ECPA and Chiclayo with Angel

Angel & I became dear friends at the PC grant training workshop

Our Gangsta Rap project orsentation

Kail demonstrates a hydro generator at the ECPA conference in Ancash

We visited the Sipan museum in Chiclayo

Two weeks is a long time to be on the road, especially in Peru and on a tight business schedule. I started to write this last week, but the combination of being tired and inconvenience conspired against it. When I’m not at home, Internet access is in “cabinas”. These are definitely NOT like US “business centers”. They are poorly lit (to accentuate the video games that most are using), and the keyboards have most of the letters rubbed off and the keys often stick. That’s not an excuse, I’m just sayin’…..

The trip started with Will Jensen, the closest PCV to my site. His parents served in the Peace Corps, where they met and later served with my friend Jim Davidson, one of the (in)famous Coronas surfers. It’s always fun travelling with Will, since he’s hard to lose in a crowd, standing a good foot above the Peruvian norm. We rode up to Lima on the commuter bus and then got on Movil Bus, one of the first-class lines for the day trip up to Huaraz. We shared the front seats on the upper deck with a couple from Colorado. I’d seen the coastal scenery north of Lima before – a very desolate desert landscape extending right to the shore break, punctuated by a green agricultural valley now and again. Surprisingly, the beach resorts, which dot the shore south of Lima are not found to the north. And just as well, since there was a recent kill-off of hundreds of dolphin and fish. The official reported cause was a “sonic event”, which sounds like a Tourist Office cover-up to me.

When we turned east from the coast and headed up 8,000 ft to the mountains of Ancash, we certainly got the “E-Ticket” ride in those front seats. Switch-back after switchback of hair pin curves rocked the bus side to side. On this route, there is a driving crew of 3 who watch the road ahead and make possible blind-curve passing and speeds that I wouldn’t try in a sports car. There were many times, I looked straight down – a LONG way down. Guard-rails were sporadic. We arrived just after dark and were greeted the next morning by a SPECTACULAR view from the hotel of the nearby snow covered peaks and glaciers.

I was quite glad to have hot water for the first time since arriving in Peru. I have scoffed at some of my fellow PCVs for not showering for weeks on end. But I take it all back. I live in a warm climate where cold water is more like cool – sometimes borderline tepid. But, in the mountains, cold water is icy. Combine that with rainy, frigid climate and outdoor showering facilities, and I well understand the bathing aversion.

The Renewable Energy conference was well run and informative. We covered solar, hydro, wind, climate change and micro-finance. Some of the small-scale demos were effective – a solar oven actually melted the black plastic used as heat trap. By far the best demo was Kail’s hydro generator. He actually hand-made a simple generator from wrapped wire and magnets and fabricated the water turbine from plastic spoons, which produced 10VDC. The best tip I got was to use a centrifugal pump in reverse as a generator – brilliant simplicity. Except, I have no high velocity water source, like the Vols in the mountains. Climate change is clearly demonstrated by the RAPID melting of the nearby ancient glaciers in Huaraz. They are losing close to 5% of their volume every year, which has created some spectacular glacial lakes in the mountains. A field trip to a biodigester, very similar to mine, was interesting. I got to see the solids that are produced, which should come from mine in a few months – just as nice as the liquid fertilizer. Since most of the participants were from my Peru 18 training group, it was a family reunion of sorts. Huaraz is a completely tourist friendly city, which offers all manner of adventure sports and glacial hikes and camping.

After an all-night bus trip, we arrived in Chiclayo for training on funding procedures. Here, I was joined by Angel Garcia, one of the Town Council members from San Luis. Angel is only 31, but an up-and-coming town leader. It was great to have the time to get to know him. He is bright, funny, articulate, with a great sense of humor. He proved this during our project presentation, when we acted out “Original Gangsta”, followed by original lyrics to Petula Clark’s “Call Me” (NO, not the Blondie version).

En este pueblo bonito

Tenemos problema chiquito

No hay lugar por los ninos

No hay lugar por los ninos – a juegar.

(translation)

In this beautiful town
We have little problem
There is no place for children
No place for the children - To play.

He actually thinks we should sing it for the Mayor, to assure her support for the Children’s Parks. I’m game. In addition, Angel found a new friend in Will’s socio, Roberto from nearby Quilmana. The course was presented with great clarity and energy by Luis Ly, one of our Pre-Service trainers and “Hurricane” Katrina, who trains the small business groups.

We were treated to a rare day-off on Sunday, before jumping back into Water & Sanitation training on programs called “Healthy Homes” and “Healthy Schools”. These are comprehensive educational programs that we can use in our communities to encourage basic sanitary practices. They include segments on a vast array of things that we very much take for granted in the States, like brushing teeth, washing hands, storing food and dishes off the floor and organization.

Another WATSAN treat was a group visit to the Sipan Museum in Lambayeque. The Lord Sipan was a ruler well before the Incas to the south. His kingdom had expired long before the Spanish came to Peru, but his golden treasures surpassed anything they got from the Incas. Their construction was not on the level of the Incas, but their metallurgy more than compensated. They worked mostly in gold and copper and turquoise. The Lord Sipan, when in full regalia,  carried an estimated 80+ lbs of metal around. Except that he was carried everywhere – and suffered early arthritis as the price. The loot in his burial vault exceeded that of King Tut and any of the Incan kings. He was also buried with his full staff, who were sacrificed upon his death. Talk about a bad job…..

While the quantity and level of fine workmanship was indeed impressive, a small sample of copper ore was what got my mind racing.  Consider for a moment what accidents of nature must have combined with acute human observation and innovation to realize the very first metals, which we so take for granted today. Perhaps an ore-rich rock fell into a fire, which melted out a small sample? And then some astute person saw the little glob of metal and played with it long enough to realize it could be of use? And then made the connection back to the ore, which was mined and refined? THAT is the achievement that I find far more impressive than any ornate jewelry or bead-work.

Speaking of bead-work, all the Sipan beads were made of shell, each tiny bead hand-crafted and drilled, then dyed with local plant dies. All this remarkable output came from a civilization that numbered in the thousands, not millions (of mostly slaves) like the Egyptians. I guess if you don’t go on vacations or watch TV, it frees up a LOT of time.

