Since my last entry, lots has happened. Good lots. I’m finally getting to know what I’m doing here even though I say that all the time.
I’ve been doing a small alternative project where I cook for families in their homes. It’s actually really cool because it gets me to know them in a more personal level, making me feel more comfortable living here. It seems like each day my relationship with the community is strengthen by simply being here and be proactive within the community. The meals are actually not so expensive for me. It cost me anywere from $3-4 for a family of 7. But it would cost me alone about $1.5 but I would have food left over for days. This way I get to cook and meet more people. I try to do 4-5 families a week during the period of three nights.
I told you I was going to start “computacion” class and I did! It is actually a lot better than I imagined. It was suppose to be only 1 day a week but now it is 3 days. I downloaded a typing program that the kids love and they are on lesson 5 now. It’s pretty cool how fast they can learn. And that’s with 2 computers and about 9 kids in each class. I keep the other kids business by letting them play with my iPhone. The faster the kids get the more time they get to practice, so now each kids gets to do about 2 lessons each time but I make them repeat often. In the future, I’m hoping I can teach them other computer skills since we have internet access (sometimes). And then introduce them to topics that gets their mind wandering and hopefully gets them motivated to keep studying. Idealistic, I know, but I can dream confidently and still stay aware of the reality. A couple of days a week we also take care of the school garden which is what I originally wanted to do.
I’m still doing guitar. I don’t know if I mentioned that. I just wrapped up my second month. 5 hours a week is the average but I think I maybe staying more since I’m getting the hang of it. I know two songs! But still need a lot of practice. I made some brownies for my classmates and professor and they were really happy. It’s a cool environment and I can’t wait to come back and start again.
The tree tomato plants never came in (reference to last blog).
I have a small project going: making biol. Right now only 2 people have made it and one guy keeps standing me up so I’m going to surprise him tomorrow morning before I leave. But this biol is a mixture of manure, milk, yeast, water, ash, alfalfa, some other minerals, and then you just seal it up for two months and let it ferment. The total cost comes to about $40 for the initial tank and all but after that it is about 8 dollars a batch for 55 gallons but of course you dilute it. So when I get back, it will be about half way done, well at least the 2 I made a while back. I’m looking to seeing if I can apply for a small grant to give access to more people to make it because some really can’t afford. They aren’t poor, they just don’t have money. I’m also going to see if I can get some computers for the school donated by Apple, Dell, etc.; or a grant to buy them.
I’m also putting my dad’s guesthouse a.k.a. the other two rooms in my house, on hostelworld because there is nothing there for Saraguro. And by the way, my place is pretty sweet; I’m just saying. I’m excited to see more tourists come because I’m going to be like the acting “manager” since I live here. Hopefully if this catches on I can get other places to offer this “individual” yet community tourism. I say this because community tourism is hard to start with if it isn’t really being implemented in an effective and fair way (at least in my site). So if I can set a standard with a couple of families, then maybe people will be able to come together and coordinate a lot better. There are not a lot of tourists that come and there really aren’t that many attractions but the view and mood are very soothing and tranquil. So we’ll see what happens.
My "profile pic" for hostelworld. Can you see me in it?
I got up one morning at 5 in the AM to go see this guy make a poncho from yarn. I was so tired. But the morning was beautiful and the development is pretty cool. Here are some pictures.
His corn and beans coming up.
I did take a couple of days of travel to go to the beach for Thanksgiving, or Mansgiving as it came to be know. Rented a cabin on the beach for a couple of nights with 7 other men. haha Found a turkey and killed it. It was very eventful. I was glad to go. At that time I was not happy with the cold weather in my site so the coast was nice and soothing.
The fire.....
Our cabin. It slept 8 people
The beach.......
The point.....
The victim......
Sharpened knives.....
Get in position......
The finale........
Last but not least, my little community had yet another fiesta last night. It was like a pre-Christmas celebration. Still not sure but there were about 21 different “acts” of dancing, singing, skits, & etcetera and when the dance finally started at 1 a.m., I was so tired I only stayed for half an hour more. But it was a lot of fun! I don’t know if you remember I mentioned another fiesta in my community where I participated in a skit to imitate a popular video of this crazy hit song. Well the same group of ladies, called El Trueke (sp), asked me to participate again this time do a parody of a very popular Mexican comedy from the 60s I think: El Chavo del Ocho.
I was to be the professor Girafales because I was the tallest guy. Everyone else were other characters but it turned out really good. I was wondering how they were going to do on the creative side but they blew by mind.
It was a great night overall. It wrapped up a two-month-intensive-relationship-building marathon with my community. The little kids love me (and my iPhone), the old ladies are super cool, and I have some friends my age I hang out with now. This makes it a lot easier to pass the time and not want to leave my site. When I come back from Mexico, I’m going to come straight back to participate in the Epipheny on the 5th because it is suppose to be a HUGE fiesta too.
But I really like it here and things are going good so let’s hope it keeps up!
These senior citizen ladies are waiting for their "candies" from the hostess of the party. Reminded me of the FDR statue in DC with people lining up for food/jobs during the Great Depression.
Baby Jesus....that's why the fiesta was taking place. He was down visiting our community for a night.
Cool?
Señora Florentina
The Chavo del Ocho crew
One of the many musical acts....She was pretty good though.
EXTRAS
Animal market in Saraguro
Here is the link for a video done during our reconnect that was a skit done learning Spanish. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMm0Gzr5T0s
This is a copy of letter detailing all the programs in PC world wide. It is interesting.
October 28, 2010
TO: Peace Corps Global
FROM: Aaron S. Williams, Director
SUBJECT: 2010 Volunteer On-Board Strength
I am pleased to share with the entire Peace Corps family our 2010 Volunteer on-board strength: 8,655 Volunteers serving in 77 host countries.
