Let`s Party! Or not. . .
Thank God for samll miracles! The Fiestas Patronales (Patron Saint celebrations) are over! 2 weeks of bands, fireworks and drunks have finally come to an end and I couldn`t be happier about it. Don`t get me wrong - it was worth the experience but its not an experience I relish repeating again next year.
The party started in Lluchubamba on a Monday so I headed up with quite literally 1/2 of Jocos on my heels to wathc the fùtbol games, hang out in the now-packed plaza and just generally enjoy the state fair like atmostphere. By the afternoon, however, Meredith and I were doing our best to dodge the drunks (every drunk wants to talk to and, if possible, lean on the Gringas). We made small escapes to her room to let Kìon out. As it turns out, he is deathly afraid of marching bands (who knew?) and since they roam the streets all day playing, he spent the vast majority of his time in Meredith`s room under her bed.
Our friend and fellow volunteer, Jeff, came out from Cajabamba for one night. We hung out, watched the fireworks (more on that soon), drank a little beer and were subjected to some of the worst Huayno (whine-o) music I`ve yet had to endure.
The final day I was in Lluchubamba, Meredith and I got talked into being judges for the Platos Tipicos (Meredith) and the Danzas Tradicionales (me) competitions. Nothing too exciting, really. Meredith had to swallow a fair amount of pretty nasty food (think pig-skin soup) and I sat in the hot sun (with my ever trust hat on, of course!) and watched the same 1/2 hour dance routine 3 times.
Then it was down to Jocos for the party there. Only 3 days total this time, rather than the full week of the one in The Lluch. To be honest, I hid in my room a lot of the time.
Now, for the fireworks! I`m honestly not sure which one was more horrifying - the one in Lluchubamba or the one in Jocos. The one in Lluchubamba consisted of several 3-4 story bamboo structures stratigically placed through-out the plaza, all studded with every imaginable type of firework. When they were lit, the sparks and shrapnel showered down on the rather delighted crowd. As the structures burned, parts and pieces fell off into the crowd and people shot their own fireworks (black cats meet bottle rockets) into the crowd. Scary.
The fireworks dispaly in Jocos was more of just a fire rather than fireworks. The high-schooler constructed 2 float-like structures, covered them in white paper and painte them. One was in the shape of a sheep and the other in the shape of a crocodile (don`t ask, I have no idea why). They paraded around the plaza with them while the band played. But then, once the band stopped, they lit the structures on fire. They went up in flames! The band started back up again and the kids ran around with the flaming floats - chasing each other around the plaze. Before long, it dissolved into a scene from Lord of the Flies - kids chasing each other with flaming pieces of float, others dancing around the larger fires on the ground. By the end, the entire plaza was dotted with fires - each with its own group of kids dancing around and in the flames. Scary.
And now the drunks are gone too! I have never before seen men (all the public drunks are men) so drunk for so long! Nearly 2 weeks of solid drinking - beer, chicha (a nasty fermented corn home brew) and rubbing alcohol - and some of them were amazingly still standing. Albeit not easily. Coming for a place where being even a 1/4 that drunk will land you in de-tox for the night, it was strange and difficult to see these men wandering around freely until finally passing out on a corner or doorstep. Luckily, they are pretty easy to avoid as they are loud and stumbly.
Now that the parties are over I can get back to work. And I actually have work to do! I had my first meeting with the Padres of the community (Shocorco - just sound it out) that wants latrines. We have some priliminary numbers now and I`m in talks with my boss about funding. I really want to help this community! They are soooo motivated! Shocorco is my furthest (a 2 hour hike from Jocos) and poorest (Peace Corps considers it in extreme poverty) community and yet they are the hardest working and most willing to work with me. They don`t expect me to just hand over money or supplies - they are more than happy to do more than their share of the work in the projects. They just want to better their lives! If I can complete just one project with them, it will make all my time here worth it!
I`m also working with Nurse Miriam (my good friend and official counterpart) in the elementary school. We are doing a whole series of talks on healthy living practices (handwashing, personal hygiene, etc). We`ve only given one talk so far, but I`m really looking forward to working with Miriam!
My other projects are still moving along - English classes and gardens.
