...the one less traveled by...

Swanning Along...

2011-12-16T11:14:00.003-06:00

Well, I find myself back in Peru after my Aussie-American vacation this the fall. Although I’m glad to be back it’s been a tough landing. I have to admit, I was getting used the various conveniences and indulges that are the “West” but all good things must come to an end. Iquitos hasn’t changed much. A few new stores opened, a few closed, the sewer project continues to vex everyone, the weather is great, the beer is cold, wish you were here!!

Things at CONAPAC “swanned” along beautifully while I was gone—not sure they need me but don’t say that to my boss, Pamela. She’d faint with fear of my leaving. But it does pay to work with committed professionals who have a passion and love for the rainforest and the Peruvian culture. In my absence, four new water plants were built followed by four water education workshops in the communities. This year we completed seven new water plants and our pilot project in one community to provide individual mini-clean water systems in river houses. Along with Adopt-A-School, the Las Malvinas garden project, teacher and communities workshops and evaluations, 16 tourist/community service projects and the incorporation of the Amazon Jungle Library, it’s been a particularly busy year. While I was in the States, I met donors and wrote a number of grant requests. Folks continue to be very supportive and generous of our programs and 2012 is shaping up to be another positive and productive year.

Christmas will be spent around town. I’ll be doing quite a bit of cooking and a bit of entertaining. My American friends, Pamela and Megan, who live here, will be part of this along with a number of Peruvians who never miss a party. With the weather so hot it’s not much like a Michigan Christmas. It feels silly when I play Christmas music so generally I don’t. The kids certainly get into it here, like all kids, and it’s fun to watch them be thrilled over the cheapest little trinket as their needs and expectations are so small. Christmas Eve around midnight brings everyone out into the streets and the plaza square downtown. There is more of a carnival feel to it than a sacred season but the next day, everyone seems to be more low-keyed and the streets are quiet. I look forward to Christmas coming then going. I always like the New Year. It makes for fresh starts and a feeling of accomplishment for the current year and hope and enthusiasm for the next.

My guy, James will be here for the month of March then in April, I’m anticipating one, possibly two friends from Brighton to join the Adopt-A-School volunteer expedition for 2012. They’ll come a few days before we head to the jungle and stay at my place. As you can imagine I don’t get too much company so it’s a thrill to have “out of town” guests! After that I head back to Michigan for June and beyond some special travel is being planned for me and James. It’s going to be a very good year. Live well, love deeply, sing loudly and enjoy your life! Best wishes in 2012 and beyond!

Hello & Goodbye--Again!

2011-11-19T23:03:00.005-06:00

It’s been almost 3 ½ months since I left my home in Iquitos, Perú to make this long-awaited trip back to “civilization”. It’s been a particularly good visit, both here in the States and on my stopover to Australia along the way. I’m seen old friends and lots of family, as well as, visited many sights while being a tourist here and in Oz. As expected, I’ve gained a few pounds as the food is just sooooo good! And I’ve done a bit of shopping, finding those simple, everyday items which are impossible in the jungle to obtain. Overall, I’ve slipped back into my Western way of life with little effort. However, no matter how long I’m here, I doubt I will ever get used to all the incredible levels of choice one finds in the stores—particularly the grocery store. I find it overwhelming, to the say the least. On the other hand, so frustrating as the opposite is true in Perú where there is very little choice. Somewhere there has to be a happy medium but thus far I’ve not found it. I did again stock up on Thanksgiving fixings. Although I’ll be in Michigan for Turkey Day and eating at my Dad’s house—YUMMY!—I’ll be back for Christmas in Iquitos and I’ll make a turkey dinner at Pam’s house in her new stove—yeah! And once again, pumpkin pie will be on the menu ☺

Tonight I was scrolling through the endless channel choices on my friend's big, flat screen HDTV where I came across the Discovery Channel. They were showing the program “Walking the Amazon” with explorer Ed Stafford, the first man to walk along the Amazon River--from its beginnings in the Andes of Perú to the Atlantic Ocean in Brazil--in 860 days. What a trek!! It was fascinating but what it really did for me was made me homesick and long to be in the jungle that I love. Although it’s a harsh and unforgiving place, I have the luxury of living and working near it enough to thoroughly enjoy it but at a safer, more observant distance. However you look at it, it’s the most fascinating and fragile of places. I’m so glad I live in Perú, where much less primary rainforest has been cut, unlike Brazil where the destruction seems endless. There is only one Amazon rainforest—let’s hang on to this precious environmental treasure, shall we?

So the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, I’m off again for Perú. I’ve done some public speaking while here and met with donors. I’ve also kept in close contact with the staff at CONAPAC and written funding requests and letters of introduction about our NGO in the Amazon. Whether here or in Perú, the work continues. I consider this now the next chapter of my journey in my new and different life. The last three years have been about learning the job, the culture and the language. I’ve come a long way but there is much yet to learn and more to accomplish. I’ll be working with CONAPAC for the foreseeable future as I’m eager to continue the work I’ve started. I plan to continue my blog and keep the conversation going about the happenings in the rainforest. To all my readers and followers--whoever you may be--thanks for coming along on this wide and wonderful ride!

2011-07-31T11:07:00.009-05:00

The jungle continues its stately ebb and flow with few variations on a theme. Unlike North America, which just six short months ago was suffering from a historic deep freeze, has now recently suffered a debilitating heat wave! I always found that a wee bit schizophrenic and constantly needed to know what to wear each day--but here things are just the same most days. The river is quickly receding and it takes longer to climb up steps and hills in order to arrive at communities but residents carrying on--whether in flood stage or dry season, they roll with it all!

June found me very busy with service projects and other donor groups. As I had mentioned earlier, we have a donor out of Denver who funded a pilot project to install individual water systems in jungle homes. This was accomplished in April and the donor arrived in June to see the results. We had a great visit, the feedback from residents was very positive, and our donor shows strong signs of continuing his help with more mini-water treatment systems. We are considering the idea of installing them in classrooms, especially for smaller communities where there is no clean water system. When I’m in Denver this fall, I’ll be speaking to my donor’s church congregation with more details. This should be fun and the best part of my job—when I get to talk!! CONAPAC also hosted the annual water project review where a third party comes in and evaluates our systems. Our partnership with the University of Colorado, Boulder, has proven to be invaluable in accessing the effectiveness of our water program. Four grad students and their professor were here for a month making many visits to our communities and executing in-depth interviews with the residents. We are eagerly awaiting their final and full report sometime in August but preliminarily, we have been encouraged by the anecdotal observations which the team made before departing. However, as always, we still look forward to more suggestions for improvement!

July brought changes as CONAPAC took over the CCC Amazon Library, adding one more major project to the CONAPAC family. Started 13 years ago by Dr Nancy Dunn, the library boasts over 4,000 titles, computers, music programs, and after school instruction. There is a second branch in a community down river about 30 minutes so things are growing and we hope to add more branches soon. Dr. Dunn decided it was time to move on in her life so she gave CONAPAC the library as a gift and we have now taken full responsibility to keep it running. Megan Thomas, a former Peace Corps volunteer, who also originates from Michigan, has taken the reins and the transition is complete. In July we hosted our first Rotary water workshop. CONAPAC’s reputation for education has spread and although Rotary International does a great job building water treatment plants, they don’t have an education piece. We were hired to facilitate the first one in the jungle. It went very well and we expect to be doing more very soon. Also, in July I had the honor of a visit from one of our most committed water project donors—Janice Lee, who is the Director of the SAGA Charitable Trust from the UK. Janice’s organization has consistently funded more water projects for CONAPAC than any other entity. She was here 2 ½ year ago and thought it was time to return and see the work we are doing. She and I made several community visits and we both had a chance to really chat with folks and hear their feedback about the value of drinking clean water. Overall, a very positive and productive visit! And finally, the 28th of July was the 190th year of independence for Peru from Spain and Inauguration Day for a new president, Ollanta Humala. Peru continues to show strong economic growth and the citizens expect no less from their new president. Folks out there in the West, it’s a great time to visit Peru. If it’s not on our radar screen, it should be! And, as always, if you want a highly personalized, behind the scenes visit to the jungle and jungle communities, I’m here to be your guide!!

In Iquitos, the truly crazy process of installing a city-wide waste disposal treatment system continues. I suppose there’s some method to their madness but thus far I’ve not figured it out. Streets seem to be closed a random, but barely. Gaping holes are left for days; piles of sand and dirt are in a crazy patch work of locations; the workers make huge cement pipe transitions right in the street where they’re working; then bulldozers and backhoes freely go to work around motorcars, buses, trucks, cars and pedestrians—all of which have to jockey for an opening in which to cross the street or continue on. Western attorneys would have a field day with these non-safety minded workers and their bosses. However, somehow in Iquitos it all works as do so many other seemingly incongruent activities of everyday life. Hmmm—solution? Well, when in doubt, a cold beer!

So, this current phase of my time in Peru is quickly coming to a close. In a little over three weeks, I'll be on my way to Sydney, Perth and Cairns, Australia followed by my return to the US, mainly Michigan and Colorado. My time in Peru has been priceless and I have no regrets about the various choices I've made and the time spent in this beautiful land. Since I'll be returning here in December to continue the work I stated three years ago, I'm not leaving on any kind of bittersweet note. This is pleasing and I'm thrilled to know I'll be home again soon—namely Iquitos, Peru! But it's now time to re-connect with my family--especially Erin, Samantha and Jack--and my incredibly supportive network of friends. It's amazing how small the world really is. Email, Facebook and Skype have made my time away seem more like a trip across the country than to another hemisphere. And then there's James in Australia who has been patiently waiting five months for us to see each other again! Without technology this long distance relationship would be unlikely but with it the world is a smaller place and I'm taking full advantage of its many little joys. So watch for my postings on FB--once the TSA lets me back in the US of A--and let's make some dates to get together. I look forward to seeing each of you very soon!

A Season of Changes

2011-06-08T13:26:00.003-05:00

For those of you who have followed my blog since I started it in November of 2008—first, thank you so much for your support! But second, do you remember why I started this blog? I was heading to a posting in the Peace Corps, somewhere in Africa, but then got detoured here in Perú--and what a blessing it’s been! You may also recall that this was a 27 month commitment? Well, unbelievably, the commitment will be completed at the end of this month. It’s flown by for me and now I’m at a crossroads—what to do next? Well, once again I’m blessed. I’ve heard stories of many PC volunteers, who at the end of their commitment are simply not ready to leave. But, alas, they have no choice as they must move on. Well, I can tell you that I’m not ready to leave here yet either. I feel like I’m just now coming into my own with all the programs which we’ve managing. Also, the language barrier (which is still there but much improved) has slowed me down. However, more and more I can conduct meetings and get things done in Spanish plus write and read items which come across my desk. I love the climate, the lifestyle, the people, the music, the jungle, the beer—ah! How can I leave just yet? Well, I’m not as I’ve signed on for another year and told my boss I’ll take it a year at a time but with more time off to travel. So, before things start for 2012, I will be coming back to the States for a three month visit. I do hope to see as many of you as possible when I’m in Michigan from September through November. But if not, remember Iquitos is not that far away, my home is open, my couch is free, my beer is cold and the Amazon Rainforest of Perú beckons!

In my time here, I’ve gotten accustomed to the sort of insanity that is Iquitos. I no longer look at it will fresh eyes and I take the strangest sights as just another day here. Sometimes I think nothing really changes but in the last three years, I think a lot has. There are more “regular” stores and restaurants with more to come (this is a little difficult to explain but if you ever come here you’ll understand the remark). The Internet connection here keeps getting better although by Western standards is more like dial up—but I’m thankful for any connection at all. However, I still see plenty of naked locals walking down the street, kids doing their business in the nearest gutter, live pigs and chickens being carried around for sale and motorcars bearing the weight and size of unimaginable loads of cargo. The latest, and maybe most exciting thing going on here is the whole city of Iquitos and surrounding suburbs are getting sewers! That’s right, every single home and business is going to be hooked up to a waste disposal treatment plant which will be built in the Port of Nanay. So, now every street---most of which are paved—is being dug up and sewer lines laid. How long this will all take is anyone’s guess and it makes for some very tricky detours. But in the end, Iquitos will finally step into the 21^st Century and no longer be dumping its waste into the Amazon River. Do you realize how many small towns and large cities around the world still dump all their raw sewage directly into nearby lakes, streams and oceans? The majority! This will be a real feather in the cap of Iquitos, smack in the middle of the rainforest to finally become a bit more “environmentally correct”. A group of Chinese investors are making this possible. Not sure what their motivation is but hopefully it’s win-win for all. As for Belen and other floating houses on the river—well that’s a story for another day, as my photo shows!

Well, Peru has a new president—Señor Ollanta Humala. It’s been a neck and neck race and in the end, a very close call with his competitor, Kieko Fujimori. Humala has ties to Hugo Chavez from Venezuela and he’s an ex-military guy who leans quite far left with lots of populist promises. He’s not the choice of anyone with a business or major investments in Perú. The day after the elections the Peruvian stock market dropped 12.5%....hmmm…we shall see! But the good thing is the whole process was done in a very democratic way. Everyone votes (it’s mandatory) so everyone has their say. The campaign was run over the last few months with political ads and marches—all very peacefully—and in the end, the vote outcome was accepted, the peaceful transfer of power will take place later this summer, and life will go on. I’m very proud to see Perú continue forward into the future with as little fuss and muss as possible, using solid democratic principles. I’m happy to be here during this process—seeing the people of this emerging nation handle themselves in such a mature and thoughtful way is a rare opportunity.

Little Joys--Part II

2011-05-04T09:20:00.017-05:00

• Not having to set the alarm—only exception: Catching a plane
• Bonnie’s cards
• Getting personal email
• A fast Internet connection
• Waking or falling asleep to heavy rain
• Nights with no disco music
• My long distance love affair
• High water season
• Mornings which always start with a glass of passion fruit juice
• The arrival of M & M’s and Girl Scout cookies
• When things actually go as planned—the first time
• Frasier re-runs on twice a day—7 AM and 8:30 PM
• My new couch
• Dead mosquitoes
• A good Skype video and audio connection—all at the same time
• Finding breakfast cereal for anyone over 10 years old
• Friendly, happy, helpful customer service—Anywhere!
• My boss, Pamela
• Completing a grammatically correct sentence (or two) in Spanish

Ah! Another year—the 18th—of Adopt-A-School has come and gone. Two great groups of volunteers came this April to help with deliveries and a pilot project building and installing new clean water treatment systems. So many old friends and new passed through the jungle during April. And, once again, they were generous with their time, their gifts and their praise of CONAPAC’s programs. So many people make CONAPAC what it is that it’s hard to single any one person but in particular I’d like to thank Nancy Kopf—AKA Pachita—for her tireless funding raising efforts and her endless enthusiasm for the program. Plus her laugh—which we all want to bottle and sell! Also Dave and Dottie Bonnet who never tire of the Amazon and always want to find a way to help in any project we seem to have cooking. Claire Lannoye, my buddy at the Detroit Zoo who recruits all these wonderful volunteers for our programs. Then there’s Ron Rossi who teaches at Sacred Heart HS in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. He has come twice a year for 12 years in a roll with groups of students and teachers to share with them the joy of the rainforest. And so it goes--won’t you be next??

You’ve all either read about or know my wonderful boss and owner of Explorama Lodges, Pamela Bucur. If you knew her very well, you would also know she has eyes in the back of her head and ears that can hear through walls. In other words, NOTHING gets by this woman. Well, in 1986 Pam was a middle school science teacher who came to the Amazon with a group of friends and a couple of students. What happened next is history. She gave up her teaching position to come live and work fulltime in Peru at Explorama, invited by owner, Peter Jensen. Now, 25 years later, Pam is married to a Peruvian and she has two children and four step children. She is also now owner and general manager of Explorama after Peter’s passing last June. It seemed the perfect time to host a surprise anniversary party for Pam—but how to pull it off when she sees and knows all? Well, with a few lucky breaks and perhaps too many distractions on her part the week before the party, we actually made the surprise happen. Pam was completely taken aback by the big cake coming into the dining room, with everyone starting to sing as she looked around to see whose birthday it was and why didn’t she know about it? After warm speeches and fond sentiments, the party really got started with “la hora loca”, which cannot be explained only experienced—enough said, so one day come and see for yourself! A hardbound book of memories was presented holding photos and testimonials in both Spanish and English. I told her I wouldn’t surprise her again for another 25 years. She told me, no, the next surprise party will be for your 25th anniversary. Let’s see, that would be 2030 which makes me 74 years old—hmmm, I doubt it, but never say never!

For those of you who know me well, you know I love to bake cookies. I’ve talked for years about one day having a “cookie ministry”—whatever that meant? I figured I’d know it when it happened. Well, I think it did. Last week, I met the most delightful gals--two young women, Saskia and Claire, from London, England. They are here in Iquitos volunteering at a government orphanage, Santa Monica. They’ve been here about six months and although enjoying the experience, they are extremely tired of their regular diet of chicken, beans and rice. I figured who better to enjoy some comfort food than these two? Several friends have recently brought bags of M & M’s—milk and dark chocolate—as gifts. I decided this was the perfect combo so I made chocolate chip cookies with dark chocolate M & M’s. When I went to the orphanage with a surprise delivery, the girls weren’t there. It seemed earlier in the day they had all their money and debit cards stolen. At the time of my attempted delivery, they were trying to report it to the police but no luck. When they came back and heard about the cookies, they told me it restored their faith in humanity—we’ll not really but you get the idea. :) We rendezvoused yesterday and they said they were the best cookies they’d ever had—well at least in the last eight months, I'm sure!

Peruvian Magic

2011-03-19T10:59:00.016-05:00

Yes, there's dengue fever in the air. Well, there was but the city of Iquitos and surrounding municipalities have done an outstanding job of raising awareness, fumigating each and every house and business (no matter how humble) and increasing education about the risks of this mosquito-borne disease. It seems to have run its course and although several folks have died, I remind family, friends and visiting tourists that this is a city problem not a jungle threat. There have been some funny stories of people wanting to be whisked through the city from the airport to the boats hoping to avoid bites. Of course, if you are familiar with the traffic and lack of road rules in Iquitos, anyone with some common sense might surmise there's a bigger risk in a traffic accident than a mosquito. But, none the less, folks can find fear where they want. The upside to all this has been the intensive fumigation which not only killed mosquitoes of all types but, it seems to me, reduced the number of spiders and ants around the house. It's been a bonus and frankly the last few weeks have been practically mosquito-free! It's a wonderful feeling to sit out after dark, eat dinner, and have a conversation without the fuss of bug spray. I don't think anyone in Michigan in the summer could sit out after dark without being driven completely mad by the little buggers! So don't let any news from outside stop you from coming to the most beautiful and tranquil place on earth~it certainly tops blizzards, earthquakes, floods and tsunamis!

Things are going well at Conapac. Adopt A School is right around the corner with deliveries starting on Monday, April 4th. A little early this year due to a late Easter but all should be ready by the appropriate day. This year we have the largest number of volunteers ever, who (through great recruiting by the Detroit Zoo) will help for two weeks handing delivery of books and school supplies then work in a river community installing clean water systems. We have a generous donor from Denver who is funding a pilot project in which we will place individual mini-water treatment plants for personal use. The community will actually have three different types of systems with families broken into zones. We will study the usage rates, ease of use, and general feedback by the population for one year. In our goal to provide access to clean water for our AAS participating communities, not every village is a candidate for a centralized system as they are small and don't warrant the investment. We hope the use of individual systems will augment the larger ones where appropriate. Our volunteers will assist in this project and become emotionally invested partners in this important work.

Probably the most exciting thing happening at Conapac right now is the addition of a new volunteer. Megan Thomas, who hales from Fremont, Michigan, had come on board for an undetermined amount of time. She first came to Peru at 17, traveling with a student group. She fall in love with the rainforest and always hoped to find her way back to Iquitos. But first she earned her degree in natural science at the University of Michigan then she fulfilled a 2 ½ year stint for the Peace Corps in Honduras. She is fluent in Spanish and brings tremendous gifts to the table of Conapac. She has been working with the students in the garden at Las Malvinas School; facilitating student service projects; and handling data collection for our donors. Shortly, she will help manage the jungle library which Conapac will soon take over; she will cover my job responsibilities when I'm in the States this fall; and in general, she has become a very good and fun friend to have around! She seems intent on making a long-term commitment to Conapac by living and working here for the next few years. We will work toward getting here a “green card” later this year. With the addition of her talents and enthusiasm, Conapac can only grow and improve thus providing the services, support and environmental education Conapac strives to bring to the residents of the Peruvian rainforest. Here in Peru, the right person always seems to come along at the right time--Welcome Megan!

Have you ever been stalked by a cat? Well, I have not until recently and at times it was almost spooky but here's the story. As I've mentioned before, dogs and cats are quite the “throw away” items here. People rarely care appropriately for these animals. Sterilization is rare and abandonment common. About four months ago a white cat would periodically mosey through my house and often cry to be fed. Since my doors are always open this is not unusual as cats, dogs, frogs, rats, etc. sometimes pass through. This cat kept coming back and the only course I had to be rid of it was to use a spray bottle of water and squirt it out the door. I did this for weeks but she kept coming back and would not take no for an answer. Then about 3 weeks ago my friend, James, arrived for a visit and he and she (the cat) took to each other right away. She was in his lap and purring and he enjoyed and encouraged this. Ugh! I was thinking, now I'll never be rid of this cat! She was very skinny and underfed but you know what happens when you start to feed a cat---I resisted but found it difficult. The tide turned when I found her under my bed in a box starting to have a litter of kittens. To add insult to injury, this poor, abandoned, malnourished cat was now knocked up and having to deal with babies. Ah, what to do? We made her comfortable in a new box and let her do her thing by leaving the box just outside my door. In the morning? No cat, no kittens, no afterbirth, nothing! I can only surmise that she ate the babies and such since she was near starving. Those of you who know me are aware that I can be a bit hardhearted when it comes to animals. I simply can't be bothered but this time I just decided it was enough and something had to be done. I bought some cat food and made a decision, with Megan's great help, to start feeding this cat, have it spayed and find it a new home. We got her healthy, AmazonCares (which I wrote about last month) handled the surgery at a reduced price, got rid of her parasites, worms and other pests then we asked around for a new owner. We found a lovely woman who works at Explorama to take the cat. So now to get her there?! Have you ever tried to take a cat in a box in a motokar in the streets of Iquitos? And to top it off, on our way there, a HUGH thunder storm kicked up so that by the time we arrived, we were soaking wet and freezing cold as the wind raised and the temperature dropped. But that sweet little cat—so trusting of me for so long—was removed from the box and easily at home in her new environment. Lesson: Persistence pays whether human or animal. I've learned something from this little cat—not to take no for an answer. But do make sure your target (victim?) is ultimately as much of a softy as I am given enough time to break down my walls :)

So, speaking of “walls”, my final comments are about my personal life. I don't often write about this in my blog but I think it's time. My life here in Iquitos has been completely different than what I call my “previous life”. I was married for 32 years, raised two children, ran a small business and generally lead a nice if somewhat boring life. Although those years were important and pleasing, at 50-something it was time for me to rock the boat and upend my life. You all know the rest of the story. Since coming to Peru to live and work, I've enjoyed a completely fun and fulfilling life on my own. I have not been looking, expecting or even wanting a love-interest let alone a “relationship”. For me it seemed to be too much work, responsibility and obligation—something I had wanted to avoid by keeping up the “walls”. But, it seems, sometimes these things find you anyway. Out of nowhere, I met James last August. He was an Australian tourist passing through the jungle for two nights. I've met many such tourists over the years, which is a great opportunity to meet folks from around the world and have some pleasant conversation in English. However, I do not ever expect to see them again. But this man, not unlike my stalking cat, would not take no for an answer. From the start, he has pursued me in the most romantic way yet kept an appropriate space for me to decide if this was want I wanted, too. Since August we've had wonderful and regular email correspondence, which is a great way to get to know someone. He has returned to Iquitos from Perth for two extended visits since. We've enjoyed each others company very much and he seems taken with me, the jungle and the possibilities that Peru affords. I will be traveling to Australia in August to meet his family and friends then he will join me in Michigan in October to meet mine.

