Check It

Look where I went! AWESOME. Come visit me and you could see it too ;) It's magnificent.

And a note to Sara Stremikis- This was supposed to be a jumping picture. The jump wasn't captured, but I like what I got instead ;)

New Pet?

Check out who my host dad brought home from the field today! I'm really not sure what will happen with our new friend, a new addition to the farm perhaps?

UPDATE: Marathon Training

So, I'm not sure if any of you are interested in this, but as a motivator to keep myself going, I want to talk about the marathon training I've recently started. Being the cocky idealistic person I am, I figured training for a marathon in a desert summer would be tough, but nothing I couldn't handle. I was wrong...shocker. How do I say this without sounding like a whiny bitch? It's hot as balls in the desert. This is a less than pleasant task I have embarked on. 

In case you care to know more about this, I'll take you to one of the many lists that my head conjures up during runs in response to my body's wanting to stop. This list gets created and revised every time I run... 

Positives

>Exercise 

>Alone time 

>Relaxation

>Great scenery (seriously, I have these little mini-mountains that take on a gorgeous blue tone around twilight, it's beautiful)

>Progress toward a goal

>Wellness

>Being an example to the kids I work with

>Having a reputation in the community as the "girl who always runs and never gets tired." That's a lie that I will just leave alone ;) 

>I have a Garmin, good shoes, my nerdy running belt, my nerdy running hat, and Gu--- these are many things most others here don't have to help them train.

>I have somewhere safe to run: feel safe on the roads and for short runs, the groundskeeper at the stadium opens the track just for me :) 

>Running a marathon in Peru is something I really really want. Missing out on this opportunity would be a shame and something I would regret. 

Negatives

>Shin splints

>Heat rashes (despite my overpriced allegedly "dry-fit, sweat-wicking," Nike pants. Thanks for nothing you silly corporation I used to trust). 

>Rabid dogs (I had to kick a puppy in the face the other day to get him to stop biting my foot. Still feeling guilty for that one. His owner told me to do it :/ )

>Dehydration (regardless of how much water I drink) 

>Having to go without a post-run shower on days we don't have water (don't judge. I'm not a dirty hippy, I just care about wellness and live in the desert... sometimes I really am like a real Peace Corps volunteer ;) 

>Running in 90 degree + heat, with no option for anything longer than about 20 minutes in a cooler temperature. 

So if you were wondering, that's how training is going for me so far. My times are slow and I'm being a whiny baby about the heat. But, I'm getting my miles in and have found some pretty nice/ safe routes to use for the coming months. There is also a group of neighbors that is always outside when I finish my runs. I've gotten into the habit of chatting with them after running, and that's something I can look forward to mid-run when everything sucks. I think it will get easier, and at this point, I just look forward to making it through training injury free. I'm already convinced that if I finish this marathon, I will have an awful finishing time. I'm not after speed here, as that doesn't seem like something I will be able to offer in this race. The goals are just to train and to finish. This is harder than I thought it would be. I'll keep you updated on how it goes, for better or worse. 

If anyone is interested in supporting this cause, Gu packets can be sent to the address on the right -----> 

I'm spoiled enough as it is, so I don't need mail, but if you were wondering if there was anything I wanted in a package, it's Gu ;) 

Anyway, there's your update on marathon training. Whine as I might, running in the desert is still better than running on a treadmill or those wet, icy WI sidewalks. Knowing this fact alone keeps me going. To all of you training for spring races: keep it up, you are an inspiration. 

Mom Disclaimer: This is not me. I could never wear this while running here, nor am I getting skinny. This is a random internet find, worry not. 

Mr. Mango!

Piere and I get bored. He put the mustache on upside down. I didn't fix it. Mr. Mango is more charming that way. 

A Different Kind of Party

On the morning of Valentine's Day, I watched a party tent go up at my neighbor's house. I was curious to know what they were celebrating, so later that day, I poked my head in the tent and read the banner on the back wall which read, "Jose's First Year of Death," surrounded by stars, doves, and angels. I asked my host family about this and they explained that it is normal for families to hold a party at their home after a mass that is held on the 1 year anniversary of the death. I watched this unfold throughout the day and fell asleep to the music that was blasting from the 4 speakers they erected. Around noon, there was a crowd at the church; at about three when I went to my afternoon class, there was a small procession heading towards the cemetery; around dusk when I ran past, dinner had just been served and everyone was dancing and drinking. I found this all very intriguing. 