And what about electricity? some of you might be asking. Well, you guessed it!, not yet. They technicos (technicians) have been working like crazy to get all the cabling up and connected to houses and transformers. Although, in the process, they have managed to break 3, count them!, 3 water tubes so water in Jocos is hit or mostly miss right now. They say we will have electrcity by the end of June. This does not, of course, mean electric light will be shining in my window any time soon. The wiring of the individual houses is up to the owner. I`m sure my ever-thinking landlord will soon get around to asking me to provide the equipment to wire the entire house. I`ll do my room, no mas. I`m in no hurry to get my blender and besides, how many people do you know that get a candle-lit dinner every night?
Some of the homesickness from before has passed, though there are still and always will be good days and bad. But you know what? I`m approaching 6 months of being a volunteer! 6 months! Can you believe it? Sometimes it seems to have passed so quickly and other times it feels like I`ve been here forever. On the bad days, I tell myself that if I can just get through the next 6 months, I`m as good as Home. All the seasoned volunteers tell me that the second year goes by in the blink of an eye. On the good days I just hope there is enough time left to get a couple of the projects nearest my heart completed (and yes! latrines are near and dear to my heart!).
It is lenteja (lentil) harvesting time in Jocos. They cut the plants near the base then spread them out to dry, usually in a cleared area of the field (the crop circles, Mom!). My host family, however, dries theirs on the street (a term I use very lightly) in front of the house. Not a bad place, really. The concrete heats up and helps to dry, the dirt is somewhat less than in the fields and they can go about their daily household business while keeping an eye on the crop. The greatest thing about the lenteja is the sound it makes as it dries. As the pods heat up they burst open with and audible Pop! I sat outside for a long time just listening. After they are dry, the beans are bundled up and taken to Cajabamba to be sold. Some are retained for the family. They actually eat a fair amount of lentejas in Jocos - a very good supplement to their diet! I, honestly, avoid lenteja as I have discovered I dislike legumes of any kind.
The next time I write to you all, I will be writing from Cajamarca! Thank Heavens! By that time, it will be 1 day short of 7 weeks since I`ve been in. Nearly an eternity! I`m looking forward to lots of good food, hot showers, cable TV, and time with my friends there!
The party started in Lluchubamba on a Monday so I headed up with quite literally 1/2 of Jocos on my heels to wathc the fùtbol games, hang out in the now-packed plaza and just generally enjoy the state fair like atmostphere. By the afternoon, however, Meredith and I were doing our best to dodge the drunks (every drunk wants to talk to and, if possible, lean on the Gringas). We made small escapes to her room to let Kìon out. As it turns out, he is deathly afraid of marching bands (who knew?) and since they roam the streets all day playing, he spent the vast majority of his time in Meredith`s room under her bed.
Our friend and fellow volunteer, Jeff, came out from Cajabamba for one night. We hung out, watched the fireworks (more on that soon), drank a little beer and were subjected to some of the worst Huayno (whine-o) music I`ve yet had to endure.
The final day I was in Lluchubamba, Meredith and I got talked into being judges for the Platos Tipicos (Meredith) and the Danzas Tradicionales (me) competitions. Nothing too exciting, really. Meredith had to swallow a fair amount of pretty nasty food (think pig-skin soup) and I sat in the hot sun (with my ever trust hat on, of course!) and watched the same 1/2 hour dance routine 3 times.
Then it was down to Jocos for the party there. Only 3 days total this time, rather than the full week of the one in The Lluch. To be honest, I hid in my room a lot of the time.
Now, for the fireworks! I`m honestly not sure which one was more horrifying - the one in Lluchubamba or the one in Jocos. The one in Lluchubamba consisted of several 3-4 story bamboo structures stratigically placed through-out the plaza, all studded with every imaginable type of firework. When they were lit, the sparks and shrapnel showered down on the rather delighted crowd. As the structures burned, parts and pieces fell off into the crowd and people shot their own fireworks (black cats meet bottle rockets) into the crowd. Scary.
