HIV Training

Esther and Gloria completed the HIV training with me

Playing with condoms and dildos at PEPFAR training

Learning how to teach HIV / sex education

First part of the week was spent organizing projects, writing proposals and budgets. Then off to Ica for an HIV/STD workshop with two of the nurses from my Health Post. It was wonderful to get to know these hard-working ladies as friends, as well as co-workers during the workshop and at lunch and dinner. Also, always a pleasure to see some of my fellow PCVs, though the youngsters run on a very different schedule than I do. Late nights and sleeping in just doesn’t work for me.

The workshop was well planned and executed. The main presenter Dr Jose, was dynamic and engaging. It was also a classic example of how using “dynamicas”, or participatory activities really works to keep folks from losing interest. Pure lecture , even with a great slide show or PowerPoint, just doesn’t cut it anymore. Frequent exercises and “games” keep the interest up and allow for real interaction and learning in small groups. The only down side was the location – a small facility with poor ventilation in the Ica desert heat.

A few shocking statistics : 13% of teenage girls (<18) have HIV or other STD – 15% of boys // almost 40% of girls in poverty or extreme poverty conditions will be pregnant before age 18. While the level of HIV seems to have leveled off, STD and teen pregnancy is on the rise. And, these are REPORTED cases only. Many go unreported or undiagnosed due to lack of access to care or intentional under-reporting by authorities. Abuse of women is also a huge problem in this land of Machismo. This is still an accepted norm, so is rarely reported or punished. Thanks to US contributions, we will be able to do educational programs and increased testing to help combat these interrelated problems.

We stayed at the usual PC hotel – Palacio del Del Sol – which is very comfortable, though modern/Spartan, with hot water (which I really don’t use) and a bank of free internet computers (which I do). Emily, my go-to breakfast cart vendor was a welcome sight. She remembered her Goyo and made a kind comment that my Spanish was much better than last visit. She works her cart from 5am to noon 7 days a week. And, of course, one of the best parts of Ica is the ice cream shop on the Plaza – always a decadently sweet way to end the day – with some of the best gelato and a stroll in the fountain-filled Plaza de Armas.

Fernando’s two construction projects are moving ahead on schedule. He’s building a crypt in the cemetery across the street and adobe front walls for a new house, also just across the street. The crypt will hold 14 coffins, 8 below ground and 6 above. Cremation is not an option here in San Luis, although I hear it is gaining popularity in Lima.

The best part of coming home was seeing “my” kids again. I brought some treats and answered endless questions about Ica, which to them, is like some far-away land.

I got an advance peek at the newly revised official PC Bike Policy. All the suggestions Ben and I proposed have been have been codified and put into action. No longer will PCVs be buying bikes on their own. A high quality bike, complete with tool kit, pump, repair kit, lock and helmet will be provided, along with maintenance, riding and repair training. This is a huge improvement for the PCVs, and will result in lower costs down the road for the PCHQ, as well. The chosen bike is the Goliat, manufactured right here in Arequipa, Peru. It is a solid and sturdy steel model with superb brake and derailleur systems – a little heavier than my aluminum Trek, but a very serviceable bike, with readily available replacement parts. The only “down-side” is that it only comes in an 18” frame, so larger and smaller PCVs will get a “Fuji” model, sized appropriately. Al-in-all, I could not be more pleased at the speed and response of the PCHQ Staff to this issue.

In- Service Training

Teaching the Caritas group how to make a "losa" top for Cocinas

Meeting room for our WATSAN training

Teaching my fellow PCVs what I've learned about Cocinas

On the road this week to Trujillo, up north in the state of La Libertad on the coast, for EIST (early in-service training). A week with my WATSAN homies and staff.

Before I left, I squeezed in a workshop, teaching Cocinas top (losa) construction for the construction staff at Caritas, a local Catholic charity. They will be building about 60 of the improved cook stoves in various communities around San Vicente and San Luis. They were using a cast metal tops, but have had problems with cracking, poor fit for pots and difficulty of transport. They will still be doing a different design from my stoves (theirs has a sweet little oven part), but they really like the custom made concrete top. I’ll also be working with Caritas on the Vista Alegre water system, so enjoyed building a working relationship. I especially enjoy this type of physical, tactile teaching, since it overcomes my sometimes ragged Spanish. I had a class of seven attentive students and all went well.

Another prep for the trip was the conversion of two pairs of unused long pants to more useful shorts. Had I been posted to the hills, they would have been welcome, but of little use here on the warm desert coast. Dear Paulina, who runs the tienda across the street, was once a full-time tailor. She did an absolutely perfect job, with some of the finest stitching I’ve ever seen. Her bill for two pairs was US$1.85. Let’s just say she got a nice tip.

And so, the journey began – my first loooong bus trip in Peru. Up to now, my trips have all been 2-3 hours on Class B busses, mostly on the Soyuz line. These are fairly comfortable and very clean vehicles. Seats recline slightly and ample leg room, if I can get an “Executive” seat. If not, knees are just a little cramped. They have no bathroom, but a nice snack service – reasonably priced, and movies, which I rarely watch. There is much too much to see outside. To Trujillo, I rode Class A  VIP service. This fleet is spotless, with a “sofa-cama” service that is like a 1^st class airline seat or “cama-cama” which is like overseas 1^st class, where the seat folds down to a bed. On the way up, I did the sofa, as it was during the day. I got the front seat on the second floor, which is directly above the drivers, who work in pairs. This is truly an “E Ticket”, as those of us of a certain age would say. I flinched every time we passed under a low clearance bridge at high speed, but enjoyed a spectacular panoramic view. This class of service also features AIR-CONDITIONING, something I’ve rarely experienced in Peru, and in-flight meal / beverage / snack service, as well as a pristinely maintained bathroom. As well, I had the company of a delightful young lady – Isabela, a nurse from Trujillo.

The coastal desert north of Lima is larger and more rugged than in my area, with vast expanses of blowing sand and steep cliffs right at the ocean’s edge. Approaching Trujillo, there are enormous agricultural “fondos” or plantations, stretching from the coast to the sharp and rocky Andes mountains to the east. Avocados, asparagus and sugar cane are the primary crops; ironic crops for a desert, as each of these are water-intensive crops. While the 2^nd class busses stop frequently to discharge or pick-up passengers, we made only one stop in Chimbote. This was thankfully quite short, as Chimbote is the center of the fish-meal industry, and the entire town reeks of rotten fish smell. Perhaps beyond reek, as one gentleman ran to the WC to discharge his lunch. Interesting to note that the British abbreviation for “water-closet” is used for bus “banos”, even though it has no real meaning in Spanish – a relic of British colonialism.

