I hand-washed all my clothes today. Everything, including what I was wearing. (No one was around and I kept on my underwear.) It took two and a half hours and I've come to some conclusions:
1.) Armpits deserve the most attention and vigor.
2.) Socks are disgusting, difficult to wash, and I'm resolved to wear them less frequently.
3.) Listening to Jack Johnson makes a menial task more enjoyable.
4.) This sun dries t-shirts in 30 minutes.
5.) I felt good when I was finished. Not relieved - accomplished. There was a sense of independence, of self-reliance, that came with the pruned fingers, tired forearms, and tight back.
6.) Washing machines are nice.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Señora Maria
She's been here, volunteering, for 27 years. She cooks in huge metal pots over a gas stove. Due to her height and the height of the pots, she has to extend her arms straight out in front of her in order to stir. She never stops moving, never stops quickly shuffling her feet over the concrete floor. She gets here by 5:30 in the morning and she rarely leaves before 6 at night.
She's been here, cooking two substantial meals a day, for hundreds of kids, for almost three decades. Do the math. How many millions of plates of food is that? How many millions of washed bowls, cups, and spoons? How many kids who would have been hungry?
Catholicism prevails in this area, along with honoring Saints. Canonization usually implies some kind of tremendous and instantaneous miracle. There is a different, subtle kind of miracle, the kind that happens over a quiet lifetime. In Maria, it is the consistent, fearless giving of an kind and compelling woman.
She's been here, cooking two substantial meals a day, for hundreds of kids, for almost three decades. Do the math. How many millions of plates of food is that? How many millions of washed bowls, cups, and spoons? How many kids who would have been hungry?
Catholicism prevails in this area, along with honoring Saints. Canonization usually implies some kind of tremendous and instantaneous miracle. There is a different, subtle kind of miracle, the kind that happens over a quiet lifetime. In Maria, it is the consistent, fearless giving of an kind and compelling woman.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Welcome Surprises
Here are just a few of them:
The dance classes taught by Raul. The boys fight to be in the front line as they shake their hips like Beyonce to, ¨Single Ladies.¨ A warm and extroverted boy named Carlos excels and the teacher tells the other students to watch him for the correct moves. He covers his face with his hands to conceal his embarrassment and enormous grin.
There´s a fan in my room. That is a marvelous comfort.
The guard at the comedor plays a mean Spanish guitar. His name is Lorenzo and we sat together for almost two hours the other night as he taught me a song. He seemed thrilled at the chance to play with someone. I hope the lessons continue.
I've been translating children's books to help me learn Spanish. "The Giving Tree," is just as beautiful and powerful in another language.
The Peruvian wedding reception I attended. It didn't start until 9 pm and the food wasn't finished until nearly midnight. Old women sat in fancy dresses next to young mothers swaying their babies. The bride and groom's godparents were presented with gifts, including whole roasted ducks and loafs of bread 2 feet in diameter. After everyone ate, they cleared the tables, handed out balloons and masks, and stared dancing.
Although not much of a surprise, the fruit here is wonderful and inexpensive.
Children grab my hand and laugh when I don't let go.
The dance classes taught by Raul. The boys fight to be in the front line as they shake their hips like Beyonce to, ¨Single Ladies.¨ A warm and extroverted boy named Carlos excels and the teacher tells the other students to watch him for the correct moves. He covers his face with his hands to conceal his embarrassment and enormous grin.
There´s a fan in my room. That is a marvelous comfort.
The guard at the comedor plays a mean Spanish guitar. His name is Lorenzo and we sat together for almost two hours the other night as he taught me a song. He seemed thrilled at the chance to play with someone. I hope the lessons continue.
I've been translating children's books to help me learn Spanish. "The Giving Tree," is just as beautiful and powerful in another language.
The Peruvian wedding reception I attended. It didn't start until 9 pm and the food wasn't finished until nearly midnight. Old women sat in fancy dresses next to young mothers swaying their babies. The bride and groom's godparents were presented with gifts, including whole roasted ducks and loafs of bread 2 feet in diameter. After everyone ate, they cleared the tables, handed out balloons and masks, and stared dancing.
Although not much of a surprise, the fruit here is wonderful and inexpensive.
Children grab my hand and laugh when I don't let go.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Ways to Learn Spanish
Take a class. Hire a tutor. Use a computer program. Or, you could teach an anti-violence class to groups of Peruvian boys in a small town where no one speaks English.
Starting next Saturday I will be doing just that. Domestic violence and general aggression are common here. Being a male with experience working with kids makes me a candidate for taking on this endeavor. It´s thrilling. There´s a good bit of truth in the adage, ¨Neccesity is the mother of invention.¨ It looks like I´m going to have to invent a way to learn Spanish in a little over a week.
