Giving Thanks

Steel tubing arrives at welder Vidal's yard

Vidal cuts and welds a swing set

Some of the playground parts are ready

The see-saw is taking shape

A busy week – keeping my projects moving ahead, distancing myself from a pleasant, but personally disappointing vacation, training the new group of Volunteers and being trained to serve as a PCV Warden.

The Playgrounds project is moving along, albeit slowly. Vidal, our welder has been moving his entire household and workshop to a new property next door to his old one. The move is now complete and he has 3-phase power, which will boost his welding capabilities. Most of the metal tube has been cut and the design is looking good. All the used tires are in place and Angel got two rolls of used fire hose from our friends at the Bomberos (fire-house), which we’ll be using to construct swings.

My wonderful partners in the HIV/STD prevention programs have been keeping everything on track in my absence. I’m actually delighted that they only need me for logistics. This is not exactly my forte, especially teaching a very sensitive subject in Spanish. The great part is that they have access to a vast array of PC materials and teaching practices. The dynamic program, full of movement and interactive learning is a positive change from “teaching-as-usual”. Gloria and Esther have embraced this full on.

The school exchange program, between kids at my Colegio Mixto and a classroom in Commerce City, CO, delayed by the Peru Teachers Strike, is now moving forward with question/answer exchanges – thanks to Beth Ramey, my dedicated counter-part in the States. I attach the first exchange, as the exchange was pretty interesting.

I travelled east of Lima – out the Rimac River Valley – to Santa Eulalia to train the new Peru 20 group of PCVs. Due to a security issue, they were holed up in the same retreat facility that I enjoyed for my first two days in Peru, over a year ago. I presented my new Soapy Tap (liquid soap dispenser), the “Bottle Bulb” technology, simple room upgrades, personal advice, and did a bike use and maintenance training for the group. I was struck by how different this group is from my training group. These folks seemed much more mature and serious compared to Peru 18, boding well for PC Peru service. Their questions and comments were thoughtful and gratifying. The group was sworn-in yesterday at the US Ambassador’s residence in Lima.

The next day was back to the PC Center in Lima for Warden training. The PCV Wardens are the front line in the event of emergency. I will be responsible for the safety and coordination of the 7 other PCVs in the province of Lima. Peace Corps has the priority of keeping PCVs safe, and the advance planning and organization is extensive and should serve well in the event of an actual emergency. I was proud to be selected to serve in this capacity.

Thanksgiving was celebrated in Lima and started with a dental appointment. PC medical staff and service are extraordinary. We are served quickly and well – never waiting for appointments – with 100% coverage. Jen White, the new Assistant Peru Director and her husband Kevin, generously opened their beautiful home to over 20 PCVs. It was wonderful to celebrate my favorite holiday – the Giving of Thanks – in such a warm and loving place, with other Americans. The food was way over the top – every possible Thanksgiving food and treat imaginable was represented. I was given the honor of carving the 27 pound turkey, which was cooked to perfection. An amazing selection of American beer and wine added to the CHEER. My only regret was not reciting Alice’s Restaurant – it was my first skip in many years. Many of the youngsters had never heard of it and I needed to catch a late bus home to my beloved pueblo.

Two busy days of meetings, laundry, email catch-up and Prairie Home and I’m back on the road to Lima. This week, I’ll be getting Mid-Service medical and dental exams with my dear WATSAN training group and doing some further training.

Vacation Photo Gallery

This plant produces bird poop - guano - for use as fertilizer

By the Canete River

The beach at Cerro Azul

The ancient adobe fort at Ungara

Loading dock on bird poop island

Incahuasi ruins

Next to one of the Nasca Lines

Tropical penguins live on the islands

A seal sunning

And sleeping

Desert Vacation

Aqueduct in Nasca

Ancient candelabra form on hillside in Paracas

Caves on the Ballenas Islands

One of the Nasca Lines from the air

Peru takes on an entirely different face when seen as a tourist, rather than a resident. Driving in a private car, with AC and staying in nice hotels with hot water and full amenities and hanging out in restaurants where you are as likely to hear English or German as Spanish is a real treat, but far from the world of 99% of Peruvians. But, that’s what I did last week. It was called VACATION !!

The first treat was visiting one of the many fig ice cream stands on the side of the Pan Am Highway, south of Lima. I’ve speeded past these stands many times on the bus, but could only yearn to sample this home-made helado. It was everything and more that I had imagined. Rich and creamy, sticky with fig, cold and smooth. This will only make future drive-bys in the bus more painful.

