One Month Left

In just over a month, I finish my two years of Peace Corps service and I leave Peru for good. I feel every emotion possible about this, but mainly extreme sadness to be leaving behind the community that I have called home for the past two years and the people that have become my family. I have been an emotional wreck lately knowing that the day will soon come in which I have to leave Peru. These two years have gone by so fast and I wish I had more time to continue working on my projects and to be with the people and children that I love so much in Huallanca. However, at the same time I feel ready to start the next chapter of my life in the US. My plans are to move to my city of birth Portland, Oregon with my Peruvian boyfriend to work and start a life there. Grad school for social work could be in the near future :)  I feel very anxious to go back and quite terrified to get back to the faced past life of the US, but I know that it’s time.

Every time a group of Peace Corps Volunteers finished their service and prepares to head back to the US, there is a group who puts together a “Peace Corps yearbook” and they have us answer a lot of silly questions about our service and publish it in our “yearbook” along with a photo of us. The questions and our answers always seem to turn out quite funny so I am going to share mine since it is an ammusing summary of my two years in Peru.

There are some every day words in Spanish we use often that I will translate in parenthesis. So here it is:

"Kendra served in the lovely, little mining town of Huallanca, in the beautiful and culturally rich mountains of Ancash. She spent her two years forming bonds with many families in her town, loving on all the adorable little kids with chapped cheeks, hiking, talking to anyone who would listen about safe sex, reading books to the little ones in her library, and mastering the art of dancing huayno. She focused her work on a sexual health project to do everything possible to lower the high teen pregnancy rate, and on starting a very tiny but colorful and welcoming library at her favorite primary school."

Did you “aprovechar (take advantage of) that s***”?

Heck yes! I apprvechared not only life in site but life in Peru and South America. I will leave Peru with a ton of amazing Peruvian families and friends very close to my heart and having aprovechared living in such a beautiful country-by the time I leave I will have used up all my vacation days because I explored Peru and South America so much.

What was the most ignorant thing you’ve heard a US Citizen say during your service?

“Peruvians must be so sad to live in mud houses”

What was the best compliment you received during your time here?

All the times I was told “You look like a Barbie” were supposed to be compliments but I don’t feel very happy about that comparison.

What was your great success/failure?

Thanks to a SPA grant I was able to turn an unused, falling apart classroom into a very colorful and welcoming primary library that is filled to the brim with children’s books and educational games that I know will be used every day even after I leave because it is located at a school and the teachers have the key.

Combi story:

My site was so far from Huaraz that we had to take a bus instead of a combi so I rarely took a combi during my two years of service. But this one time I had to pee in a bag on the 4 hour bus ride from Huaraz to my site. My site mate was sitting next to me while I peed in said bag but he didn’t know until later because he was sleeping.

“I couldn’t have done it without…”

Yoga, running, warm clothes, cipro (the drug of the stomach gods), the beautiful mountains, daily phone calls to my boyfriend in Lima and to my Emilita in Arequipa, my awesome fellow Ancash Volunteers, all the constant love that I got from the adorable kids in my site, and my Peruvian mom, Benita who was my biggest confidant and friend in site.

Favorite Peruano en tu sitio:

All my adorable neighbor kids who made me smile every day and gave me endless abrazos (hugs) y besitos (kisses). And my awesome Peruvian mom who is always energetic and positive despite the poverty in which they live.

What is the weirdest thing you’ve eaten?

Definitely cat. Or fried sheep blood.

Best/worst smell in your site?

Worst smell: Pee alley by the market, and the second floor of the market where they sell tons of tocush (fermented potatoes that smell like death), me after not bathing for two weeks, my students and socios (counterparts) who also rarely bath, and the smell of dying/burning animals from the camal (slaughter house) which I lived 10 feet away from during my first 8 months in site.

Best smell: I can honestly not think of a single good smell in site.

What Peruvian article of clothing or accessory are you planning to rock when you return Stateside?

My traditional Ancash clothing: pollera, llankis, lliclla, chicles, and sombrero. I will rock my Ancash pride even if no one in the states knows what the heck I am wearing!

What will you be most remembered for by people in your community/or your host family?

The fact that I ran “every day” and got bit by a dog once while on a run and it bled a lot and I cried.

Most useful/useless item brought to Peru?

