Hello friends!
This is just me writing thoughts floating up in my noggin. Lately, it's gotten pretty cluttered up there so I'm trying to sort a few things out..
The p90x training lasts for 90 days. The Pacasmayo Marathon is July 1st... How am I going to train for this marathon as well as do the p90x program? From what I can tell, I should complete the 12 week p90x program in April (to be completed April 7, 2012). The running schedule that I want to follow for the half marathon is also a 12 week program... So if I start training for the marathon immediately after I do the p90x, that should mean I can just manage to get the whole training in. However, this program is based on the belief that I have been running 3 miles, at least 3-4 times a week, which won't be true because I'll be doing p90x instead of running (there just isn't time in my day to do both!)... HRM. Whatever, I'll do it anyway. And if I can't run the whole 13.1 miles? Then I'll walk it, damn it.
I WILL COMPLETE THIS HALF MARATHON. No matter what. The end.
Let's seeee, what else, what else.
Oh! I taught my first vacaciones utiles course (think summer school) yesterday and it went super duper! The first class of older students was pretty small, but once I joked around and did my thing, some of them were more inclined to talk and express their opinions (still, it was a mofo trying to get this one girl to participate... she wouldn't even look at me! And she didn't speak at all, even when I tried my darndest to get her to... I'll work on that one. I think I'm going to teach "participation" at some point...). The second class I had were younger (2 grades lower) but there were more of them and these kids were superstars. Still had the group of kids who didn't want to talk, but there's power in numbers and the chatty ones definitely stepped up! I'm going to have to figure out how to draw out the quieter ones and ease the talkative ones down, but wow! Great class! Came out of that one feeling awesome.
I have a meeting coming up with the vacaciones utiles group in my site and I'll be teaching health and nutrition here. Yea, it's a topic I'm rather pumped about but I have no idea how many students will want to go. I'm hoping to give away free stuff every class (for participation, showing up on time, etc, I'm going to let them write their names on tickets and raffle off little things at the end of class) so that'll hopefully draw in a larger crowd. My host mom wants me working with a lawyer here on this, but I don't understand why. We're working on another project together, but it has nothing to do with vacaciones utiles. Weird.
Speaking of that other project, I need to figure out how to talk to the directors of the two high schools that are in my site. We want to start clubs in both (drawing awareness to family and sexual violence, working on projects to prevent it, etc.) and he asked me today if I talked to them. I had no idea that was my job.
Communication around here is getting kind of frustrating.
Anywho, I gotta do that.
Aiya... meetings, meetings, meetings. I still haven't set up my meetings at the benificencia, the health post, the police station, OR with the alcalde.
FAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL. It's ok, I'll get on it.
Besides that, guess what I did today?
P90x plyometrics.
And guess what else?
Didn't have to pause the video to suppress a desire to puke.
SUCCESS.
Also, it's so damn hot so I froze some bananas, mashed them up and poured some honey that I bought yesterday (from a lady at the market who had a ginormous slab of honeycomb on hand to show me where honey comes from... then she sold me a recycled plastic soda bottle of honey. It's damn good honey.) and OMG SO GOOD. It was like banana flavored ice cream with delicious chewy honey bits.
I want MOAARRRR but we are out of bananas... I can't decide if I should just go to the market and buy some, or wait until my host mom brings more. Considering how many bananas I've eaten these past few days (my host mom hadn't gone shopping in some time and this was the first time in a week or two that there's been fruit in the house), I should go buy some...
I do have some grapes in the freezer now. Maybe I'll dip those in honey and nom on those tomorrow.
Alright, my windows open cause of the heat but now the bugs have discovered it and I'm being eaten alive. I'll write again later.
Chau amigitos!
Love and Peace <3
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Friday, January 13, 2012
day 216: it's 13 days into 2012 and i'm still keeping my resolutions. go me.
Buenos mi amigitos!
So yea, it's been a mixed bag of pain and pain but hey! good is coming out of it! My body HURTS so good... love that feeling. I've also been taking my vitamins pretty religiously and staying well hydrated like in the good ol' days.
Health wise, I'm getting better! Sadly, I'm still snacking, but that should end soon. I started a food journal like I did back in college to remind myself that I can't just forget the stuff I eat, so hopefully that'll keep acting as a reminder to watch it.
As for my projects, they're moving. I'm going to be teaching valores in Pacasmayo at a school for vacaciones útiles (fun fact: I had no idea I was going to teach until I just decided, on whim, to show up... this is going to be interesting) and I'll be teaching health and nutrition in my site (not sure when or where yet, these classes don't start for another week). I'm going to be acting as sort of a teacher's aid for the vacaciones útiles courses as well. What this means is getting to know more students, and maybe getting myself into the pool to help teach the littlest ones how to swim. That's more for me than anything, because I'll make any excuse I can to get into that pool.
It's so damn hot. (okgo anyone?)
So it's Friday (Friday, gotta get down on Friday) and Friday the 13th no less. My bff up in Zaña just told me that a bus exploded this morning and killed 8 people. Sadly, this kind of thing isn't as uncommon as you would wish it to be. The roads here are NOT safe. Not only are they generally just really crappy roads (although the panamerican is, for the most part, pretty alright), but the drivers are insane.
Insane in the membrane.
A large chunk of them are very young, having received their license in some sort of shady manner, and do not know what the road symbols that exist mean. A number of drivers have had some drink, especially in areas that are cold (to keep them warm, obvy). And I would probably go ahead and say more than half of these cars are not fit for the road. Let's just say, when I get into a car that is literally held together by duct tape and twine, both rear view mirrors are now just a view of exposed wiring, and it takes the driver a few tries to get the damn thing to shift gears... well, let's just say I say a very long and desperate prayer the entire ride.
I've also seen a number of smashed messes of metal and glass next to the police station, blood dried but painting what would have been windows and doors, as well as the charred remains of vehicles by the side of the road, where they exploded into flames or had the unfortunate accident of crashing into vehicles marked "gasoline"
: /
Never, ever, in my life, will I ever drive in Peru. NEVER. Not only is it illegal for volunteers to do so, but even if it were allowed? Nope. Hells to the no.
