Noche Buena

“Twas la Noche Buena when all through the casita,
Everyone was stirring, even la bebita;
The nativity scene was set with care,
Waiting for the moment to put Baby Jesus there;
The jovenes were all out dancing at the discoteca,
While the ninos at home hoped for a new muneca;
And mami in her high heels, and I in my flip flops,
Had just knocked back some anis schnapps;
When out in the street arose such a clatter,
But we didn’t even notice, and ate (fruitcake) til we all got fatter.”
                     -- Amanda Rodgers, Peace Corps Peru 17 Youth Development Volunteer

I just celebrated my first Christmas away from my family, and I actually survived.  The days leading up to Christmas were worse than the day itself.  I was being a regular Grinch and absolutely dreading the holiday.  How could I have a good Christmas if I wasn’t spending it with my family?  I believed it wasn’t possible to enjoy even one minute of the holiday.  But, of course, I was wrong- and boy am I glad I was!

After I snapped out of my Grinch mood on Christmas Eve, I actually started enjoying myself.  It was nothing at ALL like Christmas Eve at the Goering household, but it was still a good time.  At some point that evening my host nieces (ages 7, 9, and 14) and I decided to have a girls’ night before we headed to evening Mass.  I painted their nails and drew all kinds of outrageous designs, they helped me pick out my Christmas Eve outfit, and we helped each other with our hair.  Those simple little tasks were enough to put me in a good mood and help me enjoy the holiday.  After we beautified ourselves, we headed to mass.  It was supposed to start at 7:30pm, so of course it didn’t start until about 8:15pm.  Some of the youth enacted the beloved scene of the birth of Jesus, while younger kids performed a typical Peruvian dance for the entire congregation.  The Padre spoke for a few minutes, Communion was given, everyone raced to the front to touch the baby Jesus, and my host family and I headed home to begin preparing our Noche Buena feast. 

Let me explain to you the Peruvian Christmas tradition.  Each family celebrates in their own unique way, but the basis of the tradition is as follows.  Mass: check.   Then the adults head home to prepare the Noche Buena meal, while the kids convene in the plaza and hang out for an hour or so.  The Buena Noche meal consists of hot chocolate, paneton (Peru’s version of fruitcake), and many times a main dish of turkey.  No matter what the main dish is, there is always hot chocolate and paneton.  After eating dinner, the family stays up until midnight to celebrate the birth of baby Jesus.  At the stroke of midnight everyone drowns one another in hugs and meanders over to the nativity scene to kiss the baby Jesus.  After all the excitement, the family heads to bed.  Christmas day is just like another day to Peruvian families, as they celebrated Christmas the night before.

The scene in my house wasn’t much different than the one described above.  While my nieces and I were waiting for the Torres Palacios women (my host mom and 2 host sisters) to prepare the meal, my younger nieces played barber shop on me.  We camped out in the living room with brushes and tons of hair ties, and my poor head endured the tugs of 4 little hands.  Once dinner was (finally) ready, we gathered around the table and all took our seats.  There wasn’t a lot of talking as we were all shoving the food down our throats.  We had, of course, hot chocolate and paneton, turkey, noodles, and a sort of potato salad.  It wasn’t the Christmas feast that I’m used to, but it was still delicious and satisfying.  After dinner we cranked up the Christmas music and sang along and danced our little hearts out until finally the clock struck midnight.  As soon as that second hand hit the 12, we all jumped up and gave everyone giant, warm hugs.  Each person walked to the nativity scene and gave baby Jesus a kiss on the forehead, and at about 12:07am we headed to bed. 

Christmas day began in much the same way as it does for me in the States.  I woke up incredibly early, not wanting to get out of bed, but at the same time wanting nothing more than to start my day.  I packed my bag and ran over to Kyle’s town.  From there we headed into Piura together to spend the day.  You’d have thought that we were both there alone because as soon as we made it to the hostel we both went our separate ways to Skype our families and friends for the next few hours.  I was fortunate enough to be able to see everyone at the Hanna family Christmas celebration and feel like I was a part of the festivities.  They had me projected up on the big screen tv so everyone could see me, and the camera set up in the corner of the room so I could watch the goings-on.  I just sat and watched the people I love, feeling incredibly thankful for every moment.

After Skyping with my family and Kristen’s family, Kyle and I headed to the apartment of a couple other Volunteers to eat some delicious pancakes and play an assortment of different board/card games.  We played games, drank sangria, laughed, told stories, and generally had a good time.  It was nice to be able to spend the day with other Volunteers to keep my mind off the fact that I was so far away from friends and family.

Although this Christmas was nothing like what I’m used to, I survived and actually had a pretty good time.  I’m thankful for the opportunity to have been able to experience another culture’s interpretation of such a huge holiday, and enjoy myself while doing it!  Here’s wishing you all an exciting and fun New Year’s!  Did I mention that I will be spending NYE on the beaches of Mancora in northern Piura?  Hope you all enjoy the cold and snow while I’m working on my tan ;)  

Love and hugs!

“You can’t find something that’s already there.  Happiness exists now.  It’s not something you have to find.”
                    --illuminatedmind.net

Feasts, Jam Sessions, and Giant Condoms

Feasting on giant condoms while having a jam session?  :-/ eek.  Better read on for clarification.

Since I skipped writing about Thanksgiving, EIST (Early In-Service Training), and the past couple weeks, I’ll fill you all in on those in this post.

