What I've been up to...

I'm painting...


Sunset in the Andes....


Town festival



The picture says it all...




My host family, host mom's birthday. I made the cake! Strawberry cake.





Painting my bathroom, with my head in the clouds.

Christmas glistening in the distance....

I thought it would be a good idea to listen to Christmas music, I mean
tis’ the season. Well, bad idea. I listen to sleigh bells jingeling
on a silent night while mommy kissed Santa Claus, and the water works
opened like it was the first day of summer, full blast!

I was reminded of my favorite Christmas movie The Grinch starring Jim
Carrey. The scene where Christmas finally gets to the Grinch, and he
starts crying. I found myself asking, as the Grinch did, “why am I
leeeaking?”

Before coming to Peru I never considered my Christmas’ to be
particularly perfect. But here I am longing for that Christmas that
glistens in the distance.

So what is the point of all of this? Well I guess it’s that I can’t
wait to appreciate it all a bit more when I get back. But it's not
all that bad I'm blessed with so much family, so many friends and an
opportunity to see the world through another’s eyes, that I can’t help
but start to appreciate it all a little bit more even now. So I say
to you, this Christmas do me a favor, and fulfill what I can’t. Stare
at Christmas lights just a second longer, eat just at least one more
cookie, smile like you mean it in those annoyingly wonderful Christmas
pictures, jingle those bells, enjoy the mistletoe and the warmth of
the Holiday Season with your son, your daughter, spouse, mom, dad,
brother, friends, pets or what have you.

And to all those I’ve had the pleasure of sharing the holidays with
before, in the office, at school, at home, at your home, or even over
the phone. From the bottom of that thing that beats in my chest, thank
you for creating joyous memories of what I now consider more than 20 (
a girl never reveals her real age) perfect Christmas’. I will be
here, in Peru, enjoying the humblest of Christmas’ blessed with more
than I could have ever imagined. I miss home like crazy.

No bahambugs, just Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, and a very Joyous
New Year to you all.

P.S. Send me some of those awesome cheesy Christmas pictures, of you,
family or friends. I loooove that stuff! Makes me feel like a have a
bit of home with me.

"No matter where I was, my compass pointed [north]. I ... always know what time it was in California..." Fitch, adapted for moi.

October will be my fifth month in Peru, but I still know what time it is in Cali. I assume I always will. A lot has happened since my last entry and have even joked with a friend that perhaps a short book should be started. I have enough titles for chapters including:

Incan gods in Jesus' house- from my trip to the wood sculpting sector of the parish that concentrated on traditional Andean artifacts.

Cold, sticky yet refreshing- our PC experience with food, and the PC experience overall.

Irony- on not being able to teach a class on respect because the children would not be quiet long enough to listen.

Ode to the dirt rode (Em)- on my trip up a mountain, seeing the most beautiful sight in all of my life and having an epiphany (inquire within for further detail). Huascaran- highest mountain in Peru, second highest in the Americas.

Parasites or Bacteria, the lesser of the two evils- on my experience at site for the first month, and my host mothers comments on me looking like a stick. I almost asked her to repeat that so I could record, I've never heard that before.

It's raining plaster- communication, or mis-communication.

Reading thicker books, they last longer and make better pillows (Coelho)- my refuge in the world of literature, the warmth of covers and the friend that never leaves.

Square pegs in triangular holes- on culture clash and integration.

I should stop too much writing makes others fall asleep. I'm taking submissions for suggested title, entries must be witty and yes, still apply to my life...

Pictures?

Adobe smell

I packed into the human tetris machine, called a combi ( or a bus), a couple of days ago as the rain came down on us. Mamita move here, you move there, now theres a butt in my face, oh thats an elbow, ok ok we're all in vamos vamos... lets go lets go. The window was cracked open which is not common, and I could smell the distinct combination of odors that seeps up when the rain comes pounding down... wet adobe, this musky thick scent that makes you feel like you're almost rolling in the dirt, the pine and eucalyptus, their freshness opening up my lungs. I've passed by this mountain many times now and every time I go by it it's different, I guess things change depending on how you look at them. I could feel the rain drops hit my face and I couldn't be happier. I was wet when I got home, no I didn't take an umbrella it was a bright sunshiny day when I left home. But it was ok, there hadn't been water at home for a couple days, no showers, daing! Electricity was also out for a while. It's a good thing I like candles in my room and moonlight outside.