So in the most unexpected and unforeseen way, I have fallen in love. Once more, my cup is filled beyond overflowing and I rejoice! What a wonderful life. My dear family and friends, please welcome James into my life!

2011-01-26T13:42:00.007-06:00

Westerners are so caught up in numbers and calculating time, costs, etc. Not that this is all bad as it certainly has created unheard of levels in our standard of living. Numbers and charts gauge accountability and performance—also important. But at what point is the focus so much on the bottom line that one can’t see up let alone forward and beyond? I had a nice conversation with Samantha the other night. She is working at a horse farm and reproduction facility in Ocala, Florida for a six-month internship. For those of you who know Sam, she has been in love with horses since she was a child and to say this is her passion is an understatement. But off to college she went after high school in a completely different career direction, which her father and I could never figure out. But now at the ripe old age of 27, she is back doing what she loves and working toward a second BA but this time in equine science. She commented to me how happy she was just being with the horses again full time but that it was a little late to finally come to it. I reminded her that it has taken me more than 30 years to finally find and follow my passion. And her sister, Erin, who is in beauty school at 33, is finally doing the thing she loves best, too. In other words, it’s never too late to find and follow your passion. However, all three of these passions will not bear much fruit in the area of money. By any Western standard, these three choices might look unwise for long-term financial reasons—and maybe they are? But thus far, I’ve not seen a gauge, chart, or graph for measuring happiness, contentment and love of life. Some things you just can’t measure nor should you even try. They will bear their own fruit in unseen and uncountable ways yet, none the less, they will make their owners some of the richest people on earth.

I just got back from Coya, Perú where I again volunteered my time with a VOSH team from Michigan. Lead by Dr. Mark Cook, our team of 20 volunteers examined 944 patients for eye care, most of whom received new glasses. The Kausay Wasi Clinic is run by two retired Americans, Guido and Sandy Del Prado. Their commitment is awe-inspiring! Check it out online at: www.kausaywasi.org. I believe this is the 6th time I’ve been to the clinic with this group—which continuously evolves with new faces coming and going but always some core friends. And over the years, the ex-pats in Coya who live and work there have become old friends, too. For me it’s like a homecoming in Perú. How lucky to have two—one here and back home in Michigan. Ah, abundant blessings—Que rico!

So in my neck of the woods (Iquitos) I live among a variety of social-economic levels—but frankly, all poor and mostly living in huts on the river or in the street. They all have chickens roaming free-range plus a sprinkling of roosters. Generally, I’ve gotten used to the roosters which start crowing around 4-4:30 each morning. It’s like a snooze alarm. When I hear them, I know I have a couple more hours to sleep. But next door to me there has been a “rogue rooster” which thinks 3:30 in the morning is not unreasonable to begin his day. Monday morning he woke me out of a sound sleep--grrrrrr! So later in the day when I saw the owner, I mentioned how much “I’d like to kill that chicken”. However, I failed to use the right words –ah, the joys of a second language—and actually said, “I’d like to die that chicken”. But apparently I got my message across as she laughed and showed me the correct body language of wringing one’s neck which I heartily agreed. The next morning?--nothing!! Not a peep from my old friend. Once again the neighborhood is at peace and the smell of chicken soup waifs through the air!

FOR RENT: Many of you know I’m heading back to Michigan for 3 months this year. I’ll be there September-November. I want to keep my fabulous apartment here in Iquitos but would love to sub-let it while I’m away. Some of you have expressed a desire to experience living somewhere like Iquitos for a few months. Let me know if there’s interest out there or pass on the word to your adventuresome friends. The cost is very low by Western standards and everything is included except your food and, of course, the beer! Give it some thought—you’ll never regret the experience.

2011~Ring It In...Bring It On!

2011-01-03T12:35:00.013-06:00

Another year working for CONAPAC and living in Perú has come and gone. In February it will be three years since I first arrived and thought I might volunteer for a few months. Now it's my life and so it seems, my life's work. Keeping Adopt-A-School on track and building more clean water systems seems to have taken on a life its own. Much was accomplished last year and our donors continue to generously respond. As I see what's on the horizon of 2011, I'm already tired--but a day at a time, right? :) December was a great month. The first part of it I spent in the jungle doing student and teacher evaluations. As expected it's a mixed bag of results—some schools are just awesome and some barely function. But there's always hope and our team continues to search for new ideas and refinements of what works. The water plants are doing well and we continue to encourage communities to make the care and maintenance of the systems a top priority. This year we plan to build eight more—little by little, our goal of providing access to clean water for all our AAS communities will be a reality.

The end of December brought my daughter, Samantha, here for an eight day visit! She had been here in June of 2009 so this was a nice follow up visit. We had no particular plans but quickly filled the time with conversation, Christmas activities, excursions and a short visit to the jungle. Lots of tears were shed when she left town as she was not yet ready to leave her “mumzie” however, some good news awaited her. Out of Lima, her plane was late leaving the country by two hours thus she missed her connection in Newark back to Denver. This was when the great Christmas snow storm was just sorting itself out. She could not get a flight out until the next day plus she needed to get to La Guardia where her connection would be made. She knows no one in the area and had never been to New York City. Using her SmartPhone and Facebook, she put out the word and found someone who offered her an apartment in Manhattan for the night. Then she learned that her best friend and college roommate, Christina, (who lives in Cleveland) was going to be in the city for the night on business! They connected later in the day and hung out, caught up on news and generally enjoyed the unexpected visit together. To top all this off, when she got to the airport the next day, she found that the airline had bumped her up to first class! What a treat and an unexpected bonus—although I told her not to get used to it! She couldn't have written a better script for a nice way to end her vacation. She was able to make it home in time to get to work—she tends bar in downtown Denver and certainly New Year's Eve is the best night of the year for tips so it all turned out great. Thanks to social networking and a PMA, she rang in the New Year in a most delightful way! :)

While Samantha was here we checked out a really interesting NGO working in Iquitos. It's called AmazonCares. They pick up street dogs and bring them back to health. Stray street dogs with mange, injuries and severe illnesses run rampant here. Sterilization is almost unheard of and puppies are regularly turned out to fend for themselves. Internationally recognized AmazonCares, brings in vet volunteers to help with the process of neutering dogs and accessing care. Sam and I visited the remote shelter site where about 35-40 dogs are cared for and brought back to health while looking for a new home. Interestingly, here in the Iquitos, the stray dogs are as laid back as the people. They run in packs and sometimes fight among themselves but I've never felt threatened or uncomfortable around any of them. Many of the dogs at the shelter—all which are mutts of some kind—were so nice! I'm not much of a dog person but I could see they were just starving for a little love and attention now that they're regularly fed and cared for. Sam and I went in the common area with about 15 dogs at once. They were all over us but surprisingly well-behaved for street dogs. There are many needs here in Iquitos, human and animal. CONAPAC is looking for ways to assist AmazonCares in what its trying to accomplish. For more info check out: www.amazoncares.org

Thanks to everyone out there who continue to follow my blog posts. It's fun to do but sometimes I think I'm only doing it for myself--but when someone leaves a comment, I know I'm connecting somewhere! As I posted on Facebook, if 2011 is even the slightest bit better than 2010, my cup will not only run over but it will threaten to flood the floor! Thank you, life, for all the blessings you have bestowed upon me and know that I do not take any of them for granted—each day is a gift that I wake up to with joy, enthusiasm and acceptance. I wish nothing less for each and every one of my readers. Embrace 2011 for what it is—another year in your glorious life!

Post TG Review

2010-11-29T13:58:00.005-06:00

How could my Thanksgiving dinner have been any better? Despite the lack of a pumpkin pie, I still wouldn’t change a thing! The day was perfect. All week it had been insufferably hot and sunny but on Thursday, I woke up to clouds, cool temps and a nice breeze. This held all day and into the night never getting over 78 degrees--which is quite unheard of this time of year. I had to have the turkey in the oven all day and was dreading the added heat but it turned out to be a non-issue. Everything on the menu came out as planned and timed just right. I had to use three different ovens in other apartments to cook everything at once but that all worked great. My guests arrived, the wine flowed and everyone has second portions on the food—which is always the best thing that can happen to any cook! So for all my friends and fellow travelers who made this happen, thank you so much! Know that I was thinking and thanking those, who through their extra effort, brought all the necessary parts which allowed me to create a truly American Thanksgiving dinner in Iquitos, Perú! Notice my photo—as I was opening the turkey to rinse and find the gizzards, I pulled out the neck and as you can see the head as still attached, followed by the two feet. Man, they don’t waste anything here, do they? Well, I kept the gizzards for my gravy but decided my Peruvian neighbors would know better than me what to do with the head and feet. I’m sure a good turkey soup was enjoyed by the whole family thus Thanksgiving was spread a little further around the neighborhood.

I mentioned in my last blog that I had an Aussie here as a guest and that I would tell you more about him later. Back in August I was out at one of the lodges working on some CONAPAC projects. It was evening and I was alone reading a book. A large group of Australians came in and one of the men came over to ask me if I would like to join them for happy hour. I declined but did join them for dinner and chatted with this gentleman that night and the next day he was here. Well to make a very long story short, he returned from Perth for a two week visit in order that we might get better acquainted. I will tell you that we had a great time together, and I expect to be seeing him again very soon as he's planned a return trip in February. And who knows, a visit to the Land of Oz (once again) might be in my future. Stay tuned! :)

As a final note to my Thanksgiving dinner, my boss Pamela was there and absolutely delighted with the results. As my fellow American, who has now lived here for 25 years and does not cook, she has never made a traditional TG or Christmas dinner. After my successful dinner Thursday she has asked me to do it again for her and her family for Christmas this year. Of course, I readily agreed but was reminded of my good friend, Tony Sincic’s advice—if you are competent people ask you do things—and often too many things. If you’re not, no one ever bothers to ask you to do anything--so be careful what you want to reveal about yourself. I guess despite trying to unwind my commitments and live a bit more in the moment by choosing the jungle as my home, I still find myself committed. But no worries, Samantha will be here and my new friend, Megan from Freemont, Michigan, as well. Pam will almost have her house outnumbered with Americans to Peruvians for the first time! And the best thing of all is Samantha will bring me my pumpkin and we’ll have two big pies to make up for the lack of one at Thanksgiving. Once again, things work out and I continue to receive abundant and overwhelming blessings in all areas of my life. :)

Life Is Good--Part II

2010-11-03T15:59:00.012-05:00

Many of you are my friends on Facebook so you might hear me repeat my stories--sorry for any redundancy. October was a busy month here despite the heat of summer and what should be the “off season” for both Explorama and CONAPAC. We hosted several large groups flying in to the Amazon as their first stop for an around the world tour. I’m not sure if this is the place to start or end a big trip but we’re glad to be included in their itinerary of exotic places. Many of you may know “The Lonely Planet”? It’s an organization that reviews and ranks hotels, restaurants and travel attractions around the world. Check out this link and see which top 10 cities for 2011 were included in their list, particularly number six! http://www.lonelyplanet.com/peru/amazon-basin/iquitos/travel-tips-and-articles/76165

As Thanksgiving inches closer, I am eager for my guests to arrive. I now have 8 committed with a possible 9th, depending on boat schedules. My cans of Libby pumpkin, which my friends were bringing from Colorado, were confiscated by the TSA! My friends were not doing checked luggage so the cans had to bring it as carry on. How insane does this get? I know there’s a shortage of Libby pumpkin and, in fact, some people are buying and hoarding it then selling it on-line for inflated prices. Maybe the TSA guy needed to take some home to the wife? Hey, where does all that stuff go that gets confiscated? There must be a mountain of it things from all over the world which has been left behind—might make for a fun news story?! Well, I guess it will be apple and pecan pie this year.

I know elections just ended in the States. My CNN cable connection has been out since last week so I was able to avoid the hoop-la. Whoever won, what goes up must come down and so forth! Last month they had country-wide elections here although for everything except the presidency. The time leading up to the election was just as nutty as in the States (and annoying) but I doubt anywhere near as much money was spent. It’s interesting to me how Americans are always complaining about the economy, jobs, etc. but somehow millions of dollars still got raised for these elections. Well, I suppose some folks had jobs in the process. Anyway, two interesting things about elections here: One, you HAVE to vote as it’s mandatory. If you don’t, you get fined and if you can’t (because you have to work and can’t get to the city) your employer has to pay the fine; and two, voting is held on Sunday from 8 AM- 4 PM. From Friday at noon until Monday morning there are no alcohol sales, even bars and restaurants. I didn’t know this until I was trying to buy some beer on Saturday afternoon. Really, they should have exceptions for gringos who can’t vote anyway! Iquitos was a very different place that weekend—so serious, quiet, and dry—including me! The lines to the voting booths on Sunday were quite long but it was an event with people outside selling food, beverages and entertainment for the kids. It had been a very, very hot month but that particular day it was cloudy so as folks waited in line, it wasn’t quite so unbearable. So what do you think? Mandatory voting for the USA—it’s mandatory in Australia—Just a thought! (A photo of a future Peruvian voter, Charles)

I got to Lima last month for a few days with friends. Lima’s not my favorite place but it was a change of scenery. We went to a couple of nice attractions around the city and enjoyed some good food. We got to a mall which normally wouldn’t do much for me but it was refreshing to be in a place more like what I’d be familiar with in the US. The stores may be Peruvian but the idea is virtually the same—even the “Sodimac” store we shopped at which is like Home Depot! There’s nothing like this in Iquitos. The best was the grocery store where I found several more varieties of cereal including Honey Bunches of Oats and Banana Nut Crunch. I brought home four boxes on my carry-on. What a treat but it was quickly gone and I’m back to my one choice in Iqutios, when I can get it. Not only has the low river slowed down beer deliveries it’s also impacted cereal which all comes from Lima. Well, if I just liked rice more I’d never have a problem finding food as there’s always plenty of that!!

I was thinking about why I love my job so much? It’s not the work, per se, but the variety. One day I’m doing mindless paperwork or packing school supplies, then another day meeting interesting people and learning new things. Last month had me helping with the private jet tour, meeting great people from all over the US; restocking and buying new things for the gift shops; writing reports and requesting money for our budget funding; helping with a baby turtle release on the Sucarsi river and watching baby turtles hatch at Las Malvinas school; meeting with grad students from the US who are doing a study on NGO’s around the world; planning for visits by more volunteers in December with their unique requests; meeting Jack Hannah and assisting with his film crew at Monkey Island; assisting an injured 71 year old passenger who broke her arm in at the Ceiba Tops and needed help for two days at the local hospital until she could return home; and much more which somehow quickly fills the days. Who has time for CNN?! How I got here and how long I’ll stay remain mysteries but I’m full of peace and joy that these opportunities have come my way and I never take them for granted!

Final best news of all--Samantha, my younger daughter is coming here for Christmas this year! I have spent the last two here alone and although my Peruvian friends have kindly attempted to fill the void, there’s nothing like family to be at your side. Each day is a gift and I open it with eager anticipation and appreciation.

Low, Dry, Hot & Humid!

2010-09-29T14:40:00.013-05:00

Wow! September is almost over and I’ve yet to write a blog post. Some of you have commented on this so here goes! It’s been a particularly hot and dry September in Iquitos--Day after day of sun, a few clouds, and virtually no rain. They say there are no real seasons here, only high water and low water season, but I beg to differ. The river is at historic lows creating problems for everyone as cargo is nearly impossible to get into port and when it does, everything takes that much longer to unload and be staged for delivery. Nearly everything that comes into Iquitos is still carried off the boats on the backs of young, and not so young, men. Sand bars are everywhere making boat navigation trickier than usual with big and small boats, houses, swimmers and debris concentrated and competing for space in ever narrowing strips of shallow water. I was on the Itaya River last night heading to a restaurant by boat. It was a particularly hot and close evening which made the smell of concentrated open sewage less than pleasing. I do feel for so many who live in floating houses on this reduced flow of water. There is no sewage treatment in Iquitos and everything runs directly into the rivers but normally there is so much water flow and such a high dilution factor, that it’s a tolerable situation. Those of us who live high uphill don’t have to wallow in this toxic stew. The poor continue to suffer the most and I walk by it each day. But like anything else, one seems to get “used” to it—isn’t that sad? I don’t like to think I’ve become immune to it all but sadly, I’m afraid I have.

The last month has been full of a variety of little projects requiring my help mainly for Explorama. I’ve been helping with the gift shops and working with passenger guests. I find that so many of my past life experiences have been called into action while working here, whether it’s for CONAPAC or Explorama Tours. It’s nice sometimes to pull out my old waitressing skills—really my most favorite job of all time! The season of funding requests has begun for next year so much of my time is focused on finding money to “keeps the plates spinning” as Pamela would say. We’re looking to build seven new water plants for 2011; seriously increase monitoring, training and oversight; plus start the process of installing smaller, individual household systems for some communities where large, centrally-based water towers do not make the best sense. I have set a personal goal of providing access to clean water to all the Adopt-A-School communities within which we serve before my time here ends. This will represent improving the lives of about 13,000 people. We’ve come a good distance in just two years but we’re only about quarter of the way there. Lot’s more to do! Yes, I’m coming home next year but I will be returning to Iquitos to finish the job! :)

I have a new neighbor—can you believe it?—another American woman! This is so rare and I’m delighted. She’s from Iowa, about 40-something, decided one day to quit her assembly line job and start living. She gave up her job, her boyfriend, her house and all her stuff. Decided to move to Iquitos for awhile, volunteer her time in an orphanage and then move on elsewhere to explore the world then someday return home. She’s an incredibility upbeat gal and I like her very much. I’ve invited her to my Thanksgiving dinner so my contingent of Americans is growing. I have a very special guest who will be joining us for TG dinner—I’ll tell you more about him later! Pam asked me to host a dinner party at my house for nine people last week. It gave me a good dry run for the holidays by pushing the limits of my small kitchen with its mini stove and fridge. But I do have my two neighbors’ stoves and fridges to use as they’re invited to dinner so we’ll have food spread around the complex. I’m now just waiting for the last installment of “TG parts” from home—cans of Libby pumpkin for pies!

Enjoy the season…whatever it may be, wherever you may live :)

I Like It Like That!

2010-08-24T16:52:00.019-05:00

In general, the residents of the jungle are quite easy going and ready for a celebration any time of day. This translates to the city of Iquitos, too. The residents are mellow and rarely do I see or hear a cross word. In fact, violence is rare and in the almost two years I've been here, I've never seen anything until just last week. A man was trying to steal an orange or two from a street vendor. The vendor chased him off with a stick then the thief in turn started throwing chunks of street concrete at the vendor. It was quite a show but a little unsettling for Iquitos. Anyway, this got me thinking about the things people like here and the things they don't. Or at least my perception, so take it for what it's worth.

The most prominent thing you'll notice about the city is the love of cement and concrete—it's everywhere--and besides buildings, other things are made of concrete, too. Park benches, flower pots and tree stands, balusters and railings with faux turned posts, decks and sinks, kitchen cabinet frames and counter tops. I even visited at a house that had built-in concrete couches with cushions and pillows to add a bit of comfort. In the middle of the rain forest, where rot can practically be heard happening, I suppose it makes good sense but the unfortunate issue is that here is no architectural interest in the least—and with their love of re-bar or re-rod second only to the love of cement and generously used as a decorating element--you can imagine that Iquitos is probably one of the most unattractive places on earth. I find this ironic since it's smack in the middle of one of the most beautiful natural environments in the world but then again, maybe Iquitos knows it can't compete with the natural world, so why try? Or maybe it's just more practical— simply choose cheap, durable, rot resistant products by which to build your house and home!

Another crazy thing that they like is White Out or Liquid Paper. They LOVE this stuff and everyone, everywhere seems to have a white-out pen along with their regular pen or pencil. They sort of lust after them and you have to watch out that your's doesn't disappear. When I first came here I just cracked up and thought what in the world does anyone do with this stuff? But now I, too, am addicted! Maybe it's a need to be neat and tidy in paperwork and not to waste things. In the US, I'd just get another piece of paper or make another copy but the white out does have it's place to salvage something. Of course, there's lots of “white out graffiti” too! Especially on school desks and park benches but perhaps I could look at it as another art form then I'd take less offense by it?

Some more things they love are plastic bags of literally every size and color for every imaginable use. Whole stores are dedicated to selling only plastic bags. Don't even think about leaving a store or walking down the street without a plastic bag! I regularly bring my own "earth friendly" bags which the clerks look at me strangly but I somehow still end up with so many more plastic bags than I can use. Then there's chicken. Now I like chicken, too, but really, it's the only thing in quite literally every local restaurant you can order! Don't try opening a new restaurant for the locals with anything different—it won't fly. Mickey D's and Taco Bell?--Don't even think about it! Of course, there's cumbia music and nothing else will do. Inka Cola, parilladas (chicken BBQ's), ice cream, and any kind of holiday, labor strike or celebration will be reason enough to take a day off work and call it a party!

Of course they love futbol here and when they get tired of that, they play some more. Although every park and school yard has basketball hoops, I've yet to see anyone play it nor have I ever seen a basketball for sale in the stores. They love hot, humid weather and quickly bundle up when the temp dips below 80ish (of course, I join them on that one). Street shows are a great attraction, some with more value than others—but always watch your wallet. Clowns on stilts and mimes are common. On the main boulevard downtown where the beggars, thieves, hanger's on and tourists meet, there is always the lure of a tattoo show. Although I have a few of my own, the last thing I wanted was an audience when I got them--but spectator sports sure can vary around the world. :)

Perhaps my last observation is a bit silly but it's striking. Whether folks live on the river or in the jungle with the muddy Amazon close by or back in Iquitos, there is a great emphasis on cleanliness. When we do our school deliveries, the kids and parents will be wearing very clean, white, pressed clothes and in the city all kids, whether in public or private school, will be wearing sharp, clean uniforms. Their homes are of a standard which is often less than our Western dogs and cats enjoy yet when they step out unto the street, they're dressed, pressed, showered and ready to go--big sales here in colognes, too! They eat lots of onions and garlic so fresh breath is important too—thus street vendors and stores are always hawking gum and mints. And since the Peruvian greeting includes cheek to cheek kissing, even when you first meet someone, it's important not to offend. People regularly offer you mints or gum so take no offense—it's just the sweetest place on earth!

Summer Greetings!

2010-08-04T14:57:00.001-05:00

I went to my first “Quinceaños” or 15th birthday party for a young girl, soon to be a woman. This is comparable to the idea of a Sweet Sixteen party but can be on the level and grandeur of a wedding! The party is a symbolic passing from childhood to becoming a woman. Always present is a special dress with a color-coordinated theme, cake, dinner, music and dancing. The one I attended was extremely humble relative to many here in the area but still quite a show considering the financial circumstances of birthday girl’s parents. Where I live there is a 24 hour guard/groundskeeper who lives with his family in circumstances little different than those in the jungle. Their oldest daughter was the birthday girl. For them to host even this modest party was quite the event. Evila wore a darling green dress and all the family members were more dressed up than I’d ever before seen them. Although the party was on a weeknight, it still didn’t get started until about 9 PM when Evila and her dad came in together, (arm in arm like a bride and her father) then shared the first dance. My young friend was crying which seemed to be a bit of happy and afraid mixed together. I am sure it is the first time in her life she’s been the center of so much attention and never before had she worn such a lovely dress. There was a champagne toast, a very nice dinner, followed by the special cake. I’m sure I’ll get to several more parties like this while I’m living here and no doubt they will be on a much grander scale, but this first one will always be a favorite memory.