Let’s start with Thanksgiving- my very first Thanksgiving away from my family.  Thanks to the beach and lots of other Volunteers, I survived.  I was able to Skype with most of my family for a while on Thursday, and it was great to hear everyone’s voices.  If I closed my eyes it almost felt as though I was there with them, just listening to the beloved sounds of Family Fest.  I managed to make it through the Skype session without crying, but it left a strange taste in my mouth.  It was weird to be so far away, yet so great to be able to talk to everyone.  I don’t know, I guess I can’t explain how I felt afterwards.  It just reminded me how incredibly lucky I am to be a part of my family.

So, Kelsey, what did you do for Thanksgiving since you weren’t chowin’ down on turkey and pumpkin pie?  Well, let me just tell you.  The Wednesday before Thanksgiving, I headed into Piura with some other Volunteers, where we hung out all day until our 11:45pm overnight bus to Trujillo.  Trujillo is the capital city of the department of La Libertad, located 2 departments south of Piura.  We arrived in Trujillo at 6:00am and headed straight to the hostel where we met about 30 other Volunteers.  You can imagine how the scene played out since most of us hadn’t seen each other in 3 months.  Tears were shed, hugs were given, laughs were laughed, stories were shared, and more hugs were given.  Everyone was so excited to see each other that it helped ease the pain of being away from home on Thanksgiving.  Thursday was spent in Trujillo, doing whatever we wanted.  Some went to the mall, some went on a tourist excursion, some ate all the fast food they could get their hands on, and others just chilled at the hostel all day.  I ran around all day, flitting from group to group, trying to spend as much time with everyone as I could!  The night ended with an obligatory trip to a local club that had never before seen so many gringos in one night.

Friday we checked out of the hostel and headed to a beach town about a 20-minute cab ride away called Huanchaco.  We checked in to another hostel that was incredible.  There was a side for camping, a side for dorms (where we stayed), a restaurant, a kitchen on the camping side, and it was literally right across the street from the beach.  We could walk out the front door of the hostel and be on the beach in less than 30 seconds- amazing.  I laid on the beach with tons of other Volunteers basically all day Friday.  We tried to get in the water but there were so many rocks that it was incredibly painful on our feet, and they were all failed attempts.  Huanchaco is a fairly touristy town so they’re used to seeing tons of gringos everywhere; and not just Americans, but people from all over the world.  I had visited Huanchaco during FBT so I was kind of familiar with the town.  The one thing I remembered most was this brilliant little vegetarian restaurant that had delicious food.  To put into perspective how wonderful the food is, I’ll tell you that I didn’t eat anywhere else the entire time we were in Huanchaco!

Saturday was basically a repeat of Friday until the late afternoon.  Saturday had already been dubbed as our day for unofficial Thanksgiving celebrations.  A group of Volunteers headed into town to buy the supplies for our feast while the rest of us anxiously awaited their return.  When they finally got back to the hostel they were in need of some serious help with all of the preparations.  More than enough people volunteered.  From the moment the food arrived to the moment we finished eating, we took over the hostel.  The staff was kind enough to let us use the kitchen in their restaurant between lunch and dinner, from 4:00-6:00pm, as well as the kitchen on the camping side.  They also provided us with all the equipment we needed to create the feast, from knives, to pots and pans, to cutting boards.  I wish you all could have seen the process of preparing this meal.  We had people washing vegetables in one of the showers; people were cutting vegetables, fruit, and occasionally their fingers at the station on the deck; a group of people peeled and cooked potatoes in the camping kitchen; others prepared green bean casserole, stuffing, and sweet potato casserole in the other kitchen.  As unorganized as it all was, we somehow managed to get everything done.  We may not have been a well-oiled machine, but I was impressed with our efficiency.  After hours of work and anticipation, the feast was finally ready!  The 25 or so of us all gathered around to look at the buffet, and not a single one of us could hide our huge smiles!  After basking in the glory of what lay before us, we all grabbed our plates and proceeded to pile them high with delicious food.  We sat at a long table comprised of all of the night-stands and chairs in all of our rooms and enjoyed our very own Thanksgiving meal.  Looking up and down the table, watching all of my new dear friends eat and enjoy each others’ company, hearing the laughter and conversation that floated along- I felt like I was at home.  It wasn’t the home that I’ve known my entire life, but a new kind of home.  The people that were mere strangers just 5 months earlier were now my family.  We were all in the same situation, missing home and feeling sad, yet we somehow managed to create this amazing feast and enjoy our time together.  We made our own kind of Thanksgiving.  I kept thinking about how lucky I’ve been my entire life to have my friends and family at home, and the luck that I just obtained by meeting this new group of people, this new family.  That was my happiest moment in all of my time in Peru.

We might not have enjoyed the traditional Thanksgiving feast, but I’d say we gave it a run for its money with our spread:

·         6 rotisserie chickens (substituted for the turkey because apparently turkey costs a small fortune in Peru)

·         Roasted veggies of all sorts

·         Loads of bread

·         A giant, cheesy, delicious mac’n’cheese bake

·         Vegan green bean cass

·         Stuffing (this might actually rival Claire’s stuffing, it was that good)

·         Cheesy sweet potato cass (I’ve never liked sweet potato casserole, but this one made me weak in the knees)

·         Tons of fresh salad (that obviously got ignored because of all of the other delicious food)

·         Garlic mashed potatoes

·         Cheesy garlic mashed potatoes

·         Cheesy, garlic, bacon mashed potatoes

·         Fruit salad (beautifully presented in a watermelon shell)

·         Apple crisp (I’m convinced this could win a blue ribbon in any county fair)

·         No-bake cookies (instead of forming them into cookies they were served in a pan as one giant glob of deliciousness)

·         4 kinds of ice cream

·         Fruit punch (made with real fruit juice)

·         Sweet Peruvian wine (that never tastes good, but we had to have it anyway)

If you can’t tell from the list above, we had copious amounts of food.  So much food, in fact, that we had to give it away to the staff at the hostel and any other random groups of people we could find in the hostel.  Everything was so delicious that I never wanted to stop eating, and I felt satisfyingly like I had just eaten a real Thanksgiving feast back in Kansas.