A hearty breakfast is a must when confronting such a challenge. Good thing there´s Maria.
Maria is in charge of feeding the 200 or so kids that come to this ¨comedor¨ every weekday. She raised 9 kids of her own, is in her late fifties, stands about 2 feet shorter than I do, and has undisputed authority. Today at breakfast, she made a mixture of oatmeal, quinoa, other grains and spices. After she fed the kids, I went to get mine. Instead of the little cups she used for the children, she grabbed a serving pitcher, poured in over a liter of this hot cereal, and handed it to me with a smile. Not knowing enough Spanish to politely refuse, I took it, sat with the children, and ate to the verge of nausea.
Starting next Saturday I will be doing just that. Domestic violence and general aggression are common here. Being a male with experience working with kids makes me a candidate for taking on this endeavor. It´s thrilling. There´s a good bit of truth in the adage, ¨Neccesity is the mother of invention.¨ It looks like I´m going to have to invent a way to learn Spanish in a little over a week.
A hearty breakfast is a must when confronting such a challenge. Good thing there´s Maria.
Maria is in charge of feeding the 200 or so kids that come to this ¨comedor¨ every weekday. She raised 9 kids of her own, is in her late fifties, stands about 2 feet shorter than I do, and has undisputed authority. Today at breakfast, she made a mixture of oatmeal, quinoa, other grains and spices. After she fed the kids, I went to get mine. Instead of the little cups she used for the children, she grabbed a serving pitcher, poured in over a liter of this hot cereal, and handed it to me with a smile. Not knowing enough Spanish to politely refuse, I took it, sat with the children, and ate to the verge of nausea.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
One Way Hiccup
Monday morning, 8:15 am.
I am in the process of checking in for my 10:45 flight. Because it´s an international flight and I´m checking bags, the attendant for Air Canada comes to my kiosk. (Yes, you read that correctly. I flew Air Canada from Pittsburgh to Lima with a layover in Toronto.) She wasn´t the most chipper airline employee.
While in the process of entering my information, she becomes puzzled and without looking up from the computer asks, “Where´s your return flight?”
“I don´t have a return flight. I bought a one way ticket.”
Now she looks at me. Looks at me like a second head just sprouted from my right shoulder.
“You need to have a return flight. I can´t let you board the plane if you don´t have a return flight. You need proof that you´re coming back. Immigration won´t let you into Peru if you don´t have a return flight.”
“My good word isn´t enough proof?”
A third head must have popped out of my left shoulder because her look went from puzzled to disgusted.
“Sir, you need a return ticket. Here´s a number you can call.”
I didn´t need a return flight. There is no way immigration was going to check for my return ticket. Who even carries their return ticket months prior to the flight? But, I was paired with this woman at the counter and therefore needed to call Air Canada to get a seat on a north bound plane months in advance. Which I did. For almost twice as much money as I got when I sold my Chevy Malibu.
After getting off the phone with Air Canada, I went back to the same attendant, proudly displayed my new ticket number, and she let me leave the country.
The ticket is fully refundable, which is why it was so expensive. First thing tomorrow morning it´s going to be refunded.
I am in the process of checking in for my 10:45 flight. Because it´s an international flight and I´m checking bags, the attendant for Air Canada comes to my kiosk. (Yes, you read that correctly. I flew Air Canada from Pittsburgh to Lima with a layover in Toronto.) She wasn´t the most chipper airline employee.
While in the process of entering my information, she becomes puzzled and without looking up from the computer asks, “Where´s your return flight?”
“I don´t have a return flight. I bought a one way ticket.”
Now she looks at me. Looks at me like a second head just sprouted from my right shoulder.
“You need to have a return flight. I can´t let you board the plane if you don´t have a return flight. You need proof that you´re coming back. Immigration won´t let you into Peru if you don´t have a return flight.”
“My good word isn´t enough proof?”
A third head must have popped out of my left shoulder because her look went from puzzled to disgusted.
“Sir, you need a return ticket. Here´s a number you can call.”
I didn´t need a return flight. There is no way immigration was going to check for my return ticket. Who even carries their return ticket months prior to the flight? But, I was paired with this woman at the counter and therefore needed to call Air Canada to get a seat on a north bound plane months in advance. Which I did. For almost twice as much money as I got when I sold my Chevy Malibu.
After getting off the phone with Air Canada, I went back to the same attendant, proudly displayed my new ticket number, and she let me leave the country.
The ticket is fully refundable, which is why it was so expensive. First thing tomorrow morning it´s going to be refunded.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Bemelsa
I'm starting my time in Peru, in a town about an hour from the coast, a few hundred miles from Chile. The organization is called Bemelsa. Here's their website: http://www.bemelsa.org/
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