The only downers of the trip was my bus ride home. I had secured a lovely “full cama” seat back to Lima. This is a seat like 1^st Class on an overseas flight – full bed with privacy separation and personal TV & audio. The snag was two drunk Peruvians, who insisted on harassing the young lady behind me and playing audio LOUD. After politely asking for some courtesy, I finally called the attendant, which only made matters worse. Despite confirmation by the lady behind me and the couple in front of them, the attendant simply asked me to be tolerant, since they where “a little drunk” and had done no “violencia” – YA THINK ??  She did get them to turn down the volume – for about 30 seconds after she left. Not-so-subtle calls of “Gringo Muerte” and “Suenos Dulces, Gringo” and an occasional spit-ball lobbed my way, did not make for a comfortable sleep, despite my ample accommodations. There is not an airline on the planet that would have boarded those two clowns. This is the first time I’ve experienced the business-end of Machismo in Peru. It’s not pretty. And I empathize with the female PCVs, who endure it on a regular basis.

And when I got back home, the bad was all but forgotten, when the three little kiddles came running down the hall to greet me.  The boys had been worried that I had left for good – 2 weeks is an eternity when you’re 4. But, Mamita Camila had reassured them by lifting them up to see in my window that my computer was still there. They know I’d never leave THAT behind.

My first full day back in site was right back into the deep end of the work pool – building Cocinas losas (tops) with Gersan from the Catholic charity “Caritas” in Vista Alegre. My secondary agenda was meeting some of the ladies of the “Mothers Club”, who apparently carry some pretty good clout in the village. They would LOVE to get the water supply they’ve been waiting for (for some time now) and agreed to talk up my proposal of 3 soles ($1.15) up front and 1.5 to 2 soles per month, with their hubbies. For less than $1/mo per family, they could all get a 24/7 water supply, with decent pressure and chlorination. That’s if 80% of the folks pay, which would be a new record for Peruvian water payments, where they tend to feel that water comes from God and should thus be free. I tell them that the water is indeed from God, but the electricity for the pump and all the tubes are not.

Gersan also came out to visit the biodigester, along with my buddy Dan and Anna Kingman, A PCV from up north, who is about to start building a digester. While we do get excellent training and support from the PC staff, an enormous amount of information and experience is shared among the Volunteers – we Band of Brothers (and Sisters). I’m delighted to be part of that tradition and do what I can to assist, as I have been assisted.

One random news note: Peru is once again upping minimum wage – this time to about $1.20/hr, per Prez Humala’s campaign promise. Keeping a campaign promise – what a quaint concept.

Next week is a corker: two grant proposals to write – HIV program with Gloria and Esther from the Health Center and Kiddie Parks with my new buddy Angel. Also, revisions to make on my solar pump project. Then, I am honored “for my early service accomplishments” by a visit from Sanjay, the PC Country Director for Peru (aka the Big Boss) and a V.V.I.P. – the Peace Corps Deputy Director from DC. “Dog & Pony” are already in training for the event, which includes lunch at the Very Upscale “El Piloto” restaurant – the most expensive meal in all of the Canete area. Their treat.

Getting It Done

The Japanese cemetery at Cerro de Oro

The complete Eco- Bano rehabilitation

Two completed Cocinas with Will Jensen in Quilmana

Another Regional Meeting of the 30 or so PCVs in the “Licah” (Lima-Ica-Huancavelica) regions. We meet once a month to swap info and share some together time. This meeting was in Ica – not my favorite Peruvian city. About ¾ of town is “off-limits” for security reasons. The only respite from the brutal sun and heat is the extraordinary ice cream (gelato) parlor in the Plaza – pecan is emerging as my go-to favorite, with coconut and chocolate close behind. I presented my “Bicycle 101” PowerPoint and updated the crew on recent bike policy changes. These will mostly affect the incoming PCVs, however a little extra training in safety, riding and maintenance can’t hurt.

After the meeting, I toured the Maestro hardware store nearby, which is as good as any Home Depot or Lowe’s in the US. Some folks window shop in clothing or shoe stores – my favorites have always been hardware and electronics stores. (plus the AC felt really good) I found some nifty “biodigesters”, pre-fabbed from plastic roto-tanks. While these are really septic tanks, they could easily be adapted to regular biodigester service – quick and easy installation. If you live near one of these super-stores.

Two earthquakes hit Peru this week : a 4.4 located just offshore of Ancash (where I’m headed on Sunday) and a larger 5.1 about 70 miles SSW, near Ica. The 4.4 happened at midnight while I slept and had potential for tsunami, but none reported. The 5.1 was a long one – something like 30-40 seconds. Everything rattled and vibrated, much like a large freight train going by next door. After years in SoCal and feeling 7 or 8 here in Peru in the last 6 months, I’m pretty used to it, though there is always the wondering when they start, of just how far they will go. The big fear, of course, is for the “big” ones (over 7) that do damage to the poorly built houses here. Even worse, would be a large quake off-shore, on the huge fault-line / tectonic plate ridge. This could cause tsunami wave, several of which have caused devastation in the past. My friends at the beach would be wiped out, though I’m up 20M and would be quite safe in San Luis. However, if I’m working at my sites out at the beach and we get a good shake, I’m spinning off on my bike AFAP.

I had a sweet visit this morning from one of the kids who built a Tippy-Tap at my Health Fair booth. She had taken hers home and painted it with markers and wanted to show it off. She was also wondering if she could get some soap and paper towels, which I was delighted to provide. After that response, I need to go to the schools and do some classes. So VERY delighted that at least one child really got into the Tippy-Tap idea. I haven’t really gotten into teaching in the schools much – most of my work has been with adults in the field, which is my comfort zone. Time to step out-side for a bit, though I’ll still shun the teaching English gig that is popular with many PCVs.

Back in my comfort zone, I completed the first Eco-Bano rehab, which included all the essentials for the fully functioning "Compleat Composting Bano”: Slick new plastic toilet seat, water bottle to flush urine tube, bin to hold ash/lime drying material, stick for adjusting poop distribution in hole and new door handles. And what good bano would be complete without every PCVs favorite accessory - the Tippy-Tap for hand-washing after toilet use. In addition, I re-educated the family in proper use and put a reminder poster on the door. Then, we cleaned out the old compost, which was really nice stuff and spread it around some plants by the house. Total cost was about US$3. I’m hoping this project will be funded by the milk company Gloria, which buys milk from all the farmers on the beach. Plan is to re-hab 40-50 of these well-built composting toilets, which have fallen into dis-use for various reasons, mostly rusted bolts and hinges.

