Back in the Saddle

New Rooftop Apartment in Lima - love the light & air

Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. It's been 7 weeks since my last blog. After a refreshing month-long vacation in the US, I've finally settled in to my new apartment and office in Lima. The apartment, while not much by US standards, is a HUGE upgrade in housing from my digs in San Luis. Upgrades include a private bath with VERY hot instant water and a marvelous low-volume toilet, huge windows that open over a large deck to the Lima skyline, a refrigerator (that makes ICE), washing machine, a comfortable large bed and broad-band internet at my desk. No more dust from the fields and roof mean a sqeaky clean floor. Dawn brings the sound of song-birds and traffic , instead of roosters dogs and donkeys. In fact, dogs – roof or street varieties – are completely absent here. After working my handy-man magic, it is very comfortable for a 12' x 14' living space. More photos at :

https://plus.google.com/photos/114324927553623472875/albums/5957661352551934881?partnerid=ogpy0

The weather in Lima this time of year is nothing less than superb and very similar to Canete – sunny skies, with highs in the mid 70s and low's in the mid 60s, always a light cooling breeze. It is said that the only reason the Spaniards made Lima the capital was that they landed in December. Come April, the 8 months of overcast will return.

The neighborhood is upscale, but not uber-wealthy, with plenty of markets and shops a few blocks away. The office is a 10 minute combi ride away (30 cent fare). I've walked the 3 km a few times so far and hope to make it a routine. Restaurants are abundant and diverse – everything from KFC, Papa John's and Burger King, to Mexican, Italian, Chinese, Japonese, German, sandwich shops and small “menu” - the classic Peruvian lunch.

Security badge

The Peace Corps office is located next to Jockey Plaza, the premier upscale mall in all of Peru. I already knew most of the staff, so it has been a marvelous and comfortable home-coming. I share a small office with my friend Pat. The only complaint is my ancient computer and slow servers (due to security issues), though these are to be upgraded next month.

I hit the ground running, with the Water & Sanitation 20 group in town for mid-service reviews. As a group, they far exceed my 18ers - a no nonsense crew, who have already accomplished a lot in their communities. I'll be serving them as an adviser this year, since they will have no senior volunteer for the program.

Then a trip with PC Staff in the swank new Peace Corps SUV to scout locations for the International ECPA conference next April. It was my first glimpse into the “other” side of Peace Corps. The Volunteers operate on a shoe-string and with great frugality, while the Staff enjoys 4-star resorts. They fly to events, rather than riding the (very comfortable) buses.

After a day of getting credentialed and authorized on the office network, I hit the road again – by bus and combi, of course – to visit the Yachaywasi renewable energy center, 6 hours south of Lima. Chris Clark and I noticed the facility on vacation earlier this year and it seemed an extraordinary place. I also had an idea that it might be a good spot for one of the ECPA conferences I will organize this year.

Yachaywasi did not disappoint. Every renewable energy possible, except hydro, is represented there. It is a working farm, with cows, goats, corn , alfalfa and a vast variety of fruits and vegetables, all grown with biol , compost and worm castings. In addition to the biodigester, solar PV panels, wind turbines, parabolic solar cooker, improved cook stoves, tree nurseries and fish aquaculture , there are neat, rustic bungalows and meeting room with WiFi and excellent food, mostly grown on-site. A complete set of photos can be found at :

https://plus.google.com/photos/114324927553623472875/albums/5956842942236187441

Peace Corps Peru staff and 3rd year volunteers at the US Embassy

Christmas is more evident here in Lima – more US-like – with flashing lights, balcony displays and music in all stores. It is a 2 week event here. The US Embassy got it off to an early start with a lavish luncheon party for staff and affiliated US agencies. It was a treat to meet some of the foreign service and military types, though they are vague about what they actually do. The Marine Guard and DEA guys were easy to spot. They also seem to live quite well – the air was like an upscale US country club. The Commissary stocks all manner of US brands and foods, so that they never really have to experience how the average Peruvian lives – so different from the PCV experience. Two hours of alcohol and appetizers was followed by a sumptuous meal and dancing to American dance classics. All under the watchful eyes of automatic rifle toting guards.

Service Summary

This will be my last blog as a Peace Corps Volunteer. In a few days, I leave my beloved service site of San Luis Obispo de Tulosa de Canete and head to Lima to process my paperwork and fly to the US for a month of R&R, returning in December as the PCVC (coordinator) for renewable energy projects.

So, I take this opportunity to THANK all of you who have contributed to the playground project, sent me wonderful ideas – like the bottle bulbs, and supported me and encouraged me with your kind words. A very special shout-out to Mike Healey and the Tooth-Fairies, who got my mouth in shape for service and my sister Darcy and others, who sent wonderful care-packages. Truly, you ALL were a huge part of this service.