CONAPAC continues to build more water plants and funding has been strong, but we are continuously challenged by resistance to drinking clean water. Residents certainly understand the value but at times the effort is great and old habits die hard. Next year we hope to seek more funding in the area of monitoring and training not just construction. We’re also looking into offering individual household systems for homes which lie some distance from centralized water plants. Of course, all this takes funding so you now know what I’ll be doing more of for the rest of the year! We also work in a school in the city of Iquitos called Las Malvinas. We have a large environmental teaching garden which also has a turtle and fish pond. At the end of April, we stocked the fish pond with fry and since then they’ve been steadily growing. The senior class is in charge of this project and last week we did our first harvest. The kids netted, counted, measured and weighed over 400 fish which was a great learning opportunity. Some fish will be taken for sale this coming week with the rest to stay for further growth until the final harvest at the end of the school year in December. To see more photos check out: http://amazonamigos.ning.com/ or visit our website at http://www.conapac.org/

I’m sorry but it’s been dang cold here!! I know you all are experiencing a particularly hot summer in Michigan and the US in general. Well, I can tell you it’s the reverse here. Yes, low 70’s in the day and low 60’s at night doesn’t sound bad but when everyday is usually 20 degrees hotter, it’s very tough to adapt. Part of the problem is I simply don’t have enough warm clothes nor do I even have a blanket at night — only sheets. So I’m sleeping in layers and wearing socks during the day. Of course, there’s no snow and ice but I’m afraid there is still those pesky mosquitoes! I had the flu, of all things, in July. The flu here is very rare so it must be a gringo disease! It lasted a good five days but the good news is, it was while the weather was very cold so I was able to curl up in my PJ’s, close all the doors and windows and sip tea and other hot drinks. If it had been its usual 90-something outside my discomfort would have been compounded so for these little things thankful. During this time my friend, Mike from the States, arrived with my new computer. I bought myself a little HP Notebook (it's red :) from Amazon.com and I couldn’t be more delighted. I am a little sad it’s not a Mac but you know, when in Rome. It’s the system I work with all day now so I’m familiar with it. Once I return home permanently, I will again purchase a new Mac. Anyway, I am on Skype and would love to hear from you. If you have Skype, too, email me and we can exchange numbers. It’s amazing, you know? Living in the middle of the rainforest in the middle of South American with no roads in or out of the city yet I can have a perfectly clear conversation for as long as I want for FREE! Now if this is an amazing miracle, I don’t know what is?

Enjoy August—See you in September!

Random Thoughts...

2010-07-08T14:30:00.001-05:00

I’m not sure I have enough to say to weave a story so random thoughts in passing for now:

Our fearless leader for Explorama, Peter Jenson—affectionately known as Don Pedro—passed away in June. Not unexpected as he had been battling cancer for about 9 months but a shock none the less. Per his wishes, his ashes were sprinkled from the top of the Canopy Walkway (120 ft) to be returned to the earth from which he came. His incredible legacy of commitment to the Amazon Rainforest in Perú will not soon be forgotten as family, friends and co-workers carry on his vision to maintain this precious, unique place on earth!

The World Cup is on everyone’s mind here although there will be no South American team in the final match. Interestingly, most folks don’t seem too keen on Spain winning—no love lost there, apparently. I’ve learned a lot about the “Copa del Mundial” and have found the process interesting—although I just got a copy of someone’s Men’s Journal from June and one of the stories is “Why the World Cup Sucks”…haven’t read it yet but it should be an refreshing spin.

I spent quite a large amount of time in the jungle in June working with student groups and other volunteers. We built two water plants, planted trees, painted houses, built a playground, painted murals, plus did a large variety of art projects with the primary-aged kids. Working on the subject of clean water continues to consume me mentally and I hope to make further strides in this direction for 2011 and beyond. The need is great and donors are generous—it just takes so much time to get it all done here with the logistics and educational parts to be implemented. Well, one step at a time.

When I got home from my long trip, I walked into the courtyard area of my apartment and there was this lovely duck! This being an unusual sight in our garden (although not in Iquitos in general) I asked the guard/keeper if this was a permanent addition? He said oh no—his daughter is having her 15th birthday late in July and they were having the duck for a special birthday meal! Fattening it up, I suppose. Having your 15th birthday here is a BIG deal and some families throw these elaborate affairs (like a wedding). But these folks are quite poor so buying a duck for dinner is a wonderful treat for the whole family. I hope I’m at work when they get ready to “prepare” him. I’m going to take the daughter (Evila) shopping so she can pick out her own gift—I haven’t a clue what a 15 year old in Iquitos would like to have so this will be better and more fun, too!

Oh, a big treat coming my way—next week the 3rd movie from the Twlight Series opens in Iquitos. I’m so excited because it’s one of the very, very few movies here which are in English, not dubbed in Spanish. It doesn’t take much to amuse me these days!

Is it me or is it hotter in the States right now than here in the jungle? Hang in there folks, this too shall quickly pass and you’ll stop complaining about the heat and have the snow and ice once again!

My grandson, Jack Holley, turned 5 years old in June—I can’t believe how quickly he’s grown and how it seems only yesterday he was born. I had bought him a gift when I was in the States last fall and made arrangements for my Dad to make the delivery on his birthday. Erin (his Mom) told me he said to everyone, “This is from my grandma in Perú—where is she?” I guess he hasn’t quite connected the distance dots but someday he will. I hope by the time he’s about 10 years old I can bring him here and he can see the rain forest for himself. What a living laboratory for a kid to explore insects, snakes, birds and animals. I’m counting the days…

You know, there are so many things here in Iquitos that one could only describe as insane. At times, of course, I think to myself--I gotta get outta here! But when I really put my mind to it--when I watch the news or read certain stories--I've come to the conclusion that everyone, everywhere in the whole world is nuts...it's just packaged a little differently in each case. And maybe our attempt at making some sense or order out of the of it all is just another form of nuttiness? However I look at it, though, I continue to find myself caught between two cultural worlds (the US & Perú), not really part of either but only passing through. Do any of us really belong anywhere in particular if the only criteria are where we were born and to whom? I know, I'm getting too deep for my own good...I'm missing my conversational buddies back home who love to probe the unanswerable questions of life. Deep breathe...Thanks! I needed to get that off my chest...until next time don't take any of it too seriously and I will try to take my own advice, as well.

Little Joys...

2010-06-18T13:00:00.000-05:00

Lately I’ve been thinking about the things which bring me pleasure while living here:

* Getting a letter in the mail from my Rotary Club at my house--Not only is getting mail the rarest of treats, this was the first piece of mail I actually received at the house!
* Eating a bowl of Wheat Chex (or any cereal) which a friend just brought me from the States.
* Getting a phone call from in the middle of the day at the office by anyone from home.
* Having exact change for the mototaxi.
* When the Internet is working fast enough to download You Tube or other video.
* Heavy rain at night so it drowns out the loud music being played in the discos.
* Having my 3rd round of chiggers be much less difficult than the first two.
* Finding the beer in my fridge to be very, very cold.
* Immediately catching a motokar when I step outside into the pouring rain.
* Realizing that the “cockroaches” I found coming into my house this past week were really June bugs. Somehow that was much more comforting and emotionally manageable—go figure?
* A cloudy day—something I never thought I would hope for after living more than 50 years in Michigan—but truly a blessing as it remains warm but not so unbearably hot.
* Not having a telephone at my desk which means I don't get interrupted often.
* Of course, the ultimate is finding lots of personal email each day when I open my account!

As many of you know, I work for CONAPAC but we share just about everything with Explorama Tours. In fact, my desk is right in the reservations office of Explorama so I’m in the middle of a lot of activity. Pam receives all the email inquiries made in English. Often, she gets some crazy questions by prospective guests. Here are few which I thought were quite funny. (For those of you who've been here before, you will appreciate the humor in these requests better than some of you who have not yet visited.)

* One man inquired about the possibility of taking a bike ride in the jungle. He wasn’t sure if he could bring his own bike or could rent one while he was here.
* One customer spent days corresponding back and forth with Pam about her trip to the lodge. She had all kinds of questions but somewhere along the way, forgot to mention she has a severe allergy to bananas! She brought it up after her trip was planned; airline tickets bought and rooms booked and pay for. Her allergy went so far as to include having reactions from anything made or cut on a cutting board that previously was used to prepare bananas. It seems to me the last place someone with this kind of problem would like to travel is anywhere near the Equator! As you can imagine every single day includes the use and preparation of bananas and plantains in the lodge kitchens. And everywhere she goes she will encounter this! But Explorama went out and bought new cutting boards for each lodge and put her name on it so there would be not confusion!
* Often Pam gets inquiries from vegans. Explorama’s daily menus always include a broad range of food items which should meet everyone’s needs. But vegans still aren’t satisfied. When you ask them what they can eat, they can only tell you what they can’t eat. They can never quite tell you what they will eat so that we can attempt to meet their needs.
* We had one group bringing down students on a fixed budget. They were going to be helping with community service projects in the rain forest. The group leader asked us if there a nice restaurant near the villages to eat, preferably buffet style, that their group can have lunch?
* One couple guest was having some kind of anniversary. They paid the staff to share in their champagne toast. Apparently, just the two of them wasn’t enough.
* There are often folks who want to come and take walks in the rainforest alone. This is never advisable or permitted but none the less, they often feel strongly that they can handle it. The rainforest is not a place to wander alone!
* One guest wanted to know many stairs are there in the rainforest? We’re still not sure what that was about!

I hope you’re all enjoying the birth of summer this weekend. For those Dad’s out there, enjoy your day. They make a bit of a production about Father’s Day here, too. Dads are dads all over the world! Much love and warm greetings to the fathers in my life--my Dad, stepdad, brother, Rick, cousins, friends--I love you all!

This & That...

2010-05-24T12:28:00.001-05:00

I’ve had a rash of “issues” lately with anything electronic and it’s making me crazy! I suppose the humidity is the problem? It doesn’t matter if it’s my $300 IPOD or my $3 Chinese-made travel alarm clock, they’re not happy and I’m not happy! I keep toying with the idea of buying a new laptop so I can Skpye and do other things which seem impossible with my current mini, first generation ASUS notebook (with a total of 2GB!) but then I think, “what am I thinking?” I know it won’t be long before some other electronic glitch occurs to rock my peaceful boat. None the less, I do think about staying better connected with the outside world and hope to find a way soon. On the other hand, no news is good news and I know if bad news happens, it will find a way to track me down.

When I first moved into my apartment I thought I’d died and gone to heaven! It was (is) so nice and peaceful with a surrounding garden filled with tropical plants and trees. Located right in the downtown area, it’s a great location to get anywhere I need to go plus walk to work in less than 15 minutes. During the night, the area got as quiet as any jungle lodge so what was there not to like!? Well, now a year and a half later, the party is over—well, actually, it’s just begun as in the surrounding block, three new discos have opened. These places are completely open to the outside with the music louder than loud plus it goes until at least 5 AM. The ordinances which should control this problem are simply not enforced. And amazingly, it’s not just Friday and Saturday night but most nights! Since I don’t use my air conditioning, which might drown things out a bit, my latest strategies are to wear ear plugs and I bought a new fan which is actually rather noisy. (Normally not a good feature but in this case a bonus!) Usually this does it but over this past weekend it was not enough. That deep level boom-boom, cut right through the house and into my bed and pillow. My last resort was to close all the doors and windows, which thankfully they have glass. This did make a difference but it was toasty inside. So my little piece of jungle in the middle of Iquitos has been breached; however, I still wouldn’t move anywhere else so bring on the music!

We had winter last week in Iquitos. For 4 days the temperature got to about 76 for a high and much cooler at night. I was in long pants, shoes, socks, long shelves and a jacket. It was a nice change of pace and good for sleeping but I was glad when it ended. I’ve started a new Spanish class from a regular teacher-tutor who speaks in English too. I have to say I hate the class and it’s taking all my willpower to stay. It’s not because it’s a bad class it’s just that no matter how prepared I am or how much I think I know, it’s never, ever enough and leave the class angry and frustrated. Learning another language, at least for me, will be one of the most difficult things I will ever do. I have finally settled down to watch on TV consecutive “telenovelas” where I’m slowly figuring out the plots. I may not understand it all but the Mexican actors are very easy on the eyes!

Question? There are a very large number of Brits living in Iquitos for one reason or another. I’ve met very few Americans. If all these Brits are here, where are the Yanks? What do they know that we don’t? And is a “gringo” only an American or anyone from the Western world—Yanks, Brits, Canucks, Aussies, etc.? Just wondering? :/

Well, I’m off to the jungle for most of the month of June to help with service projects and water workshops. It should be fun as several old friends/acquaintances will be coming with groups of new volunteers. Our water students will be back this week to do a little on the ground research about usage rates and other obstacles to using clean drinking water. Part of the fun of having these groups come in is they are bringing me, piece by piece, all the “fixin’s” for a Thanksgiving supper this year in Iquitos. Wasn’t there a song by Johnny Cash about taking car parts home from work one piece at a time? Well, that’s how I feel about this project. Coming this week is gravy, stuffing and Ranch dressing: Next up, cranberry relish and the makings for a pumpkin pie. I’ll keep you posted on the progress and ultimately the results.

I'm Back into the Light of Day...

2010-05-10T17:00:00.000-05:00

Once again in April, the Adopt-A-School show went on the road! In April, we welcomed two volunteer groups—one group to help with school supply deliveries and one group to build a mini-water treatment plant in the village of Ramon Castilla.--An incredibility good time was had by all! The Detroit Zoo handles all recruiting and coordinating of the volunteers for our AAS expeditions. They do a great job and once again found enthusiastic volunteers always willing to go the extra mile. The communities we visited were ready and waiting for us and this year we saw a larger number of teachers posted in the jungle than ever before. We all hope that bodes well for the students by way of more commitment by educators and smaller teacher/student ratios in the classroom. A shout out to all the volunteers for 2010 plus those added extras who made the trip to help even before deliveries started: Bonnie, Mary, Bev, Ray, Erich, Linda, Kristine, Cheyanne, Earl, Susan, Martha, Camille, Megan, Pachita, Claire, Marcy, Nancy, Krisitian, Amy, Michelle, Mike, Missy, Sally and Carla. See you again next year?

Just before we departed for the deliveries, a passenger who was coming to Explorama emailed Pam and asked if there was anything she and her family could bring for the AAS program. Since we already had all the school supplies purchased, I suggested some art supplies. These are terribly expensive in the States for a whole classroom let alone here in Iquitos. We just don’t have the funds for that sort of thing. Well, our donor/passenger came through in a big way. She brought a whole suitcase crammed full of water paint, finger paint, markers, glue, pipe cleaners, scissors, etc. It truly was like Christmas to receive all these goodies. We put this to good use with our volunteers by making rainforest animal mobiles and a large fabric banner called the “Friendship Tree”, where we painted trees then all the kids and other participants placed their painted handprints for leaves with their name below. What a wonderful gift this woman gave us, but the most interesting thing was her constant apologies for not bringing more goodies! I think she will be back in one form or another as she was one of those folks who really falls in love with the rainforest. Thanks, Lorna of Texas, for your great help!

March 31st was my 54th birthday (and thankfully I feel closer to 16 :) Last year I had a great day with lots of new friends helping me celebrate. I really didn’t think I could top it this year but I think I did. Along with hugs, kisses, cakes and gifts I was able to take my first plane ride over the Amazon River in a small float plane. What fun!! The plane itself was just about as old as I was—built in 1962, it felt a bit like I was flying in a Volkswagen, but it did the job! We were up only about 2,000 feet which gave me a completely different perspective of something I’ve only seen from a boat. It was very interesting but too short of a ride. I hope to get up again and go a little further down river. I want to see the Napo River and its point of entry to the Amazon but for now, another thing off my “bucket list”!

Sad news personally during April as my former father-in-law, Fred Snyder, died. He was 90 years old and a WWII vet, truly one of the “Greatest Generation”. He came of age during the depression and then served his country well until the end of the war, then home to Detroit, MI where he married, raised a family and worked for Chrysler for 42 years—they just don’t make ‘em like this anymore. Always a gentlemen but ready and willing to give warm hugs and kisses, he will be missed by all his family and friends. We should all be blessed to live lives so long and so well!

I attended my first Peruvian wedding over the weekend. Once again, things are done differently here. The event was at the “tennis club” so I had no idea what to expect. The bride and groom are friends whom I’ve known since I first arrived in 2008. Carmen is our resident mani/pedi person who is more of an artist than anything else with her ability to create works of art on your toes and fingers. Well, their wedding turned out to be a mass wedding made up of 115 couples! There were at least 600 people there and at times it seemed all taking pictures in front of the same wedding cake! There were two live bands, crazy, sexy girl dancers, photographers, food, beer and gifts for each of the couples. It started at 10 AM but that really was only a suggestion. The actual formalities got going about 12:15 PM--Ah, Peruvian time!! Anyway, the bottom line to all this, which I couldn’t quite figure out before hand due to my pitiful Spanish skills, was the whole event was put on by the local mayor who, guess what?, happens to be running for office this year. The brides and grooms were volunteers or in some other way connected with his campaign. I suppose it’s a creative way to support the idea of legal marriage (which is rare here) and gain some hardcore, loyal voters, too. Ah, never a dull “momentito”, as they say here in Iquitos. :)

Just When You Thought You Were Safe From My Posts…

2010-03-23T15:16:00.002-05:00

For those of you who have been asking, I apologize for the long break between blog posts. For whatever reason, I just haven’t felt there was much to say or much happening. It nice to know so many of you seem to follow along! For most of February, I was sick with giardia, which is a parasite found in contaminated water. Where it came from—the jungle, Iquitos or my recent visit to the mountains around Cusco—is anyone’s guess. I can say I hope not to get it again! It took over 6 weeks to pass using two different drug scripts. Along the way I also got a nasty upper respiratory infection so the fun was never ending!

A few highlights of the last few months have been my new love relationship with “Skype”! I’ve never used it before but I’m signed up now and it’s been great. To be able to reach my friends and family, for free, anytime I want has been great. Even here in the jungle, the connections have been better than over the regular phone lines. Email me if you have Skype, too, and we can exchange addresses. Speaking of emails—where is everyone?? I know I’m out of the country and not around much but I’m not dead yet! My email traffic has dried up. I’m always happy to hear what’s going on with everyone and never want to lose touch with you all. Thankfully, there’s Facebook but a brief email from anyone, anytime would be great!

I had a couple of our biggest donors here last month and I took them around—you know, “wined and dined” them on clean water from our water treatment plants and the usual bill of fare at Explorama Lodges for our meals! It’s always great to have donors come and see the work first-hand. Often people give to CONAPAC without ever having been here. This is a great show of faith on their part but it certainly seals the deal when I can meet them personally and show them around, answer their questions and see the difference they are making.

After receiving one of those nostalgic emails about car tailfins and Captain Kangaroo from my brother, Tim, we started emailing back and forth some of our shared memories. Some were general things that everyone of our generation remembers but most were memories only we as siblings would know anything about--or at least find the most humor in it! Well, this went back and forth for days—what fun! I found myself unable to really sleep well for several nights as I kept waking up to jot down notes. After a week or so of this, I realized what a wealth of information we had gleaned from our aging brains so I stared to copy and paste the text into a Word document. We are up to over 20 pages of single space, 10 pt. font for this document! I can’t wait to get home one day, sit down with my brother over drinks and re-read what we wrote. I’m sure more will be dredged up and hysterics will ensue! For those of you with siblings, try this exercise out. There are family stories that everyone remembers and talks about, but if you dig a little deeper, you’d be amazed at different angles each person brings to the same event. How you have forgotten some things but remembered others and each new memory will trigger another—do try it! :)

I finally got a hammock! My neighbors from Colorado moved out about a month ago and left it behind as a parting gift. However, my landlord, who is a great guy, is quite picky about things so I had to wait until he was satisfied with how it was going to be hung. Well, like most things here, one must wait so my patience was exercised and finally the big day arrived. Now really, how can one live in the tropics (or anywhere else in the world) without a hammock? Life is very good!

I am currently in the midst of the big and final push to get the Adopt-A-School program off the ground for 2010. It seems we work on it all year long but really do the bulk of it all the last four weeks prior to deliveries. This will be my 3rd year to help organize it and my 5th time to participate in the process. I have to say, the first year I helped organize, I was clueless. The second year, when I had majority responsibility I was scared to death. But this year, although I know there will be bumps, I’m more organized than ever but still making enough mistakes to keep me learning and keep me humble! I’m looking forward to seeing many old friends and meeting new ones. It’s always fun to watch people “fall in love” with the jungle. You can see it on their faces as they are walking around in a daze by mid-week. They’re the ones I know will be back and really committed to the program. I wonder who it will be this year?!