Had a nice LONG walk with Fernando out to San Pedro, my second most distant annex. I tried to borrow a bike for him, but it wasn’t available. Actually, it was a good chance to chat with him. Even though we live in the same house, he doesn’t spent much time at home except to watch soccer and sleep. We took a “short cut”, which may have saved a few hundred yards, and was certainly more interesting than my usual bike route. We went by some old ruins and the Japanese cemetery.

The ruins always get my imagination going – about what it might have been like to live back then. And of extraordinary amount of effort those people put into construction that would last hundreds of years. Fernando says the secret to their extra hard adobe was pressure. But, hard to imagine what kind of engineering they had to compress some huge blocks – and don’t even get me started on the logistics of moving those suckers, very precisely, into place. There is a big complex, way up high, which must have an incredible view, but musta been a bitch to supply with food and water. And what was the sanitation? Fascinating.

The Japanese Cemetery is striking contrast to the haphazard construction in the regular Peruvian cemetery. Very clean and simple designs in that wonderful minimalist orderly Asian style. The Chinese workers also had their own cemetery on the other side of town, but they took most of the markers with them , when they left en-masse after an earthquake in the 70’s. Strange that blacks were buried in the Peruvian cemetery , but not the Orientals. Paulina says they were not allowed, but Fernando says they didn’t want to. So much for local history.

The annexes of San Pablo and San Antonio are really just one village separated by a road. Together they total about 150 people. Like the beach annexes, there are mostly dairy farms, with some goats, pigs and burros thrown in, along with the accompanying small farm plots (chakras). But, very different terrain – rocky outcroppings, with delightful little green ravines, with small springs all over. There are a wide assortment of fruiting trees – fig, mango, cherimoya, apple, banana – and a sweet little treat called cirvuelo? There is also a good sized cuy (guinea pig) farm, which is the biggest thing in town, besides a HUGE concrete soccer field.

Our mission was to find a good site for the second biodigester, which we did. Instead of a “Boy named Sue”, this is a guy named Debbie (spelled Deibe), but that’s how it sounds. His location is a little more remote than I’d like, for demonstration purposes, but he is the first person I’ve found willing to pony up the cash (and do the hard work) for an installation. He’s 35, has a nice small farm on a hill, with chakra field down below, which will make the liquid fertilizer easy to use, since he can just send it down in a tube – adding new meaning to “shit flows downhill”. He’s almost finished with a new brick home for his family of 3 (with one on the way).

I had an enjoyable morning helping Will “Pono” Jensen, the closest PCV from my WATSAN 18 group, build a second “industrial” Cocina Mejorada at the Zoo in his town of Quilmana. Yes, I said Zoo. Quilmana is only about 10km NE of San Luis, but there is no direct service, so it takes the better part of an hour to get there. Huge gorgeous Plaza and even a town Zoo. The cages are like an old style US zoo, sparsely furnished, but clean and the wide assortment of animals and birds seem well cared for. They have two soccer/basketball courts, a water park, and replicas of Machu-Pichu and the Great Wall of China. He built a residential and industrial “improved cook stoves” at the ranch style “Ponderosa” restaurant, since they will get excellent exposure to the big weekend crowds. They will also keep smoke from blowing into the faces of the cooks and diners.

Amazing that a small town can maintain such a beautiful facility. It’s about the same size as San Luis, but seems MUCH more progressive. The municipal “obras” (Public Works Dept) beats the pants off mine. Very well stocked and manned, with lots of transport vehicles. Within town limits are a cotton mill, a large seed producing fondo (plantation), a yogurt/cheese plant, and a Gloria milk processor. The four-term mayor lives in a magnificent home on the main road. I must admit to a bit of “site envy”. These folks do not have the same liaise-fare attitude that exists in San Luis.

As I mentioned earlier, cotton harvest is in full swing in the area. Many folks might feel that Eli Whitney’s cotton gin (1793) was the historical revolution in cotton production. I say, it was Taylor & Paige, who invented the mechanical cotton harvester (1850) and here’s why : I sat next to a woman on the combi who had just finished a day of picking cotton by hand. Anyone who’s been in a ripe cotton field knows how incredibly sharp and hard the bolls become – four razor sharp barbs guard the fluffy-white contents of each boll. Her hands were covered in cuts and scratches and swollen like small boxing gloves. She held them in front of her in obvious pain. When I asked her about it, she responded that “it’s only for the 2 months of cotton harvest”. They apparently have some concoction of Aloe and an herb that is used to kill the pain and help the swelling. The pain is endured because the pay is huge by Peruvian standards. A good picker, paid by the sack, can make US$30 a day – about 5 times the average pay for a woman. So, while the cotton gin saved millions of hours of tedious seed removal, the harvester saved BILLIONS of hours of hand pain. We rarely think about the pain and back-breaking sweat that goes into producing the food we eat or the clothes we wear. Maybe we should start.

 

I’m headed out on a 2 week road trip on Sunday, that will take me to Huaraz in Ancash for a renewable energy conference and then far to the north in Chiclayo, Piura for more Water & Sanitation training. There may not be a blog next week.

Easter Solar Time

My first solar pump-in-a-pail works really well

One of hundreds of "temporary" shelters from USAID - still in use after 5 years

Easter started with a bang – several actually. A very small procession, with the same band that plays for funeral marches, began at dawn, moving from the Plaza, through the cemetery and back to the church. I wish I could adequately convey just how sad (on many levels) this band is, but I still haven’t isolated the source of its bad-ness – repertoire, instruments or lack of talent. The procession was comprised of four guys carrying a shrine, followed by some ladies in robes and several very sleepy kids. For a town of 5,000, this seemed a pretty meager Easter turn-out. Meanwhile, M-80 style firecrackers pierced the early morning air. I have yet to make the connection between Easter and the small bombs.

