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)

Desk Jockey

It was a long week, mostly spent in front of the computer - writing, doing spreadsheets and pie charts and compiling my required Community Diagnostic report. No big surprises, although in the ironic box, is the data that while only 45% of those households surveyed had potable water, 37% had refrigeration, 25% cook over an open fire and none had sewer connection, fully 72% had TV. Yes, I got work to do.

I did get out a couple of times. I always enjoy the bike ride (have I mentioned how I LOVE my bike?) to La Quebrada. The road is new and smooth and there is very little traffic. And the all-volunteer water committee (JASS) there is a great bunch to work with. It was a long meeting. After much discussion, they settled on the Neptune brand chlorine pump, one of three I presented. Discussion included which pump had the best color. Sadly, they decided to put off purchase until after the new water supply lines are installed this summer. Disappointed they hesitated so close to the finish line, but I understand the thinking. At present, the lines are full of small leaks and people are wasting huge amounts of water, since there is a flat rate (about US$1.50/mo) for water use. The new supply lines and usage meters should drastically reduce water use and not waste the (expensive to them) chlorine. I tried to set a new personal speed record on the way home, but missed it by 20 seconds. The old record of 5km in 6:56 (27mph) still stands. Musta been a headwind.

Speaking with Oswaldo, the white-haired, Afro soccer coach in the Plaza, I heard about a soccer clinic for kids, so asked to take the two little boys who live here to the clinic on the huge and beautifully grassy Municipal soccer field on the Pan American Hwy. First time they’d been out in a while and they were ecstatic. It was technically for 6-8 year olds and Amir is only 4, but he held his own. In fact, he played with as much speed and energy as the older kids. Reminded me a lot of my son Dawson as a young athlete. Santiago (6) seemed more interested in pushing other kids and eating his snowcone, than in playing. A good time was had by all, but now I’m “stuck” with Wednesday soccer clinic for the next 6 weeks. Amir carried his soccer ball around the house the rest of the day. The angel/princess Camila (8), said she enjoyed the quiet time at home without her brothers. A win all around.

The stadium grounds would make a marvelous place for a Kids Playground, except for being across the Pan Am Hwy. Big buses and trucks come roaring up and down, along with combis and moto-taxis cruising the shoulders. I’m still convinced these kids and the others in town need a place to play outside and am determined to find someplace. Thinking of my firefighter son Alden and my time on the Big Sur Fire Brigade, it occurred to me that using used fire hose on the swings to hold used tires, set on a bamboo frame, might be a way to go on the swingsets. Need to check with the bomberos in town. Firehouse is several miles away, but fortunately the all concrete/brick construction keeps the fire risk down, despite the haphazard (hazard being the operative root) wiring and love of candles during frequent power outages. But, as is often the case, I digress. Another play innovation is the bike inner-tube jumper I made for the kids in the “back yard”, a dirt courtyard where laundry is done. I just looped my old inner-tube over support for the clothes-line and they jump up and down in it. Probably not viable long term in a playground, but a big hit around here.

Strikes are very common here in Peru. The usual MO is to block some major highway, stopping all commerce and transport until demands are met. This week, I encountered one in front of the Regional Courthouse in Canete – not sure what it was about – but no big deal as traffic could just detour around it. There is also a strike today in Chincha, about 40 miles south of here, which has the Pan Am blocked by cotton farmers wanting a “fair” price and another in Ancash, to the north of Lima over bad mining/pollution practices. I still don’t get the idea of inconveniencing EVERYONE, instead of just targeting the appropriate decision makers, but the tactic seems to work.

Thanks to my dear friend, Princeton roomie and Tech Guru, PG Randall, I’m really enjoying the higher WiFi connection speed. PG advised a simple metal reflector to amplify the signal to the antenna in my laptop. So, I went out and bought a 1m x 3m roofing panel (not that there are many metal roofs around here), found just the right angle in the corner of my room and quadrupled the connection speed to a blazing 48Mbps (Warp Speed to non-techies). 24/7 service for about US$13/mo can’t be beat. Much more connectivity (my cell phone has NEVER dropped or not had signal) than I had anticipated or even dreamed of. I rely on Sr. Google (pronounced goog-lay) for so much information. Never would have been able to track down 3 Peruvian distributors of chlorine pumps without him.