Rounding A Mountain

2010-02-03T14:31:00.000-06:00

Getting back to the mountains of Perú after three years was a great lesson in contrasts. I had forgotten how incredibility peaceful and quiet the mountain communities are and how much I remembered liking them. I was once again taken with the makeup of Perú and although a relatively small country, it is full of contrasts. The jungle is so utterly different than the mountains yet here they both are in the same country, just a short plane ride away. After now having lived in Iquitos (with all its noise and hustle) plus spending a large amount of time in the jungle, I was doing a lot of comparing. As I said, the mountains are sooooooooo quiet that it’s a bit eerie. One would think of the jungle as being a quiet, peaceful place but really it’s not! There is always movement and sound from the birds and mammals above, to the breeze flapping and moving leaves, to branches and large palm leaves that randomly fall, and then down to the smallest ants and termites which are in perpetual motion. It almost seems one can see, feel and hear the foliage as it grows so quickly in this climate along with the constant cycle of rot and decay, renewal and rebirth. Perpetual energy I would say which really does not lend itself to a peaceful environment on the most basic level. The local people in the mountains (the Quechuas) were as colorful as ever in their daily, traditional dress but I think they live a much more difficult life than the residents of the rainforest. Their environment is cold and harsh, windy and dry with little ability to grow crops, hunt or fish. In contrast, rainforest residents have daily portions of protein in the form of fish and eggs plus a variety of fruits to augment their overall starchy diet of rice, plantains and yucca. The Quechuas eat a disproportionate amount of potatoes which leads to a different kind of malnutrition than one commonly thinks of. This creates stunted growth and delayed intellectual development. Although both groups are living extremely basic lifestyles (hand to mouth, if you will) one does not see rampant malnutrition here. In both places, there is a push for clean drinking water so it was great opportunity to see the differences between the centralized systems CONAPAC is using and the individual bio-sand filters being used in the mountains. In the conclusion of contrasts, I most definitely thought the food we ate, its variety and creativity, was far superior in the mountains than to anything in Iquitos, but I think the music here is much better and the people are far happier and more fun-loving. So, my visit was enjoyable and I had a great time with my volunteer-friends from the States (some of whom generously brought me “reinforcements). But I was glad to return home, get warm again and ease back into my life in Iquitos. Next I hope to explore the most southern parts of Perú in Arequipa and Puno and maybe even a quick trip over the border to Bolivia! :)

Before I left town I had the dubious opportunity to part-take in an “ayahauska” ceremony. Ayahauska is a jungle root that has hallucinogenic properties. It’s been used by shamans for centuries to cleanse one of bad “spirits” and make room for good ones. There is quite an industry for it around here and people come from all over the world to participate in these rites and rituals. Some folks will repeat the experience many times over and some have even stayed long-term to be more accessible to the experience or train to become shamans themselves. Since I’ve been here, I’ve been quite curious but never went out of my way to seek it out. As I mentioned in my last blog, my upstairs neighbor was here run retreats and is on her way to becoming fully trained in shamanic practices. She asked me if I’d be interested to try it before she departed and I thought, why not? Since I knew her I figured it was the right time to give it a try. We went to a lodge about an hour from Iquitos and another hour’s walk into the jungle. There were a variety of people there, young and old, and by about 8 PM we got started. The shaman began and continued with a lot of chanting and other rites which I know virtually nothing about. An hour into the ceremony, a helper passed around a cup with the ayahuaska drink for each person to take their portion. Prior to this each person was given his or her own “puke” bucket—sound like fun? Well, after drinking the most disgusting thing you will even try, we waited. And what were we waiting for? Well, to puke, of course!! Yep, that’s the good part. This stuff makes you vomit and for some, even immediate diarrhea. And you don’t vomit just once—oh no!--But at least three times and for some, more. Each round of vomiting is supposed to be a purging of your “bad” stuff and an “opening” for new things in your life. During this vomit phase, most people started to see visions and these can take on endless forms and significances. Each person was then brought to the shaman for further spiritual cleansing and insights. The shaman “sees” things in and about the person and shares his revelations. Well, for me I neither saw any visions nor felt any purging other than to be thoroughly disgusted. The ceremony went on for over four hours and all I could think about was my bed. To top it off, the shaman’s vision for me was to see “toads” in my body. Now I have no idea what that means but it sure doesn’t conjure up the same feelings I suppose butterflies or flowers might have done. So along with my invasive rats at home, I now have toads to add to my current life in the rainforest. My companions, Mags (the neighbor) and her American friend, Dan, have been involved in hundreds of these ceremonies. Dan, who’s in his early 60’s, moved here full time to pursue the ayahauska experience on a deeper, and I assume, more regular basis. As I’ve said before, except for me, every other ex-pat that lives in Iquiots is quite mad! :) So to sum it up, I’m glad I tried it but clearly I don’t have an addictive personally because no one could ever pay me enough to try it again. Perhaps I’m too much of a cynic, especially a religious one, to take any of it seriously? I think for now, if I want an “other world” experience, I’ll stick to my ice, cold Pilsen beer, fresh-brewed in Lima and delivered to my doorstep in cases! I know some of you think I’m a bit complex but really, my needs are very simple :)

Final fun notes. Last week my brother and I shared one of those emails about obsolete words and items that you remember from your youth. You know the kind that your kids look at you sideways when you bring these words up? Well, that got us started on some memories from our childhood. Some were uniquely from our shared, family experiences and some were more general. That first day, we went back and forth with about 15 emails, each of us coming up with long lists of memories. It carried on for several days and I found myself waking up in the middle of the night and making notes! Even this week I’ve come up with a few more and we’re still in the 60’s! Anyway, it was a great diversion and I highly recommend anyone who can, to take a shared walk down memory lane with their siblings. I finally found someone I really like to cut my hair. It’s been so difficult in the almost two years I’ve been here to be satisfied but I think I finally hit pay dirt. Not only is the guy just two blocks from my house but he charges S/.5—with a tip and the current rate of exchange this is $2.12. Now I can continue to afford my ridiculously expensive hair products which I can only get in the States and continue having my friends bring with them on their visits to Perú.

You all may have heard about the floods and landslides in Perú last week? Well, the area where all this happened was exactly the area I was in with my volunteer friends to set up the eye clinic. There were 17 of us and we served over 600 area residents with eye examinations and glasses. Several of our group had gone to Manchu Picchu on the train that was later washed away. The last weekend we were there, the heavy rains started and we experienced them during our stay in Cusco. We departed on Sunday afternoon and it was the next day that all hell broke loose. Our timing could not have been more perfect and everyone made it home safely! It was a wonderful team of friends who helped at the KausiWasi Medical Clinic in Qoya, Perú. I can’t leave without a “shout out” to them all: Heidi, Norm, Lorna, Mark, Becky, Ray, Nancy, Dennis, Carol, Katie, Dick, Jeff, Chad, Colleen, John and my special buddy, Ed! Hope to see you all again in 2011.

Round II, Living In Peru!

2010-01-10T13:51:00.000-06:00

Well, 2010 starts my second full year living in Iquitos, Perú. As most of you know, my "old life" is very different from my current circumstances. Many people ask me if I am happy with the decisions I've made to move to South American? I have to say, I'm still waiting for the day I wake up and say to myself, "what was I thinking?"! But so far it hasn't happened and if one is lucky enough to live two lives in a lifetime, then I think I'm one of them! It's never too late to follow your heart--just do it!

Life is nothing if not ironic. I've faced this reality often in my life and always have to chuckle. My latest observation is the magnificent mango tree in the garden area where I live. In fact this tree is so big that the owner designed the apartment building around the trunk and upper branches. I am lucky enough to live somewhere where fresh fruits and vegetables are available every day. I love veggies but by and large fresh fruit is not my most favorite thing. I do like a few things like pineapple and berries but not too much else. However, mangoes are another story. I used to love them so much and they were always such an exotic treat. But about 3 years ago, while here in the jungle, I had a terrible allergic reaction to eating mangoes. It seems the skin of mangoes is related to poison ivy and I suppose here in the rainforest the skin is even more potent. My face swelled so badly that I had to go to the clinic for a quick steroid shot before the swelling reached my throat. Since then I have not eaten a mango but many times I have been sorely tempted. Well, I guess it was mango season here right after Christmas. The tree outside my door ripened and for over 3 weeks, mangoes rained down like bombs all day and night. Some of you who live in Michigan know the feeling of dodging acorns in the fall? Well, imagine dodging mangoes! And in the night, when they would fall on the metal roof outside my door, I thought a gun went off! The irony of all this is that here I am, living in paradise where not only are fresh mangoes as common as potatoes in the market, for a few weeks each year they are literally falling on my head only to be collected and given away! As I said, life can be ironic! Now why couldn't it have been a canoloupe tree, which I happen to dislike with a passion?

As I was doing a little Christmas shopping, I found my favorite new store--a Radio Shack! Can you believe it? There is not a single chain store in all of Iquitos except this Radio Shack. It only opened about 6 months ago and I sure hope they can get enough business to stay open. It is so fun to go into a store that feels like something in the States. Clean, bright, cool, with the items hanging on pegs so you can touch them and look at the details on the packaging. Most stores here have all the merchandise behind glass counters and you have to find someone to take it out for you to examine one at a time. Radio Shack has all kinds of fun electronic gadgets which up till now were not available in Iquitos. I've bought a new travel alarm and a radio with an IPod dock. I love 'em both! I find it interesting that Radio Shack has been around in the States, it seems, forever and well before computers were common. As other giant electronic stores have come and gone, RS has changed with the times and carried on but never gotten so big with their "bricks and mortar" stores that they went out of business. Anybody got stock in Radio Shack? If so, I suggest you keep it!

While doing some Christmas shopping this year, I was in a store one evening and there was a blackout. Although common, it is a particularly scary thing as they do not have emergency lights (only candles) and when the power goes out they quickly shut all the doors to keep down thefts. The stores and the street lights are not on separate circuits so everything goes black, inside and out! You've heard my stories about the horrible sidewalks in Iquitos with holes, cracks, uneven payment from store to store, steps up and down, manhole and electrical covers missing, etc. Trying to avoid these hazards when there is light is tough enough but in a blackout it's something else! Then you have to worry about personal thefts although I never carry a purse so I feel very secure. You will rarely see woman wearing necklaces of any kind as they regularly get ripped off with a quick yank. Unfortunate, but the trade-off here is that the only real crime is petty theft. Violent crime is virtually unheard of and rarely, if ever, do you see road rage--although it is well-deserved. I can live with this level of security to be safe in a city with almost 500,000 people.

I went to my first Chinese restaurant here for dinner one night. When one first comes to Iquitos it's striking how many Chinese restaurants there are--called "chifas"--which I understand to mean Chinese food. Apparently, there is quite a Chinese presence all over Peru and much of the cuisine has been influenced by that culture. Well, things are not very clean here and even in the States I'm not all that keen about eating out--especially after having worked in plenty of restaurants in the past. And,of course, in the States, Chinese restaurants have an even worse rap but for good reason, I'm sure. So I'd been hearing about this one restaurant in Iquitos that had the best Chinese food and supposedly the cleanest reputation. A friend talked me into going one night and it really was very good! The wantons in particular where lovely. So as we were eating I told him that I rarely eat in Chinese restaurants and that this was my first time in Iquitos. He asked why and I told him about the bad reputation they have for cleanliness in the States. He laughed and said that he thought that was only true in Perú as everyone here feels the same way!! So there you go---watch where you eat no matter what country you're in.

The War On Rats & Ants: Well, in reality the "battle" with these two facts of my life since I will never win the war. The rats have returned and last week they completely upended my kitchen! I thought I heard some strange happenings in the night. When I got up, my kitchen was tossed--bottles and cans tipped onto the counter tops, a glass off a shelf broken with glass on the floor and general mayhem. I did not have any fruit out on the counters that night like usual (which they like to nibble on) so they must have been upset and ransacked the place looking for something to eat. Then I could hear them inside my stove. Apparently they like to curl up in the insulation to sleep! So the next day, it was back to the landlord to get him to button up more holes in the screens and put chicken wire on the back and bottom of my stove. As for the ants, they are relentless and when I cook or bake, no food can stay out for long. I have a very small, under counter refrigerator so I have to be careful how much food I can have around the house at one time. I've tried sprays and I keep things meticulously clean but alas, it's a losing war as they will never go away. I've decided to accept them in a small area of my kitchen. They stay in one corner and seem to come and go only in this place if I leave them a small offering of sugar. As with the rats, it's not a matter of getting rid of them completely--it's simply not possible. I can only "manage" their presence in some way that is acceptable to me. I wonder if we all shouldn't take some lessons from the "pests" of the world? Just like our dubious "war on poverty", "war on drugs" or "war on terrorism" we really have to accept that some things will never go away. We might be better served by managing them within boundaries which we can reasonably live with. Some of life's lessons come in the smallest forms!

I'm off to the mountains next week. It will be a lovely change of scenery and climate plus the joy of seeing old friends. I'll be in touch with my next adventures very soon--xo to all!

Year End News Tidbits!

2009-12-21T13:02:00.000-06:00

"Meetings On The Edge" by Mags MacKean--A High-Level Escape from the Office Routine. This is a book I've just read and thoroughly enjoyed. And all the more reason because the author currently lives in the apartment above me--I just get to meet the most interesting people here! I met this gal about 6 months ago when she moved in but because of my crazy schedule and hers, it was only 2 weeks ago that we connected over dinner. She has the most proper British accent which I was so curious about against my Midwestern twang. Turns out she was a BBC radio and TV correspondent for about 10 years before giving it up to climb mountains all over the world. Her stories about the people she met along the way, the personal challenges of hiking alone for weeks on end, and climbing difficult mountains in organized groups was a most intriguing read. I had the opportunity this week to spend an evening with her and, of course, I had a number of questions. So often I've read a book and wished I could inquire more about the author's thinking. This was a rare treat to have the opportunity to dig deeper. She's been here to study "Shamanism" from learned shamans in the rainforest. Before she departs, she's going to give me an "energy session". I have no idea what this will be but it can't hurt! :) Unfortunately, she will be leaving Iquitos in January and returning to the UK, but I'm delighted to have known her if only for a brief time.

My other neighbors, Christie and David from the University of Colorado have left town for a month and I will miss them over Christmas. However, we did share Thanksgiving dinner at a restaurant which floats in the middle of the river in front of my house. It's a very cool ride out to the place which is in a palm covered boat with a "peque-peque" motor on the back. It was a sultry night with this crazy lighting show in the distance--this added to the drama. As for Christmas, I'm continuing my "cookie ministry" by making cookies, candy and dessert bars which I started last week and have been freezing. I plan to make Christmas gift bags and give them to various people I know either at the office, my neighbors and some of the people I see each day along the street on my walk to work. For Christmas dinner, who knows? I have discovered a new pizza place right around the corner from my house which is actually pretty good. They have a pizza oven that is heated with wood so the crust is great and the toppings decent. I can't say much for their red sauce but it's the best I can seem to get here. They do give you a wonderful "crema" which is a white garlic sauce so I add that to the top :) Each Friday night has now become "pizza night" just like back it the States so maybe this year it will be Christmas dinner too?

More animal stories: I've had some more rat problems, big and small. I have two sizes of metal rat traps but so far I can't seem to catch the little devils...not that I really want to deal with the consequences! I was trying to set the large one the other day--and I mean huge!--when it let go fully on my right thumb. It was so dumb and so shocking that I absolutely started laughing and laughing and just couldn't stop until my stomach hurt. My thumb immediately swelled and turned a greeny-purple color. I didn't break it but it was my right thumb and typing was no fun! Then recently, I was in the jungle for a couple of weeks. One day while at the lodge on the Napo River, I walked out to the sundeck and was immediately attacked by a wild parrot in the chest. I've been around these birds many times over the years and they've never been the least bit aggressive. Why this time I have no idea? I then got up to move to another chair and he/she/it attacked me again, this time in the arm and drawing blood. What is it with animals biting me lately when I'm just minding my own business?

I'm looking forward to my January trip to Cusco, which is in the mountains of Perú. A bunch of friends from Michigan (and you know who you are!) will be coming to set up an free eye clinic. I'm looking forward to spending time with old friends and getting together to volunteer once again. This is the same group of folks whom I went with on my very first international volunteer trip to Honduras in 2003. That trip was the first step to set me on the course which ultimately took me here and all these friends have been greatly supportive along the way. It should be a great time and I'll let you know how it all goes. After that, it will be nothing but Adopt-A-School until the end of May--but then that will bring into Iquitos a whole another set of old friends for visiting, volunteering with generally a good time to be had by all!

Hot off the press--I just got word that one of my grant applications for 2010-for $25,000--was approved in full! I am just thrilled to be able to receive this money for the construction of four new water treatment plants, water workshops and support for gasoline and logistics. Our donor partner, the SAGA Foundation, is from the UK. They were quite generous for the first time this year in providing funding so it's just a delight to see they're committment continue. I guess I still have a position here and we're in business for another year!

Have a great couple of weeks and I'll catch you all in the New Year...seems like yesterday we were freakin' about Y2K. Glad to be still around ten years later. Take care one and all!

ox

It's Official!

2009-11-25T08:11:00.000-06:00

I am now a permanent resident of Perú. I have my "green card" with permission to live and work in the country for more five years. Now I don't know as I'll stay that long but it will certainly make the time, trouble and money worth the effort. It's been a long and winding road to get here and, as expected, it was capped off with a truly Peruvian experience to receive the card. As you may recall, I spent time in Lima at the beginning of October, running around town with a lawyer to this place and that, having copies made of documents, my photo and fingerprints taken, even my teeth were checked and counted (I supposed to identify the body :). That part was for InterPol so I guess I cleared all the international checks! Once back in Iquitos the attorney here drafted a work contract which he had to submit to the local government for approval. The point of this was to convince the local authorities that no Peruvian could do my job—I guess it worked. Once we had the local approval, it was sent off to Lima for the regional government to approve. This surprisingly went quickly and before I knew it, Pam told me I had to return to Lima for the day to appear in person, once again, at immigrations. Neither of us had a clue as to the outcome but we knew it was one more step that had to be taken.

Pam booked me a morning flight to Lima with a return flight later that same evening. I got to the airport early and right away something didn't seem right. Well, it turns out she booked my flight backwards-Lima/Iquitos/Lima! So after many phones calls, the flight was changed but because it was later in the day, I was going to have to spend the night in Lima. The attorney said there would be no way we could get things done in one day. With me I had my money, a book, gum and some lip gloss--nothing else. I figured I’d just buy a toothbrush and anything else when I got there! So I arrived in Lima at 11:30, the driver was waiting and whisked me off to immigrations where I found the attorney. We went inside and lots of action and chaos ensued with me understanding very little. I was called into an office, asked some questions, they look a very bad picture of me, and I signed my name and waited. Less than an hour later, my name was called and they handed me my ID card and returned my passport--it was a done deal! Even the lawyer was surprised and said he didn't expect this to happen so fast. I looked at my watch and it was only 1 PM. So I called Pam and said, hey, we're done. Is there any reason to stay the night? Ten minutes later she called me back and said you're booked on the 4 PM flight to Iquitos. I was back in a taxi to quickly return to the airport. I had a fast lunch, ran into a friend for some ice cream, completely forgot to buy the Dunkin' Donuts I promised another friend in Iquitos, raced through the exit taxes and screening and made it to the gate just in time. There waiting to catch the same flight was Ari, Pam's husband and Jimmy, my landlord. I chatted with them both and it was fun to see people I know in a strange airport--althought I swear I know the Lima airport better that Detroit-Metro! Jimmy had been in England for two months and was just returning. So we chatted in line, sat next to each other on the plane and really caught up on all the news. Once home, we shared a moto-kar since I had no luggage and we were home by 6 PM. I truly think it was the quickest trip anyone has ever take to Lima and I have to say I was a little disappointed I didn't have more time there. I was really hoping for a minute or two to go shopping...you know? at least for some cereal! :)

As for other news here, I've been in and out of the jungle several times this last month for various reasons. I've met some great tourist guests and one night found myself chatting together with a couple from China, a couple from Germany, and the Spanish guide. Of course we were all speaking in English. I was thinking what a small world it is and how great it is to have such a universal language as English so we could all communicate! There have been quite a few violent storms and lots of rain. My tropical plants are lovin' it and it makes me feel like I actually have a green thumb, which we all know is not true. I have had several frog encounters, one of which become by "wine charm" for the evening. He was this little tiny thing, about the size of my thumb nail, but he had big, padded feet and wonderful color. He crouched on the base of my glass and didn't budge for about an hour while I continued to drink my wine. I've done some entertaining, having a few friends over for dinner. I've made some interesting desserts from the recipes I brought from the States, which get quickly eaten by the gang at Explorama. I've hired a housekeeper--I know, I know--what kind of "roughing it" is this you're doing in the jungle? But it's a neighbor whose husband died quite suddenly of a heart attack at 45 so now she is without resources. I have her come and wash my floors and windows. It just doesn't seem like I have time for it all anymore so I'm glad to give her the work. I've picked up another student who's US sponsor would like me to manage the tuition money. As my little side businesses grow, I find myself keeping more records than I ever did for my personal accounts in the States but it's all fun and gives me extra pin money.

Well, I hope you all have a great day tomorrow with whatever food you choose to eat on Thanksgiving. I have no special plans and will work the day but perhaps I'll treat myself to a pizza and a bottle of wine as my way of giving eternal thanks for all my gifts, all my health, all my family and friends, all my safe passages and all that I hope to bring to the table while I spend a few years here in the rainforest of Peru and enjoy the spectacle of the Amazon River!

Mopping Up!

2009-11-02T18:26:00.000-06:00

Well, for those of you who have faithfully followed my blog, it has been just over a year (October 27, 2008) since I entered my first posting! What started out as a last minute whim, as I left the States, has turned into a regular habit and a thoroughly rewarding experience. How quickly this year has passed and how different my life is today. Thank you all, whoever you might be, for reading my stories. I often wonder if I'm writing them only for myself, then I hear about someone who is regularly reading my thoughts and it keeps me inspired to carry on. Thank you for your continued interest and enthusiasm!

Hmmmmm...What’s new? After the last two blog postings, I'm afraid I can't top those adventures so I'll just bring you up to date and then a few more ramblings! My arm is slowly healing but I've finally given up using a sling. I still wrap it each day more for padding against an unexpected bump than any other reason. It's been a particularly hot week so having the added wrapping was no fun. My monkey bite is gone but, at the moment, I do have a scar so it reminds me of how insulted I was by the bite (I really don't like that monkey!). The garden around my apartment has been cleaned up and there are green sprouts shooting up here and there. One interesting plant is the banana tree. This huge tree was completely destroyed yet already the leaves are unfolding again, I swear, right before my eyes. It is now at least 1/3 of the way back to its former size! When the landlord returns from England, I hope he finds the hole in the wall as ugly as I do and decides to bite the bullet by rebuilding the wall at least halfway up.

I spent a week in the jungle with a large group of students from the American school in Lima. They came to do service projects in the villages and learn about the rainforest in general. I don't know exactly who these kids were but the Explorama boats which brought them to and from the Lodges were accompanied by a full Peruvian navy escort! In addition, a large cruiser was parked outside the Lodge on the Amazon for the whole week the students were here--very interesting! CONAPAC now has another water plant up and running--our 6th this year with one more to yet to build in 2009. Of course, we have about 75-80 villages with which we work so we have much more yet to accomplish :) Check out the bottom of my blog as I posted a new photo taken while at one of the water workshops--sling and all!

I've picked up another English student who is coming two days a week for conversation and other clarifications about the proper use of English. Of course, I'm always up against the fact that in Perú they teach "proper" British English which bumps up against American English in usage and pronunciation. I don't know which team will win this battle but you know the one I'm cheering on! I continue with my own Spanish classes which have a hit and miss quality to them. Some days it all just flows. Then other days every word sticks in my head and refuses to cross my lips...oh! This is so painful learning a new language :( I have been doing a lot of cooking and baking from recipes I brought here from the States. Now that I know what ingredients I can find here and what I can't, it makes it a lot easier to find the appropriate recipe. Each weekend I haunt the stores for the rare food item. When I do, I buy as much as possible since I know I'll never see it in the store again. My most recent hunt is for any kind of nut besides peanuts and any kind of cheese besides the soft processed type--in other words, something hard enough to grate on a cheese grater. Interestingly, two common things you can find here are marshmallows and cream cheese--go figure?! It feels like 1956.

Two successful finds I've had in the last week were my patio table and chairs, which I never thought I could possibly locate. But after looking and waiting and then going back to the stores over and over again, finally I found exactly what I wanted. And the miracle of miracles was that the salesman was actually helpful and promised he'd have it delivered that evening (it was already 4 PM on a Saturday). But sure enough in less than an hour he was at my door. I told him I'd never received such quick and efficient customer service in Iquitos. He then proceeded to tell me that was because he is from Lima!! Well, I hope more folks from Lima set up shop here in Iquitos soon and use their great customer service skills :) My other incredible find was WD40! Can you believe it? After my rant and rave at the TSA, I actually found it here. It’s a little pricey but well worth it. The trick here is never to be actually looking for something specifically--but you always want to be prepared with enough money if you do find something unexpected. If you don't buy it then, you'll never see it again. I'm still looking for some kind of interesting cereal other than the only ONE they have here for grown-ups. If you're coming to visit me in Perú, a box of Wheat Chex would be great!!

It has been the low water season and truly I've never seen the water so low. But I think just like those of you in the Midwest, telling me about the leaves changing and the November winds and rain moving in, the tide here has turned, as well. After this last week of oppressive heat, yesterday it finally broke. It rained so hard and for so long that I know the rivers and streams will be on their way to the start of the high water season. Last night there was an incredible thunder and lightening show, with crazy amounts of wind, too. There's not too much in the way of "extreme" weather here so it was really something. When I got home from work last night, I stepped out of the motorkar into a foot of water and it never stopped all night. This morning it was 78 degrees inside my apartment. The first time in several weeks that it dipped below 82 inside...a nice change of pace and clean streets, too!! :)

Final thoughts...thank you all for various notes and letters I've received lately. Also for some old friends I've found recently on Facebook. I feel so connected with everyone while I'm here, I think even more than when I lived in Michigan. Keep the notes coming as time allows and know I think of you all quite often. Take care and enjoy the upcoming "turkey day" festivities! OH, PS...Remember that rat problem which we "took care of" back in May? Well, theeeey're back! Not sure if we have a small rat problem or a large mouse problem but either way, our vacation from rodents is over! :(

Back In The Groove...