And what a service it was. I was blessed with a wonderful site, near perfect weather, outstanding community partners – Angel, Gloria and the Duenas family, excellent infra-structure, helpful site-mates and “El Suerte de Goyo”. By the official numbers it looked like this:

1500 residents of Laura Caller enjoy a cleaner water system

2500 residents of La Quebrada have 24/7 chlorinated water

400 residents of Vista Alegre have restored water service

4 families have cooking gas and biol fertilizer from biodigesters

Over 60 families no longer breathe smoke and use less fire-wood, thanks to improved cook stoves

6 masons learned to build the “Cocina Mejorada” stoves and will build more

Hundreds of kids learned the importance and practice of hand-washing

42 students and 16 parents learned about HIV/STD and teen pregnancy prevention – they will teach others. And the Health Post has new tools and materials to continue the effort.

4 families enjoy improved quality water, delivered from their wells to the house via solar powered water pumps (they also get some lighting)

5 families, living without electricity, have “pico” PV solar systems for light and cell-phone charging.

Over 100 of the Bottle Bulbs give families more interior light (even some night light from the moon)

40 kids at an elementary school have soap dispensers

50 kids at another school have repaired water faucets

18 families are using improved composting toilets and got training

Many hundreds of kids get more exercise and smiles on the 2 playgrounds built with gifts from the US and 2 more built by the Municipality

The Cerro de Oro ruins / burial ground is better protected and has been investigated by archeologists

San Luis residents will enjoy the beauty and shade from 50 newly planted trees

7 residents of the San Luis area have wheelchairs

2  teachers at the local HS received training in English teaching methods

6 families in San Pablo have improved and cleaner latrines

25 students at the local HS have had contact with other HS students in the US

Future PCV will hopefully be aided by the manuals I’ve written for cocinas, biodigesters, pumps, solar and playgrounds – and the scale model cocina teaching tool.

Hundreds of folks in the US have a better understanding of what life is like for ordinary Peruvians and, hopefully, many Peruvians have a better impression of what Americans are really like.

For this service, I was honored with the coveted “Volunteer Excellence Award” – one of only 2 given to Peru 18. Mere numbers cannot fully describe my two years here. Judging a beauty pageant or promoting the local dance/drum troupe or helping kids build a “flying saucer” float didn’t count as official projects, but gave lots of joy. My real reward was the joy and satisfaction of the many smiles I saw and Thank You’s and gifts I received. And the many wonderful friends I gained among other PCVs and my community. And the pleasure I had travelling this marvelous and diverse country and exploring the lesser-known facets of the gem that is Peru.

Some Closing Thoughts :

On the Peace Corps – There is no better platform for foreign service. It is a superbly organized and managed machine. For a governmental entity, there is surprisingly little bureaucratic nonsense, allowing the Volunteers the freedom to focus on truly helping people. Living with and among the folks we serve for two years, while at times inconvenient, gives an unparalleled access to affecting real change, not only in those we serve, but in the Volunteers. Having just read the Shriver biography, I think the founders would be pleased that the ideals, spirit and vision of the Corps continue to this day. I only wish there was such an astute platform for service in the US.

On being an “older” Volunteer – Most of the time, I was oblivious to being some 40 years the senior of most PCVs. Though, a lifetime of experience and contacts gave me huge advantages. I thoroughly enjoyed being around the energy and dedication of the Millennium generation, though they rarely got any of my movie or song lyric references. And, their reflexive use of iPods and Kindles and copious alcohol consumption was vexing. Overall, they gave me a renewed confidence in the future of America. I remain committed to promoting the service of older Volunteers.

On Peru – I love this country, especially the unique Afro-Peruvian town where I lived. While many are incredibly poor and lacking basic services, they still manage a level of joy and celebration of life that some in the US lack. With its huge store of natural resources, immense diversity and lack of reliance on oil, Peru’s financial future looks bright. My hope is that this wealth will be more evenly distributed in the future. The remnants of machismo are slowly fading, though the trash pollution remains an unresolved problem. The small town model of integrated shops and homes, the near-universal use of public transportation and lack of additives and in the food supply, are all superior to the US paradigm.

In sum, Peace Corps service has been a grand adventure – one of the many in my life. So far.

