Yesterday was a dia feriado for the town in honor of Santa Rosa de Lima, the patron saint of the police. In order to celebrate this event the police hosted a huge party at a local venue. The party began at 11am, and like most Peruvian parties it continued well into the night. It was a good opportunity to talk with a lot of the community members and learn more about their town. There was an awesome live band that played Huano, Marinera, Cumbya, and Salsa music throughout the day and into the night. I think I danced with every single person there, so the day was definitely entertaining. Someone visiting from Trujillo asked me how long I had been in town, and was surprised when I told him only a week because a lot of people seemed to know who I was. It was definitely a compliment to hear that, because it can be pretty overwhelming to try to introduce myself to an entire town and start making connections. I was told various times that I could be the Reina of Poroto, which I think is hilarious given my lacking coordination and dancing skills. As the day wore on I got so tired, and was definitely ready to go home by 9pm although the party continued to rage.



Today I finally was able to meet the director of the local school. He seemed fairly interested in working with me, and promised to introduce me to the staff and students on Friday, so hopefully that will actually happen. Things here are going well and I´m incredibly excited to be here, but it is definitely a challenge. It is crazy to wake up every day and know that I am solely responsible for filling my day and finding connections and people to meet. As the only Peace Corps volunteer here (not to mention the only foreigner), it can be difficult to explain my presence and role in the community as well as the projects I would eventually like to do. I have to seek people out and really strive to make meaningful relationships now so when I begin actual work I will have supportive community partners. Although we have the first three months to condcut a community diagnostic, I still feel pressure to be productive and useful. I have to realize that things are going to take time, and I´m really grateful for the community members I have already met and the town events I´ve been exposed to. I´m so used to a quick pace of life, so this will definitely take some getting used to, but I don´t think there is anything like the experience you can have in the Peace Corps. Living here day in and day out for the next two years and sharing in every aspect of the culture and lifestyle here will not only be an incredibly enriching experience and opportunity for growth, but also hopefully allow me to develop a solid foundation for meaningful work and projects.

Yesterday I was talking with some of the teenage girls here in Poroto who noticed I go running most every day. Interested, they inquired more about it so I invited them to come with me sometime. To my surprise they agreed and decided that today at 5am would be a perfect time to go for a run with me. I was thrilled that they would be interested, but I didn´t think they were completely serious about the 5am business (especially given Peruvian concepts of time). Sure enough though, at 5am this morning I hear a knock on my door and three teenage girls are waiting for me, ready to run. I threw on my sneakers and jumped around for a second to wake up, and we were out the door in no time. The sky was still pitch black, but the air was cool and refreshing and the girls were quite lively. We ran along the windy road to Mochal, dodging pot holes and barking dogs. As the sky became lighter we could see the farmers entering their fields on donkeys. I was pretty impressed with the girls´running ability, but after about 2 miles their interest started to waver as they began wondering into the surrounding fields to pick flower boquets. We ran awhile longer and then one of the girls invited us into her family´s chacra (large field/farm). The sky was pink behind the mountains as the sun rouse and we snacked on sweet limes we picked from her family´s trees. It was a pretty incredible way to start the day.



All week my host sister and her friend have been talking about a ¨camineta¨they wanted me to join them on today. They explained they would show me some of the surrounding towns and we could see more of the district, so I agreed. However, when I met up with the girls, all ready for the day with my sunscreen and jacket, I realized they were about to take me on a huge campaigning trip through the entire district with one of the candidates for mayor. They had a giant pick up truck with the candidates face plastered all over it, huge megaphones and speakers, and an army of supporters proudly wearing the candidate´s t-shirts. I panicked because I obviously can´t parade around Poroto in a campaign truck, but they were all waiting for me to join them. I had to quickly explain that I couldn´t be seen as supporting any particular political party, so I´d have to sit this out. I don´t think they completely understood, but luckily I escaped without causing too much trouble.



Tomorrow is the holiday of Santa Rosa de Lima, who is the patron saint of the police, so today was a pre-party of sorts here in Poroto. After escaping my close-call political campaign, I wondered around town and found a group of people preparing a huge quantity of food for a ¨pollada¨which is essentially a party where a family or organization prepares an enormous supply of chicken and sells tickets for plates to help raise money for a special event, a town necessity, or a family in need. I hung out on the porch as the chicken cooked and celebratory firecrackers echoed in the background.



