So I have been in my community for about a month, finally feel comfortable with my huge extended host family of 17 people and as I have written in the previous post I have promising project ideas…feeling good right?
Well not completely. I had been warned before coming to site that the first few months will be extremely challenging – rainy season, school vacation just about to begin and people are busy working in the fields or even leaving for jobs in bigger cities – all things that make it hard to meet people and find people to work with.
But it really didn’t hit me until the week that the school year officially ended. The supportive teachers I met all commute from the different towns where they live and all leave during vacations. Meaning the push for summer school is complicated by no teacher support and the closing of the school buildings and resources. Also, my small town does not have many work opportunities – the people are either busy in the fields with their livestock and agriculture from early morning until 6pm or they leave for cities where they can find other jobs (in fact 3 of the men in my extended host family work in the mines and are only home a few days every 2 weeks). Without much warning, I discover two host nephew and niece will be returning to Huancayo for work during the next 2 months of school vacation, my host sister and her baby will be leaving for 1 month to spend time with her husband in Huancayo and another host nephew will be taking summer classes in Huancayo meaning his mother (or my host sister and community counterpart set up by Peace Corps) will also be leaving for the next 2 months!
That’s when it hit me that these challenges are very much present in my site; for the next 2 months I will not have the support of 5 people I know the best including my tentative community counterpart (as of now that is probably about 1/4 of the people I have close relationships and/or currently work with outside of the school system), no school resources and trouble tracking down hardworking community members.
I guess that just leaves more motivation to focus on my community diagnostic and meeting more people...
Hasta Luego,
Lauren
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Proyectos… ¡Pero Necesito Hacer Mi Diagnostico Primero!
A little over one month in my site and I feel like I have learned a lot…and still have a lot to learn! Through my conversations and observations, I already have many ideas for projects and also have some pressure to start certain projects ASAP, and in some respect quicker than I feel prepared for.
With Peace Corps, all volunteers are required to conduct a Community Diagnostic during the first 3 months of our service before diving into projects. This includes a thorough investigation of the important community organizations and leaders, current situation in relation to our program goals (for Community Based Environmental Management: environmental awareness, solid waste management and views on forestation), community map with resources and important landmarks, among other diagnostic tools. The Community Diagnostic provides a way for us to integrate and get to know our community – something that it is important to our approach of volunteering in international development. Getting to know the community first is crucial – you build relationships and trust within the community as well as take the time to observe the current situation from an outsider’s perspective while also listening to the community’s desires and views on their own development. That way the projects I work on are the projects they are interested in and with their trust I will hopefully get the support I need to successfully facilitate sustainable development projects.
That being said, it is hard to wait 3 months to begin tangible volunteer work. Even though I have 2 full years for my projects, it is difficult to feel like I am not officially starting any projects and the pressure from the community (and SERNANP) adds to that feeling that “I am not doing anything.” But it is challenging to begin projects, or fully articulate what I am currently doing for that matter, when my language skills are still slowly improving. For example, as much as I inform my community that my program goals are environmental projects, I will forever be approached to teach English. After visiting the schools, many children come up to me and ask when I am coming back to teach English. The other day, I was talking to one of the PCVs who also works in Junín and he told me he met someone in my community when he was taking the bus who informed him that I was going to be teaching English here…
On the other positive side, I also have pressures to start environmentally orientated projects. My community has its own greenhouse where one of the women grows vegetables and herbs to sell in the community and use the earnings to support the main livestock/farm work. They are eager for me to come and make suggestions for types of vegetables, collection of seeds and advice on organization and possible expansion of the greenhouse harvest. That is a very exciting project, because I view it as an opportunity to encourage nutrition in the community as well as support the business aspect. I spoke with the mayor of my community who is very supportive and understanding of my aims as an Environmental PCV. He is excited to start a recycling campaign having already researched a place in which we can sell recycled items and informed me that the community already formed a “Plan de Desarrollo Integral” (Development Plan) which he would like assistance in updating for the next 10 years…perfect considering I will be working on something similar for my Community Diagnostic! It also provides me a great basis for developing household surveys as data collection included a very thorough social-economic household survey along with community maps and brainstorm of identified current community problems…well as current as 2001. The park guards from SERNANP are also pushing forward Peace Corps’ suggestion of organizing “vacaciones útiles” (summer school) as a way to jump into the environmental education goal even though the school year finishes in December.
