Unique Construction Aspect in Peru..

Don’t know if this happens all over Latin America or is mainly found here, but many buildings have roofs that just aren’t quite finished.  Owners think that they might someday build up another level so they leave rebar sticking out the top of the building.

House in town

Maybe he’s looking to add 2 new floors eventually to his columns

Come back Andrea, the town misses you..

And I do too, even more so..

Watching some baseball with her sisters.

Collection of sweet notes she left for me.

Hope that she had a good time back visiting the states, look forward to hearing how this are over there this year..

Casino in Chacha..

There’s one and probably at least one in all of the major cities in Peru.  They mostly contain and in the case of Chacha, exclusively contain slot machines that are kinda old and don’t pay out at all.

Andrea surprised because of how difficult it is to make money last in the slots.

Cow Insemination; as easy as 1, 2, 3..

Step 1.. with really long glove, make sure to scoop out the poop..

Step 2.. take the semen tube out of liquid N and thaw to 36deg C, attach to injection tool..

Step 3.. One hand in the rectum, feel for the 3 rings of the cervix; go in with injector tool and feel to make sure tip is positioned right in uterus, right after the three rings.  Inject away, then slowly remove tool and hand from backside.  Stimulate the clitoris immediately afterward by pitching for about 5 seconds.  Eso es..

Gracias to Renner and Ecco for the demonstration.

Healing the Ill, Treating the Sick, Calf Style..

You walk into many family kitchens (or work areas) around here and you’ll probably spot a large syringe on the wall or in a box with a very blunt end.  Luckily this design of this is not for humans, rather it’s for passing medicine to cows and calves orally.  On the way to another water intake cleaning with Jobo and his son Jon, I got to see it’s use when we came across one of his weak with diarrhea calfs; not standing up or taking water or doing much of anything.  Jobo had packets of powder vitamins and ‘Sulfa K’ which some type of sodium sulfate and vitamin K compound to help with diarrhea.  Mixing these powders with water he could suck it up the injector and push the goods down the gullet of the brave calf.  She seemed to like the medicine and hopefully it will help her get up and get to the grass eating that’s all so important these days.

Parents in Country, Real Nice Time..

Earlier this summer my wonderful parents and mother-in-law and her partner got to visit Andrea and here in Peru and I’ll tell you what, it really was nice to see everyone and catch up.  They met us in Lima where we introduced them to life and food in the big city Peru.  Then we were off to Cusco to try our hands at some high altitude and really amazing ruins.  Probably one of the fastest 10 day periods since being here in Peru and I hope a good time was had by all.  My pictures cannot due the trip justice and my father took better ones that I got to now scan in..

First day in town with Pensacola-Miraflores sister city representative Denise and her husband Congressman Fernando of Lima Region

Andrea and the moms

Took them to Magic Park of the Waters, a must visit in the capital

And met up with Lima host family and Dr. Laura of Molinopampa

City overview with guy playing little guitar in Cusco

Rasta Llama

Ladies in traditional dress just waiting to sell blankets and their wears

Terraces and the largest courtyard of Macchu Picchu

Andrea at the ENd of the Incan Trail, Near probably one of the most photographed visitas in South America, the Hut of the Caretaker above the Agricultural Terraces

Mom shopping back in Cusco, the rainbow flags are actually the symbol for the city of Cusco, representing the 4 quarters of the Incan empire

Firemen marching in one of the many parades in the plaza de armas during this time of year

Old and New Peru, coming together to both enjoy a plate of Pachamanca

Another Community work Day, Prepping for New Stadium..

These take place every couple weeks around here.  Collaborative work days to build or maintain something of community significance.  Families are pretty much required to send at least one member to dig, haul, plant, trench, nail, cut; and spend time working on these projects…  Maybe it’s one of those things that makes rural Peru a bit special: I can’t really see this type of community work organizing happening in the USA.  Maybe I’ll try it in a small random neighborhood in the states..knock door to door and let the families know that they have to take off work random days every 2 or 3 weeks and ‘volunteer’ to come out and dig trenches or haul rocks with many of your neighbors.  Something tells me that wouldn’t fly…especially with soo much of the population being reluctant to serve jury duty, and there you get paid a stipend don’t have to haul 80-100 lbs sacks of dirt and rock.

