Tag Archives: Peace Corps

The Last Post

2 Aug

I knew I’d want to write a post about “the end.” I like closure. I like acknowledging “this is it.” I’ve been periodically highlighting markers that are leading to the final “moment” — Twitter countdowns until the end of my days in Olmos, “last birthday in Peru” blog posts, “thank you for your support these last two years” emails, etc. As the most comprehensive outlet for my storytelling, I’ve been saving my deepest thoughts for the final post on “Betty Zee in PC.” This blog has been one of my greatest pleasures since I left Miami two years ago. Writing has become one of my favorite hobbies, a joy reiterated by the fact that I felt I finally had something to say, a story to tell. Writing is an electrifying process: the initial jot down of disjoint ideas, going through them a thousand times, carefully editing words and watching them transform into personal memoirs. I know for a fact not a lot of people are reading these posts, a result of deactivating my Facebook account and summarily eliminating my largest online connection to an audience, but my interest in the act of writing and recording experiences remains the same. I imagine one day I’ll be glad I stuck with it, when nostalgia strikes and all I’ll have of Peru are these stories to read through once again.

But alas, this post marks the “end” end.  Today is my last day in South America. Tomorrow, before the sun rises over Cartagena’s colonial streets I’ll be en route northward, crossing continents and oceans on my way to San Francisco. It doesn’t matter that Northern California is not even remotely near what I consider “home.” Ironically, I might actually be geographically closer to Miami from Cartagena, Colombia than from the American west coast. The important thing here is not that I am going to the US, but the fact that I am leaving Latin America, indefinitely.

For friends and family who have been constant companions throughout my time away, it’ll come as no surprise to read how Peace Corps, and everything that experience encompasses, has changed me to the core. I think it’ll be years before I can really understand the full implications, so I’ll bypass any attempt to start now. But for my last blog post, I want to focus on one of the strongest sentiments present as I prepare to leave tomorrow: Recognizing my personal connection to the rich cultural heritage inherent in Latin America.

On July 15, I officially became a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV) after successfully completing two years of service in Olmos, Lambayeque. Immeadiately after, a group of volunteers and I organized an 8-day, 124 KM (77 mi) hiking trek around the Huayhuash mountain range in the central Andean province of Ancash. In all honesty, it was a wild undertaking on my part, knowing we’d hike over 5,000m (16,oooft) mountain passes and camp every night in below-freezing temperatures, but that’s exactly what drew me in. Even Liz, a fellow volunteer and experienced hiker thoughtfully mentioned “It’s interesting that you are spending your last days in Peru on this hike.” It was outrageous by any standards, but so is everything else I’ve done on this continent. What better way to end two years of the greatest mental, emotional and psychological challenge than with the greatest physical challenge I’ve ever undertaken? I knew the 7-to-8 hours of hiking every day would give me more than enough time to reflect on life, and it wouldn’t hurt to have snow-peaked mountains looming over, providing the picturesque scenery befitting this kind of introspection.

As I hiked, walking stick in hand, the thin mountain air forcefully entering and exiting my lungs, I became overwhelmed with the immense beauty of the entire journey, from the tiny mountain town where we started our hike to the long stretches of nothingness in each valley we crossed. Sometimes I couldn’t believe what I was staring at directly with my own eyes.

Huayhuash 1

I’ve said it a thousand times in conversation and I’ve written extensively about it here, but one of the things that will stay with me forever is the natural landscapes I’ve experienced through my trips and adventures in Peru, Ecuador and Colombia. And then there was Huayhuash, solidifying the natural beauty not only in Peru but in all of Latin America. It starts with the colorful and varied geography of Mexico, down through the tropical jungles of Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, emptying into Venezuela and exploding into the Andes and Amazon of Bolvia, Paraguay and Brazil.  And it’s not only the pristine topography that makes this part of the world stunning, but its complex cultural history. The heroes, the writers, the painters, the social movements.  I considered myself a well-read, educated Hispanic-American adult but truthfully I’ve found it mind-blowing, the extent of my ignorance in regards to the history of the region. Thankfully, in Olmos I had the time to read to my hearts’ content, immersing myself in chronicles of the Inca Empire, the colonial revolutionaries of Simon Bolivar, and stories of the “dirty wars” and dictatorships that have changed the course of this hemisphere.  It’s important to know the turbulent history to truly appreciate what is happening in Latin America now.

