Chisme is Funny!

Hey everyone. Sorry again these postings haven’t been as regular as I was hoping. It’s been incredibly hard to find the free time to connect to the internet…in fact right now I’m technically looking up facts about Peru’s health situation. I’ve become rather adapt at multitasking, more so than when I was in the States. For instance I am now no longer thinking in English and attempting to talk in Spanish—I’m just thinking in Spanglish and talking in slightly better Spanish. It’s been a long 2 weeks. I forgot how hard it is to talk in Spanish all day…let alone on top of 10 hours of class and work.

So to fill you in on the new stuff…ok as soon as I typed that I realized the week has become a complete blur. So I will attempt to summarize with some highlights. Yesterday (sat) we went to the Agriculture University located about 40 minutes away from Chaclacayo outside of Lima for our first “Farmer” lessons. It was SOOO much fun. Tomorrow I will hopefully finally get some pictures up for everyone. And P.S. Derrick and my Family you will be so proud: I actually knew some of the plants!!!! I now have a new favorite fruit in the whole wide world. It’s called a Pepino, a Cantaloupe like fruit. It’s about the size of a softball and is a pale yellow with purple stripes. It tastes like a piece of candy but is juicy like a watermelon. Our instructor for the day was a really cool graduate student named Jamie and he took us around the whole farm and in all the green houses. It was so much fun playing “guess that plant” with all the little seedlings. AND the best part, I am now the proud mama to some seedlings…I forget exactly what the seeds I got handed were. And before you go mocking me, he told us the names in Spanish, the packaging was in Japanese, and it was right around lunch time…so I’ll get back to you on what they were. But we also had Clearing and Tilling 101 (old school style with a shovel) where I was complemented on actually knowing how to handle a shovel…I think it was a complement at least. It was a lot of fun and I can’t wait to go back next week!

After “farming 101” I tried to round up a few people to head to my Host family’s house from last time. It didn’t work, there was too much else to do. Paloma I PROMISE I’ll come next weekend! A group of us went to Jockey Plaza and got some “American Food” then headed on to Miraflores to see the beach. It was a lot of fun because I got to play tour guide for our group of 7 gringos. We went to Larco Mar, Parque de Amor, and then down to the beach to see the Pacific. We then crammed all 7 of us into a taxi to head to the combi stop to head home. After a 2.5 hour combi ride I was back in 3 de Octubre with my host family and ready to party!

No I have not turned into a crazy partier, but my town has. Our town virgin (all the towns have them) is being celebrated this weekend. So we have had LITERALLY nonstop dancing/drinking/and music. It has been just insane. There were fireworks last night at 2 am that were UNBELIVABLE. Totally would have been against every fire code law in the United States. They constructed this 20 foot tall wood (yes wood, as in flammable) tower that has spinning and sparking, and howling fireworks attached to it. Now I know some of you are thinking “well jenny, that doesn’t sound too bad” I forgot to mention we were on the Chancha (the soccer stadium about the size of a basketball court) with 400 of our closest drunk friends. After the fireworks there was some dancing and more music, interrupted for one minute when some guy in the crowd decided he didn’t like the song and threw a punch at the band…haha.

But the new town “chisme” (gossip in Spanish) is now that Ryan O’Hara and I are dating…completely not true. But to frame this story for you: 1. In Peru if a guy walks a girl home it’s a date. 2. If you dance together it means something’s up. Okay so I’m the only girl living in 3 de Octubre, thereby I am forced to walk home with 4 of the males that live in my barrio…therefore making me look…well somewhat flirty. Then due to the fact that Ryan and I like to walk while the other guys prefer to ride the combi, I walk with him more than others. Add the cherry on top with him forcing me to dance at the party last night…ta-da I am now apparently not single…small town gossip. Go figure.

On that note I’m going to get back to actually doing work and talk to you all later!

Love you all!

Greetings from Chaclayo!!!!!!!

Hey everyone, So sorry it has been so long since my last post...Internet has been hard to come by. I finally found a pretty cheap internet cafe near my house, so hopefully I can be more regular with the posts!

Ok to fill you in. I am living in the barrio of 3 de Octubre about a 40 minute walk from the Peace Corps center in Chaclayo. My family is absolutly amazing! I have a host mom, Luzmila, a dad, Elipio, Sister, Liz, brother, Limber, sister in law, Roxanna, and a niece Alejandra. I love them all, they have been so greast helping me with my spanish and feeding me very well! Needless to say I do love Peruvian food!

Classes have been going great so far. The usual bumps in trying to remember my spanish have occurred. My Spanish class is very small, only 4 people in my group (this is normal for a Peace Corps language group) and my Health classes have been very informative! I am just hving such a blast getting to know the other 46 people in my training class. My only regret is that I dont have much time to keep in touch with you all from home. I wake up at 6 and am meeting the other 4 gringos in my barrio by 7 to walk to class. We are done by 5 and spend a few hours getting to know the city and its people. Then I´m usually home by 7 or 8 in time for either supper or the neighborhood soccer tournament. Right now El Cuerpo de Paz has lost 2 games...but they were very close!