But, I had other plans for the day. The Easter Bunny had very kindly delivered a solar panel and water pump and I was eager to try them out. OK, so there is no Easter Bunny – Many Thanks to my dear cousin Jan Plimpton, Director of Habitat for Humanity of Minnesota for her very kind donation and shipment of the equipment. She does enough good for the world every day and this was truly above and beyond. The shipment arrived via Diplomatic Pouch, by-passing customs and really speeding the project along. Final leg was via Soyuz bus to the Canete terminal. 8 days from Minneapolis to my hands has got to be some kind of PC record for freight. Also included, was enough electrical, pipe and duct tape to last for the rest of my service and beyond. My meager supply of electrical wire nuts was also replenished. Such simple supplies make a HUGE difference in job quality. Typical Peruvian wire connection (220V mind you) is just twist, maybe cover with masking or scotch tape, and pray.

I had to wait, rather impatiently, for the sun to clear the building next door. But when it did, the little 10 watt wonder came alive with 19 volts of sweet DC current and the pump came on line as advertised. The hardware store was closed, so I couldn’t do a lift test, but the volume and pressure seem more than adequate. The tentative plan is provide good water from wells in the Las Palmas and Nuevo Vista Alegre annexes to homes that are 100-150 meters away. Right now, the wells are open, unprotected and filthy, with cows wandering right up to the edges (and licking the dip bucket). 5 gallon buckets are filled and hand carried back to the houses. First, we’ll build a protective wall around the wells, clean out the trash, sanitize with chlorine and make a protective cover. Then the panel and pump will push the water home to a covered concrete (or brick) holding tank. And finally, a ceramic water filter will provide potable water. This will also increase water use for bathing and washing. How often would YOU shower or wash clothes, if you had to hand carry every gallon?

Anyway, the solar panel is the perfect solution, given the lack of access to power near the wells and the sunny weather here. For you fans of solar, my site has an average solar insolation of 6.4 Kwh per day. That’s about the same as the Mojave desert – best in the US. A windmill pump was another option, but seemed like lots more work and maintenance. The panel and pump are small enough to carry inside every night to avoid security issues, though we may figure out some means of securing them in place. Preliminary tests at the house show that the solar pump will provide about 200-300 gallons of water a day, which will dramatically improve water access and grooming /cleaning habits. Still need to do more lift tests and battery tests to see exactly how much volume we’ll get, etc. But that is the mad research scientist stuff that is really fun for me. Peace Corps claims this is “the hardest job you’ll ever love”, but so far, it’s been more love (and FUN) than hard.

Another Easter present from Joy Massa, former Esalen cook, turned holistic healer – a PVC pipe cutter and 10” Blue Diamond ceramic drill bit. Most PVCs get candy, chips and Cliff bars from home. My tastes are a little more exotic. When I demonstrated the cutter at the hardware store, you’d have thought I’d just come in with a space ship. Peruvians cut PVC with saws or knives – either way leaves rough and uneven edges. The cutter slices clean as a factory cut and in about 1/10 the time. The drill bit cuts through adobe or brick like butter, in part due to the poor quality of both here.  Thanks, Joy. And to all of you who have sent me cool ideas and kind words of encouragement and support. I’m just the tip of a very large spear.

They say this is a 24/7 kinda job. But, a bunch of us PCVs went river rafting this week. (One of the PC missions is “Cultural exchange”, right?) Lunahuana is just 45 minutes up the windy road along the Canete River. It is a popular Peruvian tourist destination. The town offers a beautiful old cathedral, spectacular suspension bridge, haunted house, the “Inkahuasi” ruins and, of course – river rafting. Mostly Class II rapids, with one Class III. The rafting is enjoyable, but nothing close to the Gauley or Colorado in the US, with their many Class IV & V. Nor, were the views as spectacular. Still, everyone got wet and it’s always a treat to be with my fellow PCVs.

A little mouse found its way into my room. It’s cute, but annoying at night. I did make a polite request for Mousie to leave peacefully. This request was declined, so I set off to acquire means of entrapment. Much as I would love to use a “live trap”, no such option was found in the market. Next best was the classic snap-trap option, which was purchased for US$0.55. This was an all metal trap, very cleverly produced from a single piece of metal, with the appropriate spring and wire.

Enjoyed my first moto-taxi ride with a female driver in Canete. The “big city” most be more progressive than in my little town. I’ve never seen ANY women driving there. Even on bicycles. Speaking of bikes – I still love mine.

Yet another “CARE” package from sister Robin contained concrete “blue” screws and enough razor blades to last beyond my service term here. The only blades I’ve found are disposable – understandable, since most Peruvian men (and women) have very little body hair and shave infrequently. My grooming habit of shower AND shave every day is viewed with incredulity, even some of my fellow PCVs, who don’t enjoy the same 24/7 access to water that I do.

I’m definitely feeling the State-side love this week.

Another failed attempt to beat my time on the bicycle speed run from La Quebrada back to San Luis – missed it by 8 seconds. Will I ever recapture the speed (and Glory) of yesterday?

Health Fair

I visited the largest Christ in the world - 1m taller than Rio, but not the view

Handwashing booth at the Health Fair

Student nurses came to see the Tippy-Tap

I had a booth at the town’s Health Fair this week. I went with my only health-related forte : Hand-Washing and Tippy-Taps. Being the only Gringo presenter is good for attracting traffic and interest. I played a goofy quiz game, got bunches of kids to wash their hands, singing “Happy Birthday” to mark the proper time of wash, helped kids make their own Tippy-Taps and posed for a rash of photos. It was a good time. I may have even gotten on the Lima news with the Director of EsSalud, who speaks much better English than my Spanish. The booth next to me was a bunch of cosmetology students, who insisted I let them cut my hair. I’m not sure if the giggling helped or not, but it turned out OK – my cheapest Peruvian cut yet.

Elsewhere at the Fair, nurses and doctors were doing all kinds of exams, x-rays, dental work and immunizations. Kids were dancing with a clown and a very bad lady singer and even worse band performed. The Health Center did a really great job of handling the crowd and it looked like everyone who came got served in 4 hours. I only wish health care in the US worked as smoothly, though lack of education here is the root of many health problems. If the enthusiasm of this crowd is an indicator, our upcoming programs for HIV / STD / teen pregnancy should be welcome.