In the evening I attended a meeting of the Junta Directiva to talk about the new water system. It was a long meeting, but provided a lot of relevant insight into town issues and dynamics between the main town and surrounding caserios. I even got a shout-out from Don Willi as the ¨gringita Kelsi¨who helped him generate support for attendance at the town meeting.

I woke up and had some sweet bread delivered fresh from the Sierra from the families who live in the surrounding mountains and sell their baked goods here in Poroto on the weekends. Partnered with my host mom´s delicious roasted coffee with cinnamon, I was quite happy.



The highlight of my day today was my adventure with Don Willi, a grandfather-like figure here in Poroto who is the president of the Junta Directiva, which is sort of like a powerful town council. I was sitting outside my host family´s store playing with our two adorable puppies when Don Willi came up to me with a megaphone and asked if I would join him on an advetnure. I agreed, so we hopped in a mototaxi armed with a paintbucket and brushes and whizzed to the closest caserio, Shiran.



The Junta Directiva recently completed a huge water project that created a system of tubes that are now underground and transport fresh potable water to the town of Poroto and a few surrounding homes. This project was completed only a few days ago, so the town is trying to organize a meeting to discuss it. In order to advertise the town meeting, Don Willi and I walked up and down the streets of Shiran with the megaphone and blasting siren as he announced the upcoming meeting. He seems to be a pretty well-loved community member, so people smiled and promised to be in attendance as we paraded around town. I felt like a walking advertisement with my paintbrush and bucket proudly in hand. After we ensured everyone was informed about tomorrow´s meeting he wanted to show me their meeting so we continued through the sugar cane fields to the site of the water consilidation tank and underground tubes. It was a pretty impressive project, especially considering it was not funded through the municipality. He compared the system to the water Shiran uses, which is essentially a creek that runs into the water tanks. Considering the cows and other livestock around, I´m sure plenty of their remains seep into the water, so I´m personally quite glad that Porto´s water now flows through underground tubes. Don Willi is extremely animated, so talking with him provided me with lots of insight about his perception of Poroto and the dynamics of the town.



After we traipsed around the fields for awhile, I helped paint the cement water tank as Don Willi told me about his life in Poroto, studies in Trujillo, and work throughout Peru. When we finished we went back to Shiran and I met his sister, who is my host dad´s mother (everyone seems to be related in some way or another in this town). We chatted and shared some snacks until it got dark and then continued back along the road to Poroto, continuing to advise the households along the way about the water meeting with our obnoxious siren and megaphone. The road between Shiran and Poroto is sparsely populated, so in between announcements he explained some of Poroto´s history and politics. The upcoming elections seem to dominated the town, and with 9 candidates for mayor, the town is filled with posters, pamphlets, t-shirts, and even bottle openers advertising different candidates. Don Willi raised an interesting point- there are 9 candiates in this small town but only 4 candidates for the elections in Lima where millions of voters will participate.



When we returned from our little expedition I took a tour of the local church with Alexandra, my host sister, and climbed up the bell tower where we could see all the happenings of the town below. Poroto always seems to be pretty happening, and there are always people in the plaza and loud music coming from the streets.

I woke up fairly early this morning and headed to the school in Mochal, which is one of the small caserios of Poroto. My socio (community partner) asked me to come and get to know some of the students at the school, so I immediately agreed. When I arrived, he brought all 40 some students from the school, which range in age from about 5 to 14, into one room. He explained that I was a volunteer with Peace Corps and told them some of the things I might be able to do with the students over the next two years. His conclusion sentence was then... ¨and now she´s going to teach you some English!¨





Needless to say, I had nothing prepared and was certainly not expecting to give an impromptu English class to all 40 students. Despite my objections, he ensured me I would be fine, and I ¨only¨ needed to teach for 2 horitas. Somehow adding ïta¨to the end of the sentence didn´t make 2 hours seem any shorter. Before I could say anything else, he left the entire school premises, so I was left to my own devices. I had no idea where to start teaching English to a large group of various ages and unknown English abilities, but I did my best to throw together a basic English lesson. Fortunately, I was able to think pretty quickly on my feet and even came up with some games and dinamicas to correspond with the basic English I was teaching. I could have killed my socio for not warning me about this English lesson he had planned, but it went as smoothly as I could have expected. I think teaching some English classes here will be a great way to get to know some students, especially if I don´t have to make it up as I go.





