Whew! Some weeks are full of more adventures than others and I’ve certainly had my fill, especially after last week! Last Sunday I was sitting inside my apartment since it had just started to rain quite hard. Suddenly there was this big roaring sound, I turned around to see the 20ft. plus high, brick wall that forms the enclosure to my apartment building, completely collapse. It flattened all the trees and other plants in the garden, took down the telephone and cable lines and generally created a huge mess! The good news was none of the resident children were in the yard at the time which just prior to the rain they had been there playing. The landlord, who lives on site, had just left for 6 weeks in England so it was up to the resident guard to handle the clean up along with his older children. I have to say, they made quick work of it and by Wednesday it was as clean as possible. The wall was actually the side of the house next door in which no one currently lives. The owners had recently removed all the cross support rooms and vegetation had grown heavily on it as the roots undermined the mortar. The owners, who live in Brazil, were asked not to gut the place and leave it as they did for the very reason that the wall might collapse. Apparently, they did not care nor has anyone seen them since the incident. Needless to say, the clean-up consisted of tossing all the brick and debris onto their side of the remaining wall. Surprise, surprise when they one day return! All the animals and insects that lived in this mini-ecosystem of vegetation were quite clueless as to what happened and they were all looking for new homes—especially some rather large, black ants. I had to work hard to keep them out of my house. I think I will most miss the 3 foot iguana that lived on the wall but maybe he’ll return some day when things have re-grown. Since this is the rainforest where things grow very quickly, I expect most of the scars to be gone within a very short time.
This week, I was asked to judge a cooking contest for the students of Las Malvinas School. This is the school in Iquitos where CONAPAC is doing the large environmental garden project which I told you about in my last blog posting. The various grades (1-11) made different types of food from different parts of Perú--the coast, the sierra and the jungle. The food was displayed creatively and with nice table presentations. Along with grading the visual and oral presentations, we had to sample the food for taste and texture. So picture this--A small, hot room with food which was probably prepared some hours earlier, sitting in 80 degree plus heat, with maybe 100 or so kids roaming around looking at, breathing on, perhaps coughing on and generally hanging over the merchandise. Then the judges, about 10-12 of us were all using the same fork or spoon to sample the food. Get the picture? Needless to say, I paid for it the next today! :) But no worries--sometimes it's good for the body to start fresh! I have some photos of the food and will post them on my FB page soon!
As I’m struggling to learn Spanish (and I have to say this is getting much better) I realize I’m not just going back and forth between two languages. Besides the mix of Spanish and jungle words which are so integrated into the locals’ speaking patterns (I call this Spungle), I am also learning to convert the metric and imperial system for weights and measures at work and at home. Plus, my mind has to daily convert dollars to soles and vice-versa with the accounting process at CONAPAC and purchases I make. There are times my head swims and aches with the challenges but I comfort myself with the confidence that I’m warding off Alzheimer’s disease—at least for now. My brain is too busy making new connections in this old “bod” than to be shriveling up for lack of use. I’d highly encourage you all to start learning something completely new, especially if you’re on the back side of 50!!
People ask me all the time if it’s safe to live here. As it goes, I think Iquitos is a relatively safe and calm city considering the large number of people living here in a very small space. However, there is one consistent problem which is theft. Lots of motorcycles and other household items are regularly lifted from the street and homes which are not properly secured (barbed wire and steel grating plus locks). So far, my circumstances have been very safe but I, too, have suffered from thievery! Of what, you ask? Well, let me tell you about the thieves in the laundramat where I regularly take my clothes. Due to thiefs in the past of my socks and underwear, I now handwash them at home. I have lost shorts and tops but I don’t care to hand wash these larger items, so now I have the staff count my clothes when I drop them off. But the latest items which I realize have not been returned are dishtowels and rags!!! In less than a year, I have lost over a dozen new dishtowels, some of which were turned into rags, too. Who would have thought a rag would be such a premium product--or perhaps I have really nice ones? Either way, I have now decided not to take my dishtowels or rags to the laundry and I will start to hand wash them at home, too. It’s a crazy world out there! :)
Last comment—I know many of you are on Facebook so you may have seen this; but for those of you who are not, there are a variety of silly little quizzes which you can take to test completely unimportant and useless, but fun, information about yourself. Well, an old friend (might be a connection there) took the “What Is Your Old Lady Name?” quiz and suggested I try it, too. I was quite curious so went ahead. Well! Based on my answers, apparently my old lady name would be “Winifred” and the description--Welcome to Senile-ville! You're that crazy old lady that no one wants to be around but secretly everyone wants to be—is probably closer to the truth than I care to admit! My friend, on the other hand, was the type that would always be available to baby-sit and be prepared with cookies and other goodies in the house at all times. I guess we are who we are, from start to finish!! For my 50-something girlfreinds out there--and you know who you are--I hope you'll take the quiz, too, and share the results.
I’m off to the jungle for a week of workshops and service projects. I’ll report in later with the latest happenings at the Lodge and the villages we are visiting—Palmeras II and San Pedro de Manati. Hasta más tarde!