The week included “Dia de Trabajo” (Labor Day) here in Peru. As with most Peruvian holidays, it began with some heavy drinking the night before. While we PCVs are encouraged to “integrate” into and participate in the culture, I draw the line here. Fernando “rolled-in” about 5am, just as I was getting up. I took the day to bus up to the Big Lime and purchase some tickets for myself and Angel, one of my socios. In the US, I’d just go online or to a travel agency. But here, my only option was to physically go to the bus station.

On the way home, I decided to stop and see the giant statue of Christ, which is visible from the Pan American Hwy. Getting there was another matter – it required two different combis and a long climb. Not much of a tourist destination – no gift shop. The statue is said to be a replica of the Christ that sits above Rio, but is 7 M taller (and 1 M taller than the Christ in Poland). It seemed pretty crude to me and surely the view from the Rio statue is superior. This one is surrounded by ghettos on 2 sides and a sea of communication antennas on the third, though the ocean can be seen in the distance. All-in-all, not so impressive, other than for sheer mass.

Next stop was lunch in the sweet little resort town of Cerro Azul, with some of the other nearby PCVs. It’s always a treat to get together with other PCVs and share experiences, ideas and some English. Though my Spanish is getting pretty fluid, there is still a certain tension when I speak and listen. I really feel English relaxing. The next day brought a visit from another PCV from Ica to see the biodigester with one of her socios.

Great shades of Smokey and the Bandit – I just saw what appeared to be a black TransAm roar down the PanAm Hwy. It really stood out since it was all shiny and new. I can only imagine it was some rich kid from Lima, speeding down to the family beach house in upscale Paracas, just south of here.

Yet another yummy fruit is in season here. This time, it’s cherimoya, which is simply one of the most delicious fruits on the planet. It tastes like……well, a cherimoya. Think banana, strawberry, pineapple, maybe even a hint of peach. It’s a complex and unique flavor that seems to change depending on how long and where it sits on your tongue. Kinda pretty, too. Looks like another of my favored fruits, guanabana, which is probably a cousin. A native of the Andes.

The masons in San Luis have an ad-hoc co-op, which serves them well. They all share a storage yard on the north end of town, where is stored all manner of boards for making concrete forms, rebar, bricks, blocks a big keg of nails and wire. The deal is that they all use whatever they need and then replace it when they’re done. Fernando was chewing out one of the younger members for cutting up one of the long boards. Wood is at a premium and very expensive here, especially the long boards. Apparently, he should have returned to get pieces that were already cut, but was too lazy. He got chewed real good. Fernando gots him a temper.

Oh Good Grief – Margarita has decided that she needs a break from all her “hard work” as Mom    (NOT). She’s gone off to visit friends for 3 weeks. At least she hired a baby-sitter, and the gal does seem to be able to cook real food, so at least the kids will be eating better. I was originally feeling really pissed about her departure, but now I’m thinking maybe the kids are better off. Victor hasn’t even bothered to come home in 2 weeks. Geez.

Mandarin orange harvest in Canete is in full swing. Lots of folks here in town stop whatever they’re doing to work at the big packing plant for some good extra pay – minimum age is 14. And they go 24/7 at the Arona plant. The benefit for me is that I’ve discovered they sell “rejects” at the ridiculous price of 2kg for 1 sole (US$0.17/lb). The marvelous irony is that they “rechezar” the perfectly ripe and utterly sumptuous fruit, which has no chance of making it to market before going bad. I have NEVER had a really tree-ripened tangerine before and I’m gonna love eating rejects for the next month or so.

There are so many things that Americans take for granted : endless safe water, electricity, sewers, roads, private cars, etc. Add one more – paper products. For my hand-washing booth at the Health Fair this week, I went looking for paper towels for kids to finish with. I wandered and was mis-directed all over the market, before finally finding an anemic roll of the stuff that fills partial aisles in any US supermarket, with a plethora of choices. It doesn’t end there. TP here is usually single ply and not very smooth. And not everyone uses it due to cost. Napkins are also single ply and tend to disintegrate in the hand. Americans probably waste more napkins from drive-thrus than Peruvians will ever use in their lives. But let’s not call it deprived – how about environmentally responsible ??

An interesting phenomenon here is the shop or store as the front room of the house. Most every shop owner lives where they work, either above or behind the store. And they are totally fine with knocking on the door, even when the shop is closed – something that we Americans would not even contemplate. There is often more than one “business” running out of the same space. Across the street, they run a flower shop and beer hall in the front room. At my house, the front room is a small school supply “store”, open only on demand. My favorite tienda is run by Paulina, who is often in the back cooking. She also does tailoring and bakes wonderful cakes. Sad that US zoning laws generally prohibit this home/store combination. It certainly makes sense, since the owners can get household chores done when not serving customers and saves on wasteful and gas-consuming commutes. This was a common practice in the US past. Why did we stop ??

Mudslide in Chosica

A wonderful return to my training host family in Buenos Aires. Just after this photo, it stared to rain, causing massive landslides - see video link below

Sunday Bike Recon/Joy Ride took me to the twin annexes of San Pablo and San Antonio. Each has about 30-40 families. It’s really just one village on opposite sides of the road, but the fellow I asked about it said he didn’t know why. Very rough road. This is only my second trip out there and did more exploring than before. Some NGO built pit latrines, which are now in deplorable shape. The one I actually looked into was beyond full and the other reeked so bad, I ‘bout lost my breakfast. Pit latrines are an old solution, far inferior to our new eco-bano (composting toilets). They allow mixing of liquid and solid waste, which is just plain nasty, even when new. They also need to be MOVED when full. Problem here is that the base is a thick concrete slab and would be a bitch to move, especially on the hilly ground of these villages. The enclosures were built of corrugated metal sheet, which I’ll bet is a roaster in the afternoon. After I rehab the Beach Banos, I may have to come back here and figure a solution. Water system in San Pablo is a nice spring up high on the hill, which just rolls downhill in tubes and open aqueducts, terminating in an open tank where the San Antonians, dip in buckets and carry to their homes – good place for a solar pump.

“Adios” (to God) is the universal Spanish farewell, although “Se via bien” (travel well) and “Via con Dios” (travel with God) are common. Peruvians have also borrowed “ciao” from Brazil (and Italy) – sounds the same, but it is spelled “chau” and is used only with friends and family. Even more friendly is “chaufa”, not to be confused with “Chifa”, which is Peruvian Chinese food (very popular here). In Portuguese, it serves as greeting AND farewell – like “Aloha”. Here, it is a farewell only.