After our feast and clean-up we acted like true Youth Development Volunteers and had a sing-along/jam session.  The guitar, cajon (wooden box with a hole cut out of it- basically a cool drum), different raps and songs were all present at the jam session.  It was a perfect ending to a wonderful Thanksgiving.

The next day, Sunday, all of us Youthies packed up our belongings and headed to Chiclayo in the department of Lambayeque for EIST.  We spent the week in a Volunteer’s site called Olmos, located about 2 hours from Chiclayo.  The week was full of sessions, presentations, and different project ideas that we could all potentially carry out at site.  To me, the most interesting sessions were on youth entrepreneurship and an Escuela de Padres (School for Parents).  Since I am a business major, obviously the youth entrepreneurship idea caught my attention.  My site has a need for this because there are very limited job opportunities for the youth once the graduate high school.  I’m hoping to plan and organize a program in which they can make their own money, and in turn learn about finances, the value of money, and other business opportunities they have.  I’m also incredibly interested in creating an Escuela de Padres in my community.  I could cover a million different topics in this, and I suppose that over the 2 years I might cover almost that many, but my main goal is to try to organize a community bank.  Most Peruvians that live in small sites, and even those that live in the cities, don’t have enough money to send their children to college, and therefore the kids are forced to either stay at home or find a low-paying job.  The idea of a community bank is to create a group of parents for each grade and have them each put 10 soles into this community bank every month.  Once they have enough money, they will be able to give out loans and make money on the interest, therefore creating more profit.   Ideally I’d like the parent groups to start saving when their children are in the 1^st grade.  That way, when their child graduates from high school, the parents can go to their community bank, split the money equally, and uses that money to send their kids to college.  This obviously isn’t going to pay for all 4 years at a university, but it will cover at least the first year, and the kids will be able to get a part-time job to help pay for the rest.  I know this project is going to take a lot of planning and work, but I’m very passionate about it and I think it could be one of the most sustainable projects that I could do in my community.  Obviously I still have a lot of work to do before I can even present this plan to my community, but I really hope that it works out!

Since World AIDS Day fell during EIST, we were able to participate in the efforts of the community in which we were staying.  My group created a socio drama for the youth of Olmos, in which we had a giant singing condom that taught the youth about the ABC’s of prevention (A- abstinencia (abstinence) B- brindar fidelidad (be faithful) C-condon (correct use of condoms)).  Zack, one of the most talented people I know, wrote a catchy jingle about the three methods that we sang between each of 3 different scenes in our play.  Each scene depicted one of the ABC’s.  It was a hilarious little socio drama and the kids loved it.  By the end of it they were all singing along with us- it really was a glorious sight.

EIST ended, and after a week-and-a-half out of site, I finally returned to my quaint little town of El Arenal.  It was hard to come back after being gone for so long and having so much “gringo time” with all of my new friends, but I eventually got back into the swing of things.  School ends Friday, December 16^th (tomorrow) for the year, so I’ve started planning different things to do over the break.  Hopefully I’ll be working with Kyle and Brielle (my site neighbors) on different projects throughout the upcoming months.  We all have some great ideas, it’s just a matter of getting them going.  Wish us luck!

Well, Christmas is only 10 days away, and I can already tell that it’s going to be a rough holiday for me.  I thought Thanksgiving would be worse, but I think Christmas is going to take the cake.  It’s hard to feel like it’s Christmas when it’s a zillion degrees outside, I have to put sunscreen on to leave my room, and there’s not a real Christmas tree in sight.  I will be celebrating Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with my host family, but then I’m jetting out of here to Piura so I can Skype my family.  Kyle and I are planning on meeting up and drowning our sorrows in as many snacks as we can find.  I’ll head back to site on the 26^th, stay for a few days and (hopefully) get things ready for summer vacation, and head out to the beach for New Year’s Eve with a bunch of other Volunteers.  We’re heading to one of the most well-known and beautiful beaches of Piura, located about 3 or 4 hours north of me.  This oasis is called Mancora.  I’ve been lead to believe that it is swarming with gringos around NYE and that a good time will be had by all.  I can hardly wait!  It gives me something to look forward to and keep my mind off of Christmas (at least a little bit).

That’s all I have for now.  I’ll be sure and update you all on Christmas and NYE as soon as they’ve passed.  Thanks for the holiday packages, letters, prayers, and thoughts.  I miss you guys SO incredibly much and think of you every single day.  Love to all of you.

“At what other time in your life are you ever going to be exposed to so many different walks of life, so many different people that just randomly cross your path, each with a different story, different set of hopes, different set of dreams...”
                             -- Dawson’s Creek

SIX MONTHS

Today marks six entire months in Peru.  My how the time has flown.  There were days when I never thought I’d even make it this far, and then there were days when I couldn’t believe how awesome my life was.  I have tons of things to update on (ie: Thanksgiving, EIST, the past couple weeks), but I’m going to dedicate this post to six things I’ve learned in Peru.