Most useful: Every winter clothing item that I brought because my site is freezing (I can literally see my breath in my room sometimes), hiking boots, and rain boots. This past rainy season was so bad, I seriously don’t know what I would have done without my rain boots! Least useful: Anything that didn`t keep me warm. 

Good toilet paper substitute:

Leaves and rocks.

A time you stared Death in the face in Peru:

When Leland and I trekked from Olleros to Chavin and on the last day of the trek by the time it got dark we were still a 3 hour walk away from Chavin and we thought we were going to have to sleep in this tiny pueblo full of drunks who were sure to cut into our tent at night and murder us. We thought we were going to have to stay awake all night and fend off the drunks until a miracle car showed up and was able to take us down to Chavin to sleep there.

Longest you've gone without bathing? 

Two plus weeks.

What will you miss the most about Peru/your site?

The mountains, the impossibly blue Ancash sky, having the most beautiful hikes, treks and lakes in my backyard, my host mom and siblings, the slow pace of life, all the adorable kids who love on me every day, the cheap and delicious fresh fruits and vegetables, eating potatoes for breakfast, lunch and dinner (I never thought I would miss that but I am realizing now that I really will miss my papitas!), dancing huayno, hanging out with my awesome fellow Ancash PCVs, and having every single day be an adventure. 

Have you left Peru in the past two years? If so, where did you go?

Yes, I have gone to Ecuador twice and Bolivia once. I love South America!

Craziest health problem:

Pooping/sharting my pants 7 times as an adult.

Best vacation story:

I took a trip to Bolivia with Emily, Nydelis, Lindsay and Anel in which we explored La Paz, the Salt Flats, and did the bike ride down the death road. While on our tour of the Salt Flats, our driver/tour guide seemed to be a bit psycho during the first few days and we basically almost got into a fist fight with him at dinner one night. Driving in the middle of nowhere with him for 4 days was a bit terrifying and we weren’t sure if we were going to make it out of the Salt Flats alive. We definitely had some moments where we thought he was going to murder us all in the middle of nowhere. “¿¿Y ahora??”

Funniest misspelling or mispronunciation you’ve seen in Peru:

On a welcome sign for a laguna in Huari, Ancash they translated “Belleza Natural” to “Natural Prety”.

Best thing you’ve seen on a t-shirt:

My 80 year old Quechua grandma always wears this shirt under her sweater that says “I’m bringing sexy back”.

Are you leaving any pets behind or taking any with you?

I hope to not take any stomach parasites back with me to the states.

Lluvia story:

Rainy season was so bad this past year, it literally rained all day and night for 3 months straight and the main road leading down to my site was completely swept away. We had at least 5 big landslides during this past rainy season and our river rose so much that many houses got flooded.

 What will you not be sad to leave behind?

Belligerently drunk men slurring their words while saying incoherent/inappropriate things and not letting go of my hand, mean street dogs, tocush, being un-shamefully cut in line every time I am waiting for something, and corruptness.

What English phrases will people in your community remember?

“Good after noon teacher!”

A time you almost resorted to physical violence:

Every time a Peruvian tried to cut me in line. So basically every day.

A time you actually resorted to physical violence:

During a lovely chocolatada  (chocolate/gift giveaway during Christmas time) in which all the moms were pushing, yelling, screaming and straight up fist fighting to get inside. I was volunteering and had to do some crowd control.

Favorite/least favorite Peruvian dish?

Favorite: Ceviche (from the coast NOT from the sierra), papa a la huancaina, caldo de gallina. Least favorite: TOCUSH, caucau. 

What story will you find yourself telling in 2030?

The time the Ancash volunteers had a regional meeting in Huari and we dressed up in traditional Ancash clothing from head to toe, ate a traditional meal of fried cat, and then went to the plaza to start a drinking circle and dance huayno. The Peruvians would not stop starting at us and taking photos/videos of us because seeing gringos dressed in traditional clothing was so odd to them.

 Would you do it again?  What would you do differently?  What would you keep the same?

I would definitely do it again! But if I was to do it a second time, I wouldn’t take things so seriously and let Peruvians with their sometimes frustrating ways get me down.

How many cell phones/bank cards/USBs/sunglasses/cameras/girlfriends/boyfriends have you gone through?