End of Service

My new home in Lima

 My last few weeks in my dear pueblo of San Luis have been a sweet time of Good-Byes, reflection and final activities. I spent a productive week in Lima, house-sitting at the palatial home of one of the PC staff. It was a real treat having hot water, a US style fridge, which dispensed crushed ice at my command, washer/dryer and a US style supermarket around the corner. I met with other volunteers, the Ministry of Energy and Mines, the Yachaywasi renewable energy group and found a new apartment for the coming year.

My friend Julio transported the crew in his nice bus

The WASH 22 crew showing their "gang sign" of 2/2/W

On return to San Luis, my site-mate Will Jensen and I put on a day of training for the newest group of Peace Corps trainees. WASH 22 is a young group, but eager, bright and good-hearted – so full of that spirit of service that makes the Corps what it is. The minute we were done, I caught a bus to the Ica desert for a presentation the next morning, while Will led the group on a romp in Canete.

Relaxing by the pool in El Ingenio

The “despedida” or Farewell Party for the Peru 18 PCVs in the region was held at an extraordinary hotel/conference center in the remote town of El Ingenio, which included fantastic tile work, a swimming pool, laser disco lights and huge refrigerators. We were feted with songs, tributes, special key-chains, sashes, roast/toasts and fireworks. My song (to the tune of The Edmond Fitzgerald) went like this:

The legend lives on from Peru 18 down

Of the Volunteer they call El Goyo

He’s old and he’s smart

With a young caring heart

And he does everything with much joy-o

He made biodigesters and cocinas galore

Built playgrounds , latrines and some banos

Taught handwashing, AIDS

Bottle bulbs in spades

Did wheelchairs, solar panels and more-o

He set the bar high and that is why

His town and his friends all adore-o

He’ll leave a big hole

In his tiny pueblo

But, in Lima he’ll serve even more-o

I doubt it will make the top 10, but it certainly touched my heart. The party was a raucous event, with costumes, fireworks and beer consumption, like I’ve not witnessed since college, ending well into the next day. I eschewed the alcohol and left early the next morning, leaving “GOOD-BYE” spelled out in peanuts at the bar. Sadly, no one caught my MASH reference.

Does no one remember the last -tear-jerker - episode of TV's MASH ?

Back in site, I dove back into work, helping my site-mate and fellow “older” PCV with construction of her tree nursery shade house at a local school. Like most of my efforts here, it was hard work, but some of the kids cut class to come help. We sang songs and answered a bazillion questions as we set the poles for the frame in hand-mixed concrete. Another day will be required to cover the frame with shade cloth and construct an access door.

The rest of the week will be packing, more Farewells, presentation of my final report to the Muni and enjoying the perfect spring weather, before heading to Lima for Close of Service paper-work and the Halloween haunted house at the Embassy.

Me & My Shadow(s)

Everywhere I went, my Shadows were right there.

Glenn demonstrates hand-washing

The WASH 22 team at the health fair booth

Skulls on the Cerro de Oro

Jacob tries his hand(s) on the cajon at an Afro-dance practice

We joined Kate and her MAC Shadows for a pisco sour toast

The last few weeks have brought a flurry of activity. In addition to doing all the paperwork and reports to close my PCV service in San Luis, and arranging travel for my month of “special leave” in Florida, I’ve started working on the new adventure in Lima. Writing vision plans, arranging a house sitting gig in Lima, including meetings with RE suppliers and the Ministry of Energy & Mines and searching the Lima classified ads for housing. In many ways, the job has already begun – fielding questions and advising other Volunteers on renewable energy projects like biodigesters, eco-banos, Cocinas, solar projects and even some playground plans.

It is also a time to pass on what I’ve learned to the newest group (Peru 22) of water & sanitation trainees (not volunteers until they swear-in in November). The first group of four came to “Shadow” me for 3 days, seeing how I live and interact and getting a taste of what is in store for them. It’s a great new program – quite personal and practical. Will and I will also have the whole WASH group back for a training visit later in October.

My shadows, Glen, Jacob, Rebecca and Frank landed in Canete where we joined the environment crew for lunch, followed by a tour of my house and PowerPoint “class” time and dinner at Marriana’s roasted chicken and pisco sours. We had breakfast “on the street”, toured the Goat Farm facility, health post, Muni, playground and a cocina mejorada, lunched at a typical “menu” place and tried the smoked chicken at Pollo Cilindro. They were brilliant as they  demonstrated hand-washing at a health fair in the plaza, including balloon dogs and swords, crafted by Jacob.  We viewed the bone yard at Cerro de Oro and collected some skulls for the PC Halloween haunted house and finished with chicharrones, a cajon and dance performance by the San Luis troupe and pisco sours with some of the visiting MAC trainees. In between was wonderful time to answer many questions and share the accumulated tips from my 2 years of field experience. I think they got a good feel for the realities of Peace Corps service in Peru. They are a young group, full of energy, curiosity and good hearts. I know they’ll all do well as Volunteers, when they get to their service sites in November.