Anyway, that's not what I wanted to talk about it.
I wanted to BRAG about how it's been 13 days into the new year and I'm still working on my resolutions! Usually, I just forget it all by now because really, resolutions aren't any fun. BUT this time I did something different- I made actual, concrete goals! Instead of "lose like a million pounds this year," I decided on "finish the p90x program, from start to finish" and "run the half marathon in Pacasmayo this July"
I have no idea if I actually wrote that in my blog, but guess what. That's what it is now.
My thoughts on p90x? Well, here's a list of my facebook status updates relating to those:
Monday- think i'm going to cry. just did p90x chest back and abs this morning and stuff that i used to do without too much issue in the days before peru have become disastrously difficult... I AM SO OUT OF SHAAAPPEE DAAAMMMN ITTTTT!!!! guess all i can do now is grit my teeth and get back into it! ggrrrrr......
Tuesday- p90x plyometrics this morning... made it half way before pausing the video b/c i thought i was going to puke my guts out... thankfully i hadn't had anything to eat yet... also note: you should wear shoes for this stuff. ouchies.
Wednesday- p90x shoulders and arms: DO NOT DO LAUNDRY AFTERWARDS. hand washing laundry is an arm/shoulder/back workout on its own... trying to do it after working out shoulder and arms means my laundry is still dirty, but now wet...
Thursday- p90x yoga: the guy says "clear your lead, live in the moment" and all i can think is "this moment is VERY PAINFUL" ... dunno if that's what he was going for, but that's what i got.
Friday- today was cloudy with very light drizzle so i thought, hey! i'll go for a run after p90x legs/back... first of all, oh my god i thought my legs were going to give out on me... second of all, tons of people saw me run and i think i may have involuntarily formed a running group...? we'll see how many people show up tomorrow morning!
So yea, it's been a mixed bag of pain and pain but hey! good is coming out of it! My body HURTS so good... love that feeling. I've also been taking my vitamins pretty religiously and staying well hydrated like in the good ol' days.
Health wise, I'm getting better! Sadly, I'm still snacking, but that should end soon. I started a food journal like I did back in college to remind myself that I can't just forget the stuff I eat, so hopefully that'll keep acting as a reminder to watch it.
As for my projects, they're moving. I'm going to be teaching valores in Pacasmayo at a school for vacaciones útiles (fun fact: I had no idea I was going to teach until I just decided, on whim, to show up... this is going to be interesting) and I'll be teaching health and nutrition in my site (not sure when or where yet, these classes don't start for another week). I'm going to be acting as sort of a teacher's aid for the vacaciones útiles courses as well. What this means is getting to know more students, and maybe getting myself into the pool to help teach the littlest ones how to swim. That's more for me than anything, because I'll make any excuse I can to get into that pool.
It's so damn hot. (okgo anyone?)
Oh, and of course there was a parade with all the students interested in vacaciones útiles. Of course. And I was in this one too. Of course. Oh parades. But actually, this was a good way to advertise the classes and things (there were signs) and remind people of the fact that the municipality here will be starting their classes (and they're all FREE! I love my municipality!)
What else, what else... I have a million and one meetings for next week, when I'm not teaching, to see if I can get some of my programs underway with the health post as well as with the CEM (that's Centro Emergencia Mujer, which is a place for men, women and children to go to when there is violence in the home and such). I'm actually really hoping that my health and nutrition classes continue throughout the year and sort of extend themselves into other things kids might be interested in doing (running club anyone? yoga group? anyone? anyone?) but mostly, I'm just pumped because I'm hoping the nutrition class means I GET TO COOK AGAIN.
oh, wouldn't that just be so lovely??
SIGH, but I dream...
I still haven't had the courage to get myself to the police station to talk about the prison... I know, I know, there's a 2% chance of me getting it to convert into a youth center... but a girl can dream.
Plus, if I don't ask, I've already failed. We can't have that now, can we?
I WILL ASK. Just hold your horses. First things first, I want to talk to the health post. I also want to plant a garden in the benificencia. They have this space in the back. It's just dirt and trash. Wouldn't it be better as a garden? I need to find some resources on how to start a garden... I'm pretty sure that they'd be alright with me converting it into something useful. Plus, I might extend those nutrition classes there so that we can grow and then EAT the things we grow! THAT WOULD BE AWESOME.
What else, what else... I have a million and one meetings for next week, when I'm not teaching, to see if I can get some of my programs underway with the health post as well as with the CEM (that's Centro Emergencia Mujer, which is a place for men, women and children to go to when there is violence in the home and such). I'm actually really hoping that my health and nutrition classes continue throughout the year and sort of extend themselves into other things kids might be interested in doing (running club anyone? yoga group? anyone? anyone?) but mostly, I'm just pumped because I'm hoping the nutrition class means I GET TO COOK AGAIN.
oh, wouldn't that just be so lovely??
I still haven't had the courage to get myself to the police station to talk about the prison... I know, I know, there's a 2% chance of me getting it to convert into a youth center... but a girl can dream.
Plus, if I don't ask, I've already failed. We can't have that now, can we?
I WILL ASK. Just hold your horses. First things first, I want to talk to the health post. I also want to plant a garden in the benificencia. They have this space in the back. It's just dirt and trash. Wouldn't it be better as a garden? I need to find some resources on how to start a garden... I'm pretty sure that they'd be alright with me converting it into something useful. Plus, I might extend those nutrition classes there so that we can grow and then EAT the things we grow! THAT WOULD BE AWESOME.
So here we go, here's to hoping I get a move on these projects and make awesome happen in my site!
And yes, yes, yes. I will talk to the popo. Maybe next month. I am such a coward sometimes...
