Me and Dora´s grandkids.Sunday, January 31, 2010
This week was far from normal for me. One could say that its events were earth shaking. However, inspite of all these crazy happenings I am still stuck in the 17th of September.
For starters I will ramble about the craziest happening thes week. Late in the afternoon of January 25, as I was preparing supper with a few of the other girls, I felt an odd sensation under my feet. It was as if the earth was quivering. A quick burst of excitment exploded into the air. ¨Was that an earthquake?¨We were all questioning this but then we felt the earth still moving around a bit. ¨Yup, it sure was...but its still going!¨Agter about a second more of gentle quivers the earth gave a bigger jolt then returned to its dormant lifeless state. But we had an earthquake...and I was lucky enough to feel it. Some of the others were walking around and missed the rattling experience. We had a pretty good little shake that lasted for several seconds. Nobody was hurt - nothing seems to have collapsed - it was great!! Later on we learned that it had been a 5.8 earthquake about with the epicenter about 12 miles away. Hooray for cool experiences.
Compared to the rest of the week, everything else just isn´t as exciting. I spent my week running around from house to house teacvhing my students about nutrition. I have about 50 students in all to visit one-on-one during the week - keeps me busy. After repeating each lesson about 50 times I have them quite memorized - these are some words in spanish that I know quite well. However, after my teaching there is usually a little time for some volleyball. - Quick little Culture Tidbit - South America may be famous for its soccer, but it is mainly the men who play. The women arte always to busy playing volleyball to even care about soccer. So every afternoon volleyball nets are set up across the streets, which are transformed into various volley courts.
For starters I will ramble about the craziest happening thes week. Late in the afternoon of January 25, as I was preparing supper with a few of the other girls, I felt an odd sensation under my feet. It was as if the earth was quivering. A quick burst of excitment exploded into the air. ¨Was that an earthquake?¨We were all questioning this but then we felt the earth still moving around a bit. ¨Yup, it sure was...but its still going!¨Agter about a second more of gentle quivers the earth gave a bigger jolt then returned to its dormant lifeless state. But we had an earthquake...and I was lucky enough to feel it. Some of the others were walking around and missed the rattling experience. We had a pretty good little shake that lasted for several seconds. Nobody was hurt - nothing seems to have collapsed - it was great!! Later on we learned that it had been a 5.8 earthquake about with the epicenter about 12 miles away. Hooray for cool experiences.
Compared to the rest of the week, everything else just isn´t as exciting. I spent my week running around from house to house teacvhing my students about nutrition. I have about 50 students in all to visit one-on-one during the week - keeps me busy. After repeating each lesson about 50 times I have them quite memorized - these are some words in spanish that I know quite well. However, after my teaching there is usually a little time for some volleyball. - Quick little Culture Tidbit - South America may be famous for its soccer, but it is mainly the men who play. The women arte always to busy playing volleyball to even care about soccer. So every afternoon volleyball nets are set up across the streets, which are transformed into various volley courts.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
I have just come to realize that I have been here for a long time...more than 6 months now actually. But I did not come to this blatant realization by looking at a calender, reminiscing of times at home or anything else normal like that. Instead it was brown sugar that brought the dawning of this thought. You see, I am so accustomed to life down here that I really am starting to forget about the things of my home land (not my friends and family though – I still have vivid mind pictures of you all). It now seems normal to me to sweep my dirt floor and to often wash my clothes by hand (however it is quite a treat to go back to Km 38 and use a real washing machine...so quick, so effortless). Anyways enough of this rambling, back to the inspiration of my realization. One of my SM buddies received some food ingredients from home so that he could make a good old family tradition recipe. I happened to see some of these ingredients on the counter and was puzzled by one ingredient in a clear little baggy. “Self,” I questioned “What on earth is this light colored smooth brown mush?” Not having a good reply for myself I asked those around me. Dane starred at me for a brief moment, them replied slowly, “Well...its brown sugar.” All of the sudden all those many hours baking cookies came rushing back to me and I realized just how long I have been in Peru. You see we have brown sugar down here but it comes in large granules and is blondy in color - completely different. But all is well down here, because homesickness still hasn't set in.
