Peace Corps Rep 1 – Peru not caring 2
Oh Peru why must you live a life of disinterest. It is the time in a volunteer’s service that he/she must ask for a site replacement i.e. a person to compare me too. I was asking for 2. One volunteer would continue working with my artisan association and also begin to work with the newly emerging association in La Campina (town next to me). The other volunteer would be from the youth development program. I asked for this volunteer to be placed in Pedregal Grande, where I live now. Reason being that I hardly ever work IN site and not for lack of work, but rather lack of time. The community could really benefit from a youth volunteer, we have a preschool grade school and high school, youth groups and an active health post. It just seems completely compatible to the work prescribed to YD volunteers. Well, after talking to Wilfredo (Regional Coordinator) at my recent monthly meeting, he told me to set up the meetings for the following week. (A huge feat, if you ask me, three meetings in less than 4 days) So I began the task a little hesitant on the inside, but overly positive on the outside, sporting my Peace Corps Official polo shirt around explaining the programs and numbering the benefits of volunteer placement in the community to all the officials and any who would listen. (I mean seriously we all know I can sell it!) So I went around printing official invitations (because no one will come near a meeting without one.. more on this later) At mid-day Tuesday I had it all programmed for a jam-packed Thursday afternoon:
2 P.m. La Campina
4 P.m. Pedregal Chico
6 P.m. Pedregal Grande
Well you can imagine my worries when Thursday rolled around and Wilfredo called to say the PC vehicle broke down, so he’ll be late because he’s taking a taxi. (Actually on the plus side bc when a rather rich looking peruvian rolls into town with a brand-new white toyota SUV…people anticipate $$$) So I get to La Campina about 2:20ish and there are 2 people outside the local. (Humph…) I begin to converse in order to sway the director of the school to stay longer though, he explains, he has an urgent meeting at 3… its peru, yeh right. He lingers about till Wilfredo comes and by that time 2:40 there are a good 10 people… trickles. I opt for Wilfredo to start because we have a tight schedule and as the meeting begins… intro to what is PC who are volunteers. what are the expectations of PC. what are the expectations of the community… etc. We have a peruvian full house (45 people – men included!) Success in La Campina. I was pretty amped esp because I was texting my counterpart in Ped Chico to get ready because we heading out to their local right after. I should mention that right now each community has certain homework bc PC is goign to decide where the new business volunteer will be placed in Ped Chico or in La Campina. So using the competitive stance, I mention that there was 45 ppl at the meeting and tell them to round up some artisans. We get to Pedregal Chico a bit late, so this only adds to my hope of how many people will show. Oh hope, how you let me down. We get to the local its Iris and her baby woo hoo… Wait 1 hr. 4 more ppl…. not getting better, I tell Wilfredo to begin. Not to happy with the turn out he reluctantly begins the whole schpeal again. Well, at the end we had a turn out of about 23. 20 artisans and 3 drunks that were hoping for some swagg. I was completely bummed about the turn out, especially on how it reflects on me. I mean imagine if at yoru office they had the opportunity to receive an equal of you at your job and they had a meeting to talk about the possibility and then only 4 people from your office show up. Really says, “hey, you're doing a great job and OF COURSE we would LOOOOVE another person LIKE YOU who does what YOU DO here with us!” Sufficed to say, I was beginning to get gloomy, with yet another meeting ahead of me. During the previous meeting I made sure to let Iris know we would need a moto or a way of transport at about 5:50 to get to Pedregal Grande on time. I even went up to her at 5:30 and told her to tell them to come now. 6:00…6:10…6:20…. nothing. GRRR I wanted to punch the wall! But keeping my cool I went to a guy eating his dinner and told him to hurry up i needed a ride and there were no other motos, and for 1 sole extra I got my way. I left with Wilfredo and arrived upon a municipality close. woo fricking hoo.
PG was a no go. No one came and just when my boss was getting to ready to leave the incompetent mayor strolls up to my house and was like “oh the meeting, right. muni is closed, pity no one came.” p.u.n.c.h. i.n. t.h.e. f.a.c.e.
At that point I almost broke down to tears and just wanted to shake him! I told him how important it was to get another volunteer and nothing really that’s how much you think of me, nothing?!?! Wilfredo was quite comforting saying that this happens all the time in promising communities, its the culture, and just hope they get their shit together for the next year. Here’s hoping/I don’t care.
So after these disappointing developments to my day, I looked back on the one good meeting and reflected on how well perceived we are in that community and how after 2 years with their volunteer the novelty will have worn off and it will go back to it was before. If that's not the most devastating news in development, I don’t know what is.
That was Thursday, Friday was filled with fantastic-ness. I bought all the fixings for my fiesta on Saturday night and also heading to the new chic eatery la Terraza Suiza. (The Swiss Terrance, or more commonly known among the PCVs, the Sky Bar.) Admit it you, you are intrigued. And a tad jealous. After spending a ludicrous amount at the grocery store we climbed the 4 stories (no elevators) to the rooftop restaurant, settled in the balcony overlooking the Plaza de armas (main plaza) and order two PILY CZSTEKS. Yes, it’s the actual spelling on the menu. And outside of Philly, hands down, the best god-damn philly cheesesteak this side of the equator. To wash it down we had the brand new, limited edition, Cusquena de trigo (A FREAKIN WHEAT BEER!) It just seemed too good to be true. And with my party following the next day, it was.
More on my party in the next post..
Chao xoxo
Elizabeth
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