accomplishments

I have now been in Peru longer than months I have left and it feels incredible. In the past few months I have fallen more in love with being here, I almost can’t remember how miserable I was the first few months. I wanted to write a post at least once a month, estoy fallando un poco, when everything was so new and different it was easier to write a post frequently, but as a time goes on and things that were at first strange become more normal, it gets harder to know what to write about,  for example: when I first got here I always forgot to throw the tp in the trash and would automatically try flushing the toilet when I was done even though I knew there was no running water-“If it’s yellow let it mellow, if it’s brown flush it down” is actually a true mantra in my daily life-but now if I go into a bathroom that I know has running water, I will walk out of there after doing # 1 without having flushed the toilet! other example: I’m more open talking about my bathroom habits…sorry non volunteers.  Thankfully I’ve been busy and absurdly happy the past few months and have a few other updates (non bathroom related).

Camps: It wasn’t until the end of April when I really began to really appreciate how much Peace Corps has given me so far and how much I still have left to achieve.  We had our all-girls camp ALMA (Actividades de Liderazgo para Mujeres Adolescentes-Leadership Activities for Young Wome) and it was amazing. The young women learned about self-esteem, influential Peruvian in history, sexual health/condom use, participated in a mini career fair, played volleyball and overall had a great time. The two girls I brought were extremely happy to have participated. 

condomn race Camp ALMA in Reque, Lambayeque

I feel incredibly lucky to work with the volunteers in my department of Lambayeque. They are extremely dedicated volunteers…but don’t worry we also know how to have a good time.  

In May we had our VALOR camp (Varones Adolescentes Lideres Organizadores y Responsables-Young Men Leaders Organizers and Responsible….I’m sure there is a better English translation but I don’t know it.) As we were washing our dishes at VALOR, a fellow volunteer, Kimberly, brought up a good point, a year ago, had we been told that a year into our future we’d be at a 3 day camp, sharing a bathroom with 42 teenage boys, it would have seemed a little ludicrous but we loved it! I’d honestly be completely content with Peace Corps service consisting of planning and executing leadership camps all year round.

posing Peruvian style

two young men I brought from Pimentel

Site project: Pasos Adelante (Steps Forward) is a Peace Corps initiative for the prevention of HIV/AIDS, teen pregnancy, and STIs. The last week of May, two community counterparts, a teacher from the high school and an obstetrician, and I began this program in our community of Pimentel with high school students.  My two counterparts have been mind –blowingly awesome, they have worked exceedingly hard alongside me to get this project up and running from the word go. After many many many hours of sitting in front of a computer (wanting to chuck it at the wall...only a few times) we got our PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan For AIDs Relief) grant approved. We’ve had 4 classes so far and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the students continue to come. We will soon begin to training the teachers in non formal techniques to teach their students on topics of sexual health and will also have a program to help parents communicate with their children better about sexual and reproductive health. The project is scheduled until the end of the school year in December-I’ll continue posting updates!

here I am explaining the project to the high schools for our first session

Pasos students doing a self-esteem dinamica

decision making dinamica

Birthdays: At the end of June, I had the pleasure of visiting my friend Betty in the town of Olmos, Lambayeque. This bodacious babe put together a career fair in her community on her birthday! I helped out at the registration table.

Kyle and I signing in students at the registration table

That same evening we went to eat pollo a la brasa which is a delicious way to eat chicken, you should probably come visit to check it out.  The last weekend of June I was invited to the 15th birthday (otherwise known as a Quinceañera) of my counterpart's daughter, . It was actually a lot more enjoyable than I imagined. I think the longer I am here the more accustomed I have become to the awkwardness of Peruvian parties but thankfully this one wasn't too awkward; I ate good food, cake and thoroughly enjoyed la hora loca. Hora loca is a magical time of a party when they blast music, hand out glow sticks, and balloons and dance, dance, dance! Hora loca will definitely be an ingredient of any major party I put on in the states, you guys just wait...or you could come visit.

birthday girl entering her party

her uncle daring palabras

her adorable little seester

dando palabras

Olenka, my counterpart

getting emotional talking about her little girl growing up

she wanted to dar palabras too

cheers to the birthday girl

the youth dancing

mmmm cake

hora loca

hora loca

self-fashioned hora loca hat and noise maker

birthday cake is always at the end in Peru...it's about 2am...ready to eat some cake and sleep

10k: I am officially hooked on participating in marathons, my heart is now set on the full thing; I know it will be hard and I can’t imagine myself turning into Dave, a dude we met the night before the marathon who told us he has participated in about 160 (he lost count) full marathons across the world, but I can’t imagine ever not wanting to at least do a 10k once a year until my body won’t permit any longer, which I hope to be a long time. I had a lot of older folk pass by me during the race-while part of me was disappointed that I was being passed up by the older folk I also just thought, “GOOD FOR YOU OLD TIMER!” and hope to be that old timer passing up 24 year olds someday. When I crossed that finish line my heart felt so full of happiness, I just thought, do people addicted to drugs no about this? After finishing (1 hour 16 minutes 01 second…no walking…more like slow trotting with full fuerza at the end) the other volunteers and I waited for the ½ and full marathon runners to finish. There was so much positive energy at the finish line; we pretty much clapped for every person crossing the finish line, it was pretty empowering to see women get 2^nd and 3^rd place in the full marathon. After everyone finished, we headed for the hostel for rest and good food, thanks to Sue Song we ate delicious wings with honey siracha sauce and sweet potato fries-food of champions! Then we listened to the musical talent of Zach (check out Zach David on facebook-he  rocks!  https://www.facebook.com/zackdavidmusic) and finished the night off right singing songs together (Beatles and Tenacious D included). I really love these people. 

we got em all 5k, 10k, 21k and 42 k...giving our "thumbs up"
 before the race

Lambaysexy representin at the race

Lambayeque crew with Sue Song (La Libertad)

I'm going to miss this girl mucho!

19er runners with our supporter Brad

starting line

first 5k running to/from highway

runnin'

last 5k running to/from light house

half-way there

finish line!!!!

my "medal"

cheer section of PCVs

champs

The third week of august will be my mid service mark and I am planning on going in a day or two early to meet up with the business volunteers and fill up on delicious food. After our med checks and in service training I’ll be headed to Ica- there will be a race (11k) through the Nazca Lines- which will be amahzing.

In two short days we will be having the despidida for group 17, and I am very hjhdjfahdfj about it…I am so excited for the volunteers to continue on with their lives; I’m stoked for the 21ers to begin their journey as volunteers but also nervous to be the “seniors” of the Youth Development;  and of course I’m extremely woeful for their departures-these people are some of most hardest working, intelligent, enjoyable humans I have had the pleasure to be around and I will be missing them all terribly- plus, it reiterates the fact of how I need to appreciate the time I have left in Peru.

News from home: A good friend from high school, Courtney will be married in a few months!!! I am so excited for her and it reminded me that life does go on in the states, people move on, get married, have children…. sometimes I’m so caught up in my life here that I forget that life isn’t just on pause back home, it’s good to be reminded. So excited to hopefully get a visitor in the next few months, hoping it all works out. 

Sending so much love, hugs, and kisses