During the afternoon I attended an activity fair at the Health Post that was sponsored by the Consejeras de Salud Youth Group. I think it was supposed to introduce other youth to the idea of health promotion and responsibility, but we primarily just played volleyball, tug-of-war, and other games. It was based out of the health post, so I suppose even introducing other youth to this space will make them more comfortable going there for advice or care.

Today I woke up and shared a delicious breakfast with my host mom in our restaurant- homemade toasted coffee with cinnamon, chicken soup with fresh cilantro, and perfectly toasted corn. After chatting over breakfast, I headed to the health post to meet my counterparts. Interestingly enough, the orthodontist has been one of the most receptive people I´ve found to work with. Although he is the orthodontist, he also works in health promotion in a variety of capacities and is really involved in the local community. We piled in a mototaxi and headed to a local pueblo in the district of Poroto called Shiran. I was able to meet with the director of the primaria school there and explain Peace Corps as well as some of the projects I may like to coordinate in the upcoming months. He seemed pretty open, and like most other people, excited at the prospect of someone who may be willing to help teach some English. Afterwards we walked over to the local kindergarden and I introduced myself before he gave a hygiene session to the parents there.





Everything about Peru involves waiting, and they are known for the ¨hora Peruana¨which essentially means that things happen at a much slower pace and people show up when they can. Throughout the day we were waiting for parents, teachers, and others to join us for our introductions and sessions. In the meantime, my counterpart happily shared his wealth of knowledge about Peruvian folklore, which definitely made the time pass more quickly.





After our morning expeditions to local schools I came home to a feast: I don´t think my host mom knows what I like, so she just gives me a little bit of everything. After lunch I met with a few women who are working for a Peruvian NGO called Circulo Solidario. They´re hoping to do a lot of similar work, so hopefully we should be able to collaborate and share ideas. I walked with them to visit the president of the ¨Club de Madres¨and hope to coordinate more in the future.



Later, I joined the Consajeros de Salud for their weekly meeting, which is a group of teenage health promoters who are supported by a Peruvian NGO. The group is composed primarily of girls, which seems to be the case for almost any youth-based event I´ve seen or heard about. The group talked about some of the issues they think hinder the youth of Poroto including limited technology, few teachers in the schools, limited resources, alcoholism, and child labor. The girls in the group seem empowered and excited about their involvement in the community, so hopefully their enthusiasm will transfer to other youth.

Very few people can probably say that their day began by giving an educational session about the Bubonic Plague (Yes, like the infamous Black Plague carried by rats and responsible for wiping out huge populations in Europe). However, now that La Libertad has been experiencing several cases of the Bubonic Plague, I can now proudly say that I am one of those people. The health post in Poroto is following the cases of the Bubonic Plague carefully, and taking early precautions by informing local students and parents of its prevalence and details about how it is transmitted. Although it sounds somewhat scary, it is pretty isolated right now and if caught quickly there is an easy fix. Hopefully I won´t be bit by any fleas, but if I am, I am now fully aware of how to diagnose myself. Introducing myself and Peace Corps after giving a session on the Bubonic Plague was an interesting means of presentation, but seemed effective enough. The students at the secundaria seemed interested, and I´m excited to work with them in a lot of different capacities.





After spending the morning in the health post and local school, I joined a group of girls playing volleyball. Although I warned them of my severely lacking volleyball skills they still invited me to join, and I think I provided them with their daily entertainment. Volleyball is absolutely huge here, and every girl knows how to play well. I think that will be a goal of mine while I´m here; in the meantime I´ll get used to being laughed at.





Afterwards I ate a delicous lunch and decided to go on an exploratory run. I ended up running to a nearby caserio called Mochal, and it was beautiful. The small windy road was lined with sugar cane that reached over my head on one side and fields of pineapple and corn on the other side. The mountains were prominently displayed against the blue sky in every direction, and the sun was strong but wonderful. If people didn´t already seem confused by my presence, seeing a tall, blonde, white, gringa running through their fields definitely evoked some interesting looks. I made a point to smile and say ¨buenas tardes¨ to everyone I passed, but I think that only confused them more. It was definitely one of those times where I stepped back and realized how incredible it is to be where I am- running through sugarcane fields in the Peruvian foothills as I watch donkeys carry harvests on their backs and local farmers cut down their crops. Is this real life?

After a final lunch with our host families, we gathered at the center today to pack up and leave Lima for good. We were all dressed up in suits and dresses for our swearing in ceremony, so watching everyone throw around massive suitcases and hiking backpacks was pretty entertaining. We piled in buses and waved goodbye to teary-eyed host families as we began our official Peace Corps adventure. Happy soon-to-be volunteers outside the US Embassy!

