tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18978167577040833892024-03-13T13:26:24.100-04:00Pittsburgh to PeruUneducated ramblings of an over educated individual.Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18213529052248412749noreply@blogger.comBlogger91125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897816757704083389.post-66271786622610303952014-04-01T21:00:00.000-04:002014-04-01T21:00:01.581-04:00Day One - Up Front and CenterI recently wrote a blog piece over at my current organization's blog. Check it out... http://blog.globallinks.org/?p=1464<br />
<br />Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18213529052248412749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897816757704083389.post-7330359113753550432013-03-19T13:45:00.001-04:002013-03-19T13:45:27.013-04:00Peru and TourismThe World Economic Forum just released their yearly "Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report" which reviews roughly 140 in all aspects of tourism - environment, sites, infrastructure, safety/security, price/cost. <br />
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Peru came in around the middle of the pack (73rd overall). <a href="http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_TT_Competitiveness_Report_2013.pdf" target="_blank">From the report:</a> <br />
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<i>"Peru is ranked 13th in the region, placing 73rd overall. Peru’s natural and cultural resources remain </i><i>important assets for the tourism industry. The country has one of the richest fauna in the world (3rd) and hosts several natural and cultural World Heritage sites. Peru has seen a continuous growth in tourist arrivals and international flights, even during the global recession. The effectiveness of marketing and branding to promote the T&T sector shows improvement, and government spending on the industry has increased slightly. However, in order to raise its T&T competitiveness further, safety and security must be improved (118th) and ground transport infrastructure must be upgraded (121st). Additionally, the country has lost some price competitiveness because of higher general and tourism specific taxation, most notably the high ticket taxes and airport charges (where the country ranks 135th). A more in-depth analysis of the performance of the T&T competitiveness of Peru will be conducted in a dedicated publication to be issued in April 2013, on occasion of the World Economic Forum on Latin America 2013."</i><br />
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Not really new information here. Roadways could stand to be improved, and things are just that much more expensive at tourist destinations such as Cusco. But more importantly, security is a big thing. Not even in terms of an upcoming revolution, but violent crimes such as assaults, robberies, attempted kidnapping, and rape are becoming more common (or at least getting reported moreso). Just this morning, there was a reported <a href="http://elcomercio.pe/actualidad/1552147/noticia-turista-estadounidense-fue-violada-sujeto-arequipa" target="_blank">rape on an American tourist in Arequippa</a>, and there was a string of incidents here in Trujillo the past month.<br />
Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18213529052248412749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897816757704083389.post-70012297948467658112013-02-08T09:12:00.001-05:002013-02-08T09:12:31.266-05:00Peruvian Government HolidaysReason # 763 why Peru is actually pretty great and has their s*** together.<br />
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The government released<a href="http://elcomercio.pe/actualidad/1516786/noticia-habra-seis-feriados-largos-trabajadores-sector-publico-2013"> it's list of public sector holidays </a>and beyond just having off for the normal government holidays, they also have two or three long weekends planned. Why? To encourage in-country tourism!<br />
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The first "<i>feriado largo</i>" is this Monday and Tuesday, to allow for a long weekend for people traveling in Peru for <i>carnavales </i>- a pretty big event here in Peru. While not as uhhhh fabulous(?) as Brazil, <i>carnavales </i>are popular here in Peru, especially in the <i>sierra </i>(mountain) regions in the central and northern parts of the country. Cajamarca is probably the most-widely known and copied, where all day Saturday people throw paint all over each other, all throughout the town and the streets. It's a mess! And who likes taking a night bus on Friday, getting there grumpy on Saturday only to have to sleep one night in a hostel and then return on a bus Sunday exhausted. Mondays suck a little bit harder after that kind of trip.<br />
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I'm not sure how great an effect this <i>feriado </i>will have, as a lot of people didn't really know about it until recently, but regardless it'll be appreciated by all !Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18213529052248412749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897816757704083389.post-352753043012474442013-01-30T10:40:00.002-05:002013-01-30T10:40:13.671-05:00Free T-Shirts (As Long As You Don't Care Who Won the Super Bowl)<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Well it's Superbowl time yet again, and
this shall be my fourth <span lang="es-PE">S</span>uper <span lang="es-PE">B</span>owl
here in Peru (Saints, Packers, Giants). I've always made a point of
watching it as it's a good 'coming together' event for
volunteers...<span lang="es-PE">and more so helpful that the Steelers
were in one of ém.</span> But ever since undergrad (Thank you Matt
Krain for ruining the Super Bowl), I always think about '<a href="http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/tshirttravels/film.html">T-ShirtTravels</a>' aka 'What Happens to the Pre-Made Championship T-Shirts of (<a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Africa/Africa-Monitor/2011/0215/The-Steelers-won-the-Super-Bowl-T-shirts-sent-to-Africa-say-so.">the Losing Team</a>)'.</div>
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The short of it though is that there
exists a surplus of of apparel that can't be sold in the states –
used clothes, factory errors, New England Patriots Superbowl
Championship t-shirts, etc. That surplus winds up shipped to
developing countries all over the world, and donated or sold in local
markets. This all sounds wonderful, right? Free clothes for all the
poor people!
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But who is actually naked for lack of
clothing?</div>
<a name='more'></a> And are these shirts really SWAG or something that is really doing
more harm than good. The truth is, in general, <a href="http://goodintents.org/core-posts/donating-goods-overseas">physical donations are almost never a great way to donate</a>: it costs time, money,
logistics to send the bulk goods somewhere; these goods might
actually not be needed or wanted; it can actually hurt in the long
run (and not just aid dependency).
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<br />
</div>
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One of the big ones is that the influx
of cheap (or free) goods ruins local industries. In the case of the
t-shirts, since they arrive free and can be sold for less, thus
ultimately hurting local production of clothes...people weren't naked
before all these t-shirts came along. Less production means less
output, which means the local textile business looses money. On top
of that, the workers risk loosing their jobs and even raw material
providers (cotton for example) are adversely affected because
there's less demand for their product.
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The problem therefore is the donor.
Donating physical things makes all of us feel good, since it's
something tangible (and it's a lot less painful than giving cash.
However, cash is a lot more useful to organizations as they can buy
local products and use the money where it's most needed.</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Peru, for it's part, has taken some
straightforward measures against the influx of second hand clothing –
such as making it illegal to import used clothing into the country.
How do they enforce that? Well, they do and they don't. Through the
mail system, anything weighing over 1kg is opened and checked in the
presence of the recipient. While all of my packages consist of candy
and books, I've been behind people in line who get pretty angry when
the post-office refuses to release their package even if only part of
it has used clothing. However, if missionary or volunteer groups
come and bring a large amount of t-shirts or donations, it gets a
little grayer. When coming from the airport, their items might be
searched, but might not. And I have seen a bunch of second hand
t-shirts in rural zones where I know missionary and NGO groups have
worked before.
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</div>
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It's a tricky line. People always like
free and cheaper stuff.</div>
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Read more here</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1987628,00.html#ixzz0njS4KPdm">“Bad Charity? All I Got Was ThisLousy T-Shirt”</a> </div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://aidwatchers.com/2010/04/nobody-wants-your-old-t-shirts/">“Nobody Wants Your Old T-Shirts”</a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://aidwatchers.com/2011/03/world-vision-super-bowl-shirts-the-final-chapter/">“World Vision Super Bowl Shirts”</a></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://kara-stewart.com/2011/02/pop-tarts-and-t-shirts-to-the-rescue/">“Pop Tarts and T Shirts to theRescue” </a></div>
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<br />Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18213529052248412749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897816757704083389.post-2784350572540508462013-01-25T10:35:00.002-05:002013-01-25T10:35:20.869-05:00The UN Is Actually Relevant, Change the Lenses<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Spending my formative years of higher
learning in the International Relations and Political Science
Department, it was quite common to get into a disparaging debate with
others about the perceived usefulness of the UN. The debate largely
came from the US perspective, where the UN was simply a periphery and
largely toothless actor, passing resolutions and actions that had
little impact in the real world. At best, it served a humanitarian
cause and gave an arena to discuss world issues. At worst, it
allowed the status-quo of North-South relations and was at the mercy
of a few power players.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
While I was a defender of the UN, it
was hard not to recognize all the weaknesses and criticisms that
surrounded it. Failed attempts at an international scale due to US and other super power vetoing on issues like solving global warming (Kyoto
Protocol), humanitarian intervention (Sudan), or even something
simple as equal rights (LGBT or persons with disabilities)were hard to personally resolve.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
But after spending three plus years in
Peru, the lenses changed slightly and I started understanding the UN
in a different light. Peru is a supporter of UN resolutions and in
fact uses them as basis and direction for their own national laws and
programs. Legal documents frequently site UN Resolutions,
Conventions, and Agreements as a legal base for other laws or
legislation. Furthermore, resolutions and agreements passed in the UN
are used to directly guide national agendas and laws. Even Peruvian
law and legislation is written in a remarkably similar style to UN
Resolutions with ambulatory clauses then moving on to declarations
and 'action items' (the meat of the legislation). This format could
be based on a previous template or rule style, or could simply be
common practice in other countries as well.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
It makes sense on a lot of levels. For
one, with limited resources available, it's a form of outsourcing for
Peru to use the UN to write legislation that the country can later
adapt instead of having it clogging up the already congested Peruvian
bureaucracy. Most of what is passed in the UN is technical, as well
and considers marginalized populations, so that makes it passing in
Peru that much easier. Further, a mountain of international
organizations work in Peru; such as do-gooder NGOS, the United
Nations Development Program, UNICEF, UNESCO, but also 'hard'
organizations such as the International Labor Organization, the
International Court of Justice (country to country disputes), the
World Trade Organization. Operating under UN legislation makes it
easier for organizations to function under known framework – but
maybe that's a bit stretch as Peruvian bureaucracy and the legal
system are challenging. Regardless, with so many international
actors and organizations working with the Peruvian government, it
makes sense to be working under international norms and standards.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Model UN Geek in me content, and
I'm sure Kent Kille is as well. </div>
Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18213529052248412749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897816757704083389.post-35828056299339625512012-12-05T12:11:00.001-05:002012-12-05T12:11:20.889-05:00Happy Volunteer Day<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><b>Let us also remember that volunteering can embrace all people, from the activist who works full-time for a cause to the occasional citizen who reaches out when he or she can. Each sets an example of the spirit of compassion we need. Each makes a valuable contribution to reaching our common goals</b></span></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Founded on the values of solidarity and mutual trust, volunteerism transcends all cultural, linguistic and geographic boundaries. By giving their time and skills without expectation of material reward, volunteers themselves are uplifted by a singular sense of purpose.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </span></b></blockquote>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i> Ban Ki-Moon</i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>Secretary General of the United Nations </i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><a href="http://www.un.org/en/events/volunteerday/2012/sgmessage.shtml">Full Statement Here</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><br /></i></div>
Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18213529052248412749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897816757704083389.post-18716707872239847832012-10-03T16:45:00.000-04:002012-10-03T16:45:19.213-04:00Dusting out the cobwebs<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sure is
quiet over in these parts….<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There’s
been a hiatus of posts around here. What
happened? Unlike most of my cohorts from Peru 14, I’m still here in Peru. I’m
still a Peace Corps Volunteer. But most
of you reading this probably already knew this.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So why the
lapse? No real good reason, really.