1) Spanish is hard.  When I first arrived in Peru, I knew that my Spanish wasn’t amazing.  I knew I was going to have troubles.  But I never thought that the language itself could frustrate me to the point of tears and exhaustion.  There were times when I thought that not a single person could understand a word that I said, and I was probably right.  But here I am, six months later, and I feel completely different.  I’m nowhere near fluent, and I still have daily troubles, but I feel confident enough that I can hold my own in a conversation, and I am constantly surprising myself.  The weird and funny Spanish blunders that I make on a daily basis definitely make things more bearable.  I’ve managed to survive the past six months with my Spanish level, so I know I can do it for another 21.

2) Waiting is just a fact of life in Peru.  As Americans, we are of the state of mind that “time is money and money is time.”  Take that thought and completely disregard it, and you know what it is like to live in Peru.  When I have a meeting at 3:00, I am ALWAYS there at 3:00, sometimes even earlier.  But I’ve learned that a meeting that is supposed to start at 3:00 will most likely start at 3:30 or even 4:00.  It has taken me a long time to accustom myself to la hora peruana, but I’m finally getting used to it.  I’ve learned to never leave my house without a book, my ipod, or something to work on.  I could write an entire blog post about how my butt is forever sore because all I do is sit and wait.

3) Seeing a man pee on the side of the road/watching a mom breastfeed her child in any setting is not at all out of the ordinary.  I remember the first time I saw a woman whip out her breasts in the middle of a busy market- I was absolutely horrified.  Now I can carry on an entire conversation in the exact same scenario without even flinching.  And seeing a guy pee on the side of the road- actually anywhere- doesn’t make me think twice.

4) Dogs aren’t really a man’s best friend.  Muffin, the world’s best dog, definitely spoiled me my entire life.  She was the picture-perfect dog.  Calm yet energetic, fun, playful; everything you could ask for in a pet.  In the United States, pets are part of the family, sometimes even considered an extra kid.  In Peru, dogs are looked at very differently.  They are allowed to roam the streets, are malnourished, and are often times dangerous.  In Training they taught us to pick up a rock and throw it when we were walking around in case a dog tried to attack us.  It’s strange that my love for dogs has diminished right before my eyes.  But hopefully when I get back to the USA my love will resurface.

5) Peru has more to offer than just Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca.  This country is incredibly beautiful and is fullll of awesome things.  From the coast, to the Sierra mountains, to the Amazon rainforest, Peru has something to offer just about any adventure-seeking person.  You want to snorkel and surf?  Come to Peru.  You want to see pink dolphins and meet with a witch doctor in the jungle?  Head to Peru.  You want to hike in the mountains or swim underneath a waterfall?  Come on down to Peru.  You want to check out some ruins or visit an island community?  Peru’s your place.  Peru has it all.  On top of all that, the people (for the most part) are incredibly nice.  Once they realize that you aren’t a tourist and are living in their country, learning their culture, helping their people; they are so warm and welcoming.  This country is an incredible place to visit and an even better place to live.

6) Family and friends are so important.  I’ve always been a very family-oriented person because of the way I was brought up.  I love spending time with my family, and (I hope) they like spending time with me, too.  And obviously my friends mean the world to me.  But since I’ve been in Peru, I’ve realized that life is not worth living without friends and family.  I wouldn’t still be here in Peru, living out my dream, without the constant love and support from back home.  My poor mom- I’ve called her too many times crying about how much I want to be home, and she always has something to say that makes me realize how lucky I am to be here.  The emails, phone calls, skype dates, letters, packages, facebook posts, and every encouraging word from home keeps me grounded and has confirmed that I know the greatest people in the entire world.  I am so lucky.

Peru has changed me; opened my eyes to new things, and broadened my horizons.  I’ve learned a million things about Peru and its people, and a million and one things about myself.  The past six months have made such an impact on my life; I can’t even imagine what the next 21 months have in store for me.

“Over the mountains, across the seas
Who knows what will be waiting for me?”
                             -- “The Gold It’s In The…” Pink Floyd

Bittersweet Blessings

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I have decided to portray a typical Thanksgiving meal in my family.

Lunch starts promptly at 1, which means Tim and Karen arrive at about noon, followed shortly by Nana, ice in tow.  Everyone else is there by 12:30 with their contribution to the meal.  Of course, Mike shows up late with the rolls, and we have to wait to heat them up before we can begin.  Fiiiiinally everything is piping hot and ready to be devoured.  Every single person’s mouth is watering and no one can wait another second to start diggin’ in.  But wait, we haven’t said grace yet.  Everyone bows their heads and waits for me to speak.  I give a beautiful and eloquent (this may not be true, but it’s MY story, so I can say whatever I want!) thanks to our Father for all He has given us, and in unison everyone says “Amen!”

Let the feasting begin!  Tim and Karen are at the front of the line, filling up their plates with delicious goodness.  Grandma, Grandpa, and Nana are right behind them.  Of course we all had to practically push them to the front of the line.  You’d think that they would just accept the fact that we’re going to make them go first after the same repeated performance year after year; but you know them, just as stubborn as every single one of their children and grandchildren.  After the first five people, everyone else is fair game.  Of course, we should let the aunts and uncles go first, but somehow us cousins always end up near the front of the line.  I don’t know how it happens, it’s just does; year after year. 

Now, let me paint you a picture of the spread.  We have turkey, ham, party potatoes, cream cheese corn, green beans with bacon, stuffing, rolls, mashed potatoes with gravy, cranberry sauce that nobody eats, sweet potatoes, Spinach salad, and I’m sure the list goes on.  Then for dessert there are at least 5 of these different options: pumpkin pie, apple pie, pumpkin rolls, pecan pie, chocolate mousse pie, sugar-free strawberry pie, cookies, brownies, key-lime pie, pretzel salad, cheesecake, and whatever other culinary confection you can think of.