What I found is that I’ve been guilty, as are many others, of having a distorted sense of our neighbor to the South.  To almost all but the few North Americans who take an interest in LatAm history and politics, anything south of the Rio Grande is a general Third World area where the one thing you need to know is DON’T DRINK THE WATER.  Even we, Latinos, have started to believe the hype, abandoning cultural practices and foregoing the passage of Spanish fluency to our children in order to further assimilate.  Just as I’m experiencing this realization, I happen to come across a certain political pundit’s assault on “soccer”, which is nothing more than a thinly veiled attack on Americans of Latin American descent.  If all you know is what the media portrays of the continent and never happened to make your way down here you’d fail to see that Lima is a world-class city, Ecuador an example of order and cleanliness and Colombia a hotspot for tourists from every corner of the world.  You’d miss witnessing the sense of community among people, the progress being made everyday in every town, building toward a better future.  The sad truth is most people only associate Latin America with controversies of the DREAM ACT, children of immigration and so on.

So although I have many pieces of the Peace Corps readjustment puzzle to work out, as I leave Latin America, I am sure of one thing, the amount of pride and respect I feel for being allowed to live here and connect with my heritage these last two years. It’s changed the direction of my sails and although I’m working on the next step of my journey, I can honestly say that advocating for Latin America will be a life-long theme.

See you soon,

Betty

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Doin’ the damn thing (If I do say so myself!)

26 Jun

I can’t remember when I came up with the “Birthday Game” but it goes like this– at some point during a friend’s birthday, I like to ask two very specific questions:

  • What was your favorite memory of (previous age)?
  • What are you most looking forward to this year?

I think everyone around me is used to my quirky little ideas and inquiries, but I enjoy these questions because the answers are insights into friends’ th0ughts and feelings, even if I’ve known them for a million years (hey Carla) or we’re brand new buddies.  We share almost every aspect of our vies quotidiennes with anyone who will listen but seldomly take the time to really ask what’s going on in the hearts and minds of our closest companions.  And what better day than their birthday, si o no?

So with that in mind and seeing how this is my blog and yesterday was my birthday, I figured I might as well join the fun on the flip side and answer the questions I’ve posed to all of yous through the years.

What was your favorite memory of 26?

  • Where do you begin with a full year of life spent in Peru?  Twenty-six took me from Ecuador to Cuzco, from Chachapoyas to Tumbes, from having a drink at the wealthiest Country Club in Lima to respectufully looking on as one of my student’s mother guts the chicken that will become my lunch.  Almost every day brought a moment or a memory that will stay with me forever.  Because if we’re really honest here…the choice we make to become Peace Corps volunteers is just not normal.  I don’t mean normal in a good or bad way, just something completely foreign for a majority of the  American population. This abnormality makes for more outstanding memories in one single year than the past four years combined.  I have countless anecdotes of time spent with students, my host family, successful projects and traveling around this magnificent country.  But 26 for me is too much to be defined by one single memory.  It’s more defined by something that’s been present for about the last two months.  I find myself waking up every day with an overwhelming sense of peace and accomplishment and success.  An effortless happiness has blanketed over me, something I can only explain as a result of finally internalizing the things that have been said to me since day one in the Peace Corps.  I can’t express how much its meant to hear things like “I’m so proud of you” or “what you’re doing is amazing” or “not just anyone can do something like this.”  Who doesn’t love to hear these encouraging words from friends and strangers alike?  But nothing compares to the feeling of knowing them to be true yourself.  I’ve realized that I’ve made it.  I am finishing.  I voluntarily embarked on an immeasurable challenge of commitment and determination and heart and not only did I survive…I crushed it. I did the damn thing (if I do say so myself!)  I have given everything for the wonderful youth in my site, done the best I could with the resources that I’ve had.  Did I get tired? Yes.  Did I get frustrated? Lord, yes.  But I am immensely proud of what I accomplished on a professional level,  especially yesterday’s college fair that, with the support of local counterparts, went miles above and beyond last year’s event.   On a personal level, I think it’ll take years for me to understand the full impact of my time here.  I read something recently: “Some experiences are so big, they change your DNA.” That’s exactly what it feels like.  Secretly, quietly, I sometimes wondered if I’d face a moment when I’d decide that I didn’t want this for myself anymore.  If I’d question whether the hardship wasn’t worth the reward, and that I’d be better off going home.  There are so many unknowns in our lives here, it crossed my mind that maybe any one thing might one day be too much.  But today, I can speak candidly and openly about my fears because I know for certain that my heart was in-it-to-win it until the very end.  The often-cited “Hardest Job You’ll Ever Love” motto is point-blank and spot-on. I am lucky in that I didn’t face some of the unfortunate situations other volunteers did, but I also stayed committed, in the moment and lived with my heart on my sleeve.  I know so many of you are proud of me, but nothing feels better than being able to write that I am proud of what I’ve done and who I’ve become.  Now I know, without a doubt, that I posses the grit to do anything I set my heart to. This feeling, as simple as it is powerful, is what I’ll remember the most about being 26.

celebrate your accomplishments

What are you most looking forward to this year?