Now time to concentrate on meeting and learning more about my community. “Vamos a ver” what that will bring….
Hasta Luego,
Lauren
With Peace Corps, all volunteers are required to conduct a Community Diagnostic during the first 3 months of our service before diving into projects. This includes a thorough investigation of the important community organizations and leaders, current situation in relation to our program goals (for Community Based Environmental Management: environmental awareness, solid waste management and views on forestation), community map with resources and important landmarks, among other diagnostic tools. The Community Diagnostic provides a way for us to integrate and get to know our community – something that it is important to our approach of volunteering in international development. Getting to know the community first is crucial – you build relationships and trust within the community as well as take the time to observe the current situation from an outsider’s perspective while also listening to the community’s desires and views on their own development. That way the projects I work on are the projects they are interested in and with their trust I will hopefully get the support I need to successfully facilitate sustainable development projects.
That being said, it is hard to wait 3 months to begin tangible volunteer work. Even though I have 2 full years for my projects, it is difficult to feel like I am not officially starting any projects and the pressure from the community (and SERNANP) adds to that feeling that “I am not doing anything.” But it is challenging to begin projects, or fully articulate what I am currently doing for that matter, when my language skills are still slowly improving. For example, as much as I inform my community that my program goals are environmental projects, I will forever be approached to teach English. After visiting the schools, many children come up to me and ask when I am coming back to teach English. The other day, I was talking to one of the PCVs who also works in Junín and he told me he met someone in my community when he was taking the bus who informed him that I was going to be teaching English here…
On the other positive side, I also have pressures to start environmentally orientated projects. My community has its own greenhouse where one of the women grows vegetables and herbs to sell in the community and use the earnings to support the main livestock/farm work. They are eager for me to come and make suggestions for types of vegetables, collection of seeds and advice on organization and possible expansion of the greenhouse harvest. That is a very exciting project, because I view it as an opportunity to encourage nutrition in the community as well as support the business aspect. I spoke with the mayor of my community who is very supportive and understanding of my aims as an Environmental PCV. He is excited to start a recycling campaign having already researched a place in which we can sell recycled items and informed me that the community already formed a “Plan de Desarrollo Integral” (Development Plan) which he would like assistance in updating for the next 10 years…perfect considering I will be working on something similar for my Community Diagnostic! It also provides me a great basis for developing household surveys as data collection included a very thorough social-economic household survey along with community maps and brainstorm of identified current community problems…well as current as 2001. The park guards from SERNANP are also pushing forward Peace Corps’ suggestion of organizing “vacaciones útiles” (summer school) as a way to jump into the environmental education goal even though the school year finishes in December.
Now time to concentrate on meeting and learning more about my community. “Vamos a ver” what that will bring….
Hasta Luego,
Lauren
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Donde Voy a Vivir Para el Próximo Dos Años
Two weeks ago, we had the celebratory revealing of site locations after a suspenseful 8 weeks of training and subsequently traveled for a week of Field Based Training (FBT) and site visit. So where am I off too? JUNIN!
Reasons Junin is AMAZING:
1. The 4 Environmental Volunteers of Peru 14 (including me) and a 3rd year Environmental Volunteer are the first PCVs to be sent to work in the departmento de Junin. [FYI: Junin is the departmento (equivalent to a “state” in the US) east of the Lima in the center of Peru.] This means, I am not only the first volunteer at my site, but we are the first volunteers in all of the departamento and first to work with SERNANP officials in the Reserva Nacional de Junin which works to protect the uniquely diverse natural ecosystem around Lake Junin, home to many interesting bird species including the famous Zambullidor de Junin and a nearly extinct Rana Gigante (Giant Frog).
2. At over 4000 meters, we are very likely located at the highest location of all the PCVs sent around the world. Our region around Lake Junin is perfect since it is a plateau…making it also conducive to host the highest railroad and the highest altitude marathon (how cool would it be to say I completed the highest marathon in the world!), and biking is a very realistic method of transportation…that is after you adjust to the lack of oxygen!
