Time Keeps on Slippin'

 

Welcome to Huamachuco

 

How does a month slip by so easily? These days seem to drag by (the productive and the not-so-productive ones) but the weeks, months, (and soon to be years) keep on slippin' slippin' slippin'.

 

I'm rounding about two months in site. 22 more to go, right? 4 months ago, when I was fresh off the boat, 24 months in site seemed like an eternity. Now, I'm wondering if I'll have time to start, monitor, and finish all the projects that keep popping into my head. Huamachuco needs apoyo (support), and everyday I ask myself, how in the world is this gonna happen?

 

2 months in, however, I'm starting to gain a bit of confidence. I'm starting to get to know my community and when I come back after a couple of days at the regional meeting, my feelings are warm and fuzzy. This is my site. I wish others could come visit (6 hrs from the coast/regional capital tends to do that to you), but for now I'll settle for the 5 chickens that always escape their pen and surprise me at my door. You have to take the early wins.

 

As far as projects...  Not too much has changed. I'm still teaching my Tutoria one hour a week to 40 students. We touch on topics such as self esteem and making good decisions. It's a challenge, definitely. Their learning styles are different than what I'm used to, so every class, I have to figure out how to adapt to that, without freaking them out too much.

 

I help out with two English classes and another Tutoria class during the week as well. Mainly just observing in those classes. It's amazing how much you can take in when you just sit and listen. Oh I can imagine my mom doing a hard head nod in agreement right about now.

 

A future project I'm interested in would be the new library. The municipality (muni for short, like the local government) has a brand new space to move the library into, but they have no action plan and quite frankly, the whole project lacks a lot of pilas (literally means batteries. more like OOOMPH/GUSTO). I feel like I am the sole person who has an interest in it, but that's just the way it works. I've been designated (thanks to my sitemate, Lindsay) to create an action plan complete with design examples and research articles to present to the muni to prove to them I can make this space AWESOME but still functional. Change is hard... and it seems especially so in the Sierra.

 

The rainy season has begun in Huamachuco. Meaning it is partly/mostly cloudy all day with some serious downpour in the afternoons that sometimes lasts into the night. Temps during the day average around 65 or so (it's hard to say, really), but at night I can see my breath and often go to bed in multiple layers. Traditionally in the southern hemisphere, the seasons are opposite that of the northern sphere (including good old Amuurrica), but in the Sierra, it's opposite of Peru's "normal" and more like what I know. So while the coast is now entering the season of "summer," Huamachuco is creeping into "winter." It doesn't bother me too much, but I'll be requesting my flannel pajamas and bedroom slippers for Christmas.

 



Rain with hail (granizos)

 

Recently in my site, they discovered an ancient water canal system underneath my plaza de armas. Sorry, the site is in Castellano (what Peruvians call Spanish), but it's still worth the read. DESCUBREN ANTIGUO CANAL

 

In early October, my town celebrated Dia de Los Negritos, which includes people decorating the plaza de armas with tinted sawdust such as below:

 

 

In honor of San Francisco de Asís, barefooted walkers wear a maroon cape with a white collar, and a matching maroon hat. Carrying red carnations in their mouths, they dance interpretively to classic Huayno music. The procession is compiled of women, men, and children, all of whom are devotees of the Saint.

 

 

Well, it seems strange to summarize a month in less than 800 words, but these are just the highlights. I could tell you of all the NCIS and CSI marathons I have had, but that won't be important to remember in two years. :-)

 

Love to everyone in the US of A and everyone abroad.

 

Cheyenne

 

Peruvian Pensivity

Peru is awkward... down right uncomfortable. Why did I sign up to be gawked at, not taken seriously, under appreciated, misunderstood, etc. etc.? Why do I have to be so far away from the capital up here in my mountain? Where are there no coke zeros? No movies? No McDonalds?

I'll tell you why.
 
Because life is all about taking chances. It's about doing something you haven't done before. If you're getting the same result, it means your doing the same thing. You have to change up your approach and realize that it's not all about you sometimes. So what if you step in cow poop on your daily commute, or if you have to repeat yourself 8+ times just to get a simple point across. "It is what it is," says my site mate. If you keep the mentality that "wow this sucks," then yeah, it's going to suck.
 
 

We are

given a life to

push limits, test

ourselves, move mountains,

and create something better for the future.

 

 

You might expect me to always say that Peru is fantastic, surprising, beautiful, fulfilling, and all those other superlatives.  Don't get me wrong, Peru is all of those things, but it wouldn't be as such if the "less than perfect" things were there too. That's why we have happy moments, because we know what it feels to have sad moments. There is no light without dark. The two coexist.

 

So here I am in Peru... coexisting. Sure many things get on my nerves daily, but things are beginning to change. I get up to the 4th time of repeating myself before I get a little upset. "Poco a poco," remember? For those of you who think I repeat myself just fine enough as it is... just you wait till I return to the US! :-) Until I do, I'll keep moving along, trying different approaches to this new life I have in Peru. For as many negative things I can think of about Peru, there are just as many if not more positive things! I mean, I am so amazingly blessed to be here doing this. Everyday I wake up, open my curtains, behold the beautiful Andes mountains, and think, "THIS IS MY LIFE?"