Daily life has fallen back into its normal groove. I go house to house teaching my health classes and the like. One episode that was quite hilarious this week was the meeting of Dora. I just so happened to be at the house of a student, when this other lady off in the distance started waving frantically at me and pointing off to her right. “Ven a mi casa!” Ven a mi casa proxima, di? I heard her faintly calling. I waved to her, nodded and smiled, implying that yes I would come to her house next. So she smiled, turned around and continued on her way. With that matter settled, I continued teaching....but not for long. The lady repeated this crazy process, not once, but twice more before disappearing from my view. So I finished up my lesson real quick went to this lady's house next door. I approached the house a bit hesitantly, not sure of what awaited me. But soon I found myself in the presence of Dora, an incredibly happy, bubbly lady, with absolutely no fears at all. I was a bit taken aback by her openness, because most of my students are still quite shy and reserved...but not all. Dora probably would have dragged me to her house for a friendly little chat if I had not come on my own free will. Yeah for people who are excited about life.
I believe we may be starting rainy season (even though we still have had a lot of hot days). The reason I say this is because we had a torrential down pour on Friday, and I had the pleasure of being stuck in the middle of it. Horray! You see, since the Bible workers have not yet reached the Sabbath lesson in their Bible studies, we have not held a church service out at the new site. Instead we have been splitting up and going to little churches in the surrounding area, to help out with the worship services. This past weekend I decided to help at Hierbas Buenas, which is close to our mission base at Km 38. So I got to go back to base for the weekend. Lauren was going out to base too, so we left 17 de Septiembre on Friday afternoon. All started out well, the weather was dry and nice as we climbed in the Motokar to go to the Pista (main highway). But then it started to sprinkle...then pour. Lauren and I happily bounced along in our motokar, clean and dry – but not for long. Soon we got to the Pista, paid our moto driver and proceeded to stand on the side of the road and attempt to hail a taxi...in the pouring rain (and it was South American rain too, not just or piddly US rain). We were drenched in moments, but didn't care. We were laughing and joking the whole time...and everyone was laughing at us too. What were two white girls doing drenched on the side of the highway. Normally it doesn't take very long to get a taxi, but for some odd reason, that day it did. Nobody wanted to take us 34 kilometers away – that was just way too far. So we chilled in the rain for at least 20 minutes. Several motokars and taxis offered a ride but then looked at us like we were crazy upon learning our desired destination. Or they would try to charge us outlandish prices. Finally some nice chap gave us a lift, and when we got back to Km 38 we had some nice warm tea and all was well. Which is what is great about life, it always keeps going on, no matter what happens and no matter what attitude a person chooses. So why not have fun with it all, even if you are slightly cold and soaked, find something to laugh about, even if it is just laughing with those who are laughing at you.
Daily life has fallen back into its normal groove. I go house to house teaching my health classes and the like. One episode that was quite hilarious this week was the meeting of Dora. I just so happened to be at the house of a student, when this other lady off in the distance started waving frantically at me and pointing off to her right. “Ven a mi casa!” Ven a mi casa proxima, di? I heard her faintly calling. I waved to her, nodded and smiled, implying that yes I would come to her house next. So she smiled, turned around and continued on her way. With that matter settled, I continued teaching....but not for long. The lady repeated this crazy process, not once, but twice more before disappearing from my view. So I finished up my lesson real quick went to this lady's house next door. I approached the house a bit hesitantly, not sure of what awaited me. But soon I found myself in the presence of Dora, an incredibly happy, bubbly lady, with absolutely no fears at all. I was a bit taken aback by her openness, because most of my students are still quite shy and reserved...but not all. Dora probably would have dragged me to her house for a friendly little chat if I had not come on my own free will. Yeah for people who are excited about life.
