Hello, San Luis. Glad to meet you

San Luis de Canete - My new home town for 2 years. It was love at first sight !!

Working on my first project with Jason - a biodigester

WATSAN 18 practices cleaning a water system

The last two weeks have been intense to say the very least. We’ve been away from the training center for about two weeks. The first week was field based training near Ica. We saw eco-toilet (composting toilet) construction. The eco-bano separates solids (poo) from liquids (pee) and allows both to be used for fertilizer. I got to unload compost from a toilet at my site on the beach near Canete and can attest to it being a beautiful dry fluffy texture with no foul odor at all. Next we visited a pour flush toilet south of Ica. This is basically a primitive septic tank system, but serves very well, especially since that area will likely get a sewer system in the next few years. We saw a municipal well system that is drying up, due to huge grape vineyards in the area, which are sucking all the water out of the local aquifer. There are government regulations against this, but (as elsewhere) big business gets its way over the people of the town. The locals have started to protest – there was a huge and angry demonstration at the town hall – but hopefully it is not too late already. We did some talks in schools on the various methods of water purification – boiling, chlorinating and solar (aka SODIS). The later uses UV from the sun to purify water in a minimum of 6 hours. So many people get diarrhea from bacteria and parasites, it is amazing that more systems don’t chlorinate. But many of the older folks seem to build an immunity to the bugs and don’t feel the need to purify. And they say the kids will get used to it. A little education is certainly in order here.

Had my second rip-roaring bout of “bicycleta” (aka diarrhea and vomit) at the hotel in Ica. My fellows were quite sure that I would not survive the night. But, I seem to get through it quickly (4-6 hours of Hell)– better than the drawn-out milder 2 day version that most seem to suffer. The next day we met our “socios” or community partners. Mine are a nice nurse from the Health Post and the Town Manager, Jimmy. It’s great that they have already worked with my predecessor, Jason and have lots ideas and projects in the works.

We all returned to San Luis de Canete, where I met the mayor, town engineer and others at the health post. I also got to weigh myself for the first time since leaving the states and found I’m down 10lbs to 192. I met my new host family (though I may have to change). The grandfather Fernando is 56 and a mason, who works from 6am to 8pm. His daughter, son-in-law and 3 kids live with him, in the nicer upstairs part of the house. There is a full bath upstairs, but downstairs is a toilet in a VERY small area under the stairs – so small that I have to sit down to pee and even then, hit my head on the stairs. The shower is in another room by the back yard. The usual cold water only is fine, but the dirt floor is not. I can’t complain much, as some of the Peru 18ers in the mountains don’t even have inside plumbing.

No one in the house is a competent cook, but there are a dozen great little restaurants on our street. There are two “pollo cilindros” or smoked chicken places, which are outstanding. Also, lots of fish in the area (2 km from the beach). There is also a lady who makes fried egg sandwiches and FRESH SQUEEZED orange juice (2 eggers + juice = US$ 1.15). Another place near the market makes only ceviche, which is world class stuff. Tons of fresh veggies in the market and much better bread than we get here in Santa Eulalia. Also the cilantro is zesty – like in Mexico and plenty of local cows make for fresh cheese and yogurt. Surprisingly, very few potatoes – they use yucca instead, which when fried beats any French fry on the planet. I had a filete de dorado (mahi-mahi) that is memorable, with a huge serving of Peruvian coleslaw.

I spent two days with Jason, digging out a pit for a new bio-digester about 100 yards from the beach on a pig/cow/sheep/goat farm. The digestor will take all the manure and produce a nitrogen-rich liquid fertilizer (for their vegetable farm) and enough gas for the family to cook and boil water with. We also repaired the eco-bano at the farm, which had its urine tube plugged with urine crystals and ash and unloaded the composted side of the toilet, which also yielded some great fertilizer/soil conditioner. We also visited a nearby “improved cook stove” (cocina mejorar), which replaced an open fire on the ground, inside the house – less smoke, fewer back problems and less fuel needed. They don’t have any trees nearby, so they use dried corn stalks and stalks from the yucca plants as fuel. I’ll likely build a few more of these and train the local brick masons in construction methods. I also hope to do a study of the 240 (built by an NGO) eco-banos in the areas to see why so few are in use after only one year in service and train locals to diagnose the common problems, as well as re-educate folks on the use of eco-banos. I will also install at least one more bio-digester – assuming the first one proves workable. I have another project to replant trees along the town streets near the plaza, as the fichus trees they planted did not survive. And then there is the big new water system that I have to get started with the town engineer. Jason has started a tree nursery and worm farm/compost project that I’ll need to continue.