The city of Trujillo, at least the parts I saw, is filled with gorgeous Colonial architecture, intricate wood-work and delightful balconies, which give shade to the sidewalks below. Since the north of Peru suffers less seismic activity than the south, the structures are well preserved. Appropriately, we stayed at the “Colonial” Hotel, with ancient wooden floors (which were incredibly uneven and creaky) and elaborate wrought iron railings and balconies. Our rooms were sparse, with only one small window and 20 ft ceilings, shared 4 or 5 to each room. Transportation is a sea of taxis, whose drivers are much more courteous than elsewhere, perhaps as Trujillo is a major tourist destination. There were many other Americans, some Brits, Germans and Scandinavians at our hotel.

It was WONDERFUL to be with all my WATSAN Brothers and Sisters. We grew even closer and more appreciative of each other during a week packed with classroom and field training and nightly outings around town. The whole thing was expertly coordinated and ran on-time and on-target. A major factor was that we ate breakfast and lunch at the same cooking academy where we had classes. The food was cooked and served by students who were all eager and quite talented. Of note is that all the students were on scholarship from high poverty areas. Food and service were so good, that I cajoled the kitchen crew out to stand with the servers and receive our applause. I think it made their day. Training focus was primarily on composting toilets (eco-banos) and Cocinas Mejoradas, the improved cook stoves, but introduced some other excellent and useful concepts and information on development. I got to do some teaching from my PowerPoints on Room Improvement and Cocina Construction Tips. And completed my 15 minute Diagnostic presentation in the 10 minute time limit, though at that speed, my Spanish suffered horribly.

Another WONDERFUL surprise was a visit from Sanjay, our Country Director, who announced that the changes in bike policy that Ben and I suggested will ALL be implemented !! So, from here forward, all PCVs who need a bike will get a high-quality mountain bike delivered to their service site, complete with repair kit , lock and good maintenance/repair training. No longer will Vols have to suffer with buying bikes on their own in a foreign land. This was personally very gratifying and speaks volumes about the PCHQ staffs care for us and willingness to change policy when appropriate. For a government agency to move so quickly was impressive.

I left Trujillo at 10pm on an overnight VIP bus with full cama and slept quite well after a delicious in-flight meal service, and arrived back home in San Luis at 10 am the next morning. Smiling a big, albeit weary smile.

A final note from last week: Whenever I visit our Health Center, I can’t help but notice the large number of very young pregnant women. I’m not good at judging Peruvians’ age and too timid to ask, so was delighted when Gloria offered to share the age data on current pregnant women in San Luis with me, to wit:

Age/# : 13/1, 14/5, 15/12, 16/16 , 17/21, 18/12, 19/12, 20/4, 21/9, 22/3, 24/5 , 25&up/28.

I hope that the educational programs we have planned can skew these numbers to the right, at least a little.

The latest fresh produce to come into season is grapes. Not the bland Thompson seed-less like you get in the States. These are mostly wine grapes – full of flavor AND seeds. Just delicious and cheap – equivalent of US$0.25 a pound. Lots of kids dropped off on corners to sell them around town out of wicker baskets. One little guy hawked his wares with an “Uva, Uva, Uvaaaas” song that was irresistible. I bought from him. These same grapes will be made into wine and then distilled into the famous Peruvian Pisco, a raw brandy.

Trees and Bottle Bulbs

Vista Alegre downtown

Sunday Joy Ride Recon took me to the hinterlands of San Luis. Los Olivos is my most remote and smallest annex, and last to be visited. Unlike most of the other small communities, which are relatively compact, it is very spread out – more like a US rural farm area. The houses are also nicer looking. Then out to Vista Alegre, where the Catholic NGO “Caritas” built several very nice little houses – all adorned with their logo. One lady told me families who attended church more got first built, a sneaky incentive, indeed. And they built a water system, complete with chlorine pump and two large plastic storage tanks. Only problem is, somebody swiped the water pump. But, one old man has a little 1/2 hp pump that sends a trickle up to the tanks from the crystal spring below. At 4pm every day, he lets whatever water has accumulated flow to the town. It usually lasts about an hour. Caritas feels they are not responsible for the errant pump and has suggested that the residents all chip in and buy a new one. I’ll see what I can organize or work out. After the ride, I treated my trusty transport to a well-deserved bath, rub-down and lubrication. Then we both had a nice nap – in separate rooms. I LOVE my bike, but not that way.

In Mexico and Puerto Rico, the expression of alarm was “AGUAS !”. This is roughly the equivalent of English ‘watch out’, ‘heads-up’ or ‘Hey’ or ‘Cheese it – the Cops’. I never quite got it, until today. I was walking down the street and heard AGUAS !, which was followed by the sound of a splash and splatter of water/mud on my legs. I was victim of the Peruvian custom of watering the street, by throwing pails of water. Some folks have elevated the water-throw to an art form – beautiful arcs of water loft through the air in striking symmetry. And, I suddenly got it : AGUAS = “I’m throwing some water here, Watch Out !”. It’s like yelling “Fore” on the golf course when your ball is headed toward another player(s). When I got to the tienda, I excitedly shared my revelation with Paulina, the white haired, grandmotherly proprietor. She rolled her eyes and gave me a look that said “Duh…” or “You figured that out all on your own, Huh, Gringo”. She further explained that, when she was younger, Aguas! meant more than water. Before the sewers came to San Luis, folks used bed pans and threw the contents into the street, with a (somewhat euphemistic) Aguas! warning. So, there you have it – another linguistic mystery solved.

I’m surprised and delighted to learn that, while I’ve spent the last weeks mostly at the computer, my weight is DOWN a kilo – to 84.

Well, maybe I haven’t been all that inactive.

In addition to regular service projects, another Volunteer, Bike Guru “Obi” Ben Masters and I have been hatching a plan to improve the PC bike policy here. I’ve gotten to write a slick spreadsheet budget forecaster and an online questionnaire. God, I love technology. Anyway, Ben and I both got Trek 3700s and feel like everybody should get one. As it is, PC has very few great bikes to give out. In lieu thereof, they give Vols 600 soles (about US$222) and have them go buy a bike. Vols buy a cheap bike (or no bike) which quickly deteriorates on the rocky Peruvian roads and the money is lost. Not only that, they have to search in pretty seedy parts of town and most (like me) wouldn’t even know what to look for in a bike. So, we figure the Corps should just make a bulk purchase of a quality bike. And give us some training in how to maintain and repair a bike. This would extend bike life and save them big bucks in the long run. Hopefully, our little two-man lobbyist group can make some changes to improve bike quality for others. Whatever happens, it’s been great to work with a bike fanatic like Ben, who built bikes of bamboo when he was a PCV in Africa.