A custom here that I've always found interesting is that family members who lose a loved one do not dance for 1 year from the date of death. This often means that they don't even go to parties during that first year. An older tradition that is less common is that survivors wear only black clothing for one year, no colors. So, at the end of this year, it is common for the family to hold a gathering in which they dance again for the first time. From what I gather, it varies on family and situation, but it seems to follow the same general pattern. No dancing for one year, then on the anniversary, there is a mass, a cemetery visit, then a gathering which can be anything from a somber meal to a big loud Peruvian party. 

This is kind of a random thing, but it's interesting (and sort of new) to me so I thought I'd share. 

HOT HOT HEAT

NOTE: This entry is not a complaint, but an observation. 

It is HOT. AS. BALLS these days. Ascope is in the middle of the desert with just a tiny breeze to move around the ridiculous heat we are getting right now. I don't think it's been less than 90 degrees all week. I can't be sure on the actual temperature, because everyone gives me different numbers- including the internet, but I know that it is hotter than anything I have ever seen, especially for this amount of time. I'm pretty sure I've only lived through a few really hot days a year at a time... and that when it comes to heat, I am a baby. I'm adjusting, sure. But this is rough on my hardened Wisconsin skin which is used to being frozen dry this time of year instead of burnt to a flaky crisp. Don't worry Mom, I am wearing sun screen. I've never hoped for the end of summer until this year. Sure, it's nice to have fresh fruit and sun and beach weather. Don't get me wrong, I love summer and I'm enjoying getting to know a new climate. But hell, it's hot. I think my brain is melting it's so hot. My motivation is zapped. I want to sleep all the time. I sweat just sitting in my room doing no physical activity whatsoever. The other day, I literally slipped on my own sweat. At the end of the day, my clothes are soaked in sweat and feel heavy to wear. I'm not exaggerating. It's not just me, it seems like everyone in my town feels this way to some degree. The heat is all we talk about. I feel for my pcv friends who are farther north than I am, it's a lot worse for them I am sure. I keep that in mind, that it could be worse. I could be farther north, or worse yet, I could be in the Wisconsin cold right now ;) I'll take this over a Wisco winter while I can. 

To cope, I am doing what the locals do- eating ice cream and popsicle treats (of course); sitting in the dark (often because the power goes out, which I'm told is also because of the heat); drinking cold soda (even though I don't like soda, and I know it's dental suicide for me); and stripping down (which for me just means walking around my room in a sports bra and shorts, as I can't be seen in anything less than professional around town). I have seen a little less of my host fam this past week because we're all hiding out in our 'summer outfits.' lol. Piere keeps a towel near him to wrap up in when I come around. Otherwise, he's a little captain underpants all day. I'm really happy I brought some big hippy skirts. It's too hot for pants and skirts look better professionally than the 2 pairs of shorts I have here. I take a lot of shit for these skirts, but they are all I can wear these days. To the towns folk, my host fam, and a few special volunteers friends- a message: No I'm not a gypsy, no I don't read palms, no I've never been to India, and no I'm not wearing a bed sheet. I just don't want to sit around with swampass all day in sweat soaked jeans rolled up to my knees for ventilation. 

Baby as I may be, I'm certainly not the only uncomfortable one around these parts. The heat has caused my numbers to go down in the summer classes I'm teaching. And for the kids who come, the heat has stolen their concentration. I don't blame them at all so I let them go to the water fountains frequently, when there is water. Something all the kids here do is completely soak their heads in water to cool off. I've copied them a few times while I've been running and I think it's brilliant. Unfortunately, living in the desert, we don't have water all the time, so the little mini-bath sessions are more of a treat than anything and only happen once in a blue moon. 

And speaking of mini baths, I happened along a good one yesterday. Early afternoon, while in my room preparing for my art class, I could hear Piere singing- which is nothing but normal. It was coming from a different part of the house than usual though, so I went to make sure he wasn't up to anything too Piere-like for his own good. I found him in a self-drawn bath in the laundry basin. First I heard the splashing, then I saw the chair propped up to the basins with his shorts on them. And there he was splashing around singing. I tried sneaking up on him, but instead I got the "Ayy Breeeett! You found me!" I'm so used to hearing by now. Shortly afterwards, my host mom came outside to see what I was doing and she was just as surprised as I was to see Captain Underpants sitting in the lavanderia all wet. We then staged an attack photo shoot and took a little splashing before I left for my afternoon class. Never a dull moment when you live with a 6 year old. His only response as to why he would climb into the laundry sink and swim around was the obvious one, "it's too hot to do anything else and my pool deflated." If only I could fit in a laundry sink. 