We traveled to the US Embassy in Lima, which is the second largest US embassy in the world. We showed our official government passports as we entered the building to prepare for our induction. We sang both the Peruvian and American national anthem and listened to words from a variety of speakers. My host Dad was invited to accompany us to Lima and give a speech on behalf of the host families, so that was pretty neat to have he and Grease participate in the ceremony. We took our oath and were officially sworn in as Peace Corps volunteers. It was a really special day, and I think it will definitely mark a pretty memorable moment for all of us.

This is Ian- He´ll be the closest volunteer to my site, so we´re sure to be very best friends!

After our swearing in we headed to Miraflores where we spent the night. Our training group of about 50 people have become really close, so it was a lot of fun to celebrate together. Everyone in our group has such an awesome, unique personality, so I´ll surely miss them as we go to our separate sites. I think the unique circumstances we´ve been in over the last 10 weeks have made us really close, and given us a special bond that few people can relate to. I´m excited to hear how everyone´s sites go and know that we´ll all be in touch.

Training is rapidly coming to an end; I remember how slowly the first week of training went and how we all though the 10 weeks would never end, but now it seems like it flashed before our eyes. This past week has been a time for wrapping up final details and enjoying time with other trainees and our host families. We´ve all been finishing up our community diagnostics this week, which is a compilation of the trends, facts, and issues we´ve discovered about our host communities in the last 2 plus months. We presented our findings today and shared our observations.

Today we prepared a farewell party for all of our host families at the training center. A group of us have been practicing a dance for the last several weeks, so that was definitely my personal highlight of the day. Very few of us actually had any rhthym or dancing ability, but that made it all the more entertaining. We started with a dance to Shakira and finished with a Peruvian song with some pretty catchy dance moves. Other groups performed songs, dances, and other entertainment for the host families, and we shared memories over a wide spread of snacks. The host families all seemed very proud and excited to be included in our farewell, and many of us have become really close to our host families here in Chaclacayo.

I am definitely excited to be so close to Trujillo for my service; we spent all day wondering around the city in circles, but enjoyed every moment of it. There are several parts of the town with cobblestone streets, intricate architecture, small plazas, and bright buildings, but also convenient malls and grocery stores as well as beaches within 20 minutes. We definitely have a lot of exploring to do before we really know where anything is, but wondering around is part of the fun of getting to know a new city. One of my favorite activities for the day was an adventure to get our hair cut. Four of us decided we would brave the Peruvian hairdressers, so we simultaneously sat in the salon chairs and shared nervous sideway glances as we braced ourselves for our “trims.” Halfway through our haircuts I hear Kim shriek “NO MAS CORTO!” (Not any shorter!). I think the entire process took less than 7 minutes, but as far as I can tell our hair at least looks somewhat even: not bad for 5 soles (about $1.75). They even threw in a free chocolate bar.

I woke up this morning to loud, repetitive firecrackers at 7am; the Poroto town festival officially began today (with a bang!). I ate breakfast with Maria and then we ran outside to see the passing marching band parade. All the men in the band were wearing matching black slacks and white and blue striped dress shirts and they were accompanied by little kids eagerly passing out lollipops and other dulces. The band circled the town (which took all of 5 minutes) and then reassembled under the newly refurbished pavilion in the town square. As the band continued, couples joined in the plaza waving handkerchiefs and stomping their feet to Marinera, a traditional Peruvian dance. Combis continued to pull into the town and unload families carrying bags of sweet bread, barrels of pineapple, and sacks of potatoes to prepare for this weekend’s festivities in honor of the patron saint.

Unfortunately, I won’t be able to stay for the donkey races, dancing competitions, and fireworks that are planned for the rest of the weekend. The town has been full of life since early morning, so I’m sure some pretty exciting festivities await. I sat in the plaza most of the morning, soaking up the sun, smiling at my new neighbors, and talking to little kids as I was serenaded by the band.

One of the girls in the youth group was heading to Bello Horizante, a nearby town where my Peace Corps friend Ian lives, so she volunteered to take me there so he and I could travel back to Trujillo together. Ian gave me a tour of his site, which is about 25 minutes away towards Trujillo, and introduced me to his new host family. Especially considering Peace Corps and Peru time, Ian and I are super close, so hopefully we’ll be able to work on some of our projects together. In fact, the youth from both of our towns are already coordinating for some things, so I think we could facilitate some awesome events or programs together. Ian’s town provided a special escort to accompany us back to Trujillo and all the way to our hostel, which was really sweet. I felt much better about not showering during my entire site visit when Ian also revealed that he hadn’t braved the shower situation at his site either. Needless to say, I took advantage of the amazing hot shower at the hostel before we wondered around Trujillo for the evening.