Our PCV Bike Survey got approved and was emailed to all 235 Peruvian Volunteers – 47 completed after the first 48 hours. I used Kwik Survey online service. What a great free service. I really don’t understand how sites like this exist – no ads, but enabled me to produce and distribute a really slick survey with all sorts of diagnostic tools for the results. Also, discovered that my bike is one of 40 Treks that PC bought back in 2005! They bought another 10 in 2006 and 45 of those bikes are still in service 5 or 6 years later. Certainly makes the case for buying QUALITY bikes.

First "pilot" tree planted

Katy Sater, an environment Vol from up the coast helped me plant the first Poinciana tree in a “macetero” planting hole in the street just down from my house. We were joined by the family who live right in front of the new tree. The soil was hard, but diggable. We went down about 20” and refilled the hole with a blend of soil, compost (from an Eco-Bano – but we didn’t tell the family) and sheep pen sweepings, with the dung sifted out. It should be pretty good stuff.

Three cane poles support the tree and a green shade cloth cover. A little liquid fertilizer was added to the planting water for good measure. Photo attached. 37 more empty holes remain to be filled. But, that will wait until we organize groups of student “Tree Guardians”. School starts next week.

My 61^st birthday celebration was with 7 other Vols from the area. We ate at Pollo Cilindro, where they cook chicken in a smoker. And it’s good. Carrie Seay made some sweet carrot cake cupcakes in her little toaster oven – also delicious. It’s always great to have the gang together. We support each other all the time and often work together on projects. It is truly a Brother (Sister) hood.

I found another good use for empty plastic bottles. They make great sprouting jars. I started with lentils – ready in 24 hours. The kids like ‘em and stop by for “semillas” seeds, often. Maybe too often. I really look forward to some quieter work time when school starts next week.

 

The bottle bulb

Yet another cool use I found online, uses a plastic bottle, filled with water (and a little bleach). It gets put into a hole in the roof, ½ in, ½ out, and brings in a large amount of light. Experimentation is in order, but could be sweet simple upgrade to the many dark Peruvian rooms. In town, the houses are side by side, so room windows are only in front – usually the living room. All bedrooms, baths and kitchen have only windows that open to a hall, or none at all. It goes along with the whole aversion to open windows on busses and combis. A breeze will make you sick, doncha know.

Yet another visit from PC staff, this time from Enrique, the affable head of Security. A large, barrel-chested ex Army tank Colonel, he is an absolute delight to visit with. Kinda reminds me of my beloved grandfather, Col John. He, like my APCD Jorge, loved all my innovative creature comforts I’ve built. PC has come a long way from the day when Vols got dropped off in site and didn’t see staff for 2 years. We get staff visits and four in-service trainings, not to mention monthly regional meetings. I’ll be headed up north to Trujillo for a WATSAN training. It will be great to be with all my Peru 18 homies for a week.

Rolling Along

Oswaldo, my bike repair guy, can fix anything -

I got some kind notes of thanks for my Workshop last week. Since there is no way we all could have gotten complete training in every area, this inter-program, peer-to-peer training is essential. I’ve also been impressed with the total cooperation between Volunteers. If I don’t know something, there’s a good chance that one of my compatriots does, and will be quick to share. It is comforting to know that 185 other Volunteers and 35 staff got my back. Not to mention my network of wonderful friends and family back in the States.

The second “cocina mejorada” improved cook stove that we started got finished with only two little kids as my helpers. Kids here learn to work hard at an early age and they fetched water and adobes with gusto. And they absolutely got into slapping adobe mud on the cracks. There were giggles and smiles all around. They certainly made my day go a lot faster than otherwise. I had to explain what EVERY tool was for and demonstrate. One kid question that is Universal is : WHY? I answered that question a million times with my boys when they were young and at least 50 times in one day with these kids. The other observation was that my shoulders never hurt when I’m working, though I know I’ll pay the next morning. 

Speaking of pain, my MRI’s were reviewed by the Med Staff here, who say “ Around the Glenoid Cavity is the labrum which is the border of the glenoid cavity and is made of soft tissue.  In your case,  it seems that the labrum is torn in the upper part close to the insertion of the tendon of the biceps muscle:”. Like I understand any of that. Anyway, the MRI’s are now in the hands of the PC-OMS in DC, who are the deciders of treatment. Dr Jorge gave me a 50-50 chance of surgery, which doesn’t please me. Vamos a ver.

I made the mistake of loaning my beloved bike to Victor, who is about as responsible as his young kids. It came back with a flat tire. Fortunately, there is a superb bike shop “taller” in town, with a whiz-bang bike master. He quickly found the small nail, patched the tube and double tested. His bill : US$0.55. He got a nice tip. The low labor cost here is sometimes shocking. A fine haircut for US$0.75, a good mason for US$2.10/hr, a beautifully decorated cake for US$1.65 (plus 3.00 for) ingredients, a field hand/laborer for US$0.93/hr – no wonder the average income is so low.

In any case, the whole issue of loaning tools and stuff is really thorny for me. On the one hand, I’ve got tons of good tools and a computer, etc. that are pretty rare around here. And word spreads fast about the well- equipped Gringo. I want to share, but Peruvians simply do NOT understand about care and maintenance and cleaning. So, in future, I’m laying down the law : no more loans of any kind. I’ll go help out, when I can, but I’ve got to preserve and nurture my small assets here. On top of that, Victor was fired from the SECOND job in 3 months. He was always running out of the house 15-30 minutes after he was supposed to be at work. Anyway, this means wanting to use my computer and WiFi and printer to look for work. I find it more annoying than interruptions from the kids.

His wife isn’t scoring any points either. She and Papa Fernando had another late-night shouting match – the usual - berating her for dirty house, clothes and no food. So, she started staying home in the morning – to watch TV. This only deprived the kids of their favorite play area and forced them into my room. When I turned them out, they went and spilled some water on the kitchen floor, which got them spanked (but did force Margarita to clean the kitchen floor), which led them back to Senor Goyo for comfort. Thankfully, I had to ride out to finish a Cocina just then. I have to remember that they are both only 25 , same age as most of the Volunteers, though far less responsible. But, with 3 children.