3. Junin is beautiful! Pictures to come, but trust me it is incredible and everyone should consider adding it to their long list of must see places in Peru.
4. The people are warm hearted and friendly. A stereotype of Andean communities in Peru is that the people are less affectionate and much more reserved than Peruvians who live on the coast…Junin is definitely evidence of the exception. It is to be expected that you greet friends and new acquaintances with the “European” cheek kiss, striking up a conversation and asking for help is incredibly easy and they are overall generous and eager to share.
5. Quechua is not the predominant language. Many Andean communities, for example many communities in Ancash departamento, speak the traditional language Quechua and while all of the younger generations learn Castellano (“Latin American Spanish”) in school, Quechua is very wide spread making it difficult for PCVs to rely only on Spanish for communication. Surprisingly, the people is Junin speak very little Quechua and while I currently struggle with their slightly different pronunciation and accentation in sentences, I only need to learn Castellano to communicate. Clearly this is not all good, since it means that traditional culture is being lost. But, this culture is plenty present in cooking, dress, celebrations and traditions.
6. And more to come I am sure!
Likely Site Challenges:
1. We are the first volunteers, meaning we lack established connections and know very little about the area and community. It was definitely hard not having any current PCVs to talk with about their experiences…especially when I saw and heard all the excitement with everyone else. Still the excitement of the unknown and potential to be a trail blazer is also very rewarding.
2. New site PCV (aka not a replacement volunteer) has the difficult task of setting up sustainable development program and I have been warned not to set too high hopes of accomplishing impossible tasks in 2 years. Two years is short in regard to any development project, but it is even shorter when nothing is in place to prep your volunteer work.
3. Cold, cold, FREEZING. No one was lying when they said Junin is cold and clearly altitude can prevail over proximity to the Equator. Unfortunately we leave for our sites during the rainy season and without sun, Junin can be unbearably cold. Coming from a girl raised in Rochester (one of the coldest, snowiest, overcast places in the US), I would point out the huge difference it makes when you have no warm haven to hibernate in. Unlike in the US, the buildings are not heated or even insulated and sitting inside hardly feels warmer than sitting outside. During my week long visit in Junin I will shamefully admit that I only showered one day (even though I had 3 nights of warm shower opportunity in a hostal during FBT) and the thought of even removing clothes to change into pajamas was so unappealing that I couldn’t do it some nights. But as much as I am complaining, I will get used to it and during the daytime sun it is quite pleasant. And thinking about positives: no insect bites and I don’t sweat enough to really need a shower right? (don’t judge me!)
4. 4115 meters = inability to engage in physical activity…until I acclimate. Even worse, I found out I don’t do well with altitude sickness, so I will look forward to that every time I move from nearly sea level Lima to over 4000 m Junin. However, once I acclimate, I will be an athletic champ!
That is all I have for now.
Hasta luego,
Lauren
Reasons Junin is AMAZING:
1. The 4 Environmental Volunteers of Peru 14 (including me) and a 3rd year Environmental Volunteer are the first PCVs to be sent to work in the departmento de Junin. [FYI: Junin is the departmento (equivalent to a “state” in the US) east of the Lima in the center of Peru.] This means, I am not only the first volunteer at my site, but we are the first volunteers in all of the departamento and first to work with SERNANP officials in the Reserva Nacional de Junin which works to protect the uniquely diverse natural ecosystem around Lake Junin, home to many interesting bird species including the famous Zambullidor de Junin and a nearly extinct Rana Gigante (Giant Frog).
2. At over 4000 meters, we are very likely located at the highest location of all the PCVs sent around the world. Our region around Lake Junin is perfect since it is a plateau…making it also conducive to host the highest railroad and the highest altitude marathon (how cool would it be to say I completed the highest marathon in the world!), and biking is a very realistic method of transportation…that is after you adjust to the lack of oxygen!
3. Junin is beautiful! Pictures to come, but trust me it is incredible and everyone should consider adding it to their long list of must see places in Peru.
4. The people are warm hearted and friendly. A stereotype of Andean communities in Peru is that the people are less affectionate and much more reserved than Peruvians who live on the coast…Junin is definitely evidence of the exception. It is to be expected that you greet friends and new acquaintances with the “European” cheek kiss, striking up a conversation and asking for help is incredibly easy and they are overall generous and eager to share.