Side Note: I don't know what happened to the bottom of this photo, but I will do what I have been doing all month and I will blame the heat. It takes like an hour to load a photo, so you're stuck with this one. Apologies. 

Piere Quotes for the Week

Upon hearing of my new niece, my host mom asked if the baby could come visit. This is what happened next-

Grandpa- Maybe we could trade Piere for the gringa baby.

Piere- (wihtout missing a beat of course) If you trade me I'll go to the US and sell all of your land. 6,000 soles per hectare. 

Piere on Valentine's Day- 

Me- Happy Valentine's Day, Piercito. Have an ice cream sandwich. 

Piere- That was a good idea Britt. It's too hot to eat anything else. It's as hot here these days as it is where the camels live. 

AWESOME

I have a student who reminds me a lot of my niece Carley. She is 9 years old, creative, polite, intelligent, expressive, and confident. A few weeks ago on a random Thursday, she showed up to class with the item pictured below as a gift for me. 

What is this little beauty, you ask? Silly you! It's a solar-powered TV! 

Per it's creator, the buttons featured on this environmentally-friendly high quality piece of entertainment equipment are used to control the TV (gold), the radio (red), your computer (green), and your cell phone (blue). As promised by warranty (or by her mother's word, whichever you prefer) this machine is guaranteed to work by the time it's creator turns 17. 

Creativity is alive and well my friends :) 

Obscure and random as this is, it made my day. 

Mango Salsa!

Just wanted to show off our awesome super bowl treat. I couldn't upload pictures for the past few weeks, so the blog was getting a little text heavy, here's a little photo break for you. Enjoy :) 

Om Nom Nom! 

Happy Day of Love and Friendship

That's what they call it here, "day of love and friendship." I like that. Easier for us singles to stomach. Anyway, here are some cards I made with my art class. Hope you all had a great day!

Mid-Week Ramblings

Wednesday, Feb. 8th

Just wanted to share a few random things about my week so far before these thoughts get lost or forgotten. 

It's been raining all week which has rocked Ascope's world. We've gotten rain everyday since Sunday and things are falling apart--- literally. Lucky for me, my house is awesome and my ceiling hasn't caved in or leaked yet. Others I know are not as lucky. Things here aren't built for rain so the host family, and everyone else around these parts, is a little worried. 

On account of the rain and everything falling apart, there is a rogue rabbit runnin' round these parts. The rain caused the rabbit cages to fall apart, hence there were some bunny escapes. Sadly, a few of the really little guys didn't make it through the rainy night. The older ones, though, just had fun running free until they were captured this morning by my host family. One little guy, however, remains elusive. Apparently, 4 adults couldn't catch him this morning, so they just left him out to fend for himself. When I saw him bounding around loose, I got really stubborn about catching and 'saving' him. He doesn't want to be saved. I spent about 20 minutes squatting and jumping around in rabbit poo trying to capture this little friend. I was unsuccessful. There was a point when I got him nibbling on some alfalfa in my hand  while he was under the cages and I almost had him, but he was too quick and I was too worried about falling in rabbit shit to be smooth enough to pull it off. Eventually, Piere came over to help me, to no avail. Unfortunately, not only were we unsuccessful in our rabbit hunt, but he also let me down in the humor department- which doesn't happen very often... although I don't know why I was expecting him to get this joke in the first place. I'll tell you about it anyway. As we were crouching and tiptoeing around the rabbit cages I said, "SHHH! Be vewy vewy quiiiiet." Lost humor for so many reasons. But really, when else would I be rabbit hunting, ever? I'll never get to use that line again. Sigh. And in case you're wondering, my friend who escapar-ed is still running free. I've heard Abuelo is just as stubborn as me in this conquest, and he and I share a fondness of the rabbits, so if anyone catches him it will be Abuelo. I'll let you know if we get him tomorrow. 