My “Boss”, Jorge paid me a visit this week. He visits all new Volunteers to see how they’re doing. I presented him with my completed Diagnostic (not due until Feb 29), my new Cocinas Construction manual, my new Biodigester Guide and docs for my tree planting project, which gave him a good smile. We paid a visit to the Alcaldesa Delia, who immediately gave me the go-ahead to start the tree planting project, since it was her idea in the first place, but again, Jorge was impressed with her cooperation. Our plan to visit the biodigester was voided when he had to deal with a Watsan Volunteer who has decided to leave early. Jorge is FIERCELY proud that Watsan has a lower ET, “early termination” than other programs, so he seemed to take this personally.

That aside, I was delighted to get the green light for tree planting. First step will be a demo planting just outside my house. I’ve brought in a good supply of eco-bano compost, liquid fertilizer from the biodigester and some “guano de campo” or top soil from a cow pen. And purchased some bamboo and green shade cloth (maya Rachel). My friend and fellow PCV Katy Sater is coming down from Asia next week. She’s in the Environment program and will be writing the scripts for the educational charlas we present to the kids. Summer vacation is just about over – classes start on March 5^th. Much as I love my 3 little kids here, I will be grateful to not have them afoot ALL DAY LONG. Just one more week………I am looking forward to working with the slightly older (9-11) kids. I already know some of them. And they know Senor Goyo, although one kid insists on calling me Senor Paz, which I don’t mind either.

Elsewhere in the Muni, things are not so good. My good friend Jimmy was fired as Gerente (town manager) and replaced with Juan Carlos, who doesn’t seem near as friendly (but who WILL succumb to “Goyo” charm). I spent so much time exploring my projects with Jimmy, it felt like the proverbial rug getting pulled. I’m told this happens all the time here. It is especially bad when a new Mayor comes into power. Everyone from secretaries to janitors to gardeners gets fired, so that friends of the incoming leaders can be favored. This is said to avoid problems with corruption, but I don’t get it.

In the “teaching old dog new tricks Dept”, I made my first PowerPoint presentation. Nothing really jazzy (no twirling letters or spinning photos), just a straight-forward slide show with captions. It’s about some of the upgrades I made to my room, at the behest of my “boss”, who thought they were clever. I’ll attach a copy to the email, though it is meant to be viewed with commentary. I always enjoy learning new stuff – the program is very intuitive and “user friendly”. During training, there was a PowerPoint for EVERY presentation (except mine). They seem to be over-used and over-rated. For a presenter to stand with back to audience and read from the screen seems pointless, distracting and disconnecting from the listeners. I like eye contact and engaging an audience. I suppose it relieves presentation stage-fright for some – but at what cost?

With my Diagnostic complete, I’m back to the field work that I love. Another Cocina completed – this one in a home with a 5’6” ceiling, which was Hell on my old bones. Fortunately, I had the assistance of an experienced mason, who did a lot of the drudge work, (and did it better than I do) leaving me to just do the more technical and difficult parts. When I cut the hole in the ceiling for the chimney, I got showered with the ash that had built up from years of cooking over an indoor open fire. I hate to imagine what their lungs look like. We fired this one up the next day, to many oows and aahs. Again, not being able to see the open flame and having to use smaller fuel materials, is a big change that needs support and reassurance. These folks generally use big yucca roots, which just won’t fit whole into the new (more efficient) fire box. So we are left to use the yucca stalk or corn stalk (which burns way too fast) or split the roots. I got a nice big bag of figs from their trees, which were extra tasty.

My Socio (community partner) at the Health Center, Gloria Yaya, has agreed to go with me to an HIV conference in Ica in April. This 3 day program will be enlightening for me (hopefully for her, as well) and will qualify us to get funding for health related educational programs here in San Luis. We plan to teach more than just HIV prevention and will include STD, teen pregnancy, contraception, gender issues, etc. Peace Corps Volunteers here have created an outstanding and comprehensive program called “Pasos Adelante”, which we plan to use. STDs, HIV and teen pregnancy is a huge problem around here. That needs to change.

I’m also enjoying my new contact with the Princeton Engineers Without Borders. Kudos (and Locomotives by the score) to this dedicated group of undergraduates, who are designing and building a new gravity water system in northern Peru. I’ve been able to share resources and connect them with many of my Peruvian expert contacts. Add to this, the group of future Princetonians in the Peru Bridge Program and I’m proud as punch of those bright young people who represent “Princeton in the World’s Service”.

Wow. I just realized that my weekly blogs in Peru will total 110, which means I’m 20% through my service, which seems like it’s just begun.

Jimmy Bell - OAA5

My new friend and ham radio operator, Jimmy Bell

First "Bottle Bulb" installed

Sunday bike ride (have I mentioned lately how much I love my bike?) took me back to Los Olivos, one of my distant annexes. I was intrigued by its “spread out” design. Most Peruvian villages build houses right up against each other, often sharing a single wall between “structures”. In Los Olivos, the homes are all very separate, each with an out-building or two. Some are downright upscale, which seemed odd to me for such a remote location. I was also intrigued by a huge radio antenna array, which is why I went back to check this out. My curiosity led me to an attractive home behind high hedges and a massive gate. I rang the buzzer and a young man came to the gate, took a quick look at me and rushed away. A painfully long time later, an elderly man appeared. He did not seem happy to see me. Until I asked about the antenna and blurted out my radio call “KD6ZCC”. “Zulu-Charlie-Charlie” he exclaimed and threw the gate open.

My persistence was well rewarded by a visit with a new “Ham” radio friend, James Bell. That’s right, a Peruvian named James Bell; descended from the British family that brought Pima cotton to Peru, way back when. And who speaks near perfect Queen’s English. On air, “Jimmy” is OAA5 (oscar,alpha,alpha,five). This was originally his grandfather’s call sign – the FIFTH ever issued in Peru – and he now holds it. His antenna array is the best I’ve ever seen. We had a jolly good time, sipping gin & tonic (with REAL ICE!!) and sharing tales of ham radio. He was impressed with the half-wave 80M antenna I built in Mexico and I was impressed with his whole set-up – state-of-the art – which is housed in its own room in a VERY nice home. It was seriously hard to believe I was in Middle Nowhere, Peru. His lovely wife, Isabella, very politely listened to us yammer on and on about radio stuff and kept our glasses and tummies quite full with an amazingly good guacamole – first time I’ve ever seen it in Peru, despite the abundance of avocado. I feel like I’ve just been to another world. Jimmy now runs what is left of the family holdings in Peru. The family plantation was down near Chincha, about 30 miles south. He still grows some cotton locally, though just for “tradition” and is a partner in one of the big commercial fisheries which produces fish-meal. He doesn’t like the “snobs” in Lima and prefers a simple (but VERY comfortable) life in San Luis. I REALLY like this guy.