Thanks to your hard work, more volunteers are serving with the Peace Corps overseas than there have been in the last 40 years. As of September 30, 2010, 8,655 Peace Corps volunteers are serving in 77 host countries. This represents a 13 percent increase over 2009 when 7,671 Peace Corps volunteers were serving in 74 host countries.
I am honored, at the cusp of our 50th anniversary, to announce the creation of an additional 1,000 volunteer positions in 2010, complementing our goal to increase overseas leadership opportunities. Every day, Peace Corps volunteers strive to make a difference and have improved the lives of millions of people – not just in communities around the world, but also in their local communities in the United States once they return home. This is the legacy of President Kennedy’s concept of international service, an idea that continues to capture the imagination of thousands of service minded Americans today.
In anticipation of strategic growth, Peace Corps has strengthened its capabilities to accommodate and support an increase in volunteers and volunteer support services. The agency continues to pay special attention to identifying and preparing volunteer work sites, infrastructure, security and health support, staffing at overseas posts, and training for volunteers and staff.
Several factors contributed to the agency’s growth: the expansion of current programs, the addition of new programs and an increase in volunteers extending the length of their service. The Peace Corps responded to an increase in host country requests for volunteers, principally because of an increase in resources. FY 2010 marked the largest operating budget in the agency’s history: $400 million. The distribution of volunteers is roughly equal across three geographic regions. Volunteers work across six main sectors of service; education remains the largest program sector for volunteers.
The agency completed a comprehensive agency assessment in June 2010, creating a blueprint for Peace Corps to pursue quality improvement measures which will strengthen agency performance and ensure strategic growth. Strategic growth takes into account not only an increase in volunteer numbers, but also the myriad of factors and conditions that affect and enable Peace Corps volunteers to have a successful, safe and productive service experience.
Again, the strength of Peace Corps is our ability to work together across borders, languages, religions, age, race and gender. Together we make this experience possible for both the Americans serving overseas with our posts and the host communities that are very much our partners in this mission to promote world peace and friendship through our three goals.
Thank you for everything you do.
2010 Peace Corps Data:
All figures are based on fiscal year data as of September 30, 2010. Peace Corps captures this data by completing an annual data analysis of the agency’s on-board strength as of the end of the fiscal year. The annually fact sheet has been updated and is available on www.peacecorps.gov
• Peace Corps volunteers reflect the diversity of our country. The average age of a volunteer is 28; 7 percent of volunteers are over the age of 50; and the oldest volunteer currently serving is 86. Nineteen (19) percent of volunteers are minorities and 60 percent are women. Ninety (90) percent of volunteers hold at least a bachelor’s degree.
• Peace Corps received an increase in the operating budget. In 2010, $400 million was allocated to Peace Corps programs. In 2009, Peace Corps’ budget was $340 million.
• Due to an increase in requests for volunteers from host countries, more than half (51) of Peace Corps’ posts increased their size over the previous year. The three Peace Corps posts that grew the most were: Rwanda by 210 percent (from 29 to 90 volunteers), Georgia by 125 percent (from 28 to 63 volunteers), and Ethiopia by 94 percent (from 52 to 101 volunteers).
• Nearly 200 more volunteers decided to extend the length of their service in 2010, when compared with 2009. Peace Corps service is a 27-month commitment. However, many volunteers request to extend their service time to allow for the completion of a project or initiative. Many of these third-year extension volunteers also help train incoming groups of volunteers.
• Nearly 200 volunteer positions were created at newly opened posts. In 2010, Peace Corps opened new programs in Colombia, Indonesia and Sierra Leone; and re-opened the suspended program in Madagascar.
• More than 200 Peace Corps Response volunteers served overseas in 34 countries. Peace Corps Response provides opportunities for returned Peace Corps volunteers (RPCVs) to undertake short-term, high impact assignments in various programs around the world. Total volunteers in this program increased by 171 percent over 2009. For more information on Peace Corps Response, click here.
• In 2010, the agency received nearly 13,500 applications for volunteer positions. There are more Americans applying to serve with Peace Corps than there are positions available. Roughly one in three applicants will serve with a Peace Corps program overseas.
• Successful 2010 applicants are generally matched to a program position with a departure in 2011. Peace Corps prioritizes the personal elements of the recruitment and placement process, which matches the skills and interests of applicants with the availability of positions and resources overseas. Applicants are encouraged to plan ahead and apply nine months to a year in advance of their target departure date.
Volunteers by Region:
• Africa Region: 3,168 Peace Corps volunteers serve in 28 countries (37 percent of all volunteers).
• Inter-America and the Pacific Region: 2,772 Peace Corps volunteers serve in 29 countries (32 percent of all volunteers).
• Europe, the Mediterranean and Asia Region: 2,715 Peace Corps volunteers serve in 20 countries (31 percent of all volunteers).
Volunteers by Program Sector:
• Education: 3,183 volunteers (37 percent)
• Health & HIV/AIDS: 1,900 volunteers (22 percent)
• Business Development: 1,207 volunteers (14 percent)
• Environment: 1,146 volunteers (13 percent)
• Agriculture: 375 volunteers (4 percent)
• Youth Development: 450 volunteers (5 percent)
• Other: 394 volunteers (5 percent)
About the Peace Corps: President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps on March 1, 1961 by executive order. Peace Corps will commemorate 50 years of promoting peace and friendship around the world through 2011. Historically, more than 200,000 Americans have served with the Peace Corps to promote a better understanding between Americans and the people of 139 host countries. Today, 8,655 volunteers are working with local communities in 77 host countries. Peace Corps volunteers must be U.S. citizens and at least 18 years of age. Peace Corps service is a 27-month commitment. To learn more about the Peace Corps, visit: www.peacecorps.gov
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