It’s also been a time to begin my Farewells to the wonderful folks of Mi Pueblo. I’ve been taking and printing photos with them, along with a personal note, as reminders of our time together over the last 2 years. Most folks don’t have any or many photos of themselves and the two I’ve given so far have been well received.

Valley of the Biodigesters

Will Jensen with inflated digester bag - gas line installed

Some the the adorable cuys that will provide poop power to the system

Will Jensen, my surfing Peace Corps site-mate, installed a biodigester at Don Leo’s cuy (guinea pig) farm last week. This is the fourth digester built by PC in the Canete Valley. Add to that the Concrete digester in Roma and all the small barrel units in the area and we figure The Valley of the Biodigesters is fitting.

Ingrid and I went to help install and fill the beast. Will and Leo had done a fine job of building the ditch to spec and lining it with plastic and insulation. One of the things I adore about the PC is how we help each other – a team were everyone else has your back. Leo is a brick mason, welder and cuy farmer, so he is quite a capable guy. Instead of the wind method of filling the big bag with air, so it settles properly in the ditch, we used an air compressor. Not as much fun, but highly effective.

While the bag was filling, we ran the gas line to Leo’s nearby kitchen, where he also has a cocina mejorada (improved cook stove) in progress. He may even try a hybrid gas/wood cocina. The rebar was bent and covered with hose and installed to form the greenhouse cover supports. All done before lunch, which was (surprise) cuy – a first time for Ingrid. They are sweet and tasty, but not much meat on the bone.

After lunch, we took a tour of the cuy farm. The little critters are perfectly adorable and make a bird-like chirp, while scurrying around. I never had one as a pet, but understand the attraction. Their favorite food is the leaves of the corn stalk, supplemented with citrus rind and some vitamin enriched chow. He has 500 now and plans to expand. A fully fattened cuy sells for up to 20 soles ($8) each.

Ingrid - up to her elbows in Cuy manure

We added some cuy intestines to innoculate the digester with bacteria

We then got down to the business of filling the bag with cuy manure, blended with water to form a delightful Cuy Poop slurry. Leo pulverized the dry manure and Ingrid and Will broke up any remaining big chunks by hand, while I handled the mix process. My MacGuyver style mixer, attached to a power drill proved too much for the fragile mixing tank. Leo produced some cuy intestines, which provided the inoculation and blessing of the mix with gut bacteria. In all, we added about 1600 liters of mix, which Leo will supplement over the next 2 months. Roldan, the little village where he lives, only has water for a few hours each week, so this is a limiting factor. No limitation on the cuy manure – they make about 15 sacks a week and he’ll only need 2-3.

A good hand-wash and a cold drink eased the dusty ride back to town – job Well Done !!

Surprise Ending

All good adventures eventually end. As with good-byes and death, it is not a time to mourn, but to celebrate the rich experiences and relationships gained. Behind every good-bye is a Hello, just waiting to happen. After every end there is a new and exciting beginning.

My two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Peru have been more than I imagined, full of adventure, learning, teaching, helping and growing. I’m proud of what I accomplished and grateful for the wonderful people and places here. And as this adventure ends, the next begins. My “plan” was to return to the US and work for the Corps, recruiting older volunteers. But, as with most of my life, I’ve been thrown an irresistible last-minute revision. Once again, I follow that path marked “unexplored”.

I’m pleased to announce that I’ve been asked to serve in Peru for another year with the Peace Corps as volunteer coordinator (PCVC) for the Renewable Energy program. I’ll be promoting renewable energy in all forms, encouraging and monitoring PCV RE project grants, assisting with training of new volunteers, and organizing RE workshops for PCVs and their Peruvian community partners, like the one I hosted at the Goat Farm last May. I’ll also be working with the Ministry of Energy and Mines as liaison for their new initiative to provide solar PV and micro-hydro power to 30,000 off-grid rural families per year over the next 6 years. This all starts Dec 1^st, after a one month vacation to the US.

This work will be very different from my service in my beloved San Luis. No longer will I have the pleasure of serving folks directly – I’ll be serving the people who get to serve them. I’ll be working out of the Lima office, though I will be travelling extensively to provide technical support. I’ve never lived in a big city. I went to law school in DC, but lived out in suburban Maryland, where I spent most of my time selling real estate. Working in an office environment is another first. And I’ll miss my bike – Lima is one of the most bike un-friendly cities I’ve ever seen. Trading the early morning sounds of roosters, dogs and donkeys for honking horns should be interesting. I will especially miss the smiles and greetings as I walk down the street.