  • As I gracefully cross into offical “late 20s” territory, gone is the dread of inching one year closer to 30 and feeling like an ol’ biddy whose best days are behind her.  Who here hasn’t heard me lie to a complete stranger, and say that I am, almost comically, much older than I really am (‘I’m in my late 30s, I swear’).  Because that’s how I felt. Now,  I’m learning age is insignificant when you’ve got so many things to look forward to, starting with a well-deserved three week vacation that includes a Jay-Z and Beyonce concert in San Francisco.  Talk about a homecoming!
hey bey

hey bey!

It’s interesting that my birthday coincides with my last days in Peru, starting a new year and a new life all at once.  Twenty-seven seems full of promise, positivity and optimism.

airplane gif

 

 

 

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Welcome, Peru 23!

8 Jun

It’s so hard to believe that today is two years to the day that Peru 19 landed in Lima and now we have only about a month left!!! Even crazier to believe is that Peru 23, the group that replaces us in our sites, just arrived in-country to start their own three-month Pre-Service Training. As a nice WELCOME gesture, Mike, our incredibly talented video guru, put together this little diddy with tons of useful advice.  I think anyone who watches this video can feel not only the love and camraderie that exists between us as a group, but also the amount of fun we’ve had these last two years!  That’s the most I can wish for future groups– happiness, a sense of purpose and creating bonds that will last a lifetime.

19 Ways to Survive the Peace Corps in Peru from Mike K on Vimeo.

 

I’m so proud of us, 19!!!  WE #FLAWLESS

 

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Close of Service

11 May

 

we did it!

we did it!

I just got back today from a week in Lima with all my 19ers.  We had our Close of Service conference which included final medical checks and detailed explanations of the administrative processes necessary to terminate our time as Peace Corps volunteers in Peru.  Of course, it wasn’t all business, as we had plenty of time to hang out and celebrate!

 

i dont know why heidi and i ended up as leland's chariot horses for the 'do something silly!' picture, but there it is.

i dont know why heidi and i ended up as leland’s chariot horses for the ‘silly’ picture, but there it is.

Peru 19 Youthies

Peru 19 Youthies

with Lucia, the Youth Development Associate Peace Corps Director (APCD)

with Lucia, the Youth Development Associate Peace Corps Director (APCD)

this is going up somewhere.

this is going up somewhere.

ladies dressed up for the occassion

ladies dressed up for the occassion

:) :) :)

🙂 🙂 🙂

 

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My Time With The Gloria Guys

1 May

A few weeks ago I got the opportunity to do one of the coolest things I’ve done outside of anything related to my volunteer work.

But first—a confession: when this years Vacaciones Utiles  ended in late February, I consciously decided to take an extended work break. I was so exhausted and overworked after teaching summer school all by myself that I didn’t even have time or energy for the little things that I love about my town and my host family.  All of a sudden, I became very aware of the importance in accepting lunch invitations from my neighbors, or sitting down to watch “Frozen” with my host niece (beautiful movie, btw).   It wasn’t like I lounged around in my PJ’s all day; that gets old after, oh, 3 days.  Our women’s workout group is still a top priority every Tuesday and Thursday, as well as training for this year’s half marathon in Lima with my best friend in site, Daniela, and a slew of minor commitments here and there.

Back to my unexpected adventure with the Gloria Guys.  So there we were, my friend Pochita and I, on a Tuesday night setting up for our workout class.  Out of the shadows, we see two well-dressed gentlemen in crisp collar shirts and slacks approaching us.  “Are you ladies from here?” they asked.  Initially I was taken aback by their determined approach, and also,  their exceptionally dapper attire.  Mis Olmanos are many wonderful things, but ‘dapper’ is not one of them.  While I remained mentally preocuppied with their fashion, Pochita answered for the both of us. “I am, but she’s not”, she replied while signaling to me.  Then they asked “Do either of you speak English?  We’ve been told there’s a Señorita who speaks English.”  Snapping back into real time, I presented myself as said Señorita.

It turns out the men are agricultural engineers with Grupo Gloria, one of Peru’s biggest and most successful companies.  They are starting an immense sugarcane planting operation nearby and Olmos has become the project headquarters.  Since it is still in the early stages of implementation, an independent consultant from Britain was brought in to survey and revise their work plans.  The translator they hired quit on them after the first day and they were desperate for anyone who could help them communicate with Brennan (the Brit.) Part of me was interested in helping them out as they seemed to be in a tight situation and part of me was just nosy curious to learn more about the project that will change the landscape of the region in its entirety.  And would you look at that? My schedule is clear!  I heartily agreed to join them the next morning at 6:30 a.m.