There’s always a million excuses. Maybe it had to do with me working at
a computer full time, thus throwing off the shin of sitting down to churn out
blog posts? Maybe it was that I was living in the big city, and had many other
bright shiny distractions? Could be. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But I’ve,
in a way, missed writing here. Blogging
during my first two years allowed a more analytical side to come out. It
allowed me to keep writing (something I did a ton of at Wooster), making it
easier to jot out entries. But after
lapsing for so long, it’s hard to get motivation and jump over the
first big hurdle to anything – starting. So I avoided it. It’s usually easier to not do something,
right? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This isn’t
a vow to return to blogging, nor is it me waving goodbye. I’m planning to stick around Peru for a
little whiles longer, but more on that later. Maybe, if I get around to it.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18213529052248412749noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897816757704083389.post-35599024059275575442012-05-28T19:15:00.001-04:002012-05-28T19:15:37.858-04:00Great Packing Advice for Peru 19 & Peru 20<br>From <a href="http://zenhabits.net/empty">http://zenhabits.net/empty </a>
<br>Written by Leo Babauta.<br><br>
<blockquote>
"We often load ourselves up when we travel, because we want to be prepared for various situations. This burden of being prepared leaves us with our arms full, unable to receive whatever is there when we arrive. <br> <br>
It leaves us tired from carrying, so that we are not happy when we meet someone new on our travels.
What if we traveled with empty hands, ready to embrace new experiences, receive new foods, touch new people?
We might feel less prepared when we leave, but the preparedness is an illusion. Stuff doesn’t make us prepared. Having empty hands but a heart that is full of love leaves us prepared for anything.<br><br>
This doesn’t just apply to taking a trip, but to living each day. Each day is a journey, and we load ourselves up with material possessions, with tasks and projects, with things to read and write, with meetings and calls and texts. Our hands are full, not ready for anything new.<br>
Drop everything, be open to everything.<br>
Enter each day empty-handed, and full-hearted." </blockquote><br>Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18213529052248412749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897816757704083389.post-87872058852367552642012-03-09T19:08:00.001-05:002012-03-09T19:08:33.209-05:00Toughest Job You'll Ever Love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LspnQsg_riA/T1qa3NoUJeI/AAAAAAAAAPA/OmGlZ1KbqAw/s1600/GEDC0105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="472" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LspnQsg_riA/T1qa3NoUJeI/AAAAAAAAAPA/OmGlZ1KbqAw/s640/GEDC0105.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I present to you, the view down the street from my Lima apartment. </div>Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18213529052248412749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897816757704083389.post-67194988615611433192012-01-30T11:59:00.000-05:002012-01-30T11:59:56.653-05:00Been Away, but Now I'm Back Today<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Well, I finished up my service in Sausal, moved all my sh*t to Lima, put it in storage, grabbed my plane ticket and I've been home since December 22<sup>nd</sup> and returning to Peru this evening. One of the perks of sticking around for a third year is that you earn a round trip ticket and 30 days home leave. So I definitely took advantage of this, tacked on a few extra days of vacation and have got to relax with family and friends.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Is it weird being back? Well yes and no. I was home for a week in May for a wedding, but time blurred by – there was always somewhere to go, someone inviting me to a beer. Being home for much longer is a bit more relaxed. And the readjustment curve isn't as drastic since we don't exactly live in the bush in Peru. But in some aspects, it has been a bit odd, overwhelming, and agitating. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yqTwN34RVq8/TybMJ6h_0-I/AAAAAAAAAO0/xueBl1vhLmk/s1600/600full-garden-state-screenshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yqTwN34RVq8/TybMJ6h_0-I/AAAAAAAAAO0/xueBl1vhLmk/s320/600full-garden-state-screenshot.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
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The best example I can give is my boxing gym. I've boxed at this gym since I was 16 and keep going back. So naturally one of the first things I did after Xmas is show up and start working out again. It's under new ownership and now shares it's space with a barbell club and a kettle ball/fitness club. And they fixed all the leaks in the roof. But the same heavy bags, rind, timer with a busted light, and hell even a lot of familiar faces are still showing up and remembering who I am (even without my golden mane). So while there's some minor changes, it's still largely the same.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">And that's how it is to be back in the States after two years absence. Sure, details have changed. My friends are finishing up grad school, have steady jobs, and one is getting married. My cousins moved houses and my grandma's house is vacant. People change jobs, but they don't change too much. And that's the thing with family and good friends – while some of the details are different, I'm back in the mix of things like I haven't missed a beat. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">My punk band reconvened for an afternoon basement session and then more friends converged to Pittsburgh to spend New Year's weekend together. Most of us haven't seen each other since graduating Wooster almost three years ago, and even then only in small group settings. We even lucked out as our Navy buddy was in town for a rare appearance. We talked. We drank. We ate. It was good. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">It's the same with the family. Although I haven't been around for awhile, most of the details haven't changed. Sure, I'm usually out of the loop on anything that has happened in the past months. That's bound to happen. But regardless, it's as warm and welcoming as ever. We talked. We drank. We ate. And it was good. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The biggest adjustment, and I expect it's similar with many RPCVs, is finding a new purpose while being at home. Since the days aren't action packed when you're home for a month, sometimes there's really nothing to do. At site, I was always busy visiting families, attending meetings and any number of activities. I had things to do. I was working. But here, I've been more restless – maybe there's somewhere to go in the evening, or at least a drive out to the gym and a 90 minute work out, but slowly I've started to realize that my life is more defined by Peace Corps and Peru than I thought. A significant chunk of my social circle is now south of the equator, as is the past two years of my life. A lot of my stories have the word Peru or volunteer in the first two sentences. And some of the stuff I talk about (how awesome it was to have a washer, combi stories, dry composting bathrooms) simply don't register with people like they did in Peru. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Being home has been great. Living abroad for 2+ has given me time to be more reflective, and I realize that while they're not highly vocal, my family is truly my biggest supporter. Leaving and saying goodbye at the airport gate wasn't too difficult when I first left the States, but this time is going to be a little more difficult. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
Hasta manana, Peru.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div>Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18213529052248412749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897816757704083389.post-89642042975091752712012-01-25T15:24:00.002-05:002012-01-26T11:22:46.471-05:00Hasta Luego to Honduras - But It Was the Right Call<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">No doubt that Peace Corps has had a rough year or so in the media. While they've celebrated their 50<sup>th</sup> Anniversary, they've also been subject to much <a href="http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/02/22/corps_concerns)" target="_blank">more scrutiny</a> as than in the past, and rightly so. We've seen the unfortunate death of a PCVs in <a href="http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.media.press.view&news_id=1921" target="_blank">Paraguay</a> and <a href="http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.media.press.view&news_id=1934" target="_blank">Mozambique </a>from auto accidents, and <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/22/world/americas/peace-corps-cuts-back-in-honduras-guatemala-and-el-salvador.html?_r=1&ref=peacecorps" target="_blank">most notable the suspension of the Honduras program</a>, and that Guatemala and El Salvador are no longer receiving new training groups. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And the story is pretty intense, and so is one volunteer's response.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></div><a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you didn't hear about what caused the suspension in Honduras, it was largely because those three countries had the highest rates of crime and murders, and PCVs were increasingly becoming targets of crime. <a href="http://coralshondurashappenings.blogspot.com/2011/09/what-else-is-there-left-for-them-to.html" target="_blank">In fact, the director of PCCentral/South America created a mandate that said Honduras volunteerswere no longer allowed to gather in large groups because they werebecoming large targets for crim</a>e. The final straw was when a PCV was caught in the crossfire of a shoot out on a <a href="http://coralshondurashappenings.blogspot.com/2011/12/tragic-case-of-being-in-wrong-place-at.html" target="_blank">bus robbery gone bad</a> (I believe the bus was also on a common route used by PCVs). While the robbery was just run of the mill, PCVs shouldn't have to worry if a gun fight will break out while they're on a bus. Thankfully, the volunteer was hit in the leg and the injury isn't life threatening. Worst (?), <a href="http://www.laprensa.hn/Secciones-Principales/Sucesos/En-asalto-mueren-tres-policias-y-un-pasajero" target="_blank">the passengers whobegan the firefight were police officers</a>. And with that, PC made the decision to close up shop in Honduras. I'm not sure what the breakdown is, but volunteers are generally offered the chance to transfer to another country or to early-terminate, and it largely depends on how long the volunteer has left in his/her service.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-metzker-peace-corps-in-central-america-20120116,0,5317022.story?mid=57" target="_blank">One Hondurus PCV had a piece publishedin the opinion section of the LA Times</a>. In it, he says that volunteers were safer than it seems. He concedes that volunteers (and gringos in general) were targets for theft and robbery, and that it is commonplace for volunteers to be robbed during their service, but the vast majority are non-violent events. While crime happens, it's usually low key and nothing more than a hassle, as the volunteer has to deal with the police and insurance companies.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And up until that point, I agree with Metzker. While the majority of volunteers I know have been robbed during their two years of service, most of the time it's a simple pick-pocket or bags getting stolen on a bus or while waiting at the station. Usually, the robberies are planned and involve multiple people (to district, to shield the con, and to execute), and that's all the thieves want. They're not looking for a fight. A few times, here in Peru, volunteers have been assaulted or threatened with a gun or a knife, but as far as I know those have passed without the volunteer being stabbed/shot. And unfortunately, there's been a few incidents of assault on a volunteer, including sexual assault and rape since I've been in Peru. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It's a sad reality. While we're greeted into the country and communities simply on the basis of being foreign, we're also targets since we tend to stand out in the crowd. And while there are ways to prevent crimes (be aware of your surroundings, easy on the drinking, go home at a reasonable hour and in groups), it happens. But then again, unfortunately I know people who have been raped and sexually assaulted here in the States. