The First Few Days in Peru

June 23^rd, 2006 Washington, D.C.; Atlanta, GA; Lima, Peru

The Plane Flight

We arrived quite early at the airport and had relatively few difficulties checking our bags and boarding the plane. Pretty much everyone is in a state comprised of both excitement and anticipation. Although we spent 16 hours today traveling or waiting, the day flew by because there is still so much to learn about everyone. FYI: Airline food is still very mysterious.

June 24^th, 2006 Lima, Peru

The First Two Days: At the retreat center

We drove about 30 minutes to a local retreat center where we slept 6 guys to a bungalow. In the morning, we got up for breakfast which consisted of rolls and this papaya concoction. This “juice” was the thickest stuff I have ever seen. It had the consistency of a thicker chunkier salsa.

We met the staff who will be taking care of us during our stay. They did a break down of how much it cost per volunteer to run the Peace Corps program. Approximately, $44,000 per year is spent per volunteer. I receive about $4,000 per year directly.

The medical staff gave a presentation also and explained all the procedures used to care for our well being. The lead doctor, Jorge, is quite humorous and supposedly is mentioned as the best doctor in Peru in a guidebook called Lonely Planet. Mine impression so far is that he will live up to his name.

We each had a language interview where pretty much they stick you in a room and you have to try to communicate with your teacher only in Spanish. There were a lot of silence and long pauses but eventually I submerged. One trainee put it best, “I have no soul. She took it from me.”

After a few sessions about safety and security we ate lunch, had some free time and ate dinner. I must inform you that they do coffee quite differently here. At first we were stupefied, because they pour about two ounces of coffee in your cup and then either milk or hot water. The coffee is a concentrate. The reason it confused us was because they do not pour the milk or water until later and you are left to wonder if all you are about to receive is two ounces of coffee. Most of crowded in one 10 by 10 room to play cards and socialize and then eventually we all went to bed.

June 25^th, 2006 Santa Eulalia

Training Center

Our training center is a city called Santa Eulalia. This is where we will be trained in the laungauge, the culture, the technical aspects of our job, health and safety. After a few sessions and lunch, the big moment arrived: We met our host families.

Host Family

Some say I have the greatest “hook-up”. This very well could be. My “padre” is named Jaime and works at the local school where he teaches children. As far as I can gather, I think my “madre” is a nurse in Lima. She is named Deri. She left tonight to go work. I hope she doesn’t always work nights because then I will not ever be able to see her, and actually her Spanish is the easiest to understand. I am the fourth volunteer to live with them. I also have a “hermanito” named Juancarlo who is 13 years old and a “hermanita” named Michelle who is 11. I am really glad I got kids around that age. I think they will be a great family with whom to live.

My house is rather large. After sharing a bedroom the past fours, anything would have sufficed but my bedroom is about the size of a master bedroom in a starter home. I also have a bathroom which is just as nice as the one in my old apartment, except for the fact that they do not use shower curtains here and there is no such thing as hot water. All the more reason to rise early to run and work up a sweat.

The reason all the other trainees are so jealous is because my family owns an internet café minus the café. Se lo llama una cabina internet. This means for now I have free access to the internet. At least I think it does. They didn’t charge me tonight.

Mi padre and I traveled down to a little town called “Choseca” which is where most of the businesses are located. I had to buy a towel and then we did some exploring before returning home. I then met my “abuelos” which live across the street. But by then my brain was fried from the past four hours of speaking Spanish with my family and Jaime in the market. I could barely formulate the smallest sentences by then.

This biggest surprise is when Jaime and I heated up dinner in the microwave. It consisted of rice and “guisa” which is stew with carrots, peas, potatoes in some redish sauce. I hope that was just because Deri had to go to work.

Juancarlo and I played some sort of rummy but it was real difficult since I don’t speak Spanish all that well. Whatever version we were playing, I managed to win 3 out of the four times. He thought I was doing card tricks or something, thus I had to show him the one card trick I know. He is now quite impressed. That was the first day. I would love to share how I am feeling, but my brain can barely express the events that took place. When I am not so fatigued, perhaps then I will be able to express emotion or the many philosophical thoughts which come throughout the day. Until then, a mere account of the daily activities will have to suffice.