2009-10-16T12:44:00.000-05:00

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!

A Tentative Landing Home...

2009-10-10T12:44:00.000-05:00

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!!

Missin' Perú...

2009-09-08T19:34:00.000-05:00

Yes, indeed, I am missing home. Folks have asked me, "When do you have to leave?" and I correct them by saying, "You mean when do I get to leave?" As you might imagine, I am ready to pass the Equator and avoid the first frost!

I have done a bit of shopping here, buying odds and ends which I can't find there. Some examples: A pointed can opener (for canned milk), a seam ripper, decent (and cute!) underwear, WD40, an oven thermometer, maple syrup, Good & Plenty, and so forth. I'd like to take some books back with me too, but man, they weigh a lot and I'd rather take more M & M's (I have my priorities!) As I've done my shopping I am further reminded of the differences between here and Iquitos. One thing is the how to pay for the items. Of course, here you can give the cashier just about any size denomination (except for maybe gas stations) and they happily take your money then kindly make change. In Iquitos, each Friday I take $100 (or about 300 soles) out of the bank upon which to live for the week. The money machine always gives me 2-100's and 2-50's. This is a problem. I have to find someplace to buy something that will take the 100's so I can break it down--this is not easy. The 50's are really no easier and I have to constantly look for ways to make change. The markets where I buy most of my food require very small coin. Often if they don't have enough change on hand, they send a runner somewhere to make change. Just when you think they will never return, they do but it's a hassle. Well, hurry up and wait is the motto! Therefore, plan out my buying for the week by getting the more expensive items first then working my way down the list. Another striking difference is the customer service. Here I am quite shocked when I receive unfriendly, unhelpful service. In Iquitos, it's the opposite. I'm bowled over when I get friendly, fast, helpful service and it quite literally makes my day! Another challenge is the timing--one must get to the market very early to buy fish, chicken or meat. No need to explain why but let's just say it has to do with potential intestinal problems! You know, we live a life of such ease and comfort here and frankly one that lacks "adventure" on a daily basis. I wonder if that's why people often have nothing else to talk about than the weather or how long it took them to travel from point A to B or what kind of gas mileage they got along the way? Or my perennial favorite,the price of gasoline? Well, for some folks that is adventure enough!!

I continue to stay in contact with Pam and the goings-on at CONAPAC. I have tried to do what I can from here but I know much will be waiting on my desk. I truly prefer going to work each day, doing what needs to be done and then heading home. Working from a distance is not my cup of tea. I feel quite out of sight, out of mind here and it's difficult to remember who's on first! However, Claire (from the Detroit Zoo) and I have gotten our September newsletter written for the Adopt-A-School program; the grad students (David and Christie) return at the end of September to continue with their work on our water systems; two more water workshops have been presented in my absence (Irlanda and Timicuro Grande); I have received word from a donor family that they will be funding a water treatment plant for us in Canal Pinto; and we've received further donor funding support to help get our new bakery, in the village of Irlanda, off the ground. We continue to be strongly supported in a variety of ways by the Detroit Zoological Society, as well as, the commitment of many returning previous volunteers for the AAS deliveries in April 2010. It's so much fun to look forward to seeing old friends and follow volunteers when they come through for their annual visit--and they usually bring me and Pam goodies, too! :) So work continues and progress made on the many programs and opportunities CONAPAC offers those who live in the rain forest. If any of you are interested in receiving the AAS quarterly newsletter, please let me know either by email or through the comment section. The newsletter is send via email.

Enjoy what's left of the season...perhaps September will surprise us by making up for the "lost summer of '09"...hope springs eternal!

I'm Home...Or Am I Visiting?

2009-08-07T10:53:00.000-05:00

At the moment this is the burning question in my mind. My friends ask me if they should say “welcome home” or “welcome back”. I’m not sure how to respond, for of course, Michigan will always be the place I return. But in such a short time, I have to say that I feel my home, my life is most definitely in Iquitos, Perú. Maybe part of it is that I’m currently “couch surfing” at the homes of many generous friends and for that I am eternally grateful. A different bed, pillow, shower and computer, just about every day, makes one quite flexible! But I truly long for my own bed, my own space and the hot, humid weather I left behind, as well as the Spanish language.

Coming back to the States is always a shocking difference from where I’ve been but this time, it seems more so than ever before. Despite all the economic despair and reduced circumstances of many in the country and particularly in Michigan, it is utterly striking to me the wealth of this country! The clean and well-maintained streets and roads; traffic lights that work and signs that clearly tell you where you are going; road rules that drivers actually abide by; a post office that is fast, friendly and efficient; stores with so much stuff that it utterly overwhelms me the variety of choices and I can’t stay in them for very long; and huge green lawns and spaces between the most modest of homes. Plus, don’t forget, that every city, town, village and even the smallest house has access to clean water and a sewage waste disposal system. All these things we take for granted, myself included, but maybe during this time of lowered expectations, we can continue to find the great things about this country which make our lives so easy and carefree in our pursuit of happiness along the way!

I’ve had a couple of engagements to be the speaker at local Rotary clubs and a few more lined up while I’m here. It’s a great opportunity to talk about my current life situation and about the programs CONAPAC has to offer. I have enjoyed visiting friends and family, eating my favorite “gringo” foods, and spending time with my grandson, Jack. He’s quite the young man now and such an interesting little person. Although he doesn’t really know me well or remember much about me, he has quickly warmed up and we are planning some activities together over the next few weeks. Earlier this week I had an opportunity to join my friend Joanie in visiting a friend of hers who is from Colombia. Mercedes is a lovely person and she speaks no English. It was a great chance to get back into my Spanish conversation and listening skills. Although brief, it went better than I had expected and I hope there will be other chances to get together. Not hearing Spanish constantly in the background of my life—the radio, TV, on the street, in stores and on signs, and conversation with friends is quickly diminishing my Spanish memory bank. Once I get north and settled for a month or so, I must spend some time each day reading and, if nothing else, talking to myself is Spanish! Now everyone will truly think I’m a little nuts but that’s OK because I am!

Well, folks, I’ll check out now and catch up in a few weeks when I have some news from the jungle. Pam and I are continuing to work on CONAPAC business via the Internet so I can stay in the loop while I’m here in Michigan. I will let you know what’s happening there very soon. All the best to you and do wish me luck in my attempts to stay warm!

Leavin' Paradise

2009-07-24T15:34:00.000-05:00

As I now come into the home stretch of leaving town, I can’t believe how quickly the last 9 months have passed. On the other hand, it feels like I’ve lived in Iquitos and Peru for a lifetime. As many of you know, I have to return to the States to get my passport updated and take care of other personal items which were left hanging at the end of 2008. Although I look forward to returning to see family and friends, I’m already missing the action here. I also worry about losing the Spanish skills I’ve acquired so far. Well, maybe this will be a good opportunity to stay in touch with my friends here but only by writing to them in Spanish! And maybe I can stop having my friendships dependent on Facebook as I'll have the chance to have some real "face time" with family and friends!

I just returned from three days in the jungle assisting with our first water workshop and although it went very well, I was thrilled to get home to my little home in the garden and back to my own bed. For this workshop, there were about 10 of us assisting and we stayed in the village for two nights. We were provided with mattresses, sheets and mosquito nets from Explorama and the village provided us with the floor of the school building. As you can imagine, it was quite grubby and as basic as it gets. I’ve mentioned before, the first question I ask when I come into a new village is how bad are the “baños”? Well, this one was pretty bad. The only good thing about it was that it was close to the school and it had a door. However, I still chose to “hold it” all night and I can tell you it was a painful experience! For breakfast we had salted fish, boiled manioc and plantains, bread and a cup of lemon grass tea. Our hosts provided us with the best they had and we were quite grateful for their hospitality.

The water workshop itself went very well. There were two days of information presented to all age levels, games and songs, opportunity to see the difference between clean water and dirty water at the microscopic level. At the end, a new, clean 20-liter bucket was presented to each family who attended. All the children got their own new blue, plastic cup with the message to only drink clean water printed on the side. Joining us for this workshop was Christie Chatterly and Dave Sparkman. They are both from the University of Denver working on their PhD’s in clean water systems for developing countries. They have been a great asset, helping CONAPAC by evaluating our systems--plus they were just plain fun to have along! Also, this past month, there have been a number of medical students working in the area who are also from the University of Colorado. I met with them about possible collaboration in the future and they also joined us for the water workshop. What fun it’s been for me to have so many English speaking people working together in the rainforest. They all spoke Spanish, too, so the kids enjoyed their ability to communicate and I appreciated the interpreting they did for me!

Now for some animal stories: Lizards, rats and bats, & chiggers. What do these have in common? Well, perhaps many things but mainly they are interested in spending time in my life! A little over a week ago, I noticed a small, baby lizard in my living room (interesting color, almost an albino). Anyway, he was there for a few days but I kept expecting him to exit at some point because this would not be his natural environment for long. I’ve had lizards in the house before but they come and go quickly. Well, when I got back from my last trip to the jungle, I was relaxing in my “mesadora” and what do I see but my lizard--but now he's almost twice as big! (I know it’s the same one because of the odd color). And what do I see him do? He is busy eating dinner, running up and down my living room wall grabbing bugs. No wonder he’s getting bigger and maybe he thinks he can live there forever? I don’t know but as long as he stays out of my bedroom, I am considering him my pet. Any names suggestions? Now, I wonder where he poops??

As I mentioned before, I was staying in the village school, sleeping on the floor along with 10 other people. Both nights, after everyone was settled down with no more snoring or other “noises” (besides bats flying overhead), what do I hear?--Crunch, crunch, crunch…a family of rats had moved in to eat from the food stash we brought with us to share in the village. I’m not sure what they were the most interested in—dried beans or spaghetti—but I wasn’t going to stop them. The good news is I was at the opposite end of the room from the food and I had my IPOD. Needless to say, I plugged that baby in and cranked up the volume. Sometimes what you don’t know (or hear) won’t hurt you! And my last souvenir from Santa Teresa is my third case of izangos (or chiggers). As my previous readers know, this is not my favorite thing but I am optimistic this time they won’t drive me quite so crazy. Despite almost bathing in DEET, they do know how to find the most hidden corners of your body. Well, mosquitoes and black flies await me in Michigan so I will be well-prepared.

OK folks, I’m heading back to the States. Can’t say I’ll have much to say about the rainforest while I’m there but perhaps some reflections on the culture shock I’m sure to receive…stay tuned!

Peruvian 4th of July..It's Not The Same

2009-07-04T14:28:00.000-05:00

Well, as I sit here in the office on the 4th of July, thinking of all the wonderful parties back home, I have to say my thoughts are with you! The only things red, white and blue here are the flowers, the sky and the rice! All things considered, not so bad. Although I won't see fireworks today, I did see some killer rainbows this week. (For those of you on Facebook, I posted a couple of photos.) I do hope that for each of you the weather cooperates, especially if you live in Michigan, and that you enjoy the freedom to eat, drink and be merry!

Last week was the visit from my daughter, Samantha. We had a great time and she arrived here with no trouble. One concern I had was that she was bringing into the country a contraption called a “Sun Oven”. They’re made in Illinois and sold all over the world, especially to developing countries. Unfortunately, they are difficult to get pass customs without added cost and hassle. Having Sam bring it as a piece of her checked luggage worked out great. These ovens have no power source other than capturing the sun’s rays with a set of foldout reflectors. I am going to experiment with it next week to make a stew or soup and maybe a cake. We are hoping this might be something viable to use in the jungle where every meal has to be cooked over an open fire thus burning more wood from the rainforest (not to mention the task of gathering wood, and the smoke, heat and mess it creates). I don’t know how readily the women of the villages will take to it but if it’s all it claims to be in simplicity and ease of use, I don’t see why not? I will post a photo of it once I try it out and let you know the results.

As for my time with Sam, it was great. We headed to the jungle where we hooked up with Dave and Dottie Bonnet, their daughter Shayla and her two sons, David and Dylan. The Bonnets are one of CONAPAC’S most loyal supporters for the Adopt-A-School program and other projects in the rainforest. They come back each year for a visit/vacation and their timing was exactly the same as Sam’s visit. We all had a great time together and Samantha was able to visit a couple of villages in order to see the projects we’ve been working on recently. We played “tourist” all week then headed back to Iquitos. Over the weekend she met more of my friends, we went dancing, swimming, dining, shopping, cooking and generally just enjoyed each other’s company. It was a special treat for me, beyond belief, to have her here. I don’t think she fell in love with the rainforest in quite the same way I have, but then again, the girl lives in Colorado and that’s a tough act to follow! All in all, it was an experience we shared together which neither of us will soon forget. Now I need to get my other daughter here next….Erin are you listening??

Finally, this last week was the wonderful completion of the new CONAPAC website. Most of you who follow my blog have already checked it out but if not, go to www.CONAPAC.org to take a look. The old site was dated and no fun to poke around in. This new site was a collaborative effort between me, Pam here at Explorama and her friend, Nancy back in the States. It took about 8 months for this baby to be born but it was worth the wait. I hope you’ll agree! More marketing projects are taking shape for the program—a quarterly e-newsletter, post cards and posters for sale both here and in the States. I’m looking forward to my return next month as I have several Rotary Club meetings lined up where I am the speaker of the day…hmmmmmm, I wonder what I can talk about?

Have a great weekend and enjoy the beach, the beers and the BBQ's :)

The Ways of Iquitos

2009-06-21T10:53:00.000-05:00

First, through the miracle of the Internet, I was able to wish my father a Happy Father's Day despite being over 6,000 miles away! And keeping in touch with you all is such a blessing that it can’t be anything other than a miracle. So talking about miracles, tomorrow is the day that I have been eagerly awaiting for weeks, months, even years because tomorrow morning, at 6 AM, Samantha arrives in Iquitos. I have been thinking about her all day, where she is on each part of the trip, as I know she will be changing planes many times. She will also be doing the usual routine of an overnight stay in the airport of Lima. But pulling “all nighters” should be no trouble for this gal! And hopefully, all the goodies I asked her to bring me (like wax paper, foil and WD40) will make in her suitcase and arrive in a timely manner. We head out tomorrow to the jungle for all the fun things it has to offer. I fully expect Sam to fall in love with the jungle and Perú as much as I have—watch out, another Snyder may be moving!!

Life in Iquitos continues in its continuous loop of routine activity. A gringo friend described it as “Ground Hog Day” because every day is the same--the weather, the food, the music, the people, the action on the street, the jungle and beat of it all seems to be a constant. Some folks would not care for it but thus far, I’m not one of them. However, I have to say that although I usually sing its praises, there are some things about Iquitos that are not pleasant. One of them is the endless public spitting that is practiced by every man, woman and child! It doesn’t seem to matter where they are or what time of day, nor does anyone bother to look around first before they do it, but someone is spitting. And it’s not done in a quiet manner, oh no! They have to start it all very deep in the throat and really work up a good one first , then they let it all loose (there’s a slang word for this that I’m sure you all know so need to spell it out here)! Thus far, while walking down the street, I have not been personally caught in the line of fire, but it’s been close! I know it’s only a bad habit which can be broken but someone has to start.

Explorama is constantly training its staff to avoid this practice when working with tourists. In the four yeas I have been staying at Explorama Lodges, I have never seen or heard anyone do it. It was only after living in Iquitos that I began to notice the difference. So I know it’s a habit that can be stopped—someone just needs to point it out and I have been mentioning this to my Iquitoan friends as often as possible! If you think of Iquitos as the wild, Wild West you get the picture. Stray dogs roam the streets, public urination is another fun pastime, and there are no road rules when it comes to driving. The street competes with pedestrians, motokars, motorcycles, cars, trucks, dogs and often kids trying to play soccer or volleyball. Sitting outside on the streets, drinking beer, dancing, gathering around a BBQ grill are as commonplace here as rain is each day. People here also have an incredible tolerance for a “live and let live” attitude which allows for everyone to pretty much be themselves and do their own thing. There is some petty theft, mainly from tourists and motorcycles are often lifted but other than that, there is virtually no violent crime. So, when all is said and done, despite some darker sides of Iquitos, I still love the place, the people and the life I have carved out for myself here “in this place, in time and space”. I wish for you all the same level of contentment, peace and joy at some point in your lives. My time here will not last forever, but when one day I return to the States, I will have no regrets about the choices I've made! I hope you can say the same :)

June from the Jungle

2009-06-02T15:03:00.000-05:00

Well, since I last wrote, the office has been completed revamped with a new cement wall and a new color. So far we have neither seen nor heard any more rats so hopefully they've found a new home somewhere else! After many weeks of disruption, we are all back together in the same area and enjoying our cheery new space. There are many new projects on my plate: helping create a new CONAPAC website with our good friend Nancy Cowal; a new e-newsletter for AAS with Claire Lannoye from the Detroit Zoo; and creating some new "voluntourism" programs for International Expeditions, a tour company who regularly sends business to Explorama. I am excited about all these new opportunities to spread the fun of international volunteering and the help it can bring others in the world.

I had a somewhat difficult Mother's Day this year knowing that my own mother is no longer with me. Also, I was not able to see or speak with either of my daughters, Erin and Samantha. But my Iquitos "family" once again came through for me by making sure I had something to do that day and providing me with little gifts. By the end of what was a perfect day, weather wise, I was feeling a little better. But I guess the best thing that came out of my melancholy mood was an IM conversation with Samantha the next day. After we both proclaimed how much we missed each other, it became clear that something had to be done. I asked her to check the cost of flights, then one thing lead to another and now she's booked to come for a visit. She will be arriving on Monday, June 22nd, in less than three weeks and I couldn't be more excited!!! This will be the first visit I receive from any of my family so it's really special and she will stay for 10 days. We will go to the jungle for about five days then back to the city to check out my crazy life here in Iquitos. Pray that her trip here is safe and uneventful :)

I had a couple of routine experiences last month but with a few differences being in Peru. First, I went for a yearly dental check-up. I had my teeth cleaned by a very nice doctor who gave me what I consider one of the best cleanings ever! She did a great job in about 45 minutes. The final cost? S/60.00 or about $20! This month I'm going for my annual Pap smear and mammogram which will cost me substantially less than in the States. Since I no longer have health insurance, it will be close to unaffordable for me to purchase these services in Michigan. Better take care of my health as much as possible while I am here!

My second routine experience involved a funeral. Sadly, our education director, Alberto Vela, lost his 45 year old wife to stomach cancer. It was quite sudden and a huge lost for his family and the school in which she taught for many years. Pam and I arrived at the house Saturday. There where at least seven large buses full of people heading to the cemetery, along with the hearse, a pick-up truck for the family members, and many motorcycles. It was quite some distance to the cemetery as it's located outside of the city limits. This was my first time to see this part of Iquitos since so much of it is developed. (Iquitos is on a peninsula surrounded by rivers and then the jungle. As you know there are no roads in or out of Iquitos to any place else so finding "countryside" was quite a novelty for me). We finally got to the cemetery--by the way, there was not an orderly funeral procession as you would have had in the States but rather a bit of a "free for all" going down the road. But we all made it to a beautiful, well-tended, well-designed cemetery--really an oasis in the middle of the jungle. As I entered the main burial area I was completely struck by a vision of pure fun and joy. There are no headstones but instead, small metal plaques. On each grave was a miniature umbrella stuck in the ground in all kinds of patterns and colors. Then draped over each umbrella and underneath were silk flowers in all colors and styles. The terrain was slightly rolling so as you glazed across, it looked like a fairyland or happy place--a complete delight to the eye and heart! Although the final words of the clergy and family were ones of loss and grief, there was a note of possibility in the air. With over 300 hundred adults and children in attendance, our friend, Irma Cruz, was sent off to her next life with much love and affection by those left behind on that glorious day. I was quite honored to be able to attend.

I have found myself the owner of another cell phone! As I've mentioned to many of my friends, I could hardly bear to have a cell phone in the States and now I'm on my second one here in only seven months. But my first one was dropped in the toilet (don't ask!) twice. I was able to have it repaired but then it died again. There are two service companies here, Claro and Movistar. I had Claro the first time and was never too happy with the reception. I decided to try the other and so far, so good. Tomorrow I leave for the jungle for a week and my understanding is that Movistar will work while I'm at the Lodges. We shall see how good it really is! But the kicker to my story is that after I bought my new phone and was trying to retrieve my address book off the memory card--Eureka!--my old phone started working again. So now I had two working phones, two different services, and one big headache--what to do? But since nothing goes to waste here, I found someone who needed a phone and I gave it away. My friend, Maruja, who is helping me with my Spanish, now has my old phone--so far, it's working great! Hopefully, she won't be dropping it in a toilet anytime soon as I think three strikes, you're out!!

Final notes and thanks to all the volunteers and other jungle visitors who have kept in touch with me. I've met many new friends from all over the world and they've been just great about staying in touch. I know that once one returns home, despite the best of intentions, it's difficult to remember the passion felt while here in the rainforest--but overall, everyone has been great and I really appreciate it. The door is always open and I'd love to see you all again!

Ciao for now, Sintia

PS...See new photo posted below!

Jungle fun....

2009-05-11T13:53:00.000-05:00

Dearest friends and followers of my crazy blog...I apologize for such a long delay between postings. I have finally come out of the "black hole" of Adopt-A-School and just now able to do something besides eat, sleep and breathe books and school supplies! The good news is that it was another successful year with much fun and hard work accomplished by all concerned. This year we had two weeks set aside for our volunteers, the first week to delivery the supplies then the second week with fresh volunteers to finish deliveries and do service projects. I have to send a "shout out" right now to all my volunteers from the first week: Ray, Erich, Mary, Noah, Joe, Jan, Deni, Kristin (especially!), Bonnie, Bev, Nancy, Sarah, Ron, Claire, Carla and my "bud", Michael! During the second week, our new group of volunteers assisted in the building of a mini-water treatment plant and a small, sustainable bakery in the village of Irlanda. We had quite the challenge in our work as it poured down rain for two days which created mud bogs in the midst of everything we were doing. But at the end of the week, we took this dirty, muddy river water one day and the next day turned it into clean, clear, tasteless drinking water which everyone in the village and our volunteer group shared in drinking together and celebrating. This was the 4th water plant built by CONAPAC and we will be building at least three more this year. As for the bakery, it was not quite completed as the bricklayer, who builds the oven, will need to come another day. But a great start was made and we hope to have bread baking there by the end of the month. Of course, another "shout out" to my second team of volunteers: Sally, Bill, Kristin #2, Stephanie, Mary Frances, and Claire and Carla, too!

Prior to the delivery week for AAS, by friend Bonnie Gornie from Michigan, came a few days early to stay with me in my apartment. It was the first time I've had family or friends come to visit me here and I was so delighted and so excited that I could hardly wait. Then poor Bonnie arrives the first day (Tuesday), gets settled in and we spend the day together catching up sitting in my beautiful garden. But that evening, about midnight, I woke up and proceeded to vomit and have endless diarreha for two days! So Bonnie, ever the trooper, not only helped me out at home but went to the office and handled my work for two days so that the AAS schedule, with all its 1,000 details, could continue on and be ready to go by 8:00 AM Saturday morning. Plus, Bonnie had been gracious enough to bring me some "comforts" from home and pack them along with other goodies that I had ordered on-line. She is a dear friend, willing to do so much for me. I truly couldn't move on with my stories until I thanked her here!

