Category Archives: training

training (thus far).

as mentioned earlier. training has been full of nonstop information. monday i received three shots: hepititus a, typhoid fever and rabies. my arm was sore for the following two days. we also learned about the stomach problems that we may experience here in peru…in particularly “peruing your pants.” it is exactly what you think it is, and to answer your question, no, i have not peru’ed my pants…yet…and i am really hoping that it will be never. so far one girl has had a close call, but that’s about all i have heard thus far. you know it’s interesting, though we, as volunteers, just met, everyone seems to have no hesitation in discussing their bowel movements (or the lack thereof).

on a completely different note, we also learned a lot about safety and security, cultural norms, peruvian history and the school system in peru. we also spent the afternoon discussing std’s and using a condom. we then had to practice applying condoms…and even had a condom race. so i guess there is a first for everything, and the information will be extremely useful of when i teach sex-ed and health classes.

this upcoming wednesday, i will have to teach a class on self-esteem…in spanish…we will see how that goes…

home (for now).

right now, i am in the department of lima and living in the city of chaclacyo and the zone of hauscaran.

el parque de la ciudad de chaclacayo

the training center for the peace corps is located in the department of lima, but the city it is actually located in is chacalcayo. it is in an old house that they converted for our use. it’s quite beautiful, and located in a neighborhood with houses just as nice. i go to the same tienda everyday to get my coke zero from the gloria and her husband (at least in chaclacayo….there is no diet coke or coke zero to be found….i know, i had the same panic attack you are experiencing right now).

heaven.

the other day my friend, kg, and i found a bakery and even ordered our own slice of chocolate cake. i was proud of myself. we even asked about cultural norms in regards to gratuity. as my host mom says, “un poco, un poco.” and it really has been that. however, everyday is just as grueling as the first so by the end of the day…that slice of chocolate cake was heaven…

my host family.

on sunday i met my host family.

mi mama: nelly

mi papa: virgilio (it still takes me about a full minute to get that name out of my mouth)

mi hermanas: claudia y norma; 17 and 14 respectively

mi hermano: victor; 8

they are just a delight. my mom is super patient and helps me with my spanish. and i shared my nail polish with my sisters. and victor likes to tease me. so pretty much, i feel right at home.