A Day in the Life

So what’s my days been like?  Busy.  No sitting in hammocks, having monkeys serving me mixed drinks in coconut shells like I thought the Peace Corps was (or should be).  Instead, I’m actually putting in hours on all end.  A typical day looks something like this

545am: Wake up as I hear the bread being delivered and hear the sales going on. Fall back to sleep

7am: Alarms start going off, enjoy breakfast of bread and coffee (three cups), watch a little TV.  The fam has learned that Mateo does not like to talk before he is done with his coffee

8am: Out the door to touch base with the school/health post/municipality about what’s going on and what I need them to do (copies, arrange a meeting, etc)

9am: At the secondary school, teaching boxing to about 20 kids who will be participating in exhibition matches for the school’s anniversary celebration

11am: Leave the school, go follow up with whoever I was visiting in the morning to make sure it’s in motion. Prepare for afternoon

12:30/1pm: Lunch, possibly with family if I’m not going to my annexes

1:30pm: Wait for bus to get go out to my annexes (the farthest is 25 miles away, the closest is 20 miles away)

2:30ish: Arrive in annexes, talk with health promoters.  Either house visits our set up for a charla

3pm: Visiting houses and talking with families, or in an education session

5pm: Catch the bus back to site

5:30pm: Arrive at site, go home and relax

7pm: Dinner

7:30pm: Prep for the morning or meeting with a local contractor about my bathroom design

9:30pm/10pm: Lights out, hasta mañana

The life of a Peace Corps volunteer is an odd one.  Early in the week, I had a lady in one of my farming annexes spread rumors I work for local politicians and that people shouldn't trust me.  And then later in the same week, I'm standing with two other volunteers and 50,000 Peruvians at a Bon Jovi concert in Lima.

After a few logistical mishaps and trying to figure out how to get into our section, we arrived inside the stadium just as the Bon Jovi entrance music was beginning.  Our tickets were in the semi-cheap section (the most expensive section cost one month's living allowance), and pretty far away, but we could still see the stage, screens, and Mr. Jon Bon Jovi and Dr. Richie Sambora.  

And impressively enough, contrary to how Latin America typically works (and rock and roll shows), it started right on time...the show was listed at 9pm on the ticket, and sure enough Bon Jovi was on stage at 9:00pm (the opening act started at 8).  Mr. Bon Jovi and crew rocked on for over two hours, including a few newer songs bit mostly the classics.  The best part was sharing Jovi chanting moments with about 50,000 Peruvians.

Let it be known that Peruvians love Bon Jovi.

‘Posh Corps or Peace Corps’: A response to that NPR article

It’s true, there’s not denying it. Peace Corps and the experience of Peace Corps volunteers is in some ways markedly different than in the early stages of Peace Corps during the 1960s-1990s.  No longer are volunteers necessarily roughing it in mud huts, without light for two years. Nor are volunteers isolated and completely out of touch with the world around them. And yes, Skype, video chatting and e-mail are pretty common means of communication.  Does that mean Peace Corps is any less difficult?

First, let’s talk about technology.  With developing countries, it’s often that technological development ‘skips’ a stage or two.  With developed countries to pour in the R&D, developing countries can adapt to the technology that may or may not directly benefit them.  For example, in many parts of the world it’s common that people don’t have landlines, but carry cell phones.  Kids in my town have never seen an Apple II, but frequently use MSN Messenger and play Grand Theft Auto on internet connected computers.  Technology has changed things not only for Peace Corps volunteers living in remote rural communities, but also for the world at large.   And it is actually more common to communicate electronically between cell phones, chat, and text rather than Snail Mail service. Internet costs S/1 (35 cents) an hour, and volunteers often pre-type e-mails home whereas mailing a letter to the States costs, aprox S/7 or $2.50, which is costly when you make $300/month.

Beyond that, I can only really speak for PC/Peru.  Part of your living conditions depends on your program and it’s objectives, as well as safety and security.  Programs might focus on certain areas, sectors or populations, which may make your site a big city or a small farming annex. 