I’ll definitely be getting a bike for transportation, as all my projects are within a 10km radius, the area is pretty flat and there is no public transportation in some directions. Luckily, San Luis is on the Pan American Hwy, so access to Canete, Ica and Lima is easy. There is something quite empowering about flagging down a huge bus and having it stop just for me. All in all, I love my site and have TONS of projects and ideas already in hand. We’ll see how the living situation plays out.

The last day of my trip was spent in the seaside resort of Cerro Azul, about 10 miles north of my site. All the 36 PC volunteers from the Lima/Ica/Nazca region met for their monthly gathering to share info and visit/party. My friend Will – a surfer from Hawaii, who lives about 10 miles from me – wasted no time in finding a board and catching some sweet waves in the bay. I settled for some body surfing, which was just fine. We all stuffed ourselves that night on ceviche and fried sole. As the only early riser the next morning, I was treated to some fresh-off-the-rocks oysters (small, but tasty) and watched the local fishermen unload their nets on the beach.

I’m REALLY excited about my service post and upcoming 2 years in San Luis (the full town name is San Luis de Tolusa de Canete). I hope to make some lasting positive changes on the area – and vice-versa.

Training Rolls On

Measuring garbage in Imperial

Well, it has been another (NOT) quiet week here in Santa Eulalia, my hometown (until Nov 26^th). The Watsan (water & sanitation) crew practiced all sorts of construction techniques, from concrete slabs to adobe walls to chlorination drip systems. We travelled back to Niveria, scene of our earlier handwashing demonstrations, to clean and disinfect a water storage tank high on a hill above the town. The views of the town were spectacular – the whole area is covered with brick-making facilities. In places, they have excavated down hundreds of feet to harvest the clay. I shudder to think what will happen when the next El Nino dumps rain on this usually arid zone. The smell of chlorine and goodwill filled the air.

Our instructor happened to be Jason, the current volunteer in Canete. It was a wonderful opportunity for me and Will Jensen to learn all about Jason’s work over the last two years and get a good idea of the living conditions and challenges ahead. One future project will be to get a brand new water treatment plant up and running, which will serve over 100 families. An NGO came in and built the facility, but failed to train anyone in its operation. There are also unfinished projects involving compost, worm farms, septic solutions, trash management and tsunami warnings.

We got a good idea of the need for a tsunami warning system on Friday, when a 6.8 quake rocked the Canete area for about 45 seconds. We felt it all the way up here in Santa Eulalia, about 90 miles away – more of a sway than a shake. The center was just offshore Canete, but there was no tsunami wave and only minimal damage. However, it brought back bad memories for many of the huge 8.1 quake back in 2007. That shake caused serious damage and loss of life. The South American and Pacific plates interface all along the Peruvian coast and there are frequent quakes. Better that we have many small slips than another big one like ’07.

Another highlight of the week was a trip to the Peace Corps Peru HQ in Lima, located about 7 blocks from the HUGE US Embassy. The “Palace” is a magnificent walled fortress, with lots of security in force. I hoped to visit John Cardenas (Princeton ’89) with USAID there, but the schedule did not permit. The PCHQ is a pleasant campus style facility, with full medical and research resources. We met many of the staff, but most importantly, learned our 2 year mission posts. Will Jensen and I will be headed to Canete, just north of where we had our Field Based Trainings the week before. (see prior Blog). We stayed in San Vincente de Canete, but we will be posted to San Luis de Canete and Quilmana, about 9 miles away. Will is from Hawaii and is especially pleased to be posted near the waves. I’m even more excited about the post, now that I know more about the lifestyle and current potential service projects there. Six Watsaners “The Half  Dirty Dozen” will be returning to Canete and Ica next week for more field trainings and visits to our future sites. I’m finding it a little hard to keep my head in the game here, when my mind is already half way to Canete and its verdant fields, orchards and people.

Next week will also see a special and highly-anticipated hamburger lunch as well as creation of our own unique line of PC clothing, which will be produced at a local shop right here in Santa Eulalia. For the rest of the weekend – lots of reading, writing and, of course, hand-washing of my clothes, which I’m surprised to find is LESS time-consuming and MORE satisfying than using a machine and dryer.