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">However, the Metzker aruges that pulling out of Honduras was wrong on two accounts. Firstly, he states that “A<span style="color: black;">ssaults, sexual and otherwise, are probably more likely to happen to us here in Guatemala than in the U.S. (depending on where in the States we hail from), but that's sort of part of the deal [volunteers] sign up and agree to come, fully cognizant of the risks.” </span> </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: black;">Excuse me? Yes, I agree there are some inherent risks from living and working abroad. However, we don't sign up with intentions to get robbed or sexually assaulted. That's just asinine. While come in knowing things are going to be different, dangerous even; but I don't recall ever consenting to get robbed when I joined. And even moreso, getting robbed on a bus is one thing. It happens. Being caught in a fire-fight on a crowded bus, however, is not part of the hustle and bustle of a developing country, and not something many aid organizations subject their employees to. </span> </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: black;">Rather, a fire-fight on a public bus in the middle of the day goes to show the level of insecurity in the country, and isn't fair to volunteers. We sign up knowing that we'll be in rough conditions, but not to put our lives on the line. </span> </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: black;">The second argument the author makes is that leaving Honduras brings a bad image to the Peace Corps in-country and reverses the work volunteers have accomplished. What were to happen if the a more serious injury occurred to the volunteer? Or what if Peace Corps had not pulled out and a similar incident occurred with worse ends? And who's to say it wouldn't? </span> </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: black;">With the Peace Corps dealing with greater public scrutiny, and budget cuts – Peace Corps needs to acknowledge what's working and more importantly what isn't working. Is it worth Peace Corps resources to be spent in a country with high levels of violence (in general) and a possible conflict zone? Contrary to what we believe, Peace Corps won't prevent violence in a country. Aid and development in conflict zones are complex and difficult, and not something that the Peace Corps is capable to do. Aid agencies who work in high conflict zones have 4x4s and security details. Peace Corps rides the bus. </span> </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And lastly, the program is suspended, not shut down thus allowing the opportunity to quickly re-open the post if conditions approve. But right now, while there's no specific threats against volunteers, it's clear from the rising crime rates against PCVs and having volunteers getting injured in cross-fire that it was in Peace Corps best interests to suspend the program and put the volunteers' safety first and foremost. </span></span></div>Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18213529052248412749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897816757704083389.post-49783687957094132692012-01-17T20:34:00.002-05:002012-01-19T23:41:09.427-05:00In the meantime, read this....New post on its way shortly. In the mean time, I highly suggest you read <a href="http://nogoingback-thereisonlyforward.blogspot.com/">this account from a volunteer who recently contracted HIV during her service</a>. Really powerful reading. Read all of it. Seriously.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jasp74gK2k0/TxjuktNvFLI/AAAAAAAAAOc/N3-m345LH_k/s1600/Bracelet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jasp74gK2k0/TxjuktNvFLI/AAAAAAAAAOc/N3-m345LH_k/s1600/Bracelet.jpg" /></a></div>Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18213529052248412749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897816757704083389.post-41093342068274759612011-11-28T09:21:00.001-05:002011-11-28T09:21:56.808-05:00Two Years Goes By Quickly<p align="justify">Two years can seem like an eternity.  Or rather, two years is a long time for someone only a quarter of a century old.  Two years is imperceptible and can seem especially slow moving given the abrupt change of pace, the change of settings, the unfamiliarity and being so far away from the familiar.  </p> <p align="justify">Even months or a year in, two years is incalculable in many ways.  Only until the Peace Corps COS (close of service) conference three months before your departure date, where all the volunteers from your promotion gather around and get the low-down on the readjustment process, does it slowly start to sink in that your time is coming to a close.  Your friends are all organizing their plans, trips around the continent or rushing home for Thanksgiving or Christmas.  And slowly, people start leaving. </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--vftibVes0Q/TtOYc6swjDI/AAAAAAAAANk/2hW_EG5_YCs/s1600-h/DSC04934%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC04934" border="0" alt="DSC04934" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-T6N7y7oMXOA/TtOYlsbcr2I/AAAAAAAAANs/PsVsHy8ZoFo/DSC04934_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="375" height="253" /></a></p> <p align="justify">Back at site, people are equally starting to get sad.  Inevitably, people have gotten used to the big tall <em>gringo</em> or the weird looking <em>mozungu</em> walking around and can’t really understand why you want to leave.  What’s wrong with our town? It’s nice, peaceful.  You’ll have a good life here!</p> <div align="justify"> <a name='more'></a> </div> <p align="justify">The generally agreed upon rule (at least in PC/Peru) is that the first year drags on, and the second goes by in a flash.  The first year you’re still establishing yourself, trying to get things moving.  You’re still getting a handle on the language, on the culture, on how things move and flow.  </p> <p align="justify">But by year two, things are rolling.  There’s a little more routine to your day, or at least a few less sucker punches and curveballs.  Or maybe you just learn how to hit the curveballs and absorb the sucker punches.  And then your time is up.   </p> <p align="justify">This is at least what happened to me.  While the first year was good, parts dragged on and it was hard to justify one year and feeling like you did nothing, especially when some days were filled with just that (nothing).  But year 2 hits and things start running.  I’m even thinking back to January and traveling through Arequipa with another volunteer, and it seemed so recent. </p> <p align="justify">   <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-CvE8xXJvUFY/TtOY56IWXEI/AAAAAAAAAN0/OnZR6U6RZ48/s1600-h/2011-04-18%252520010%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="2011-04-18 010" border="0" alt="2011-04-18 010" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-67zROwovVng/TtOY8ODaU8I/AAAAAAAAAN8/lyA1DOhrFgo/2011-04-18%252520010_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="408" height="233" /></a></p> <p align="center"><em>The view from my roof</em></p> <p align="justify">But alas, the COS has come and gone in September, and my fellow volunteers(friends) have been slowly trickling out of the system for the last month or so onto their next step, whatever that may be.   </p> <p align="justify">And me? Well, I’m extending service and thusly will be moving down to the big city of Lima to work as a Peace Corps Volunteer Coordinator.  My job will mostly entail working in the PC/P office to support two generations of volunteers in the WATSAN program (including site visits), planning training events, and working on programming related matters (compiling stats, working to improve the program).  I’ll also be part-time with a partner organization, but no solid details on that as of yet.  </p> <p align="justify">So I’m in my final fortnight at site.  My family was sad because they saw I was cleaning my room, starting to get rid of clutter to make packing a little bit easier.  Conversations with people I’ve grown close to always have a hint of sadness in them, and I’m coming to the realization of limits I’m facing and what will simply have to be passed off to the new volunteer in my site.  </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-5EHsUmM1ybM/TtOY_bXOSGI/AAAAAAAAAOE/VM8iTqsGmvU/s1600-h/Stuff%252520and%252520Things%2525202011-03-30%252520001%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="Stuff and Things 2011-03-30 001" border="0" alt="Stuff and Things 2011-03-30 001" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-CNRg1PHyFA4/TtOZA-7rWQI/AAAAAAAAAOM/ovyckSyqsoE/Stuff%252520and%252520Things%2525202011-03-30%252520001_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="414" height="238" /></a></p> <p align="center"><em>Looking down the main street of Sausal</em></p> <p align="justify">And there’s still the feeling that I could’ve stayed, and I could accomplish a lot with a third year in site.  And it’s true – I have a working relationship with the health post and both municipalities.  We could definitely get something off the ground.   I have a loving family and a place to lay my head. But at the same time, my time is up.  The replacement comes into town today, and from there it’s the two-week transition, fill up my backpack and then an ‘Hasta Luego’.  </p> <p>Leaving won’t be easy – I’ve made a bit of a life here the past two years.  But there’s always a good reason for the sadness. </p> Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18213529052248412749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897816757704083389.post-75143020598196352672011-11-02T19:07:00.001-04:002011-11-02T19:07:35.779-04:00The ups and downs of Peace Corps<p align="justify"><em>(+51): Bad news: the hardware store hasn’t delivered any of the materials and looks like we’ll be at least one more day behind.  Good news: lomo saltado for lunch.</em></p> <p align="justify"><em></em></p> <p align="justify">One of the many lessons I’ve learned about any Peace Corps experience, a universal fact, if you will, is that you will experience highs and lows.  The highs will be high, and the lows will be low.  And, they might be with you for hours or days and can easily change even hour to hour.  </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-FYwdl49t4RY/TrHNH9ERvsI/AAAAAAAAANI/IfHOK6tCRoA/s1600-h/hallowmantis%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="display: inline; float: left" title="mantis" alt="mantis" align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-QS_FydXznr0/TrHNM8MjREI/AAAAAAAAANQ/MQfV_5Hp3eA/hallowmantis_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="240" height="192" /></a>That was today.  I woke up early (5:45am) to wait for a bus into recover my cell phone from a doctor who was handing it off before he went further up the road in the bus.  You see, my phone fell out of my pocket on Saturday and thankfully he picked it up and instead of simply turning it off and selling the phone, he held on to it and agreed to return it.  Didn’t even take a bill I tried to sneak into his hand.  So good start to the day. Next was frantically calling families to tell them that the truck was coming up today to drop off building materials for the bathrooms.  Then I call the Muni to see what time we’re going, and I’m told it ain’t happening today (see above text).</p> <p align="justify">The dry bathroom project has been sucking the fun out of me for the last few months.  Various bureaucratic roadblocks have held up the works, and now we’re dealing with hardware store problems.  That problem is the hardware store gladly accepted the Municipality’s money and then informed us it’ll be a few days to deliver all the materials (it was a bulk order).  But it still hasn’t come.  What kind of hardware store doesn’t have bricks or can’t get 100 bags of cement in a week?</p> <p align="justify">So that left me pretty furious at Peru.  I went on up to visit the health post to get a change of scenery, and talked with the Doctor about this and that,  and calmed down a bit, then went over to my community partner’s house to pass on the bad news.  She invited me in, and we talked while she was cooking.  And without even asking or saying anything, she set down a huge plate of noodles and a juice and I dug in.  After a while, we were talking about other things, joking about this and that, and then after awhile I left her house.  I stormed up to her house pretty frustrated and angry, but even without resolution to my frustration, I left a lot calmer and happier.  That’s how it is.</p> <p align="justify">Some days, you’ll hate Peace Corps and the host country.  You get tired of the jokes that aren’t funny, a culture that isn’t yours, little kids staring at you. And other days, you’re making the stupid jokes, felling like a rock star walking down the street with everyone calling your name.  There’s days you think about packing your bags and leaving, and other days where you think you could definitely stay here awhile.  </p> Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18213529052248412749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897816757704083389.post-50778784307893536722011-10-12T11:26:00.001-04:002011-10-12T11:26:16.471-04:00I Can Identify Elephants<p align="justify">I have never seen an elephant before in my life. Well, <strike>I’ve never seen an elephant  in person before (</strike>but I have been to the zoo), but I’ve seen pictures in biology text books, read articles in National Geographic, and seen TV shows involving elephants in some way.  