Walking over to the hotel-turned-headquarters, I wasn’t really sure what I had signed up for, but as with everything else in this life…you just roll with it.  After a hearty breakfast, Brennan, two project managers and I set off to the future sugarcane site.  It was then I finally understood the magnitude of the project. From inside the comfort of the air-conditioned 4×4,  I watched as the hills around Olmos disappeared and were replaced by, well, nothing.  An hour and half later, we could have been in the middle of the Arabian desert and I would have been none the wiser (really. Brennan has lived in Saudi Arabia and said “this reminds me of the Arabian desert.”)  It’s hard to picture these massive sand dunes being replaced with greenery and sugarcane but I’ll chalk it up to the modern marvels of agriculture.

And, as I learned, it really is a marvelous process.  Through the translating, I learned so much about the actual genius and logistical miracle it takes to put something like this together.  Everything from technical specifications of heavy machinery to the exact planting distance necessary to ensure maximum crop yield, I translated it all.  From Brennan’s conversations with project managers I learned about negotiating contracts with landscaping companies. From his conversations with civil engineers, I learned about road-building specifications and how to determine the tonnage that any given road can sustain.  From his conversations with the planting manager, I learned about every machine used in the planting process, varying irrigation systems, plant beds, fertilizer, the current state of the international sugarcane industry, etc.  Anyone who knows what a nerd I am can just imagine how this crash course in agriculture made me absolutely giddy!

And it wasn’t only about the crazy amount of knowledge I was acquiring every day.  For a week, I felt like I was part of this massively important project.  Every day, the team would gather for breakfast and off we’d go, on to the adventure of the day.  Just me and the guys, in our 4×4, sharing sunscreen to protect our skin against the intense mid-day sun or working together to get the truck out when the tires got stuck in the sand.  Ok, in all fairness, they worked together while I stood by and took some pictures.

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“really get in there, guys”

One day, the big company boss was visiting and wanted to see the progress made on various parts of the project, which meant visiting different points within about 15,000 hectares.  It was a long day filled with hopping into the truck, driving half an hour, hopping out, conversing, hopping back in, on to the next site, hopping back out, translating some more, driving to the next site, and so on.  This started at around 7am and lasted way after our designated 2pm lunch time.  It wasn’t until 6pm that we headed back into Olmos for a meal.  At one point during the ride, we were so hungry, I emptied the contents of my Longchamp bag to see if I had anything edible.  Luckily, I found some candies I gathered at the last baptism I attended.  The guys were grateful!

After our daily rides out to the desert, we’d go back to the ‘office’ in Olmos and I’d help Brennan translate some documents or put together a presentation he’d share at the end of the week with insights and recommendations.  One of the project managers Miguel, would bring us snacks and soda to keep us going.  Finally, long after nightfall, the guys would drive me to my house and drop me off.  It’s a strange feeling riding around your town in a private car with the windows up.  My townspeople also found it weird to see me in a private car with the windows up and soon enough the questions from my neighbors started: “quienes son?”

“Son mis amigos de Gloria!”

All in all, it was a great experience and I’m glad I agreed to help them out. Not only did I go on some unexpected adventures in the desert that surrounds Olmos, but I also got to meet some brilliant, interesting, successful people.   It was one of those moments where you realize you would have never had the opportunity to do something like this at any other time in your life.  Just because I can speak two languages, all of a sudden I’m part of this super important team working on a groundbreaking project.  When else would I ever be hanging out with global sugarcane experts or the nation’s top engineers?  One of the things I really took away from this were the inspiring conversations I had with Brennan about his extensive international career that has taken him from Swaziland to Papua New Guinea and everywhere in between.  It seems fitting, as I make decisions regarding my own future.  I also love that I made new friends in town, and whenever I see the guys around they always stop to saludar and chat for a bit.

i'm her.

i’m her.

Are you wondering if I made tons of money off of this week-long gig?  I bet you are. The answer is a big fat NO.  As a Peace Corps volunteer I cannot accept payment for anything I do in Peru, especially if it is from a private company.  So that’s kind of a bummer, but the great thing is Miguel, Daniela (co-leader of our women’s workout group) and I are looking to see if they can make some sort of donation to buy us some new equipment like yoga mats or resistance bands.

Vamos a ver!

***If you want to learn a more about the Trans-Andean water irrigation project that is transforming northern Peru by bringing water to traditionally arid desert lands, click here: Proyecto Olmos

 

 

 

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laissez les bons temps rouler!

16 Mar

Now, I know the title is in French, and I am writing in English and living  in Spanish–  but when I decided to write a post on the Carnaval celebrations in Peru, this is the first phrase that came to mind.  The unofficial slogan of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras debauchery festivities, “laissez les bons temps rouler!” literally means “let the good times roll!”  Fitting, because every February, across continents, cultures, and languages, “good time” gals and guys partake in one of the most enduring traditions left behind by the ruthless, unforgiving Roman Catholic colonization of native civilizations–crazy parties, parades and general street revelry!!