So now everyone has their plates heaping with delicious Thanksgiving food.  You’d think that the noise level would be at a minimum because everyone is piling food in their mouths, but that’s just not the case.  Somehow everyone manages to eat and talk at the same time.  And not just talk, but yell.  No matter what table you’re at you can hear Mike’s story or any one of the Hanna cackles bellowing through the house.  Some people might think that this is entirely too much noise for a family gathering, but not me.  Nope, that noise is like music to my ears.  It doesn’t matter if I can’t get in a word edge wise, I could listen to the sound of my family together for hours on end.  There’s something melodic about the mixture of cackles, utensils clattering, talking over one another, and the general happiness floating through the air.  Yes, I would give anything to be able to hear that sound.

Once everyone has finished with seconds, thirds, and fourths, clean-up begins.  I don’t know how we do it, but us cousins never end up helping with the clean-up.  We simply take our plates to the kitchen, throw ‘em in the sink, and retreat  to the backroom where we watch Youtube videos and try to keep Bentley out when they’re inappropriate for children’s ears.  So while we’re all glued to the computer, my mom and her sisters are busy in the kitchen, cleaning up and preparing for the next course.  Once they’ve finished slaving away, everyone finds their way back to the kitchen just in time for dessert.  By this point everyone is miserably full, but you know what they say; there’s always room for dessert!  So we plunge past the pain and put even more delicious food in our bodies.  You’ll hear these words coming from any given mouth, “I’m so full. But it’s soooo good. Hey, pass me another slice of that pie!”

After we’ve all successfully made ourselves sick, things start to quiet down a bit.   You’ll find Mike laying down anywhere he can get horizontal, the guys watching the game in the backroom, and the women gossiping in the kitchen or the living room.  A few people might head upstairs to take a much-needed nap.  That leaves me, wandering from room to room.  I’ll watch TV with the boys for a while, but since I don’t care much for football I never last long in there.  Then I’ll head to the dining room to hang out with the grandparents for a little bit.  After a short time here, I’ll find my way to the living room with all the aunts.  I never really know who or what they’re talking about, but I sit and listen anyway.  Then I start the whole process over again.  I could spend all day, just walking from room to room, listening to the people in my family enjoy being together.

Now is the time when people slowly start dispersing, heading to other family Thanksgivings for another meal, or heading home to unwind from the day.  By this point I’m incredibly tired and ready for a nap, but I love having everyone together; hence why this is always bittersweet for me.  I don’t want anyone to go home, but I can hardly keep my eyes open.  But, this part of the day is inevitable, so everyone starts hugging one another and we all end up in our respective homes. 

When I think about a typical Thanksgiving meal in my family, I can’t help but feel incredibly blessed.  Blessed because we have the opportunity and the means to share an incredibly delicious meal; blessed because we are all able to be together; blessed because my family is so close and loving.  This may sound cliché, but I really think I am the luckiest girl on the planet.  My family is so comfortable together that we can talk about anything.  We genuinely enjoy spending time together.  We love each other.  We all have a roof over our heads and food on our plates.  We have everything we could ever want.

Being in Perú, away from my family on my favorite holiday, is incredibly difficult.  I would give anything to be able to be a part of the madness that I know will ensue.  I would give my left pinky toe to be able to hug all of my cousins, aunts and uncles, grandparents, parents, and brothers.  As I’m eating rice and chicken, I will pretend that it is cream cheese corn and mashed potatoes.  I want nothing more than to spend this day with the people that mean the world to me. 

Although I hate missing this holiday and not being with my family, I realize how incredibly lucky I am to be doing what I’m doing.  I’m in PERU!  I’m learning a new language.  I’m meeting new people; experiencing a new culture.  I’m doing something that less than 1% of the US population has the opportunity to do.  So although this holiday, and every other holiday, is going to be hard for me, I must remember that I have a LOT to be thankful for.

“We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.”
                   --Thornton Wilder

Encouraging Words

Long time no update.  My sincerest apologies.  I don’t know if I haven’t written because I’ve been too busy or because I haven’t been busy enough.  I’ll give you all a quick update on my life here in Peru.

I’m still teaching English classes, but I’m starting to get a little burnt out.  I definitely don’t want to do this the entire two years.  I think I’ll finish out the school year, which ends December 12, and then call it quits for English.  Of course, I may change my mind in the future or decide to have a class for adults, but for now I’m spent on that subject.  I’ve been trying to keep busy working on my community diagnostic.  Ok, that was a blatant lie.  I barely just started working on it and it has to be done in a couple weeks :-/  I’m not too worried about it though; I think I have a good idea about what I want to write and I have the easy introductory stuff done already.  I just met with a group of youth and they’re going to help me with one aspect of it.  I have to hand out at least 70 surveys to the youth in my town and I was dreading completing this task alone- 70 is a daunting number.  But I spoke with my socios and they helped my organize a group to help me, and between all of us we each have to give 5 surveys.  Five is definitely a more doable number for me!  So with the surveys, information I’ve collected from the Health Post and the Municipality, and random conversations I’ve had with townspeople, I think I’ll be able to crank this diagnostic out in no time flat. 

