January Excitment

It has been a while since we’ve last talked, but i’ve been busy and a lot has happened. Work continues to move along, and now I’m beginning to translate some documents into English for the Ministry of Environment, and we have a big clean up campaign that we’re promoting on February 15. I’m also beginning to plant tree seeds with a group of youth. So all is going well.

Last weekend was our monthly regional meeting, so I got to warm up on the coast for a few days. I also went to Lima to gather travel information of how to come to the protected area that I live in, the Reserva Paisajistica Nor Yauyos Cochas. It was energizing to talk to some other volunteers and share some ideas. Then while I was in Lima my friend Heather Brook, who I know from Camp, and her mother Terri arrived.

We spent one day in downtown Lima, which was when I was able to gather travel information, and that evening we headed up into the Andes Mountains (on the rustic overnight bus) to visit my site of Tomas and the region of Yauyos. The overnight bus somehow arrived in the town nearest to Tomas about 5 hours early, around 1:30 at night, but fortunately the local doctor was also on the bus and he offered us 2 beds in the medical post, so there our Yauyos adventure began.

Around mid day on the 26th we arrived in Tomas and we saw all the sites, including the “Angel Falls”. We met many people, toured the health post (as Heather will soon be a nurse), and had a dinner with my family. My family was a little timid to eat with the foreigners, but with a little persuasion they warmed up and we had a fun, local, dinner. Tuesday (Terri’s birthday) started with us waiting for the van that goes to Vitis, a town about 40 minutes from Tomas (where another volunteer, Brad, lives). After the van passed through Tomas without stopping (even though I chased it), we asked my brother to take us with my families car, which is an adventure in itself on mountain roads.

By chance we met up with Enrique and Suni, the security officer and doctor of Peace Corps Peru, who happened to be doing site visits that day. We were able to ride with them and we had a blast visiting Brad’s site and seeing some of the gorgous waterfallls and lakes of the region of Yauyos.

Wednesday morning all 4, Heather, Terri, Enrique and Suni, all left and life is getting back to normal. It was wonderful to have all of them here in Yauyos and I learned a lot about what we need to do in Tomas to improve our tourism services (a goal of my town). I’m feeling recharged and ready to work, and this February we have many things planned within our region. Garbage management is getting moving, along with some tree planting activities. And I only have one month left to plan my Environmental Education for the next school year. Things are busy and life is good, even though it is still raining and cold.

From the left: Terri, Heather, Me, Brad, Suni

This is on the road to Vilca, a tiny little town that is surrounded by some of the most beautiful lakes and waterfalls i've ever seen.

Terri and Heather at the best spot to see all of Tomas

Heather and Terri at the enterance to Tomas. There are boots because people wear them while working in their fields and they've become sort of a symbol of my town.


Peace and Love,
Jared

Let's get moving in January!

We’re well into the new year and things are going fine in Tomas, Yauyos. Most of the population in Tomas has left for the months of January and February because of the summer vacation, so the population of about 450 adults has dropped to well below 100. It is a very different feel from the excitement of Tomas’ Christmas party in December. Here in Tomas we’re getting to the peak of the rainy season, with rain every day now and most nights. I hate to say it but the rain is making basic hygiene, such as laundry and bathing, much more difficult and cold to do. Don’t worry though, I can shower twice a month with hot water when I’m in my regional capital for the night.

Work is progressing a little slowly but without any major problems, so that is good. It is expected during the first few months that tangible work items go slowly, as I prepare my diagnostic. My Community Diagnostic Survey is coming along fine. Ideas and preparations of a Garbage system are even being talked about and that is a good first step in getting things moving. I feel good about the slow but steady progress here in Tomas.

With so few people in Tomas, it is easy to spend a lot of time with one or a few people. I’m starting to develop some closer relationships, which is really nice and it is helping my Spanish a lot.

There isn’t a whole more exciting news from Tomas and there might not be any really exciting changes during the next month and a half. Just more preparation work and finishing up my diagnostic survey. Life continues to be good, now it is just a little more tranquil. I’ve even started knitting with my host mom in the evenings. After a small bout of sickness last week, I’m healthy again, despite the constant cold of the rain.

Thank you to all who’ve sent letters. I’m in the process of responding to you all.
Happy January, Jared