So much, that I dare say I can identify one in a picture or in real life if the opportunity so arose.</p> <p align="justify">In fact, I bet that if you’re reading this you are easily imagining an elephant right now; with long ears, the big nose, thick grey leathery skin (or pink if you’ve been drinking), possibly rolling on top of some kind of circus ball.   </p> <p align="justify">But not everyone can readily identify an elephant.  </p> <p align="justify">And to be fair, it’s odd that I know a lot about elephants even though I’ve never really studied them, and that none live or roam anywhere I’ve ever been in the world.  But I realized today that identifying elephants is not the easiest task in the world, especially if you’ve never seen an elephant. </p> <a name='more'></a> <p align="justify">Max is around my age, and has a wife and two young daughters. He had a few years of schooling, but nothing to brag about.  But he does well – he runs a small store in his house, the only one in his small community.  I first got to know him and his family during the <em>Viviendas Saludables</em> project and through conducting the house visits.  They completed the project and contributed to their dry bathroom, so I got to spend a lot of time with them just talking and sharing a few meals (his wife always serves me a second helping which is usually bigger than the first plate).</p> <p align="justify">So while I was waiting for the bus, which comes every two hours or so, I was just chilling in Max’s store and I pulled out a National Geographic magazine someone had sent me, and we got to an article about an elephant orphanage.  And Max asked me;</p> <p align="justify">“Mateo, what’s that animal?”</p> <p align="justify">“An elephant.  Haven’t you ever seen a picture of an elephant before?”</p> <p align="justify">“No.  Do they live near you?”</p> <p align="justify">Then there was an article on Antarctica.  Same thing; Max nor his wife really didn’t know what Antarctica is, why it’s special or where it was.  Then there was a picture of camels, and while Max couldn’t identify them, he saw pictures of them carrying heavy loads and made the assumption that they were like llamas. </p> <p align="justify">That’s when I realized I had been (lucky enough to be) know about such a wide world.  Between high school and the internet (not to mention college), I could pretty much ‘travel’ anywhere.  My world view was wider and knew more concretely of other places even though I had never been.  Max knew there were places outside of where he lived, outside of Peru.  But that topic rarely came up – probably no one else in his town had heard of elephants or camels and really had no reason to.  It wasn’t very likely they were ever going to run into one, and schools in rural places focus on teaching the basics – and without many visual aids and understanding of a wide world, science can be pretty confusing.  </p> <p align="justify">So when I was with Max, to me what was just pawing around a National Geographic to kill time and break the silence, it was opening a whole new world for him.  But it reminded me that the world is very big and very different, and I’ve just been lucky enough to know a few small parts of it.</p> Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18213529052248412749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897816757704083389.post-34727068327653297262011-10-02T13:37:00.000-04:002011-10-03T16:55:22.375-04:00imadouche<p align="justify">I was a douche to a Peruvian the other day.  Not that I’m not a douche on other days (gringo, Peruvian or other), but this time it was under no fault of the Peruvian.  You see Hugo was at the health post the same time I was. It was late on a Friday afternoon:  I was at the health post for the health promoter meeting, and he was there for reasons unknown to me.  I had never seen him before and didn’t know who he was or why he was at the post.  And Hugo didn’t do a single thing wrong.  In fact, he was nice to me.  He asked me where I was from, what I was doing at the health post and  if I liked Peru and the food, etc.  And that’s why I was a douche….</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3zwCtxOO-Lg/ToohEDfVoTI/AAAAAAAAAMs/YzrxC7q3atA/s1600-h/Douche1.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="Douche" border="0" alt="Douche" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-MN1rNrVOYlk/ToohHB1WobI/AAAAAAAAAMw/kEYZC9guc5c/Douche_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="107" height="193" /></a>      <br />But let me explain myself….</p> <a name='more'></a> <p>I’ve been in Peru over two years now, living in the same community for a bit under that threshold. Living here two years, where most people know your (and my) name gives you a feeling of belonging. </p> <p>But still during all this time, there’s still someone who asks me:  </p> <p> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" width="400"><tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="183">‘Who are you?’  </td> <td valign="top" width="217"> <p align="right">Mateo, Peace Corps blah blah 2 years blah blah…’</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="183">‘What are you doing here?’</td> <td valign="top" width="217"> <p align="right">‘blah blah blah blah’</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="183">‘How do you like Peru?’</td> <td valign="top" width="217"> <p align="right">‘It’s good.’ </p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="183">‘Have you adjusted?’ </td> <td valign="top" width="217"> <p align="right">‘I’ve lived here two years’</p> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> </p> <p align="justify">During the first months, all of these questions are expected and even if you don’t speak well, you have your little Peace Corps speech memorized about who you are, what you’re doing, etc. And it’s nice that people are actually taking an interest in you.</p> <p align="justify">But after awhile, it gets to be a broken record for the volunteer. <em>‘I’ve been here for two years! I’m not a visitor!’  </em>While whoever is asking has the nicest intentions, getting these repetitive (and seemingly non-profound) questions is frustrating.  From the Peruvian, they’re genuine questions.  But from the volunteer who’s been in the field for x number of months, it’s constantly explaining yourself.  </p> <p align="justify">It’s irritating, because you hate being taken for a tourist or someone ‘just visiting’. You live here, you eat the food. You live with a family! Don’t they get it by now! Haven’t they seen you before? Asked someone about you? You’ve come to your community for something much bigger but yet you’re still explaining yourself a year into it.</p> <p align="justify">And one of the best strategies I’ve found is usually somebody I’m with will chime in and start commenting about something I’ve done in town to build my street cred, and also taking a bit of the weight off of me.</p> <p align="justify">***</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-4fP-O3d9N60/ToohKFDvyzI/AAAAAAAAAM0/PuiYGueKCNg/s1600-h/douche-15.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="douche (1)" border="0" alt="douche (1)" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-NtoTE5aEmks/ToohNAEU03I/AAAAAAAAAM4/fmkEufk91S4/douche-1_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="380" height="294" /></a></p> <p align="justify">So earlier on Friday I was waiting in my municipality to talk with the mayor. The municipal building is just three rooms with a waiting area.  And while waiting for her that day, no less than four different people asked me the standard set of questions as they passed through to pay their utility bills.  </p> <p align="justify">And then later in the afternoon, while I was trying to talk with welders about fixing the doors on the community reservoir, one of their visiting buddies ran the gauntlet with questions.</p> <p align="justify">So by the time I got to the health post, I was over it.  And there I am just chilling in the waiting room of the health post, talking on and off with the staff until they scurry off.  And there’s Hugo just kind of staring at me.  And he started asking me the gauntlet of questions, to which I gave short answers to try to curtail any follow up and finally a quick speech about how I’ve been here two years – more to justify myself than whatever he was asking – and then pulled out my phone and walked away to make a non-important call.   </p> <p align="justify">A little bit later, I find out Hugo just wasn’t some random dude, but he was the new dentist who was going to be working there a couple days a week.  I felt likeadouche.</p> <p align="justify">Why? Because it shouldn’t matter whether he was a random Peruvian or someone I work with, I really had no reason to be so short, so <em>frio</em> with him.  But I was.  </p> Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18213529052248412749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897816757704083389.post-38211150367510324982011-09-12T21:40:00.001-04:002011-09-12T21:40:38.922-04:00Buying Wood<p align="justify">I remember a while ago, during a presentation on his field work in Nicaragua, a certain professor mentioned that you shouldn’t expect to get more than two things done during the day while in Managua.  </p> <p>I thought about that as I rode the bus home today around 4pm, after a long and drawn out journey to buy wood and tin sheets for bathrooms.</p> <p align="justify">You see, buying wood (or anything) isn’t as easy as walking into Home Depot, loading it into a cart and then packing it up into the SUV (although Sodimac, a South American hardware store, bears an eerie resemblance to Home Depot right down to the signage).  Nope.  First off, in small towns it’s <strike>hard</strike> impossible to get wood.  Long pieces of 2x4s are coveted more than precious metals.  And you just can’t go to a <em>carpintero</em> (carpenter). Why?  They only <em>work</em> with wood, not sell it. Duh!  So instead, I had to journey out to the regional capital just to get wood for some simple door frames.</p> <p align="justify">I'll give you a play by play of my day, the journey to get wood (heh)….</p> <p align="justify"><img style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" src="http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/image/images/small-bnb.gif" /></p> <a name='more'></a> <br clear="all" /> <p>6:00am: Wake up, breakfast of coffee and bread.</p> <p>6:45am: Get on a bus for Trujillo with Colver who saved me a seat(husband of my community health promoter who volunteered to go with me).</p> <p>8:50am: Arrive to Trujillo.  Luckily there’s 3 <em>madederas</em> all near each other. We got to get some price quotes and find a winner.</p> <p>9:00am: Place an order with the wood cutter.  The lumber is raw, so they cut it to whatever dimensions you ask for.  It’s a little confusing if you’re not to familiar with the process, but between my basic woodshop skills and technical theatre I was able to <em>manejar.</em>  They’re going to take 30 minutes to get it ready. Cool. Second breakfast.</p> <p>9:10am: Colver and I grab a juice and sandwich down the street. </p> <p>9:15am:  I remember I need some big sheets of tin for the bathroom roofs.  We go to hunt nearby hardware stores.  We checked with 5 and none had the type we needed. Oh well.</p> <p>9:50am: Lumber’s ready, looks good. We get a taxi to drag us to the bus station.  </p> <p>10:15am: Get to the bus station.  Unload the car and find out that the next bus doesn’t leave until 2pm.  Nope – we get another taxi and go to another bus station hoping for better luck.</p> <p>10:30am: Arrive at new bus station. Next bus leaves at noon. Alright, let’s go for it.  Kill time by going to a gas station and buy some Cokes, pineapple and a newspaper. Call ahead to make sure we have two lunches waiting for us when we arrive at 2pm.</p> <p>11:15am: Damn kids running around the bus station like it’s some kind of playground.</p> <p>12:00pm: Bus shows up, we load everything on.</p> <p>12:15pm: Bus leaves.</p> <p>12:20pm: Bus is pulled over by the police for inspection.  They go around to all the males and ask them for their national identity cards to run them through some kind of felon database.  If you don’t have a card, the police just go to the next person.  Criminal honor system, I guess.</p> <p>12:30pm: Back on the road.</p> <p>1:45pm: Arrive at destination.  Have to haul the wood about half a mile to get from the road to the town.</p> <p>2:00pm: Sit down to lunch. I assumed it was rabbit with a side of lentils and rice, purple corn juice Kool-Aid.</p> <p>2:15pm: Colver and I go to see if we can install any of the doors.  Those who have their bathrooms walls put up all made the space for their doors too small, so they need to go back and take care of it.  </p> <p>2:45pm: We put the wood in the school for safekeeping, take one set over a family that lives far away.</p> <p>3:00pm: Arrive at their house.  Same deal as the ones before, but the husband said he’ll take care of it now that the wood is there.  </p> <p>3:30pm: Head down to the road to wait for the bus.  </p> <p>4:15pm: A car rolls by with the police behind it.  The police make everyone get out of their car while they stay in their truck.  What’s going on?