Ascope

Hi friends! Sorry I haven't updated for awhile. It's been a busy time, visiting the new host fam last week and wrapping up training back in Lima this week. My new home is beautiful and you will hear loads more about it within the coming months. I'm still doing great and will update next week once I am settled into Ascope.

Spider Cat

Spider Cat 

Editor's Note: This post is dedicated to Eva Igler, Sal Verhagen, Joe Kotlowski, and anyone else who has ever loved Spider Pig and/ or the Simpsons. 

As I have mentioned, my 9 year old host brother is obsessed w/ the Simpsons, or Los Simpson as they say here. So it was no surprise that when The Simpson Movie was on TV last weekend, he was camped out waiting for it hours before it began. Like most Simpson productions, the movie did not disappoint Efraín. Loved it. 

Even though he saw it a week ago, he's still talking about it. Friday night, however, he took it one step further. While sitting in my room, clacking away at the ol' laptop, I was startled by Efra bursting into my room with Tito the kitten wearing a cape made from my host mom's handkerchief. Before I knew it, Tito was hoisted up onto the wall while Efra sang, "Spider Cat, Spider Cat, does whatever a Spider Cat does..." For those of you who speak Spanish, you may be amused to know that the translation for Spider Pig is Puerco Araña. That means that Tito was Puerco Gato, or Puerco Tito. While this was a riot, the fun was not over. My entertainment vanished, only to return without the cape and wielding a stick.... or a wand if you use your imagination. Within moments, Tito was 'standing' on my bed while Efra sang "Tito Potter, Tito Potter." Yes, 'Harry Plopper' was 'Puerco Potter' and Efra loved it. Tito was a very tolerant cat and let me snap some photos. Here you have a peak into the life of a Yanacoto resident :)

"...when it comes I wanna wail, MMMAAAAAIIIIIIIILLL!!!!!"

Mail spoiled. That's what I am this week. And. I. love. it. 

Package from Joe! Aug. 1, 2011

Monday: The door men at the training center surprised me with a much anticipated package from Joe. They received it the previous Wednesday when our training was in a different place, then we didn't have training Thursday and Friday, so my little mail pouch was hanging out in their desk for nearly a week. I had never been happier with Pedro and Javier than when they busted out that missing mail. What was it, you ask? 

Awesome. It was awesome:

➘ Entourage Season 7

➘ Power Bars (Smores and Caramel Peanut Fusion)

➘ Luna Bar (Chocolate Peppermint Stick)

➘ Builder's Bar (Chocolate Mint)

➘ Mustaches!

➘ 3 packs of gum (sugar free, even though I don't even buy sugar free gum)

➘ Burt's Bee's Chapstick! I really needed some, and he didn't even know that (: 

I was so pumped. Season 7 of Entourage was so perfect. The nights leading up to site assignment day were easy for me to get through without any anxiety, as I was lost in TV land. The protein bars were great as well. Someone is worried about my protein consumption here. Someone is also worried about my cavity-prone teeth here, hence the sugar free gum. Someone cares about me more than I care about myself sometimes. Perfect package. 

...but let's not forget the mustaches... this little gem has quickly become a hot ticket item. I wish I would have worn one to site assignment day, then I would have matched the business men with their neatly trimmed 'staches. For more on the mustaches, see photos in previous post ;)

Card from Sara! Aug. 2, 2011

Tuesday: Sara sent me a Baby Shower card. I love it. Last month, she sent me a Thank You card. I like this little theme we have going on here. It's so great to have friends who send me mail. I feel so loved. It was a very nice little surprise at lunch that day. I also got a family photo of the Stremikis/ Neuman bunch with a really great pose from Ryland the cat. I showed it off. He was a hit. 

Package from the Ciolkosz Fam! Aug. 5, 2011

Friday: What better way to cap off the week than with a 50 ounce bag of peanut butter M&Ms? I can't think of any. Perfection. 

I had been tipped off to a forthcoming package, and had been waiting patiently. As the week was closing, I had a hard time waiting anymore. Anytime the Peace Corps van moved an inch I was on the prowl, checking to see if any mail had come. On my way to make one last desperate trip to the mail table, someone shouted, "Britt, you have mail!" Yesss! I tried to hide the skip in my step as I ran to the office. There it was: a large package waiting for me to rip it open. It didn't take long. As I stared down into it, I saw them. 50 delicious ounces of beautiful peanut butter M&M's. Oh. my. goodness. I can't explain how perfect it was, but I will try. Here are a few reasons why-

A.) I really wanted one of those giant bags of peanut butter M&M's, but I didn't want to ask for it because it's so expensive to send them. I got exactly what I wanted without even asking! That is rare in this world so I am really really excited.

B.) I have a friend here named Amanda Slack. We eat every chance we get. We have gotten to know our community by constantly going to bodegas for snacks. All the bodega owners know our names and the snacks we want. We snack so much that I've started calling her Amanda Snack instead of Amanda Slack. Anyway, she got a package from home on Tuesday that had one of those XXL 50 oz. bags of Pretzel M&Ms. I was so jealous. I really wanted one, only in peanut butter form, as I had been craving (see item A). 

C.) Thursday I woke up with a huge peanut butter craving that was not satisfied. Unsatisfied cravings of the peanut butter variety are like cavities: they don't go away, they grow. 