Friday, October 16, 2009
Saturday, October 10, 2009
A Tentative Landing Home...
Greetings, once again, from the rainforest of Peru! I'm finally home after two months in the States in which I had a particularly good time visiting family and friends and meeting many new friends, as well. Thank you all again for treating me so well, taking me in with your hospitality and generally wining and dining me. FYI, as I expected, I put on 10 lbs. while in the States--ah, the good life! :)
But all good things come to and end and it was time to get back to “mi vida” here in Iquitos. It's been quite an eventful and trying first week back. As I've described to myself and others I just don't have my “mojo” back yet and I want it--now!! I returned to Peru but first spent three days in the city of Lima in an attempt to start the process of getting my “green card” or whatever it is they call it here? I'm not sure what or when anything will happen but things are in motion. Upon my first full day here in Iquitos, as I was getting myself unpacked, a nice storm kicked up. I ran out to close the windows and promptly slipped on the wet cement, fell hard on my left bum and elbow. I thought that was the worst of it but then I saw blood on my elbow with a big gash. One of the hazards of living alone are it's difficult to reach certain places in which to place a band aid but I patched myself up as best I could. The next morning, I could barely move my arm so off to the clinic and X-Rays which showed a nice fracture. Painkillers and a sling were in order so that has been a hassle for the week and it will continue for another six weeks or so. Work has been nutty after two months away with lots of fires to put out and pressing information to pass on to others. However, by the end of the week it was coming together so maybe next week will turn around my luck! On the way home from work one night, I had a near miss with a motorcycle who swerved to avoid hitting a motokar but then headed for me—so "my sling and I" we quickly jumped to safety :) Then the icing on my week was spent entertaining one of the biggest donor partners for Conapac on Thursday, International Expeditions. We went to Butterfly Island, a rustic wild animal reserve for a tour. While listening to the guide, one of the monkeys (who I've encountered before) was not happy when I bent over to pick up something she had dropped. She promptly attached me in the head then took a big bite out of my hand, drawing blood and now a big, very sore bruise. This really added insult to injury on my first week back but as I say, “welcome to the jungle”. I expect everyday to be an adventure here but sometimes having nothing happen other than a simple day at work and home can be quite comforting! Let's just say I'm very glad this week is behind me!
Some good news coming from CONAPAC! Many of you have read my stories about the environmental garden we are organizing in one of the local public schools in Iquitos called Las Malvinas. This is a departure from the majority of work we do which is in the rainforest in very rural and remote communities. Las Malvinas is a school of about 1200 kids (all from poor families and neighborhoods)with grades first through high school, running in two shifts. We have developed a lovely garden which grows examples of tropical trees, flowers, medicinal and ornamental plants as well as a vegetable garden. There is also a working fish farm and turtle pond. The kids are learning all kinds of practical applications using skills in math, science, art, farming, and the language arts as some of them will serve as tour guides to visiting tourists. So far the garden has yielded two harvests of veggies for sale . The kids have been reinvesting in the continuing needs of the the next crop plus they have a little money saved, too—all good life lessons. Our donor partner, International Expeditions, has funded it for the first year and we have had some great success. They have just agreed to fund it for another full year (about $11,000) so we are delighted. They have also agreed to fund the addition of a new, full time person to work for CONAPAC. We have such a small staff and such a large area to cover that it's difficult for all our communities to get the attention they need and deserve. This new person will start at the first of the year and spend Monday through Friday on a boat visiting different places each day, doing evaluations, checking on progress of various projects, encouraging teachers and children and generally handling the many follow up details that often take so long to accomplish. So, good things happening at CONAPAC and the start of 2010 is looking very promising.
OK, no more animal stories for this posting but I can't leave without my follow up rant about the TSA (Transportation Safety Authority). As you know, on my way back to Michigan in July, I encountered the most rude, unhelpful employees of this government organization in Miami which did not bode well for my impression of returning to the States. Upon my departure from Detroit last week, they once again rose to the occasion by treating me like a complete imbecile and created such a negative first impression that it took me some time to shake it off as I continued my travels. But, I could live with all that until I got home and unpacked. Now as you know I went shopping for a variety of things that I either can't get here or they are ridiculously expensive. As I was going through everything, sure enough, there was the TSA calling card where they leave a note that they've been searching through your “panties”. I've had this happen before but they wrote on the card what they took. This time they didn't, so I just thought it was a note saying they had opened my luggage for a peek. Then I went to look for THE most important thing I had wanted to bring back—a can of WD40! Well, it was gone and I cannot tell you how incredibility angry I am over this! :( This product is not available here and the fans and other things with moving parts are always gumming up and burning out motors. I really cannot believe that a can of WD40 is going to be a big security/terrorist threat--do you?! They didn't take any other flammable sprays I had such as hairspray, bug spray, nail polish remover, perfume and other personal items. I'm convinced that whoever opened my suitcase just needed some WD40 at home and took it...it's really quite expensive for a large can. So that has, once again, left me with a really bad opinion of these folks. Give someone a little power and....well, you know the rest! So, if you're heading my way and want to give it a shot, I'd still love to have a can of WD40—a girl really needs and wants so little :)
OK, next posting I'll tell you about my continuing saga to buy a patio table and four chairs. Maybe by then there will be some resolution--but then again, maybe not!! Have a great October!!