Even more with security, Peace Corps Peru has requirements where volunteers can and can’t live.  It’s required that volunteers live with host families during their service, and most will actually live in the house and be part of the family.  For that, they need to find a family with an extra room as well as in a safe area, with certain physical aspects of the house (barred windows, solid doors) and most often these families tend to be more well-off members of the community and thus the volunteers tend to live in the better parts of the town.  And I don’t think any member of the community really judges that the gringo lives in the nicer part…why would they?  The other members of the community would probably like to live their too if they had the choice.

And with the increase of communication, comes the increase in responsibility.  There’s more structure and a certain pressure from each program to achieve a number of ‘changed outcomes’ each couple of months.  We have weekly interaction with someone from the administration, whether it’s the doctor, regional coordinator or the program director.  Most Peace Corps business is conducted through e-mail unless it’s been established that the volunteer DOESN’T have a reliable connection every one-two weeks.  Many of the e-mails require follow-up in some form or another, which is time consuming and slightly stressful for the volunteer especially when you have over 100 messages between Peace Corps, friends, families, and offers to increase your member size with just one tiny pill. 

As well, volunteers aren’t free to roam about their country and are required to be in their site.  Sounds a bit obvious, but a week of disappearing to the beach or for a multi-day hike without previous authorization just doesn’t exist.  Volunteers are granted a certain number of vacation days, and have to request in advance to use them.  Furthermore, volunteers are required to report to HQ when they spend time out of their site, or pretty much when we don’t sleep in our own beds.  Illegal vacations, or taking time out of site without proper reporting, are grounds for disciplinary actions and even early termination.  Given all this, we often question whether or not volunteer is our true job title, given all the formalities and requirements imposed. 

I’m not complaining about the requirements, as they all have their base and reason.  However, Peace Corps isn’t the two year free-ride foreign vacation courtesy of the US government some make it out to be. With all the requirements, goals, and objectives it is an actual job, and the title of volunteer can be misleading.  But as the pamphlets and web banners say, Peace Corps is the toughest job you’ll ever love. 

Science Fair!

So usually I write and over analysis this or that about Peru, but I got to do something really cool this past week: judge at a colegio (secondary school) science fair. Now, you might think ‘What’s so cool about shitty teenage science projects?’ and this might be true to some extent except that many of the kids had been working on their project for at least a month, which is a pretty big time commitment. As well, leading up to the big event, some of the groups came up to me and asked for advice about a number of things: namely recycling, trash management, and solar power. And having helped my homestay sister for a (failed) biodigestor –that she researched and decided to do, and then asked me if I knew anything about it – I was excited to see what all was going to be presented.

Of course, nothing starts on time. I show up at 9 and everyone’s still blowing up balloons, and the other judge hasn’t showed up. About 10 or so, things got underway with the national anthem, some opening remarks, and the introduction of the judges; a science professor from Casa Grande (the closest big town to Sausal) and then yours truly. After a few cheers and jeers, we were off to see each class’s chosen project.

The professor and I spent the next two hours making our way around the colegio checking out all the work the kids but into their projects (I took some pictures, but since I’ve become useless at using the internets due to the cerca 1995 AOL connection we have in my town, expect pictures in December 2011). Obviously, some were more elaborated than others. Major themes included organic products, using local plants for nutrition, reusing/recycling, and solar energy;

+’Natural’ perfumes and soaps
+ Organic pesticides (using peppers and spices)
+ Solar oven
+ An oil candle made out of all recycled materials
+ Solar water heater
+ Recycled materials: dresses and jewelry
+ How to prevent the bubonic pest

Beyond just doing the project, the students had to create a poster presentation including a research question, hypothesis, step by step guide, purpose for research, etc. While each group needed to develop certain aspects of their presentation and information a little more, I was impressed with the quality and design with many of the projects, design and intentions. Especially so since some of these technologies (solar oven, solar water heater, recycled materials projects) are being pushed by organizations focusing on sustainable development.

It seems somewhat ridiculous or no more than a novelty to see these projects in powerpoint presentation and project idea manuals, but to see the students applying many of these ideas independently (while I served as a consultant, I never gave instructions on what to do) was inspiring. The solar water heater, for example, is something we’re experimenting with in the sierras and in Ica, as well as applying the technology to heat houses.