See FB album “Peru” for more photos:  

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2311898848958.121881.1593993286&type=1&l=11b63b7701

Training Road Trip - An Omen

The dunes of Ica

WATSAN 18 on a break

Practicing water filtration techniques

This week, Peru 18 WATSAN (Water & Sanitation or Aqua y Sanaemento ) group went on the road for FBT (Field Based Training) with our PCVC (Peace Corps Volunteer Coordinator) and our TT’s (Tech Trainers). Peace Corps LOVES acronyms (PCLA).

We rolled in to Lima in a mini-bus. One of the few things that I find odd about this group of 20-somethings, is that when put in a group situation such as a bus or long wait, they will immediately whip out iPod earphones and Kindels. To most of my generation, this sends the message “I don’t care to interact with you right now”. To them, it seems a perfectly normal way to pass 2 hours with a group of friends.

In Lima, we caught the Soyuz Bus to San Vincente de Canete (many towns here have an ancient Quechua name, preceded by a Spanish/Catholic name). A huge difference between the bus service here and in Mexico, is that in Peru, every bus line has it’s own terminal, whereas in Mexico, all lines shared a single terminal. The bus terminal in Guadalajara, Mex was/is larger than the DFW airport. This probably cuts down on bus congestion near the terminal, but is not near as convenient for catching a bus or changing lines. The Soyuz terminal is modern and clean and very well run. Fare for the 140 mile trip to Canete was about $6. The bus was also VERY clean, with movie, food & beverage service, but lacking a bathroom.

The route was entirely on the Pan-Am Highway, south from Lima. To the out-skirts of Lima, PAHwy is 6 lanes of non-stop horn-blowing and lane-changing. The bus drivers weave between trucks, taxis and mini-vans with the skill of Nascar drivers (or better). Still, not a single accident or fender-bender to be seen. South of Lima, the scenery turns to desert and the road narrows to four and then two lanes. For much of the route to Canete, the ocean is in view, with MANY beach-front homes and condos for wealthy Limonians to escape the city on weekends and holidays. There is even a (non-ecological and water wasting) golf course, a la Las Vegas. Even in an area where some folks go without regular water supply, the privileged get to play golf on well-watered, green grass. This is also the area that produces literally tons of chicken for hungry Limonians every day. Like in the US, the chicken “factories” are vast and cruel. But, we MUST keep that chicken meat flowing (?)..

Teaching kids in Niveria about hand-washing.

South of the resorts, the Pan-Am veers away from the shore and the view turns to huge Saharan sand dunes, down to the Canete River valley, where a sudden profusion of agriculture bursts from the sandy soil. Fields of asparagus, artichoke, potatoes, peaches, plums, apples, figs, dates and pecans are everywhere in sight, mostly in smaller farm plots. The one crop that is grown in massive, US style is grapes, as this is the main area for wine and Pisco (a distilled wine/brandy) production. We drove past, but did not visit the port city of Pisco, itself.

In Canete, we stayed at the El Dorado, a mid-range hotel and wallowed in the HOT water showers. This was the first hot water most of us had seen for over a month, though I must say I haven’t missed it all that much. The room rate was a little less than US$10 per night. Food is also an amazing value – a scrumptious dinner of soup, salad, ¼ roasted chicken, corn-on-cob, potato and beans was about US$3.50.

The next day, we visited the farm areas, where we inspected the water system for about 70 families and the irrigation canals. Along the way, we sampled some delicious apples and strawberries, fresh off the tree/vines. We also saw the pilot recycling project that the local PC vols have started. This is combined with an exciting compost and worm-farm project, which provides nutrient rich soil to local farms and a flower and tree nursery, aimed at greening and beautifying the towns of Canete and Nuevo Imperial.

In Ica, we stayed at an even nicer hotel for about the same price, complete with a bank of free internet computers. We were temptingly close to the Nazca Lines, but did not visit. These enormous patterns etched into the desert floor are ancient and a great mystery. Who made these perfectly engineered patterns (which can only be fully seen from the air) and why ? Intriguing, to say the least.

We helped with a garbage project by separating about 200 lbs of raw garbage into component parts : organics, inorganics, baby diapers, plastics, metals, juice boxes, etc. The worst part was that soiled toilet paper is not flushed down the toilet here, meaning that it was a major part of the garbage we separated – not so sweet. In Santiago, we were distracted from our mission to interview door-to-door about the local garbage service by a fiesta. The town is celebrating its anniversary (a big deal in these parts) with a food competition. The mayor saw our group and invited us to be “extra” judges of the 40 or so plates in the competition. Despite just having had a huge lunch, our group boldly joined the feast, tasting everything from cuy (guinea pig) to anticucho (cow heart) to an apple/passionfriut tart that was TO DIE FOR.