 

For those of you on the verge of something that you don't know if it's great or not, just do it. Try. You have no idea how you'll succeed if you don't even give it a shot. If all fails, at least you'll learn something about yourself along the way. Take it from me. I've only been in Peru 3 months, but I feel think KNOW that I have changed and grown. Yeah sometimes I miss my coke zeros, but it's life... and those things aren't really important.

 

Take care, take it easy, but also remember to take it to the next level.

 

-Cheyenne





Go and Grow.



Say what? & Swearing in!

I wanted to shift my focus in posts from my everyday doings to things that showed the culture/Peruvianisms more. Here's some vocab/phrases I have learned being in el Peru for the past 2 and a half months. Enjoy!

Aprovechar [a-pro-veh-CHAR]: take advantage of  (I need to aprovechar my time in Peru to better my Spanish.) Life is about taking advantage of what you are given. Don't let it be filled with regrets. When I am in my regional capital, I aprovechar and drink an ice cold (with ice)** Coka Cola Zero (no diet coke here in Peru).

** Refrigerators seem not to exist in Huamachuco. Also, there is an issue with drinking anything cold (ever) and taking showers (which are normally cold bc most people don't have hot water heaters) at night will make you sick. This is a very prevalent belief/custom (costumbre) in Sierran culture. I'll make sure to address this in another post.

Plaza de Armas, Huamachuco, La Libertad, Peru

Todavia [toe-da-VEE-ya]: not yet/ still (Have you done your community diagnostic yet? Todavia, no. Todavia, I haven't done it.) The first 2 weeks in site, this was my answer to everything. It's 8am, have you woken up yet? (Todavia). Are you teaching any classes yet? (Todavia). Are you feeling better? (Todavia, no). Site is so different from training and honestly the first two weeks I just want to decompress. I've been productive, but remember that sometimes taking personal time IS productive.

Polvo [POLE-voh]: dust (There is a lot of polvo in Lima) Basically, running along the coast of Peru are mountains that block moisture from getting to the other side. That's why in Chaclacayo, where I was for training, the mountains (they call them "cerros" here which are more like hills) were pure rock and the wind blows the fine dust around, coating everything.

Example of dry mountains in Chaclacayo

De repente [deh rey-PENT-ehh]: unfortunately (I went to the post office 11am on a Thursday, de repente, it was closed) More specifically speaking about holidays (feriados) in Peru, there are so many! I have seen here that when a feriado falls on a weekend, the vacation extends into the prior week. For example, I went to visit a school on a Thursday and (de repente) they had chosen to cancel classes for Thursday and Friday to add on to the feriado already planned for Saturday. Sometimes the local government also gives "optional" feriados and who's not going to say YES to that?

Poco a poco [POH-coh a POH-coh]: little by little (Poco a poco, I might (might not) learn to love soup with fish heads.) Really though, this whole Peace Corps experience I am taking little by little. How do you eat an elephant? Bite by bite. You can't jump into a culture and not expect to chocar (literally means to crash, like with cars, but here it means to have a problem with). With time, things plan out.

And just to sum up previous weeks, I swore in as an Official Peace Corps Peru Volunteer (PCV) on Friday, August 16th, 2013. Less than 2 years to go!

 


August 16th, 2013: Officially a PCV

 
 



PC 21 with US Ambassador in Peru Michael Fitzpatrick (8th from back left)
and country director Sanjay Mathur (9th from back left)



MAIL: Get it?

I'd like to get some, that's for sure!

I move to my final site soon so here's my new mailing address for two years.

Packages/small envelopes under a pound usually gets through customs just fine, but anything larger and you should follow a few trucos/tricks:

• Write "Christian-related" words/phrases on the package.
• Dios te bendiga (God bless you)
• Dios te ama (God loves you)
• Jesus (Jesus)
• Stickers with crosses, Jesus faces, etc. usually ward off greedy custom agents
• Writing in red is sort of TABOO so they don't want to mess with that.
• Address it to "Hermana Cheyenne" (Sister Cheyenne) makes less likely to get stolen
• NEVER NEVER, I REPEAT NEVER say that its value is over $100. I'll never see that box.
• When stating what's actually IN the box for customs papers, put things like "office supplies, shoe insoles, etc." because come on, who wants to steal boring stuff?

 

MAILING ADRESS:

Hermana Cheyenne Buelterman

Cuerpo de Paz - Peru

SERPOST Huamachuco

Sánchez Carrión, La Libertad

Peru, S America

 

I eagerly await your palabras! (words)

 

Cheyenne

And my final site placement is...

Huamachuco, La Libertad! Read more here: Huamachuco, La Libertad

Wow wow wowwwwwww.