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It may not have the butt-cheek-jiggling international recognition of Rio de Janeiro’s iconic event, or the deliciously Cajun spice of a Mardi Gras adventure, but Peru’s version of Carnaval it is still damn fun! Here’s why:

1. Water Balloon Guerrilla Warfare

In Olmos, every January 20th marks the official start of “Carnavales”, a month-long,  pueblo-wide water balloon offensive.  Anyone and everyone on the street is a potential target for rowdy teenagers who, after a year of waiting, have free reign to indiscriminately peg innocent bystanders with water balloons.  Usually docile and humble teenagers turn into wartime operation commanders in search for their next target.  Their version of military tanks: mototaxis.  Although I am part of the hunted, I strangely enjoy this temporary imbalance of power. For 30 glorious days, it is culturally and socially acceptable for teens to wreak (safe) havoc in our town, and even coax opponents into full fledged water fights. How fun!!! I somehow managed not to get hit this year, but I have had a few moments of panic when I hear the roar of the mototaxi coming up behind me and start furiously looking for last-minute shelter. Whew. Although I always managed to escape, others are not so lucky, like that one time my friend got drenched with a whole bucket full of water on her walk home.  Alls fair in Carnaval water wars!

2. The “Yunsa”

Katherine, a volunteer living in the outskirts of Olmos, in a town about half an hour away, invited me to her site to partake in a “Yunsa,” a Carnaval celebration.  Having never heard of it, I was curious as to what the party entailed.  All I needed to hear was “food, prizes and chopping a tree with a machete” and I was sold.

aplausos for Katherine, part of the decorating and organizing committee!

aplausos for Katherine, part of the decorating and organizing committee

And I have to say, the party delivered.  Here is the gist: organizers buy a tree and decorate it with streamers and prizes.  The tree is prominently placed in a large open space where the whole town will gather to drink and dance the night away.  As the festivities wind down, the padrino of the party — basically the person who fronted the money to pay for the presents on the tree– ceremoniously hacks at the tree base with a machete (or in our case, an ax).  The crowd sways and swells, hoping to guess where the tree will topple and snatch all the dangling prizes.  It’s just like a piñata, but no kids, plenty of alcohol..and an ax! I cautiously stayed far from the masses during the chopping, since I’d like to keep my limbs intact, but after the dust settled, I was able to scourge the remains and found a prize — a box of tea! Yunsa, the gift the keeps on giving.

timber!

timber!

3. El Carnaval de Cajamarca

The last weekend of February has thousands flocking to the the sierra city of Cajamarca, site of where the last Inca king, Atahualpa, was held captive and executed.  But no one is thinking of this grim page in history when there are street parties and one giant, all-day paint war to prepare for.  This year was the last opportunity for Peace Corps volunteers to attend Carnaval (new administrative policy strictly forbids it), so we took advantage and flocked there ourselves.  First order of business was to find a massive water gun, at a relatively low price.

check.

check.

Water guns, paint gallons, buckets, water balloons and maybe some safety goggles, are all part of the armament necessary for the biggest paint party in the continent (probably).  Powerful drumbeats reverberate in the streets while throngs of people roam around, spraying their guns, tossing balloons, chanting, drinking and singing the joys of Carnaval.  No one outside their home is safe, not the cops, babies, or even puppies.  A streak of paint here, a glob of shaving cream there, all signs that you were among the crowds, in the party. Fact: The time it takes to rub all the paint off your body in the shower is directly correlated to the amount of fun you had Carnaval weekend.

before the war

before the war

friendly fire

friendly fire

image

come at me with some paint!

massive amounts of fun = hour long shower

 

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well, those clothes are ruined!

All-day paint wars and all-night block parties with some of my favorite people in Peru was the perfect way to celebrate my last Carnaval season as a volunteer.

Laissez les bons temps rouler, indeed.

 

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Let’s talk about LOVE, baby

22 May

Peru is for lovers.

You’d think soccer was the national past time, but you’d be wrong. It’s romance and Love, with a capital L. Ask any other volunteer who’s been pursued (incessantly) by a Peruvian. I mean, you are getting ‘te quiero’ within like 10 minutes of meeting. Guy, please. Even among older people, almost every introductory conversation I’ve had explaining Peace Corps and my two-year service usually ends with ‘well, maybe you’ll meet a peruano, fall in love and stay forever.’ I laugh politely and say ‘maybe’ when I really mean ‘doubttttttt it.’  I find it amusing that strangers are so concerned with my relationship status, but they also seem to be just as concerned with my weight (estas gordita/flaquita!) and my diet (come mas arroz!) I chalk it up to funny things people say here.