I believe we may be starting rainy season (even though we still have had a lot of hot days). The reason I say this is because we had a torrential down pour on Friday, and I had the pleasure of being stuck in the middle of it. Horray! You see, since the Bible workers have not yet reached the Sabbath lesson in their Bible studies, we have not held a church service out at the new site. Instead we have been splitting up and going to little churches in the surrounding area, to help out with the worship services. This past weekend I decided to help at Hierbas Buenas, which is close to our mission base at Km 38. So I got to go back to base for the weekend. Lauren was going out to base too, so we left 17 de Septiembre on Friday afternoon. All started out well, the weather was dry and nice as we climbed in the Motokar to go to the Pista (main highway). But then it started to sprinkle...then pour. Lauren and I happily bounced along in our motokar, clean and dry – but not for long. Soon we got to the Pista, paid our moto driver and proceeded to stand on the side of the road and attempt to hail a taxi...in the pouring rain (and it was South American rain too, not just or piddly US rain). We were drenched in moments, but didn't care. We were laughing and joking the whole time...and everyone was laughing at us too. What were two white girls doing drenched on the side of the highway. Normally it doesn't take very long to get a taxi, but for some odd reason, that day it did. Nobody wanted to take us 34 kilometers away – that was just way too far. So we chilled in the rain for at least 20 minutes. Several motokars and taxis offered a ride but then looked at us like we were crazy upon learning our desired destination. Or they would try to charge us outlandish prices. Finally some nice chap gave us a lift, and when we got back to Km 38 we had some nice warm tea and all was well. Which is what is great about life, it always keeps going on, no matter what happens and no matter what attitude a person chooses. So why not have fun with it all, even if you are slightly cold and soaked, find something to laugh about, even if it is just laughing with those who are laughing at you.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
So has closed another week. No more clinic, but still lots of people asking for medical attention. January is flying by and still the weather is the same. It seems that rainy season is not going to come. But now, since I am publishing this on the web, we will probably get solid downpours until April.(At least me hopes to trick the rain into coming). Surprisingly life is going quite well being stuck in the 17 of September (the settlement where I am living right now) each day is quite different…unlike Groundhog Day. Each day I am fortunate enough to escape into a settlement by the name of Los Jardines de Manantay or in English the gardens. The ironic thing is that there are hardly any plants or trees…quite ungarden like. This past week I spent cruising around in the dusty streets meeting people and acquiring them for my health classes. I have quite a handful of families, some 40 or so. It is nice now that my level of Spanish has improved enough that I can chat with the people without lots of pretending to understand. Not very many exciting things happened this week, life was pretty chill. Melanie and I lit a blazing inferno in front of the church (don’t worry Mom I practiced good fire techniques, nothing burned but the intended doomed branches). We were all the branches trimmed from a tree that were in the way of the newly built church. With the jungle heat and humidity added to the heat of the fire, the temperature was roasting. If we had had marshmallows they would have melted in the bag, before we even opened it. In fact the bag probably would have melted too…into one big gooey sticky yummy mess. Too bad marshmallows don’t exist down here. Any ways, that is the sum of me week, but here is an extra tidbit. My week was brightened by another new fruit – Sapote. A bright orange pumpkin-melon like fruit. I am still amazed at the crazy variety of odd fruits down here. Some are good…others are better left lost in the jungle…for the monkeys.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Clinic: Episode 3
After returning to Pucallpa, we had one crazy day to pack up the whole pharmacy and travel out to Km 4 for our next medical clinic. The clinic was a pretty normal one, no extreme cases, but lots of people who needed help. In 5 days the medical team saw 811 people. Our clinic site was a small little building (quite a bit smaller than the size of an average living room)with a dirt floor. We were quite crammed – with 2 doctor rooms, two triage rooms, a registration area, pharmacy and a laboratory making it fun to perform clinic duties. Thankfully the dental team had a little house all to their own. It was fun to complete another clinic week. I love the chance to learn more medically and have the opportunity to come in contact with so many individuals and to help them. The new area is really dusty, so lots of people had respiratory problems and we ran into many who had crazy high blood pressures, one lady had shingles, one man had a huge bulge of blood vessels on his hand, some just wanted vitamins and worm meds; however, the most interesting case was a lady who had had a piece of wood stuck in her foot for over a year. Due to the dusty conditions, Doctor took her to his clinic to do the surgery, so I didn’t get to watch, but it was still a pretty crazy case. There are always interesting things that happen during clinic (including getting woken up each morning around 2 or 3 by the line forming outside waiting for medical attention) and lots of interesting people with crazy stories. But now another clinic has passed and Tuesday the travel team will be moving out to the new location. Funny thing is that our new home is named the 17 of September…so technically I can say that I will be living in the 17 of September for the next two months, it is going to be a very long eventful day…hehehehehe.