Until there's something more to report,
Love and Peace <3
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
day 206: first vivid dream of 2012
Sup
I had a weird dream last night. It was my first dream of the new year! Huzzah! Plus, I just remembered it right now (I don't remember what it was, however, that triggered my remembering my dream...) and figured it'd be a good idea to write it down real quick like.
I'm in a city. It isn't Los Angeles or New York, but it's a large, rather quaint city. There's cobblestone and red tiled roofs, and it looks like a mix of gated community and college town. This all makes perfect sense, somehow. Anyway, I was with a female friend (can't remember who) who was telling me her boyfriend was going to be in that night and, using his army discount, was going to get tickets to go to La Bellasa- a very ritzy cinema place. I inform her that I also had tickets to go tonight, having bought some a few days ago, and that it'd be nice to meet up with them to go. She agrees and we make plans to see each other later that night.
It's later that night. I'm dressed up in some sort of gown, ready to go see my friends at La Bellasa. However, I'm at a building called WauWau. It's a business type of building, and I was working or something. I make my way around this city town place and try to find La Bellasa but I get lost. I ask a few people on the street to help me and eventually I find my way there. When I get there, my friend is fighting with her boyfriend. By the time I walk over to them, he has left and my friend is fuming. I ask her what's up and she tells me that she no longer wants to go to the cinema, but that her bf still wants to go so I can go with him, then she storms off. I walk towards where the bf is, leaning up against a railing overlooking a river, and ask him if he's still going to the cinema. He says yes, then looks at me guiltily and tells me that he just invited another person to go and doesn't have a ticket for me. I look at him and immediately feel dislike towards him, but inform him that I have my own ticket and don't need his.
Then for some reason, I'm heading back to WauWau. Again, I get lost and can't find my way there and ask people in the street. Once I'm there, I head back to La Bellasa but I'm totally turned around and can't find my way back. I'm berating myself for not paying attention on my first walk over. During these times that I'm getting lost, I am stopping a number of people in the street. I recall asking 2 asian girls in black dresses to direct me at one point. They gave me some attitude but pointed me in the right direction. I asked an older gentleman who was very concerned about me being lost but informed me I was going the wrong way. I asked another older man and woman, and the older man was kind of insane and held onto my hand for way too long. And I asked a mother like woman who was very kind and gave me directions. There were some others, but these are the ones I remember.
Anyway, I find myself back at La Bellasa and the movie is already ending. I catch the last bit however, as I'm walking in and to the delight of everyone in the room, an advertisement for a new movie is being played. IT'S A HOLOGRAM being projected in the middle of the room- an updated remake of Disney's Sleeping Beauty. The quality of the hologram isn't great, kind of like R2D2's projection of Princess Leia in Star Wars, but everyone is all a tither about it (I'm assuming because there has never been a hologram movie played before).
And then I woke up.
Weird, right?
So weird.
Signed,
Peace and Love.
I had a weird dream last night. It was my first dream of the new year! Huzzah! Plus, I just remembered it right now (I don't remember what it was, however, that triggered my remembering my dream...) and figured it'd be a good idea to write it down real quick like.
I'm in a city. It isn't Los Angeles or New York, but it's a large, rather quaint city. There's cobblestone and red tiled roofs, and it looks like a mix of gated community and college town. This all makes perfect sense, somehow. Anyway, I was with a female friend (can't remember who) who was telling me her boyfriend was going to be in that night and, using his army discount, was going to get tickets to go to La Bellasa- a very ritzy cinema place. I inform her that I also had tickets to go tonight, having bought some a few days ago, and that it'd be nice to meet up with them to go. She agrees and we make plans to see each other later that night.
It's later that night. I'm dressed up in some sort of gown, ready to go see my friends at La Bellasa. However, I'm at a building called WauWau. It's a business type of building, and I was working or something. I make my way around this city town place and try to find La Bellasa but I get lost. I ask a few people on the street to help me and eventually I find my way there. When I get there, my friend is fighting with her boyfriend. By the time I walk over to them, he has left and my friend is fuming. I ask her what's up and she tells me that she no longer wants to go to the cinema, but that her bf still wants to go so I can go with him, then she storms off. I walk towards where the bf is, leaning up against a railing overlooking a river, and ask him if he's still going to the cinema. He says yes, then looks at me guiltily and tells me that he just invited another person to go and doesn't have a ticket for me. I look at him and immediately feel dislike towards him, but inform him that I have my own ticket and don't need his.
Then for some reason, I'm heading back to WauWau. Again, I get lost and can't find my way there and ask people in the street. Once I'm there, I head back to La Bellasa but I'm totally turned around and can't find my way back. I'm berating myself for not paying attention on my first walk over. During these times that I'm getting lost, I am stopping a number of people in the street. I recall asking 2 asian girls in black dresses to direct me at one point. They gave me some attitude but pointed me in the right direction. I asked an older gentleman who was very concerned about me being lost but informed me I was going the wrong way. I asked another older man and woman, and the older man was kind of insane and held onto my hand for way too long. And I asked a mother like woman who was very kind and gave me directions. There were some others, but these are the ones I remember.
Anyway, I find myself back at La Bellasa and the movie is already ending. I catch the last bit however, as I'm walking in and to the delight of everyone in the room, an advertisement for a new movie is being played. IT'S A HOLOGRAM being projected in the middle of the room- an updated remake of Disney's Sleeping Beauty. The quality of the hologram isn't great, kind of like R2D2's projection of Princess Leia in Star Wars, but everyone is all a tither about it (I'm assuming because there has never been a hologram movie played before).
And then I woke up.
Weird, right?
So weird.
Signed,
Peace and Love.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
day 204: FELIZ AÑO NUEVO!
HOLA amigitos,
So! Looks like I'm ringing in the new year with a blog entry, hoping that this is something I continue with for the rest of 2012. Anyway, speaking of the new year, did you know that there are a number of customs fairly common in Peru regarding what needs to be done in order to have a lucky year? The most common one seems to be buying and then wearing yellow underwear. Why yellow? I honestly have no idea*. It's the lucky color and you'll see people wearing yellow, yellow balloons, yellow streamers, and just yellow decorations all over. Then there's the eating of 12 grapes (to represent the 12 months of the year). Again, why grapes? No clue. Finally, there are the burning of dolls in the street. You're supposed to write the things that were bad from the previous year and stick it in the doll, then set the doll on fire to burn away all that bad luck.
