Census Time…and call me coach!

Recently I was asked to help with a biodiversity census within the Reserva Paisajística Nor Yauyos Cochas (the landscape reserve I live in). A team of biologists came from Lima to count plants, insects, and identify new species within the Reserva. This census involved traveling to the upper regions of a few districts, and focused on Queñal forests, an endangered Andean tree.

My job throughout most of this was to count plants of a certain species within a certain quadrant, and to help the Limeños carry their stuff up and down the mountains. It was a little funny and ironic that the foreigner was the one carrying the equipment, and the Peruvians were the ones having problems with the altitude, but I guess that’s what happens after five and a half months of acclimation in the mountains. The counting plants isn’t too fun, but it was fun to look for different species of plants and to see many new parts of the Reserve within which I live. Also I tasted and learned about many medicinal plants, and I even hiked to about 5,000 meters above sea level. Overall, a fun experience that took me to many places no gringo has gone before!

In other Yauyos news, one of my new activities is helping to coach the high school soccer team. In July there is a tournament in which every high school of the area participates to take home a trophy, and especially bragging rights. It may seem funny that a gringo is the one coaching soccer in a Latin country, but it turns out there are a lot of basic skills that I can help with as the “Técnico Americano”.

My main role as coach is to improve the fitness aspect of the team. Every Monday, Wednesday, Friday we are up and running at 5:30 a.m (a time I did NOT choose). It is still dark at this hour, but the boys get up and running almost right on time. We run for about 45 minutes and then my “expertise” comes into play. We stretch. Stretching is something that many Tomasinos are unaware of. We are learning the importance and correct techniques, as a team, and the kids enjoy it. Then we do push-ups and sit-ups. It is hilarious to listen to the boys yell and complain about the workout, although afterward they tell me how fun it was. I hope that our fitness and strength training will give Tomas the edge in the July tourney, because it would be fun to take home the championship.

Life continues to move quickly (and sometimes productively) here in Tomas. I’ve been in Perú more than 8 months now, and I don’t know where the time is going…

And now, a few pictures for your viewing pleasure!

Flowers of a Colle tree, an endangered species that is native to this part of the Andes.

My Park Guard friend Marisol. Being a Park Guard is a full time job, so you take advantage and sleep anytime you can, including in the back of a VERY bumpy pickup ride.

Measuring Colle trees. These trees are endangered and are tough to grow. These giants must be 200 years old (seriously, these are old)

The gelatin like substance of the Potaka plant. It is medicinal, and supposedly helps the liver. Not much flavor, so I recommend that next time you're eating Potaka you add sugar.

A grove of Potaka, with the biologists. As is custom, everyone is sporting their vests.

In a Queñual Forest, with a biologist and two park guards. Notice that I also have a vest. It is from SERNANP, or the Servicio Nacional de Areas Naturales Protegidas (park service). Both practical, and sporty. Certainly a trend i'll try and bring back to the States.

Off to the Races...

Upon entering Tomas from the East, there is a large arch that is made up of two large boots and topped with a horse being ridden by a jockey. When first arriving I wondered why the quaint little town of Tomas had such items on their welcome arch, but soon it all became clear to me. So, without further adieu I would like to welcome you all to the festival that is Tomas, the Carrera de Caballos, or Horse Races.

Every year the first weekend of May is a celebration in Tomas. This festival involves a Futblito (6 on 6 soccer on a basketball court sized cement field) tournament, a full field soccer tournament, a volleyball tournament, and on Sunday culminates with horse races. I had heard of these tournaments months ago when asking why there was a horse on our welcome arch, but finally the time came to experience it for myself.

Friday morning, May 1^st started a little different than most days. There were no classes because all the teachers had gone to Huancayo (a big city about 3 ½ hours away) the day before to collect their monthly paychecks (as is custom for the last day of any month). Usually when the there are no classes the people head out to their animals, but this Friday was different. Tomas was full of hustle and bustle, including the arrivals of many Tomasinos from Lima and Huancayo. Despite the arrivals of everyone, the tourneys didn’t start until the usual Peruvian hour, which is a few hours after the scheduled time. Oh yeah, and we had to wait for the Cock Fight tournament before we could play soccer. (Don’t worry, they stop the fights if they get too out of hand, so roosters don’t get too beat up. Although I still found it pretty distasteful)

I played with the Magisterio, or the teachers of Tomas. I usually end up on their team because I work with them a lot and they’re some of my best friends. Unfortunately, we don’t win, as is our usual, but it was fun nonetheless.

Saturday morning saw the arrival of Brad, Sarah and Cate, the 3 other volunteers I’m clustered with in the Yauyos region (and the only volunteers within 8 hours). We ate some Pachamanca (alpaca meat cooked on hot rocks, all buried underground), then in the afternoon came the big event of the day, the soccer tournament.

As a member of the Community of Tomas, it was only right that I play for one of the two teams my town had. I ended up playing with Oriente Andino, a team whose player base is a large family with many brothers and a few cousins from Tomas. I got to play forward, and when I score the first goal of the game (off of a crossed ball that I just had to put in the net) the crowd went wild. Being the only gringo that lives in Tomas and still the newest member of the community, the crowd thinks it is a pretty big deal that I play soccer. It was quite the moment. We ended up getting second in the tournament, although it would have been nice to win and get that Bull that was the first place prize.

Sunday, though, was the main event. After a breakfast of pancakes (which turned out great, even though it was our first time making pancakes in Peru), we (me and the other volunteers) made the 20 minute trek to the small pasture of Siria. We arrived and the band was already playing (the same music as the previous 2 days), and we waited for the races to begin. The races are about a quarter mile, and they run 2 horses at a time. It is kind of scary to watch, because most riders are young kids without any kind of safety equipment, and these horses are going fast. We watched the races with a group of health post workers (our good friends), and, of course, ate more Alpaca meat Pachamanca.

It was a fun weekend that helped me to really understand why we have a horse on top of our welcome arch…I’m still a little unsure about the boots, but I’ve got 18 ½ months to figure that out.

The Archway entering Tomas. Nice boots, nice horse.

The Band. All your favorite Huayno Classics! That's my good friend Luis giving the thumbs up at bass drum.

Myself, Sarah, former Tomas Doctor Brigette, Cate, and Brad with a little pre-race fun.

Sarah, herself a horseback rider, taking one of my neighbor's horses for a little trot. Fortunately, she didn't race (because that is scary!)