5. Quechua is not the predominant language. Many Andean communities, for example many communities in Ancash departamento, speak the traditional language Quechua and while all of the younger generations learn Castellano (“Latin American Spanish”) in school, Quechua is very wide spread making it difficult for PCVs to rely only on Spanish for communication. Surprisingly, the people is Junin speak very little Quechua and while I currently struggle with their slightly different pronunciation and accentation in sentences, I only need to learn Castellano to communicate. Clearly this is not all good, since it means that traditional culture is being lost. But, this culture is plenty present in cooking, dress, celebrations and traditions.
6. And more to come I am sure!
Likely Site Challenges:
1. We are the first volunteers, meaning we lack established connections and know very little about the area and community. It was definitely hard not having any current PCVs to talk with about their experiences…especially when I saw and heard all the excitement with everyone else. Still the excitement of the unknown and potential to be a trail blazer is also very rewarding.
2. New site PCV (aka not a replacement volunteer) has the difficult task of setting up sustainable development program and I have been warned not to set too high hopes of accomplishing impossible tasks in 2 years. Two years is short in regard to any development project, but it is even shorter when nothing is in place to prep your volunteer work.
3. Cold, cold, FREEZING. No one was lying when they said Junin is cold and clearly altitude can prevail over proximity to the Equator. Unfortunately we leave for our sites during the rainy season and without sun, Junin can be unbearably cold. Coming from a girl raised in Rochester (one of the coldest, snowiest, overcast places in the US), I would point out the huge difference it makes when you have no warm haven to hibernate in. Unlike in the US, the buildings are not heated or even insulated and sitting inside hardly feels warmer than sitting outside. During my week long visit in Junin I will shamefully admit that I only showered one day (even though I had 3 nights of warm shower opportunity in a hostal during FBT) and the thought of even removing clothes to change into pajamas was so unappealing that I couldn’t do it some nights. But as much as I am complaining, I will get used to it and during the daytime sun it is quite pleasant. And thinking about positives: no insect bites and I don’t sweat enough to really need a shower right? (don’t judge me!)
4. 4115 meters = inability to engage in physical activity…until I acclimate. Even worse, I found out I don’t do well with altitude sickness, so I will look forward to that every time I move from nearly sea level Lima to over 4000 m Junin. However, once I acclimate, I will be an athletic champ!
That is all I have for now.
Hasta luego,
Lauren
Las Metas del Programa de Manejo Ambiental Comunitario en Perú
Many of you might be wondering what exactly I aim to do as an Environmental Volunteer in Peru. As part of the Community Based Environmental Management program, we have three main goals/targets:
1. Environmental Awareness – work with adults and/or children in formal settings (i.e. town meetings and schools) and/or informal settings (i.e. ecotourism club for children or day to day conversations and actions as a role model) to educate the community on environmental issues
2. Natural Resource Management – concrete project is reforestation (i.e. aim to plant 1000 trees with the community) but many Environmental Volunteers are placed near National Protected Areas and will work with SERNANP (Servicio Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas aka a national park organization) on whatever natural resource management plan they have
3. Community Solid Waste Management – concrete project is promotion of microrelleno sanitary disposal of solid waste (i.e. 1 large landfill or 3 multifamily landfills or 10 family landfills) and minimization of solid waste includes separation into recycling (which will also provide revenue) and organic material for composting (which produces organic fertilizer that could displace cost of buying fertilizer or even provide source of revenue).
Along with these three specific program goals, Environmental Volunteers are also expected to promote strengthening of organizations by working as facilitators for sustainable development. It is also common to incorporate the promotion of ecotourism in the community.
As with all programs within the Peace Corps, secondary assignments are encouraged and can be as diverse as teaching English in the schools, organizing sports for women, AIDS awareness…honestly whatever the volunteer sees as an opportunity and merges the interest of both the volunteer and community members.
I will keep you posted on how I progress with these aims at my site!