Still, having hot water, a washer, fridge, broadband internet and stove will be welcome treats. Having a 9-5/5 day workweek, with all US and Peruvian holidays and an extra week of vacation are also benefits. I won’t have the need (and joy) of MacGuyver engineering, with US style hardware and malls at hand. Exploring the vast metropolis of Lima is a worthy challenge – I’ve not spent any of my spare time there. It is also an opportunity to delve deeper into renewable energy, especially PV solar, which has long been a passion of mine, since living on a 2 panel system in Mexico in the early 90’s. Plus, I’ll have another year to explore more fascinating facets of this diverse and unique country and culture.

Ideas for this new venture have been flooding my mind – better approaches to RE promotion, new materials and even a demonstration project at the PC center itself. Don Goyo is not done with Peru – not just yet.

I still “plan” to do the Peace Corps recruiting gig. It will just have to wait a year. As someone pointed out – this is not an ‘either/or’, it’s a ‘both’ !!

Last PCV Vacation

By happy coincidence, the bus that carried Peru 18 from our COS conference to Lima just happened to be going to the airport, after dropping the rest of my group in Miraflores - just where I wanted to go. I stopped questioning these coincidences? a long time ago – they happen so often that I just smile and say Thank You. In fact, the bus went within a block of the hotel I was going to – even better.

From there, I taxied up to the terminal to collect a very special lady-friend (at my age, girlfriend seems inappropriate) at the International Arrivals building. Chris and I met online, via our mutual friend Wilp. I was immediately struck by her beautiful and heart-full writing and her beaming smile. We struck up a lovely friendship, which later blossomed to romance. After a very brief visit in Florida, this was to be our first time together – 24/7 for 9 days.

Our stroll around the La Colonia neighborhood was a delightful discovery of street fair, open air markets and the many tiny gardens that exist in the narrow band between street and sidewalk. Chris is also a gardener, so was taken by the flowery treats, as well as the bakery goods. We were also treated to a top spinning demonstration by the boys in a nearby park. I was moved by her insatiable curiosity and willingness to engage the locals.

After what seemed like hours of paperwork, I secured a car and headed off into the circus that is Lima Traffic. South of the city, we stopped at “El Abeulo”, a noted little stand on the side of the Pan American Hwy for some world-class fig ice cream and even more heavenly pie. We passed countless chicken farms and trash dumps and sand deserts, before arriving in Canete. The open-air market of Canete is vast and filled with all manner of clothing, hardware, tailor and shoe shops, and, of course, FOOD.

The next day, we explored my little world of San Luis, meeting and greeting and tasting the yogurt and cheese finery at the famous Goat Farm. A visit to Unanue Castle revealed new directional signs, as well as a large increase in admission. The co-op is making an effort to do more maintenance on the decaying structure and grounds, which is welcome. Chris was introduced to all the local cuisine and to a very moving Pisco Sour.

My passing technique on the highly trafficked , two-lane Pan Am, left her a little white-knuckled, but intact, as we stopped at a local winery that specializes in 6 liter bottles and one gallon jugs. We found lodging at El Mirador, a hacienda style hotel on the hill above Paracas, where a German tour group arrived in a self-contained travel vehicle – Mercedes, of course.

Chris got her first taste of the desert at the Paracas National Reserve, where we went off-road, visited the little fishing village and built our first cairn – a small rock stack. The only disappointment was that the anticipated flamingos were down a trail marked “off-limits”, so had to be seen as small pink dots on the water’s edge.

The boat trip to the Ballestras Islands was as pleasant and smooth as could be imagined on a perfect day. The Humbolt penguins, cormorants, terns, gulls and other birds were in full nesting season and covered the sky and rocks. The sea-lions showed off, as the skipper piloted the boat through narrow passages and arches in the rock.

 

On the trip, we met Marta, a Mexican psychologist, who became our travel companion on the side trip to Huacachina, an oasis lake in the middle of the desert dunes near Ica. We also ran into the same German group we met at the hotel. After snagging some of the luscious Ica ice cream at my favorite place on the Ica Plaza, we dropped Marta at the bus to Nazca and returned to the gracious hacienda.

Fishing boats at the little village of Lagunas in Paracas Reserve

Then, it was up into the alpine mountains of Huancavalica. First stop was Tamo Colorado – ruins of a once great Wari/Inca celebration complex. The ruins are quite well preserved, despite the fact that, until 2008, the main highway went right through the middle of the complex and kids played soccer on the huge ancient plaza. On the way, I stopped to ask directions of a young man, who turned out to be the Tambo caretaker, so we gave him a ride to work. (another coincidence?) The museum – and our guide Marcos - was excellent and informative. Most notable was the indoor plumbing system, which delivered water into nice bathrooms in the palace area. The walls were well plastered and painted in a red (thus the Colorado name) and yellow motif, still quite visible. Oh, how we wished for the Way-Back machine to glimpse what the complex was like in its day…..