Photo Journal

If a picture is worth 1000 words, this is one LONG blog,,,,,
Photos from around my town of San Luis de Canete - a precious pueblo

My 3 adorable kids - Amir, Camila and Santi

Asparagus growing near town - a big export crop - very little for the locals

Typical bamboo roof has 3" of dirt on top

Direct Deposit - these bathrooms built right over the drainage canal/sewer

The lovely beach 2km from my house

The not-so-lovely trash piles on the beach

My hand-washing booth at a Health Fair

Ruins of the old British Sugar mill that shipped 60 tone of refined sugar a day - in season

Sewage entering a drainage canal

My new Peace Corps issue bike - Trek 3700 aluminium

CHEERS !!

The Arona Hacienda today - the original Spanish landgrant in Canete

The Chinese community center - now a Muni storage facility

Sweet little Chapel on the Hill

A week of seemingly endless interviews in the ‘Burbs for my eco-bano rehab and Community Diagnostic projects. Information will hopefully be of use later on, but I’d rather be working on tangible stuff. All will be compiled and presented later, so this blog will be mostly “cultural exchange”.

Except for one service related headline :

Don Oscar Biodigester Fully Operational

Eureka !! The Peace Corps project I’ve been working on since November is finally up and running. The big plastic tube really works. It has been fully extended with gas for some time and the gas storage bladder inside the house filled to capacity, as well, with gas coming out the over-pressure valve. I got tired of waiting for the family to buy a stove, so assembled my own “McGuyver” version for $8 worth of hardware. Set it up, struck a match and the rest is, as they say Hiss-tow-ree. The flame was every bit as big as their existing gas stove, but didn’t seem as hot. Bio-gas is 70% methane, 20% CO2, and 10% other stuff, so that would make sense. But, the price is right – this family now has a FREE gas supply for life. Not only that, they’re not dumping the pig doo in the canal. But wait, there’s more….free liquid fertilizer. Not sure of the analysis yet, but my fellow PCVs Dan and Carrie hooked me up with a local agricultural college, which will analyze, but the literature suggests about a 2-1-1 NPK, not as convenient as the 40-0-0 urea they use, but loaded with organic nutrients and free. They called all the neighbors over to see it, so word will spread. We boiled some water for hot chocolate, which tasted especially sweet. I love it when a good plan comes together……And once again the Peace Corps “Band of Brothers” (& Sisters) comes through with assistance. It is wonderful to know that 280 bright, creative and energetic folks have my back. Always. Wonderful.

The Sunday morning “Search & Enjoy” Recon mission was fruitful, as ever. The old Arona Hacienda was my first stop. Down a long, well-maintained road , lined and shaded by magnificent, tall cedar trees, I found a piece of Peruvian past. The grandeur of this Hacienda cannot be overstated. It was once the home of Don Arona de Tolosa, one of the original Spanish land grants in Peru, which extended from Cerro Azul to the Canete River and back into the mountains. The land produced mostly cotton and cane, with the help of a few hundred African slaves, whose descendants still populate the area, and who gave their rich heritage of dance and “cajon” music. Now, it is owned by a Spanish Duke, who never visits, since the structure was deemed uninhabitable after the 2007 earthquake. This information is all from conversation with Filipe, the current caretaker. I don’t know if it was my Peace Corps patch and explanation or just my charm, but he eventually agreed to let me inside the gate and to peek inside some windows. The view was spectacular, or would have been hundreds of years ago, when I’m sure the marble floors and mirrored walls glistened with the candle-lit reflections of elegant party-goers, as characters in the ornate ceiling gazed from above. A library now stands with barren shelves, their literary treasures all packed into large wooden crates that litter the room. How sad that this grand piece of history is not restored and enjoyed. Then again, perhaps it is an era that most Peruvians would rather not memorialize.

Second exploration was a hilltop chapel, just outside of San Vicente. It looks like fairly recent construction of charming design and quality execution. The approach is on a steep (but not too steep for my good bike) eucalyptus lined cart path. There was no one around to pump for information. A small stream, running down the hill caught my attention, as I was a good 100ft above the valley floor. Investigation through a thicket, revealed the source to be a hilltop spring. What quirky forces of nature could conspire to force water up and out of this elevated ground ?  With panoramic views of the entire Canete valley and ocean, beautiful old trees and its own water source, this would make quite a nice retirement home – just sayin’.