But then <dun dun dun> a giant bag of peanut butter M&Ms landed in my lap. Perfect! I love it. I had people offering to pay me if I shared. For the record, I shared. Fo' free. I love giving them to locals who haven't had a lot of peanut butter. They are a huge hit. Arturo is eating some as I write. He always competes with food to see who can finish theirs first. We both started with 3. He ate them one at a time, staring in fascination at the little white Ms printed on them. I tossed them down like pills, crunching them happily on their way. When he asked how many I had left and saw my empty hands, he said, "you won." I always win with M&Ms, my dear :)

What else was in there?

➚ XXL 50 oz. bag of wonderful peanut butter M&M's! Nom! 

➚ Tons of pictures of the kids. Pics of Hailey walking! She walks! 

➚ Letters and drawings from the kids! Greatness! Bryce drew my car! Carley wrote me letters! Blake drew a cow, shocker ;)

➚ 4 page latter from Bridgie :) 

Couldn't have ended my week any better. I am happy. 

Thanks friends! My new address will be posted on the blog soon for any further mail surprises =)

Busting into the Stash

As previously mentioned, I can't ration treats. However, I did manage to save an 'emergency' snack for 7 weeks! 

Despite my meticulous adherence to the packing list, I somehow managed to forget peanut butter. Why oh why would this be the item I forgot? A shame. Recognizing my drastic mistake at the airport in DC the morning of our departure, I decided to resort to desperate measures. That morning, I  had purchased a Starbucks snack pack (Protein, the best variety in case you were wondering;) for the flights. This little delight contained a one-serving pouch of peanut butter. Instead of spreading the creamy goodness that is Justin's peanut butter on my bagel and apples, I decided to save it for a rainy day. A last resort ration of the good stuff, if you will. 

My coveted 80 calorie treat lasted approximately 7 weeks in the less-used bottom drawer of my nightstand. It was a long afternoon on a desolate Tuesday last week. A note on week 7, it's the week after field based training and the week before we learn our sites. It's an anxiety and exhaustion filled week. I needed a treat. While searching for cookies tucked away in the back of my drawer, I spotted in. My pretty little envelope of untapped peanut cream. What a great idea. I found the cookies and grabbed the pb. It was time. 

My small secret stash of emergency treats is gone, but my heart is happy once again and it was worth it. 

Editors Note: Since this was written, I've received a GIANT bag of Peanut Butter M&Ms. My heart is very happy. 

Fun With Mustaches!

Thanks to the wonderful, Joe Kotlowski, I now have mustaches (bigotes) to share with my friends! The host brothers and I had a ton of fun this evening. So much so that I wanted to share :) Enjoy! 

The Sorting Hat Has Spoken

Wednesday, August 3rd has finally come and gone. On this much anticipated day, the Peace Corps Trainees of Peru 17 learned where we will be for the next 2 years. Site assignment day was a whirlwind of excitement and emotion for everyone. As it has passed, I can safely say that I am thrilled with my placement and I am thoroughly impressed, yet again, by our Peace Corps Peru staff. I think they did an awesome job of placing everyone and I couldn't be happier for our group and what lies ahead of us all. 

That said, I am going to Ascope, La Libertad! A "charming northern desert town" of about 5,000 people awaits my arrival later this month. I will be replacing a current volunteer on his way out and will be about an hour away (give or take) from the beach and the nearest person from my group. There are current volunteers nearby who I look forward to meeting. I am curious to get to know them and to figure out how far away from me they are. From Peru 17, there are 5 of us moving to La Libertad, 3 youthies and 2 business volunteers. My fellow youthies are amazing ladies and I am so happy to be in the same place as both of them. The 2 business volunteers are great as well and I look forward to getting to know them more also. Good times lie ahead. We have a great little group.

Speaking of excitement, I cannot wait to meet my host family! I will have 2 little brothers again and will live with a farm couple rumored to have fields, a cat, gardens, flushing water in the house, a fence, a dog, internet access, cell phone service, and "minor animals." As far as the mysterious animals go, I'm taking any bets you want to place. So far we're guessing guinea pigs, chickens, and ducks. I think it's great that I ended up with a farm family. This time, I think/ hope I will appreciate living on a farm more than I did as a young chap. I want to help in their field. I want to know what their field is. My guess is either corn or sugar cane. 

This Sunday night I leave for La Libertad to meet the people I will be working with and my host family next week. I am so excited to meet these people and see my new home. There are project options I want to learn more about and a "charming desert town" that I want to explore. 

Sooo happy. Warm weather, a community familiar with Peace Corps Volunteers, children in my host home, internet, beach opportunities, cool people, so much more. I got everything I asked for. These are the real wins, now on to the ones I am more excited about than I probably should be... 

There is a marathon every July 4th that was started a few years ago by a Peace Corps Volunteer. This marathon is an event I was hoping to participate in, depending on my placement, and it is in Pacasmayo... an hour away from where I will live. Jackpot. Best set up evverrr!!!! =)

Win #2: Starbucks. Trujillo, the capital of La Libertad has one. Sweet delicious lattes lie 2 hours away from my next home. Boom. 

More info to come following my site visit. Probably won't be updating much next week, as I'll be away. As always, thanks for stopping by :)

I'm on the map! 

My New Home!!!

Research! 

            
                                  Celebratory Italian Dinner with my new 'neighbor' :)

Fun Facts: Week 7

Things I miss that are not people or food:

1. Moonbeam the teddy bear

2. My Ugg boots

3. Toilet seats

...in that order.