I have gone through 3 claro phones and I surprisingly still have my original movistar phone. But I think that’s because I rarely used my movistar phone my first year in site because we didn’t have movistar service. And thankfully I still have the same boyfriend that I met a month after moving to site :-)

What lengths did you have to go to for Internet/cell phone reception?

To use internet in my site you usually have to wait 10 minutes for one page to load. And for the first year in site there was no movistar service so my site mate and I got claro phones but rarely used them because saldo is expensive and goes fast.

  

What question are you asked/conversation do you have on a daily basis?

Every single day people love to talk about how cold it is, “!Ayyyy que friiiiio hace!!”  (It’s soooo cold!) Or if the sun is out and we are outside “!Me muero de calor!” (I am dying of heat!) Every time I am walking from one place to another “¿Señorita Kendra te vas a pasear?” (Miss Kendra are you just walking around aimlessly?) And then of course there are always the sapos wanting to know “¿Cuanto pagaste por tus zapatos? Tu camara? Tu casaca? Me puedes traer ropa de estados unidos?” (How much did you pay for your shoes? Your camera? Your jacket? Can you bring me clothes from the US?)

What are you most proud of?

My adorable library at my favorite primary school and my Youth Sexual Health Promoters from Pasos Adelante.

Meltdown story:

When some of my least favorite doctors at the health center lectured my Pasos Adelante students and I for twenty minutes on how we need to saludar (greet) every single person in the Health Center every single time we walk in. I started crying in front of all my students because I was so frustrated and then in private I gave a piece of my mind to one of the doctors and started giving my Pasos charlas at the colegio (high school) after that.

Thoughts on invitar-ing (food-sharing):

I adore how students always share their refrigerio with others. Invitaring is such a “care for your neighbors” mindset and I love it. What I am not fond of is when it turns into the whole “Inviiiiiitame pues señoriiiiita, no seas maaaaaaaala”. Nails on a chalk board.

Any disgusting hygiene habits you wish to share?

I now wear the same clothes for a week straight, only shower when absolutely necessary, and have picked up the charming Peruvian habit of picking my nose in public and eating like an animal with my hands and slurping every last morsel off a piece of meat to the bone marrow.

What has Peru taught you?

How to enjoy life! How to take in the scenery around me, to take long and relaxing lunch breaks, how to be lazy, how to party and dance until dawn. But mostly how to just sit back and take it all in and not feel like I have to be productive every second of every day.  

What’s your favorite place in all of Peru?

Huaraz. The most beautiful snow covered mountains, beautiful Quechua culture, awesome cafes to chill and eat good food, and with the most beautiful hikes, treks, and lakes in South America, there is always an awesome adventure awaiting in Huaraz.

Best advice that you received from other Peace Corps Volunteers/staff:

“Never leave home without toilet paper”. I can’t remember who told me that but I know that every time I have accidently left home without toilet paper, I have been sorry.

Do you think you’ll come back and visit Peru? How long will it be?

Definitely, especially since I will eventually marry my Peruvian boyfriend and we are going to save up to build a beach house on his land plot in Lobitos, Piura. And I want to visit my site as much as possible to see all the kids that I love so much grow up.

Did you pick up any new hobbies or activities?

Huayno dancing!

Best item received in a care package:

Annies mac and cheese and Nutella!

Culinary masterpiece you’ve perfected in site:

French toast with campo bread and weird Peruvian syrup.

Chapas (nicknames) in site:

I still get called gringa every single day.

Favorite feriado in Peru?

Fiestas Patrias in my site is amazing! My site knows how to party hard with Peruvian spirit!

What is one thing that you will never acostumbrar (get used to) to?

The Peruvian slide. Cut me I will cut you! And the obsession with desfiles (marching). I just don’t get it. And no I do not want to participate in our schools desfile with the teachers because I feel like Hitler.

Anything you’d like to confess?

I never watched TV shows at all until I joined Peace Corps and had so much free time.

Have you been robbed?  What did they take?

My backpack got sliced open in Ayacucho during Semana Santa and they took my wallet. Even though I had it under my arm the entire time those professional, sneaky rateros (robbers) that come from Lima know how to fool a gringa.

How do you handle the piropos (cat calls)?

By cursing in English under my breathe and secretively flipping them off.

What’s the most creative thing a Peruvian has said to you in English?