Of all these, the only one I participated in was the burning of the doll... Next year, I'm going to have get on that! But I figure, with how awesome things have been, why ask for more luck than I need?
Oh, and to celebrate the new year... I wore a dress.
No joke.
That's a first.
It wasn't mine, my friend B lent it to me, but I definitely wore a dress to celebrate. It was strange, but I felt pretty so that was nice :)
We were all on the beach to countdown (the beach, btw, is straight up crowded. Tents everywhere of Peruvians camping out. It was fantastic.) and there were fireworks (set off like just a few feet away. There are no laws that I can tell of when it comes to fireworks. Peru is freakin amazing, I tell you) and tons of drinking and dancing.
Tons and tons of drinking and dancing.
There is no partying done as well as any Peruvian party. For serious.
Anyway, I got back to the hostel, chilled out with my friend B on a hammock, and then called it a night around 3 or 4 in the morning. And I'm pretty sure the party was still going full swing when I crawled myself into bed.
Actually, I woke up around 8, came outside on the porch to eat breakfast and write this, and there is music blasting from the beach right now. Party's still going on, I'm sure.
God I love Peru.
Anyway, that's all for now! I wish all of you a very delightful, beautiful, wonderful 2012 and I do hope it doesn't end in a zombie apocalypse. But if it does, I do hope all of you spend the year training (remember the double tap) and that it is a successful venture.
PEACE AND LOVE TO YOU ALL!
p.s. There are a current number of songs that have been playing in Peru, on repeat. Last night was a good review of all the currently popular pieces, since every bar/club/car/mototaxi blasting music was playing the following:
1. Ai se eu te pego (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcm55lU9knw)
2. yo no soy una loba (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWhYbtWB6pg&feature=related)
3. lejos de ti (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LEMiNcmMdA)
4. rabiosa (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXMs3nrwGo4)
5. choque (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUManRSe5KU&feature=related)
6. any and all music from the 80s and early 90s
There are more, but I can't think of them now... I'm gonna go finish breakfast, take a shower, and head back to site! Fun stuff.
*Edit: Just saw this posted on facebook (or as the slang goes here, just "face") that explains where the yellow and the yellow underwear comes from: http://www.rpp.com.pe/2010-12-30-ano-nuevo-2011-el-origen-la-cabala-del-color-amarillo-noticia_323219.html, if you don't understand spanish... more or less, the idea of the sun (it comes up every morning, renewing the day) is where the yellow arises from, and the underwear is because it's a private thing that could result in change... not sure about that part.
So! Looks like I'm ringing in the new year with a blog entry, hoping that this is something I continue with for the rest of 2012. Anyway, speaking of the new year, did you know that there are a number of customs fairly common in Peru regarding what needs to be done in order to have a lucky year? The most common one seems to be buying and then wearing yellow underwear. Why yellow? I honestly have no idea*. It's the lucky color and you'll see people wearing yellow, yellow balloons, yellow streamers, and just yellow decorations all over. Then there's the eating of 12 grapes (to represent the 12 months of the year). Again, why grapes? No clue. Finally, there are the burning of dolls in the street. You're supposed to write the things that were bad from the previous year and stick it in the doll, then set the doll on fire to burn away all that bad luck.
Of all these, the only one I participated in was the burning of the doll... Next year, I'm going to have get on that! But I figure, with how awesome things have been, why ask for more luck than I need?
Oh, and to celebrate the new year... I wore a dress.
No joke.
That's a first.
It wasn't mine, my friend B lent it to me, but I definitely wore a dress to celebrate. It was strange, but I felt pretty so that was nice :)
We were all on the beach to countdown (the beach, btw, is straight up crowded. Tents everywhere of Peruvians camping out. It was fantastic.) and there were fireworks (set off like just a few feet away. There are no laws that I can tell of when it comes to fireworks. Peru is freakin amazing, I tell you) and tons of drinking and dancing.
Tons and tons of drinking and dancing.
There is no partying done as well as any Peruvian party. For serious.
Anyway, I got back to the hostel, chilled out with my friend B on a hammock, and then called it a night around 3 or 4 in the morning. And I'm pretty sure the party was still going full swing when I crawled myself into bed.
Actually, I woke up around 8, came outside on the porch to eat breakfast and write this, and there is music blasting from the beach right now. Party's still going on, I'm sure.
God I love Peru.
Anyway, that's all for now! I wish all of you a very delightful, beautiful, wonderful 2012 and I do hope it doesn't end in a zombie apocalypse. But if it does, I do hope all of you spend the year training (remember the double tap) and that it is a successful venture.
PEACE AND LOVE TO YOU ALL!
p.s. There are a current number of songs that have been playing in Peru, on repeat. Last night was a good review of all the currently popular pieces, since every bar/club/car/mototaxi blasting music was playing the following:
1. Ai se eu te pego (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcm55lU9knw)
2. yo no soy una loba (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWhYbtWB6pg&feature=related)
3. lejos de ti (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LEMiNcmMdA)
4. rabiosa (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXMs3nrwGo4)
5. choque (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUManRSe5KU&feature=related)
6. any and all music from the 80s and early 90s
There are more, but I can't think of them now... I'm gonna go finish breakfast, take a shower, and head back to site! Fun stuff.
*Edit: Just saw this posted on facebook (or as the slang goes here, just "face") that explains where the yellow and the yellow underwear comes from: http://www.rpp.com.pe/2010-12-30-ano-nuevo-2011-el-origen-la-cabala-del-color-amarillo-noticia_323219.html, if you don't understand spanish... more or less, the idea of the sun (it comes up every morning, renewing the day) is where the yellow arises from, and the underwear is because it's a private thing that could result in change... not sure about that part.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
day 194: update before xmas time
Sup amigitos,
So, guess what happens in Peru in December?
