Things I will already miss about Peru or just take home with me:

1.     Those little spoons they stir the coffee with.

2.     The crowed combi rides (combis are vans that take you almost everywhere.)

3.     Maybe even the moto-taxis (three wheeled motorcycles that take you everywhere, maybe for a slightly higher fee, but they are very convenient.)

4.     The good food. Yep, the food here is much better on average than in the U.S. Occasionally it is oh hum but only at Bembos (like McDonalds) is it worse than oh hum.

5.     Adding lime to chicken soups. Try it. It is excellent.

6.     Very few Peruvians smoke, they know it is expensive.

7.     Many of the houses here have a beautiful sense of architecture.

Things I don’t understand: Why do they start the business day at 8 or 9 when the sun sets at 6 or 6:30? They live a great deal in the dark here. Or at least my families have. When I start early morning patrol to figure out peoples’ schedules then I might learn more.

One thing I won’t miss: The traffic in Lima. At one point there are 6 lanes of traffic going into Lima. OK, I realize this is a big city and 6 lanes going into a big city should be no big deal, except this is on a one way road with only two-lanes.  Driving is a constant game of switching lanes and trying to cut other drivers off. I think everyone hates the traffic in Lima.

I have been up and down the coast of Peru since my last post. I am now in my site in Cerro Alegre in the Department of Lima, District of Cañete, an agricultural area much like Salinas. This is a nice quiet suburb with a few minimarkets, just like Fresno the Mini Markets lack fruit and vegetables, many mototaxi’s waiting to take you to Imperial, the bigger town near where there are an amazing number of little stores selling everyday items.

The nicest place I was at Tina Silva’s site, in the north in Lambayeca. Or at least when I was there, it was country quiet, with a beautiful view of some mountains. I felt I could live there forever. Much of the coast is irrigated agriculture or desert sands. Much of it I passed in the night on buses with the windows covered with shades or moisture. So although I have traveled pretty much coast to coast that doesn’t mean I have seen the whole coast.

I have not been in the Sierras, yet...I will in a few months.

Things I will already miss about Peru or just take home with me:

1.     Those little spoons they stir the coffee with.

2.     The crowed combi rides (combis are vans that take you almost everywhere.)

3.     Maybe even the moto-taxis (three wheeled motorcycles that take you everywhere, maybe for a slightly higher fee, but they are very convenient.)

4.     The good food. Yep, the food here is much better on average than in the U.S. Occasionally it is oh hum but only at Bembos (like McDonalds) is it worse than oh hum.

5.     Adding lime to chicken soups. Try it. It is excellent.

6.     Very few Peruvians smoke, they know it is expensive.

7.     Many of the houses here have a beautiful sense of architecture.

Things I don’t understand: Why do they start the business day at 8 or 9 when the sun sets at 6 or 6:30? They live a great deal in the dark here. Or at least my families have. When I start early morning patrol to figure out peoples’ schedules then I might learn more.

One thing I won’t miss: The traffic in Lima. At one point there are 6 lanes of traffic going into Lima. OK, I realize this is a big city and 6 lanes going into a big city should be no big deal, except this is on a one way road with only two-lanes.  Driving is a constant game of switching lanes and trying to cut other drivers off. I think everyone hates the traffic in Lima.

I have been up and down the coast of Peru since my last post. I am now in my site in Cerro Alegre in the Department of Lima, District of Cañete, an agricultural area much like Salinas. This is a nice quiet suburb with a few minimarkets, just like Fresno the Mini Markets lack fruit and vegetables, many mototaxi’s waiting to take you to Imperial, the bigger town near where there are an amazing number of little stores selling everyday items.

The nicest place I was at Tina Silva’s site, in the north in Lambayeca. Or at least when I was there, it was country quiet, with a beautiful view of some mountains. I felt I could live there forever. Much of the coast is irrigated agriculture or desert sands. Much of it I passed in the night on buses with the windows covered with shades or moisture. So although I have traveled pretty much coast to coast that doesn’t mean I have seen the whole coast.

I have not been in the Sierras, yet...I will in a few months.

Things I will already miss about Peru or just take home with me:

1.     Those little spoons they stir the coffee with.

2.     The crowed combi rides (combis are vans that take you almost everywhere.)

3.     Maybe even the moto-taxis (three wheeled motorcycles that take you everywhere, maybe for a slightly higher fee, but they are very convenient.)

4.     The good food. Yep, the food here is much better on average than in the U.S. Occasionally it is oh hum but only at Bembos (like McDonalds) is it worse than oh hum.

5.     Adding lime to chicken soups. Try it. It is excellent.

6.     Very few Peruvians smoke, they know it is expensive.

7.     Many of the houses here have a beautiful sense of architecture.

Things I don’t understand: Why do they start the business day at 8 or 9 when the sun sets at 6 or 6:30? They live a great deal in the dark here. Or at least my families have. When I start early morning patrol to figure out peoples’ schedules then I might learn more.

One thing I won’t miss: The traffic in Lima. At one point there are 6 lanes of traffic going into Lima. OK, I realize this is a big city and 6 lanes going into a big city should be no big deal, except this is on a one way road with only two-lanes.  Driving is a constant game of switching lanes and trying to cut other drivers off. I think everyone hates the traffic in Lima.

I have been up and down the coast of Peru since my last post. I am now in my site in Cerro Alegre in the Department of Lima, District of Cañete, an agricultural area much like Salinas. This is a nice quiet suburb with a few minimarkets, just like Fresno the Mini Markets lack fruit and vegetables, many mototaxi’s waiting to take you to Imperial, the bigger town near where there are an amazing number of little stores selling everyday items.