</p> <p>4:20pm: Bus rolls by, we get on and so does one of the passengers from the detained vehicle.</p> <p>4:50pm: Back in Sausal.  Pass Colver some money for his help, and retire for the day.</p> <p>Clock it: 10 hours just to get wood.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-JE33DNmT8bE/Tm60ZAex-OI/AAAAAAAAAMk/Trmz6CReKV8/s1600-h/4838652755_3432bf2177%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="4838652755_3432bf2177" border="0" alt="4838652755_3432bf2177" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-OM_ZKtNNwD4/Tm60cErcyDI/AAAAAAAAAMo/f0ncJhXNgA8/4838652755_3432bf2177_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="308" height="249" /></a></p> Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18213529052248412749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897816757704083389.post-26660120274643413942011-08-28T12:27:00.000-04:002011-08-28T12:51:40.317-04:00Your Best Resource<p align="justify">About this time two years ago, I (yes, I, faithful readers) was scouring the interwebs for blogs from current volunteers about what it was like living in Peru, living in rural areas, and what volunteers <em>DID</em>.   In the process, I remember stumbling over one blog that gave me a little fright.  It was a WATSAN volunteer’s blog, and he wrote about doing survey work to improve a waterlines (or something along the theme) in the community. Survey work? Sounds like engineering!  Fuck.  I look on the dude’s profile, and he’s a Master’s International Student in Engineering and has a giant beard. I qualified for WATSAN with skills as a carpenter in a college theatre and mediocre Spanish grades. I am neither an engineer nor a facial hair grower.  How am I going to survive in Peru (a fear reverberated by most other volunteers, especially sans beard)?</p> <p align="justify">(First off) Well, two years later I gotta say – it didn’t matter that I wasn’t an engineer. My job (and most Peace Corps jobs) didn’t require being engineer but rather just being a leader.  Being a leader in the community and knowing how to talk to people.  So when I didn’t know something and I hit a wall.  I did have some good resources. </p> <p align="justify">I’ll let you in on a little hint: your best resource is….</p> <div align="justify"> <a name='more'></a> </div> <p align="justify">….fellow volunteers.</p> <p align="justify">That engineering student <br />The volunteer with an MPH <br />The volunteer who worked in construction for six years before becoming a volunteer <br />The volunteer who has been in Peru a year <br />The volunteer who lived 30 minutes away and worked with kids <br />The volunteers who stuck around longer than they were supposed to</p> <p align="justify"> </p> <p align="justify">They were all here to help out one another.  The thing is, no matter how many training modules you go through – pre-service training, early in-service training (month 4), project design/management (month 5/6), in-service training (month 9) – it’s never enough. It never really applies to your setting, especially considering all the variables involved about working in community based development (which is what all volunteers do, regardless of program).  And while our tech trainers are great, they come from different backgrounds that might not apply in some cases. Our APCDs are always open to help us, but they’re in Lima and can only offer limited advice.  Sure, there’s resources on the interwebs (look at the bottom of the post for some of the WATSAN stuff) but PDFs only go so far.  </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-tQouaRIsyTI/TlpxZ55F4BI/AAAAAAAAAMI/yiSgH4PdNSs/s1600-h/IMG00180-20101202-1632%25255B12%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="IMG00180-20101202-1632" border="0" alt="IMG00180-20101202-1632" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Xox1COMcf9A/TlpxjWc9uMI/AAAAAAAAAMM/fSwaPWbt2Kw/IMG00180-20101202-1632_thumb%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="353" height="268" /></a></p> <p align="justify">In fact, I usually call volunteers for info before I go to the ‘experts’.   Need construction advice – give Jason or Matebro a call.  Hand washing charla –Frieda, Melissa. Trash management question – Kate, Patrick, Will, Naomi.  Water treatment – Beto or Jess. Why? They’ve done it before. They’ve had success and failures and will let you in on both.  While they might have gotten their information from a PDF they found on an NGO’s site, that document probably didn’t talk about what to do when the kids weren’t understanding germ theory or what kind of questions come up or whether the learning activity even worked (information sharing in development is a whole other topic, by the way).   </p> <p align="justify">Practice leads to learning, and sharing learning leads to more learning.  And if that’s the case, sometimes the best way to learn is to take a trip to a volunteer’s site.  I read a lot about dry bathrooms, but the trip up the mountains to see another volunteer’s bathrooms in action really made things a lot clearer.  </p> <p align="justify">Even just traveling and seeing another volunteer in site is redeeming. We can take advantage of tech-exchange, where you and a community partner can travel near or far to visit another volunteer and gets some hands on-practice and experience to take back with you.  Peace Corps/Peru even helps pay part of the trip as necessary. I recently had a volunteer and a group of women from her site travel to my site to teach my health post about <em>cocinas mejoradas</em> (improved cooking stoves) which resulted in a presentation and a demonstration building 2 <em>cocinas</em>. My health post and community partners learned a lot, and the visitors got to see another community (volunteers travel 10x more than the Peruvians they work with), meet new people, etc. </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/--S1OOiO42W8/Tlpx9qCZlcI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/vSwhsVCFaX4/s1600-h/PB250273%252520%2525281024x768%252529%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" border="0" alt="OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-e9lm8guzR_o/TlpyASDp1WI/AAAAAAAAAMU/ZeEXu0s0A2Y/PB250273%252520%2525281024x768%252529_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="288" height="220" /></a></p> <p align="justify">(Side note: Got the in-sight blues?  Instead of escaping to the capital city, consider a trip to visit another volunteer.  Even if the other volunteer is not really up to anything that day, getting to walk around with the vol in their own environment, getting to know their host family who probably would LOVE to have you over for lunch, often works wonders on the moral.  I am continually inspired by other volunteers when I see them in site, see how the community reacts to them and getting to see some of the fruits of their labor.  <em>Esto me pone y me da ganas trabajo</em>)</p> <p align="justify">Feeling unprepared?  Well, you are.  And so is everyone else sharing the same plane as you.  Accept that you’re unprepared, but accept the need that you won’t know everything and that’s it’s okay to profess that as long as you’re willing to learn.  Peace Corps is often criticized for exact that – sending unqualified people to do work that requires highly specialized skills.  But really, there’s only so much you can learn in the comfortable environment of a classroom and reading case studies without actually being in the field.  And to add to that, most of our work does not require an engineering degree.  We need communicators – part salesman and part rabble-rouser and people who are comfortable teaching (and learning).  We need thinkers who can work with local community partners to identify needs and find solutions for ‘em.  </p> <p align="justify">You won’t need to design bathrooms (there’s already manuals for that) nor lay down water pipes (there’s Peruvian engineers, too) but you need to be a leader and willing to learn. </p> <p align="justify">Can you do that?  Then you’re good.  </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-IQojuX5FiLw/TlpyEy2LOFI/AAAAAAAAAMY/1zlN5zYosI8/s1600-h/2011-03-25%252520013%252520%2525281024x576%252529%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="2011-03-25 013 (1024x576)" border="0" alt="2011-03-25 013 (1024x576)" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Y5aW7nUjFD0/TlpyGv7B4qI/AAAAAAAAAMc/2oLHgAyS1xk/2011-03-25%252520013%252520%2525281024x576%252529_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="344" height="196" /></a></p> <p align="justify">Appendix: Here’s a good base of WATSAN related websites/knowledge bases taken straight from my Google Chrome bookmarks if you want to get a bit of a glimpse:</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://www.k4health.org/docs/437373/tag/6891%2B6451">WASH in Schools | www.k4health.org</a> </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://www.k4health.org/toolkits/pc-wash">Peace Corps - Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene | www.k4health.org</a> </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://www.k4health.org/toolkits/pc-wash/peace-corps-guatemalas-healthy-schools-project">Peace Corps Guatemala's Healthy Schools Project | www.k4health.org</a> </p> <dl><dt> <div align="center"><a href="http://www.schoolsanitation.org/index.html">School Sanitation</a></div> </dt><dt> <div align="center"> </div> </dt><dt> <div align="center"><a href="http://www.appropedia.org/Welcome_to_Appropedia">Welcome to Appropedia - Appropedia: The sustainability wiki</a> </div> </dt><dt> <div align="center"> </div> </dt><dt> <div align="center"><a href="http://www.watersanitationhygiene.org/">WaterSanitationHygiene.org | The Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Community</a> </div> </dt><dt> <div align="center"> </div> </dt><dt> <div align="center"><a href="http://waterwiki.net/index.php/Welcome">Welcome - WaterWiki.net</a> </div> </dt><dt> <div align="center"> </div> </dt><dt> <div align="center"><a href="http://www.sswm.info/home">SSWM</a></div> </dt></dl> Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18213529052248412749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897816757704083389.post-71786705358412565702011-08-10T11:57:00.000-04:002011-08-10T11:57:00.759-04:00Donate for PCWiki & PCJournals + Blog Roll<p align="justify">So Peace Corps Journals and Peace Corps Wiki is going slow due to budgetary problems (no such thing as a free lunch).  If you can, <a href="http://www.peacecorpswiki.org/Letter_for_your_support_July_2011#" target="_blank">I highly suggest donating to them.</a> They’re run by a group of RPCVs and not supported by Peace Corps nor the National Peace Corps Association, so they count on donor support. I’ve chatted with Will Dickinson (RPCV Armenia 2004-2006) a few times via email, and he’s a pretty solid dude.</p> <p align="justify">If Peace Corps Wikis eased your fears during the application process or PC Journals helped you figure out a bit more about the life of a PCV, then consider a donation.  Hell, I donated $10 and I’m a current PCV.  I’m sure you can spare some change as well. </p> <p>So in the mean time, here’s a quick blog role of a few key posts, by current Peru PCVs:</p> <ul> <li><a href="http://lexwritr.blogspot.com/2011/07/my-own-personal-hell.html" target="_blank">Alex writes about the strain of Peruvian public meetings and mixed priorities</a></li> <li><a href="http://winwilliams.blogspot.com/2009/10/routines-or-three-ss-part-i.html" target="_blank">Win talks about the how difficult the 3s’s, a cherished American male tradition, are to accomplish in-country</a></li> <li><a href="http://kennedygire.blogspot.com/2011/07/sexism.html" target="_blank">Kelsey writes about encountering subtly and unsubtle sexism in-site, even alongside her PCV husband</a></li> <li><a href="http://blogdelucas-luke.blogspot.com/2011/04/whats-on-your-face.html" target="_blank">Luke writes about the powers of facial hair</a></li> <li><a href="http://missanniebopannie.blogspot.com/2011/03/when-do-you-know-you-are-volunteer.html" target="_blank">Annie writes about the ups and downs of a volunteer</a></li> </ul> Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18213529052248412749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897816757704083389.post-59083022970633712372011-08-07T19:03:00.000-04:002011-08-07T19:03:00.677-04:00So What’s Been Going on with the Bathroom Project<p align="justify">When people would ask me in January about my project, I would go on and on about the wonders of dry bathrooms and how they're a great solution to rural sanitation projects (which they are), and about how we had the support of the local government and it was going to be great! My old high school raised about $3000 to contribute to the project, families were all progressing on their hygiene practices, it was great! I was on the fast track and looking  to complete the construction of 22 bathroom units by late June, and possibly run another bathroom campaign.  </p> <p align="justify">That was then.</p> <p align="justify">Now when my host family asks me 'Que tal el proyecto?', I tell them I really don't want to talk about it.   What's happened?</p> <a name='more'></a> <p align="justify">First to clarify, I have two municipalities.  