Nothing.
Seriously. Nothing.
Everything feels like it's shut down. Classes have ended, kids have graduated, and people are just all around preparing for Christmas. All I've done this month is party. No joke. I've been partying like it's my job... actually, I think it is my job. I went to a graduation (party until 5:30am at the school), had my birthday (4 or 5 solid days of party, I don't even know anymore), have gone to chocolotadas (like christmas on crack- lots of dancing, drinking hot chocolate, eating panetón, presents galore), and parties with my comisión... It's insane!
But yes yes, I am a volunteer here to work so I've also been trying to get some stuff done. I've brought up my ideas to the comisión, when we had a meeting as opposed to a party, and am excited to say that a number of them seemed to be intrigued with my ideas- we'll see how far that goes. I'm also speaking with a lawyer here about an idea he has for forming committees committed against violence (family and sexual) that we're hoping to have implemented in the schools next year. I have spoken with English teachers about starting a club for them to practice speaking, and the only thing I have left to do on my list is get the courage to go to the health post and ask them about their activities with youth.
It's the one thing I actually wish I were doing right now, and the only thing I have yet done... that's no good.
But that's just something to add to my growing list of new years resolutions! Wanna know what they are? Here's some:
1. p90x is so happening. I got my resistance band from home (p.s. I went to serpost the other day and got a supermegaawesome package from my family... so worth the hour long wait at the post office, listening to some sort of jingle bells ringtone on repeat...)
2. improve my spanish... I still haven't been practicing my subjunctives as much as I know that I should...
3. GET THEE TO THE HEALTH POST damn it.
4. get my projects a movin' movin'... MOVIN'! these include: resolution #3, youth groups on family violence, finding a place for a youth center, promoting literature and the library, working with my youth group at the church (i.e. make it not religious affiliated, and get the kids to realize it), working with my comisión on various topics like sports and environment, getting my alcalde more invested in my projects, etc.
5. save money... I'm bad at this, but I should probably work on not being flat out broke every month...
6. cut out carbs, as much as possible. It's impossible to cut out all carbs in Peru, but I'm going to try and get rid of bread and rice as much as possible. I think this might also mean, no more snacking... although that would also probably help with resolution #5.
7. apply for some MHA programs... and get in... eep. I'm actually looking forward to going back to school after my 2 years here, if only because it would be the fastest way to get more info, so that I can leave and get back out in the world and do stuff. I like this doing stuff. It's so much better than the previous sit around and learn useless info that clutters up space in my brain because I'm not doing anything with it except learning and memorizing for the sake of knowing... stuff.
aaannnddd so much more, but I don't feel like I should list every single one of them in here. So yea, I'm going to try for these and hopefully by this time next year, I can report back with stories of success... That is, assuming I'm not dead because the world has exploded into some massive fire mess of an explosion. Let's really hope not!
.................................. dude, so I walked away from this blog post real quick because the local soccer teams are having their big final showdown game tonight, and they're playing in the coliseo. It's all cement and they're playing on a court that looks smaller than a basketball court. First prize is a lamb, second is a goat, and third is a turkey. All of them are tied up and just laying around until the game ends...
That is so much more legit than a trophy. I never want a trophy again. If I ever compete, I am going to demand the sacrifice of a small, baby lamb instead of a cheap plastic trophy. Serious.
Alright, that's all for now. I'm gonna go have some morning cake (so much cake...) with my coffee, and maybe a panetón and some hot chocolate later tonight. Gotta do some document reading and teach my english class at the beneficencia too. Not much else... probably read (I've been dominating a book every day/every other day, depending on the length of the book, for the past week now. It's awesome. Feels like middle school, without all the horrors and awfulness of middle school.)
I'll probably reblog in the new year! Happy Holidays everyone, I hope you're all enjoying the winter/summer/whatever season it is, wherever you are, and here's to a FANTASTIC 2012! May we all be alive this time, next year. That, or be prepared for the zombie apocalypse.
Peace and Love, y'all.
Peace and Love.
So, guess what happens in Peru in December?
Nothing.
Seriously. Nothing.
Everything feels like it's shut down. Classes have ended, kids have graduated, and people are just all around preparing for Christmas. All I've done this month is party. No joke. I've been partying like it's my job... actually, I think it is my job. I went to a graduation (party until 5:30am at the school), had my birthday (4 or 5 solid days of party, I don't even know anymore), have gone to chocolotadas (like christmas on crack- lots of dancing, drinking hot chocolate, eating panetón, presents galore), and parties with my comisión... It's insane!
But yes yes, I am a volunteer here to work so I've also been trying to get some stuff done. I've brought up my ideas to the comisión, when we had a meeting as opposed to a party, and am excited to say that a number of them seemed to be intrigued with my ideas- we'll see how far that goes. I'm also speaking with a lawyer here about an idea he has for forming committees committed against violence (family and sexual) that we're hoping to have implemented in the schools next year. I have spoken with English teachers about starting a club for them to practice speaking, and the only thing I have left to do on my list is get the courage to go to the health post and ask them about their activities with youth.
It's the one thing I actually wish I were doing right now, and the only thing I have yet done... that's no good.
But that's just something to add to my growing list of new years resolutions! Wanna know what they are? Here's some:
1. p90x is so happening. I got my resistance band from home (p.s. I went to serpost the other day and got a supermegaawesome package from my family... so worth the hour long wait at the post office, listening to some sort of jingle bells ringtone on repeat...)
2. improve my spanish... I still haven't been practicing my subjunctives as much as I know that I should...
3. GET THEE TO THE HEALTH POST damn it.
4. get my projects a movin' movin'... MOVIN'! these include: resolution #3, youth groups on family violence, finding a place for a youth center, promoting literature and the library, working with my youth group at the church (i.e. make it not religious affiliated, and get the kids to realize it), working with my comisión on various topics like sports and environment, getting my alcalde more invested in my projects, etc.