A stop in the seaside port of Paracas featured a boat trip out to the Balesteras islands, home to the famous Humboldt penguins – the only penguins living in tropical latitudes. They look and act just like their arctic cousins, but apparently spend more time in the chilly Humboldt Current that flows from the Antarctic. The tourist boats are packed with about 30 tourists each, including many Americans. They speed the 20km out to the islands with huge outboards and an English speaking tour guide.

The islands are teeming with life. The abundance of fish draws not only the penguins, but pelicans, terns, gulls, albatross and sea lions.

The birds are in such profusion that their guano (aka bird shit) has been harvested for generations as fertilizer. Housing and processing platforms, where the guano is cleaned of rocks and feathers, dot the islands. The smell of bird shit dominates the air, and the islands are quite literally covered in white guano and nesting birds. The guano is harvested only in the non-nesting season, when gangs of men come to live on the islands – scooping up the poop into canvas bags, taking them to the cleaning racks, then loaded onto transport ships.

In addition, the pounding ocean has carved spectacular grottos and caves and arches, through which crystal blue green water surges. The noise of growling sea lions and screeching birds and pounding waves is quite overwhelming. The trip also passes a unique glyph called the Candelabra. This embellished trident was cut into a sandy hillside. No one knows the when or how or why of the symbol. It is truly remarkable that it has withstood hundreds of years (at least) of rain and wind, though the glyph is on the leeward side and it rains less than 1” per year. Paracas is also an oil and gas port, with huge storage facilities and a fleet of tug boats which dwarf the small fishing punts that dot the touristy waterfront.

The Oasis, near Ica, is a small (2 acre) lake, smack in the middle of towering sand dunes. It is as remarkable as it is beautiful, though highly populated by ex-pats and tourists, who enjoy dune buggy rides and sand-boarding.

Heading further away from the coast, into the deep central Peruvian desert, all wildlife, plants and trees disappear, except for the hardy and thorny Huarango trees which have been planted along the side of the Pan Am Hwy, which crosses the sandy, tan landscape like a big black snake. Along the way are little outposts of humanity – a single straw hut, in the middle of “nowhere”, challenges the mind to calculate the difficulty and purpose of such a hermitic life.

The large desert city of Nasca is a broad, expansive patch of green, set amid towering stark mountains and empty desert. I was struck by the unusual surface of this desert – not sand, but a hard ancient ocean floor, littered with small darkish rocks, ranging is size from softball to pebbles. What puzzles me is how these rocks got scattered so evenly over the desert floor? This geologic coincidence is what made the famous Nasca Lines possible. When the rocks are scraped into windrows, they form a highlighting edge to the lighter desert floor revealed below.

The Lines, of course, are among the great mysteries of our World. Their origin and purpose are unknown. Miles and miles of perfectly straight lines cris-crossing the desert floor are punctuated by primitive, but exquisite figures – monkey, humming bird and others. I absolutely marvel at the construction – at the enormous effort that went into creating these monuments. I can understand the ability to produce the long straight lines, by simply sighting down the line. But, the curves and circles baffle me – how could these be made without guidance from the air or really good GPS? Some say they are landing markers for extra-terrestrials, as they can only be fully appreciated from the air.

The other explanation posited for the lines is that they marked the routes of the many underground rivers which flow under the desert floor. The ancients tapped into these abundant water sources with access structures which spiral down into the ground. At the bottom of each spiral flows a river of crystal clear water, which brought life to the area, in addition to the river, which flows only when rain is falling in the distant Andes mountains. The Spirals are constructed entirely of round river rock, with no mortar. The fact that they have withstood countless earthquakes is a testament to the engineering of the ancient builders.

A nearby patch of edible cactus provided a surprise. The sides of the cacti are covered with what looks like a white powdery mold. In fact, they are a collection of small pellet-like bits, which contain a deep purple-red dye, which is still used today.

It was wonderful to have some time away from my beloved San Luis to explore just a few of the marvels of Peru. And just as good to get back to work on the Playgrounds and other projects.

Day of the Dead

These kids all provide cleaning services

A cleaner in action

Flowers everywhere - all wil go on grave sites

Conversing with the ancestors

The week started with a BANG – literally. I was riding a combi into town, when a tire blew – con mucho gusto. Women screamed like it was the end of the World – they also wail pretty good at funerals. We all had to catch other combis. Luckily, the guy was right near a tire shop, though he was still on the side of the road 3 hours later. After that, I started noticing that ALL the combi tires are in pretty pathetic shape. I only saw one with tires that would pass inspection in the States.