Recently I realized the implications of this constant topic of finding a novio in Peru. Being single and 25, I am officially spinster status. I even had one lady at a tienda suggest I must be barren since I don’t have any kids yet. Excuse me!

Which leads me to my next point: since my arrival in Olmos nine months ago, I realized I wanted to spend a considerable amount of time working on gender equality issues.  In my past pre-PC life, I was curiously drawn to this topic, reading about exemplary women who changed the game or broke the barrier. We all know gender inequality is still a real thing all over the world, including our beloved America. But I’d never felt it as strongly as I did when I arrived in site. The second you walk through the lime colored arches grandly decorating the town entrance, the machismo hits you smack in the face like one of those red boxing gloves on a spring. POW!

Boxing gloveBeing Latina, I recognize the patriarchal culture that characterizes South America and even Latin immigrant populations in developed countries. Los hombres Latinos siempre son un poco ‘machista.’  In reality, seriously misogynistic American men are the exception, not the norm and most will be immediately chastised for their bonehead opinions. Not in Olmos. Here, in a small town like this, it is not only normal, it is expected and encouraged. From a young age, girls are assigned very specific roles which they will be expected to fulfill, come hell or high water. It’s probably the reason my neighbors think something is wrong with me. I am 25 and still not fulfilling my roles. The women themselves have come to accept and perpetuate these beliefs, forever solidifying behaviors that favor males and subjugate females.

What do love and machismo have to do with each other? I’ve only begun to understand the deep connection after I started teaching a girls-only class at one of the local high schools.  It’s obvious that this male-dominant environment greatly affects young girls’ development in many ways. Recognizing this, I started putting together a 6-month curriculum that uses a holistic approach to empowering female youth. The program, taught in two classrooms (junior and senior girls) once a week for an hour, includes lessons on critical thinking, self-esteem, reproductive health, nutrition, sex and gender, fitness, financial literacy, career counseling and learning about positive female role models throughout history. I’m not only telling them that girls run the world, I’m going to teach them how!

I imagined that the second I stepped into my classroom I’d have a whole army of girls ready to fight the powers that be and take over Olmos, Arab Spring-style. Except– a strange thing happened.  The more time I spend getting to know my students, teen girls from 14-16, I realize they are only minimally interested in what I have to say and totally engulfed in their teenage love affairs.  I know that’s normal for teenagers everywhere (except I don’t remember being particularly consumed by these things. Maybe I was, but my memory doesn’t recall? I can’t really say, it was such a long time ago.) Anyway, the whole thing is very Romeo-and-Juliet-esque. Case in point: the first thing the girls wanted to know about me was: Do you have a boyfriend/husband? How old were you when you had your first boyfriend? Did you leave someone behind in the states? I was all ‘Ladies, ladies, settle down. I’m here to talk about important things, like college and the future.’ But that’s not important to them right now; LOVE is the only thing that matters.

“Patriarchy is not men. Patriarchy is a system in which both women and men participate. It privileges, inter alia, the interests of boys and men over the bodily integrity, autonomy, and dignity of girls and women. It is subtle, insidious, and never more dangerous than when women passionately deny that they themselves are engaging in it.” – Ashley Judd

And therein lies the problem. From a young age, a woman’s education is not emphasized as say, learning to cook, clean and tend to household chores. Lack of support grows into lack of interest and motivation by the time they reach high school.  Then here comes Prince Charming in his mototaxi with his sweet words and love ballads and the girls are smitten like kittens.  I feel like girls are taught to believe that the most important role they’ll play is mother and wife, and are ready to play that role as soon as men start to show interest in them.  From then on, their life is dictated by their relationships.   If they graduate high school, they surely will not leave town to go to college if it means leaving their boyfriend behind. Worse, many young couples make uneducated and unsafe decisions to start having unprotected sex, which is how way too many of them end up pregnant before the age of 20. Given that the couple stays together, the chances of the woman finishing schooling and starting a career are slim. My host sister, who is 23 and married with child, told me she had one semester left of college before she dropped out.  I was like ‘why?!’ and she replied ‘well, I got engaged to my husband’ and I said ‘so what?’ and she just looked at me like ‘what don’t you get?’ I dropped it after that. At such a young age, her life is already completely rigid. Childbearer and caretaker.  If, like many cases I’ve seen in Olmos, the ‘sweetheart, love of your life, gem of a man’ books it out of town faster than a speeding bullet, the uneducated teen mom is now almost completely dependent on her family to provide for her and her child forever.  The idea of a ‘single working mom’ is absolutely non-existent in northern rural Peru.  It’s a grim scene, people.