Had a nice run this evening on top of a good one last night. It's nice running after the rain. Last night I got a rainbow and a sunset, tonight I had a really nice peaceful run as no one was out on account of the rainy muddy murkiness. As much as I enjoy everyone cheering me on and shouting my name, racing me, giving me high fives, etc. sometimes it's just nice to zone out and enjoy a quiet afternoon. Both nights I ended the run by stopping to chat with my neighbor who recently had a baby girl. I love babies and this one is sooo cute. She has a ton of hair! Makes me really really excited to see pictures of little Vivi who is on her way... I have a hunch she's going to have some crazy-awesome hair :) 

Anyway, I did something a little extreme after my run. I've been considering it for awhile now and I decided it was time: I went public with my marathon training. Now, I know that some of you might recognize that I've already 'gone public' and sent emails, made a facebook post, etc. about training for the Pacasmayo marathon, so you might think that this is no big deal, but it is. When I say I went public with it, I mean I went public in Ascope... and that's kind of big. What I did was mention it to my two gateways into the social circle of my street. These are the kind of friends who know everything. And once they know, everyone knows. So to tell them that I am planning to run 42 Km in July means that now every time that I run, I will hear something about the 42 Km I am training for. As I had hoped, as soon as I told them, they called someone over from across the street to share the crazy thing I had just said. Worked. Like. A. Charm. Soon I had a small group gathered and people asking if they could run with me... even though I know they probably won't. In any event, I've just won myself a bunch of social pressure that will be key to me sticking with my training commitments. Thanks Greenwood for teaching me how to swing small town gossip to my favor ;) 

One more random thing- 

Today while leaving the school following my afternoon class, I walked past the English teacher's room. He's teaching 'catch-up' English classes for those who need extra help. This is different than the English class I am teaching and is part of a summer school program sponsored by the municipality which I think is really cool. Anyway, as I walked past I heard him playing 'Simon Says' with his class. I don't know where he picked this up. It could have been from the volunteer who was here before me, it could have been something he knew and has been doing in his classes for awhile, or it could be something he took from the workshop I gave all the English teachers of the province on Non-Formal Education practices. In any event, this made me really happy. I don't really care how it got there, non-formal education in a Peruvian classroom makes me smile real big and walk home happy. 

That's about all for now. I still can't add photos to my posts for some reason. I hope this changes soon. Hope you are all doing well. Miss you all a whole bunch. 

January Recap

Also new to 2012- monthly recaps. At the end of each month I will add a quick review to the blog. I want to do this because A- I like making lists, B- I think in quick bursts of thought better than I do in sentences, and C- I think this will be a fun way to include the random little life happenings and thoughts that I wouldn't otherwise think to share on the blog in more theme-specific posts. Here we go... 

-January started out really really crappy for me and ended quite nicely. I am busy, happy, loving what I am doing, and happy to be where I am. 

-Summer in the dessert means pretty much 3 things for me: summer school, heat like I've never known before, and delicious fresh fruit. 

-I've been teaching English and art classes all month and I love it. 

-Last week I walked past a group of guys about my age blasting a song that they clearly knew and enjoyed, as they had learned how to sing some of the words and had made a little dance for it. The song? "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun." I love you, Peru. 

-It's easily between 80 and 90 degrees here every day now, sometimes hotter. I still eat hot steamy soup twice a day...outside. 

-Getting creativity out of kids here has been my favorite Peace Corps challenge so far. Kids are so creative when you give them the chance to be. 

-Due to him not having school right now (summer break) and most of the family being on vacation for half of the month, I spent a lot of quality time with Piere in January. I've played more Memory, Slap Jack, Go Fish, and Crazy Eights this month than I have in my entire adult life. In fact, while writing this just now, I was interrupted for a game of Memory. In case you're wondering, I lost. So far, he's ahead of me in Go Fish and Slap Jack wins, but I've got a nice lead on him as far as Memory and Crazy Eights go. Yes, we have tally sheets. Otherwise we argue. We've also managed to pick a pile of peaches and cherries, get locked out of the house, watch too much of a ridiculous TV show he's obsessed with, argue about his puppy's name, and break a window. Fighting and breaking stuff with a 6 year old... I know what you're thinking. Worry not, I am also teaching him English. For which in return I get many lessons myself. Did you guys know that "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" has a Spanish version? This is what I learned when Piere learned the alphabet song. Some day when I have more time, I'll fill you all in on little man and his antics. They're worth sharing. 

-Of the 31 days in January, I went to the beach on 5 of them. That's not enough :p 

-This month more than any other month so far in Peace Corps, I felt the incredible value of the support I have from my fellow volunteers. I know I say this a lot, but I love them and can't imagine this experience without having all of them here with me. I am forever thankful for their kindness, randomness, great conversations, and good company. 

-Peruvian Beaches in the summer are more crowded than a Golden Coral on mother's day in Central Wisconsin. 

