Chris in the Peace Corps

Week one

2008-06-15T17:43:00.000-07:00

Glad to say I have survived one week in Peru. Peace Corps has really kept me busy with barely any free time. I am having an awesome time, but anyways here’s what the first week was like:

We’re doing training for the next three months in a city near Lima called Chaslacayo. Chaslacayo is apparently known for the best weather in Lima, which so far has been a foggy every day. Its winter here, crazy huh?

Everyone is staying with their own host family in different communities nearby. Mine is called Tres de Octubre, because that was the day everyone came and took the land to build their houses. Tres De is the smallest town, only four blocks, but definitely the nicest of all the ones where people are staying. But, there are only four other Peace Corps people here.

I’m with a really great family. They had two other volunteers stay with them from other groups and they talk about them all the time. One was very tall and I guess had a baby face because they call him bebe grande which means big baby. I don’t think I have a knick name yet, although it could be hard to beat bebe grande

My family is only three people, the mother Trinidad and her two sons Enrique and Gustavo, who are in their thirties. Carlos is her other son, but he lives with his wife Rebeca as a caretaker at a rich Chilean’s fisherman’s house. Carlos has two daughters, Gianella and Yerlin, who are really fun and always taking me places. Their grandmother owns a hamburger stand right around the corner from where I live, haha, which is random but delicious.

Gustavo makes really nice natural furniture out of wood. It still has bark on it and the chairs are logs cut in half. His furniture would sell for at least three times as much as for what it sells here. He usually only sells it to the rich people coming from Lima. He’s working overtime know because people are coming to vacation here to escape the Lima weather. Everything he makes sells almost instantly. He took me to his shop yesterday and put me to work painting logs. I was obviously a rookie since it took me two hours just to paint four. His teacher was a really cool old guy, Avila, whose son lives in Philadelphia.

Today was Father’s Day, which is huge in Peru. I went with everyone to visit the grave of their father in the cemetery, which is near the rough neighborhood, Huascaran, where a bunch of volunteers are staying. I kind of got dressed up, expecting a somber day. Halfway there, I realized Enrique had brought a bunch of beers in his bag. When we showed up at the cemetery, which is on the side of a mountain, there were a ton of people. It was just a big party, drunk people singing, people playing guitar. We got to their father’s grave, which was so nice and well cared for, and had a beer. We poured a little out each time for their dad.

I feel bad because I offered to cook them all Spaghetti with Sausage but I didn’t know how many people were coming so I got the portions completely wrong. We had a ton of Spaghetti but only a tiny bit of sauce. Everyone was really pretending to enjoy my spaghetti with a dab of sauce though, haha. I apologized a million times, but they just kept on saying it was the best. Trinidad came to the rescue though and brought out some Pachamanga she had leftover.

Training is fun too. We have two different classes, one in language and the other in Small Business. The teachers are great and I have already learned a ton. One of our assignments was to go into the big town nearby and interview a few small business owners. We interviewed one guy who sold jewelry on the street and said he didn’t believe in competition because god took care of everyone. That’s such a different perspective than in the US, and maybe its really common here.

I have tarea to do so, maybe when more chevere (cool) stuff happens I will hopefully have time alone to write.

Llomo Saltado

2008-05-28T13:01:00.000-07:00

I went to a Peruvian restaurant in DC the other night called la Chatalan. It was pretty good. I had llomo saltado, which is kind of like stir-fry with french fries mixed in (brilliant idea). Also ceviche which is all kinds of seafood cooked in lime juices, which is great too. I could see myself living on these two dishes for two years alone, haha but maybe throw in some guinea pig for variety.

The waiter, Juan Carlos, was from Peru. I talked with him a little in Spanish. He knew about the Peace Corps and was incredibly friendly. He knew me for about 5 minutes and already gave me his family's phone number in Peru. His brother is the chief of police in their city in Peru and he said if I ever get in trouble I should call him and say I know his brother and he'll help me out, haha. I'll try and stay out jail though anyways.

I'm glad that nost Peruvians I have meet are so friendly. That should make living there a lot easier!

Hi

2008-05-25T21:54:00.001-07:00

To introduce myself, my name is Chris and I'm leaving in a few days for Peru. I’ll be volunteering with the Peace Corps as Small Business Promoter. Honestly, I’m still not too sure what I’ll be doing. Well, hopefully I’ll be able to do something meaningful. I wonder all the time about how Peruvians will feel about a young kid like me? I can’t imagine I would be that impressed. Haha…umm, but anyways

I’m from Virginia and just graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in commerce, or as the rest of the world would say, business. Although I really liked college, I was getting really eager towards the end to get out and see what’s in store next. I decided on the Peace Corps because I’d really like to make a career in development, especially with micro enterprises or finance. I’m pretty hopeful for some incomparable experiences these next few years.

My mom was born in Panama and most of my family still lives there. I haven’t visited in a while , but I am making an oath right now that I will make it out there sometime. Although you might not think it, Peru is actually pretty far from Panama. I did find out that another volunteer in our group, Peru-11 also has some family in Panama so maybe that will make a side trip less intimidating. My dad is from the US and he is probably more excited about Peru than I am. He acts like a little kid most of the time. He has done a ton to help me out in school and to help me prepare for Peace Corps.

As far as hobbies go I played rugby for all four years of college. I wasn’t really anything spectacular at it, but it was tons of fun and always something new. I lived in the “rugby” house my last year and I doubt that any of the conditions in Peru could be as bad as that place. It was dirty and smelly, yes, but I would not have traded living there for anywhere else. I broke my ankle in March at practice. That was no fun, especially because I couldn’t drive anywhere. I pretty much lived off of delivery Chinese food and pizza. I kind of felt like that guy in super size me. I would not recommend trying it.

Anyways, for my first post in my first blog ever I’m sure this was pretty boring. I’m still trying to figure out this whole “internet” thing, I guess its here to stay?