Now that Ben and I have succeeded in getting PCHQ to change the bike policy, we are down to the gritty of selecting a good quality bike. The office staff has proposed a couple of slick looking bikes – one even has a snazzy dual suspension – but not the best quality accessories or construction. It will be the classic battle of cost vs quality. I’m really hoping quality wins, since distributing an inferior bike would be counter-productive. 

Will wonders never cease? Dept: A HUGE highway cleaning crew – at least 60-70 workers – raking the sides of the PanAmerican Hwy. A line of dump trucks are loaded by pitchforks and speed away. Not sure I want to know how the trash will be disposed of. Please don’t burn all that plastic, Please……

The family intrigue continues : Victor came home this weekend, but only briefly. He arrived late Saturday, slept on the living room couch (not a good sign) and left again Sunday AM. He’s been working 65-70 hours a week and VERY excited when he talks about his job, overhauling and repairing electrical devices and systems for a big mining outfit. His dramatic increase in income has meant lots of toys and stickers and new clothes for the kids. Maybe they’ll even think about a refrigerator? The other big change is that Margarita has hired a cleaning lady, who comes in every afternoon. Delia is a large black woman and leaves the kitchen, bathroom and floors spotless and orderly. Clothes don’t sit in the machine or on the line all day. With her red handkerchief headpiece, she reminds me of Aunt Jemima – the original one. She’s not a jolly person, but cleans like a Holy terror. This leaves Margarita free to do what she does best: watch TV and make party crafts.

The week has been slow as far as service projects go. Most folks are in vacation mode for Semana Santa and/or in recovery from the previous night’s festivities. But I did manage a few meetings with school directors to talk about doing environmental talks and organizing teams for the tree planting and sat down with the director at Caritas to lay out my plan for the Vista Alegre water system. The tree that Katy and I planted was doing well, until someone broke off the top. We had decided to turn down the protective plastic screen enclosure, to let in more light. But, now see the wisdom in extending the protection all the way up – a good (albeit sad) lesson learned from the pilot planting.

But, it has been a good time to go back and do follow up visits where I’ve built the improved cook stoves. That’s one of the things that makes me proud to serve in Peace Corps is that we don't just build it and walk away (like some NGOs). We go back and see how things are going. Worked out well for me, too, as I was gifted with a couple of fresh, ripe Lucama fruits at one house.  I enjoyed my first Lucama fruit. Beautiful flesh looks like the inside of a yam -  mildly sweet, dryish smooth texture – almost like a wet cake. Unique and delicious – think uber-sweet sweet-potato, with no need to cook. All but two new owners are happily using the new stove. One has been torn down – some sort of family squabble. The other is still waiting for the house to be built around it – too hot to cook in the sun. At the biodigester, Usevio proudly showed me the new two-burner stove in operation. It’s a good, sturdy propane model that just needed the flow restrictors drilled out. So glad I brought that drill. They’ve moved the old propane stove into a storage room.

One of our local bakeries has started a new business – PIZZA !! Everyone in town seems excited that this “exotic” food has come to our little town. Margarita LOVES it, since it means she doesn’t have to cook – just grab a pie and a 3 liter Inca-Kola and dinner is served. I truly bemoan this mentality- it’s what got America into such bad eating habits. But, young Antonio, who is taking over his family business is quite proud of his innovation, and rightly so. Business seems brisk. But don’t worry about Peruvian Pizza catching on in the States – it is generally REALLY pathetic and Antonio’s is no exception. A thick, airy crust, slightly under-done, with VERY little sauce or cheese and even skimpier toppings. His signature pie is sliced bologna with a few pineapple bits, which makes even the worst US pizza look luscious by comparison. This mirrors the arrival of soft-serve ice cream in Canete – another progressive step backward for eating habit.

I’ve started a new activity with the kids – SINGING ! It happened quite by accident, when Camila walked by and started humming along to the tune I was humming ( a frequent habit). We just kept it up and pretty soon the boys were in on it. Our group repertoire is still some what limited, consisting of “Row, Row Row your boat” and the famous “Campanero” (Frerre Jacques) and the first verse of El Condor Pasa. When we try to do either of the rounds, little Amir gets quite upset. In his mind, everyone should sing together. As soon as I start a second part, he protests “no, no, no” and stops the show. So, Camila and I save round singing for when he’s absent. She has a strong, clear voice, with excellent pitch, and can mimic English words really well, even the “th” dipthong – a stumbling block for most Spanish speakers. This little girl’s got great potential.

Mid-week, it was time to get out of Dodge and visit with my dear Host family (the Alderetes) from training back in Buenos Aires, about an hour east of Lima. I must say, I’m pleased at how easily I navigate the transportation system here, even beating back the outrageous fares offered by taxi drivers, who jack their prices 2x or 3x when they see a Gringo coming. There are a few who don’t employ this annoying tactic, and I always let them know how much I appreciate their honesty.

The trip back to Chosica and Buenos Aires was like “going home”. In many ways, this is my Peruvian birthplace. The sights and sounds and smells were all wonderfully familiar. As I walked up the street to Jaime’s house from the Buenos Aires Plaza, the roof dogs came out to greet me, as did the Plaza gardener. Jaime had painted the house a nice golden color, but it was still welcoming, as were Crisanto and Jaime, who greeted me with good Peruvian Hugs. OK, yes, I teared up. I’d almost forgotten, how much I love these guys and what dear hosts they were during training. My old room was waiting, just as I’d left it. We were joined by Mishell, Jaime’s perky daughter and Crisantos’ wife Estella. We enjoyed some delicious food, which reminded me how very well I was fed during training, versus the total lack of home-cooking in service site. I recounted my adventures via photos of my projects and adventures. A round of Piscos and it was time for bed. As we retired, a light rain began to fall, but I really didn’t give it much thought. We had seen some sprinkles in Santa Eulalia during training.