Many of the group went to an oasis for dune buggy rides and sand-boarding. Instead, I visited one of the many ag chemical stores in the town and was delighted to find my brother Bob’s product “CYTEX” for sale there.

We will learn our permanent posts next week and I’m hoping to be in the minority that are posted to the south in the Canete/Ica/Nazca area.More exactly, I felt very "at home" in the Canete area and asked to be posted there - we shall see.........

Pachamanca - A Peruvian Clam-Bake

Loading the pit of hot rocks with food

The Pachamanca Completed - corn, potato, camotes, meat and beans

Cleaning and painting the water system at Ayas (11,000ft)

Yet another amazing week here in Peru. Monday, our language group did a complete Pachamanca, the traditional “meal-in-a-pit”. We started by clearing the pit of all previous debris and scrubbing all the softball-size rocks. Then, a fire was laid in the pit and a grid of “re-bar” steel rods placed over the top, onto which was carefully placed the clean rocks. The fire was lit and allowed a hour or so to heat the rocks, after which the hot rocks are dropped to the bottom. Potatoes and sweet potatoes are placed in the rocks and a bed of mint and rosemary hold the seasoned chicken. This is topped with banana leaves and a sack of Habas (fava beans in pods). The whole meal is then covered with burlap sacks and fresh dirt, to seal in all the heat and steam. Then we had our Spanish class on the lawn under mango and avocado trees which the food was cooked to delicious perfection. The mint and rosemary permeated the chicken and the potatoes were crisp on the outside and creamy smooth inside. Fortunately, we had a Zen/Pachamanca Master guiding us the entire process, which made for a marvelous start to the week.

Lots of clean water related technical training about water system maintenance and Non Formal Education techniques, which we practiced live at an elementary school west of Chaclacayo. My group had second graders and we presented skits, interactive games and other non-lecture methods to teach proper hand washing techniques to the youngsters. Hard to believe, but simple handwashing is THE best way to decrease diarrhea and other parasitic diseases in rural areas. At the end, the whole class washed hands. The rinse water was – well, it wasn’t pretty.

The water & sanitation crew visited the Catholic University in Lima, where they are doing some wonderful work, developing low cost water, sanitation, and construction solutions for the rural areas. There was a clever water ram pump made of PVC and a soda bottle, for lifting water up to a holding tank and another pump that looked like a StairMaster machine that pumps water and provides a work-out at the same time, as well as a “teeter-totter” attached to a water pump – allowing kids to play and work at the same time. I’ve always dreamed of hooking up the gym work-out equipment to a generator like this.

One of the innovations told a profound tale : In many of the rural areas, cooking is done on an open fire in the home. This results in Horrific air quality and a high rate respiratory problems. The solution was a Dutch oven, made of adobe, with a simple vent. The oven used much less wood and seemed like a brilliant solution. But, no one would use them. The engineers had designed a unit that was rectangular and women cook in a corner of the home. In addition, the fire box required smaller pieces of wood and the men were not used to cutting the wood so small. A classic example of social custom and norms blocking an improvement. The stove had to be redesigned to fit in a corner and handle larger bits of wood. A further adaptation was the insertion of tubes inside the adobe body to heat water and cubby holes at the bottom to accommodate the cuy (guinea pigs) and rabbits, which are staple meats in the Andes. The little guys love a warm spot.

We had our first Spanish evaluation – results on Monday. Everyone has improved at least a level or two. Much of the technical material is now presented in Spanish, which is a huge vocabulary builder. I can actually read the newspaper and understand all of the gist and most of the details.

I’m starting to really ENJOY the cold morning shower – a great, eye-opening way to start the day. It sure cuts down on shower time – a wonderful water saving device. Also, all my clothes seem cleaner and fresher when hand-washed and sun-dried on the line – no fabric softener required.

Finally, another traffic observation : While the system is INCREDIBLY energy efficient here, the drivers seem totally insane, swerving in and out and around other vehicles – often passing within inches of the adjacent vehicle. Amazingly, I have yet to see ANY accident despite the roads being FULL of vehicles. The only explanation I can offer is that these drivers (unlike US drivers) are ALL professionals. They are totally focused on the road and other vehicles at all times. They NEVER talk on cell phones or eat or apply make-up while driving. And (I hate to say this, ladies) they are ALL male. Perhaps there is a lesson here in how to reduce – even eliminate – traffic accidents in the US.