What, you ask, is a community diagnostic?  Well, I’d love to tell you.  Every Peace Corps Volunteer has to complete a diagnostic during their first three months at site.  Each volunteer is to use the first three months to ask questions, gather information, and form a basic understanding of the site in which he or she is living.  The diagnostic includes many topics such as:  an introduction to the Peace Corps and its history in Peru; information about your program and its goals (in my case, Youth Development); the methods used in order to obtain the information (surveys, interviews, different tools); a description of the community (location, demographics, family structure, history, social indicators such as health and economy, youth issues, social activities, local organizations, community leaders, and local government); data that is directly relevant to youth development; and finally an analysis of the information gathered and possible action that can be taken to better the community.  The diagnostic will include charts, graphs, tables, maps, and samples of the surveys given. 

It sounds like a lot of busy work (and, really, it is), but there is also a purpose to the community diagnostic.  With the information collected, each volunteer should have a better understanding of the community and be able to come up with different ideas and projects to assist in his or her program area. 

Besides procrastinating on the community diagnostic, I haven’t been doing too much.  I had a bit of a mental breakdown last week and I took a few personal days in the capital city to recharge my battery and assess the reasons why I’m here.  After that much-needed mini-vacation I’m feeling refreshed and ready to go!  I’ve been talking with my socios a lot and have a couple different ideas for small projects to start.  I decided that I wanted to make myself available in the library a couple nights a week to help the kids with their homework.  I’ve had countless youth knock on my window asking for help with their math homework.  Since math is the same in every language, I’m actually pretty good at tutoring them.  But since it’s a little awkward to help the kids in my room I’ve decided to make a schedule at the library so they can come to me there.  I hope that in time I’ll be able to pass on the role of tutor to some of the older youth so that it becomes a sustainable program.  I spoke to the mayor about my idea and she was beside herself with excitement to get things started!  She asked if I wanted to start that very same day.  It was definitely encouraging to see her enthusiasm and support.  I’ve also been toying with the idea of starting an exercise class for girls and women at the health post.  I was talking with one of my socios and she brought it to my attention that El Arenal has a gym.  Who would have thought that this tiny little town in Peru actually has a gym?  What a nice surprise that was.  So I talked with the mayor about using the gym and new equipment for a class and she also thought this sounded like a good idea.  This next week I’m supposed to go to the gym to see what kind of equipment it has and see if I can figure out how to run a class with the varied machines.  Hopefully I’ll be able to figure something out because the women in this town could use an hour or two to themselves a couple nights a week.  I’m excited to get the ball rolling on these projects and hopefully start making a little bit of a difference in these kids’ lives!

Thanksgiving is coming up and that thought both excites and saddens me.  I’m excited because a bunch of the volunteers are meeting up in La Libertad for a few days to celebrate; but of course I’m sad because I won’t be at home with my family.  Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and I know it’s going to be incredibly tough to be away from everyone I love the most in this world.  I’m sad that I won’t be at home, but I’m thankful that I have the opportunity to gather with my new friends and celebrate together.  Bittersweet, ya know?  So our Thanksgiving vacation is Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and then on Sunday all of us youth volunteers pack up again and head to Lambayeque for Early In-Service training for a week.  Everyone is required to be there so it’ll be really nice to have everyone back together again.  The days will be full of different classes and sessions, and we will all give a presentation of our community diagnostics.  I know it’s going to be about “work,” but I can hardly wait to go because I know we’ll still have a good time.

All in all, things here are going pretty well.  I’m definitely learning what it means to experience my highest highs and my lowest lows all at the same time.  Thank you guys for your continued support and encouragement throughout this entire time.  You guys really are the best.  Love, love, love.

“Venturing out of your comfort zone may be dangerous, yet you do it anyway because our ability to grow is directly proportionate to an ability to entertain the uncomfortable.”

Itsy Bitsy Spider

I’ve never hated spiders.  The sight of their eight hairy legs or beady little eyes never sent me into a fit of hysterics or the desperate need to flee the room.  The only time I've been genuingely scared of a spider is when I was watching "Honey I Shrunk the Kids."  That’s not to say that I’ve ever wanted to hug one and play fetch and live happily ever after- because I haven’t.  I’ve killed my fair share of spiders because I didn’t want them crawling around and ending up in my mouth while I was sleeping.  I’ve just never been disgusted by them.  I guess you could say I’ve always felt indifferent about spiders.

Of course, that was before I moved to Peru- a country that can boast beautiful mountaintops, flawless coastlines, undiscovered jungles, and one of the Seven Wonders of the World.  And mosquitoes.  Lots and lots of mosquitoes.  In fact, I’m almost positive that my quaint little town houses over half of the mosquitoes in the entire world.  And of those mosquitoes in my town, nearly 80% of them make their home in my bathroom.  Another 10% are always trying to find their way into my room, and the other 10% follow me around when I’m outside past 6:00pm.  Mosquitoes are taking over my life.

Unlike spiders, mosquitoes and I have never had a… pleasant… relationship.  In fact, I’ve despised mosquitoes ever since the very first one bit me with its disgusting little tentacles when I was a young girl.  Add to the fact that every bite I’ve had the pleasure of receiving has transformed itself into an itchy squid or octopus, and I think it’s safe to say our relationship has been anything but pleasant.  Yes, mosquitoes and I have a love-hate relationship.  They love to bite me, and I hate it.  If I never saw another mosquito until the day I died, it would be too soon. 

So, because of my obvious resentment to mosquitoes and their presence in my new abode, I no longer have indifferent feelings towards spiders.  No, now I have a much stronger feeling towards the little creatures.  In fact, I think I might actually love spiders now.  The fact that their little webs can end the life of even just one disgusting mosquito brings me much comfort.  That’s one less mosquito bite that I have to worry about.  Yes, I’ve found a new love.  And I can guarantee you that I will no longer kill any spiders that I see, but instead, smile and say “Weave on little buddy, weave on.”

