Pest Report II

Rats? Ants? Mosquitoes? Over the last few years I’ve written many times about the trials and tribulations of these various annoying pests. However, for whatever reason they have been quite out of sight for months. In fact, since I returned from the US in December, I’ve not seen a single ant in my apartment, even if I leave food out or dirty dishes in the sink. It’s like the whole village or army just picked up and moved away--very strange. And although a rat got trapped in my house overnight a few months ago and ate its way out through the screen, they too have been quite remote. And mosquitoes? Well, that's a given but truly they're much worse in Michigan. Does this mean I am now animal/pest-free? Well, no. My latest guest has been some giant frogs that seem to find their way in the house while the doors are open and then hide under my bed. A few weeks ago one was found flopping and hopping about and we (me and James in the middle of the night) finally persuaded him out the door after much confusion. Again last night we heard this weird sound and knew the frog was inside again but couldn’t find him. Back to sleep. Then awhile later, I heard all these bottles tipping about on the floor. In my kitchen I had several empty wine bottles for recycle waiting by the door. The frog had found his way there and like bowling pins they were toppling all over the ceramic floor and woke us up like an alarm. This time, we easily found him and sent him on his way. I guess we need to do an under-bed check now but I’d much prefer these huge frogs (or are they toads?) in the house than rats or ants any day!

The river is rising…and rising…and rising! Will it end soon? Not sure but based on Peruvian Navy maps and charts it’s shaping up to be a record year for high water season. Can there be any snow left in the Andes or a glacier? Yes, it’s rained for months here and that adds to the river levels so the combination is proving to be a complete reversal from last year’s historic low water levels. Wow, do I feel like a yo-yo here. The good news is the weather has been very cool, fresh and breezy for months. Truly, you would never know you were 3º south of the equator here. But just like the US had a mild, almost snowless winter, we’ve hardly seen the sun for months. I love it! I just hope the cool weather now holds out for the Adopt-A-School deliveries which begin in just over three weeks. The photo above is at one of the lodges where they dug up the ornamental plants and moved them to higher ground. Next it will be the whole lodge. Adopt-A-School deliveries are going to be very interesting this year!

Big news in Iquitos is there is a high-level security warning out by the US Embassy in Lima that Westerners (read Americans) are considered kidnapping and ransom targets here in Iquitos--seems pretty insane to me! For the first time, the Embassy actually sent a representative to meet with interested ex-pats. Yes, there are people who find their way here to hide out from something or escape from somewhere but not because they have lots of money. This would be Cayman Island stuff where there are hidden bank accounts and such. Or Columbia or even Lima but Iquitos? One of the grubbiest, most unattractive places you will find but it does have heart and that’s why we all seem to love it so. I have no doubt there are few, if any, wealthy Americans here worthy to be kidnapping targets in this part of Perú. None the less, I’ve been advised to alter my route to work (kind of tough to do) and not become to conspicuous or stand out from the locals (impossible to avoid) so I guess I just keep on being me and hope I don’t get run over by a motorcar or fall into an open hole in the street—frankly a much more likely possibility in my opinion.

Finally, once again all the wonderful people I’ve met over the years here in Perú have slowly been making their way back to Iquitos this winter—some folks migrate to Florida but others come to Perú and I’m glad they do. It’s starting to feel like regular family members passing through for the holidays. Thanks to Dave and Dottie Bonnet who always have a kind word for our work here AND bring me, Pam and Megan lots of fun gringo goodies in their luggage. Then Ron Rossi and his Sacred Heart student-volunteers are a wonderful addition to my life. La Doctora has been here since January keeping us all on our toes. My newest friend (pictured here) is Connor from Georgia. His grandmother, Pat Sullivan brought him down for his first visit to the Amazon. I have no doubt he’ll be back again! Soon Pachita will be here and all the AAS volunteers—old and new. Plus for almost a month James has been visiting from Perth. We’ve had a great time doing nothing—it’s really a gift, you know? We’re becoming quite talented at this (kind of like retirement) and look forward to more of the same as we travel around the world. Learning to enjoy the most basic daily routine, even in the middle of the rainforest, is a wonderful way to live one’s life. Learning to just BE is not easy but it has its rewards.

Hasta el mayo mis amigos—gracias para tu interese en mis palabras del Perú!

Rain & Rats

Rain, rain and more rain here in the rainforest! Hmmmm, well I guess that’s the point but truly this has been a particularly well year so far. February has proven to continue with much rain over the weekend that poor Megan woke up to a flooded house today—what a way to start a Monday! Not too much damage but a hassle for sure and a mess to clean up. The river is unusually high for this time of year but I have to say so much prettier. You see less debris on the shoreline and fewer sandbars. However, high water, so early in the season, has been a hardship for communities who normally plant rice in the fall and harvest it six months later. This is done on the sandbars which form when the water goes to its lowest level. Unfortunately, with the river rising prematurely this year, rice crops have been lost and/or the growing season cut short. Last year, the river was too low in the winter and villagers had a hard time getting into the city due to dried up streams which lead to the main river--quite a long way to carry a canoe. This year they can get to the markets in Iquitos but they don’t have much to sell. Ah, Mother Nature!

Rats, unfortunately, don’t drown when the water comes up but instead seek higher ground like homes and lodges. I wonder why God didn’t make it so that rats couldn’t swim--wouldn’t that have been sweet justice and kept down overpopulation? But I digress—anyway, rats have been showing up more in the lodges and areas where normally they’re not found. I recently lost a piece of the temple for my glasses due to a rat. I’d left my glasses on the night stand while staying at the Lodge and in the morning the whole end was clipped neatly off—like someone took a pair of pliers to them. There’s enough remaining to hold onto the side of my head but just! I will have that temple replaced later this year when I’m in Michigan—thanks Heidi and Mark! They love to come in and chew up things to make nests and trim their teeth. Nothing can be left out overnight or they move right in. More toads have turned up, too, as they’ve been flushed out in the city by all the rain. However, for some reason they just don’t seem as scary and spooky as rats are but instead a delight when they come hopping into my house. :)

Things are heating up at CONAPAC as Adopt-A-School starts in two short months. Our first full year managing the new library is underway and we’re excited about all the possibilities. This year, we’ve found donors to support two students from our AAS and Library program to attend university level classes in Iquitos. This is a three-year commitment from the donor, the student and the parents who will need to provide support for living expenses. We’ve hired a new full time staff member to run our water program and this year we’ll build six more water plants. The University of Colorado students will be back to do their yearly audit in July after which one of the student will stay behind as an intern for 3-4 months. This year we’re developing a pilot project to make the training, testing and monitoring of our water plants more sustainable. We will teach and pay locals on the ground to learn how to be water techs and make regular visits for on-going support to communities who have water treatment facilities. We have lots of service projects lined up for the summer for visiting Explorama guests and in the fall, the annual spelling bee, evaluations and Christmas concert with be held. For me, I’ll be traveling more. Although I’ve signed a new 3-year contract with CONAPAC, I’ll be taking more time off to visit family and seeing the world with James. Yes, I’m going to have a very mobile/global office!

Swanning Along...

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!

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!

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

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

• 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!