Funds for the Playground project arrived, so construction can begin in earnest. Included was the final list of 28 Donors – if your name was on it – Sincere Thanks from me, the Town and the Kids. I have a fair number of friends, who would by most standards be considered wealthy. Of that group, only one contributed – so much for “trickle down” economics…..

One of the first Playground tasks was to pay for the slide bodies, which are only sold in Lima. The purchase process is just that – a process. First you say you want to buy, then the company issues a formal “presupuesto”, which you take to their bank to pay. Next, the company confirms payment with their bank and ships the goods via bus to the nearest terminal, with a code for retrieval. This time, payment came with a lesson in Peruvian security.

One cannot avoid noticing the profusion and over-abundance of security here in Peru. Every bank is secured by at least two or three armed National Police outside and a few more security guards inside – all armed and wearing flak vests. Many stores are also guarded. As I entered the bank to pay for the Playground slides, I immediately acquired TWO armed escorts, with holsters open and hands on pistols. When I turned to look at them with a questioning face, they merely pointed to my bag. It seems the bag I was carrying, with a shovel handle sticking out of it looked “suspicious”. When I offered to let them search it, they just shook their heads. Apparently, personal privacy is much more sacred here than in the US – they can’t search until after the crime is committed. It made for a long, nervous wait. But, I certainly understand why bank robberies are unheard of here. Especially since private guns are illegal.

I’ve always been a Halloween Humbug. The cheesy, scary costumes, vandalism, candy begging and senseless mutilation of good, edible pumpkins have never made a bit of sense to me. So, I was delighted to be spared even a hint of that distained holiday this year. Instead, I enjoyed a  “Dia de los Muertos” Day of the Dead, on November 1^st. The entire day was a spirited, heart full and touching celebration, bringing thousands to pilgrimage to the big cemetery across the street. The flower stand ladies were selling hand-over-fist and all sold out their entire stocks by about 5 pm. In addition, street vendors and make-shift restaurants lined the streets in all directions. In the Plaza, the church offered an outstanding buffet lunch for a very reasonable contribution, while various bands and singers performed and beer and Pisco flowed.

Inside the cemetery, masses were held all day long, attended by FAR more folks than I’ve ever seen at the church. A legion of young boys, each carrying a water bucket and rag, sold their cleaning services to the steady stream of visitors, who arrived via the long entry walk. All of the memorials got a good spring cleaning – glass was cleaned, marble polished and candles and flowers replaced. The throngs arrived in cars, buses, moto-taxis and on foot, bearing gifts of flowers, candles, icons and food to place on the crypts of departed relatives. Family groups often sat in front of the monuments, taking turns speaking about (or to) the dead. The emotion was heartfelt. I was particularly touched by an older man, standing in front of his mother’s crypt, tears streaming down his face as he spoke audibly and passionately.

By sunset, the fresh flowers had sold-out and vendors were down to plastic flowers, but the constant ebb and flow of pilgrims continued. Even more food vendors filled the street, which has thankfully been returned to relatively normal after the installation of new water and sewer lines. A somber candle-lit procession, painfully slow, with really out-of-tune music, concluded the day on a beautiful, twinkling note.

The concept of devoting this much effort to the dead is very cultural. You only have to look to the nearby ancient burial grounds at Cerro de Oro to see millions of yards of fine cloth, pottery, fishing nets and floats and mummification that were buried with the dead to see the connection. While I am more inclined to honoring and giving flowers to the living, Day of the Dead is certainly a more meaningful celebration than Halloween. A delightful and devout blend of carnival and remembrance.

Playgrounds update : Slides are now in-hand – stored at the Muni warehouse. Steel tube (2” and 1” tube) purchased and delivered to Vidal, our welder. He’s excited to have all this work and to be doing a very visible project for the Muni. I am really fortunate to have great support from my Town and access to the new pick-up truck. I could not accomplish near as much, so quickly without it. Many PCVs do not enjoy such a pleasure. Amo a mi pueblo !!

A Wedding

The weather has, at long last, broken. The overcast days of winter have given way to the sunny skies of spring – only a month late. Everyone has been commenting about the strange weather – the rainy season has also started early in the mountains. A mild El Nino is happening and will be full blown, a la 1998, next year.