Hasta luego,
Lauren
1. Environmental Awareness – work with adults and/or children in formal settings (i.e. town meetings and schools) and/or informal settings (i.e. ecotourism club for children or day to day conversations and actions as a role model) to educate the community on environmental issues
2. Natural Resource Management – concrete project is reforestation (i.e. aim to plant 1000 trees with the community) but many Environmental Volunteers are placed near National Protected Areas and will work with SERNANP (Servicio Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas aka a national park organization) on whatever natural resource management plan they have
3. Community Solid Waste Management – concrete project is promotion of microrelleno sanitary disposal of solid waste (i.e. 1 large landfill or 3 multifamily landfills or 10 family landfills) and minimization of solid waste includes separation into recycling (which will also provide revenue) and organic material for composting (which produces organic fertilizer that could displace cost of buying fertilizer or even provide source of revenue).
Along with these three specific program goals, Environmental Volunteers are also expected to promote strengthening of organizations by working as facilitators for sustainable development. It is also common to incorporate the promotion of ecotourism in the community.
As with all programs within the Peace Corps, secondary assignments are encouraged and can be as diverse as teaching English in the schools, organizing sports for women, AIDS awareness…honestly whatever the volunteer sees as an opportunity and merges the interest of both the volunteer and community members.
I will keep you posted on how I progress with these aims at my site!
Hasta luego,
Lauren
Monday, October 19, 2009
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
¨¡Lauren, mira! tu amiga está caminando abajo¨
I thought it was about time to share a little bit of information about where I live. How do you get to my house? “Walk until the paved road ends, go through the “doorway” carved out of the stone wall, walk through the dirt road, turn, keep walking…” This is really how I give directions to where I live, no kidding. I honestly don’t know even know the address of my house.
I posted pictures of my neighborhood but was not savy enough to add captions for each picture. The first was taken from the top of the hill in my town, the view is great from up there although the area is very dusty making it difficult to fully appreciate the beauty of the mountains since most days you cannot clearly see into the far distance. Which reminds me of a comment on the climate, it is extremely dry here! As you can see, there is very sparse vegetation as a result. In the 5 weeks I have been here, it has only ¨rained¨twice, once while I was sleeping and the second time was the smallest mist of raindrops. I actually miss the rain! The last two pictures are taken from my rooftop/porch area. We have two dogs that stay on top of the roof all of the time. I was surprised when I arrived, I expected the dogs to live outdoors but never expected to see dogs that never leave the rooftop. Perhaps only for intimidation? Although honestly my dogs are the most passively quiet and harmless dogs you can imagine. This is not to say that all of the neighbors have dogs on the roof, plenty of others own dogs that live behind their gated houses and there are still stray dogs roaming around. But in my town there are no overly territorial dogs that attack you when you go running...I am grateful for that!
One interesting observation I have made about the houses in my community is that it is extremely common to see houses only partially constructed. Many people live in houses that are not fully finished and continue to save money to pay for the rest of the construction. For example, most of the first and second floors of my house are empty and construction of those areas has been going on for the whole month that I have been here…and continues. Other houses have materials for building a second/third floor and are just waiting to be finished. Very different than the US, where people choose to live in smaller apartments or houses and wait until they can afford a large (and fully constructed) house.
My house has an awesome view because it is three floors but the main portion of the house is on the third floor (the bedrooms, kitchen, family room) and half of it is an open air roof/porch…still have not decided on the best word to describe it. As a result, my host family uses this area to see who is ringing the door or just people watch. Since I love people watching, it is fun to partake on Sundays when I have a break from training.
One day during the second week after I arrived, my host mother and cousin were looking down at the road, spotted a gringa walking by and excitingly called me over to point out my “amiga” walking by. When I looked down, I was embarrassed to realize I had no idea who it was. Was it possible that I still didn’t even recognize all fifty seven Peru 14 Peace Corps trainees,or more specifically the 15 of those placed with host families in my town? I mean sure 57 is a large group, but I felt really awkward admitting I had absolutely no idea who it was. Later, I found out it was a PCV visiting her old host family and there was actually a gringa in our small town who I didn’t know! Turns out not all of the gringos know each other as surprising as that is to everyone in my community. Not to blame them because I live in a town with three streets and an invasion of 15 PCTs.