How fitting is this picture?  I found it on facebook minutes before posting this.  I have the greatest friends in the entire world.

"You Aren´t In Kansas Anymore"

Although things are going surprisingly well down here in Peru, I’ve found myself being hit with waves of homesickness over the past few days.  Some waves are bigger than others, but they all leave me feeling a little sad and nostalgic.  Today as I was walking back to my house from a 2 hour “sit and think” session at the river I was especially down and missing home.  I was on the phone with Brielle (as usual, when I have service), and I abruptly hung up saying, “I gotta go.  There is a mob of children running towards me yelling my name! BYE!”  No sooner had I hung up the phone than 25 little grimy hands engulfed me.  I was walking up the steps and every single one of us almost fell to our deaths because they just would not let go of me.  They were screaming, and yelling, and laughing; all the while trying to hug me and plant kisses all over my face.  The parents standing around us watched in disbelief and a bit of caution.  I, of course, was hysterically laughing at the absurdity of it all.  And the funniest thing about this situation was not that people were falling down stairs and crying because they were laughing so hard; but the fact that this had happened before- numerous times.  In fact, this same scene takes place every time I encounter a group of five or more children.  And every single time I am reminded of why I’m here.  I’m here to make a difference, no matter how small, in at least one person’s life.  Although I have a ways to go before I’ll see any dramatic changes, I know that I’m on the right track when the kids ask me if I can be their aunt or their sister, or even their mother.  I know I am doing something right when their trusting hearts tell me that they love me and never want me to leave.  When I stop to think about these things, it is then that I realize that I can’t go home- not yet.  As much as I miss home and I want to be among friends and family, there are things keeping me here- and it’s not just work.  How could I want to leave a place where children’s adoring faces bombard me every time I step outside my house?  How could I not want to be in a place where I have one of the most spectacular views I’ve ever seen? 

Dorothy said it best when she dreamily tapped her heels together and whispered, “There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home.”  How right she was- there will never be any place like Kansas.  But what she didn’t say was that there could be other places that offer different experiences than home.  The whole time Dorothy was in Emerald City her mind was set on finding her way home- and I don’t blame her- Kansas is God’s Country ;).  But while she was there she also realized the beauty and magic that lay all around her.  Her eye was not blind to the enchanting wonders of Oz.  Although she always knew she wanted to go back to Kansas, she didn’t let her love for home get in the way of enjoying the marvels of this new place.  For this, I’d like to follow Dorothy’s example.  I love home and I love all the people that are there, but I can’t let that love get in the way of experiencing this new way of life.  I have to embrace the Peace Corps and all of its ups and downs, and learn to love this country.  I guess it’s true what they say, “You aren't in Kansas anymore.”

Because of this sudden realization that my life here isn’t all bad, I’ve decided to put in writing all of the things I love about my life here in Peru.  Some of them are places, people, or things; others are thoughts, realizations, or emotions; some you’ll understand and others are things that only I can understand; yet they are all things that help me get through the tough times.

Alysa, Amir, and Kenya.  Getting to know other Volunteers.  The view.  The sun.  The mountains.   Improving my Spanish.  My girls in Arenal.  Selene.  Vianca.  Growing personally.  Becoming more independent.  “Hello Miss Kelsey!”  “Como se dice  (anything) en ingles?”  Pancitos.  The mystery drink I down every morning.  “Me entiendes? Que te dije?”-Selene.  The river.  My “private” beach.  Fighting hand motions with my host mom every time I leave the house.  My cement slab.  Phone dates.  Phone calls from home.  Phone calls from other Volunteers.  Letters and care packages.  My primaria students.  “Despues de dos anos, voy a ser negrita.”  The roof of Costa Bella.  Soft Lips.  Skype sessions.  Pillow talk.  Moto taxis (sometimes).  The Tri-Fec-Duh (I know it’s spelled wrong).  Juanita, otherwise known as Big J or Fuerte.  Hour long walks along the canal.  Brielle.  “Wouldn’t it be awesome?”  Cold showers on hot days.  Richard.  Dancing.  Drinking circles.  Kyle.  Bailes.  Aniversarios.  PJ.  My wall of pictures.  The freezer that no one but me uses.  Hand-washing my clothes.  Organizing my iTunes.  FreeCell.  Never wearing make-up.  “Can you gift me your hair?”  I Heart Peas Core.  My mosquito net that makes me feel like a princess.  The chance to read as many books as I can get my hands on.  Stories from home.  Looking forward to family and friends visiting.  Sunglass man.  Rosita.  The market.  Seeing any given type of livestock roam the streets on any given day.  Reflection.  My journal.  Karaoke flashbacks.  Time to think (sometimes too much time).  The mysteries of this country.  The chance to see as many of those mysteries as I can.  Pizza Hut.  Rereading cards from home.  Jessica.  Not giving up.  Water lady.  Gifts from my primaria kids.  “Kelsey, no te vayas. Nunca.”  The Peruvian whine.  La hora Peruana when I accidentally oversleep.  Shorts during the day, hoodie at night.  The panaderia right next to Costa Bella.  New friends.  Old friends.  The feeling of pride I sometimes let myself get when I think about what I’m doing.  Songs on repeat.  Being changed.  Constantly being amazed.  Opening my eyes.  Being bombarded by children.  New experiences.  New food.  Alone time.  Feeling awesome when someone tells me my Spanish is improving.  Cheap Converse All-Stars.  Knock-off everything.  Creepy mannequins at every store.  Chapstick.  Fulfilling a dream.  Learning new words and phrases.  Learning about the people of Arenal.  Learning about myself.  Setting goals.  Accomplishing goals.  Nicknames.  Neighbs.  The simplicity of life.  Public transportation.  Walking.  Running.  Sencillo.  Looking at the rice fields and marveling at their beauty.  Dawson’s Creek seasons 1-6.  Not feeling guilty about taking time for myself.  Naps.  Kelly.  Day trips.  Planning for the future.  Not worrying about the future.  My office at the Municipality.  Monday nights.  Inside jokes.  Inside jokes in Spanish.  Becoming more comfortable here every single day.  The opportunities I have.  Snackies.  When people actually understand what I’m saying.  Paita.  Not having a 9-5 job.  Not worrying about bills.  The fact that every person in town notices when I change my nail polish color.  Almost every person on the street knows my name and who I am.  “You wore that shirt yesterday? And the day before? Who cares?!”  Actually understanding whole conversations.  The confused look that is permanently plastered on my face.  Tie-dye every day.  Being the guest of honor at almost every event.  Town anniversaries.  “No school or work today, it’s a holiday.”  Piura.  “Does everyone in the United States speak English? Is everyone white like you? Laundry detergent is really expensive, isn’t it?”  Being a Special Olympics bocce ball judge.  Reminding myself that I DO want this.  Listening to every song in my iTunes.  Exploring new television series.  Making a fool of myself every day, and people loving me more for it.  Teaching.  Learning.  Doing.  Not doing.  Relaxing. 