Chris in the Inacn "shower"

  

Then, came the fast and winding climb to 9000 ft and the alpine village of Huaytara. We sampled more local yogurt and studied the impeccable stone work of the Incan ruins – once a hot mineral bath and since repurposed as the foundation of the church. While Chris was more taken with the plethora of religious icons than the stone work (finer than Machu Pichu), we both were satiated and a bit winded by the altitude. We also happened upon 2 Peace Corps folks in the Plaza. That night, we feasted on a buffet of fresh bread, avocado, cream cheese, yogurt and soft cheese, which sadly gave my dear travel companion a case of the Incan Revenge.

Chris remained a brave trooper as we gingerly made our way down the mountain and back to a beautiful spot at the base of Cerro De Oro in Canete, where we celebrated her birthday. We saw a remarkable Renewable Energy compound outside of San Clemente, which I hope to work with in my job next year. After a delightful day exploring the standard tourist sites in downtown Lima ( including a very special look inside the City Hall) and a fruitful trip to the sprawling artisan markets, I said Good-Bye at the airport. It was a wonderful, special and memorable trip, with a lovely and loving woman. I smile and feel affection whenever I think of her.

COS

The Peace Corps lexicon is chock full of acronyms – PCT, PCV, APCD FBT, IST. But, none hold as much meaning as COS – Close of Service. So, it was a time of excitement, sadness, relief and a bit of nostalgia when the 50 remaining members of Peru 18 gathered near our old training center for one last time. We were 63 when we arrived two years ago, full of hope and not-knowing – an average rate of atrophy for Peace Corps service.

So many of the tribe, I’d not seen in the whole time of service. Others were more familiar – though a sense of family bound us the whole time and Facebook had provided glimpses of what the others were up to. It was a time for official de-briefing and making suggestions for future group, one of which – Peru 22 – would be landing at the Lima airport in just a few days.

Medical and dental exams came first, including blood, bodily fluid and solid. One last check to ensure that the Corps was sending us home no worse for the wear. We learned about job searching, health care, re-integrating into US society, fiscal and transportation considerations. And we talked and shared tales of our time apart – tales of triumph, stories of disaster, fables of frustration and failure. Some had flourished over the two years and done wonderful projects. Some of the younger ones didn’t seem so young anymore – an air of accomplishment and maturity enveloped them. Others had done little more than survive or consumed huge quantities of movies and seasons of Breaking Bad.

The facility was a lovely resort on the Rimac River. The food and service were outstanding and the hot water VERY hot. There was even a swimming pool, where some of the braver PCVs swam laps. Each program presented a video homage to the 2 years – a clever mix of humor and poignancy. The Water & Sanitation crew shared our final reports and made suggestions for future groups. And all too quickly, it was over. The bus returned Peru 18 to Lima, for 10 more weeks of clean-up / follow-up in our sites.

There was a huge party in Miraflores that night, which I did not attend. I had another, far more delightful, mission to attend.

Fiestas Patrias 2013

Fiestas Patrias is the Peruvian Independence Day. It is a celebration much like 4^th of July in the US of A. This year’s celebration is much like last year – much visiting of relatives, drinking and exploding rockets. And yet, it is remarkably different.

To start with, the weather has been miserable here this winter – cold and misty, with not an hour of clear skies in the last month. Perhaps this has caused the second problem, which is an outbreak of the H1N1 flu virus in the Lima region. The health ministry has ordered cancellation of all parades, which last year were a big part of the celebration day.

The drinking circles have been driven indoors, so walking the streets does not require my artful dodging of this dreaded “cultural” institution. The Plaza is not crowded with residents and vendors, like last year. Still, the nightly concerts and noise-making will continue until Sunday. And the drunks will be supporting each other as they meander home down the streets in the morning.

In Lima, there have been huge protests and police violence. Police in Lima don’t mess around – they attend any protest with dogs, horses, riot police , machine guns and tanks. President Humala, like Obama, was once the darling of the voters, but has failed to live up to his promise and potential. The enormous economic gains (8% this year) have benefited only the very few , and the people are not happy that their interests have been largely ignored. Sound familiar ? The super-rich are doing better than ever, while the common man is left in poverty. Trickle Down is just as much a lie here as it is in the US.