I woke up early this morning as the breakfast preparations began and helped my host Dad roll some silverware before eating my “caldo de gallina” or hen soup for breakfast with coffee. After breakfast I wondered around town for awhile, introducing myself to some of the people sitting outside their houses or in the plaza. Most seem mildly confused by my presence, but are really sweet once I smile and say “buenas dias.” I walked up to the mirador again and enjoyed the incredibly beautiful day. Everyone comments about Poroto’s climate, and it really does seem amazing. It was sunny and about 70 degrees every day, and apparently that’s pretty typical for the land of the eternal spring. Afterwards I ate lunch with Susana, who is one of the adolescent girls who is involved in the youth health promoter’s club. She’s learning English, so we talked forever about the intricacies and obstacles of learning each other’s languages and played a word game involving Spanish and English. She was really soft-spoken, but really sweet and quite obviously a good student. She definitely won me over when she asked if everyone from the US was as nice as I was. When we finished lunch we went on a short walk and headed to the Health Post for their health promoter meeting. I met about 10 of the youth who participate in this group and then we all shared chocolate cake to celebrate Johan’s birthday (who is one of my community partners). We all gave toasts, which was sufficiently awkward, entertaining, and endearing. I was formally presented to the group and we talked about their involvements and ideas. Afterwards the girls walked me up to the mirador and we chatted for awhile about themselves, which was a lot of fun. They all seem like they’re anxious to be involved and have taken leadership roles among their peers.

When I got my site assignment it indicated that 30% of teens become pregnant in Poroto, but I didn’t think the problem would be so glaringly evident. There are several extremely young mothers I’ve seen around town and others who are currently pregnant. It is so heartbreaking to see 14 year olds with infants in their arms and very little means to support them, but it reminded me of the severe need for education and support. Hopefully I’ll be able to get some insight into this trend as I spend my time here and I pray I’ll be able to begin meaningful projects and support to combat this trend. Teens here definitely seem to grow up much faster, have more responsibility at an early age, and lack general supervision.

When I got back home from the youth group meeting and town tour I relaxed for a little and then saw some of my counterparts meeting in the restaurant, so they invited me join them at the table. I was introduced to one of the candidates for mayor as well as several of the other men in the community who have leadership positions. It was pretty cool to be included in their meeting and sit down to discuss their town. It turned into a discussion about the upcoming elections, and it was valuable to hear their opinions about Poroto, the surrounding caserios, and effective campaigning tactics. There are 9 candidates for mayor and only 1200 members of the town (many of whom are obviously not of voting age) and the vote in Peru is obligatory, so each conversation and appearance must carry significant weight. There are political signs throughout the town, and my two main community partners are campaigning as mayor and town representative under different parties. I’m curious to see how political interactions affect the town dynamic and if tensions arise in such a small town.

Peruvians can talk forever, so I was pretty grateful when my host sister finally pulled me away from the meeting at 10pm to see if I was hungry. My host mom threw some more food on our kitchen fire and prepared some fried eggs, rice, and coffee for me for dinner. I ate with her, Maria, and a town police officer who also had some interesting insights to share about the town. I’m still not quite used to the incredibly blunt manner in which many Peruvians talk. They tend to have no problem saying exactly what is on their mind, rarely holding anything back. This is evident in their descriptions of others, perceptions of events and trends, and general sentiments and reflections. Sometimes I can appreciate their honesty while other times I think having some sort of filter is a positive trait.

My house is located right at the center of town by the Plaza de Armas and is more of a store and restaurant than a house. Customers stream into the restaurant all day and help themselves to a drink as they await heaping plates of rice, goat, chicken or duck. Everybody knows everybody, so people pass freely back through the kitchen. There are constantly dead animals ready to be cooked filling the “backyard” and animal skins drying on a clothesline next to the family’s laundry. Just behind this is a hallway with three small rooms, one of which is my bedroom. I can hear everything that happens around me, considering its just thin walls and a giant window to the hallway. I do have lights and electricity, and some sort of water, so it could be worse. Regardless, it is interesting but surely I will become accustomed in no time.