Not much of a bike ride, but it was certainly a great day. I am so appreciative of how the willingness to explore, to take a chance and knock on a total stranger’s gate in a foreign land, will often be richly rewarded. And that I’ve had the opportunities in my life to learn about and experience so many of the hidden worlds like ham radio, scuba, solar power, aviation, etc – which so often build an instant bond with others. This web of connections gives me enormous pleasure every day. Lately, I’m particularly grateful for all my family and friends and fellow Volunteers, who provide technical advice and support for my service here with the Corps. So much of what I do depends on channeling information from others into solutions for problems here. And in being that conduit, I get to learn all manner of new stuff. Which is nice.

Victor, the Dad of my three little kids has a new job. It’s good news and bad news. Good, because he’s making a good wage – about 2000 soles/month (US$740). He was making about half that here in town. And that’s the bad news – the job is in Lima. So, he will join the ranks of the many Peruvians who commute long distance to the Big Lime every week, returning home for a day visit with the kids. I’m happy for him, but sad for the kids – of the two, he is certainly the better parent. He’s really excited about it, finally getting to do the electrical work he trained for. Unlikely he would ever find anything like it around here. Maybe the reason he didn’t last long at the menial jobs he took in San Luis. And I’m guessing he is thoroughly enjoying the solo life in Lima.

In the “why I love my new home-town” column: trust. Shop keepers here still run tabs for their customers. Some folks come in, get their supplies and just tap on the counter, at which point Paulina pulls out and marks a well-worn ledger. Try that at your local 7-11. Reminds me of the small town grocery I knew in my Mom’s home-town of Gilford, NH. When I visited my grandparents there in the summers, I was often sent “to fetch” Nana some cooking ingredient from the Village Store (that was its name). Never had to carry a dime. And the thrill of discovering a bottle on the side of the road was like finding treasure. It was quickly whisked away to the grocer to exchange for candy treats. But, as sometimes happens, I digress. Paulina never turns them down, though I have heard her recount the pending balance a time or two.

More notes on the transportation situation: While bikes are quite popular, the quality is pretty low. Most have no gears, shocks or brakes. My shining, well-lubed Trek, with shocks, brakes, 15 gears and handlebars extensions, gets a LOT of attention. I’ve had many inquiries about its value and offers to buy it. Nobody wears a helmet, except me (required by PC). Many bikes have been converted into transporters of goods. They are universally dirty and lacking in any visible lubrication. Fortunately, our little town has a GREAT bike shop and mechanic – Oswaldo. During training, we were warned that Peruvian drivers were less than considerate of bike riders. Fortunately, I’ve found that NOT to be the case. Even the big buses will yield a little road.

The most dangerous place to ride is the PanAmerican Hwy, which goes right by San Luis. It is just about the only good road around, but shoulders are not wide and the big, fast interstate buses and 18-wheelers come barreling down, while an eclectic mix of taxis, combis, moto-taxis, motorcycles, bicycles, donkey carts and pedestrians weave in and out along the narrow shoulders. Bear in mind that this is the ONLY road running north-south and connecting to Chile, Bolivia and Ecuador. It looks like an average State Road in the US. The only other smooth, paved roads I enjoy run from San Luis to La Quebrada and to Laura Caller, with almost no traffic. In town, only one street “Comercio” is paved. All other roads are dirt, with many loose rocks and VERY bumpy. It is my good fortune that it rarely rains here, or there would be a muddy mess. The Peruvian government just announced a $21 million road initiative. ( an odd quirk here is that they don’t say “million”, it’s “thousand, thousands” – God only knows what they do for billion or trillion). In the US, we tend to take good roads for granted – Please Don’t. They are such a blessing and save untold repair and inconvenience.

I built another Cocina Mejorada (improved cook stove) at the church in Don Oscar. The church also serves as a social center of the little village. They serve food after services on Sunday and on religious holidays. Up to now, they’ve been cooking over a HUGE open fire in a covered kitchen area behind the church, covered in soot. Three church members showed up to help, all skilled in adobe work, so my job was mostly supervision and tech guidance. Upon completion, it was duly blessed by the Padre and sprinkled with Holy Water. We burned it in, immediately upon completion, and it seemed to do just as well as the residential models. Though again, the adaptation to smaller wood and constant tending will take some behavior change. They plan to now better enclose the “kitchen” and are running a water line and out-going drain to a grey-water pit. Progress – poco a poco

The construction project next door needed help with some electrical work. Mostly what they needed was my drill and battery tester. We had to run a line through a recently poured concrete wall. Why they didn’t put some conduit in the wall when it was cast, will never be known. My ceramic bit cut easily, but wasn’t long enough the go all the way through, so the hole was completed by hand, with an (Un-sharpened) piece of rebar and hammer – talk about crude, rude tools. ½ hour later, they cut through the remaining 2”. Against my advice, they decided not to line the hole with conduit and left TWO splices in the line instead of heading to the store for a longer piece of wire. And this is 240 VOLTS ! With no wire nuts, the first time we pulled the wire, it parted and had to start over. Really frustrating. But, that’s the way it is down here with all construction (except maybe in Lima) – no thought to safety, durability or maintenance (or even appearance). In the end, it worked and that’s all the lads cared about. I did NOT give my usual warranty on the work.

Installed the first of 3 "bottle bulbs" I installed yesterday at Usevio’s house, as Fernando said “NO” to trying one at home. Clean a bottle, fill with clean water, add a dash of bleach, cut a small hole in roof, insert bottle = instant light. If you live where it rains, you need to seal the hole - Duh. Many Peruvian rooms and homes have only one small window (usually closed and dirty) and door (always closed to keep out flies). Not much light....until yesterday. I predict "bottle bulb" revolution.

Cocinas Workshop - Student turned Teacher

Papa Goyo shows them how it's done

Teaching the art of "losa" casting

And everybody gets dirty

The week started with another trip to Lima for an MRI on my shoulder. Stopped by the Embassy to have a limonada with my friend there. Then proceeded to the MRI facility, which is located in San Isidro, one of the upper class enclaves of Lima. They were running behind, so I went down the broad, tree lined avenue to the ovalado, where I found a choice of Chili’s, McDonalds, Burger King or TGIFridays for dinner. I did what I said I’d never do and ate at a Peruvian McDonalds. Nicer than any Mickey D in the US, it was a two story glass and brass affair. The food was exactly the same, though, albeit a bit pricey. A QuarterPounder w/ cheese combo was US$5.55. All the patrons were very well dressed with European features. The elite of Peru look nothing like the folks in the rest of the country. There was a special line for couriers. 5 or 6 uniformed moto-couriers in line at a time to fetch a tasty McSomething for the privileged. The extensive condiment bar featured 4 kinds of aji and even sweet pickle relish, a rare treat indeed. I’ve only been able to find it in one large store in Lima.