But to sum up this post. I´m doing good, I love ev erything here...except for the keyboards...so I apologize for the errors I´m sure are in here! And I miss you all Loads. I will try to post some pictures and a video of my house tomorrow!

Love you all!
Jenny

Staging

Hey everyone!

Greetings from my hotel in lovely Georgetown (aka Washington, DC)! My roomy Rebecca and I have a great view of the Washington Monument in all of its glory. I have just completed my 2 days of “staging” with the Peace Corps. It’s been a lot of sitting and listening to presentations about Peace Corps policy and how to integrate into our host communities, and logistics for our hectic next few days of travel. I absolutely love everyone in my group—Peace Corps Peru 12! There are 47 of us from all across the nation and we are all bringing different things to the plate for our jobs. We are all Health workers, Environment workers, or Water and Sanitation Workers. So to just sum up, they are good people!

Well landing in DC was quite the adventure—I had never been on such a small airplane! The woman sitting beside me actually asked if it was my first time flying. I guess me holding on to the arm rest for dear life wasn’t playing off how much I HATE small airplanes very well…oh well, I made it to the ground in DC and as my dad says “once you land its merely a bus wreck.” The original plan was for me to meet 2 other Peace Corps people at the airport, I had an amazing sign and everything made up. Well by Murphy’s Law I was unable to find Sasha—apparently our baggage claims were in different terminals…and the people who work there were clueless as to where Northwestern actually lands…go figure. But using the sharp wit that will come in helpful as a Peace Corps Volunteer I assumed the 2 guys I saw attempting to carry 4 very large pieces of luggage around the terminal wearing chacos just might be Peace Corps Volunteers—and I was right! So we found our way to the hotel on a shuttle (the driver HATED us due to all the luggage we had. His eyes quiet literally jumped out of his head when he saw the bags) and then started staging. It’s been a long 2 days, but it’s been a fun 2 days! It’s so great meeting everyone, and I’m actually starting to remember most of the names!

But for now I must go, we are going to find a park and play outside before we spend ALL day tomorrow in the airport. Seeing as how we are leaving our hotel around 6am and arriving in Lima around 9:30pm…YAY! I’m suddenly so happy I brought all the games I did.

Love you all, miss you all!

-Jenny

Its Goodbye Time

Saying goodbye has never really been a strong point of mine. I’m just not very good at it. So saying goodbye to the Riverside Field Hockey team today was rather difficult. My last day of coaching was moved one day sooner due to Hurricane Hanna heading our way and quite literally raining on our parade, so I think it caught some of the girls off guard. I guess I didn’t mention exactly when my last day was… but the girls had an amazing parting gift for me and I was so grateful that the “dumping the cooler of ice water on Coach Jenny” idea was slow to start and I escaped practice without looking like a wet mess. I’m going to miss coaching them every afternoon. It’s been great watching them improve and grow together as a team over the past few weeks.

I was really happy that the girls were so interested in hearing about the Peace Corps and what exactly I’ll be doing while there. One of the girls asked me if I was nervous about leaving. I wasn’t really sure how to answer that. It’s this weird feeling in my gut I can’t really describe—this combination of excitement and nervousness with a hint of sadness, and a dash of “HOLY CRAP I’M REALLY GOING!” That description may not do the feeling justice, but it’s the best way I can describe it. Any way I cut it I’m just so happy to be going with the Peace Corps to Peru, I just can’t wait to get back to the country I loved so much during my study abroad.

Earlier this week I was also fortunate enough to get to swing by Ms. Davidson’s classroom and meet her International Relations class. They seemed relatively interested in meeting me—or at least as interested as anyone can be first thing in the morning. I showed them some pictures from my last trip to Peru and of my family and friends, and then explained to them the Peace Corps mission statement and what I will be doing as a Community Health Promoter. Hopefully it was helpful that they actually got to see me before they receive letter and e-mails from Peru, and help them put a face with a name. It was pretty cool when I noticed that some of the students were younger siblings of people I went to high school with and some I had known since they were 5 years old. Although it did make me feel old!

So the countdown has begun! Just 6 more days at this point. So let the packing and freaking out begin!

Yay for Pen Pals!

It’s official! I will be participating in the World Wise School’s Correspondence Program with Kathie Davidson from Riverside High School. For those unaware, Ms. Davidson is probably the coolest World History/International Relations teacher there is. I mean she actually had a clue where Kiribati might be located on a map—so she basically knows her stuff! Now back to the program. The goal is to share my Peace Corps experience with a U.S. classroom. In my case I will be corresponding with her International Relations class (which just so happened to be my favorite class senior year).

From what I have read about the program it doesn’t officially start until I am sworn in, but thanks to the internet I’m hoping to get a few e-mails out to her class during training. I think juniors and seniors in High School will get a kick out of hearing about a 22 year old struggling with grammar or learning a new skill. Not that I hope I struggle too hard while in training but lets me honest, a bumpy road’s good for you, it builds character.