My town (Sausal) is a ‘centro poblado’, meaning that the ‘purse strings’ and all the real decisions get made in the district capital, Chicama. The Municipality of Sausal is just kind of an administrative outpost.  So here I refer to  Chicama as ‘the Municipality’ or ‘my Municipality’. And my main work in site has been a 'Healthy Homes campaign, where families from two communities attended health talks and completed various requirements to increase their level of health and hygiene in their houses.  At the end, families who complete the project are eligible to receive help building a dry composting bathroom, with support coming from Peace Corps Partnership funds and the Municipality of Chicama, our district capital.</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-KY26k_1iMd4/TjrUUzDgHFI/AAAAAAAAALQ/qY1A9bru5fY/s1600-h/DSC04638%252520%2525281280x853%252529%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC04638 (1280x853)" border="0" alt="DSC04638 (1280x853)" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-0UD7jDjUkJA/TjrUWtPJCuI/AAAAAAAAALU/W5nc7njwQ2A/DSC04638%252520%2525281280x853%252529_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="371" height="250" /></a></p> <p align="center">‘The Maestro - hard at work.  The Municipality – not so much’</p> <p align="justify">The project was originally approved by the mayor and his staff in late- February, with construction to begin in late March.  In March I was told that while the district municipality (mayor, public works department, local representatives) approved the bathroom project and pledged support, they needed a legal document from Peace Corps stating a working partnership between the two.  No big deal, right?  Well, it took about a month of back and forth between PC HQ in Lima and the Municipality of Chicama to finish the document, then about another month for the government to approve it (but not sign it), send it to Peace Corps (I wound up having to do that), and then signing it themselves after our country director put his mark on it. The municipality blamed it on staff turnover, the mayor going to Lima for trainings, etc.  Ok, cool, all set. Can I start the project now?  We’re in mid-May by the time the document is all squared away.</p> <p align="justify">By this point, the government was informing me that there wasn't any available funds right now and wouldn't be until June.  Then June turned into July.  But by June, I had access to the funds that were donated by my high school, so I began buying materials with these funds, got the truck + driver from Chicama to haul all the bricks and cement, found a construction team, and got to work.</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-TdPJBMOsFY4/TjrUcTkAxtI/AAAAAAAAALY/WamBBKng8lI/s1600-h/DSC04579%252520%2525281280x853%252529%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC04579 (1280x853)" border="0" alt="DSC04579 (1280x853)" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-RJPFZFxA69U/TjrUeKMn7iI/AAAAAAAAALc/_SIkB9d2SG0/DSC04579%252520%2525281280x853%252529_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="393" height="272" /></a><em>‘Delivering the First Set of Materials’  </em></p> <p align="justify">In July, the manager of the municipality of Chicama informed me that the original meeting notes from February (when the project was approved) didn't include the amount the project was approved for. And even though this amount was in every document I turned in, since it wasn't writing in the meeting notes, the Municipality couldn't give me money.  This was in July, referencing a meeting from six months ago.  Either nobody noticed, or whoever did notice didn't say anything to anyone.</p> <p align="justify">So throughout July, the project had to go through approval from the legal and public works departments, and was re-entered into the the council session for (re)approval with the amount of funding written clearly.   As of writing, this session has been pushed off two times due to other circumstances.  We're in early August, and the next session is in mid-August.  Assuming we’re approved, and are starting full force by the end of August,, I'll be lucky that we finish with the remaining bathrooms before early October. </p> <p align="justify">All of this doesn't even include the countless trips I've made to Chicama, which is a 45 minute bus ride from my site. Nor the trips I've made there at someone's request, who never showed up or 'plans suddenly changed' and they couldn't meet with me nor bother to call me to save me the trip.</p> <p align="justify">****</p> <p align="justify">I feel like a shyster, and embarrassed to go into the two communities with whatever reason the Municipality has given me this month as to why we’re not building bathrooms. Families have been waiting for months to start, and I feel like I'm lying to them every time I come with a different excuse why we haven't started their bathroom yet; even though they have they went to all the educational sessions, do all the right things in their house, have their adobes and sand ready for building.  </p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-lVoUmIgmxms/TjrUk-Fr5tI/AAAAAAAAALg/-1EK0H28pTw/s1600-h/DSC04589%252520%2525281280x853%252529%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC04589 (1280x853)" border="0" alt="DSC04589 (1280x853)" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-YDsD7Y6bFQE/TjrUm96r8NI/AAAAAAAAALk/vFtGp9x5vlA/DSC04589%252520%2525281280x853%252529_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="387" height="261" /></a></p> <p align="center"><em>‘The house of one of the families who will receive their bathroom, thanks to outside donations’</em></p> <p align="justify">So right now, I’m just in a holding pattern.  I can’t commit to do anything for longer than a week (such as an educational program in a school) because if plans change, I’ll be in the field rather than in town.  There’s a part of me that wishes I would get a definitive answer, either a yes or no.  That way, either the project can move forward or end when the PC money runs out.  I’ll let you know how it goes.  </p> <p align="justify">(I think this post sounds a lot more depressing than it is, especially considering Peru 18 is about ready to head for country and will probably stumble upon this blog.  But it might also be a good reminder about the failures in development, in Peace Corps, and how local governments work (and don’t)).</p> Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18213529052248412749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897816757704083389.post-82574694061128348562011-08-04T13:33:00.000-04:002011-08-04T13:33:00.216-04:00How do you pack for two years of your life?<p align="justify">This is the wrong question to ask yourself when packing for Peace Corps - whatever country. Although you’re going away for two years, you don’t need to pack for it.  You could walk onto the plane with a carry-on and be set. Seriously.</p> <p align="justify">Why?  Well, people live where you’re going.  You’re not going to live out in the middle of nowhere, and this is not a camping trip.  You may be living in rough conditions, maybe without light or running water, but never the less people live there and have for generations, and will continue to after you leave. People buy and make clothes, wash themselves, wash their homes, sleep, wash their clothes, make their own food, and do pretty much everything else that you do. It might be a little different but that’s why you signed up, right?</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7X3N35AoOd4/Tjg1SMwWJKI/AAAAAAAAALE/o4DkIz9TkUg/s1600-h/BK%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="BK" border="0" alt="BK" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-wYdwfqVN6xs/Tjg1jP32RRI/AAAAAAAAALI/WOnFSxgPh_U/BK_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="240" height="240" /></a></p> <a name='more'></a> <p align="justify">Medicine? You’re covered! PCMOs will mail you almost anything. Seriously – they once mailed me a pouch of Gatorade when I ordered rehydration salts (haven’t gotten lucky again though). They’ve also mailed me sun screen, bug spray, dental floss, aspirin, etc.  It’s great! </p> <p align="justify">Peru is also home to four giant shopping chains – Totus, Wong, Plaza Vea, and Metro (and Vivanda if you live in Lima).  Here you can get your fill on any grocery you may want or need – cream cheese, cereal, coffee, tea, snacks, etc.  So if you get tired of the open air markets, just stop on by!  We also have a variety of clothing stores, so we gotcha covered on that, too.</p> <p align="justify">I guess the point here is – it’s daunting to try to pack for Peace Corps.  It is. I know.  I was there.  You get into a mindset thinking you will be in isolation for two years, that you’ll be living out of your hiking backpack but it’s not the case.  Think of it as taking a start up kit with a few extra supplies.  Because, in the end, you’ll be surprised what you brought with you that you didn’t ever touch. </p> <p align="justify">(Me? Heavy water-proof winter jacket, battery powered iPod speakers, all those hiking socks)</p> <p align="left">Advice: If you’re insistent on looking up packing lists, make sure the list people post is updated after they get in-country (such as my previous one about two years ago).  Many future PCVs post their packing list before they go to staging, but it’s really no more useful than the packing list you get from Peace Corps.</p> <p align="left">Pack a some shirts and a few pants, some random gear, and shove it into your hiking backpack, and a duffle bag.  Put your laptop, ipod, book/Kindle/Nook, change of clothes, and TSA approved-quantities of hygiene products in your carry-on, and then go enjoy summer!</p> <p align="center"><strong><font size="3"><em>Take-home note:</em></font></strong></p> <p align="justify">Everything tends to work itself out.  Not in the sense that you’ll be off the plane and everything will be perfect, but know that you’ll adapt and you’ll find whatever resources you need. Accept Peru, Peace Corps as a bit of an unknown.  As much as you try to read and research about what to pack or the life of a volunteer, nothing will ever fully prepare you  or give you the perfectly packed bag with everything you need and nothing you don’t until you arrive in-country and spend some time in site.  <u>Forget about your bags, and whether you’ll need the hiking pants that turn into the shorts or you should buy pants and shorts separately.  Enjoy the last month or so before you leave, go swim, go to the gym, go to your favorite restaurants, hang out with your friends and family and fatten up on your favorite food and drinks!   </u></p> <p align="justify"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/223701684324467/" target="_blank">Facebook group for Peru 18</a> (the group of Health, Environment and WATSAN volunteers leaving in September).  There’s a bunch of current PCVs on-hand from all programs and regions to answer any questions you might have, and it’s also a good place to start getting acquainted with other people in your group!</p> Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18213529052248412749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897816757704083389.post-86728141914296949762011-07-26T17:08:00.001-04:002011-07-26T17:08:05.599-04:00On ‘Live Like a Peace Corps Volunteer’<p align="justify">I stumbled upon this awhile back: <a href="http://www.livelikeapcv.org/" target="_blank">‘Live Like a Peace Corps Volunteer’</a></p> <p align="justify">The premise is as it sounds: it challenges people to take away some basic luxuries like hot showers, private transport and even cable TV to “give those participating in the Challenge a small taste of Peace Corps life, hopefully while having some fun”.   Depending on interests, participants can choose a country and extremity level (rookie to hardcore), and have at it. </p> <p align="justify">And it seems like fun, and a good way to create some buzz about Peace Corps and help us establish some <a href="http://stuffexpataidworkerslike.com/2011/01/06/12-establishing-field-cred/" target="_blank">field cred</a>.  But at the same time, I think it makes it point but misses the big one....  </p> <a name='more'></a> <p align="justify">I sound like an old crank going on about this, but it’s important to think it over.  There’s no doubt the intention of the creators (fellow PCVs in Mongolia) and the participants to the challenge are good, well meaning, and light hearted.  I’m not against it, but the authors could also do more to raise conscious that this is not just a ‘PCV thing’ for two years, but also it’s peoples lives. <br /></p> <p align="justify">I’ve written about it before, <a href="http://pittsburgh2peru.blogspot.com/2011/03/gringo-as-development-actor.html" target="_blank">but we as volunteers choose to live how we live</a>.  We’ve agreed to live in hardship (I had to sign a contract, I believe).  We have willingly agreed time and time again to undertake whatever hardships (application, interview, waiting for the invite, invite, waiting to go to staging, staging, training, service) that we encounter during our service.  And we can choose not to go, or to leave at any time.  Seriously. One phone call and you can go.   