The nicest place I was at Tina Silva’s site, in the north in Lambayeca. Or at least when I was there, it was country quiet, with a beautiful view of some mountains. I felt I could live there forever. Much of the coast is irrigated agriculture or desert sands. Much of it I passed in the night on buses with the windows covered with shades or moisture. So although I have traveled pretty much coast to coast that doesn’t mean I have seen the whole coast.

I have not been in the Sierras, yet...I will in a few months.

Thoughts from Peru:
About ten times (ok only 3) a little bird that is in the northern part of Peru in the coastal or maybe the foothills (nothing is called foothill here) region has been mentioned, apparently it is a must see for birders world wide. Every time it is mentioned I think of friends visiting. Much too premature for any planning, I have not yet taken or passed the various tests, especially the one in español. Let alone have any idea where I will be working. All I know is that I will be in one of six departments: Lambayeque (where the bird is, I think.), Amazonas (not to be confused with the Amazon Jungle…as I was before I got here), but this area is the headwaters of the Amazon River, Ancash, Lima, Junin and Ica. No Peace Corps volunteer is sent to Cusco, it has plenty of NGO’s working there. I was given a description of my site, but then we were told to forget it as everything would change. But that is the Peace Corps motto “be flexible.”
We have had three notable earthquakes since I have been here, we must be due for a forth as the past couple of weeks have been quiet. Two woke me up and the third was talked about.
People here talk about how hot it is, I just can answer, “Well, hot for Chacalacayo.” This is a nice, peaceful community with some large beautiful houses, of course the PCV’s don’t live in those houses, we are supposed to be living in low middle income houses, mine clearly is. A nice quiet loving family. The men (42, 24 and 19) work; the father as a taxi cab driver and the older son as a conductor on combi’s (small crowded buses) I am not sure what the 19 year-old does and the mother sells something like Avon, takes care of me, something the Peace Corps pays her for, cleans the house and makes the meals. I almost giggled last Thursday when her dinner consisted of home made French fries, white rice and cut up, sautéed hot dogs. She was tired of cooking for everyone. She usually cooks very good meals, of course way too much rice, half the plate is usually white rice, but she is learning to give me less, vegetables (I am lucky to have a mom who fixes plenty of vegetables) and some piece of meat, usually chicken.
The weather here is cloudy with afternoon clearing, today it was rather clear and of course I forgot my camera. There would have been some great shots of the areas where houses are built just below obvious rock fall areas.
Lima apparently is heavily clouded this time of year. But on the down side everything is very dusty, I feel sorry for the trees their leaves are ineffective they are covered with so much dust. But the landscaping is interesting. Many of the plants are exactly the same as Fresno (Mulberry, verbena, palms, etc.) plus the addition of various houseplants. Ficus very common here as a tree or a bush, and others that I don’t know the correct names of but I will try rubber trees, are really trees, hibiscus is everywhere along with boganvia. I guess it not only rarely rains, but also it never freezes. Although, we have been forewarned: with the el niño it may pour this year. The houses are not built for rain. Most seem to be unfinished, like those in Palestine waiting, perhaps, for future generations to live there, This house has areas where only a piece of something has been placed over the top to prevent dust or perhaps rain from entering. Last Saturday it did rain as we were going to Lima, but not in Lima, and for less than 5 minutes.

 MY ROOM

MY BEAUTIFUL FLOOR

 View from my window

 Various pictures of and from the Peace corps training center.

Chaclacyo, my home for the next 9 weeks. East of Lima at the base of the sierras. The Mountains I see are rocks with some lines of trees.  Obviously the trees are where there is a bit more water.  We went about 20 minutes to the east last weekend and there was one Mountain we could see with some green on it. I have had some interesting fruits that I never had before and there are more in the markets. I will post more pictures next week but for now these pictures are of my room and the Peace Corps Center. 

 Bags are packed are ready to go.

 Our room

 First morning in Peru

Here I am enjoying my first day. We are all tired but enjoying Lima.

My friends gave me a great send off party, wonderful friends and food. Some of the dishes had a Peruvian accent, a quinoa and vegetable soup (with chunks of ginger root) muy sabroso! A salad made with a dark brown quinoa, and a dish made with several kinds of potatoes were among the many foods served. Joan even went out of her way and baked a cake. Nancy had, in raging granny style, created a send off song just for the occasion.  Of course the conversation and company was also enjoyable. This was a special occasion and I appreciated everyone coming and giving me such a great send off.
Thank you! It was wonderful!

I was reading the cover of a book. The author had hiked the Pacific Crest Trail and "found herself". She was in her mid-twenties. I have no idea what really finding yourself means. Will I find myself in Peru? Does one find themselves several times in one's life? Did I find myself here in Fresno? Or is it because I am no longer concerned with becoming something that I don't understand what finding yourself is. I just do things.

OK, Everyone. I have received my assignment! It is (drum roll here) PERU! in community-based environmental management as an environmental educator my service is from November 24, 2012 to November 24, 2014 with my training taking place in Peru the three months before the service starts. I am totally jazzed!

Completed Medical, Dental and No Legal Holds!

Now I am just waiting for my placement. Patiently waiting, while my feet are dancing with excitement and nervousness.

Waiting for the Peace Corps

Patience, flexibility, awareness and hope is just part of what it takes to be a Peace Corps Volunteer. Even now several months before I hope to leave I practice these. The Peace Corps is currently reviewing my medical forms very thoroughly. I forgot a few of the necessary items and so will get those to the Peace Corps as soon as I can. On Tuesday they called me, worried that I had an enlarged heart, because one of the X-rays taken when I went into the hospital for my appendectomy last January, showed a slightly enlarged heart. The X-ray was re-taken, a second X-ray from a different angle was also taken. My heart is not enlarged but now many of my friends ask me how I can go into the Peace Corps without a big heart. So even here it is patience, flexibility, awareness and hope.