And it all starts with that teenage love obsession back in high school. One day they’re in lala land with their novios and then reality sets in.  I don’t want to see my girls LOCKED IN for life.

I get it, obviamente, no one wants to die alone (fingers crossed over here!) but I just want to give my students the luxury of options and making their own decisions. It’s ok if you want to marry your sweetheart and be a stay-at-home mom at the age of 18 (it’s really not), but it’s also ok to follow your dream of becoming a doctor or president. As long as the choice is hers — not society or family or boyfriend. Of course love is beautiful, wonderful and fulfilling, but so is independence, freedom and reaching your goals. And I want them to know that at 15, they will have pleeeeeenty of opportunities for both in their future.

proof women can have it all. si o si?

proof women can have it all. si o si?

 

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March Madness

13 Apr

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)

me and dad in the plaza de bolivar (bogota)

with lucy, enjoying the view

with lucy, enjoying the view

arroz con coco y sopa de mariscos. to diiiiiiiiiiie for.

arroz con coco y sopa de mariscos. to diiiiiiiiiiie for.

that's right!

that’s right!

una bandeja paisa bien rrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiccaaaaaaaaaaa

una bandeja paisa bien rrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiccaaaaaaaaaaa

bogota's oldest neighborhood with the Andes in the background

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!!!

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?!)

evil face

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!!!!!!!!!!

movil tours red

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This is actually important…

17 Feb

Hey guys, remember when I used todrive you nuts encourage you to donate to the American Cancer Society or the Children’s Miracle Network?

It’s that time again!

This May, all of the volunteers from my region will be uniting to work on a very special project– bringing together 60 teenage girls for a 3-day leadership camp, with the theme of “Peace of Mind, Body, and Environment.”

These annual camps (one for girls, one for boys) are unparalleled opportunities for young female leaders to come together and meet like-minded peers as well as a group of adults who are invested in their physical, mental and spiritual growth. In a country where 50% of the population is under 25, these camps are, in essence, contributing to the future of the nation.

 
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Activities and topics include a career fair, aptitude test, recycled arts workshops, trash management trainings, sexual education sessions and leadership habit development. In addition to helpful life skill sessions, our camps give teens a safe and inviting space to share who they are and where they see themselves in the future. The camps foster an environment for sharing highly personal topics, things they can’t really express as normal youth in Peruvian society.

Here’s where you come in.  A significant portion of the camp’s budget (40%) is coming from local community contributions and donated support.  But the rest, $2,200, volunteers are fundraising through the following link.  All donations made through this link are secure through the Peace Corps website and tax-deductible.

 
DONATE HERE!
 

Please help us meet our fundraising needs!  The Peace Corps Volunteers of Lambayeque, Peru and our adolescent campers thank you!!  Any questions feel free to email me or you can read more about the project in the donation link.

 

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-Betty

 

 

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Summer on Smash!

9 Feb

‘Ya’ll know who got the summer on smash. We do!’

This is not only one of my favorite running songs off of Nas’ Life is Good CD but  it also describes the summer so far.  After a rocky start to 2013 that included broken laptops and having no money, among other misfortunes– things have taken a turn for the better.  My sitemates (Tina, environment, Peru 18 and Annie, environment, Peru 18) and I have basically been rockinnn’ all our summer projects.

Our biggest project has been teaching Vacaciones Utiles, a geography/environment summer school program, we’ve called Around the World in 8 Weeks. Starting the first days of January, we have been focusing on one particular country and environment theme per week.

So far, we’ve ‘traveled’ to and learned about:

Week 1: USA

Week 2: France/Recycling & Trash Management

Week 3: South Africa/Oceans & Plains

Week 4: Egypt & Saudi Arabia/Deserts

Week 5: Brazil/Jungles & Freshwater Ecosystems

Up next we have India, China and Australia.

The kids have no obligation to come to our summer school classes so we have to find a creative way to make learning fun, interactive and somehow more enticing than staying home and watching TV or surfing Facebook all day. The goal of VU is to communicate the beauty and vastness of the world and making it come alive for our students as they sit in dilapidated desks in a muggy auditorium. For example, aside from the lesson about the US, we also made hot dogs and taught the kids to play American football (they got it, sort of.  There’s no Tom Brady being recruited out of Olmos any time soon, you know what I mean?) For France, we made them crepes with Nutella and for Saudi Arabia, we talked about the different styles of dress and showed them how women wear the hijab. We also include movies in the curriculum, like showing Rio during Brazil week. When Annie taught them about deserts around the world, we had each student draw their own sand art landscape.  We then display their artwork around the classroom walls and give out prizes for the most creative, the most improved, etc.

hot dog line!

tina teaching eduardo the steps to wrapping the hijab.

tina teaching eduardo the steps to wrapping the hijab.

trash pick up!