The people we live with; we work with; those whom we grow close to will all stay and ‘rough it’.</p> <p align="justify">Goal #3 of the Peace Corps states; </p> <blockquote> <p align="justify">“Helping promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans” </p> </blockquote> <p align="justify">So by participating, maybe people will indeed gain a basic understanding how it is to live like the majority of the world.  But even then, the game is focused on the volunteers, which misses the point of Goal 3.  </p> <p align="justify">Lastly, it also creates a novelty of the sub standard living conditions our communities face.  Not having access to water, let alone potable water, is a big deal in many countries including the leading cause all kinds of stomach problems and bacterial infections.  So much, in fact, it’s the #1 cause of death for  5> year olds here in Peru!  (Note: upon research, it got bumped to #2.  The new champ is repertory illness). People don’t willingly choose to fetch water for a day when they have a running tap in their house.  They do it because they have to.</p> <p>And I don’t mean to crank on, and sound like a Debbie Downer about the program.  I think it’s an interesting premise, and might gain some notoriety, with friends/family and on some of the campuses that send a large number of volunteers year in and year out.  You might even see a Peru page up sooner or later, but it’s important not to loose sight of the bigger picture. </p> Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18213529052248412749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897816757704083389.post-15406052058274512172011-06-20T09:23:00.000-04:002011-06-20T10:28:15.176-04:00Starting to Build Bathrooms and Defy Local Belief that Obras CAN Happen<p align="justify"><em>Note: I originally wrote this as an e-mail to a former teacher/current friend who contributed and coordinated heavily to my Peace Corps Partnership Project fund for building 22 dry bathrooms in two small rural farming communities.  </em></p> <p align="justify">Yo Sav,</p> <p align="justify"> <br />First off - Happy Dia del Padre compadre. <br /> <br />I wrote awhile back saying I'd have an update for you in the next week or so, but I'm sure you put on your 'International Development timeline' filter, and a week or so translated to how ever long this time span is.    But the good news is here, sir.  We've FINALLY starting on the bathroom project.  Although the Municipal funds are still in limbo, I decided there was no sense waiting when we at least had some of the money (from the Lebo donation).  We made the bulk purchases and picked them up from the distributor with the municipal dump truck last Thursday - enough bricks/rebar/cement for four units.  Our maestro is currently hard at work laying the first concrete slabs - I'll have pictures later in the week (re-activate International Development Timeline filter).  Like a good gringo, I'm there mostly to walk around with a clip board, providing technical support as needed, as well as a few photo ops.  </p> <p align="justify"> <br /><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-XQwmb5Q7EvU/Tf6jWfS_fKI/AAAAAAAAAHI/ENg1Sv261lc/s1600-h/DSC04577%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC04577" border="0" alt="DSC04577" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-jL-1rjD4iAs/Tf6jaWccrfI/AAAAAAAAAHM/0aP5a7GhSk8/DSC04577_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="386" height="264" /></a></p> <div align="justify"> <a name='more'></a> </div> <p align="justify"> <br />It took a bit to get a maestro to start up as we were looking for someone who lived closer to the project sites than where I live.  And seeing as how all the houses in the zone are made of adobe, finding someone who knows how to work with cement and bricklaying was a challenge.  But we turned over a few rocks and found a guy who was willing to take on the job - including a limited understanding of the project and what he was actually building).  </p> <p align="justify">And there was something special when I was visiting the families early last Monday, telling them that we would be delivering materials to their houses (or as close as we could get with the truck).  They were excited and relieved.  You see, other families (even ones on the bathroom list) were gently mocking them, asking them what was the point of hauling all that sand (a full day's work) for a project that probably won't ever materialize?  The zone is used to projects being promised, particularly by campaigning politicos, and then nothing coming of it.  How many local administrations have promised electricity - and even though the posts and cables are all up and connected, people still don't have light in their houses.  So regardless of how nice they thought I was, many people were expecting this project to be another flop.  But having that dump truck roll up to the town full of bricks and cement vindicated the time, effort, and labor (making adobe blocks is some serious work) and semi-blind faith the families had not only in the benefits of these crazy composting bathrooms, but also that the project would even be completed.  <br /> <br />Our first unit should be done within the week, and be up and running soon after (the families have to build the walls).  May it be the first of many.</p> <p align="justify">Yours in the lucha, <br />Matt</p> <p align="justify"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-vTscYLxYgiI/Tf6jk-hSFlI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/YIqresE6ksY/s1600-h/DSC04587%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="DSC04587" border="0" alt="DSC04587" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-IBjkpAaLOCM/Tf6joGHh6VI/AAAAAAAAAHU/Mg4zCs4DrKU/DSC04587_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="397" height="269" /></a></p> <div align="justify"> <pre> </pre><br /></div> Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18213529052248412749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897816757704083389.post-20761009407744327262011-06-11T19:54:00.000-04:002011-06-11T19:54:00.154-04:00A Corps in Crisis? Not so fast Charles Kenney<p align="justify">I’ll be the first to admit that Peace Corps has its flaws. And indeed a model based largely on sending 20-something recent college graduates across the world to good seems a bit flawed in this day and age. After all, Peace Corps was started in 1962 – just after the Marshall Plan and when humanitarian aid for development was country to country cash transfer. Sending <i>people </i>abroad to work in communities was a new approach as was community based development. Policy makers still believed in the trickledown effect back then. </p> <p align="justify">But we’re in a different world today. Both the supply and the demand side of Peace Corps has changed. NGOs and humanitarian organizations are sophisticated. In terms of demand, people around the world are becoming more educated and are attending trade schools and universities in greater numbers. Students strive to be engineers, doctors, lawyers etc in the same vein of past generations of Americans. In terms of supply, the humanitarian aid/development field has proliferated with UN agencies, regional INGOs, NGOs and all other kinds of acronyms working at all levels on issues from food security, micro-credit, youth development, and any other subtheme. While there’s still demand for aid organizations, they become less precious when the market expands and gets crowded. There’s a host of other organizations that do programming areas better than Peace Corps. So is Peace Corps even necessary?</p> <div align="justify"> <a name='more'></a> </div> <p align="justify"><a href="http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/02/22/corps_concerns" target="_blank">Charles Kenny, over at Foreign Policy, wrote that Peace Corps is still relevant but the model needs revamped</a>. No longer is it relevant to send recent college graduate students to other countries, as their skills aren’t in-demand any more. There is plenty of educated people already in the host countries – with more local and technical knowledge than an American college grad. In addition, the cost per volunteer is ridiculous - $60,000 per volunteer. And other private organizations, Kenny cites, can send volunteers abroad for a 10<sup>th</sup> of the cost. So what to do? Make Peace Corps into the Fullbright program where the ‘volunteer’ goes it alone, and works for a year and comes back.</p> <p align="justify"><img style="display: inline; float: left" align="left" src="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQjTSzpYOl9KKg0_fb5JYXlBLiODwyIKrkWOBFt0h0doD3-foAD" />While the Peace Corps needs to make some overhauls, turning it into a visiting scholar program isn’t a change in the right direction. Most Fulbright scholars are either researchers or English teachers and neither program will help advance the goal 1 of providing human and technical assistant to host countries. One of the many positives of Peace Corps is that it sends volunteers to far off, remote, and small areas that other organizations and NGOs wouldn’t touch. Researchers are most likely to be working in the major cities within the country and also in universities and not in the <i>campo</i>. This also treats the nationals more as research subjects rather than people. Fulbright English teachers are more likely to work in private schools and universities and have limited contact with the poor communities where Peace Corps currently works thus having little overall benefit.</p> <p align="justify">One of the things Peace Corps does well is that we’re in the communities. Reading over <a href="http://www.cdainc.com/cdawww/project_profile.php?pid=LISTEN&pname=Listening%20Project" target="_blank">The Listening Project</a> documents (specifically <a href="http://www.cdainc.com/cdawww/pdf/issue/listening_project_staffing_june2010_Pdf.pdf" target="_blank">the one on staffing),</a> people in developing countries unsurprisingly dislike it when NGOs come in the community to work, but only stay to work. After a visit, it’s back in the Landcruiser to NGO compounds in the capital city. This creates a perception in the community that local values aren’t important, and creates a disconnect between peoples of the community and the NGO. Especially so, people want to share their community with outsiders who are trying to good (even if it’s not really (Saundra link). PCVs live in their communities for two years. While sometimes they’re in big cities, PCVs usually work in small rural communities that most NGOS wouldn’t touch – let alone for 2 years. Volunteers live in the communities, eat the food, do the dances, and ride the bus with everyone else.</p> <p align="justify">Peace Corps does largely need to improve on goal 1. While the statement is vague ‘providing technical and human assistance’, more and more volunteers are complaining they’re undertrained and don’t receive enough support in the field. The 3-month training beforehand is a crash course of language, culture, country info, med info, safety and security and technical training. We’re lucky enough in Peru to have 3 trainings after swear-in – one 3 or 4 months in to go over the community diagnostic, review some technical stuff and present a few new topics, project workshop that gets into project planning, and then service training that focuses more on the actual project. However, in between that the volunteer is largely alone to find their own information (well, that’s party true – more seasoned volunteers are often a good source for information). And while it’s easy to brush this off as good experience for later on in someone’s career, it’s not good enough to not attempt to put the best projects and practices forward and leave less to chance and fate.</p> <p align="justify">I believe that Peace Corps can improve on their <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-OJtcRGvm9mA/TfFds0-bQaI/AAAAAAAAAGw/jSvIuEOpvEE/s1600-h/2011-03-25%252520013%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="2011-03-25 013" border="0" alt="2011-03-25 013" align="right" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-JMkf1EgIg2s/TfFdxZ1WLZI/AAAAAAAAAG0/4TqE_LjAmxA/2011-03-25%252520013_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="274" height="165" /></a>development/Goal 1 while still maintaining the strong aspects of Goal 2/Goal 3. Having training sessions spread out during the volunteers’ service (either by program/region/project) for not only the volunteer but also the community partner can help on technical matters. As well, better coordination with regional government organizations or NGOs for knowledge sharing can strengthen both Peace Corps and partner organizations. Online resources are useful if the volunteers have internet access and the design is easily navigated with minimal bandwidth, but Web 2.0 stuff and heavy bandwidth sites may be too much for rural internet connections and outdated processors.</p> <p align="justify">For me, with a BA in international development and limited job prospects but a huge interest to work and live abroad, Peace Corps was a great step. For me. But in the end, Peace Corps, as is humanitarian/development work in general, is not about us but rather about improving lives and meaningful, positive changes that respect local culture and allow it to flourish. Revamping the Peace Corps model is unnecessary, as Charles Kenney suggests, but at the same time it could still use a shaking up.