Christmas …minus the Christmas Atmosphere
Times have been flying by….the seasons should have changed, but they have not. Christmas time came and left, yet the blistering jungle heat and humidity is still the same. It was hard to get in the Christmas spirit without the cold and the snow. But the great thing about the coming of Christmas was some free time. Lucky me got the chance to travel down south with none other than my brother, dad, mom and Andrew Vizcarra. We had a crazy fun time. The first episode of our trip was eating fresh granadilla (slimy fish egg looking fruit, that is uber delicious) from my very own back yard jungle here in Pucallpa. Then we boarded a bus and headed for the colder regions of Peru. We had some crazy bus experiences, including a few pointless bus rides and ended up flying down south, rather than taking 4 days to travel there by bus. But the experiences were all dandy. My family got to see Cusco, Machu Picchu, Arequipa, and lots of random country in between. Cusco was a classic historic city with a delicious restaurant named Jack’s. Machu Picchu was better than it is hyped up to be. When we first arrived it was completely fogged over. Needless to say we were a bit bummed. But then the fog lifted and the architecture of ages past was revealed - green grassy fields, stone remains of stone houses, llamas…and tourists. We stayed in Machu Picchu all day, walking among the ruins, chasing llamas, climbing up WaynaPicchu (the big tall mountain behind Machu Picchu) for an amazing view of Peru’s most famous tourist trap. It was absolutely amazing to be seeing, touching and smelling one of the 7 wonders of the world. Andrew, Jonathan and I had a crazy adventure trying to get to Bolivia so that I could renew my visa (My parents camped out in Cusco for an extra day) To make a long story short, we crossed the border illegally at least 5 times in the process of just trying to exit Peru and enter Bolivia. Then to add to the excitement, after successfully exciting Peru and entering Bolivia, we walked back into Peru and stayed the night there, returning to Bolivia the next day to leave the country officially. Then since it was Christmas day we decided to seek out a decent Christmas meal. So we found a local street vendor. I had some sort of warm tea (it was quite cold down south), not sure what kind, but quite delicious. Some sort of tasty tea, was my Christmas dinner, which I drank while staying illegally in Peru. What a Christmas! All too soon Christmas break was over and it was time to go back to Pucallpa. Traveling around was an epic experience. I made friends with people from Spain and Argentina and other random places in the world. It was amazing to be able to talk to people in Spanish.
One of the crazy things we did during break was go to the local market and buy bread, cheese, basil and avocado and sit and eat it in the main plaza in Arequipa. Take note that this is not something that anybody does…especially not tourists. We had some people that stared at us the entire time we were eating; others who would walk by and look, only to turn around and look again and again then proceed to laugh at us. We were definitely the most entertaining thing in the square. Nobody could figure out what on earth Americans were doing sitting on the ground, eating avocado and bread. Try it sometime…it is more fun than you think…and quite delicious. (Uncle John…next time you visit a foreign country I want to see a picture of you testing this out…)
One of the crazy things we did during break was go to the local market and buy bread, cheese, basil and avocado and sit and eat it in the main plaza in Arequipa. Take note that this is not something that anybody does…especially not tourists. We had some people that stared at us the entire time we were eating; others who would walk by and look, only to turn around and look again and again then proceed to laugh at us. We were definitely the most entertaining thing in the square. Nobody could figure out what on earth Americans were doing sitting on the ground, eating avocado and bread. Try it sometime…it is more fun than you think…and quite delicious. (Uncle John…next time you visit a foreign country I want to see a picture of you testing this out…)
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