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.

HIV Training

Esther and Gloria completed the HIV training with me

Playing with condoms and dildos at PEPFAR training

Learning how to teach HIV / sex education

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In- Service Training

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

Meeting room for our WATSAN training

Teaching my fellow PCVs what I've learned about Cocinas

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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