The fireworks dispaly in Jocos was more of just a fire rather than fireworks. The high-schooler constructed 2 float-like structures, covered them in white paper and painte them. One was in the shape of a sheep and the other in the shape of a crocodile (don`t ask, I have no idea why). They paraded around the plaza with them while the band played. But then, once the band stopped, they lit the structures on fire. They went up in flames! The band started back up again and the kids ran around with the flaming floats - chasing each other around the plaze. Before long, it dissolved into a scene from Lord of the Flies - kids chasing each other with flaming pieces of float, others dancing around the larger fires on the ground. By the end, the entire plaza was dotted with fires - each with its own group of kids dancing around and in the flames. Scary.
And now the drunks are gone too! I have never before seen men (all the public drunks are men) so drunk for so long! Nearly 2 weeks of solid drinking - beer, chicha (a nasty fermented corn home brew) and rubbing alcohol - and some of them were amazingly still standing. Albeit not easily. Coming for a place where being even a 1/4 that drunk will land you in de-tox for the night, it was strange and difficult to see these men wandering around freely until finally passing out on a corner or doorstep. Luckily, they are pretty easy to avoid as they are loud and stumbly.
Now that the parties are over I can get back to work. And I actually have work to do! I had my first meeting with the Padres of the community (Shocorco - just sound it out) that wants latrines. We have some priliminary numbers now and I`m in talks with my boss about funding. I really want to help this community! They are soooo motivated! Shocorco is my furthest (a 2 hour hike from Jocos) and poorest (Peace Corps considers it in extreme poverty) community and yet they are the hardest working and most willing to work with me. They don`t expect me to just hand over money or supplies - they are more than happy to do more than their share of the work in the projects. They just want to better their lives! If I can complete just one project with them, it will make all my time here worth it!
I`m also working with Nurse Miriam (my good friend and official counterpart) in the elementary school. We are doing a whole series of talks on healthy living practices (handwashing, personal hygiene, etc). We`ve only given one talk so far, but I`m really looking forward to working with Miriam!
My other projects are still moving along - English classes and gardens.
And what about electricity? some of you might be asking. Well, you guessed it!, not yet. They technicos (technicians) have been working like crazy to get all the cabling up and connected to houses and transformers. Although, in the process, they have managed to break 3, count them!, 3 water tubes so water in Jocos is hit or mostly miss right now. They say we will have electrcity by the end of June. This does not, of course, mean electric light will be shining in my window any time soon. The wiring of the individual houses is up to the owner. I`m sure my ever-thinking landlord will soon get around to asking me to provide the equipment to wire the entire house. I`ll do my room, no mas. I`m in no hurry to get my blender and besides, how many people do you know that get a candle-lit dinner every night?
Some of the homesickness from before has passed, though there are still and always will be good days and bad. But you know what? I`m approaching 6 months of being a volunteer! 6 months! Can you believe it? Sometimes it seems to have passed so quickly and other times it feels like I`ve been here forever. On the bad days, I tell myself that if I can just get through the next 6 months, I`m as good as Home. All the seasoned volunteers tell me that the second year goes by in the blink of an eye. On the good days I just hope there is enough time left to get a couple of the projects nearest my heart completed (and yes! latrines are near and dear to my heart!).
It is lenteja (lentil) harvesting time in Jocos. They cut the plants near the base then spread them out to dry, usually in a cleared area of the field (the crop circles, Mom!). My host family, however, dries theirs on the street (a term I use very lightly) in front of the house. Not a bad place, really. The concrete heats up and helps to dry, the dirt is somewhat less than in the fields and they can go about their daily household business while keeping an eye on the crop. The greatest thing about the lenteja is the sound it makes as it dries. As the pods heat up they burst open with and audible Pop! I sat outside for a long time just listening. After they are dry, the beans are bundled up and taken to Cajabamba to be sold. Some are retained for the family. They actually eat a fair amount of lentejas in Jocos - a very good supplement to their diet! I, honestly, avoid lenteja as I have discovered I dislike legumes of any kind.
The next time I write to you all, I will be writing from Cajamarca! Thank Heavens! By that time, it will be 1 day short of 7 weeks since I`ve been in. Nearly an eternity! I`m looking forward to lots of good food, hot showers, cable TV, and time with my friends there!
posted by Kellie | 12:01 PM
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