It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…
Let me explain. I don’t know what went on in March but its been the weirdest month for me as a volunteer. Let’s pick up where we left off, shall we? And you can see what I mean.
Rewind to the end of February and there I am, volunteer extraordinaire! I was feeling pretty good after finishing our summer school geography class with an amazing “END OF SUMMER” pool party for our kids. By far, one of the most rewarding activities of my service. Even better, my dad and Lucy were almost due to arrive in Peru for their big trip.
Then the bad news. Lucy was not feeling well while they were in Colombia and they would n0t be able to make the trip to come visit. After months of planning their trip to Peru, I was really sad to think I would not be able to see them. My first thought was “If they cant make it here, then I guess I’m taking a trip to Colombia!!’ Not seeing them while we were both in the same continent was absolutely not an option. Immediately I contacted Peace Corps Peru and asked for special permission to fly to Bogota, even though it was short notice according to the current vacation request policy (must ask at least two weeks in advance.) Fortunately, they granted me permission and I was off to my homeland!
Although I loved teaching summer school, it was exhausting and I reeeeally started to miss family. This trip to Colombia was without a doubt the break I desperately needed. Once I arrived, Lucy was feeling a little better and her, my dad and I ended up having an incredible time. We went sightseeing and did fun tourist-y things throughout the week. I can’t decide what I loved most: the delicious food, Bogota’s stunning landscapes or just spending quality time with my papa bear. Ok, all three were the best! Colombia is really wonderful and should you get the chance, you should definitely visit the greatest country in the whole continent! I’m not biased at all. But really, this time around I saw Colombia with a new set of eyes. It’s like not wearing your glasses all day and then you put them on and all of a sudden the world is beautiful and vibrant! This is a country that really has its priorities in order and its shit together (I’m looking at YOU, Peru!).
me and dad in the plaza de bolivar (bogota)
with lucy, enjoying the view
arroz con coco y sopa de mariscos. to diiiiiiiiiiie for.
that’s right!
una bandeja paisa bien rrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiccaaaaaaaaaaa
bogota’s oldest neighborhood with the Andes in the background
After coming back from Colombia I had about two weeks before my next Peace Corps vacation. It might sound like volunteers are always out and about traveling and yes some of it may be true but also some of it has to do with our work schedule and in this particular instance I just so happened to be able to schedule two vacations in a month. Poor me!
No, but really, poor me. Those two weeks in between vacation were very weird and random. I love working in Olmos but I just couldn’t catch any kind of inspiration in any direction, as far as work projects are concerned. I couldn’t answer the question ‘what should I do next?’ That particular sentiment is especially frustrating for me because this experience is most fulfilling when I’m working with jovenes. I spent the two weeks mulling over this and not getting much done. Finally a few days in mid-March I realized I want to put together a vocational orientation program for local youth. Yay! Inspirtation and direction back on track! But then, it was time to leave site again and head 4 hours south to the groovy beaches of Huanchaco.
Huanchaco was another great getaway. I was able to hang out with my amazing PCV friends and spend time relaxing and hanging out. No complaints or weirdness when my Peru 19 girls get together.
After Huanchaco, I had about 5 days back in site and then I was heading to a completely different part of the country, the beautiful mountainous city of Huaraz, for a Peace Corps project management training. Don’t get me wrong, I love all kinds of nerdy training events but I went into this already tired. After a few days, the intense schedule and constant overfeeding (portion control, what is that?), my body was starting to break down. I spent the last few days of training sneezing, shivering and trying to bundle up in the cold weather. Finally, training was over and I’d be on my way to mind-numbing heat–my favorite! Just when things were looking up and I thought this weird month/mood was over and I was finally heading home to Olmos for good with no travel plans in the near future…
I GOT ROBBED!!!
That’s right. MY STUFF WAS STOLEN! Forget about ruining your day. More like your whole week or month! I was taking a Movil Tours overnight bus from Huaraz to Trujillo (nearest city with routes to and from Huaraz) and I handed over my luggage to the luggage counter, as I have done ten billion times before, every single time I travel. Fast forward to 5:30 am and the baggage dummies are telling me, and 7 other passengers, that our things are not anywhere to be found. Somehow, between Huaraz and Trujillo, 13 pieces of luggage belonging to 8 passengers disappeared into thin air and no one knew about them. Not the dummy drivers or the brainless baggage fools. Obviously I was extremely calm and gracious. NOT. I went all ‘Linda-Blair-In-The-Exorcist’ on them. HOW CAN A WELL KNOWN NATIONAL COMPANY just wash their hands clean of our losses? Seriously. 13 pieces of luggage. That doesn’t make any sense. So after several phone calls to the manager, one small protest where we may or may not have blocked the entrance gate so that no more Movil Tours bus could enter the station until someone listened to our demands, and two trips to two different police stations, we have filed complaints hoping to get compensations from the company itself. As with everything, I’m sure the whole process will be long and tedious but I dont care, I’m going to stick with it until I get back some value of what I’ve lost (favorite Gator Tshirt!) MovilTours will RUE the day they were vicious enough (or careless enough) to steal (or lose) my things.
better days with my pack before it was STOLEN!!!
Right now I’m trying to move past this March slump so I can focus on being productive and not frustrated or bored. I can’t decide if I want to focus my efforts on my Peace Corps work or bringing down the evil enemy empire known as Movil Tours. I’m sure my PC work will be much more rewarding.
(Or will it?!)
P.S. – Never take Movil Tours anywhere! There’s something off-putting about them, every time I’ve traveled with them. Especially that one time THEY STOLE MY LUGGAGE!!!!!!!!!!
Betty Zee in PC 