Quick note about Field Based Training (FBT) It went well. We did charlas just about every day, did a LOT of traveling, witnessed a road-blocking pueblo strike where police had to throw tear gas and use rubber bullets to get protestors to back down. I had the opportunity to teach an English class, and am starting to see my teaching style show. I got a lot of ideas on what I can do in my final site.

 

I kept thinking I was going to Ancash, and after FBT I was digging it A LOT! Monday after chats, from subtle hints, I found out I wasn't going there at all, and I kinda freaked out. I think what happened is that I didn't know what I wanted. I thought I wanted Ancash and therefore I put this "title" on what my final site was going to be (little did I know). I held onto this as if it were the only thing that was going to make my time in Peace Corps successful. Let's just say Monday was kinda rough. I was realizing that I had to let go of this notion I had created (an unfair prejudice I might add), and it was tough coming to terms with that.  In the following days, however, I was glad I had that opportunity and in the end, I got exactly what I wanted (and never knew). I was excited to go somewhere that I had never been before.

 

 

 

 

Reading about my site and what its needs are, etc., I am feeling good great AWESOME. (Shout out to Sarah on that one). Things are falling into place and now, I have a SITE, a HOST FAMILY, a SITE MATE, a place that belongs to me and will be my home for the next two years.

 

I'm about 5 hours from my capital city so unfortunately, I'll only be going there about once a month. That's when I can get my mail, and soon I hope to be getting that set up.

 

 

 

About everything, I have to be honest, I couldn't be more happier... even if my English grammar is starting to slip. :-)

 

 

 

2 Second 2 Cents

Hey guys,

Here's my second album on facebook with my Peru pictures. Photos!

 

 

 

We have been doing some practicum teachings in schools... getting more and more comfortable with last minute adjustments (welcome to Peru).

 

I have redefined how I view "effectiveness," as it means something totally different here in Peru.

 

Washing clothes by hands is something I really enjoy. The hour and a half "chore" brings me great joy on the weekends.

 

Tomorrow, we find out our final site region: sierra (highlands/cold(er)) or the coast. I'm hoping for the sierra.

 

We have field base training July 14-21st, and that is dependent on if we get coast or sierra. Coasters go to various sites within La Libertad,  and the sierrans (I'm just making up words here) go to Ancash. Secretly, I would like Ancash as a final placement site. Thumbs up!

 

 

July 4th we had a Olympic day at the training center, and then we had delicious hamburgers at the director's house in Lima. A. Maze.Ing.

 

 

 

I've decided to do a cool video project. Each day, I'll take 32seconds of video and after a month, or whatever time period I decide, I'll compile it with music. Sounded cool... here's a friend's sample: 2 seconds per day

 

 

Letters and packages less than one pound can be sent to

 

Cuerpo de Paz - Peru

Cheyenne B. PCT

Calle Los Cedros 447

Chaclacayo, Lima 8

Peru, South America

 

Packages greater than one pound can be as well, but it should NEVER be sent priority mail. Better just wrap it in a brown paper bag and write things like "Dios Te Bendiga" (God Bless You) on it. Also, on the customs forms, NEVER say its worth over $100 even if it is. Lastly, list articles within the package as normal boring stuff (notebooks, thread, etc.) This throws off customs officials who might try and steal the goodies.

 

Love!

 

Cheyenne

Llenita

You know, for some reason, time seems to fly in another country.

I´ve been in Peru for a little over two weeks and my brain feels as stuffed as a collectivo in mid morning traffic. (picture) It feels attacked, and all I want to do is SLEEP. 

Our group, Peru 21, consists of 35 people from all across the states, and with all sorts of degrees and experiences. We have a lot of small group projects, so that´s how I am getting to know everyone. 

I live in Yanacoto, a small community literally on the side of a mountain (which are only the ¨foothills¨of the Andes they say.. yeah). My host family consists of Rita and Jorge and their daughter, Lily 19, their son Richard, 28, and Richard´s wife Pilar, 27. It´s muy tranquilo here since these three don´t get home until 9 or 10 at night. Sundays are a good day for hanging out, though. 

Training runs from 8am to 5pm, and we cover so much stuff. Safety, culture, history, etc. I´m in the Advanced language class and we have 5 girls in total. It is 4 hours long in the morning (sometimes im like ughhhh) but what´s great is that we do excursions and encorporate many learning styles.

We had our first day in the classroom today. We had a dianamica (game/skit) and two informational charlas (sessions) on papalote (big paper). We did the lesson with three different classes, two middle school age and one high school age. Strangely enough, the older group responded more to our ¨Self Esteem¨charlas. Our group maintained control of the classroom (easier said than done), interacted with the students, and felt that everyone understood the message. As a result, we felt really empowered. I´m excited to get back into the class and try other methods. 

Don´t forget to write down my new mailing address. It´s in the CONTACT ME section. This is for letters and small packages ONLY. (Less than one pound). Anything bigger than that I need to know about so we can work something out if need be.

Pictures will come in a few days. 

Cheyenne