Lastly, as many volunteers have seen, the education system is weak in Peru. Students mainly learn by ‘teach and preach’ models, copy and memorization with very little practical application or creative thinking. To elaborate a project over 1-2 months is not something expected of the students as well. And while some projects fell through, ideas and projects weren’t fully developed, this science fair was a good step to motivate the students to keep pushing forward. And talking with the science professor who organized all of this, it looks like for a first time around the students did well, and he plans on repeating the science fair next year. Can’t wait!

Preparing for the possibility

When you leave for Peace Corps, you prepare yourself to be away as best you can, knowing that you’re most likely going to miss important holidays, birthdays, weddings and all kinds of other celebrations.  It’s part of the sacrafice.  Volunteers go home for some of these events, but they can’t go home for all of them.  And while it’s not fun to miss these events, you get by.  I spent Thanksgiving with other volunteers and Peruvians, and shared the holiday with them.  I spent Christmas with my homestay family and felt really at home.  Not once did I feel horribly homesick that I was missing these events. 

But something happened that I was only somewhat expecting, but never really thinking about.  My grandmother died this past month.  While not going into details, it was expected and unexpected.  I’ve gotten calls from home during Christmas, Easter, etc and always felt happy about it, but this was the opposite.   Instead of missing an event where everyone was happy, I was missing a traumatic moment with my family…one where everyone converges for a few days and puts everything else on hold.  And I was in Perú with no way out. 

Before I left, we talked about the possibility of my grandmother dying and what we would do if it happened.  Peace Corps only pays for the volunteer to go back to the states for immediate family emergencies (parents, siblings), and seeing as how getting a flight that soon would be very expensive and by the time I got from my site to home, she would be buried, it just wouldn’t be possible to go home.

I prepared myself for being away for holidays, but maybe this is something you just can’t prepare yourself for.  To be honest, I did feel alone and depressed for a few days and took some time out of site in the regional capital.  My homestay family was compassionate and caring, but it just wasn’t the same.  I talked with other volunteers, and they helped out, and I took a few personal days. 

I don’t mean to write this to be depressing, or discourage the 16er’s that will be arriving in Peru in less than a month.  This is just one part of your experience in Peace Corps, not really glamorous.   And my advice would be that before you leave, talk with your family about a plan of action if someone dies.  Although it’s hard to even talk about it - let alone go into the specifics since most likely you won’t know where you’ll be stationed, and access to communication- it’s better to have the plan and know a little bit before you go, rather than having it all hit you at once. 

TFA versus Peace Corps

Within the last years, Teach For America (TFA) has received attention from the press in front of the academic crisis that our country is struggling to solve.  Facing a shortage if teachers in some areas (regions and specialties) or teachers deemed ineffective by various instruments, TFA seeks to solve that by placing high achieving college students with no to limited experience and training with teaching into the classroom for two years.  Kinda sounds like something familiar, eh?

Much of the current criticism is that the candidates are generally under qualified to be effective teachers and by the time most participants leave the program, they’re just finding their way around the gig.  But I say that we face the same problem from many entering the education field with a teaching degree…many who receive their undergrad in teaching spent most of their time learning theory of teaching with little direct practice except maybe one or two student teaching units.  And there’s a high attrition rate among new teachers as well (those that can actually find jobs). 

And TFA does really (even suspiciously) sound very similar to the Peace Corps.  Mostly recent college graduates, who agree to serve in underserved (albeit foreign) communities for two years.  Most volunteers have some experience in the area they work in, but it might not be direct (most Water/Sanitation volunteers have a background in construction or engineering, Environment in sciences or nature).  Some countries and programs have high attrition rates just like TFA or teaching in general, and these are typically in very difficult assignments.  And most volunteers are on the two and out program and most are not necessarily likely to continue in the field of international development or foreign service. 

Instead, volunteers in Peace Corps and TFA carry the experience with them.  While they most likely won’t work in teaching or international development, they’re likely work in community development or other social programs.  At the least, they’ll remember they’ll remember their service, the inequality and the struggles they see and experience in their daily lives working in underserved communities and populations.

Vacation happy to get away...

A recent conversation with an American amgio, Jason 'The Dream' Farson:

Farson: How's vacation?
Me: Living the dream....sitting in bed eating rotisserie chicken and COPS is going to come on.  Gonna take a hot shower later.
Farson: Just think, back in America your vacation could be like every day