This is about 3 feet from my bedroom. Please note the animal skins hanging on the line.

I woke up to the hustle and bustle of the store and restaurant that is literally 5 steps outside of my bedroom. I got dressed and found my community partners and their peers drinking coffee in the restaurant, so I sat down and was thrown into the day before I had time to fully open my eyes. Most of the people I met are staff members at the health post, including the head doctor, an orthodontist, psychologist, and NGO worker. Although that may seem like a strange combination, they all work closely with the youth of Poroto and I am hoping I’ll be able to develop great working relationships with them to reach the adolescents here. I was supposed to have a welcome reception complete with the playing of the national anthem and a speech, but in true Peruvian fashion the meeting kept getting pushed back until we decided we would just walk around to introduce myself instead. I was able to meet a significant portion of community leaders, and several of the younger staff from the health post ate lunch with me at my host family’s restaurant.

After lunch I went to see the town mirador (lookout point) with Maria and her little cousin, Enrique. From the mirador I could see the tiny town of Poroto encircled by mountains and fields. Most of the houses are constructed from mud adobe bricks and tin roofs, and there is a Plaza de Armas, church, and municipality building at the center of town. We wondered past the mirador through the fields of pineapple, avocado trees, and sugar cane. I never knew how pineapple grew, but it was really neat to see. It grows from the ground in long rows and the bushes look like enlarged pineapple tops sprouting from the soil, but the growing pineapples rest on top of these sprouting leaves. We followed the water aqueducts from Poroto to the next small town of Shiran, and along the way we passed farmers harvesting their crops and donkeys, bulls, and sheep wondering in the fields. The surrounding mountains and flying birds provided a beautiful backdrop for our little hike. When we reached Shiran we crossed a bridge over the river to stop by their abuelita’s (grandmother) house who greeted us with water and fresh oranges. Animals have free reign in this country, so the newborn puppies and kittens were wondering in and out of her house as they wrestled amongst themselves. We walked back alongside the road as moto-taxis whizzed by. After our walk I ate dinner in the restaurant with some locals. My family seems incredibly busy with their tienda and restaurant and are all currently attending to their customers. I still hadn’t had a chance to talk to my host mom because she’s been furiously preparing food for this weekend’s festival, so I decided to sit with her in the kitchen after dinner and she was nonchalantly beheading ducks through the duration of our conversation.

Later, one of my counterparts stopped by with some of his friends and introduced me, so we talked about Poroto and some of their visions for its development as I tried to choke down the Inca Cola they poured for me. (Inca Cola= yellow bubblegum flavored soda that people here think is liquid gold and I think is the most disgusting beverage in the world). Anyway, it was interesting to hear their thoughts about their town, especially when relaying them to me as a foreigner in their town. They seem interested in promoting tourism, but unsure of the best way to do so in such a small town.

The dynamic of Poroto is really interesting; it is a very small town of about 200 families where 80% are involved in agriculture work and the others own small tiendas or restaurants and most professionals commute to and from Trujillo. It is a striking juxtaposition of resources and modernity, because poverty is evident and most people live in small adobe houses, but they have television, newly created internet connections, and easy access to Trujillo. Their access to technology and a big city seems to influence their modern (often bordering provocative) dress and acknowledgment of pop culture.

This morning we were introduced to our community partners from our towns who we will be working with for the next two years. Each volunteer had a representative from their town attend this meeting, which explained some of the goals of Peace Corps and how the community can work with us to promote development and make a positive impact through our partnership. A teacher and psychologist came from my town to greet me and participate in the meeting, and both of them seem pretty involved in the town and willing to help connect me to some community contacts. There were 14 of us volunteers at the session and each was paired with at least one community partner, so it was pretty interesting to see the dynamic between everyone.

After our conference one of my community partners, Johan, accompanied me back to Poroto. We took a little combi van that was full of people and a perfect introductory ride to my Peruvian Peace Corps site. I was sitting on a little bench seat in the front, interlocking knees with the four people directly facing me. The man sitting directly in front of me had a floral arrangement that spanned the entire width of the van and the woman to my left had a massive bag of potatoes resting under her feet. There was a woman sitting in the middle of the combi wearing traditional attire with defined wrinkles etched into her coffee colored skin, telling silent stories of her life. A toddler with enormous deep brown eyes stared at me for the duration of the trip, as her orange juice trickled down her neck. We passed small dusty mountains and then fields of bright green sugar cane before entering into some of the small towns that line the outskirts of Trujillo. Fresh produce lined the streets and dogs curiously approached the combi as passengers boarded. As we came closer to Poroto, the dusty mountains slowly transformed into more defined mountains and the scenery became increasingly green. My level of excitement continued to climb as we passed some beautiful scenery and drew closer to Poroto. After about an hour and 15 minutes in the combi we pulled in to the center of town and I was immediately introduced to some of the community members. My host family owns the local restaurant and store, so they were busy working when I arrived. I was nonchalantly greeted by my host sisters, who guided me to my tiny bedroom in the hallway between the store and restaurant.