Small Town Life

One of the greatest joys of my Peace Corps service has been the opportunity to live in a small town, especially this place called San Luis de Canete. I’ve lived in a lot of different circumstances and none have ever suited me, or satisfied me, quite like this one. I imagine that there are still some places in the US, but I’ve yet to live in one. A small town is a beautiful thing.

Greater metropolitan downtown San Luis is a compact village of about 6,000 people. All of the shops, restaurants and businesses are in the front of the owners’ homes. This means that a visit to the town hall or Plaza requires a 1 block walk. Getting fresh bread from the bakery is a block beyond and milk for my coffee and fresh vegetables for my noon salad are right across the street. A $1 haircut or a visit to the high school is a 4 block hike. And all along the walk, I’m greeted by smiles and nods and Buenos Dias from neighbors and friends. Children walk the streets alone and safe. Goods are transported in re-usable shopping bags.

The down-side of this arrangement is that the houses and shops are built right up against each other. The thin brick or adobe walls let noise flow freely, so I often suffer the fighting couple next door, the roosters that live 3 doors down, loud parties next door (that start at 10pm and end at 4am) and, of course, the ubiquitous exploding rockets that punctuate the night air. Outside, the street vendors, hawking fruit, bread, ceviche and boiled eggs, shout their wares, some with loud-speakers.

There are virtually no private cars and none are needed. If I have to move materials beyond the capacity of my back or bike, I can hail an ever-present moto-taxi. If I need to go to the larger metropolis of Canete for banking or mail, a small, packed van will take me there. A trip to Lima requires a 2 block walk to the Pan American Highway, where a small hand-wave will stop a speeding interstate bus in its tracks and allow me to board – a truly empowering feat.

Ironically, the closest living arrangement to this that I’ve experienced is at my sister’s apartment in Manhattan. But, sadly, the huge city comes with a sky-blocking crush of tall buildings, honking horns, crime and a lack of connection to the thousands of anonymous faces passing by. Not to mention a cost of living higher than the sky-scrapers themselves.

As I begin to contemplate the end of my time here, I realize more just how very happy I am, living where I live. Not just the physical and mental comfort and living a very simple life, but the joy of helping people on a daily basis and learning something every day.

As my service winds down, I’ve been spending more time consulting with the newer volunteers. After only 2 years, I’ve become the ranking authority on biodigesters, solar projects, improved cook stoves, bottle bulbs and playgrounds. My other effort is to codify this knowledge and make it available to future PCVs on the newly created website - http://peru.peacecorps.gov/ . Unfortunately, most of the content I’m contributing is in a “member’s only” section.

A complete "Turk seat" for pit latrine

My last remaining projects are the Cerro de Oro development, urban tree planting, eco-bano rehabs and latrine “Turk seats”. The PACO archeology team has been on site for 2 weeks now. They have excavated several residential structures, revealing beautiful plastered (and sometimes painted) walls, cooking areas, trash piles and interior walls and storage spaces. The most exciting news is that they have discovered what appears to be two burial sacks – intact MUMMIES !! So, far they have only excavated down to the head and shoulders, before taking a break for the holiday. A guard has been placed at the site and everything is shrouded in blue plastic, to protect the site. I have no idea how they can keep from excavating with this exciting find, but such is the archeological mind.

The tree planting is still waiting for the street paving to finish. Latrine seats and eco-bano rehabs are going slow but steady. I trained one of the Muni workers in how to do the work, to ensure continuation after I leave. Speaking of leaving, I’ve been given an official departure date of November 1^st.

“Public” Transportation in Peru

This bus fell 500 ft to the river bottom - 5 people survived

The PC-Peru security officer just sent a list of recent accidents that points out one of the differences between the transportation systems in Peru vs the US, to wit: 

June 19 – Junín – Turismo Central bus – rollover at 6 am – 44 deaths

June 24 – Puno – San Cristobal bus – crash with a car at 7 am – 2 deaths

June 25 – Arequipa – Empresa Julsa bus – rollover at 6 am – 20 injured

June 28 – Ancash – combi – rollover at 6 pm – 12 deaths

July 1 – Yauyos - Empresa Santa Rosa bus – rollover at 10 am – 22 deaths

July 10 – Huancavelica – Empresa Ticllas – rollover at 6 pm – 19 deaths

Because private cars are rare, and only owned by the very wealthy, the vast majority of Peruvians (and me), use public transportation. That means that when accidents do happen, they are usually catastrophic. In truth, none of the transport is truly “public” in the US sense. It is all private enterprise, with very little oversight.