On the way back to the MRI place, I saw the “car guardian” process that I’d heard about. There are no parking meters on the streets. But, there are men who “control” a block or so of the street. For a fee, they hold spots for regular customers, stop traffic so clients can get in and out of spots and even wash windshields or whole cars. Of course, their primary job is to watch the cars and ensure security. Whenever they have an available spot, they stand well into traffic, loudly announcing the vacancy with shouts and wild arm motions.

Over an hour inside the banging and whining belly of the MRI beast was not my idea of a good time. But hopefully, it will reveal what’s up with my sore shoulder that just doesn’t want to get better. Again, a VERY upscale clientele. My greetings in Spanish were answered with perfect English in a couple of cases. A polite way of letting me know that their English was a whole lot better than my Spanish. I had an interesting conversation about the GOP Presidential candidates. This lady knew her stuff and amazing that the process in a foreign country would be of such interest.

The sun was directly overhead at noon on Tuesday. I made a special effort to be outside (and NOT working on my Diagnostic) at that special time. Indeed, I cast virtually no shadow at all, and it was neatly packed around my feet. In contrast to my distain for astrological functions, I’ve always been attracted to astronomical functions. As I now live well within the Tropic of Capricorn, that range of latitudes where the sun is directly overhead at some point in the year. In fact, it is overhead twice during the period between the fall and spring equinoxes, reaching its most southern point on the winter solstice. At the latitude of San Luis, these two days are October 28 and February 14. I also follow the meteor showers that occur during the year, but don’t EVEN start with me about what planet is squaring what cusp or sign….just sayin’.

More time spent translating my Diagnostic, went by ever-so-slowly. I’m not sure I really get why we translate the things and then present them to the community. It seems a little presumptuous to tell the community about themselves. I DO see the value for identification of possible service projects, but simply presenting those projects to the community would seem to suffice. But, the Corps makes a big deal over the Diagnostic, including presentation (in Spanish) to other PCVs (who all speak English). Seems more like some fraternity initiation to me. Kinda like when I had to learn Morse Code at 20 wpm to get my General Radio Operator license and then never used Code again.

I made several bike trips (yes, I still LOVE my bike) to get everything ready for the Workshop. And, finally came Friday and my big Cook Stove/Biodigester/Eco-Bano Workshop. I had 17 other Volunteers from Ica, Lima and Huancavelica signed up. 3 advance cancellations, including poor Alli, who passed out hiking to an annex at altitude, fell down and gashed her forehead, hiked 4 hours to get stitches, which were so badly done that she had to go to a surgeon in Lima and get them pulled out and re-done. The Vols who serve in the mountains have a much harder service environment than I enjoy, including washed out roads from the recent torrential seasonal rains. But, I digress.

Friday morning, only one other Vol missed his alarm (but thoughtfully called to cancel), so I wound up with a class of 12. Our kindly RC (PC speak for Regional Coordinator) Miguel Angel shuttled us out to Don Oscar and I have to admit it’s even more comfortable in an SUV than bike. We cast a concrete Cocinas top and then built an entire Cocina (that’s the “improved cook stove”) before lunch. The family was really excited and provided us with the absolute finest materials, all carefully sifted, which made construction a breeze. Everyone participated and came away with satisfying quantities of mud under their nails. Usevio, the biodigester farmer, and his family fed us a wonderful lunch (some of which was cooked over a bio-gas flame) of Sopa Seca, sort of ultra rich spaghetti, with chicken and potatoes with delicious Huancaina sauce. This was topped of with Chupetes – a popsicle of fresh fruit juice – mango, passionfruit and strawberry. After lunch, we toured the biodigester and eco-banos. A good and educational day for all, I hope.

Since a couple of the attendees were Peruvian, the Workshop switched back and forth between English and Spanish frequently. I’ve been surprised (and delighted) at how easily this has gotten for me. Usually, my brain gets locked into Spanish, except when I’m among Volunteers, when it locks back to English. The rapid switching is a strange experience. Sometimes, I find myself speaking Spanish, when I mean to speak English and vice-versa. I also applaud the PC courtesy/protocol of (generally) not speaking English when with a Peruvian. I think the locals appreciate it, too.

Everybody gets involed

That night, the Canete Plaza was full of Peace Corps, Pisco and Gringos. It was a wonderful treat to have so many Volunteers and even some staff in “my” town. A large group of Gringos in a relatively small, non-touristy town always garners scrutiny and stares – and reinforces the importance of our every move. Had dinner with Miguel Angel and our beloved Dr Jorge at the Pollo Cilindro, with some other Vols. “Cilindro” is a smoked chicken and, to me, a cut above the standard “a la Brasa” (roasted) chicken, which is pretty good to start with. There is an amazing sense of community and Brotherhood within the Corps – a bright, adventurous, caring and giving group. I’m glad and proud to be a part of it.

Around the House

Amir getting oatmeal from Goyo in the morning

Last of Mango Madness for the season

New washer will make life easier (and cleaner)

The week started out with a nice surprise, in the form of a washing machine. It was used, but seems to work OK. It should (hopefully) cut down on the piles of kids clothes that pile up around here. Margarita is not much of a house-keeper (or Mom for that matter). She initiated the machine with a 2 day washing marathon, piling the clean clothes on top of dirty ones when she ran out of clothes-line space. I had to wait for a turn later in the week. The machine pales compared to the standard US version. The agitator is very small and only gently nudges the clothes around. Pre-treating and pre-washing heavily stained areas is required. It saves a little effort, but not much. The only function that really works is the spin. It squeezes out more water than my feeble hands can and with less wrinkles. The bright Peruvian sun then dries almost instantly.

Sunday’s bike ride was long and wonderful. I headed off to explore some of the more inland ruins in the area. The Old Ones seemed to like the high ground. Or at least, the only pieces remaining are on the high ground. I’m still blown away by the quality of the adobe they produced. It is much harder than the adobe made today. Modern adobe is so soft that many insects bore holes in it. Not so, with the ancient stuff. What knowledge has been forgotten? And the size of the blocks is imposing. Were these blocks made in place or moved into place and if so, How? These ruins were mostly just building outlines or a couple of adobes high walls.