I have two sisters, Maria Alejandra (Alejandra) who is 13 and Maria Ernestina (Maria) who is 15. Alejandra was pretty shy, and initially tried hiding behind the store counter before introducing herself to me, but Maria was outgoing and immediately agreed to show me around town. My host Dad, Richard, looks like Santa Claus and my host Mom, Ernestina (Tina) was busily preparing dinner as I arrived, so our introduction was brief. Poroto seems like a very small town, but there were people milling around the center until well after 9pm. There is so much to take in, so I’m trying to calm my thoughts and give myself time to process this whole experience. It is really surreal to be in the location that will be home for the next two years. I’m meeting with some of the community leaders tomorrow, and I’m excited to see the town during the day.

We arrived bright and early from our overnight bus into the district capital of Trujillo, which is the third biggest city in Peru. We were greeted by current volunteers who are living in La Libertad as well as our regional director, Sandra, who immediately began shaking “ruda” (a traditional Peruvian plant known for good fortune) on our shoulders. We ate breakfast with the volunteers as we learned more about the capital city and their experiences in La Libertad. Afterward, we wondered around Trujillo for a bit; it is a really cool city with lots to do and see. Conveniently enough, Trujillo is also about 15 minutes away from a beautiful little beach town called Huanchaco, so we headed to there for the afternoon. We took off our shoes and enjoyed the sun and sand as we watched surf lessons and fishermen out on the waves in long traditional fishing boats. We ate ceviche on an outdoor patio and took in the scenery; it was a beautiful little town, and I am sure we’ll return quite often. I’m pretty excited that I can get to the beach in less than an hour and a half from my site.

After lunch we headed back to Trujillo and got to know the city a little better with the current volunteers. Trujillo has everything you could want, from a pretty center plaza with intricate architecture to surrounding malls where we can buy all the basic necessities for our sites. I’m excited to figure out the details of the city and find some cool places to enjoy during my trips into the capital city.

Thursday for our language class we took a trip to Lima to go to the Archaeology museum. The museum was filled with remnants of ceramics, cloth, and other artifacts from all the different eras of Peruvian history. Some of the earliest artifacts date back 4000 years, which is incredible. Typically when I think of learning about history I assume the simplest way to do so is through literature or written history, but looking at the intricate designs and progression of simple household items provided valuable insight into the lives of ancient Peruvians. The ceramic bowls and pitchers told stories of nobility, daily life, and tensions through their designs and provided an interesting glimpse into the societies of the past.

Yesterday we had a campout at the training center, which was a lot of fun. A few of us got together to cook, and it’s always funny navigating Peruvian grocery stores and kitchens. The results turned out pretty well. Our group is amazing at potlucks, so we had quite an array of delicious food. We had a big fire and even created cheese fondue over the fire, which was pretty amazing.

Today was an awesome day of relaxation before we head to visit our sites tomorrow. I went to Chacrasana for most the day and we just enjoyed hanging out, chatting with Mario’s host family, and wondering around Chosica. I’ve become pretty good friends with several people here, so it will be weird when we all scatter throughout Peru, but I think we all share a special bond after going through training together that will keep us connected in some way.

I have a home! Today was our site assignment celebration, so we all know where we will be living for the next two years. The day began with our Spanish classes, but we were all so excited and anxious we had a hard time focusing on anything. We were treated to an enormous delicious lunch and all of the Peace Corps Peru staff from Lima came to the training center to share the news. Following lunch we heard from the directors and then had to play a game to find out our placements. The staff filled out pieces of puzzles with our names on them and threw them in little bottles in the pool. We had to fish them out and find other people with the same colored puzzle pieces. It was absolute chaos as everyone excitedly ripped open their bottles and found the volunteers who would be living in the same department. As we pieced together our puzzle, we realized it formed a map of La Libertad which is a department in Northern Peru with a combination of Coastal and Mountainous areas. Everyone was jumping around and analyzing the other members of their group, who will be their main American social network for the next 2 years. My group is definitely pretty awesome, but it was also kind of sad to look around at the other groups and see friends who will be up to 20+ hours away. Regardless, we were all thrilled and the excitement resonated throughout the training center.