But all good things come to and end and it was time to get back to “mi vida” here in Iquitos. It's been quite an eventful and trying first week back. As I've described to myself and others I just don't have my “mojo” back yet and I want it--now!! I returned to Peru but first spent three days in the city of Lima in an attempt to start the process of getting my “green card” or whatever it is they call it here? I'm not sure what or when anything will happen but things are in motion. Upon my first full day here in Iquitos, as I was getting myself unpacked, a nice storm kicked up. I ran out to close the windows and promptly slipped on the wet cement, fell hard on my left bum and elbow. I thought that was the worst of it but then I saw blood on my elbow with a big gash. One of the hazards of living alone are it's difficult to reach certain places in which to place a band aid but I patched myself up as best I could. The next morning, I could barely move my arm so off to the clinic and X-Rays which showed a nice fracture. Painkillers and a sling were in order so that has been a hassle for the week and it will continue for another six weeks or so. Work has been nutty after two months away with lots of fires to put out and pressing information to pass on to others. However, by the end of the week it was coming together so maybe next week will turn around my luck! On the way home from work one night, I had a near miss with a motorcycle who swerved to avoid hitting a motokar but then headed for me—so "my sling and I" we quickly jumped to safety :) Then the icing on my week was spent entertaining one of the biggest donor partners for Conapac on Thursday, International Expeditions. We went to Butterfly Island, a rustic wild animal reserve for a tour. While listening to the guide, one of the monkeys (who I've encountered before) was not happy when I bent over to pick up something she had dropped. She promptly attached me in the head then took a big bite out of my hand, drawing blood and now a big, very sore bruise. This really added insult to injury on my first week back but as I say, “welcome to the jungle”. I expect everyday to be an adventure here but sometimes having nothing happen other than a simple day at work and home can be quite comforting! Let's just say I'm very glad this week is behind me!
Some good news coming from CONAPAC! Many of you have read my stories about the environmental garden we are organizing in one of the local public schools in Iquitos called Las Malvinas. This is a departure from the majority of work we do which is in the rainforest in very rural and remote communities. Las Malvinas is a school of about 1200 kids (all from poor families and neighborhoods)with grades first through high school, running in two shifts. We have developed a lovely garden which grows examples of tropical trees, flowers, medicinal and ornamental plants as well as a vegetable garden. There is also a working fish farm and turtle pond. The kids are learning all kinds of practical applications using skills in math, science, art, farming, and the language arts as some of them will serve as tour guides to visiting tourists. So far the garden has yielded two harvests of veggies for sale . The kids have been reinvesting in the continuing needs of the the next crop plus they have a little money saved, too—all good life lessons. Our donor partner, International Expeditions, has funded it for the first year and we have had some great success. They have just agreed to fund it for another full year (about $11,000) so we are delighted. They have also agreed to fund the addition of a new, full time person to work for CONAPAC. We have such a small staff and such a large area to cover that it's difficult for all our communities to get the attention they need and deserve. This new person will start at the first of the year and spend Monday through Friday on a boat visiting different places each day, doing evaluations, checking on progress of various projects, encouraging teachers and children and generally handling the many follow up details that often take so long to accomplish. So, good things happening at CONAPAC and the start of 2010 is looking very promising.
OK, no more animal stories for this posting but I can't leave without my follow up rant about the TSA (Transportation Safety Authority). As you know, on my way back to Michigan in July, I encountered the most rude, unhelpful employees of this government organization in Miami which did not bode well for my impression of returning to the States. Upon my departure from Detroit last week, they once again rose to the occasion by treating me like a complete imbecile and created such a negative first impression that it took me some time to shake it off as I continued my travels. But, I could live with all that until I got home and unpacked. Now as you know I went shopping for a variety of things that I either can't get here or they are ridiculously expensive. As I was going through everything, sure enough, there was the TSA calling card where they leave a note that they've been searching through your “panties”. I've had this happen before but they wrote on the card what they took. This time they didn't, so I just thought it was a note saying they had opened my luggage for a peek. Then I went to look for THE most important thing I had wanted to bring back—a can of WD40! Well, it was gone and I cannot tell you how incredibility angry I am over this! :( This product is not available here and the fans and other things with moving parts are always gumming up and burning out motors. I really cannot believe that a can of WD40 is going to be a big security/terrorist threat--do you?! They didn't take any other flammable sprays I had such as hairspray, bug spray, nail polish remover, perfume and other personal items. I'm convinced that whoever opened my suitcase just needed some WD40 at home and took it...it's really quite expensive for a large can. So that has, once again, left me with a really bad opinion of these folks. Give someone a little power and....well, you know the rest! So, if you're heading my way and want to give it a shot, I'd still love to have a can of WD40—a girl really needs and wants so little :)
OK, next posting I'll tell you about my continuing saga to buy a patio table and four chairs. Maybe by then there will be some resolution--but then again, maybe not!! Have a great October!!
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