But, overnight, it continued to rain for about 6 hours, steady, but not hard. The next morning, things were quite wet outside and there was news on the TV of disastrous “huaycos” (earth-slides) in nearby Chosica. We decided to go investigate. There was a dearth of taxi/combi traffic, so we walked all the way down to Chosica. To our amazement, many of the swales that cross the road were choked with sand and rocks and plastic trash from the hills above. The road was covered in basketball size rocks, which had fallen from the cliffs above. The there was mud – EVERYWHERE. The closer we got to town, the worse it got. One street was 6 ft deep in sand and boulders. The main road from Chosica to Santa Eulalia was blocked and traffic, which included big trucks and tons of tourist busses and other vehicles, was churning through some nasty mud. It seems the sewers had filled with sand and were flowing down the streets. Mind you, all this was happening at peak tourist travel time, during the Semana Santa vacation time.

As we got to the beautiful Plaza in Chosica, we found it covered in mud and water. Fire/Rescue vehicles were all over, especially on the far side of the Rimac River, which was swollen, but not dramatically so. In the hills above, near the school where Jaime teaches, there had been a couple of disastrous land-slides at dawn. Some spectacular video is found at this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIY0OK5yuWQ

We wound up having to walk all the way back to Buenos Aires, since traffic was still at a halt. There had been a similar disaster about 10 years ago, in the same area, but clearly, lessons were not learned. A later walk to Santa Eulalia revealed other damage from the rain: a ravine that many of us Buenos Airians crossed daily as a “short-cut” to the training center, was unrecognizable. It was totally impassable and filled with debris and trash. Where the ravine crosses the main road, the chain-link fence was covered 8 ft high with trash and the stream of water was still flowing. The training center itself was untouched, but very lonely. The trees were brilliant green, having been washed clean in the night. The giant stairway, descending from Buenos Aires down to Vista Alegre was covered in sand and mud. All roads were well pot-holed. Two other unrelated changes are the completion of the computer facility in the Plaza and the little Nativity by the Big Stairs. Later, I enjoyed another wonderful meal with the family and Jaime’s perfect Pisco Sours led to another good night in my old spacious digs. The only sad note to the visit was that Deri, Jaime’s wife was working (as a pre-natal nurse) in Lima and was cut-off by the road closures, so her company was sorely missed.

Sustainabilty

Fernando completes his first Cocina

This week brought my first success with “sustainability”, an important Peace Corps theme for service. The concept is that while we PCVs can do a certain amount of physical construction and education, we are only here for two years. Our service is multiplied, however, when our service goes on after we leave. It’s the old “teach a man to fish vs feeding him a fish” paradigm. So, it made my heart sing when one of the abaniles (masons) that trained with me in constructing the improved cook-stoves built a Cocina Mejorada for a local woman with minimal input from me and materials NOT provided by Peace Corps. I was flattered that Fernando invited me along to watch. Actually, he needed my tools more than supervision. He did just fine and built faster and better than I do. I printed up a “Certificado de Habilidad” for Cocinas construction, which I presented when we fired up the new stove. The pot for this stove is a monster 26” diameter antique (at least 70 yrs old) with a riveted bottom. It takes 2 to lift. I cannot say how much this pleases me, to know that someone (and hopefully more soon) will be building these inexpensive and enormously needed stoves, after I’ve gone. Hopefully, if I do my job right, the same will happen with biodigesters, well pumps, eco-banos, water filters, HIV/STD training, etc. Even better, the lady (Modesta) makes some unbelievably decadent crème-filled cookies and invited me to stop by anytime. I just might.

One of the decisions and commitments I’ve taken is to promote Peace Corps and other service in US or abroad for volunteers of “a certain age”. So, here’s my first pitch : The plain truth is that I am living more comfortably and having way more fun than I imagined, while seeing real changes happen. Life and real-world experience makes a HUGE difference in ability to get things done. Lack of fear, more self-confidence, not having to worry about what I'll do after, getting the "automatic respect" of age and not wasting my time partying helps, too. Peace Corps does an amazing job of training (both language and technical), looking out for our health and security, which I hope will allay the fear of service abroad for some Boomers. Bottom line : If you want to learn (or improve) a foreign language (there are also some English speaking sites), learn some new skills, experience a new culture and do some real good in the World, have a willing heart and reasonably good health, the Peace Corps offers a well organized vehicle for all the above. Check out www.peacecorps.gov for more info and details.

It’s cotton pickin’ time in Canete. And they still do it Old School here – BY HAND. Anyone who’s ever come near a cotton field at harvest knows how bad the hard cotton bolls, with their razor sharp tips can tear up a good pair of pants. Imagine what it does to a pair of hands after 12 hours of pulling the cotton out and stuffing it into canvas bags. Even more amazing is that some of the very small farmers still hand card (to remove the seed) the cotton to avoid the ginning charge at Western Cotton, the big processor here. Where is Eli Whitney’s little mechanical gin when you need it ?

Gloria and Esther, the two nurses who trained with me at the PEPFAR workshop (HIV, STD & teen pregnancy) in Ica, are rarin’ to go. We had a meeting this week to lay out an ambitious program for students, teachers and the community. These ladies are willing to work really hard to change the sad situation here and I’ll do my best to match them, though I’ve tried to caution them that this is not my only project – and not exactly my specialty. They also roped me into doing a booth on Hand Washing and Tippy-Taps at the Health Fair in the Plaza next week.

More in my line of work was crafting up the solar water pump system for Juanito in Nuevo Vista Alegre. The “ito” part of his name (diminutive) is apt. I think he’s about 5’ even. But like Fernando, pure bulldog muscle. I lugged the panel, battery, pump and water lines out to the campo. (Have I mentioned “Bike Love” lately?). Juanito just dug a new well, so no cleaning and disinfection will be required. So, we set up temporary lines to test the system in a “wet” run. The “little pump that could” delivered the predicted flow up to the house, about 120 yards away with a head of about 25 feet. He still needs to build a holding tank, which I’m trying to get him to elevate a bit more. Battery voltage only dropped from 12.61 volts to 12.52 volts after 45 minutes, which bodes well, at least until winter overcast sets in.

Speaking of “Bike Love”, I’ll be presenting the attached “Bike 101” PowerPoint at a Regional PCV Meeting next week. I’m really starting to like this program – easy to use, with all manner of graphic possibilities – most of which I’ll try when I have some “spare” time. Sure beats the heck out of the Old School slide show and a lot easier to carry around than those carousel racks. Of course, you miss my accompanying witty repartee, but you’ll get the idea.