On the way back to San Luis, I noticed a smart agricultural idea. Some farmer has decided to switch from annual row crops to citrus production. Since it could be several years before the trees start to bear fruit, the income gap could be a big problem for a small farmer. This farmer solved the problem by raising corn between the citrus rows. While his yield will be less than usual, due to the rows lost to citrus, it looks like a good way to bridge the production gap. This would only work here, where crops are still harvested by hand, since the citrus rows would be hard for tractors or big harvesters to work around.

That smartness duly noted, to photograph the field, I had to step over a huge windrow of trash accumulated by the side of the Pan Am. Not so smart. This not just small pieces of wrapping. There are full trash bags, as though someone took trash from their home and disposed of it on the road. But, this was a long way from any town. And speaking of not smart, pesticide spraying is accomplished here with gasoline powered backpack sprayers. Ag chemicals are mixed in buckets and poured into the backpack tanks. Required safety equipment consists of a cloth wrapped around the face. End of safety gear list.

A final stop at the local Health Post was somewhat disappointing. My recent feasting on bargain mango and lack of hard labor has resulted in a 2 kg weight gain since last visit. Maybe I’ll cut back to just one big, fat, smoothly succulent, ambrosial bit-o-Heaven per day. Maybe. Sadly, they just seem to be getting better as the season goes on. Even this week’s price jump from 25 to 32 cents(US) per pound has not deterred my indulgence. Maybe there’s a local branch of MA.

Another of my local favorite foods is the “liquado” fruit smoothie. My standard is banana, strawberry and mango blended in fresh squeezed OJ. There are several liquado tiendas in Canete. Only one in San Luis and she is usually out of berries, (and they are “expensive” - $1.50) so this is only an occasional treat. Also in the Canete market is a slushie machine that dispenses icy fruit juice (at least they claim it’s pure juice). Another shopping treat. For San Luis street food on the quick, I have a nearby vendor of stuffed potatoes and corn-on-the-cob, served with hot oil and cheese mixture – very nice.

I’ve been watching the construction project going on next door. They are adding a single room on the second floor at the street end of the house. The houses in town are built with zero lot line. In fact, parts of our hose share a common wall. They are long and narrow – ours is 15’ x 160’. This means a LONG hallway with all rooms facing the hall and NO external windows. My room is about 2o feet from the fresh air and sunshine at the open end of the hall. Without my shade tarp and fan, it would be a rough go.  But, I digress. First step was to remove the old standard bamboo & mud roof. This was cleaned and saved and later re-installed on the new second floor. The scaffolding supports for the new concrete floor were not the standard adjustable steel supports like in the US. 3 to 4” diameter sticks were used, height adjusted by leaning them at an angle. A jumble of form boards supported the pour. Rebar was about what I’d use in the States. (This is an EARTHQUAKE zone) . They actually brought in an electric cement mixer. I won’t discuss the taped wire connections needed to reach power – too scary. Mind you that all this is going on while a family is living below. I should also mention that the stairway to the second floor was built a long time ago, so the floor was tied into that. Next came the brick work. All materials are hand-lifted to second floor. The sloppiness of local brick work is only exceeded by the excellence of the plaster/stucco work. These masons are masters at turning a rough and tumble wall into a picture of flat perfection. I don’t like the long wall expanses without column support, but always appreciate the optimism expressed by the rebar that extends up from every corner column. Also, don’t understand why so little provision is made for wiring in the walls, which is added after construction. And the window and door to the balcony will be added later.

Looks like a tobacco war is brewing here. British American Tobacco has pretty much had a monopoly on cigarettes here for decades it seems. Still, prices are very low compared to the US (probably no taxes?). A packet of 20 “Hamilton” sells for about $1.78. But now, here comes US tobacco giant RJ Reynolds, promoting “Pall Mall – famous American Blend” for $1.33. If they can sell at that price here, think of the profits they must be making at $6 a pack in the US. At least it’s not like Mexico, where Big Tobacco gave away free 4-packs in the Plaza to any kid who wanted them. Drug dealers in Harlem are not even that aggressive. The packs here already have the “graphic” warning labels, which really are pretty disgusting looking. Get ready America…..