So Thursday I am going to help Ms. Davidson decorate my bulletin board! I’m not exactly sure how we will decorate yet, but obviously a map of Peru with a title to the effect of “Where in Peru is Jenny Schwartz?” is needed. If anyone knows what font they used in Where’s Waldo books you will get extra kudos points by letting me know (coincidence that Waldo wore red and white and the Peruvian flag is also red and white? I think not). But I figure I will bring in a few starter photos from my last trip to Peru and they can just add more that I send or post online.

But that is my big new development in life pre-Peace Corps. There are a little over 20 days now until I leave for Washington DC for staging. So my time until then will be spent looking at my packing list and making adjustments, eating my favorite meals (and lots of peanut butter…they don’t have much of that in Peru), and helping coach the Field Hockey team at RHS. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, I will also be making a loud and obnoxious sign that says “SASHA” seeing as how we’re meeting at the airport in DC and sharing a cab to the hotel. For those wondering, we will not have cell phones (yes how old school), so loud signs are the cool thing to do. But for her sake, I think I’ll avoid glitter--it’s probably not so good for the x-ray scanner at the airport either…

And a special side note to Mr. Lang since I just saw you in the hallway at RHS and I figure you will be reading this blog at some point:

While I did learn a lot from your AP English class, my grammar is still horrible, and I majored in Math. Therefore I apologize in advance for any errors in comma placement and or use…but let’s face it; I never got them right when I was in class either!

And for the benefit of my fellow math majors and especially Will, in MatLab form:

while still a math major

grammar sucks, accept it.

else

No excuse.

end

What to Pack?

So I’ve been working on my packing list for Peru pretty much since I got the Welcome Book and I figured out where I’m going. I’ve always considered myself a light packer-- backpacking will make anyone a light packer—but fitting stuff for 2 years in 2 bags weighing less than 80lbs is an adventure to say the least. So for the benefit of my fellow stressing out PC people and the curious here’s what I’m bringing in my 2 bags:

· 2 pairs of jeans

· 2 pairs of carhartts

· 2 pair slacks

· 2 skirts

· 2 pair hiking shorts

· 2 pair hiking pants

· 2 pair soccer shorts (yeah you people didn’t think I’d actually leave without them did you?)

· 1 swimsuit

· Button-up blouses

· 1 dressy outfit

· Polos

· Cotton shirts

· NCSU Field Hockey and Lacrosse t-shirts (gotta represent my team!)

· Quick Dry shirts

· Tank tops

· Bras/Underwear

· Socks

· Long Underwear (2 tops, 1 bottom)

· Down jacket

· Down vest

· Rain Jacket and Rain Pants

· Fleece Jacket

· Hoodie

· Sweatpants

· Down Booties (yes the moon shoes are coming!)

· Beany

· Baseball Caps

· Belt

· Dressy shoes

· Chacos

· Hiking boots

· Rainbows

· Work Gloves

· Fleece gloves

· Buff/Bandanas

· Sunglasses

· Regular Glasses

· Bathroom Mess (The usual, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, razors, so on)

· Pack Towels

· Sleeping Bag

· Headlamp (times 2)

· Leatherman

· Laptop

· External Hard Drive

· Big Camera, Small Camera

· Watch

· Crazy Creek

· iPod

· Nalgene

· Duct Tape

· Ziplocks

· PEANUT BUTTER (Jiff of course)

· Carabiners

· ENO hammock

· Travel Pillow

· Dry Bag

· Flash drive

· Calculator

· Wallet (plus a fake one)

· Small Duffel for short trips

· Pictures from Home

· Map of NC

· Journal

· Sharpies (can’t go anywhere without them!)

I’m sure there are a few small things I’ve left off of it, but that’s the basic idea. I mocked packed a few days ago just to see how close to the weight limit I was—Lucky me, it all weighed in at 52lbs. So that leaves me 28lbs of wiggle room (which I’m sure will get filled with random stuff I think of the night before I leave).

Community Health Promoter

Hey everyone! So i have gotten some questions from people wondering exactly what I will be doing while in Peru and figured I'd share what my assignment packet said about my job details'

"Your specific responsibilities might include:
~Developing education and awareness campaigns with community partners to promote community health among residents.
~Training local health promoters and community leaders in nutrition, proper hygiene, and disease prevention.
~Teaching school children basic health, nutrition, and hygiene practices, such as the importance of hand-washing.
~Training mothers in the importance of a balanced diet, including higher levels of vitamin A, iron, iodine, and other micro-nutrients.
~Training mothers with infants to improve breastfeeding and weaning practices, so that children maintain more stable growth.
~Health community partners establish backyard and community gardens, and teaching them to prepare culturally acceptable foods rich in vitamins and minerals.
~Training community members how to construct and utilize latrines.
~Training community members how to construct and utilize improved cooking stoves, which produce far less smoke and utilize less wood.
~Helping local municipal government implement proper trash and waste disposal techniques.
~Training rural families in alternative income-generating activities (such as animal or handicraft production), so they can add new income to their households."

I will also have the opportunity to engage in secondary projects with my spare time such as coaching soccer, teaching math, or teaching English--pretty much anything that will help the community that I have some experience in.

I'm counting down to September and can't wait to return to Peru!!
Te amo,
-Jenny