarification on once my spanish improves, is that I think my host sister Miley is possibly named after Miley Cyrus ... because they sure do love the Disney channel out here)

I will have pictures up soon, but in the meantime I feel a bit weird trying to express in broken spanish "hey everyone, line up so I can take pictures of you".  Quite possibly, however, my absolute favorite part of my day is hanging out con mi hermana Hilary.  She is probably the cutest, goofiest 4 year old Peruvian I know.  She finds a very painful joy in pulling my barba (facial hair) every chance she gets, however.  I´m not entirely sure if she is just a typical 4 year old, or if "ouch" also needs to be translated into spanish.  While there are lots of people who live in my house, they are not at all short on curteousy.  I also am one of the few lucky volunteers who have internet, Direct TV (in my room too, of all places), and indoor plumbing.  The only amenities that really differ from home are the lack of warm showers (you people better not be taking that for granite, BTW - there have been a few mornings when I literally shiver and gasp for air in a fit of hypothermia ... perhaps slight exagerration there).  The water is shut of each night at 7pm, though that is definitely not a well controlled deadline and also makes for some rather in-and-out visits to the bathroom at night.  I should probably also take this time to thank my mom for her wonderful insight on what to get as gifts for my host family.  They all loved them (MKE).

Training has been better than expected as well.  I pictured lots of boring lectures and incredibly challenging spanish class, however, so far it has not been too hard to manage.  I´m in what I like to call the "Super Gringo" spanish class (meaning conozco nada).  I´m very pleased/shocked at how quickly my spanish is developing.  Just nine days ago I was hardly able to pick out what people were saying other than the occasional ("no se", "el/la", and "bano"), but now I´m following MOSTLY everything my language teacher is saying.  When it comes to my host family, however, I´m going to just have to keep listening and figure out how to make as little of an ass of myself as possible when trying to talk.  The training staff is really great out here, and they keep us both entertained and busy (which are muy importante, if you will).  Last week alone we started a few compost piles (don´t tell mi abuela, but I might be responsible for about 1/3rd of the organic waste we use in the compost as I´m incapable of eating 70% of my body weight a day in food like an elephant - or whatever animal it is that eats an obscene amount.).  We also started a Vivero Forestal (tree nursery) on Thursday of last week, which was cool to learn the process of. 

The place we train at is called Valle Dorado and this year is the very first year that PCTs have used this facility.  Thanks to a significant increase in the budget allocated for the Peace Corps, certain programs in certain countries have been expanded.  Peru 16 is the largest training class they´ve ever had (some 75+ of us), resulting in them having to put volunteers in Santa Eulalia and have a second training facility.  The highlight of the entire facility (and I believe I speak for all PCTs here) is this hilarious looking llama named Panchito.  At first he was a bit skiddish around so many Gringos, but he´s since come around and yesterday tried to spend part of his day eating lunch (and pooping) with us.  I´ll also have pictures of him in the next few days, because it´s definitely one of the best things from Peru worth sharing at this point.  I hope my fondness for this llama is evident, as you all know I´m not one to generally spend so much time discussing a llama. 

The elections for mayor? is this Sunday, which has been the cause of MUCHO excitement EVERYWHERE.  It is quite a different experience than what we´re used to in the US.  For example, voting out here is mandatory.  And apparently if you don´t vote, you get beat up (effective, no?).  While we often complain of the continuous television ads during election season in the US, you should see the extent of advertising they go to out here.  I´m not exaggerating in the slightest when I say that approximately 80% of ALL signs, walls, telephone/light posts are covered in political advertisements.  Additionally, they have about 30 cars a day that drive up and down the streets with giant megaphones screaming this or that about particular candidates.  It´s rather nice not only escaping the political election time in the US, but also not understanding Spanish enough to get bored with their incessant yammering.  I live about 3 blocks from the town square and there is currently a giant stage constructed where some candidate is having music/dances and I´m not quite sure what else.  In addition to all the loud speakers and whatnot, they also use about 50 lbs of dynamite-esque fireworks to startle me/make lots of noise in typical Peruvian-fashion. 

Well, I believe that just about covers everything that comes to mind immediately from these past nine days.  Oh, also GO BEARS. 

Love and miss you all.

Chau

Ready for South America

Hello, everyone!


Thank you all very much for checking out this blog of mine.  I will be sure to update you all on what I'm up to as regularly as I am able.  In the meantime, I figured I would use this opportunity to give you my mailing address (during training, anyhow):



Robert Guise
Cuerpo de Paz / Peru
Calle Via Lactea 132, Surco
Lima 33, Peru

Before I end this particular post, however, I feel obligated to express my immense gratitude towards all of you for the support, motivation and help I've received these past few weeks.  I would undoubtedly be far less prepared had I not been surrounded by such an incredible group of family and friends.  While I will definitely miss you guys these next two years, be certain that you are all constantly in my thoughts and these 27 months will be over before we know it. 

Love & miss you all, and more to come shortly!