Among many memorable activities during the last month, a few stand out. The first day of our service project activities, as I said, was rainy and muddy. I really can't remember being that wet, dirty, tired and cold since I was a kid. At the end of the day, the sun finally peaked out and it began it warm up. Right now the Amazon River and all its tributaries are quite swollen and even higher this year than in most years past. Where we were working was in the village of Irlanda, although the village is about 1/4 mile off the Napo River, the water had reached all the way back to the edge of town. As we were leaving all dirty, muddy, sweaty and tired, I just couldn't stand it...I asked them to stop the boat (well, the dugout canoe) and I jumped in the water with all my clothes on. It was just wonderful...so refreshing and relaxing and silly and funny all at the same time. Many of the village kids joined in for the fun along with several others in our volunteer group. Finally, I got out and guess what? Those wonderful tourist, jungle clothes that everyone wears (and I really don't like), they had come completely clean and by the time we got back to the lodge, after riding on the boat for 20 minutes or so, they were dry, as well! And the final good news, I didn't encounter any piranhas!

Later in the week, we headed to the Canopy Walkway which is an experience unequaled in the rainforest! At a height of over 35 meters (115 feet) and extending for 500 meters (one-third of a mile), the Canopy Walkway provides a view of the rainforest from the treetops, the best vantage point for observing Amazon wildlife and vegetation. It is one of the longest in the world, as well. I have been to the walkway twice before but this time was the best. Not only was there just nine of us on the whole walkway, but half way through, it began to pour down rain. It was so beautiful to see the rain from this prospective and experience it through sight, sound and touch. As we moved along, of course, there was the most glorious rainbow in the distance and we all counted it was a most fortunate day.

Toward the end of the week, we headed back to Ceiba Tops, one of the Explorama Lodges. There on the hill as I came in, was Nemecio! Nemecio was one of my best English students last year and he was so kind to me when I lived at the lodge. After I left last May, he was laid off from Explorama and I found him working in a chicken place in Iquitos when I returned in November. He was hoping to get back to work for Explorama and finally he did. I asked him what he was doing--cleaning rooms, working in the kitchen? No! He is personally caring for and raising a baby tapir and a baby jungle deer for the owner of Explorama, Peter Jensen! The animals are only about three months old each but already getting aquainted with all the tourists. Nemecio has to feed them milk four times a day and then keep them busy roaming the paths and boardwalks of Ceiba Tops. The tapir is called Luchito and the follows Nemecio around like a dog. Nemecio is a master at the right whistle or sound Luchito makes and I imagine he'll be figuring out what works for Juanita, too (the baby deer)!

Well, my last story also involves animals but not my favorite kind. As I mentioned before, the river is quite high right now. I live very near the river in Iquitos and now and then I've seen rats in the yard. Well, two weeks ago, I woke up to a funny little scratching noise. I turned on the light expecting to see something OUTSIDE my screened window, but NO, the rat was inside! So I freaked and it freaked then ran out my bedroom door. I quickly opened the other doors of my house and closed my bedroom door. Since it was only about 4 AM, I finally fell back to sleep and it was gone in the morning. So, the next night, about 4 AM, what do I hear? The same little noise! I turned on the light and once again, another rat only this one was three times as big!!!!!! OMG...it ran under my bed, I got the broom, poked it and it ran out the door screeching all the way. (Now this is when I'd really like to have a man in the house!) But I handled it and decided to keep all the doors and windows closed and for the first time ever, simply turned on my air conditioning rather than my fans. This was just before Bonnie arrived so I didn't tell her exactly what kind of "critter" problem I had been having but I'm sure she guessed. Anyway, I got my landlord to do some reinforcement at the bottom of the screen so since then I've had no more midnight visits. Bottom line: Give me bats in the house, any day!!! When I returned from the deliveries to the office, what should I find but the whole office upside down. Turns out that all those rats we've been seeing and hearing in the office over the last several months had finally starting dying. However, they were dying in the walls which you can guess doesn't smell very good. So Pam made the executive decision to tear apart the walls and completely patch and rebuild them in cement. No more rats for the moment, now only drying cement and fresh paint soon on its way. :)

Well, gotta' go. Thank you, again, all of you who stay in touch with me and connect either by email or Facebook. I would be lost without you all and I appreciate each and every one of you! Have a great May :) PS I will be posting some photos on Facebook soon from the last couple of weeks so stay tuned.

Life goes on...

2009-04-01T14:20:00.000-05:00

Life goes on...

Well, I can't believe it's been almost a month since my last posting. As I looked over my daily journal, so much has happened on a daily basis that I don't know where to begin this posting? Although we've been working on AAS preparation for some time, last month was the real start of getting the Adopt-A-School parts and pieces organized. Several thousand dollars worth of school supplies were sent down river to the lodge where I met with a group of high school volunteers from Scared Heart School in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. They were here to experience the jungle and do 20 hours of community service. I filled their time quite well and we got a lot done. Four days later we had sorted, organized, counted and filled over 150 rice bags with paper, tape, chalk, pens, crayons, etc. This week we've started making over 4,500 individual packets of notebooks, pens, markers, etc. for each student and their teachers. Behind the scene, there is a mountain of paperwork and organizing going on that is never seen by anyone but the office staff. We have less than 3 weeks to go with a lot left to do but one way or the other, on Monday, April 20, along with about 15 volunteers from the States through the Detroit Zoo, we will begin the delivery process for one more year! Donations this year, as expected, have been down from previous years. We were not able to buy as many classroom textbooks as we would have liked, but our donor base is a loyal one and enough funding was received to continue providing individual packets to each child and teacher in the program!

Two weeks ago I went to my first fútbol game (soccer). There is a really nice stadium here so it was a professional match between teams from Perú and Brazil. It was held on a Sunday afternoon and the stadium is so close to home I could walk. The weather was quite hot and the place was packed. It was the first time I've actually sat through a whole soccer game whether professor or on a amateur. I really don't know anything about the rules and such but I came away feeling like I had watched a hockey game! All kinds of action and fights with lots of close calls for goals. But in the end the score was 2-1 (we lost)--just like hockey. I think I could learn to enjoy the game but I need to watch it with some English commentary so I can pick up the nuances of the game a bit more. There is absolutely no other sport here that anyone plays or follows--it's fútbol 24/7/365 :)

I read a very interesting book called "The New Earth" by Echart Tolle. Although his writing is decidedly "new age" he uses passages from the New Testament repeatedly as reference and I found his take, if you will, on the passages refreshing and insightful. Although I am familiar with all the verses he quoted, his writing and unusual framing of the subject helped me see the words of Jesus in a new and enhanced light. His final analysis in which there are only three states of acceptable emotional existence--Acceptance, Joy, or Enthusiasm--was a great step forward in understanding how to chose to live in the now! I know of two people in my life that I think embody this--my grandfather, OM Smith and my lovely friend Dorothy Calmes. Those of you know (or knew) these two, know what I mean. I would recommend the book to anyone looking for a fresh point of view on a familiar subject.

Lots of interesting sights and sounds continue in Iquitos. I've come to realize that the people who live here LOVE three things: Concrete, plastic and re-bar (or re-rod). And I could say they have a little bit of a love affair, too, with "white out". At another time I will write more on these subjects so stayed tuned. I saw a beautiful double rainbow across the river one day on my walk home from work--absolutely huge but I think that here, rainbows don't quite have the same positive feeling we get from them. Then you've heard of someone "ending up in the gutter", figuratively speaking? Well, on my way home another day from work there was a man quite literally sleeping in the gutter on the street. I often see people sleeping on park benches and the sidewalk but not right in the street with refuse and water and who knows what else running along underneath the guy. At first I thought he was dead but then I did see some movement. I haven't seen him since so hopefully some good turn came his way.

Well, yesterday was my 53rd birthday--Yikes! How did that happen? But you know what? At this moment in my life, I feel physically better than I have since I was 23...can't say I look 23 but on the inside, I sure feel great! I got many nice emails and a couple of phone calls from home. My dear friend, Lynn Cluskey sent me a gigantic bag of Tollhouse chocolate chips in the mail! I can't believe they made it here and in less than a week. Then she called me on the phone, too! What a great treat to catch up on the Brighton news. Last night, several of my friends invited me out. We went to a bar that is owned by Pam (my boss) and her family. Even though it was a Tuesday night, things don't start too early around here but by 10 PM there was lots of good beer and dancin' goin' on! They were all so generous with gifts and I received the most lovely, most delicious cake, as well! I really was quite touched and even though none of them speak English (and you know how pitiful my Spanish is still) we all had a very good time. It was one of the best birthdays I've had in a long time and I won't soon forget it! Check out my Facebook page and you'll see some photos of my big night on the town!

So, Happy April! And thanks to you all who have consistently followed my blog. I'm not sure anything terribly profound is coming out of my postings, but just knowing you all are out there thinking of me (as I am of you) and wishing me the best, makes my life a daily joy and I hope a blessing to others as well!

The weather, money, and cookies!

2009-03-12T14:05:00.000-05:00

Has Spring sprung in the north? It's always difficult for me to determine this since I only get international news, thus it seems I know more about the weather in Australia or Germany than I do in the good old Midwest! Of course, the weather is basically the same here every day but recently it has gotten a little cooler in the mornings--maybe 78 degrees. I still don't own or think I'll ever need an actual blanket. A single bed sheet seems to do the trick. I haven't been to the jungle in almost two months. Today I took a ride in our new CONAPAC boat for its first test-run! It was great and it reminded me that I'm ready for a "jungle fix" which is kind of like needing to go north on the weekends when you live in Michigan...you just gotta' get out of town! So next week, I'm heading to the Lodge for about 5 or 6 days. It's always a pleasure to be there and certainly helps clear my mind.

Since the main topic of news I hear is about the financial crutch and world-wide recession, you may be wondering what's happening in Peru? It appears to me that Iquitos and Peru generally are not suffering as the more developed countries are. Tourism seems to be holding steady and in fact, Explorama hosted more guests in January and February this year than last. Maybe some folks who were thinking about China or Africa are opting for South America instead? The weather is good, the time zone is virtually the same as the States, and the dollar exchange is quite strong right now. As for business activity in Iquitos, I see people doing the same things I've always seen--the markets are full of fresh fish, meat, fruits and veggies; new storefronts for things like motorcycles and generators seem to open every week; and the moto-taxis are running all over town at the same rate as I've always seen. Prices here are a little high since Iquitos is so isolated and everything must come here either by airplane or boat 2,000 miles up the Amazon from the Pacific Ocean! Gasoline is running about $2.25 a gallon, a medium size box of whole grain cereal is about $3.35, and a six-pack of my favorite beer, Pilsen, is $4.35! Anything that is imported is not a bargain but going to the market for locally growth produce is a treat. I can buy a whole week's worth of fresh fruits and veggies for about $10! I rarely eat out and instead buy and make three meals a day. At the moment, I spend about $35 a week plus beer. Of course, for the locals that is a lot of money but I think they are holding their own with their diet of chicken, rice, potatoes and fresh fruit. Perhaps because most people here do not have access to credit (or if they do, it's very little), they have not found themselves to be "over leveraged" or more bluntly, up to their eyeballs in debt! Nor is the country yet a big exporter of manufactured goods. Thus, their lives and lifestyles haven't changed much, if at all? Of course, jobs here can be fairly menial--like every night a hoard of workers goes into the streets of Iquitos to clean and sweep the streets, removing all the trash and making the place look quite spiffy. I don't know what they're paid but I have a feeling it's less than the cost of bins for litter all over town so why not keep more folks employed? That way, everyone seems to eat and the level of homelessness is fairly minimal. I only see a handful of sleeping bodies on the street in the mornings or late at night...really not more than any city in the States. And at least here, it's always warm :) So the financial weather report here is pretty darn good! Come on down...the flights are really cheap right now and I'd love to have the company :)

As you know, my last posting was about cookies. I've told some of you that someday I want to have a "cookie ministry". Now, I don't know what that means and it's not meant to be religious in nature but only that I want to make or share cookies in a unique way in order to connect with people. I have found that cookies always bring a smile to every one's face and what could be lovelier than that? As you know, every day I walk to work. On the way, I see the same people and slowly I have started to make some connections. Well, one of these connections was a man who hangs outside the window of a restaurant everyday watching the world go by. I started to acknowledge him and he would smile and wave back. It was clear he was mentally challenged in some way but always happy and smiling. One day, I offered him a leftover pack of cookies I had in my bag. He took them and seemed absolutely delighted. So then each day I started to give him my cookies, either in the morning or on the way home from work. I realized I was thinking about this in the store as I was shopping and reminding myself that I needed to buy extra cookies--kind of like having a pet at home! So one day, I stepped inside the restaurant and asked the waitress what the man's name was? Since he couldn't talk but only wave his arms to try to express himself, I wanted to have something to call him. His name is Orlando and he lives there with his family who reside in the back behind the restaurant. I don't know his whole story but he can understand me in Spanish (maybe the only person who can!) and each day I get a big hug and kiss from him. He hangs out the window looking for me, rain or shine, and I find myself happy to see him, too. Last week, as I walked past, I was invited in by an older woman, Orlando's sister. She took me all the way to the back where she lives and introduced me to Orlando's mother (his mamita) and the rest of the family. One person was a young boy, maybe 10 years old, who is Orlando's nephew. I still can't quite figure out his name but everyday now he, too, comes to the window and I am give him cookies along with other little odds and ends I don't need but he seems to enjoy receiving. One day, I was invited back to eat lunch with the family and share more conversation. I really don't know what they were saying, but it was certainly fun to be part of their world and have them welcome me with such open arms. [For those of you who are on Facebook, I posted a photo of Orlando's mamita and another of me, Orlando, his sister and his nephew. For those of you who are not on Facebook, scroll down to the very bottom of this blog to see a photo of Orlando sitting on his bed (a hammock)] I guess the bottom line is, my cookie ministry has begun! Although the cookies I share with Orlando are not homemade, it has broken down barriers. On the weekends, I bake batches of oatmeal-raisin cookies or Snickerdoodles. On Mondays, I bring them into the office and share them with the guys who work here. They all speak Spanish and since I still can't yet carry on much of a conversation, I don't think they quite know what to make of me? But when I pass out cookies, there's "love" in the air, that's for sure! :)

Other "goings-on" in the last few weeks include my excitement over receiving a $19,200 grant which I wrote an application for from a foundation out of the UK. They have funded three water treatment plants and six community workshops. I continue looking for more grant money and hope for more success in this area for the programs CONAPAC is working on in the rainforest. Last weekend, I met some "friends of a friend", three guys from the States. They were passing through Iquitos on their way home from the jungle. We had dinner, drinks and got acquainted. Needless to say, it was a thrill for me to have an evening's worth of interesting conversation in English. I didn't want the night to end but they were fried from the heat and travel so headed for bed somewhat early but I'm sure we'll connect the next time they pass through. Of course, we became friends on Facebook right away so that will certainly help maintain the communication. I've been doing more cooking and I have come up with a fairly decent pizza, a pretty good tuna-noodle casserole and a kick-butt chili! The egg salad is very tasty, I made quesadillas (which I had to make my own re-fried beans), and the best guacamole ever!! Since there are no nacho chips or salsa, I use límon-flavored Pringles to dip and nixed the salsa. Quite a combination and the Pringles cost over $3.00 a can but what can I say? You gotta' do what you gotta' do!! :) Absolutely everything here has límon in it, even the mayonnaise, but nothing is terribly spicy. You can buy límons everywhere and very cheaply. They are a cross between a lemon and lime with excellent flavor and juice quality. I will miss them in the States. So despite a limited amount of choices in the stores and markets for me to create food with which I am familiar, I seem to come up with something new each week. It's really kind of fun to create something to eat out of similar but not quite the same ingredients as back home. Perhaps some day I'll get some lessons on how to cook Peruvian food then when I return to live in the States I'll have the opposite problem--I won't be able to buy just the right ingredients to make my favorite Peruvian food! Oh well, I guess I'll just have to return here again :) Until next time......

Finally...Cookies!

2009-02-19T18:17:00.000-06:00

So for any of you who really know me, you know that I LOVE to bake cookies! Well, when I found out that my new apartment had an oven, I was delighted to think that possibly I could do one of the things I love to do the most. This weekend I made my first batch of peanut butter cookies and they came out great! But let me tell you about the round about way that I had to take to arrive at my final destination.

First, I had to find a cookie sheet to buy--not easy. The one I found cost me almost $10.00--but what are you going to do? Then mixing bowls, measuring cups and measuring spoons, all of which added up to quite a bit of money for something so simple. Next, as I've told you before, finding ingredients to prepare anything familiar to me is often a challenge in the stores here. Another challenge has been the fact that everything is in metric so I'm dealing with grams, liters, etc. I was able to go on-line and find recipes that will convert from Imperial to Metric so that that was a start. Anyway, to make cookies you need flour, sugar, butter, salt and then baking soda or baking powder, minimally to start. Well interestingly, I found baking powder (although I didn't know it at the time) but I couldn't find baking soda in the market. Turns out you have to go the pharmacy for this sort of thing. What they offer is the tiniest box of baking soda (maybe 1/4 cup) and it cost 2 soles (about 60 cents). Doesn't sound like much but think about what a big box of Arm & Hammer baking soda costs--maybe 79 cents!? And think about how much baking soda we all go through for one thing and another? I had been worried the butter and other ingredients were going to be very expensive but it turns out to be something so basic to us as baking soda! Anyway, finally I got all the parts to make my first masterpiece. It was only this week that I figured out how to light my stove (with a match) and because there’s no temperature control, I had to wing it there. I think on maximum, the temperature is about 375 degrees which is just about right for cookies (when I come back to the States, I will need to buy an oven thermometer to be a little more accurate). My stove is a LP gas with the tank is under the sink. It's great and very hot but it often runs out at the most inopportund time. I was concerned that my gas would run out in the middle of baking as it usually takes a day or two to get another tank from the landlord. But the stars were in my favor and I completed my baking with no trouble. Instead, the power went out for awhile as I was baking but with gas, no worries--I only lost my radio. I completed 5 dozen peanut butter cookies and they were a work of art! I did have to quickly bag them, though, because as they were cooling, the ants were marching right in!

I took them to the office the next day and, needless to say, they were devoured. Good quality baked goods, especially cookies, are rare here due to the humidity so it was really a treat. This weekend I am shooting for oatmeal-raisin cookies or Snickerdoodles. Unfortunately, I can't buy chocolate chips here but when I go back to the States in the fall, I will buy some and bring them back. If anyone is ever heading this way, a bag or two of Tollhouse chocolate chips would be great! One thing that is curious here, and I think thought-provoking, is the fact that everything in the grocery stores come in plastic bags or boxes, even things like milk and mayonnaise. The only things you find in cans or glass jars are imported items from the States or Europe. The point being that things in bags and boxes pack much tighter and weigh less, thereby using less space and energy to pack and ship. However, I can't speak to how much energy it takes to create all this plastic??

Let’s see…what else is new? Well, you may remember me lamenting about my IPOD that got stuck on pause and that I was having withdraw pains for over a month? Well, long story short, I was able to reset it and now I'm back in business. I finally bought my "mesedora" or Peruvian rocking chair. It's difficult to describe but tacky comes to mind. However, it's cool and comfortable and perfect for this part of the world. Now, how to get it in my suitcase when I come home?? For those of you who are on Facebook, you can check out my photos of the rocking chair and me sitting in it listening to my working IPOD, too!

Not much is happening at work these days. I think it's the calm before the storm as Adopt-A-School will be heating up soon and then there will be no time to think! Next month a group of high school students are coming from Michigan (Sacred Heart in Bloomfield Hills). They will be helping me pack a couple hundred large rice bags filled with school supplies, so that begins the start of the action. We will have a larger number of volunteers here this year for AAS, as one week will be for deliveries and one week for service projects. Conapac and Explorama won an award this past week ($1000) from the Board of Responsible Tourism for its work in the area of environmental sustainable and all they are doing in the rainforest. I have submitted another grant proposal for three new mini-water treatment plants to provide clean drinking water to the remote villages we work with, plus some educational workshops to go along with the new water plants. Keep your fingers crossed for me and the program!!

As you know, I have been trying to find a Spanish class or tutor to work with here but with no luck. And although there are opportunities to speak with any number of people, it's not the same as having a regular date to practice and discuss questions. One of the guides at Explorama has a daughter who is studying English. Her name is Wendy, she's about 23 years old, a college student, and wants to practice English with someone. So we've met and agreed to meet once a week for practice in both languages. I have also found a very nice cultural center that has a reading program each evening for street children. I plan to go once a week to listen to the stories and to take the opportunity to read more books in Spanish. Little by little, I WILL conquer this new language :)

People often ask me what I miss while living here? Besides the obvious of family and good friends, I can't say there's much. But right now, I'd love to have a weekly news magazine (Time, Newsweek or US News & World Report) delivered each week; I definitely miss chips and salsa; and since we're so close to the Equator, there are no intense, lingering sunsets--I'd like to linger over one very soon! Thanks, again, for all of who are following my blog. And if you're not on Facebook, consider giving it a try! I'd love to have more friends!

¡Sies meses más!

2009-02-07T13:23:00.000-06:00

Well, my most current news is that I have just returned from the Peruvian border with Colombia and Brazil. It was an interesting trip, to say the least. I went with two of Pam's daughters, Gina, who speaks no English and Arianna, who is bi-lingual, but we had a great time together despite the usual struggle to communicate. We started on a transport boat (like a Greyhound bus) about 5:30 AM and headed down river. The trip took 10 hours but it wasn't too bad of a ride, with breakfast and lunch served on board. The ride back was 12 hours as we were coming up river but that boat was a little nicer--it had drop down video screens which played a lot of 80´s American music videos! Made me want to peg my pants, grow some Farrah Fawcett hair, and get up and dance! The food wasn't bad but the usual fare of chicken and rice for breakfast and lunch. We did have to share our space with a few cockroaches but none in my food--at least that I found!

Getting where we needed to go was interesting. We landed in a small village in Peru, found the immigration office, got our passports stamped, and then took a small, wooden boat across the Amazon to a town called Tabatinga in Brazil. There we had to walk to the border town of Leticia in Columbia and find the airport (about 5 miles away) to have our passports stamped that we were entering another country. (Tabatinga does not have a customs office) It's all quite informal as no one looked at or checked any bags coming or going. Then we had to have money exchanged. I had with me dollars and soles but in Brazil its reales and in Colombia its pesos. Each has a different exchange rate and some places took one thing and some took the other, etc. It was all very confusing and I never really could figure it all out. I just know how much money we went with and what we had when we returned. We had to stay four days because there was no boat back to Iquitos right away. Not much to do but we walked a lot, bought some shoes and ate out, although the food was not great. One day we found a moto-taxi and drove out to the "beach" which turned out to be something more like a watering hole. But it was cold and clean and 90-something degrees out so it wasn't a bad diversion. We took the closest thing to what I've seen here as a highway and actually, it was in pretty good shape--probably about 7-8 miles from Leticia so it was a nice ride. There is quite a large, attractive and well-built military base in this town in Colombia. It's the nicest facility of any kind I've seen here. As everyone knows there is a huge American presence in Colombia it made me wonder whose tax dollars paid for this base?? I will say though, that Colombia is a nice place and I think it's not as scary as it sounds from the States.

The boat back to Iquitos was leaving at 4 AM. We got up at 2:30, in the rain and dark, crossed the river again in a small boat, loaded with people and cargo, to reach the loading dock. It was pitch dark and no lights as we headed back up to the immigration building. We knocked on the door and clearly the guy was still sleeping so we waited while he dressed. By candle light he stamped our passports and asked me how many days I wanted? I said 90 at first (which is supposed to be the maximum) but then Gina piped up and asked if I could have more? He shrugged and then gave me 180 days!! I'm not sure why--maybe he's unhappy with his superiors because he's stuck in this border town in the middle of nowhere!? All I know is I got out of there ASAP and got on the boat before something changed. Who knows what will happen when I get to Lima in July but I suppose they'll let me out of the country, so no worries!