We met with our regional coordinator of La Libertad to hear the details of our site, and I found out that I will be in a pueblo in the foothills of La Libertad called Poroto. It is sunny year round and pretty temperate weather, but it is also pretty close to the mountains and the coast, so I think I’ll have the best of both worlds. I’m not sure what to expect, but I can’t wait to see it for myself. I will only be about an hour and 20 minutes from the department capital, Trujillo, which is pretty awesome. Trujillo is the 3^rd biggest city in Peru and is supposed to have a lot of cool history and attractions, so I’m excited I’ll have easy access to it. There is one other volunteer who is about 30 minutes away from me, and then a few more within an hour or two. My town I will be working in is definitely rural, and there are only 1200 people, but I think that’ll be so awesome! It’s exactly what I wanted- access to a bigger area, but the opportunity to really engage with a small population. With only 1200 people, I should definitely know almost everyone, which will be really exciting! Apparently my site is one of the biggest pineapple producing areas of Peru, so that should be delicious. I’m not sure what the situation is with water/electricity/communication, but we’ll see! It will definitely be interesting.

After our site assignments, we all furiously researched our new towns and regions to uncover as much information as possible. I looked up Poroto on Google Maps and found a giant mass of green and not much else, so I think I’ll just have to wait to see it for myself. Afterwards, we all went out to celebrate and excitedly discuss what lies ahead in the next two years. It is crazy to think that my life will be here in Peru for the next two years. When I thought about the Peace Corps before actually getting in country, it seemed like an alternate sort of life, as if time would stop while I completed my two years of Peace Corps service. However, life isn’t stopping; in fact, it is quite the opposite. The longer I’m here, the more I realize how excited I am to spend two years here in Peru. There are so many aspects of my life that will be dramatically impacted by this experience, and I am just inspired and excited to get to know this amazing country and its people. There is so much need here, and I hope I can truly make an impact with the work I do and the relationships I make. I already know that I’ll personally be transformed by this experience and I haven’t even finished training. Life in Peru will definitely be an adventure, but one that I am ready to take!

Tomorrow is the big day! We all find out our official site assignments and where we will be spending the next two years of our lives. It is so crazy to think that such a big decision is now essentially out of our hands. The entire Peace Corps process involves a huge amount of uncertainty, patience, waiting, and flexibility. We began our application with the possibility of being sent anywhere in the world, then we found out South America, then Peru, and tomorrow the world will be narrowed to one small community in rural Peru. I couldn’t be more excited about finding out the details; there is so I want to know. Many people gave pretty detailed preferences and requests for their sites, but I had a hard time discerning where I would most like to be. Peru has so many wonderful different sites and climates, each with its own pros and cons. The mountains are absolutely gorgeous, but I’m not sure I could handle a 3-6 month rainy season where it rains every single day. On the other hand, I like warm weather and sun but I don’t necessarily want to be in a dusty desert location. I asked for a “temperate” location, so it will be interesting to see where I am sent. Regardless, I think Peru has some of the most incredible communities, so I know I’ll be very happy anywhere. I don’t think I’m going to be able to sleep tonight I am so excited.

Friday night we celebrated Kim’s birthday in true Peruvian fashion. We all gathered in her neighborhood and collected all of our friends from their houses to come join in the celebration at her host family’s house where we sang happy birthday and shared cake and champagne before heading to Chosica. I think by the end of the day Kim had at least 4 different birthday cakes, which I believe translates to a very successful birthday.

Yesterday I woke up early and headed to the market to buy apples to make pies with Melissa’s host mom to help raise money to refurbish a park in Chacrasana. We all gathered in her kitchen and helped make the desserts, which turned out beautifully. Afterwards, we decided to venture into Lima and see a movie. We saw El Origen (Inception) with Leonardo Dicaprio and all felt like we took a mini escape to America.

One of the projects volunteers tend to do at their site as an initial way to introduce themselves to their community and connect with youth is to paint a giant world map in their community. Heather was able to organize the painting of a Peru map in Yanacoto, so this morning a bunch of us went over to help her paint a huge map of Peru on the town’s cement soccer court. It was probably at least 15-20 feet long, so it was pretty impressive when it was complete.