Thursday, June 13, 2013

T-minus 58 days: Holy Crap, Where Did 2 Years Go?

Hey Friend,

Sorry I haven't written in so long, but I've been having an existential crisis and wasn't really sure what to do about it.

So basically, what's up is that I have officially decided my COS (Close Of Service) date and woah, it's coming up fast. August 9th is my final, official, ultimate day as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Peru, group 17. After 2 years of struggling, achieving, and overall just being, it's all coming to a close and womp womp womp.

But hey, it won't be ending without a bit of hullaballoo. I'll be having a few despedidas (and maybe finally get a chance to have some lizard ceviche!) and visiting Cusco and Madre de Dios before I get on a plane on Aug. 20th to fly back to the states with my little brother, who'll be flying back the same day and starting med school like less than a week later. Crazy kid.

In any case, what am I doing right now? Follow me through the rabbit hole that is my life.

Right now, I'm teaching about 80 or so kids at one of the schools on the theme of Sex Ed. It's super fun and a lot of these kids are fast becoming some of my favorite people ever. Sucks that I don't have much time left with them, but hopefully they learn a little something and don't get pregnant or impregnate anyone until they're ready... Still, we're going to do some fun things. Right now, I'm trying to get the kids organized to make a small music video to the song "Piensa Bien" and we just got funds secured to broadcast said music video on the tv! Yay!

Secondly, I'm still teaching my women's nutrition course and that's basically my most favorite project ever. I love these women and I'm really hoping that we start working to raise some money for them soon with a little mini business project selling healthy food and snacks at the fair, and the market. It should be interesting and we'll see how this little business venture goes down.

Third, I'm teaching Critical Thinking and Creativity with a group of kids that I used to teach English to. Turns out, they really don't want to learn English, they just want to have fun so now I'm taking that want to just hang out and do things, and making it educational! There's a story time, lots of little art projects, and cool "change your point of view" exercises.

Fourth, I'm working with that municipality recognized youth council I was working with the muni on and now that's it's all official and what not, I really want them to actually DO SOMETHING in the community. They've had like 3 meetings and literally, have done nothing. It's driving me crazy. I'm going to do my best for the next 2 months to work with the junta and drill the importance of volunteerism into their heads. Hopefully do a few projects while that's going on with them as well.

Fifth, I have a radio program once a week with another volunteer in Pacasmayo, during which we alternate talks about either youth development things (self esteem, volunteerism, health, etc.) or environmental things (not burning trash, climate change, desertificación, etc.). It's been a pretty interesting experience, and the fact that I get to play music I like is kind of a huge bonus. I have no idea how well this project is going, since I can't figure out how to measure listeners and stuff with my target audience- youth- but from what I hear via word of mouth, people seem to be enjoying it.

Sixth, and finally, I'm working with tourism groups in my site, including an english class to help them produce grammatically correct promotions for tourism. Since the Pacasmayo race is coming up, and I just got contact info for a tour company called keteka that focuses specifically on peace corps volunteers and offering people a more authentic view of countries (i.e. if you come to peru and only see machu picchu, you honestly have no clue what peruvian culture actually is...), I think this will be interesting in as far as I can be a part of it.

So yea, just a small update. More than anything, I'm really excited about my projects and really sad that I know I'm going to have to end them soon and hope for the best that some of them will continue, or at least that my students will have learned something in the end and will be able to make better decisions in the future. Getting on the plane and saying goodbye to Peru, hello to the States is probably going to be one of the most emotionally tough experiences I'm going to have.

I've been thinking of a lot of things about the states, lately, trying to get myself super pumped about the trip back. Family, friends, food, and the luxuries that come from being an american, but I don't know. I love my family and friends here, peruvian food is pretty amazing, and the luxuries of the states seems so stupid, extravagant and excessive now. I know I've changed and I'm really hoping these changes don't result in me judging american life too harshly.

Probably going to happen anyway. I'm already judging you on facebook. I know, I'm sorry, I just can't help it! First world problems are really annoying. At some point I'll probably get used to it again. Do I want to get used to it, though? I don't know, but chances are I will- I realize that I've gotten pretty good at adapting to different places, and quickly. Like, I'm looking forward to a smart phone. I remember when those phones just started to come out. I hated them. Actually, I hate most touch screen things. They freak me out- if that screen breaks (and look at just how many ppl walk around with broken screen touch things), then what? I mean before, it was like your screen broke? Oh well, you can still punch in numbers and use it until it's totally done for. Now it's like, your screen broke? SUCKS FOR YOU GO GET A NEW ONE. And you'd think the fact that the screen is like EVERYTHING now, they'd be indestructible or something but NO, they're just as cheap and flimsy as before.

It makes no sense.

But food, right? Food is something everyone looks forward to. Hell, I've already planned out my first month of meals. But now... well, I'm not really looking forward to it anymore. In Peru, most families eat the same thing day, after day, after day. Chicken. Rice. Potatoes. Soup. That's pretty much standard fair and I remember at first, the lack of diversity made me want to die. Eating the same thing more than 2 days in a row basically made me insane. Now? I don't mind it. I get a plate of chicken, rice, potatoes and you know what I do? I eat it.

When I go to Lima or Trujillo and splurge on different food, american food that's all covered in cheese and meat and sauces and stuff, it's super delicious- sure, I'll give you that. It also means my stomach gets all rumbly and unhappy for the next day or two. American food is too rich. It seriously messes up my stomach. Is this what I'm going to have to look forward to in the states? Eating delicious food, and then curling up into a ball and dealing with the stress to my gastronomical system afterwards?

Not. Cool.

SIGH. So much conflict. Should I have stayed another year? My projects are going so well and there's still so much I want to do here. What if there's nothing for me in the states? Do I want to struggle with America and its culture? Will I ever make money again? What if I get to the states, and all I want to do is leave it again? WHAT DO I DO.

Basically, I guess it's just another point in my life where I'm taking another giant leap of faith, both feet in, eyes close, and hoping that there's a bottom somewhere, and that it's solid.

Fifty eight days, guys, till I'm done. Fifty eight days left in site to inspire, push, pull, wait patiently, and get shit done. Fifty eight days left with what I've now adapted as normal. Fifty eight days.

I got this.