Well, we got rain. In this coastal desert, the average annual rainfall is just 0.6”. It only rained for a few hours and the ad-hoc rain gauge (an open pail) in the back yard, showed less than ¼”. But that was enough to trickle through the mud roof and into the house – little muddy puddles. Fernando says it’s a good thing, since all the little cracks will now seal up. However, it made for a morning of mopping and washing. Most single floor construction here uses the mud-over-bamboo roof, so mops were out all around town. Post rain roof inspection did confirm that the roof has a “like new” mud surface and the shade tarp is clean, except in the middle. The rain also washed accumulated dust of off all the leaves around, revealing an emerald green in the local fields. The poincianas look especially bright and brilliant. The crimson blooms shouted with glee, now free from their dusty prisons.

I had to make a bus trip to Lima. Maybe ‘got to’ is more true. It always feels like a vacation to another planet when I go in to the Big Lime. And the Peace Corps HQ is always so very welcoming and comfortable. Time to thank all the kind folks who take such good care of our needs. Had a good meet with my Volunteer supervisor (PCVL in PC-speak) and time left over to visit John Cardenas (Princeton ’89) with USAID in the US Embassy (aka The Palace). No matter where I encounter other Alums, there is an ease and welcoming, for which I am most grateful. Always nice to have a friend in the Palace. I also got to meet the guy who was responsible for deploying all the USAID temporary shelters in the Canete area after the 2007 earthquake. He was delighted to hear how well they have stood up. He wanted photos, which I was able to download on the spot from Facebook and a sample of the weathered material, which I foolishly agreed to send him. Finding a discrete spot to cut a 4”x4” patch out of somebody’s house, may take some doing.

The main reason for the trip was medical. During my first months here, I worked 8-10 hour days, digging in rocky ground, mixing concrete, lifting adobe block and carting a full wheel-barrow all over Goyo’s Little Hectare. Yes, I was sore every morning, but I worked through it. At some point, I noticed that the range of motion in my right shoulder really sucked. Can’t even reach around behind my back or high overhead, without pain. I gave it a month to heal and tried to rehab it with a bungee cord, but to no avail. So, decided to get help from the Peace Corps Medical folks (PCMOs). We get 100% health care, which is nice. We get all care and meds free, like the vitamins they just sent me: Geriatric Tabs for “over 60”, but, I digress. They sent me to a trauma specialist in a large clinic, which was well run and as nice as any HMO I’ve ever seen. He quickly concluded that I’ve done some damage to one or more tendons in my shoulder and arranged for an MRI next week. He also talked about surgery to resolve the issue, which I’m not wild about. Anybody have experience or alternatives ?

One thing that I notice, while traveling on busses here, is that most all the Peruvians fall asleep VERY quickly. Five minutes out of the terminal, when we hit the PanAmerican, they’re all out cold. Even in the middle of the day. They get woken up a few times by the conductor and the guy who checks on the conductor and the sandwich/soda lady, but fall right back to Dreamland – quite striking. Either everyone here is in sleep deficit or it’s a genetic response to humming motor. For me, there’s always something to notice or ponder out the window or across the aisle. There is always a Spanish-dubbed American movie on, but they’re mostly “action” flicks with car crashes and explosions or lots of gunfire – not my cup of tea. The sandwiches are fair.

Fernando had his 57^th birthday this week. In a country where the average life expectancy is just 69.9 (US is 77.6), that’s pretty good. His birthday celebration was nothing like the blow-out, “Hora Loca” bash we enjoyed in Buenos Aires for Crisanto’s 69^th. But Pisco Sours, Paneton and good cheers were in abundant supply. I was struck by the fact that he has lived his entire life thus far, in San Luis. He was born 3 blocks away and has lived in only 2 other houses. There have been times when he’s had to travel as far away as Lima and Ica for work, but this has always been “home”. He says it’s the same for most of his friends, though the next generation seems much more mobile. All but one of his children have moved to Lima, Arequipa, Tumbes and even Italy.

It was also a treat to have an iced drink. While many families have refrigerators with perfectly good freezers, ice is seldom seen. Even “cold” drinks are more like “cool”. Room temperature beverages and cool showers are a way of life here. It might have something to do with the popular notion that cold drinks, especially when consumed at night, are unhealthy. There is a similar aversion to cool breezes and open windows. When I caught a cold from Fernando a while back, I was told it was due to my Gringo affinity for drinking cold water and sleeping with open window and fan. I have totally gotten acclimated to the cold showers, though. I fact, I somewhat eagerly anticipate that cool refreshing jolt every morning and most definitely appreciate it in the afternoon, after a long day in the sunny, warm and dusty ‘burbs.

Mango Madness is over – the price is back to “normal” (US$ 0.50 cents/lb) – still a bargain. But a new taste treat has taken its place: sweet corn is in season. Many street vendors are selling steamy hot corn from sidewalk stands, served with a wedge of fresh cheese and mild aji sauce. The kernels are much bigger than the US norm and the corn is not as sweet. But, it is still a tasty lunch or dinner or snack. I have to say that the “elotes” roasted corn I enjoyed in Mexico is still my preference.

“Soccer” morning, little Amir (4), rolled into my room at 6am, all sleepy-eyed, hugging his soccer ball. Soccer clinic wasn’t until 9, but he is SO excited – it gave me a huge smile. He curled up in my spare chair and went back to sleep, only to come awake and ask about a million times “What time is it? Time to go?”. When the appointed hour finally arrived, “Mamita” Camila (8) packed water bottles for both. Amir pulled on my arm all the way to the stadium, while clutching his ball tightly. Once again, he played with great energy and heart, easily keeping up with the 6-8 year-olds. His brother Santi only wanted to go for the snow cone treat. When we got home, Camila kindly listened to Amir’s long, rambling and excited description of the adventure. I couldn’t understand half of what he was saying, but the enthusiasm came through loud and clear. I really hope I can do something to give these kids and the others in town more space to play.

I had a nice lunch in Canete with some of the other “local” PCVs. The tribe feeling is intense among Volunteers. We rely on and support each other for information and advice and company. We all bring such diverse talents to the table, there is a huge buffet from which to choose. It’s nice to know that 170 other Vols (and a great staff) have my back. And I’ve got theirs.

Also, I spent time getting set-up for my big workshop next week. I am organizer, host and leader, so lots of details and logistics to work out. The basic plan is to build a complete Improved Cook Stove, using my new manual. After that, we’ll have lunch – cooked over a bio-gas flame from the biodigester. Then view and inspect the digester itself, with my commentary. Finally, we’ll open the back of an eco-bano and remove a load of compost. Nothing like real world, hands-on experience as a teaching tool. So far, 20 of my fellow PCVs have signed up.