A word about bread : In my town, there is only one kind – the “pancito” – a fist sized, dinner roll shape, crunchy-crusted on the outside and tender on the inside. A white and slightly sweet, plain Jane staple sold in virtually every tienda in town. All come from one of the three local bakeries. I like going to the nearest “panaderia”, as the rolls are always warm there. Less convenient, but worth the effort. Loaf bread – US style – is found only in the mega Kmart type stores (Plaza Vea, et al) and is mostly WonderBread clones. There is one bakery in Canete that sells pancito in whole wheat – much tastier, but decidedly unpopular. In this Land of Carbohydrate, white bread rules. The same goes for rice – all white. I have not seen unprocessed “brown” rice in ANY store, even in Lima.  It still baffles me why 98% of the rice consumed on this planet is stripped of fiber, nutrients and taste, before consumption. And no tortillas. Peruvians don’t even have a word for the ubiquitous “tortilla” found EVERYWHERE in Mexico. Here, the word “tortilla” means a fried, potato/egg/vegetable pancake-like food, which is actually quite tasty. It is a favorite at breakfast and is commonly served inside a pancito. Gotta love those carbs….

Pleased that my “handyman” reputation is spreading around town. I’ve got as good or better tool set as any here. The battery drill never fails to impress. It’s a good way to meet the neighbors and make sure electrical connections are safe. And, I always get some bananas or baked goods for thanks. The hardware is disappointing – really cheap crap. Electrical outlets have contacts of very thin sheet metal and quickly bend – just asking for a spark. And it’s 220v, so they often get a good “pop” when plugging in. The only good part is that the cheap hardware is really inexpensive. They still sell the old style capacitor start fluorescent rings, right out the 60’s in the US. I installed one of those the other day. The old “fixture” was a socket hanging from bare wires. That was the on-off switch – the socket was lifted off the wires. I’ve put new faucet washers on a few faucets, though the owners felt it was not needed. Dripping faucets are simply not a priority here, even though if they waste enough they WILL pay a surcharge. Truth is, you’d have to leave a faucet full on for hours to hit the surcharge. So, waste away. I had a strange comment about my shade tarp, as it can be seen from the next street over (and folks know where the Gringo lives): “Don’t you get cold without the sun? In winter, you’ll be very cold”. These folks have a different thermostat that me. And I probably will take the tarp down in winter, when the temperature can plummet to the 40’s….

A new twist has arisen in the combi game. The starting point for trips from San Vicente (Canete) to San Luis is now policed 5-minute limit for loading. While most combis would wait only a polite time in the loading spot and count on (over)filling on the way out of town, some greedy combis would wait until (over) full before pulling out. They also put up a nice shade tarp/tent over the loading spot, so that passengers waiting for the van to leave are cooler. I would help if they just opened the windows, but for some reason, Peruvians are totally adverse to open windows. They prefer to swelter in a hot van, packed with 10-12 others. And speaking of packed – another behavior I can’t grok: Everyone knows getting into the combi what the fare will be. But, instead of thinking ahead and having said fare in hand, they act surprised when the conductor comes to collect. This necessitates all manner of “Twister” moves within the crowded van. Gringo Logic says Retrieve change BEFORE entering van and enjoy the ride. Still, the energy efficiency and convenience of the transport system cannot be overlooked. While I’m on the non-sequitor rant, the tradition of watering the street in a desert area still makes me smile. They say it is to keep the dust down, but the street quickly reverts to dust again in the bright sun and sea breeze. Meanwhile, the section of street briefly becomes a muddy, impassable mess. In particular, the tire tread on my bike has a special affinity for the street mud material, which eventually works its way out of the tread and onto my back. Peru has a current multi-billion dollar initiative for road and street paving. I’m hoping some of that finds its way to my street.

And all the gripes are small potatoes, compared to living in a small town with no crime, a sea breeze, perfect weather and that’s kinda like “CHEERS” – everybody knows my name “Seńor Goyo” (or Seńor de Paz – which I like even better) and they’re really glad I came.