Here in the annex of Huascazala neighbors are prepping this soccer spectator area to be torn down, leveled, then built back up with stadium seats and a very high durable roof to protect against the constant rain.

Starts with digging a bit of the foundation for the huge columns; picks, shovels and iron digging bars work best.

Also cliff side had to be moved farther back…

I remember writing about this several months ago.. Here’s the post..

Majas..

I realize this is a stereotypical Peace Corps experience, but got to munch on a very, very tasty animal today.  My twin in name only, Eduardo, in one of the annexes was glowing this morning because before our work day he was able to shoot and bring back a fresh Majas ‘Ma-Has’, or very large back-country rodent.

I thought at first his wife was preparing a very large guinea pig this morning; but this animal was about the size of a medium sized dog.  Supposedly it’s very healthy, feeding on grasses and local fruits; and it was something to look forward to for lunch throughout the morning.  Don’t know if I’m now fully into enjoying Peruvian meats; but the Majas was very, very good.  Sort of a cross between pig, cattle, and a little bit of guinea pig.  Not too fatty, and not too chewy…plus very small bones that pull out of the meat easily.  Supposedly, this animal sells for quite a bit per plate when served at some restaurants deeper in the jungle…I was luckily enough to have it served at a family lunch.  Only problem now I’m having is to figure out what this is called in the states.

My Week With Engineers, Without Borders

Definitely a nice break from live up in Amazonas.  For a week last month, traveled to the small town of Samne, La Libertad; hour and half in the mountains outside of Trujillo, to work a bit with Princeton University’s Engineers Without Borders group in an even smaller town of Pitajaya.  There they were implementing phase two of a project to bring water from a spring another valley away to a 2,500 liter plastic tank/reservior; then run the water into PVC and PE tubes to reach faucets or ‘tap-stands’ in front of many of the houses of the small (8 – 12 family) community.  When Dave (volunteer from Ica) and myself arrived into week 4 of their project, much was suprisingly finished and well organized.  But also plenty got done during the short time we were over there with the team: digging trenches, collecting pipe, testing and using the tap-stands, and getting to know the very warm community of Pitajaya (up off the highway to Otzco).  Very glad I went and learned plenty about installing this small water system.  Impressed by the enthusiam, skills and attitude of the entire EWB team: Amanda, Andrés, Ben, Caden, Chamsi, Kasturi, and Nihar, and mentor Nol.

Pitajaya on the right side of this ridge, with it’s potato fields alongside

Digging trenches for the 1in PVC piping

Dave and Chamsi overseeing installation of water tank

Tap Stands work.. success..

Good folks and hope I (and some of them) can make it back next year to continue water projects in that area.

Not to be the one writing a morbid blog post.. but..

Death is surprisingly common here in small town Amazonas, Peru.  Maybe it’s because we now personally know just about this entire 700 person town and many of the residents within the annexes of the district, but there have been funerals and wakes and burials to attend to just about every other week.  I guess that’s just the mathematics behind a community of a certain size which is very well connected and very humble and outgoing.

At first I was thinking it would tear the families apart for weeks and weeks, losing a member to an accident or illness or old age; but nowadays I’m seeing that my fellow neighbors are actually pretty good at going through the memorials and remembrances.  They can meet together for a few hours in the evenings with the body, put their heart and soul into prayers and song and leave in silence.  Burial comes a couple days later and when carrying the body from the funeral to the cemetery it is somber moment but everybody walks together and gets their tears out in unison.  Kind words are always said by the family, then often there are a couple drinks/shots and often some food.  The community leaves and goes back to their houses and surprisingly bounces immediately back to normal the next day.  No reason to dwell on the losses; here there is much work to be done for all and a underlying goal to take things day by day and enjoy and take advantage of the current day at hand.  Today I’m spending some time writing on the computer with plenty of required Peace Corps documentation, but dearly look forward to getting outside to enjoy the time with neighbors on this nice day.