Lots of work at the office with much catching up to do. I've starting researching and writing for grant possibilities for CONAPC. I'm finding that I rather like grant writing and I hope to pull in more money this year from alternative sources for the programs CONAPAC is doing. I was asked to do the voice-overs for a promotional video that Explorama produced to be used for travel agents and other interested groups. It's about a 12-minute video of all the lodges and other sights in the Amazon region. They have two versions, one in Spanish and one in English. It was kind of fun to do but I kept tripping over the pronunciations of the words that are common to both languages. I hope to bring a copy or two of the video home with me in the summer to share a little more about the place I now work and live.

I had a few more animal encounters this past week. I have found several interesting toads and tree frogs in my apartment plus some rather humongous moths and spiders. One morning I got up and was finishing some dishes I had left in the sink overnight. They were soaking and as I scooped out the final pieces of silverware, I also found in my hand a dead mouse! Apparently he had drowned overnight. I felt bad for him but what an interesting way to catch mice--less messy than a trap. Later that same day, I was at work and out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement in the tall waste basket under the desk. There was this mouse jumping up and down trying to get out of the bin! He was exactly the same size, type and color as the one I found earlier in the day. It was a little eerie, like my morning mouse had been reincarnated! Alex, in the office, took him outside and let him go but a couple of days later, he returned again. This time Pam was alone in the office and she had to handle it. Oh, well. I've been trying to buy a mousetrap here. Apparently they have them but so far I haven't found a store that carries them. I finally got some screening up on one of my windows so now at night I can leave one large window open and that should keep any unwanted guests out.

I've had a lot of opportunities to speak in Spanish and I continue to work on it daily. I have several books (novels and non-fiction) that I am plowing through. They are at about the 3rd grade level and I'm finding them extremely difficult. I guess a third grader can read a lot more than I remember! I've done a bit of entertaining this week with several local friends. All of them primarily speak Spanish so it's very helpful to just have casual conversation about everyday things to pick up useful vocabulary--and, of course, some more slang :) Scroll down to the bottom of this site as I posted a new photo. This was from last month as I was coming or going from some village. It's a great way to commute. I know many of you who follow my blog are also on Facebook. I am going to start posting more photos on that site rather than this one for ease and accessibility. For those of you not yet on Facebook, you really should try it. It's tons of fun and quite additive but a great way to stay connected with family and friends, especially when you are many miles apart. Saludos de Iquitos!

So Much Life to Live...So Little Time!

2009-01-25T13:07:00.000-06:00

It’s been so long since my last posting and so much has happened that I don't know where to begin? I left off the last posting getting ready to bag 900 packages of soap, toothpaste, etc. for delivery with our wonderful Conapac friend and long-time supporter, Linda Lownds from Canada. All went well as she, her daughter, and two of her daughter's friends joined the trip to make deliveries to seven different villages over a five day period. We also purchased 3600 pieces of bread from our new community bakery in Timicuro Grande which bakes the bread in a brick oven/furnace, fueled by burning wood only. I had a chance to watch the process and it is quite lengthy but the finished product is great. This is the first bakery in the rainforest region where Conapac services communities. We soon expect to have another one as Linda has indicated her willingness to support a second bakery in the village of Irlanda. Thank you Linda for all you do and all you've done over the years!

During my two weeks in the jungle, I met a number of interesting people and in that process realized how starved I am of thoughtful, stimulating, and engaging conversation in English. Along with Linda’s gang (all young female, practicing attorneys) I also met Joe Krupp and his son, Tyler, as well as, Jon Holstrom. These two gentlemen were here to plan for the new clinic that is being built near the Lodge to replace the old one, which is falling in the river. Jon was the original architect and is now back to do it again. Dr. Linnea Smith (La Doctora), who runs the clinic, was there as well, and many good and interesting conversations were had over our various meals together. In February, about 40 Rotarians from Wisconsin are coming to the jungle to do a "barn raising" and get the clinic built in about three weeks. I hope to have an opportunity to get back out to the Lodge for a couple of days and watch the show! Also in these last two weeks I met a number of really nice folks from the Midwest and, really, from all parts of the country. One group was on a National Geographic trip around the world, touching on all seven continents! They were a wonderful group of people and I got an opportunity to meet many of them. They were very generous and several gave donations to the Adopt-A-School program. I hope to maintain contact with some of them as they were very interested in all the happenings in the rainforest. One gal I met, the advance person for the tour group, was very interesting. It turns out she was born and raised on the east side of Detroit and now splits her time between Florida and Gaylord, Michigan! We plan to connect again this summer when we're both in Michigan and get a little better acquainted...a truly small world! And another fun encounter was with two representatives from a tour company out of England called SAGA. (Similar sort of thing as AARP) They service the over-50 crowd and are looking for ways to add new programs in the area of "voluntourism", which appears to be quite a growing market. Together we hope to place well-qualified, Spanish speaking, professional teachers in various schools for 4-6 week commitments. This area of tourism continues to grow and Explorama and Conapac will be at the forefront by placing these committed and motivated volunteers for service.

On a more personal note, my friends from Michigan arrived, though a day late due to a nation-wide strike which shut down the airport in Cuzco. But, none the less, they made it here and it was a wonderful treat to see friends from home. Mark and Becky Cook, Heidi Shefferly, Norm and Lorna Souve, along with several other team members were here as VOSH volunteers. VOSH is a volunteer group of eye doctors and this team returns each year to set up a week-long clinic in Coya, Peru. Once they completed their work, they came to the jungle for a little R & R. And along with bringing themselves, they brought a big bag of goodies for me! My daughter, Erin, had graciously gone shopping for me back home, running around town to several different stores to fill my order. It was just great to get some things that I simply can't get here and thus far haven't quite been ready to give up! Anyway, we all had a chance to catch up on a variety of topics and again my intellectual plate was filled. It's going to be difficult to beat the last two weeks for an abundance of good friends, good conversation and, of course, good beer!

This last week at the Lodge was a good one for funny animals. In the bar one night a bug was flying around the bar that even spooked the guys. It was some kind of wasp, which was so big that I had to take a photo (once it was almost dead). I put a stapler along side it for a point of reference to its size...yikes! Glad I wasn't alone with it. One day my toilet was running so I lifted the lid and out of the water came a lovely frog! Who knows how long he'd been living there but I did rescue him and sent him on his way. Another night, I was walking along the boardwalk to my room and thought I saw a big pile of mud. It turned out to be the biggest, most wonderful tree frog with those big padded feet. I had no camera at that moment but it was a treat to see him (or her) without having to hike through the rainforest. Last week, as you know, was the inauguration. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to see it as I was going to be out of the city. But at the Lodge they now have cable TV for the workers but it only runs at certain hours. Well, the power came on right at noon and the guys indulged me by allowing me watch the swearing-in ceremonies during their lunch hour (the TV is in their lunchroom). It was great to see BUT, it was dubbed in Spanish. It kind of lost its deep emotional effect but later that night one of the guides let me use his laptop and I went on line to read the speech. I know there are many challenges ahead for our country but if anybody can do it, Americans can!

Well, as always, my blogs get rather long. There is so much happening and I know I can only touch on a few things but thank you for indulging me. You may remember from one of my earlier blogs that I had lost my ATM card a week after I arrived here. It's been quite a challenge working this out but I was able to borrow money here and so far I haven't starved. Back home, I had to connect with my bank, Erin had to get the card, PIN the number, then go to various stores and banks to make sure it worked. I was concerned that my bank wouldn't let me process it once I got the new one so there were many emails back and forth to my contact at the bank. Then Erin had to get the card to Becky Cook to bring it to me this month when she came. Well, it turns out Becky and Mark got the airport (Metro) and she realized she had forgotten the card! What to do? Well, she got a hold of Rick (my former husband) and he graciously stopped working, drove to Becky's house, found the house key, found the ATM card, then drove to the airport from Brighton (a good 45 minutes one way) to meet with the Cooks and give them my card. What a fiasco! Once again, I know I could not live here without the help and support of my family and friends back home. And I am very, very happy to report that finally returned to Iquitos and went to the bank. My card worked perfectly and I was able to get money for the first time in three months. Thank you everyone for all your help and follow through!

Before I sign off, I thought I'd throw something out there for my regular readers. Since I write what I find interesting it gets to be a bit one-sided. I would like to invite you all to send me questions you may have about what I'm doing here or some other aspect of living in the rainforest which interests you! Please send these questions through the comment section below and I will follow up on them as the opportunity presents itself. Well-wishes to all and remember the days are getting longer. :)

¡¡ Feliz Dos Mil Nueve or Happy 2009!!

2009-01-05T18:44:00.000-06:00

¡Hola de la selva!..well, not the jungle technically, but Iquitos for now! I've just celebrated my first Christmas and New Year's Eve south of the Equator. I can't say it felt much like Christmas with palm trees and extreme heat but the hustle and bustle was definitely in force everywhere you went. Then right after Christmas, the streets were quiet and everyone slowed way down, so in that regard, it wasn't much different. I enjoyed Christmas day with Pam and Ari's family, opening gifts and enjoying a Christmas brunch. I had gifts for several people in the office and all the staff at La Casona. I enjoyed my time shopping for these things in the much same way I do at home as it was about thinking of others and finding just the right gift. I can't say there was much in the way of decorating here. There were some things out in the streets and in stores but not the "over the top" sort of thing you see in the States. On Christmas Eve, it felt more like New Year's Eve with people waiting for midnight to happen, hundreds of people in the town square and the neighborhoods out and about enjoying the lovely night. New Year's Eve was a little more wild, however, with lots of firecrackers and fireworks. Also, earlier in the evening as I was riding through town, there were all these stuffed bodies (like effigies for lack of a better description) laying by houses and in the road. I had no idea what this was about but I found out at midnight...they light them all on fire!! So, all over town there were these burning fake bodies, which was kind of spooky and pretty but very smoky. I understand this to be a tradition to burn up the old and bring in the new!..or something like that? Not sure that would pass any fire safety codes or air pollution regulations back home so don't try this at home!

I went to my first "chocolatada" as I reported earlier in my blog I was planning to do. However, it was at a different place and with a different person than I had orignally expected. The owner of La Casona, Fabiola and her family, hosted this event. We arrived about 4 PM on the outskirts of town. The event was hosted at the home of one of her employees who had a rather large back yard. There were already families waiting when we got there and by the time it was over, we had served just over 300 children! There was a clown, music, hot chocolate cooked over a wood fire, special bread called panetones with butter, gifts for all the kids and used clothes to pass out to those who needed them. Also, lots and lots of candy which I spent most of the afternoon passing out, one piece at a time to avoid a riot. Unfortunately, I completely forgot to bring a camera so I have no photos to share but needless to say, it was well-received and I was very happy to be a part of it!!

Well, a couple of new purchases recently. The laundra-mat I use not only lost one, but two pairs of my best pants. Of course, they claim they never received them in the first place (as best as I could make out with my limited Spanish) but I don't have that many clothes with me here so I know when something is missing. This meant having to find pants to buy that fit me in Iquitos. Now most of the styles here are for VERY young girls, e.g. tight, low hipped, sequined and embroidered on the legs and pockets. Definitely not my style (although I do loosen up a bit when I'm here when it comes to fashion). But anyway, finally, I found a place that is sort of like an Old Navy. Way in the back corner of the store were these very plain, very basic capris in khaki and jean material, so I lucked out there and now I have enough pants to wear. I have also continued to lose weight which is another problem with my old clothes fitting. I find the heat really limits my appetite except for a cold beer. But with my new apartment and its kitchen, I imagine I'll be cooking more and picking the weight back up so never fear! Another new item in my life, other than my new apartment, is a cell phone! Can you imagine? I could barely operate or handle a cell phone in the States and now I have one here and it's in Spanish! I could change the language menu but it only changes for the most basic words which I already know so I might as well get used to it. It's very expensive to have a phone here. There are a couple of options but what I did was I bought the phone (about $30 US) and then I buy minutes. Well, if I use the same network (Claro) then it's about .10 cents a minute but if I call out of my network (Movistar) it's about .45 cents a minute. I can assure you the minutes go by fast. But you don't get charged if someone calls you so I guess that's a bonus. As I mentioned, I moved in over the weekend into my new apartment. It's absolutely lovely and better than I ever imagined I could find here. It didn't take me long to move as all I had was a couple of suitcases and a few extra bags of food and books. I walked the two blocks from where I was to the new place so it was the easiest move of my life. The new place has most of the furniture I need although I do intend to buy a type of rocking chair that I've only seen in Iquitos. It's made out of re-rod and some kind of plastic mesh. Everyone seems to have them here. Really, they're kind of tacky but very, very comfortable and cool to sit in, so I must have one while I'm here!! Maybe I can order a "tasteful" neutral plastic color weaving like beige or taupe and avoid that "alien green" or "landlord brown" everyone else seems to favor?! And my favorite discovery about my new home is I have a wonderful rooster who lives right next door so every morning about 4 AM he starts crowing. I don't mind and I know I will get used to it (like living next to train tracks). It's a wonderful, natural backdrop to the start of my day. :)

This week I started to do my running around getting together all the things I need to create 900 gift bags of detergent, bar soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste to be ready for delivery to seven different villages next week. We have a very generous donor who not only sends us the money to buy these things but also comes and delivers them herself. She was here in May of 2008 doing the same thing and it was a project I had coordinated just before I left for the States. Even though I did it once, the logistics in this are still daunting and I do hope to pull it off. I went with another staff member today to help find what was needed. We ran into the fact that some places are doing inventory and others are low on product due to the holidays having just passed. I still need to find over 400 toothbrushes somewhere in the city at the right price by tomorrow afternoon. Pam is leaving for Chicago this week so I am on my own to make sure everything gets to the right place at the right time in the right amounts. No easy task when you're delivering by boat and need to get it right the first time! Also, I need to have 3600 pieces of bread baked in the new village bakery of Timicuro Grande and then have that ready to be delivered to the right lodge at the right time. Pray for me, won't you!!?? I'll report about the results in my next posting as I'm sure it will be an adventure.

Well, I'm off to the jungle for the next 2 to 3 weeks. I hope to be able to post something during that time but if not, I will when I return. While I'm gone, I'll be doing inventory at the medical clinic, a couple of service projects with Marcos, meeting with prospective donors and seeing some friends from the States who will be here for R & R after they work at an eye clinic in the southern part of Peru. At the end of the month, I will also be heading to Columbia for a 10 hour trip, one way, by riverboat to spend the night and have my passport stamped so I can stay in the country another 90 days. As I often say, it's always an adventure here! Thanks to everyone who has sent me well-wishes for a Happy New Year and as always, thank you for staying in touch!

Peace, love and rock & roll! Sintia

¡Feliz Navidad!

2008-12-21T11:55:00.000-06:00

Well, I’m back from my week in the jungle, as I tagged along with the CONAPAC team. There were about 15 people doing year-end school and community evaluations for those villages in the Adopt-A-School program (AAS). I had an opportunity to visit several communities which have had special projects completed or service project groups working in their village sometime this past year. Many communities appear to be thriving and pushing forward to improve their lives, while others are clearly struggling. But I think the opportunity to meet with educators from Iquitos and members of CONAPAC to discuss their concerns and hopes for the future is always a good thing. People like it when someone listens! I took several photos while I was visiting and have a number of donors to contact this next week, telling them about the projects they've funded this year and bringing them up-to-date on the villagers' lives. Some of the regular donors have actually visited these communities in the past, so the connection is even stronger and more meaningful when fresh news and photographs are sent their way. Check below on the blog as I posted a new picture of myself with students from the community of Nuevo San Juan de Amazona. This school is sponsored each year by the Brighton Rotary Club and I've visited there in the past. Recently my step-father, Harry Wheaton, supported them with enough money to build two new "baños", of which I took advantage while I was there. :) There’s nothing in the world like a clean toilet in the middle of the jungle...thanks, Harry!!

Besides returning from the jungle with photos and news of the villages, I also brought back another souvenir....chiggers!! Now I've heard the stories about how bad chiggers can be both here and in the States. But I have to believe, like everything else here, they grow 'em bigger and badder in "la selva"!! Locally they're called "izangos" and when I told anyone what I had, they gave me very grave and sympathetic smiles. One of the team members on the trip, Judy, offered to do the job of digging out the little buggers from their cozy beds under my skin. She came to my room one night and, by gas light, went over my body from head to toe prying them out. And for any of you who have had chiggers, you know they don't just settle in and around your ankles...NO! They crawl up into that warm, moist cozy place that is your underwear area, front and back. Soooooooooo, Judy was a Godsend as she went over my body and found all the little critters, digging them out one at a time. It's been a little over a week now. I still have scabs and they still itch but it’s manageable. One of my friends here, Nancy, tells me "the first time is the worse"...Does there have to be a second time? But I suppose I know the answer.

I've been learning a bit more jungle slang in the past week. In fact, I feel that I have to learn two new languages, not just Spanish. When I speak in my more formal Spanish, people here can understand me. But when they speak, it's full of all kinds of local words that I have no idea their meanings. But one way or the other, I will learn these things although it's going to take some time. Actually, the sounds of these words are fun and not too difficult to say. In fact, I think easier than many Spanish words that turn my tongue in knots. A sampling: "chamba" is your job; "chacra" is a small farm or piece of land; "choche" is a close friend, as is "pata"; "chibolo" or "chibola" are small children; "cocha" is a small lake; "leba" is sugar cane rum (but I think more like moonshine than Bacardi) and, of course, "baracho" means drunk. I learned a few other words, too, but nothing I would care to post on line :)

Next weekend I head back to the jungle to participate in my first service project. I'm not too sure where or what we'll be doing. It's with a large family group of 14 people who are visiting the jungle over the holidays and wanted to do something a little different. We will probably paint schools or replant some trees, maybe build a fence or two. Hopefully, no more chiggers but I have no DEET with me so it might just happen again...Yikes! I continue to enjoy each and every day here, no matter what it brings. I'm neither bored nor lonely and find each day to be pure joy. I pray your lives can be as satisfactory and fulfilling. I do notice however, that every person who writes me from the States, whether family, friends, or my donor network from around the country, they seem to want to send me a weather report! But when I think back, I know whenever I wrote to Pam or any other friend here in Peru when I was back in Michigan, I did the same. Weather is a big part of our lives in the States, I suppose as it's constantly changing. No one here ever comments about it as every day some part of the day will be hot, sunny, cloudy and rainy. Now and then there's a breeze. I know some of you would be bored with this constancy but as I've said before, thus far it hasn't happened to me. So don't hurt yourself shoveling snow...it's not worth it!!

As I close, a quick "shout out" to all my family and friends to have a very Merry Christmas and, hopefully, a more positive and prosperous New Year. I won't name you all individually for fear of missing someone but I can't leave without especially sending greetings to Erin and Samantha, the two most wonderful, beautiful, kind and loving daughters any mother could want or have!

Peace be with you all!

More new beginnings...

2008-12-07T17:44:00.000-06:00

As of my last posting, I was looking for a new place to live. Not that I don´t love the La Casona and all the folks who work there--but living in a hotel full time feels a little too "communal" for me. I think the thing I want most again in my life is my own kitchen. No matter how small, having a cooking space of my own will be a delight. Frankly, I'd rather share a bathroom than a kitchen! Well, after a couple of false starts with either unacceptable or unavailable apartments, I have found the apartment of my dreams! It´s right in the downtown area, two blocks from where I live right now but a world away. It´s tucked where you can´t find it unless you know it´s there and it´s surrounded by a beautiful, tropical garden. I won´t have to go to the jungle as much to get my "fix" as it will be something I can enjoy each day. I actually haven´t seen the inside yet (only peeked through the windows) but I saw enough to know I want to live there for as long as possible. The owner is a Brit who lives on site, which is great and, of course, speaks English so I was able to fully get all my many questions answered. I will take possession the 1st of January and will start moving in my things. At the moment, I don't have much "stuff" so it should be one, short moto-kar drive away. I was doing a little shopping this weekend for pots and pans, dishes, glasses etc. The apartment does come with a stove, fridge and bed so I won't need to purchase a lot. All in all, I´m eager to really get settled here and start hosting some friends....and I hope that includes friends and family from the States,too!!

This week we experienced a number of power outages each day. One day, it was city-wide and lasted anywhere from 3-8 hours depending on the area. In Iquitos, there are no emergency lights, exit signs, separate city light systems, etc. to rely on. It was quite dark in the streets going home from work that night but somehow, as with most power outages, a bit of an adventure. That day happened to the one that the "rat patrol" was put into action at Explorama. In the morning, four of the critters were apprehended and disposed of. We expect more soon but for now, everyone in the office is a little relieved. I did see a big one, however, running along the streets of Iquitos Friday night, right in the town square. (You know, even though I grew up in Detroit and lived on Academy Drive for many years, I've never actually seen a rat in person!) Anyway, the rat was going quite crazy running all around with cars, moto-kars and motorcycles trying to avoid getting killed. But as luck would have it, at least for the rat, he was able to miss all this traffic safely and find his way home to the gutter. I don´t think there were any tourists around to see this so I am reporting it for their amusement and benefit--Keep your eyes open for the unexpected action you might find in the streets of Iquitos!

I spent a bit more time this week with Arianna, Pam´s 11 year old daughter. In fact, Monday was her birthday and I was invited to her class birthday party, as well as dinner back home with the family. An absolutely beautiful cake was provided by Mom at school and then another back home after dinner. Arianna is a hoot and it´s been fun once again to spend time with a pre-teen niña...it´s been a long time since Erin and Sam were at that stage and I had forgotten how charming and silly they could be. Friday, Arianna and I went to the cinema and we saw Madagascar 2, in Spanish, of course. After which, we did pizza and Ari spent the night in my room. In the morning we did a bit of shopping and roaming the streets after we had watched Saturday morning cartoons and played UNO on my IPOD. I think she enjoyed the adult time away from her younger sister and several young cousins who are in the house a great deal. She was, and is, a delight and I´m glad to have the opportunity to spend time wiht her.

Another first this week was I finally got my hair cut in a salon! All the time I´ve been here, I´ve always cut my own hair as it´s such a strange cut. I just wasn´t ready to try and deal with someone new plus the language barrier. But my wonderful friend Luis told me about "Juan" (pronounced as it´s written in English with a hard J sound). Juan, it turns out, happens to be Pam´s guy, too, so I was reassured. Luis and his brother, Christian, took me to the salon which was about the size of a small bedroom. It´s on sort of a residential street, with no door or window, just an opening to enter. No running water only big water-filled buckets for washing and rinsing. Outside was the usual suspects--kids hanging around, dogs loping by, three or four guys sitting on the sidewalk playing cars, moto-kars turned sideways to be repaired, old ladies rocking and fanning themselves in the heat, in otherwords, daily life on the steet. The salon was packed with clients along with three other guys who work there, all of whom have a certain flair!! Luis, and his brother patiently sat with me as Luis talked Juan throught the process and explained what I wanted. I took my own hair product and scissors and when all was said an done, I got a great hair cut. I guess when you´re a professional and know what you are doing, the language difference doesn´t matter. He could see what I was after and carried it off with great results. And did I say how much this great hair cut cost? Ten soles which is about $3.50--I will be back again!