From the “I Love my Town” file: I was walking past a shop and the owner came running out with a “china” coin (1/2 sole – US$0.20). Seems her daughter had over-charged me for some cabbage the other day. This kind of honesty and integrity is particularly laudable, coming from folks who need the money a helluvalot more than I do.

A care package from Cousin Jan included Werther’s caramels, a family favorite. Peruvian "caramelos" are little more than pure sugar, with very little flavor. So, I thought I'd treat Fernando to one of the deliciously rich Werthers. He sort of flinched and said "No hay azúcar in Estados Unidos?" He will get no more.

Another wonderful care package from Bonnie Roberts in Daytona, my lovely (think Sarah Palin clone – including the accent) ex-Boss. The contents were quickly put to use securing ALL electrical connections in my house and producing a batch of Gringo Col Slaw – not the same as KFC ( my favorite) but still above average. Thanks, Bonnie.

And Thanks to ALL for your continued interest and kind words. The support and encouragement I get from you, other PCVs and the Lima staff, all add to my service and joy in this song of adventure. Thanks for singing along.

Pressing On

Even our "boss" Jorge was tired after the long days

Building a Cocina during training - very different from mine

Sam Buckley & I explaining water usage for World Water Day

Good news on the childrens’ playground front – I’ve gotten permission from the Muni to rehab a local playground with recycled materials. Sadly, this is not close to my house, so my kids won’t benefit. This little playground/park was well constructed, but stripped of all saleable materials – the downside of having a healthy recycle market in the area. My plan is to make swings from the existing frame from used tires and old fire-hose from my friends at the local Bomeros (firefighters). I’ll also do a ½ buried tire and a tire stack and maybe plant a tree or two. No one will strip used tires or fire hose, I hope.

Here at home, I’ve made some improvements for my kids. First, I simply picked up two discarded bike tires from the side of the road and cleaned them up. The younguns spend hours after school rolling them up and down the hall, which is MUCH quieter than the plastic wheels of the Hot Wheels. I also picked up a new paper airplane design during our recent training from Jonah, one of my WATSAN Brothers, whose inner-child is very much alive and well. They fly MUCH further and the kids love ‘em. Working on a way to do a swing in the back “yard” (a 20’ x 20’ open dirt area). Also, delighted that they have taken a liking to my lentil sprouts. They stop by often (maybe too often) for “semillas” (seeds), since they have trouble pronouncing the “spr” combination, which does not exist in Spanish (nor do the diphthongs “st”, “sk”, “sl”, “sm”, except when preceded by an “e”).

Getting back in the swing of work after the week-long training in Trujillo. Only three improved cook stoves left to build. Visiting schools to organize teams for the tree planting. Trying to find a suitable farmer for Biodigester #2. Meeting with Caritas to set a budget and organize a Water Committee in Vista Alegre. Trying to corner the slippery Environmental Health guy at the Health Post about water testing. And a gazillion other details and budgets in preparation for projects.

During training in Trujillo, we did a presentation to some schools kids for World Water Day. This year’s theme is “We are thirsty, because we are hungry”. At first this was a WTF title for me, until I learned that the VAST majority of the available fresh water used on the Planet, is now used by agriculture. As world population continues to sky-rocket, and ever more arid land is irrigated to feed them, water for human consumption will rapidly become scarce. I found this a hard concept to convey to 7^th graders. It almost moots the whole topic of water conservation, when it would take a 50% reduction in drinking water use to equal a 0.1% reduction in irrigation. Clearly, our resources might be better spent working to reduce agricultural use.

I’ve discovered that, while Margarita has little talent for house-keeping or parenting, she really enjoys (and is excellent at) creating party favors and decorations for kid’s birthday parties. She has gotten a lot of commissions lately and has taken over the kids play-room for her studio. Her designs are bright and clever – good to know she has this talent. I’m starting to worry about her husband Victor, though. He hasn’t come home the last two week-ends. Hmmm.

Fernando just started a major job, building a crypt in the cemetery across the street. He seems like the go-to guy for cemeterial  improvements. He has a crew of 3 workers, who started by digging a 20ft x 20ft hole about 15ft deep and cutting deeper holes for footers – by hand. This should keep him busy for about 6 weeks, he thinks.

Random Notes:

Must give credit to Coca-Cola for introducing a returnable glass bottle with a plastic screw cap. May cut down on plastic.

Cucumbers here are sold WITHOUT being waxed. I like this. Never knew why US produce is waxed. Just cosmetic?

Cabbage is sold by the slice, which makes it just right for slicing into my now famous Peruvian “Col Slaw”. That’s not a typo – “col” is Spanish for cabbage. I add cilantro to the classic cabbage/carrot/onion blend and add Peruvian mayo (which has a lemony tang) and the precious sweet pickle relish. Precious, because I can only get it when I go to a big city.

I witnessed an anti-abortion parade/demonstration in town. I understand that this is a 95% Catholic environment, but still somewhat disturbing to see little kids (6-8 yr olds?) chanting “Vida-Si, Aborto-No” and wearing signs with gnarly photos of aborted fetuses or posters of Jesus. They were led by a guy, dressed as a clown, on stilts. With this kind of indoctrination, the MANY young teenage women who find themselves pregnant have little choice.

Celebrations have already begun for Semana Santa (Easter Holy Week). As usual, they start the festivities at a LATE hour around here. There was a big procession about 10pm, with adorable little girls in lacey white dresses and gloves and lads in white with purple sashes. And then things got a bit more secular, with really LOUD music. If this is to be anything like the Anniversary Festival, I’ll be calling on my EAR plugs for solace. I always go and watch for a bit, but I’m just not into the whole drinking/dancing/late-night thing. I prefer waking up to a sunrise, feeling great the next morning. Unlike many other PCVs, I haven’t been sick a day since training. Aside from the rotator cuff (which is improving from the stretching), I feel terrific. “Fit for duty?” “Very much so, Sir”.

Fortunately, I’m headed back to Buenos Aires to visit my dear host family from training on Thursday.  Jaime, Deri, Mishel, Crisanto and the rest of the family were so very kind and supportive during training. We’ve stayed in touch and they call after every earthquake, to make sure I’m OK.