Top of the line long-haul 1st Class bus - note front two turning wheels

At the top of the transport pyramid are the big Greyhound type buses, that run between provinces and even internationally. The basic bus that I use traveling to Lima has closely packed, slightly reclining seats, with no A/C or bathroom, but usually some loud action movies playing. These run on no fixed schedule, but on a frequency of between 10 minutes and 1 hour. On the upper end are the luxury liners, which feature seats that rival international airline 1^st Class – the seats make into beds, with privacy walls, personal video/music, headsets, clean bathrooms, and decent food & beverage service. Routes are point-to-point with no stops. These run on fixed schedule and ON TIME. You can even make a reservation on-line. Fares are reasonable – a 12 hour ride is about $35.

Typical local combi

Next are the “airport shuttle” size buses that run fixed routes, especially in Lima. These are usually just for routes under an hour or so. They stop FREQUENTLY, picking up and discharging passengers. A similar “combi” service is found in VW van size vehicles in rural areas. They will stop ANYWHERE someone wants on or off. Fares are cheap, usually in the 30-60 cent range. In our town, they are also used to transport small packages by the driver.

“Collectivos” are nicer mini-vans or cars that run between two fixed points. They are usually newer vehicles and well-maintained. They depart whenever they fill-up with passengers.

The inter-city combis offer more comfort and speed

The drivers are noted for their high-speed and skill. Collectivos are often found on the same routes as buses. They also carry all manner of freight, even live animals, from point to point.

Taxis cars and moto-taxis – sort of a rickshaw attached to a motorcycle frame – are the short haul horses of the fleet. Fares are ALL negotiated, as there are no meters in Peru. Attempts to install meters in Lima have always been met with violent protests. As a Gringo, I am often presented with a fare I know to be double or triple the actual fare. Drivers show absolutely no remorse when I negotiate a fare 1/3 of what they quote. The moto taxis will carry an extraordinary variety of freight, as well as passengers.

Moto-Taxis are often quite colorful and will carry ANYTHING

More informally, some private cars and motorcycles will often pick up passengers (and cargo), especially in rural areas. Peace Corps rules prohibit this form of travel.

Add to this a remarkable willingness to walk LONG distances, and you have a transportation network that is nearly the antithesis of the US model, based almost entirely on the private vehicle.

Recall

The Plaza was full of people waiting to vote

Most waited in town for the results - carnival atmosphere

My little town is buzzing with people. Street vendors are doing a brisk business. There are fireworks ( the just-go-boom kind) and huge crowds in the Plaza. Everyone has come in from the surrounding annexes to vote in a special recall election of the mayor and all regidores (town council), even my dear friend and community partner Angel. Turn-out is expected to be high, since voting is not just a right in Peru – it’s the law here. And most intend to hang out in town to await results.

The irony is that the current municipal government, after throwing the corrupt old gang out of office, has done more projects and good for this town than has been done in YEARS. But, under Peruvian law, a mere 6.5% of the voters can force a recall election. In San Luis, that took only 800 signatures – many of which were later found to be fraudulent. The old gang has been disrupting town meetings with ridiculous charges of corruption, since I got here. There have been posters and flyers all over town for the last couple of weeks. All alcohol sales are stopped, though I suspect some stocked up before-hand.

The intent of this recall procedure, which started in 1994, was to “stop corruption”. The reality is that it has allowed a very small minority to disrupt local government function. Pretty much everything, including my projects with the Muni, have been put on hold for the last few weeks, as they deal with “re-election”. Just imagine what the Tea Party or other vocal minority would do with a recall law like this in the US – they could effectively paralyze any local government.

The crowd gets the word that the current administration has WON !!

The good news : The polls closed at 5pm and by 5:40, the votes had been counted twice and the results certified by a federal team from Lima. All existing Regidores and the mayor (aka The Good Guys) won by 86% to 14%. Can you spell  l a n d s l i d e  ?? This was actually a bigger margin than their original election, so clearly the people of this town appreciate all that these hard-working, caring people have done to make it a better place. They deserved every vote for all they've done for the people of this town. Voter turnout was just over 75% - maybe the US should take some notes here and make voting mandatory ? 

The Mayor and my community partner Angel lead the Victory Parade

The Victory parade marched up and down the (newly paved, thanks to them) streets of town. I was touched by the people flooding out of their houses and running out to hug the mayor and town council. More just-go-boom fireworks and music fill the air and cases of beer are flowing from the tiendas. While the recall process did cause a lot of worry and disruption ( not to mention expense), it did have a good result – the mayor and Regidores all got a HUGE shot in the arm from the outpouring of support and vote. While Peace Corps rules prohibited me from participating in Peru politics in any way, I was pulling for them all the way.