Sand Art VU

spreading glue on their desert landscapes to later  add real sand.

the review game! a mix of jeopardy and tag. a fun way to go over what we’ve learned during the week.

After starting out with only 8 kids, then skyrocketing to 70 students at one point, right now we have a steady group of 30-35 kids (ages 8-14) that are genuinely interested and dedicated to the class.  We teach Monday through Thursday from 9am-12pm, which doesn’t sound like a lot, but trust me, it is.  We spend double that time putting together activities, gathering materials, downloading relevant videos and pictures from the internet and soliciting support from community businesses and institutions.  We can’t possibly provide markers, paper, paintbrushes, watercolors, etc., just from our own PC living allowance.  Several of the businesses we have contacted have been helpful enough so that we can continue our activities. We have 3 weeks of summer left and are planning to have a big ‘End-of-the-Summer’ party at the community pool at the end of February. All I want is for our students to look back on 2013 and think ‘that was the best summer everrrrrrr!‘ — Is that too much to ask?

Vacaciones Utiles 2013 Foto

Vacaciones Utiles 2013

Our other big project (and when I say ‘our’ I really mean Annie’s,  I just like to tag along and help her out because it’s so much fun and probably my favorite activity of the week) is a free women’s-only exercise class.  Annie and I both love running and working out and Lord knows the women in Olmos need something just for themselves that doesn’t include cooking, cleaning, childcare or working the family tienda. So about 3 weeks ago, we decided to give this class exercise class a try. Annie managed to reserve a community events hall every Tuesday and Thursday for 1.5 hours.  We were also able to advertise the class on the Municipality’s information channel and voila! About 30-40 women have been coming to every class. Some are a little skeptical and hesitant when they first arrive and some jump right in, as if they’ve been waiting for a free exercise class for a very long time. Being that Annie loves teaching this class AND we have an incredible turnout, I feel like this is one volunteer project that will be around for a long time.

get them sit-ups right, girrrrrrrrl

The other thing we are working on is building a mini-landfill at Tina’s house (she’s about half an hour outside of Olmos, in the campo.) A mini-landfill is a relatively easy and inexpensive option for families who are used to burning their trash (and inhaling toxic fumes).  We’re not done building yet, as there are few hours of the day when you won’t absolutely fry if you’re outside under the sun.  We hope to complete it by the end of the month. I am thinking this is only the first of several mini-landfills we will build around town.

landfill werkkk

whistle while you workkk

Other exciting things about the summer:

  • My host family brought a puppy home!

meet Princessa Preciosa Bonita.

  • I received two amazing care packages from two of the most wonderful and caring friends:
  1. Carlitaaaa sent me a huge box full of beautiful memories from our 13-year friendship and also jewelry from her recent trip to South Africa.  I am so proud of both of us, because we’ve managed to stay close since middle school, finishing high school and college together and then moving into the adventurous adult phase of our lives.  When I lived in Paris, she was in China. When I was in Miami, she was taking the NYC advertising world by storm but always managed to provide support and encouragement.  I am lucky to have a friend like her and I can’t wait to have her visit Peru.

my favorite were all the pictures she printed 🙂

  1. Dolly is by far the intellectual brainy friend I’ve always turned to when I want to talk about current events and political theory or watch a foreign film. There is no one in the world I love to ‘nerd out’ with more than Dolls, so it’s no wonder that her care package included a book on female leadership, a bookmark with a Winston Churchill quote and a stylish day planner.   I can’t wait to bore everyone else with our conversations when she visits Peru as well.

    there were more candies in the package but they were devoured almost immeadiately. woops!

Thank you guys so much! I can never fully express my gratitude for every care package I receive.  The time it takes you to put them together and mail them does not go unnoticed and I am forever in awe of your kindness and thoughtfulness.

  • I’ve decided to start training for the Lima Half-Marathon in May.  I want to continue challenging myself by running at least one half-marathon a year.  Lima is a beautiful city and I bet it’s even more special when you’re dragging your tired body across its captivating avenues and plazas. The biggest challenge so far is finding a time to run when the temperature is under a billion degrees.  No easy feat, but now I have to do it since I blogged about it. This is my way of motivating myself, so friends, please get on me about my training!

overlooking the pacific ocean in lima

  • Most importantly, my dad and Lucy are coming to visit! AHHH! I am beyond ecstatic.  I cannot wait to share my Peru life with my dad and show them why I’ve grown to love this dusty, sleepy, insanely hot little town.  It doesn’t hurt that they’re also bringing me tons of goodies from America!

This is definitely shaping up to be one of my best summers.

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