Another great assumption is only gringos go jogging in Perú, or so the gringos think. After classes, a lot of the PCTs like to go running, do yoga, play soccer…just about any of physical activities. But we never see anyone jogging in the streets. One day after class, my friend and I decided to pass around the soccer ball. I came home and invited my host brothers’ to join us in playing fútbol and to my excitement they loved the idea …next thing I know they had quickly recruited 4 more people in the neighborhood for an impromptu 4v4 partido del fútbol. After which we went for a jog to the park, eight of us mobbing the street and truly a motley group of neighborhood “kids.” I honestly felt like The Sandlot. We passed other PCTs who later told me they were extremely confused when they saw a group of Peruvians running beforing seeing that my friend and I were with them. It was a great time until I realized when my host brother suggested “veinte”, he was referring to “vueltas” not “minutes”…meaning 20 LAPS around the park, not 20 minutes!
Well that is a long enough post for now...
Hasta luego,
Lauren
I posted pictures of my neighborhood but was not savy enough to add captions for each picture. The first was taken from the top of the hill in my town, the view is great from up there although the area is very dusty making it difficult to fully appreciate the beauty of the mountains since most days you cannot clearly see into the far distance. Which reminds me of a comment on the climate, it is extremely dry here! As you can see, there is very sparse vegetation as a result. In the 5 weeks I have been here, it has only ¨rained¨twice, once while I was sleeping and the second time was the smallest mist of raindrops. I actually miss the rain! The last two pictures are taken from my rooftop/porch area. We have two dogs that stay on top of the roof all of the time. I was surprised when I arrived, I expected the dogs to live outdoors but never expected to see dogs that never leave the rooftop. Perhaps only for intimidation? Although honestly my dogs are the most passively quiet and harmless dogs you can imagine. This is not to say that all of the neighbors have dogs on the roof, plenty of others own dogs that live behind their gated houses and there are still stray dogs roaming around. But in my town there are no overly territorial dogs that attack you when you go running...I am grateful for that!
One interesting observation I have made about the houses in my community is that it is extremely common to see houses only partially constructed. Many people live in houses that are not fully finished and continue to save money to pay for the rest of the construction. For example, most of the first and second floors of my house are empty and construction of those areas has been going on for the whole month that I have been here…and continues. Other houses have materials for building a second/third floor and are just waiting to be finished. Very different than the US, where people choose to live in smaller apartments or houses and wait until they can afford a large (and fully constructed) house.
My house has an awesome view because it is three floors but the main portion of the house is on the third floor (the bedrooms, kitchen, family room) and half of it is an open air roof/porch…still have not decided on the best word to describe it. As a result, my host family uses this area to see who is ringing the door or just people watch. Since I love people watching, it is fun to partake on Sundays when I have a break from training.
One day during the second week after I arrived, my host mother and cousin were looking down at the road, spotted a gringa walking by and excitingly called me over to point out my “amiga” walking by. When I looked down, I was embarrassed to realize I had no idea who it was. Was it possible that I still didn’t even recognize all fifty seven Peru 14 Peace Corps trainees,or more specifically the 15 of those placed with host families in my town? I mean sure 57 is a large group, but I felt really awkward admitting I had absolutely no idea who it was. Later, I found out it was a PCV visiting her old host family and there was actually a gringa in our small town who I didn’t know! Turns out not all of the gringos know each other as surprising as that is to everyone in my community. Not to blame them because I live in a town with three streets and an invasion of 15 PCTs.
Another great assumption is only gringos go jogging in Perú, or so the gringos think. After classes, a lot of the PCTs like to go running, do yoga, play soccer…just about any of physical activities. But we never see anyone jogging in the streets. One day after class, my friend and I decided to pass around the soccer ball. I came home and invited my host brothers’ to join us in playing fútbol and to my excitement they loved the idea …next thing I know they had quickly recruited 4 more people in the neighborhood for an impromptu 4v4 partido del fútbol. After which we went for a jog to the park, eight of us mobbing the street and truly a motley group of neighborhood “kids.” I honestly felt like The Sandlot. We passed other PCTs who later told me they were extremely confused when they saw a group of Peruvians running beforing seeing that my friend and I were with them. It was a great time until I realized when my host brother suggested “veinte”, he was referring to “vueltas” not “minutes”…meaning 20 LAPS around the park, not 20 minutes!
Well that is a long enough post for now...
Hasta luego,
Lauren
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