A Sunday bike ride took me to Jimmy Bell’s house – more like estate – out in the fields. He was the wonderful old British gentleman and Ham radio operator I met last spring, who died in August. His wife, Isabella seems to have moved back to their place in Lima. I left her a note declining her very kind offer to take all of Jimmy’s radio gear. On the way home, I stopped by a plastic tent, where the ladies were packing green beans for export and talked them into selling me a kilo. Then, hit a road-side stand with the FIRST mangoes of the season and some sweet corn.  That , my friends, is lunch. I am so very grateful to live in this gorgeous valley of fresh produce. Pepinos are coming soon – kind of a cross between a melon and a cucumber. I never quite know what I will find, but it is always local, fresh and delicious.

Another superb dinner at ex-pat Helen’s house – meatloaf, smashed ‘taters, carrots and cheesecake. I brought some of those long, skinny balloons and made animals, hats with the kids. It’s a bit like a trip back to the US for a few hours.

I am delighted to report that, thanks to generous contributions by so many of you, the Children’s Playgrounds project has been fully funded. Thanks to all who donated. Now, on to buying materials and construction. Meanwhile, the Parents Assn has already started clearing the sites. I am grateful to have their support and the support of the Muni. I’m really excited that the little kids will now have a nice place to play. Hopefully, the town will see the benefit and popularity and replicate the plan in other parts of town.

My first Peruvian wedding was….well….interesting. It was the family down the street, where we planted the pilot Poinciana tree that got smashed in the recent street construction. I got invited the day of, which seemed a little odd. The family was out decorating the front of the house and street, including balloons and pennants strung across the street. Even if you didn’t get the directions or address quite right – anybody could find this house. The family owns an enclosed, empty yard next to the house, which is rented out for parties of various sorts. This too was festively decorated with pennants and balloons and flowers and a huge shrine/alter, featuring an enormous painting of a very white Jesus.

The wedding was at 3, but by 1pm there were drinking circles formed in the street and in the “party hall”. Fernando, never one to miss a party or other drinking opportunity dragged me out to partake. I’m really not all that fond of alcohol, and even less so of drinking circles – a Peruvian institution. They are, as the name implies, a circle of (almost always) men, who pass a beer bottle and a glass from hand to hand. Disease vector considerations aside, the form also means that no one sips on a drink. When your turn comes you are expected to pour, chug, shake the glass out and pass bottle and glass quickly, lest the other participants become dehydrated due to your sloth. I’ve started bring my own glass, which is generally considered rude, but I seem to get away with it by coughing a few times and saying I have a cold. Also, I’m a Gringo. For all of the above reasons, I try to avoid these affairs. I’ve developed to art of “short-pour”, only splashing some beer- mostly foam – into my glass and shooting it back. Although in this case, Fernando foiled my technique by rudely grabbing the end of the bottle and tipping in some extra beer.

Most of the talk in the circle was about the bride’s possibly pregnant status. She was 16 – some said 15, in any case a little young most said. They also postulated that she looked a little fat, which applies to 95% of the “muffin-top” teens here. Also, the wedding was not in church, which seemed reasonable since the church is in ruins, with a tarp for a roof – a new church is under construction - and the family owns a nice event hall.

The ceremony ran late, as most events here seem to do. They even call it – somewhat proudly – La Hora Peruana. I’m told that during the war with Ecuador, the Peruvians actually won a battle because they showed up late and surprised their punctual opponents. By the time the ceremony got underway, most of the guests were already quite fortified. There were a couple of things that seemed odd, though I’m always willing to bend to and respect the cultural differences. The first of was that the bride walked behind her father instead of at his side, which I was later told is an acceptable option, especially given the very narrow aisle that was available. More telling were the bride and groom’s faces – they both had expressions that were somewhere between Bambi-caught-in-the headlights and sheer-utter-terror. In fact, the only two people in the wedding party who were smiling were the best-man and maid-of-honor. This only added to the pregnancy postulations from earlier.

The ceremony was mercifully brief and guests returned to the drinking tables quickly. A very nice “chicharon” (deep fried pork) dinner was served and wine and Pisco (a distinctly Peruvian beverage, distilled from fermented grapes – un-aged brandy) was added to the mix. The dancing part was somewhat unnerving, as every time I started to dance, everyone around me stopped to watch. Being the only Gringo in town – does have its down sides.