</p> Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18213529052248412749noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1897816757704083389.post-65410023013913442072011-06-05T10:34:00.001-04:002011-06-05T10:34:37.933-04:00How Much Things Cost in Peru<p align="justify"> <br />Here’s a non-exhaustive list of how much some stuff costs here in Peru.  This list isn’t a grocery bag list nor can be considered normal purchases in any given time.  Rather, this serves as stuff volunteers might buy at least once in their service as well as to give them an idea of how much some things can cost. Electronics tend to be on the more expensive side and behind the US a generation or two.  Food is cheap, especially sticking to local food.  In sum, it all depends on quality (the bus ride)  and if it’s imported (Peru lunch versus McDonald’s).  The exchange rate used is $1  = S/. 2.80 but the rate can fluctuate anywhere from S/.2.72 – S/. 2.85 as of late.    The table is posted after the jump (aka click on the ‘More’ button right below this)….</p> <a name='more'></a> <p> </p> <table style="border-collapse: collapse" border="2" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="397"><colgroup><col style="width: 302pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 14738" width="403" /><col style="width: 60pt" width="80" /><col style="width: 60pt" width="80" /></colgroup><tbody> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"> <br /></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl68" width="80" align="center"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">PEN</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl69" width="77" align="center"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">USD</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Bus Ticket to Lima</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">      </span>40.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">          </span>14.29 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Super VIP Bus Ticket</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">    </span>100.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">          </span>35.71 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Combi Ride inside city</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">         </span>2.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>0.71 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Taxi - Across<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>Town (Lima)</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">      </span>15.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>5.36 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Taxi - Across<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">  </span>Town (Trujillo)</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">         </span>5.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>1.79 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Mototaxi in small site</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">         </span>0.50 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>0.18 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">McDonald's Big Mac Combo Meal</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">      </span>13.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>4.64 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Biggie Size</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">         </span>2.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>0.71 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Peruvian Lunch (soup, entrée, drink)</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">         </span>5.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>1.79 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Executive' Peru Lunch</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">      </span>10.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>3.57 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Ramen Noodles</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">         </span>1.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>0.36 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Kraft Mac & Cheese</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">         </span>3.50 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>1.25 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Bottle of Shampoo (Peru/LA Brand)</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">      </span>13.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>4.64 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Bottle of Shampoo (Int'l Brand)</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">      </span>20.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>7.14 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Mac 3 Razor</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">      </span>12.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>4.29 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Mac 3 Refills</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">      </span>20.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>7.14 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Shick Disposable Razors</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">      </span>10.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>3.57 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">250 grams coffee</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">         </span>8.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>2.86 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Peruvian Beer (627ml)</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">         </span>5.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>1.79 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Corona 6 Pack</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">      </span>22.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>7.86 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Bottle of Whiskey (cheap)</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">      </span>30.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">          </span>10.71 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Bottle of Whiskey (Jim Beam)</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">      </span>60.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">          </span>21.43 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Bottle of Rum</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">      </span>18.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>6.43 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Pirated DVD</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">         </span>3.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>1.07 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">CD at Starbucks</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">      </span>28.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">          </span>10.00 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Donut (Dunkin Donuts)</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">         </span>3.50 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>1.25 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Mocha Frappachino (Venti)</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">      </span>15.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>5.36 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Movie Ticket</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">      </span>10.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>3.57 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">30 minutes in Internet Café</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">         </span>0.50 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>0.18 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Typical Double/Triple Room at 'Peace Corps Hostel' (per person)</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">      </span>25.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>8.93 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Dormitory Room at Huanchacho Beach</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">      </span>15.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>5.36 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Hotel El Libertador</font><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">    </span>344.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">       </span>122.86 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Shirt (on sale) major retailer</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">      </span>30.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">          </span>10.71 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Jeans from major retailer</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">      </span>90.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">          </span>32.14 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Shoes (name brand)</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">    </span>250.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">          </span>89.29 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Shoes (knock off)</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">      </span>50.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">          </span>17.86 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Suit</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">    </span>400.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">       </span>142.86 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Photo (print)</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">         </span>0.60 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>0.21 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Basic Washing Machine</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">    </span>700.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">       </span>250.00 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Digital Camera</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">    </span>500.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">       </span>178.57 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Text Message</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">         </span>0.30 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>0.11 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Pay Phone Call</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">         </span>0.50 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>0.18 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">International Calling Card (60 minutes to the States)</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">         </span>5.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>1.79 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Philadelphia Cream Cheese</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">         </span>8.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>2.86 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Avocado</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">         </span>1.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>0.36 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Chicken (per kilo)</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">         </span>7.00 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>2.50 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Rice (per kilo)</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">         </span>1.80 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>0.64 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">Potatoes (per kilo)</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">         </span>1.80 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>0.64 </font></font></td> </tr> <tr style="height: 15pt" height="20"> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl67" height="20" width="236"><font face="Calibri"><font style="font-size: 11pt">1 L Coca Cola</font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl70" width="80"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">S/.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">         </span>3.50 </font></font></td> <td style="border-bottom: windowtext 0.5pt solid; border-left: medium none; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; vertical-align: bottom; border-top: medium none; border-right: windowtext 0.5pt solid; padding-top: 1px" class="xl71" width="77"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font style="font-size: 11pt"> </font></span><font style="font-size: 11pt">$<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">            </span>1.25 </font></font></td> </tr> </tbody></table> Matthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18213529052248412749noreply@blogger.com0