-I like teaching English more than I thought I would. I knew I liked it because I have enjoyed doing it in the past, but having a full class and my own curriculum is pretty fantastic. 

-Mango season is a gift to the world. I never used to like mangos, but now that they are fresh and giant and in abundance, I gave them another shot. I love them. Mangos are like soda and Ritz crackers and avocados: Peru makes them better :) I've consumed so many mangos this month. Next on the menu: mango salsa, just in time for the super bowl. Thank you Kerri Maccarone for your wealth of good ideas. 

-I play BINGO every day in my English class for my students to practice their English numbers. Each time I call B4, I think of the Nigon Christmas and how every year when B4 is called someone says, "Before what?!?!" 

-I've gotten to talk to my friends from home more this month than in those past. Mom, Brenda, Eva, Sara, Lisa, Sal- thank you. You are fantastic and I am lucky to have you all. I can't tell you how great it has been having all of you there to talk to whenever I needed/ wanted to this month. You're the best  and I love you guys. 

-Teaching is a lot more work than I think a lot of people realize. 

-I have been really busy this month and it's awesome. Between teaching and planning for projects that will start in March when the school year begins, I feel like I've finally hit a groove and have a routine down. It's great. 

-Flirting is the bane of my teaching experience here so far. I hate it. Why can't teenagers just co-exist peacefully. Why must they flirt? There's a young man in my classes who is a great student. But the minute he shows up, the productivity of all of my all-star female students plummets. Thinking about this makes me think that my middle school teachers must have hated me. If I were to compare my students to the adolescent version of myself- this would be the pot calling the kettle black :P

-I finally got a new camera!!! Expect many pictures in future posts :) 

-Training for the Pacasmayo Marathon on July 1st started this month. Pretty excited for the challenges and rewards this will bring. Desert marathon, here we go... 

-I have made friends with the owners of the Peruvian equivalent to a Michael's craft store in the next town over. This means friends, great customer service, and free calendars. I'm really happy about this arrangement. 

-My host dad's birthday was on January 13th. To celebrate, we watched Peruvian music videos, had a cake fight, and danced in the living room until midnight, all while wearing funny hats. 

-January is ending with a big full busy month ahead of me. I am looking forward to so many things that are coming up and will try to keep the blog full of activity throughout the coming month. 

This got a little longer than I intended, as usual. Thanks for sticking with me. Hope everyone else had a great month and continues to enjoy 2012 :)

Side Note: I finally have a camera... and now my blog won't upload photos. Ah, Peru. 

VIB: Very Important Breakfast

Guess what? I got to have breakfast with the US Ambassador :) Luck of the draw got me to a Thursday breakfast with 7 other volunteers of La Libertad in Trujillo. This was pretty cool and a fun opportunity I am very happy to have had. 

You can't really discern me in this picture, but I'm there in the back looking like an alien with shiny eyes. lol.

Loving La Libertad Part 2: Viru Waterfall

While my goal is to explore La Libertad and see new places, the trip I recently took to Viru wasn't my idea- it just kind of fell in line nicely with my new goal. There are a couple of volunteers who live in Viru which is about an hour south of Trujillo (department capital) where, outside of the town, there is rumored to be a waterfall that few people seem to have seen. After trying to get a group together for about a month to visit this mythical place, we were able to organize a group to leave Trujillo at around 6:30am and head to Viru for a hike to said waterfall. 

This being Peru and all, nothing went according to plan and no one was surprised by that. Our combi broke down on the way to the trailhead, adding an extra couple of hours to our hike. There was an entire civilization of mosquitoes that no one was expecting to meet. Six of our sixteen people didn't make it to the waterfall and one got lost on the way back. As for me, I had underestimated how healthy I was. I had been sick earlier in the week and thought I was better--- I was not. Diarrhea and the desert do not belong in the same sentence. Taking myself into the desert by foot while ill is no one's fault but my own. No room for whining, but damn I screwed myself on that one. I've gotten so used to being sick that I just deal with it and don't really think about being sick as a reason not to do things anymore... but applying that concept in the desert while hiking is impossible and kind of just makes you a tool. I don't think I held the group up too much though and I made it to the waterfall, so it wasn't that big of a deal other than an uncomfortable day for me. But again, my decision. I don't regret going. It was a nice hike aside from being sick and it was great spending time with other volunteers. 

This would be our combi leaving us to walk about an extra 2 hours...

...and there it is :)

Yeah. When we finally got there, we napped. 

January 21, 2012