The list really does go on and on.  Some things are trivial and others are deeper and more personal.  The point is, I am learning to love different aspects about my life in Peru and I am glad I’m here.

“Be alert.  Be brave.  Be strong.  Learn a lot.  Reach for your dreams.  Remember to take time to smell the flowers.”
                            -- Liz Friesen (on a cassette tape she gave me in 3^rd grade)

A Tribute

“A person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.”  This is the first definition that came up on dictionary.com for the word “friend.”  I was planning on writing a blog about friendship and referring to the dictionary definition for verification; but I just don’t think that the definition actually defines what friendship really is.  To me it’s more than “affection or personal regard.”  Friendship is love, support, laughter, tears, trust, and the mutual feeling that life wouldn’t be the same without that person.  Being a friend means being there for the other person no matter what is happening- whether that means listening to them while they cry and offering your support, or laughing and celebrating with them when life just can’t seem to get any better.  A true friend is someone you can count on when the rest of the world is falling apart.  A rock, a confidant, a treasure.  Someone who will offer you their advice but will still stand by you even when you don’t follow it.  A friend will let you make your own mistakes and who will be there to help you pick up the pieces.  Someone who is happy when you’re happy, and sad when you’re sad.  Someone who will not only laugh at you, but with you.  Someone who will defend you when another person speaks ill of you.  A friend is someone who hears you when you say nothing at all.  Someone who is just as content to stay in on a Friday night as they are to go out, as long as they’re with you.  Someone who will give you the space you need when you need it, and who knows when space is actually the last thing you need.  A friend is someone who accepts your faults, but never stops helping you to become a better person.  A friend will tell you the truth, even when you don’t want to hear it.  A friend is someone you enjoy spending time with and whom you miss when you’re apart.  A friend is a person that you love and who loves you in return.  A person that makes your world a little better, just by being in it.  A person that you can’t imagine living without.

“Wherever you are, it’s your friends who make your world.”
                            -- Footnotes necklace

If I’ve learned anything in the past 4 months, it’s that friendship is this world’s most precious gift and should be treasured.  I have been blessed beyond words with the friends that I have in my life.  Some of them have been around since preschool or elementary school recess; others middle and high school; some I met in college biology lab, my sorority, or even my freshman dorm floor; some I met while I studied in Spain; and others still I have met in the past four months here in Peru.  But each of these people that I call my friends has affected me in some way or another.  They’ve changed who I am, and who I want to be.  They’ve changed the way I see things and the outlook I have on the world.  They’ve made me want to be a better person.

“So much of me is made of what I learned from you.  You’ll be with me like a handprint on my heart.  And now whatever way our stories end, I know you have rewritten mine by being my friend.”
                            -- “For Good,” Wicked

I have also learned that friendship doesn’t mean being on the same continent as someone else or seeing another person on a daily basis.  Friendship goes deeper than that.  Friendship is the ability to maintain a relationship even though thousands of miles separate you and the only time you can talk is when you’re on your cement slab in the middle of town.  What I’ve come to realize is that true friends will do whatever they can to stay friends.  It’s so hard to keep in touch with everyone while I’m here in Peru, but the facebook messages, texts, phone calls, emails, letters, and packages make it so much easier.  They let me know that I can come back in 2 years and still have the same friends as when I left.  Sure, the relationship will be different, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t still be a friendship.  I have complete confidence that my friends now will be my friends for life, if we both make a commitment to stay friends.  And friends, you have my word that I will do whatever I can to stay friends with you all.

“I hope you stay in touch. Never forget what you mean to each other, or the affect you’ve had on each other’s lives.  Because friendship can really never be over or under estimated.”
                            -- Dawson’s Creek

So, friends, this is my tribute to you.  Thank you for sculpting me and helping me become the person I am.  Thank you for supporting me, for having faith in me, for believing in me.  Thank you for being there.  Thank you for encouraging me.  Thank you for never giving up on me.  Thank you for being you.  Thank you for being my friend.