OK, next week FOR SURE, I’ll have photos.

Fourth Gear

The steps we climb every day after training

A view in Ayas, where we hiked at 11,000ft

Looking out on the Rimac Valley from Buenos Aires

Training kicked into high gear this week. Sessions are half in Spanish as language skills quickly gain ground.

We made “Tippy-Taps”, an ingenious device for rural handwashing made from used 3 liter plastic bottles – 3L is the most common size around here and evidence of the sad affinity for soda, especially “Inka-Cola”, which has the kick of Mountain Dew, but the taste of bubble gum. Our group even made a couple improvements to the

time tested device. (see earlier FB Note)

We learned about water testing and water systems and purification techniques, including a method called SODIS, which uses the sun’s UV rays to purify. There was a field trip to the Santa Eulalia river to make sand filters, which can totally purify up to 40 liters of river water a day, once a bio-active scum layer is in place (>20 days). Yesterday, we took a breathtaking (literally) trip to a small town called Ayas (near Surco) up in the mountains (3,200 meters/10,500 ft) to study and work on the water system there. The views were spectacular. On the way, we passed an old lead mining operation (now used as a mining school), a functioning carbide operation, lots of hillside terraces for agriculture and an extraordinary train switchback.

The tiny town of Ayas is home to just 65 families, a milk, yogurt and cheese plant, lots of cows and of course, a Catholic church. At every turn on the 5 mile hike up to the system, there were brilliant green hillside pastures, waterfalls, terraces of alfalfa and Swiss like vistas. We brought  sandpaper and paint to the top spring source and refurbished and lubricated the tanks, lids and locks. On the way down, we inspected and tested the various system components, before enjoying a late afternoon lunch of the traditional chicken, rice and beans with a homemade apple juice, by the side of a high cliff overlooking the Rimoc River valley. The dirt road up and back was only one lane (two tire ruts) wide and built terrifyingly close to enormous drop-offs.

In other training sessions, we learned about the many parasites and diseases we are likely to encounter during our service here in Peru, as well as the STD’s found among the local populace. The later included a rather comical relay race involving condoms and a large dildo. There was something just a tad disturbing about the abilities of the males to place a condom on a dildo facing them, but we persevered. We also practiced teaching English and using “Non-Formal Education” techniques, as many of our audience in the field we be illiterate. My small language group, which we have named “The Four Musketeers”, presented a training on basic water and sanitation vocabulary. I personally presented a training segment on public speaking, as many in our group seemed to be lacking in that area. I did an exercise on eye contact and another on “barking like a BIG dog”.

“Free time” has been scarce, but has included more hand-washing of clothes and another batch of Peruvian Cole Slaw (col is Spanish for cabbage). This weekend is the big Pachamanca Festival in Santa Eulalia. Pachamanca is a traditional cooking method in a big pit with hot rocks (sort of like a clam-bake), with potatoes, sweet potatoes, fava beans, and Beef/pork/chicken, along with sweet tamales. The whole menu is buried for hours, while the air is filled with aroma and the participants are filled with beer. I’ve heard that our little town is in the Guinness Book for most Pachamanca pits fired in a single day.

There are also all types of food booths, vendors and games for the kids. A huge plate of food goes for about US$2. Bands play, horns blow and there is a CONSTANT barrage of M-80 firecrackers set off around town.

I led the Musketeers on a “short cut” route from the Center to Buenos Aires one afternoon. It turned out to be a LONG cut, but as always, the adventurous route-less-traveled was worthwhile. It took us high up on the mountain and past a small new ghetto part of town. The barrio is built entirely of pre-fab plywood shacks (about US$350 complete with 2 windows a door and a tin roof). There is no electricity or sewer and the city has provided only a few water taps. Garbage is everywhere, as were the wild dogs. There were several shrines, which were all much nicer than any of the “homes”. On a happier note, we were treated to spectacular views of the valley floor and our own dear Buenos Aires.

The B.A. town plaza was no sooner completed this week, than the center part was torn up to build a computer kiosk, which will provide the kids with free internet access. My hope is that it will be better used than a similar facility in the Santa Eulalia plaza, where online game playing prevails. In any case, the plaza has started to attract folks for an evening stroll or chat, reminiscent of the plaza in San Blas. And I like that.

Sadly, I left my camera (and photos) at the PC Center, so I’ll have to double-up on photos next week.