I´m off now to the jungle for a little over a week so I won´t be doing a posting for awhile. I´ll let you know the lastest news from the communities and how things are going. The CONAPAC staff, along with other education representatives, will be visiting all the schools which are in the AAS program for year-end evaluations. I am going along to take photos of as many special projects that have been completed this year as possible. I´ll be sending these photos to the donors and some of the participates when I return on December 17th. It´s starting to look a bit like Christmas here with decorations and music but it certainly doesn´t feel like it. As much as I dislike snow and cold weather, you can´t beat it as a backdrop to the holiday season. Have a good couple of weeks as you prepare and enjoy this time of year....

A thank-filled week...

2008-11-30T18:59:00.000-06:00

Once again, greetings from the Amazon! Well, what a wonderful first week I had here knowing I’m not leaving for some time and I feeling like my life is a little more in order. Although I enjoy the adventures living here gives me, having an idea what the next few years are going to hold has really helped to settle my mind (and the minds of my family and friends, I might add)! It's been fun telling my friends here that I’m staying awhile and the response has been, as expected, quite positive. Thank you all for your various responses, congratulations and well-wishes to my announcement last week. It’s always good to hear from home and I am never disappointed when I have mail in my in box...hint, hint! FYI-I figured out how to post a picture on this blog site. Scroll down to the very bottom and you’ll see me at my desk in the office here in Iquitos. I haven’t figure out how to do a slide show yet using several photos at once but hopefully I will soon. I will try posting at least one new photo each week.

This was a busy week. I worked every day, for 8-9 hours with lots to do but the evenings were full of social events. Monday night I was invited to a street party with friends. It was a lovely, warm evening with live music, dancing and cold beer. I tried something new at the party--grilled cow heart. You all know I don't like meat because, to me, it has little favor. But this cow heart was quite good and I will try it again. Tuesday, I went to the opening ceremonies of the "Olimpidadas Deportivas de Amazonas" (I think you can figure that out!) The games were between Perú, Columbia and Brazil. The opening ceremony was quite good, actually, with fireworks, music and lights. The fútbol stadium is new and it was a pleasure to attend. Thursday, of course, was Thanksgiving. As the only Americans here to "get" what Thanksgiving means to us, Pam, Peter and I decided to break bread together at the floating restaurant in the middle of the Itaya River. Try as I might, I could not find anything on the menu that remotely resembled a TG meal other than mashes potatoes. :) No gravy, though, and without the turkey and stuffing, it was a bit of a bust. BUT, it was absolutely beautiful as we sat in shorts, sleeveless tops, and flip flops with a wonderful, sultry warm breeze blowing through. The food I missed, the weather, no! And then last night was my first opportunity since my return to go dancing at a place here called "Exploción". Events don’t even begin here until about midnight so needless to say, it was a long night. But no worries, I had a three hour siesta in the afternoon in preparation and even got to the office the today for a couple hours of work.

I did a little apartment hunting this week but no luck yet. I guess something will turn up when I'm really ready. Shopped a bit for mattresses, microwaves, fans, etc. Doesn't sound too rustic, does it? I guess it's all relative. A few more culinary blunders--I found myself a little "lost in translation" as I purchased what I thought was sugar but turned out to be salt (I ruined a perfectly good bowl of oatmeal), then raisins that turned out to be small prunes with pits and finally more salt that turned out to be monosodium glutamate. Truly, it shouldn’t have been that difficult but somehow it was. I did successfully make a couple different kinds of soup this week, mashed potatoes with garlic and cheese, a couple of really good salads, and my favorite, camu camu juice. Now for those of you that don't know, camu camu is an Amazon rainforest fruit. It looks like a very large grape and it's loaded with Vitamin C (double what’s in OJ). To prepare it you boil the fruit in water for a short time until the skin pops. Let it cool, then pick through and pull out the skins and seeds. The skins are loaded with color and flavor. Then you add sugar to taste and blend it with ice. It turns out a pale pink color, like pink lemonade. This week I added fresh pineapple and that was very good. Camu camu is added to yogurt, too. It's a difficult flavor to describe as it’s tart but subtle and I love it. Apparently, some health food stores in the States sell it in powder form (or something like that) for a lot of money. It's a fruit that so far doesn’t travel well so when you all come to see me, I will make it for you fresh!

Did any of you go shopping this weekend for Christmas? I saw on-line that a Wal-Mart worker in New York State was trampled to death when the eager shoppers broke down the doors and pushed through. Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but aren't there horrible economic conditions in the States right now? Does anyone there need one more gadget or gizmo, especially from WalMart? And in that big a hurry? Although for some reason I find the story funny in a dark sort of way, I do think it's a sad statement on our lust for "things". So stay safe in those crazy stores and I'll do my best to stay safe on the crazy streets of Iquitos....

A Turn of events...

2008-11-23T17:09:00.000-06:00

Well, what a difference a week can make! As you all know, I applied and was nominated for a Peace Corps posting about a year ago. Since then, I've been in the process of reorganizing my life to fulfill this 27 month commitment. Then waiting, waiting, waiting for the date to leave and find out what country in which I was to be deployed. You have all been so supportive and curious and I've really enjoyed all the discussions we've had along the way. I particularly want to mention my thanks to the three sponsors of my application, Tony Sincic, Mark Cook and Jill Gilmore. I know their kind and generous words helped me to get through the first set of hoops that got this ball started!

Well, last Monday when I got the office here in Perú, Pam came to me and said she had been placed on a new committee by the owner of Explorama, Peter Jensen--it’s called "the committee to keep me in Perú!" He told her, "To do whatever it takes to keep her here for at least two more years". Well! I was utterly taken aback and overwhelmed with many thoughts and emotions as well as being humbled by his words. Sooooooooo, after a long week of thinking, not sleeping, conferring with my Peace Corps placement officer, consulting with my immediate family via internet and telephone, writing out several pages of the pros and cons for both opportunities, doing a lot of soul searching about what my goals were a year ago and what they are now, then finally putting together a written proposal, I am happy and proud to say that for the next two and half years, I will be living and working in Iquitos, Perú for CONAPAC! I am extremely excited about all the possibilities here to make a difference on many levels. And although I consider becoming a Peace Corps volunteer an honor and a "once in a lifetime" opportunity, I believe this opportunity to be just as profound. Who knows? Maybe the reason for the whole Peace Corps process was about getting me ready for Perú and nowhere else! Things do happen for a reason and they work how they are meant to...at least in my world, that's what I believe and how I think. My commitment here will be until July 2011; however, I do anticipate returning to the States either in January, briefly, or in the summer for a couple of months to take care of some personal loose ends. I will try to see as many of you as possible before I depart once again. And, keep in mind that coming to Peru is not the Herculean task going to Africa would have been. In fact, Peru is the most delightful country and you really must try it!! Go onto http://www.explorama.com/ and start planning your next incredible trip and visit me while you are here!

Now you will now hear more about the work I am doing and the challenges I will face. I am particularly excited about the real possibility of becoming fluent in Spanish while I'm here. Since most everyone operates in Spanish, I am at a disadvantage but it's a challenge that makes it all that much more interesting. Just this week I was working on translating a year-end report in both languages. Between help from the bi-lingual owners of Explorama, and Google Translate, the report should be posted on the web very soon. So, before I move on to another subject, I want to thank my Spanish teacher, Joanie Sincic for her contribution of getting me started on my way to learning another language. We've had many fun classes over the last couple of years and I wish she were here with me today! She’s a great teacher and truly it is a calling for her to teach whether it be English or Spanish.

As you can imagine last week was filled with mental distractions, day and night. But I did get out and purchase a few household items. I will be starting the search for an apartment or small house in which to live. Not sure what I’ll find or where, but I’ll keep you posted. I have to buy a few things on my own, i.e. bed, mattress, a bit of furniture, microwave so shopping for these things, I’m confident, will be an adventure in and of itself! I was recently at a store which for lack of a better description was a dollar/department store type place. They have a little of everything. Well, I needed three things: body cream, a bucket and an "IN" box for the office. This entailed 3 different items, from 3 different departments, carried by 3 different clerks to the check out, who hand-wrote 3 different bills of sale, to one person who took my money, to another person who stamped the bills "Paid" to finally a 3rd person to put it all in a bag! Needless to say, there is no shortage of labor here (and no hurry, I might add). Now I can only imagine what the process will be like when I go to buy a stove or refrigerator? :)

Some days seem to have a theme to them. Saturday morning I headed to Belén market, the most incredible open-air experience you will ever have. There you'll find chickens and ALL their parts, (some still breathing) fish, meat, clothes, soap, spices, vegetables and fruits...all crammed into the tightest spaces with no refrigeration, but everything so fresh and cheap! I got a bag full of fresh fruits and veggies and other odds and ends for about 15 soles(or $5). So after encountering lots of animals in the morning I headed to work. On the way, what I thought was a bird, swooped my head a couple of times. Then I thought, no it's it a bat...but it was mid-day. So finally it rested on a wall and I saw that it was the most gigantic moth I'd ever seen--bigger than both my hands spread out. It had beautiful coloring and in the rainforest, resting on a tree, you'd never notice it. But laying against a concrete block building, painted some wild green color and ghetto bars on the windows, you couldn’t miss it! I do think he was quite lost. At the office, Pam and I stayed a little late to work and it was very quiet. A rat ran across the room so Pam then mentioned, after I had agreed to stay 2 1/2 years, that if you work late and it's quiet, the rats do tend to come out so she suggested that I should work with my feet up in the air! And lastly, as I was sitting in the internet cafe minding my own business, some sort of strange inset (I think) dropped in my lap...not once but twice. Not sure what it was and there was no one there I could communicate with to tell me--but I’m sure I'll see it again!

I will close now but I cannot go without thanking my wonderful, loving, kind and encouraging family for all their support and comments this week as I was making my decision. Many thanks then to my daughters, Erin and Samantha; my brother Tim and his wife, Deb; the father of my children, Rick; my dad, Jerry, and my step mom, Margo; my step dad, Harry and finally, of course, my two dear friends (who are really family in my mind) Tony and Joanie Sincic. I love you all with all my heart....Sintia

A quiet week...

2008-11-16T17:51:00.000-06:00

Well, I left off my last blog posting having just lost my ATM card. The good news is, I was able to make arrangements here with Pam to provide me with enough cash until my new ATM card can somehow arrive by way of another tourist. The mail service is completely unreliable so, therefore, not even a consideration. But no worries, I have enough to eat and I even bought a new pair of shoes today, so life is good!

I worked Monday-Friday in the office at Explorama, walking to work each day, which takes about 15 minutes. A lot more organizing and gathering of information about the wide variety of special projects in the works. These projects range from building latrines, painting schools, building mini water purification plants, fish farms, bridge repair, dorm rooms, and more. They happen along the Amazon and one of its tributaries, the Napo River, in villages that are already part of the Adopt A School program. Funding sources come from different people who simply want to donate money. They ask only that CONAPAC wisely spends it in the improvement of the lives of the "ribereños" or river people. From what I’ve seen so far, not only is the money well-spent, but it truly is making a difference in the lives of those who can most protect and sustain the integrity of the world’s largest and most precious rain forest. As a confessed "tree hugger", I'm glad to be a small part of it!

This past week I tried a little home-cooking in my very make-shift kitchen. Usually, I just "nosh" on fruit, nuts, drinkable yogurt (yummy!), crackers, tuna, peanut butter, etc. for my breakfast and lunch, then it’s dinner out. But to save money on dinner, this week I made an omelet one night and some pasta with a tomato/asparagus sauce another. I also whipped up a lovely bowl of guacamole. There are no nacho chips here so I just ate it straight out of the bowl (which is what I’d rather do anyway!) There is a communal kitchen at my place with an absolutely ancient refrigerator that, at best, "cools" the food. (They don´t refrigerate eggs here, by the way). Also, a small microwave oven and a single hotplate with the only temperature setting being "burn". I don't think the place is electrically grounded because when I cook with a metal spoon in the pan, I get a mild current running through my body. The kitchen has a collection of odds and ends for plates, bowls, glasses, mugs and silverware. There are no cooking utensils at all so you have to use the silverware at hand. Today my search in the city was for my very own paring knife, spatula, wooden stirring spoon (to help with the electrical short) and misc. cups, bowls and dishtowels. These things I will keep in my room and use when I need them. I’ll keep you posted on my future attempts at culinary delights in this challenging space...and this coming from a former kitchen designer! I will have to take a picture to go along with all my other kitchen photos from CareCrafted. :)

My very best friend here in Iquitos is a charming young man named Jose Luis (hereafter I will call JL). JL works at the "La Casona" where I live and I met him the last time I stayed here in the winter. We corresponded during the summer so it was wonderful to see him again. He is a delightful young man! He speaks English very well and is quite curious about the world around him. We can speak on a wide range of topics which you all know pleases me! He is about 23, just started speaking English at 18, and yet his range of vocabulary and understanding of English idioms is quite surprising. He particularly likes American slang and has a good grasp of its nuances. I hope to get a book of American slang to him before I leave by way of a friend who will be visiting here in January. JL has been working in the tourist industry as a guide and now in the hostel where I live. He is a "natural" in the hospitality field. He wants to have his own restaurant/bar someday and will name it "Que Rico". Now this expression, as he describes it to me, is what you say when you have had a particularly pleasant, but simple, experience...such as finishing a good book, having a good meal, enjoying a friend’s good conversation, relaxing after a long day’s work in your bed or by the beach, etc....You lean back, sigh and say, "que rico". So keep this in mind the next time you have a joy-filled moment!

Lastly this week, I was invited to the school of Arianna, Pam´s 10 year old daughter. The occasion was her all-school singing recital with ages ranging from 3-18 years old. Arianna was singing a solo, "I Will Survive", in English. She was quite good and won her age group. So, how do I describe a Peruvian recital? Well, we were outside, of course, under a palm-thatched roof with a stage, benches and plastic chairs. There were about 150 people of all ages but a sound system to service about 1500 people. Needless to say, it was overly loud and in your face--so this just generally drowned out the children's voices. The general scene was a lot of talking, screaming, eating, drinking, whining, and moving about by everyone, with no one in particular watching the stage, except the family members in question--in other words, general chaos. Much video taping and photo flashing was taking place as each act came and went. It started raining with a few leaks here and there where we sat, which then seemed to short out the electric guitars. All in all, not unlike an American recital where lots of kids and lots of family members sit waiting for their child’s one small moment of glory...and praying it will all be over soon. But did I have a good time? Yes! Was it another memorable Peruvian experience? Of course! Will I be invited to go again? I certainly hope so!

Well, I’ll sign off for now. For those of you in the north, stay warm; in the south, stay cool; and those in between, keep the faith! :) Have a great week...

A week of firsts...and seconds!

2008-11-09T17:21:00.000-06:00

Well, my first full week here was busy. Each day you think this or that is going to happen but then always something unexpected happens instead. I started the week back in the office, cleaning, organizing and figuring out where I left off in May. It felt like I was back at work after being on a long vacation in the States! I’ve been sorting through much paperwork and figuring out what special projects need to get organized for the jungle villages. Many generous folks from the States (and elsewhere) send money to Pam for things other than just Adopt A School. Things like baños to be built, art supplies and murals to be made, soap/hygiene items to be delivered, books in Spanish to be distributed, fences and houses to be painted, etc. These projects fall a little outside the normal CONAPAC umbrella so we are working to streamline the good use of these generous donations.

I was able to see most of all my old friends this week. Over the weekend I went back out to the Lodge in the jungle where I lived for most of my time last winter. I saw many of my old students and others that I had met along the way. It was good for my soul to be back in the green beauty of the rainforest. I hope to visit more regularly on the weekends when it is possible to hitch a ride out with the tourists. The weather is quite hot here. It hasn’t rained since I arrived, which is unusual, thus it hasn’t cooled down much. Mostly in the high 80´s and low 90´s with humidity in the 80% range. But to cope, you just slow down and wait for nightfall, which happens around 6 PM each day... and, of course, tip a few cervasas!!

I went with my friend, Sheyla, to a rather dirt-poor part of Iquitos. Now that’s a relative statement, because to an American, all of Iquitos would look quite poor. But this part of town has no water or sewage services. Unpaved roads, thatch roofs and dirt floors. Sheyla is planning to provide hot chocolate and special bread to the neighborhood children, about 200, on the 22nd of December! It’s called a "Chocolatata" and I understand it’s somewhat of a tradition to provide this to children who will get nothing else for the holidays. Now the amazing thing about this is that Shelya herself doesn’t have a pot to pee in, she has two young children and she and her husband work quite intermittently. But somehow this young gal's heart is big enough that she still has room for others even in her reduced circumstances! Needless to say, I have volunteered to help with this event and donate some money to the cause. I will get photos and try to post them when the time comes!

Lastly, this was a week of "firsts". For the first time I’ve been in Iquitos I saw a man riding a bicycle! (Very dangerous thing in this town) I actually saw a dog on a leash, a young man (20- something) walking along with his pet chicken and then two Peruvian ladies asked me for directions! Now come on, I do not look like that much of a local, do I? And last but not least, for the first time in my life, I left behind my ATM card at the money machine. It’s gone and now I’m going through gyrations to replace it. I can charge some things but one really needs cash on the ground here. Pam is working it out with me along with my daughter Erin but needless to say, it was a stupid and upsetting thing for me to do! Oh well, lessons learned.

Peace to all, have a good week and I will write again soon. Thank you, too, for all your comments. You don’t know what it means to me as sometimes it does get quite lonely here :( Thank you friends and family, once again, for all your support. . . .

Historic night...

2008-11-05T18:47:00.000-06:00

I don’t plan for my blog to be particularly political as I have friends and family of all colors (you know, red and blue)-- But I do feel compelled to tell you how I spent my evening out of our great country, looking in during this most historic night! Most of you know I’m quite a liberal but I try hard to see all sides and not be too partisan. I have been supporting Obama´s candidacy since February, well before he was the Democratic nominee. It’s been fascinating for me to watch as things have unfolded this year and I’ve spent way too many hours in front of the TV watching all the gory details. So, ironically, at the very end I am not in my own country but Peru, watching from an ex-pat’s point of view.

I went to my friend (and boss) Pamela’s house to watch as she is also an American. The two of us sat on her rooftop overlooking the city. She had run her cable line up there and we sat watching two stations, CNN in English (with a very bad picture) and CNN in Spanish (with a great picture) but, of course, I’m not fluent so it was a bit of a challenge. Thank goodness for graphics which transcend language! We munched on Peruvian junk food and drank beer. As the night wore on and it was clear Obama had won, periodically, we’d hear shouts and cheers coming from other houses as I assume they had just tuned in and gotten the news. And just as Obama started his acceptance speech, a rooster crowed over and over, something that had not happened all evening! The Peruvian’s love Obama and are they are quite thrilled for us both!

I can’t help but say that I was touched, not only by Obama´s words, but Mr. McCain’s, as well. This had been a difficult choice for me as I’ve always liked McCain and know full well he would make an excellent president. He was truly gracious and humble--it reminded me that these two men and their actions are why I’m most proud of being an American. The truly peaceful process of transferring power and the understanding that they were opponents, not enemies, is what makes us a great people. As I’ve spent time out of the country in the past 5 years, I’ve found myself often trying to defend various USA political positions with people who didn’t quite understand where America was heading? As I move forward I will be most proud to call Obama my president! Where ever I go, I’m confident I will be well-received.

Thanks for letting me comment but I promise to keep the political views to a minimum in the future. I want all my family and friends to continue tuning in so don’t be afraid to do so. In a few days I’ll write a bit more about some projects I’m getting involved in down here...I think you will be most interested....and if I can figure it out, post a few photos, too!

Getting reaquainted...

2008-11-02T17:28:00.000-06:00

Saludos de Iquitos, Perú...I have arrived and I´m getting back into the groove. It´s as hot and humid, sunny and rainy here as I remember and I love it. Got settled into my room yesterday--the same one as last time-at La Casona, a youth hostel. Many improvements have been made here, from new curtains, furniture, Internet, etc. but the best new thing is hot water for my shower! Now mind you, it´s only hot from 7-9 AM and 7-10 PM and the controls are crossed but, hey, I can work with it! The exchange rate is much better...this time about $3.05 per soles, last time about $2.60 per soles so this is a pleasant surprise as well.

Walking along the streets yesterday, things are much the same. Many holes and sewer grates missing, half dead dogs lounging around (I think the same ones as before), lots of motorcycles and mototaxis, the same woman on the same corner selling the same fruit that I can never remember what it´s called. The markets I shopped at had more pre-packaged products than before, many from Perú but most from the USA. I bought my usual staples--crackers, peanut butter, drinkable yogurt, olives, tuna, fruit and some vanilla wafers. I was invited today to a friend´s house for dinner. Sunday apparently is spaghetti day but frankly the fried chicken they served was better. Interesting as I watched four children ranging from 3-9 years old eating chicken wings, legs, backs, etc. and navigating around the bones with no trouble. Unlike our own children who can only seem to eat chicken in the form of a nugget and dipped in some kind of sauce!

As I left my room yesterday and started walking, I ran into one of the owners of Explorama, Jaime and his wife. Then today in the middle of town, Nancy, the librarian and her boyfriend, Fernando, flagged me down. This morning I got a phone call from a friend, then this evening another friend saw me at the Internet cafe and stopped in. So I don´t feel like a stranger this time around. Last time I barely knew three people. Now, I figure I know about 30 or so people but I still feel in the dark with the language. As you all know, I like to talk and not being able to express myself fully is a challenge. But it will make me better at this language thing more quickly, I guess, and that´s what I wanted.

On a final note, I was in the Miami airport on Friday, heading out of the States where I gave Erin, my daughter, a last minute call. She told me that Peace Corps had been calling and looking for me! So go figure...I begged to get some information out of them and now that I´m gone they are looking for me. Well, they have my number here so perhaps I see what the placement officer has in mind for me. I´ll keep you posted.

Heading out...again...

2008-10-27T19:15:00.000-05:00

...to begin, this is the first entry of my new blog. Many of you have asked whether I would be starting/maintaining one while I ventured off to Peace Corps or some other volunteer opportunity. At first, I resisted as I had concerns about regularly making entries. But since I already journal each day, it seemed a natural extension to share my experiences publicly. Bear with me, then, if I can't make new entries often. While in Perú, computer access will be easy, however, elsewhere may be more difficult--I'll do my best! Also, you will find below various website links of groups that I'm either interested in or relate to my volunteer experiences. If you're curious, explore further in these areas.

Tomorrow I leave for another 3 months in Peru, volunteering for Explorama Tours in their efforts to bring educational opportunities to children and adults in the rain forest of South America. Many of you know I lived in Peru for 3 months earlier this year. Part of my time was spent in the jungle and part was in the city. This time, I will live the full 3 months in the City of Iquitos, staying at a charming youth hostel called La Casona. Last time the owners treated me like family and I look forward to their hospitality, once again.

I will essentially be the "volunteer personal assistant" to Pam Bucar, who runs the Adopt-A-School program. Each April, this program delivers books and school supplies to about 4,000 students in various villages along the Amazon River and it's tributaries each April. She is also on the board of directors and works in close conjunction with CONAPAC, an environmental, non-profit organization. This group helps teach sustainable farming and livestock management in many villages of the rain forest. There are logistical requirements for all this to happen and it takes place in the offices of Explorama Tours. Thus, I will be "going to the office" most days to assist in a variety of ways and this will become part of the story.

But that's the work part...most of you want to know about daily life in a developing country and the lifestyle I lead. I'll bring more of that to the blog as well as the on-going saga of my Peace Corps application. Many of you have asked about this and I find it complicated to explain. There are many hoops to jump through and then a lot of waiting. I'll bring you updates as they come, let you know when I finally get my "invitation" to serve and then where they'll be sending me. In the meantime, the journey continues...