Pittsburgh to Peru

Day One - Up Front and Center

I recently wrote a blog piece over at my current organization's blog. Check it out... http://blog.globallinks.org/?p=1464

The 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.

Peru came in around the middle of the pack (73rd overall). From the report:

"Peru is ranked 13th in the region, placing 73rd overall. Peru’s natural and cultural resources remain 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."

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 rape on an American tourist in Arequippa, and there was a string of incidents here in Trujillo the past month.

Peruvian Government Holidays

Reason # 763 why Peru is actually pretty great and has their s*** together.

The government released it's list of public sector holidays 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!

The first "feriado largo" is this Monday and Tuesday, to allow for a long weekend for people traveling in Peru for carnavales - a pretty big event here in Peru. While not as uhhhh fabulous(?) as Brazil, carnavales are popular here in Peru, especially in the sierra (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.

I'm not sure how great an effect this feriado will have, as a lot of people didn't really know about it until recently, but regardless it'll be appreciated by all !

Free T-Shirts (As Long As You Don't Care Who Won the Super Bowl)

Well it's Superbowl time yet again, and this shall be my fourth Super Bowl 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...and more so helpful that the Steelers were in one of ém. But ever since undergrad (Thank you Matt Krain for ruining the Super Bowl), I always think about 'T-ShirtTravels' aka 'What Happens to the Pre-Made Championship T-Shirts of (the Losing Team)'.

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!

But who is actually naked for lack of clothing?

The UN Is Actually Relevant, Change the Lenses

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.

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.

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.

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.

The Model UN Geek in me content, and I'm sure Kent Kille is as well.

Happy Volunteer Day

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

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.

Ban Ki-Moon

Secretary General of the United Nations

Full Statement Here

Dusting out the cobwebs

Sure is quiet over in these parts….

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.

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.

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?

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.

Great Packing Advice for Peru 19 & Peru 20

From http://zenhabits.net/empty
Written by Leo Babauta.

"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.

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.

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.
Drop everything, be open to everything.
Enter each day empty-handed, and full-hearted."

Toughest Job You'll Ever Love

I present to you, the view down the street from my Lima apartment.

Been Away, but Now I'm Back Today

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^nd 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.

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.

Hasta Luego to Honduras - But It Was the Right Call

No doubt that Peace Corps has had a rough year or so in the media. While they've celebrated their 50^th Anniversary, they've also been subject to much more scrutiny as than in the past, and rightly so. We've seen the unfortunate death of a PCVs in Paraguay and Mozambique from auto accidents, and most notable the suspension of the Honduras program, and that Guatemala and El Salvador are no longer receiving new training groups.

And the story is pretty intense, and so is one volunteer's response.

In the meantime, read this....

New post on its way shortly. In the mean time, I highly suggest you read this account from a volunteer who recently contracted HIV during her service. Really powerful reading. Read all of it. Seriously.

Two Years Goes By Quickly

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.

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.

Back at site, people are equally starting to get sad. Inevitably, people have gotten used to the big tall gringo or the weird looking mozungu 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!

The ups and downs of Peace Corps

(+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.

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.

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).

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?

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.

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.

I Can Identify Elephants

I have never seen an elephant before in my life. Well, ~~I’ve never seen an elephant in person before (~~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.

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.

But not everyone can readily identify an elephant.

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.

imadouche

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….

But let me explain myself….

Buying Wood

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.

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.

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 ~~hard~~ impossible to get wood. Long pieces of 2x4s are coveted more than precious metals. And you just can’t go to a carpintero (carpenter). Why? They only work 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.

I'll give you a play by play of my day, the journey to get wood (heh)….

Your Best Resource

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 DID. 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)?

(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.

I’ll let you in on a little hint: your best resource is….

Donate for PCWiki & PCJournals + Blog Roll

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, I highly suggest donating to them. 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.

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.

So in the mean time, here’s a quick blog role of a few key posts, by current Peru PCVs:

So What’s Been Going on with the Bathroom Project

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.

That was then.

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?