5. save money... I'm bad at this, but I should probably work on not being flat out broke every month...
6. cut out carbs, as much as possible. It's impossible to cut out all carbs in Peru, but I'm going to try and get rid of bread and rice as much as possible. I think this might also mean, no more snacking... although that would also probably help with resolution #5.
7. apply for some MHA programs... and get in... eep. I'm actually looking forward to going back to school after my 2 years here, if only because it would be the fastest way to get more info, so that I can leave and get back out in the world and do stuff. I like this doing stuff. It's so much better than the previous sit around and learn useless info that clutters up space in my brain because I'm not doing anything with it except learning and memorizing for the sake of knowing... stuff.
aaannnddd so much more, but I don't feel like I should list every single one of them in here. So yea, I'm going to try for these and hopefully by this time next year, I can report back with stories of success... That is, assuming I'm not dead because the world has exploded into some massive fire mess of an explosion. Let's really hope not!
.................................. dude, so I walked away from this blog post real quick because the local soccer teams are having their big final showdown game tonight, and they're playing in the coliseo. It's all cement and they're playing on a court that looks smaller than a basketball court. First prize is a lamb, second is a goat, and third is a turkey. All of them are tied up and just laying around until the game ends...
That is so much more legit than a trophy. I never want a trophy again. If I ever compete, I am going to demand the sacrifice of a small, baby lamb instead of a cheap plastic trophy. Serious.
Alright, that's all for now. I'm gonna go have some morning cake (so much cake...) with my coffee, and maybe a panetón and some hot chocolate later tonight. Gotta do some document reading and teach my english class at the beneficencia too. Not much else... probably read (I've been dominating a book every day/every other day, depending on the length of the book, for the past week now. It's awesome. Feels like middle school, without all the horrors and awfulness of middle school.)
I'll probably reblog in the new year! Happy Holidays everyone, I hope you're all enjoying the winter/summer/whatever season it is, wherever you are, and here's to a FANTASTIC 2012! May we all be alive this time, next year. That, or be prepared for the zombie apocalypse.
Peace and Love, y'all.
Peace and Love.
Monday, December 12, 2011
day 184: I'M 24 YEARS OLD!!
Damas y Caballeros,
I am another year older. At the young age of 23, I had no idea what this world was like. Having now turned 24, I can assure you that I've been zapped by the holy hand of all things religious and am a much wiser, more humble and all around awesome person.
That, and I'm pretty sure I've been celebrating my birthday for an on going 3 days now.
Saturday: I spent the day in Trujillo/Huanchaco running my usual errands (note to self: need to go back to Serpost this week, just to see if my mail gets in on time... I'm in correspondence with a school back in the states, doing a penpal thing with a class in my site, but classes end this Wednesday so I gotta get these letters before then or else...) and hanging out with a friend of mine. Later that night, there was an ugly sweater party with the volunteers that was fun, mostly because hanging out with volunteers is always nice :) The party moved onto the bars, and I got to meet a few 18ers for the first time (p.s. love them!)
Sunday: I went back to site, just in time for a lunch that was collaborated between my family and another. My host mom prepared my favorite meal of ceviche with tons and tons of wonderfully acidic lime juice, and the other family killed a goat for some cabrito, rice and beans. Just the sheer amount of food was enough to put me in a food coma, but that on top of the little sleep I got from the night before had me 3 seconds from passing out and possibly dying for a little bit. My host family warned me that I had to get my energy up because there would be much dancing and singing and rejoicing later that night, possibly at the clubs that exist (that I have yet to go to). Thankfully, the peruvian hour kicked in and everyone was dragging their feet about it all and by the time people were setting to leave, my host parents mandated that we couldn't go because the next day was a school day and the kids needed to go to bed. So I managed to sneak back into my room and pass out for a good 7 solid hours of sleep.
Monday: I got up and oh boy, was I not feeling so hot... You'd think getting some sleep would have put me into tip top shape, but something had not agreed with me the day before... possibly the mountain of raw fish and slaughtered goat... in any case, I stayed in bed for the most part and gave some people a call, letting them now of my delicate state. However, what to do? There was a party being held for me by the committee I work with in the municipality. Thankfully, it started at night and I had all day to try and get better quickly. Downing hot tea and popping pills like mints eventually did the trick and I managed to get myself out of bed and to the meeting. The party wasn't rowdy (no hora loca, thank the dear baby jesus) and I didn't get caked shoved into my face or eggs smashed into my hair- it was, for the most part, pretty boring. Not in a bad way, mind, but it was perfect for the level of ability my body was currently in. Soon, though, we sat down and each person gave a small speech about me- basically, everyone in the room sat around flattering me. It was kind of awesome. That eventually moved on to jokes, and quickly became super raunchy jokes. It was getting really late and of course, that just meant more guests as the night policemen (they drive around site, I really don't know why or how often but they happened to be out and about tonight) came in. They were dressed in black (pants, jackets, sweaters, beanies, combat boots) and each of them had a shiny black shotgun strapped to their backs. But this was a relaxed occasion, so they put their guns down, grabbed a nice slice of pink birthday cake, and settled down to tell their own raunchy jokes and to listen to the others complain about the state of policemen in site.
It was kind of weird.
But hey! It was also pretty cool. They later drove all the women to their individual locations (deeming it unsafe for us to walk alone, which was quite kind of them, actually) and now I am here, sitting in front of my computer, trying to plan for tomorrow. Sadly, I still feel mildly ill and I think the medication is starting to wear off... ah well, I'll just be sleeping so whatever.
Tomorrow is a day of travel for me. I have to get back to serpost in Trujillo to see if those letters have arrived since Wednesday is the last day I'll have a chance to get these letters to the girls. I am also hoping to make a run to another volunteer's site to help her with an english singing competition that's going down, plus to indulge in a little more bday celebrating. In between this time, I have to meet with a local lawyer here to discuss an idea of his for a youth committee sector about family and sexual violence. It's gonna be another interesting day!