I've been working with a group of kids at the local school, we've painted, drawn and are now well on our way to completing our world map mural. We chat as we paint and its interesting to see their faces of amazement when we talk about different cultures, and lands. They see me at the school and run up to me to say hi. The young girls run up to hug me or shake my hand and the boys mozy over slowly and wait for me to ask if they'll participate and don't want to stop or go home when its time to stop.

I've also started imputing data into excel that I've gathered from the last 5 years of school records. I'm going to be looking at different demographic variables to see if there is any correlation between those variables and drop out rate. Then hopefully address those things during my chats to help encourage high school completion. Along with self esteem chats, sex ed, values, respect, health, nutrition and so on. The world map kids really enjoy the painting and I love art so we will probably start up an art group. (Side note: I've started using oil paints and have completed my first couple of paintings. I continue to sketch and will probably do some water colors.) I plan on doing a community clean up and sorting out recyclables to use for both funds and material for our art group. I'm excited about the world of art! Oh and environmental sensitivity.

This week is my communities patron saint celebration. It will last one week. There are more than 5 pigs (no pig for me makes me violently sick), 3 cows, countless guinea pigs, over 250 cajas (one caja: a case of about twelve 40 oz. beers), several sacks of potatoes, rice, and bottles of hard liquor being donated by the community. Which means lots of food and lots of celebration. There will be fireworks, mass, and dancing. I know great time to pick sobriety as a way of life... ha.

Ciao for now, with my knit belt, bracelets, sandals, hair wrap, tattered clothes I realize I'm looking more crunchy granola as the days go by...

Strength

The first week and a half at site has been rather interesting, with
plenty of time for reflection. Admittedly the first week was at best
one of the most difficult weeks of, well, perhaps my life. A trying
period for me, I was indecisive, scared, lonely and confused. I kept
telling myself that perhaps I was not meant to be in the Peace Corps.
Perhaps I wasn’t strong enough.

When I was still in LA I attended a Peace Corps event with a bunch of
RPVC (returned peace corps volunteers), a friend of mine accompanied
me. There I had an interesting conversation with a man who’s probably
forgotten my name and face. But I still remember him telling me to
enjoy every moment of my experience and that when I came out of it,
that everything I went through will have scrapped against my conscious
until leaving it smooth, and that I would never be the same. I
remember that starry night at the rooftop of one of LA’s skyscrapers
well. I kept holding on to that memory last week, to no avail. It’s
hard being from home from its familiarity and its sense of freedom. I
however am able to count on an incredible support system composed of
family, friends (near and far) and even some PC staff. And I realized
that strength can come from the most unlikely places and even when you
feel there’s nothing left, it’s just time to stop, listen to the
birds, the wind through the leaves, the rapid beat of the
hummingbird’s wings or whatever may be around and find the strength
you thought was lost.

For now I will continue to try. My work will be mostly with the
municipality (city hall), school, health post and some youth. Some
things I’m thinking include gathering of donations and job fair school
fair adaptation that may look nothing like a fair but would encourage
educational advancement as well as some other stuff…

Don't think that life out here is somber, it is good and I am learning
tons. For example some Peace Corps Volunteers have decided that
instead of having the slogan Life is calling, how far will you go?...
it should be Life is calling... bring your PH (papel hygenico/toilet
paper).

Walk the walk

I was so nervous to give the speech at our swearing in and couldn't figure out what the big deal was. I've spoken in public before, but it was different. And not just because I would be delivering it in Spanish, yes my native language, but also a language I've never received formal training for. I was exceptionally nervous. I think I've realized that Peace Corps is probably the most important thing I've done in my life as of yet, and speaking about it was bound to make me emotional and nervous.

Talk about leaving my family in the states. Talk about some of the people I've worked with. In particular my little hero at the shelter for children with disabilities. Writing with his one foot, eating with his one foot and learning to walk with his prosthetic leg. Talk about building the foundation to a home, not just a house but a home. Talk about working and learning with my 35 Peace Corps Peru thirteeners all made tears welt in my eyes and made my voice crack! DAING! I though I could but didn't. After it was over a rush of adrenaline swept over me and the video above was a result of that...

I miss and think about you in the states often, and lament not being part of what your lives are now. BUT look forward in the sharing we will do. I also now miss my thirteeners that are spread throughout various departments (or states) of Peru.

Bueno, hasta pronto.

Oh here is my PO box... please feel free to send chocolate, inn n out, tampons, encouraging messages, or simply good vibrations. (which can be done via telepathy, no postage needed)

PCV Maria Lisette Botello
Casilla Postal No. 277
Serpost Huaraz
Ancash, Peru