And in final edit stage of my Diagnostic. Next step is translating the whole thing into Spanish. Yeah, that’ll be fun…

Circus, Circus

Well, the tree planting project has had quite a response. The day after planting the first Poinciana tree out on the street side, I had four folks show up (and two the next day) wanting to know when I would plant a tree by THEIR house. Evidence of three things : 1)there is a big demand for trees in town 2) word travels FAST 3) they know where I live. Nor did folks fail to notice the presence of a Gringa (Katy) which prompted questions about who she was; my  wife, girlfriend, sister, daughter? Inquiring minds…. In any case, I am delighted at the response and being able to do something for my own neighborhood instead of out in the annexes. Other projects for my town will be the kids’ playground(s) and a computer/technology center in Town Hall. Educational plans include an HIV/STD program, tuberculosis, diabetes (healthy eating), environmental, global warming and hand-washing. Now that I think about it, I guess it’s reasonable for them to wonder why I’ve been doing so much work out in the campo and not doing anything around town, other than some handyman stuff.

The circus “circo” came to town. I wanted to take the kids, but was told it was “too dangerous”. The price of US$0.75 was right, so I went on in. Calling it a circus by US standards is a stretch. More like a musical variety show. The music was very un-Peruvian and borrowed straight from Ringling Bros., which brought to mind some childhood circuses. There were a few not-ready-for-prime-time singers and some lovely young female dancers wearing leotards so tight, they left little to the imagination. And clowns – LOTS of clowns. There was some good juggling and plate spinning, a bareback pony rider and a couple of trained dogs. But, no trapeze, elephants, tigers or even peanuts. Lots of hawkers with churros, chupete (popsicle) and soda, though – doing a brisk business. There was a recurring clown act that was slightly disturbing – one little skinny guy who acted effeminate and another big macho guy with a rubber bat. They did short skits, which I couldn’t much understand and in the end the little guy would get whacked with the bat and whimper and the crowd cheered. There was a similar act by the clowns at Crisanto’s birthday party. Is this some sort of cultural warning not to be gay? Or just fun to see some guy get whacked? Well, the juggling was real good, and those leotards on the dancers were….well, they were tight.

I am reminded that all PCV blogs, should carry the disclaimer that they are personal observations and opinions and DO NOT, in any way, represent the views of the Peace Corps or the US Government. But, you knew that, Right?

No Sunday bike tour this week. Instead, I decided on a micro-vacation to Cerro Azul, the touristy beach destination just 8km up the PanAmerican Hwy. This is pretty much peak tourist season and it showed. Lots of folks in town and colorful umbrellas all over the beach. But, surprisingly few folks actually in the water. Not big swimmers, these Peruvians. Surf was down, but I did manage a couple of decent body-rides. An enterprising young fellow had a tent set up with a bucket shower for US$0.75. His younger brother fetched pails of water from town. Lots of really creative arts & crafts and some surprisingly good paintings. I had some outstanding ceviche and Dorado (Mahi-Mahi / dolphin) fingers that were well worth the trip. They also make yucca-fries that beat the pants off French-fries – they get nice & crispy on the outside and creamy inside. The 6 hour trip felt as refreshing as a full-on vacation. I gotta get out more.

The kids went back to school this and the house has been completely quiet. No noise or interruptions makes for much higher productivity, but I do miss the little buggers. School here is MUCH different from US. Hours are 8 am to 4 pm, six days a week. Emphasis is on rote and repetition – original thinking not an option. No freehand drawing, just trace and color. Motto on the gate at the local grade school : “Responsibility, Punctuality, Discipline”. Yikes….   Homework is just busy-work – copying sentences down a page, coloring correct picture with correct color. I’m only seeing grade school homework – maybe it gets better in higher grades. With mostly absent parents, Camila, the 8 yr-old Princess/Mamita, does her own and then her brothers’. Smart as a whip, that one; incredibly responsible for her age (or any age). Her ability to control and entertain her brothers is remarkable. I gave the kids a DVD of “Puss-in-Boots” (Gato de Botas), which they have watched about a gazillion times. The other day, the power went out for a couple of hours. With no TV, I thought the kids would flip, but Camila just stood up and told her version of Gato de Botas to her young audience. Her memory of the plot was good, but her detail and invention was even better.

I happened upon a small stand on the Canete Plaza, selling yogurt produced in nearby Santa Barbara, 2 km away. It’s made from goat milk, with no additives, but fruit pulp. A sample was good, so I bought a liter for US$1.66. It was simply the very finest yogurt I have ever tasted – and locally produced !! This is a new business that deserves support. I’m pretty sure that some of the goat milk even came from Usevio’s (bio-digester guy) goats. I need to visit the plant. Soon.

Coming back from Canete, I started chatting with a nice lady about what I’m doing here. She invited me to dinner “as a Thank You” for helping out here in Peru, which I thought was really nice. My current mantra being “Never decline an Invite”, I accepted. Arrived at the appointed hour, with a Panetone and flowers (mistake) at one of nicer houses in town – rather modern looking with tile on the front (most have painted stucco). I chatted with her and her hubby for a while and everything was going fine, until her two daughters (I’m guessing 16/17ish) came in dressed in totally slinky dresses, with necklines there were, well, ah..revealing. The rest of the night was “Daughters on Display”. Aren’t they pretty? (they were). Don’t they cook well? (they did). They made their own dresses. And they showed how they could count to 20 in English. And they did a swell Disco sort of dance. And sang. And I had to join them. Oh, and they both LOVE children. I lost count of how many times Mama asked if I was really single. The girls were very sweet about it and didn’t say much, nor did Dad and I did my best to change the subject as often as possible. I made the further blunder of singing the first verse (which is all I know in Spanish) of “el Condor Pasa”, which Mama insisted I repeat MANY times. Those were three of the most uncomfortable and awkward hours in memorable history. Maybe I need to rethink that Mantra….

Another wonderful trip to PCHQ in Lima. The Staff all make us Volunteers feel “at home” there. And well cared for. And other Vols are around for various reasons. My friend Christine from Health was tHere, as she is changing sites. Sometimes (rarely) a site just doesn’t work out and PC finds another one. Gotta be hard to shift gears like that in the middle of service, though. The trip included a visit with a lovely physical therapist, who gave me some good rehab exercises for my shoulder. I have “rotator cuff tendinitis and  possible torn superior labrum”, whatever that means. What it means to me is limited range of motion and occasional pain when I reach overhead or behind my back. The good news is no surgery or cortisone (for now). Just some NSAIDs , cold packs and exercises. Also visited another “fast food” place called “Bembo’s”, a McKnock-off.  A very respectable salad and pretty good onion rings and drink were had for about US$6.30, which is pretty steep for Peru.

At long last, I got a meeting with the NGO Caritas, who built a sweet water system for Vista Alegre (Happy View)