Well, that was just a quick update on my life. I think I'm going to start adding links to my friends' websites as well- a bunch of them are fantastic writers and have me laughing like a madwoman everytime I read their blogs. Seriously, hysterical.
Alright, that's all for know. I'm hoping to get a few hours of sleep tonight before I go running around again! Love you all tons and tons and TONS! and for all those who sent me stuff for my bday... you should know that you're basically my favorite people in the entire world... if you didn't... well, there's always christmas >:P heheheh, kidding! just kidding!! LOVE YOU ALL!
Peace and Love, y'all
<3
Saturday, December 3, 2011
day 175: BOOM! DONE WITH THE DIAGNOSTIC!
hola amig@s!
Fun fact, when a spanish word is written with an @ at the end, it signifies a/o (since spanish has feminine and masculine words, and feminine words traditionally end in the letter 'a' while masculine ends in 'o', the @ is a combo of the 'a' and the 'o' to indicate a gender neutral term!)
Anywhoozles, I just got back from celebrating Thanksgiving in Huanchaco and EIST (early in service training) in Olmos, Lambayeque.
Thanksgiving was a BLAST. I was simultaneously exhausted and so happy/relaxed, it made me feel like I was in another world. On Thursday, the 17ers and I met up in Trujillo where we spent the day chilling out. I went with a few girls to see Chan Chan, an archaeological site of Chimu and Moche ruins that was really cool. The ruins are constructed of adobe, so all that really remains is one of the citadels... although the others can be seen from an aerial view but only the basic architecture. It was really cool how we were able to walk around and touch a lot of what existed, although some of it was covered in tarp because it was starting to drizzle a bit and rain + adobe = mud...
Besides that, the rest of the day was spent eating, drinking, and dancing. A lot of people took a walk around Trujillo to take in what really is quite a beautiful city. We spent a lot of time on the roof/patio area at the hostal, just sitting around and talking. I took a shot or more of cañaso, which is an alcoholic beverage derived of sugar cane... and no, it does not taste of sugar cane... I'm pretty sure it could be rocket fuel. It's vile in flavor, but it warms you up real fast...
Friday was spend in Huanchaco! My favorite place in La Libertad (outside of my site, of course). Lots of beach lounging, eating some amazing fantastic food, hammock napping, and internet use was done this day. We celebrated Thanksgiving on Saturday, which came down to 3 hours shopping at Tottus, 2 hours frantically cleaning/cutting/peeling/preparing dishes and 2 hours in the kitchen with the oven. A turkey would have been way too pricey, so we went with pollo a la brasa which worked out really well. In the end, we had so much food I thought we might all explode. The food was given away to neighboring hostal users and people in the street, although it was sorely missed the next morning when leftovers would have been fantastic as a hangover cure.
Finally on Sunday, we all packed up our things and headed to Lambayeque for training. Training was held in Olmos, located about 2 hours from the capital city of Chiclayo. It was great because a few of the 17ers weren't able to come to Thanksgiving, so I could see their lovely faces for almost a week! During the week, we got charlas on various things, like our first 10 weeks of training but more focused on reviewing a few things and sharing charlas that we could ourselves give/do in our sites. We also presented that diagnostic.
That. Freakin. Diagnostic.
IT'S DONE! DONE DONE DONE DONE DOOOOONNNEEEE.
That's all I have to say about that. We presented ours briefly before turning in the CDs, and I sincerely hope mine is satisfactory so that I never have to look at it again. Well, that's a lie- I'm supposed to present it to my site sometime in the future. However, I'm trying to think about how exactly I would present it to my site and I just don't see how it would be conducive or even plausible to get everyone together for a presentation. For this site, I believe it would be much better if I just took the time to talk to people, one on one, to see if I can also possible get a few more people to become my socios. I need socios to work together on these projects, since they are supposed to be sustainable, but I'm starting to get worried about this... Ah well, I do have a few now who are just wonderful (e.g. a professor at one of the schools I'm working in, and my host mom) and I hope we can keep working together!
Last Thursday was the international day of HIV/AIDS awareness and we helped the PCV in Olmos with a big project thing he had going on. It involved a stage and a bunch of presentations, of which the 17ers were a part of. We were in 3 groups and each of us did something- a rap song about using condoms (¿por que? no quiero bebe, ¿por que? no quiero VIH, ¿por que? quiero protegerme!), a song given by my buddy Zack in a condom outfit on the ABCs of protection (A! Abstinencia, B! Brindar Fidelidad, C! Si vas a hacerlo, ponte un Condón!), and finally, my group- Último Pasajeros, edición VIH. This basically involved a lot of screaming, jumping around, and getting the people in the crowd super pumped and screaming for TEAM ROJO (my team. we won. yea we did.)
Hilarious. I had an awesome time.
The next day, the groups split up to go to different places. My group stayed in Olmos and we gave charlas to 3 classrooms where the PCV was teaching. The charlas were on self esteem as well as gender equality, and both were great but the gender equality one is definitely something I would like to do in my site.
Overall, it was a wonderful learning experience and I especially loved it because I love my 17ers so very, very much and it was just so amazing to be able to see all of them again! I can't wait until the next time we get to hang out together like that :)
On another note, there is a paro (a strike) in Cajamarca right now that's getting pretty serious and escalating into violence. This means that the volunteers in Cajamarca are on standby- the 17ers couldn't return to their sites after training and are currently waiting it out, trying to see what the situation is, in Chiclayo. According to the latest update I heard, they just recently let a few cars into Cajamarca with food and medicine and stuff, but only a limited number during specific hours... woah.
Hopefully they're alright and the strike does settle down so they can get back to site to do their thing.
Well, that's the latest update for now :) I'm back in site and just had some pollo a la brasa for dinner (thank goodness, I was craving it for the past 3 days and my host mom just surprises us with some! woot). I am crazy exhausted, since I didn't really sleep much during Thanksgiving (working on the diagnostic at night) or training (more diagnostic, plus chatting with my amazing buddy B about life and things) so now I am ready to just pass out and not wake up until my sleep debt has been paid in full.
Long post, but hopefully a good general outline to give you an idea of what's been up in my life lately! Love and Peace to you all <3
p.s. my birthday is in a week. I'm so freaking PUMPED.
Fun fact, when a spanish word is written with an @ at the end, it signifies a/o (since spanish has feminine and masculine words, and feminine words traditionally end in the letter 'a' while masculine ends in 'o', the @ is a combo of the 'a' and the 'o' to indicate a gender neutral term!)
Anywhoozles, I just got back from celebrating Thanksgiving in Huanchaco and EIST (early in service training) in Olmos, Lambayeque.
Thanksgiving was a BLAST. I was simultaneously exhausted and so happy/relaxed, it made me feel like I was in another world. On Thursday, the 17ers and I met up in Trujillo where we spent the day chilling out. I went with a few girls to see Chan Chan, an archaeological site of Chimu and Moche ruins that was really cool. The ruins are constructed of adobe, so all that really remains is one of the citadels... although the others can be seen from an aerial view but only the basic architecture. It was really cool how we were able to walk around and touch a lot of what existed, although some of it was covered in tarp because it was starting to drizzle a bit and rain + adobe = mud...
Besides that, the rest of the day was spent eating, drinking, and dancing. A lot of people took a walk around Trujillo to take in what really is quite a beautiful city. We spent a lot of time on the roof/patio area at the hostal, just sitting around and talking. I took a shot or more of cañaso, which is an alcoholic beverage derived of sugar cane... and no, it does not taste of sugar cane... I'm pretty sure it could be rocket fuel. It's vile in flavor, but it warms you up real fast...
Friday was spend in Huanchaco! My favorite place in La Libertad (outside of my site, of course). Lots of beach lounging, eating some amazing fantastic food, hammock napping, and internet use was done this day. We celebrated Thanksgiving on Saturday, which came down to 3 hours shopping at Tottus, 2 hours frantically cleaning/cutting/peeling/preparing dishes and 2 hours in the kitchen with the oven. A turkey would have been way too pricey, so we went with pollo a la brasa which worked out really well. In the end, we had so much food I thought we might all explode. The food was given away to neighboring hostal users and people in the street, although it was sorely missed the next morning when leftovers would have been fantastic as a hangover cure.
Finally on Sunday, we all packed up our things and headed to Lambayeque for training. Training was held in Olmos, located about 2 hours from the capital city of Chiclayo. It was great because a few of the 17ers weren't able to come to Thanksgiving, so I could see their lovely faces for almost a week! During the week, we got charlas on various things, like our first 10 weeks of training but more focused on reviewing a few things and sharing charlas that we could ourselves give/do in our sites. We also presented that diagnostic.
That. Freakin. Diagnostic.
IT'S DONE! DONE DONE DONE DONE DOOOOONNNEEEE.
That's all I have to say about that. We presented ours briefly before turning in the CDs, and I sincerely hope mine is satisfactory so that I never have to look at it again. Well, that's a lie- I'm supposed to present it to my site sometime in the future. However, I'm trying to think about how exactly I would present it to my site and I just don't see how it would be conducive or even plausible to get everyone together for a presentation. For this site, I believe it would be much better if I just took the time to talk to people, one on one, to see if I can also possible get a few more people to become my socios. I need socios to work together on these projects, since they are supposed to be sustainable, but I'm starting to get worried about this... Ah well, I do have a few now who are just wonderful (e.g. a professor at one of the schools I'm working in, and my host mom) and I hope we can keep working together!
Last Thursday was the international day of HIV/AIDS awareness and we helped the PCV in Olmos with a big project thing he had going on. It involved a stage and a bunch of presentations, of which the 17ers were a part of. We were in 3 groups and each of us did something- a rap song about using condoms (¿por que? no quiero bebe, ¿por que? no quiero VIH, ¿por que? quiero protegerme!), a song given by my buddy Zack in a condom outfit on the ABCs of protection (A! Abstinencia, B! Brindar Fidelidad, C! Si vas a hacerlo, ponte un Condón!), and finally, my group- Último Pasajeros, edición VIH. This basically involved a lot of screaming, jumping around, and getting the people in the crowd super pumped and screaming for TEAM ROJO (my team. we won. yea we did.)
Hilarious. I had an awesome time.
The next day, the groups split up to go to different places. My group stayed in Olmos and we gave charlas to 3 classrooms where the PCV was teaching. The charlas were on self esteem as well as gender equality, and both were great but the gender equality one is definitely something I would like to do in my site.
Overall, it was a wonderful learning experience and I especially loved it because I love my 17ers so very, very much and it was just so amazing to be able to see all of them again! I can't wait until the next time we get to hang out together like that :)
On another note, there is a paro (a strike) in Cajamarca right now that's getting pretty serious and escalating into violence. This means that the volunteers in Cajamarca are on standby- the 17ers couldn't return to their sites after training and are currently waiting it out, trying to see what the situation is, in Chiclayo. According to the latest update I heard, they just recently let a few cars into Cajamarca with food and medicine and stuff, but only a limited number during specific hours... woah.
Hopefully they're alright and the strike does settle down so they can get back to site to do their thing.
Well, that's the latest update for now :) I'm back in site and just had some pollo a la brasa for dinner (thank goodness, I was craving it for the past 3 days and my host mom just surprises us with some! woot). I am crazy exhausted, since I didn't really sleep much during Thanksgiving (working on the diagnostic at night) or training (more diagnostic, plus chatting with my amazing buddy B about life and things) so now I am ready to just pass out and not wake up until my sleep debt has been paid in full.
Long post, but hopefully a good general outline to give you an idea of what's been up in my life lately! Love and Peace to you all <3
p.s. my birthday is in a week. I'm so freaking PUMPED.
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