WASYANAME WASYANAME WASYANAME

Favorite Spanish/Quechua saying:

Ama sua, ama llulla, am aquella. (Don’t steal, don’t lie, don’t be lazy)

Biggest language blunder:

Anytime my Mexican or Ecuadorian Spanish comes out and I use the word “cachar”.

Most embarrassing story:

Well thankfully my boyfriend really loves me and I had already pooped my pants like 5 times in his presence or else the time that we went beach camping and I accidentally pooped on my hand (during one of the hundred times that I went outside the tent to poop out water) and then went back into the tent and smeared it on his chest would have been pretty embarrassing.

Favorite wall décor in your host family’s house:

I find the calendars of extremely white babies and children to be very interesting.

How has Peace Corps changed your future plans?

It has reinforced my dream of becoming a school social worker. I love working with youth in a school setting but as a social worker rather than a teacher.

Biggest lie that you’ve told/someone has told you:

Anytime a socio has acted interested in working on a project with me.

Best chisme you heard from a Peruvian about another Volunteer?

Tyler Frank has three wives in Huaraz.

A time when you wished you’d said no, but didn’t:

Every time I said yes to eating tocush.

Thoughts on cumbia/huayno:

I LOVE HUAYNO. My site mate and I are master Huayno dancers and the people in our site love nothing more than seeing us dance Huayno. And much to my Peruvian boyfriends dismay I will be listening to Huayno constantly when we move to the states.

What scares you the most about returning to the States?

I have really acustumbrared (gotten used to) to the slow pace of small town life here and I am terrified about not being able to keep up/getting really overwhelmed when I am back in the states.

Best read during service:

“A Piece of Cake” by Cupcake Brown

Most amusing misconception you have heard about the U.S.?

That we only eat canned food and we throw out clothes away after wearing them only once.

Strategies for keeping warm/cool:

Putting on every piece of clothing I own and hiding under the covers with a cup of boiling tea.

What do people in your site consider your strangest behavior?

My general gringa existence seems to be quite strange to them. And the fact that I go for runs, eat raw carrots, and drink plain, cold water makes me an absolute alien.

What did you miss most about the States?

Not being stared at every time I am in public. Houses that have heating and fireplaces. Being able to drink tap water. Having people actually give you the time of day when you walk into a store or restaurant.

Did you almost go home? What made you ultimately stay?

No. Times definitely got tough and I had a lot of rough days but the amazing days and the kids always made everything worth it.

Longest you’ve gone without seeing another Volunteer?

A few days. I had my darling site mate Tyler.

What have you done in Peru for the first time in your life?

Pooped my pants as an adult, teach sexual education to youth and adults, gone weeks without bathing, danced huayno, learn some Quechua, peed in a bag while on a bus, laughed, cried, and wanted to punch someone all in the same hour, summated a mountain peak, applied for a grant, started a library.

Best/weirdest gift from a Peruvian:

My little sister gifting me a dirty pair of socks.

Weirdest Peruvian remedy that actually worked for you:

Nothing. They have all been bizarre things that don’t work.

First meal you will have when you get back to the States:

Mexican food at my family’s favorite Mexican restaurant. I will be just thrilled to drink unlimited, free tap water and chips and salsa!!!!!

Best prank pulled on/by you:

Anytime a socio has acted interested in working on a project together.

Memorable first impressions of other Peru 19ers?

Kae Rae and I became instant friends when we both realized our love for gangsta rap.

Training recuerdos:

Kaeli getting locked out of her house when she had diarrhea and having to poop outside in plain daylight, our awesome Yanacoto crew (Y-City!!), going to the Romeo Santos concert and screaming like a 10 year old girl, me getting the superlative as most likely to date/marry a Peruvian and having it come true basically as soon as I got to site.

Most memorable day in site:

The time Tyler and I ate ceviche in site and we didn’t get type 7 diarrhea.

How do you plan to respond to the question, “What was Peace Corps like?”

“It was the best but most difficult thing I have done in my life.”

A time when your patience was put to the test:

Every. Single. Day.

Have you changed? How so?

I am much more patient. And I think I have anger problems now from dealing with so much bullshit from Peruvians.

What kept you going when times were tough?

Crying more times that I can count on my site mate’s shoulder and having him to vent to about the difficult Peruvians in site. My fellow Ancash volunteers inspiring me every day. My weekly two hour long phone conversations with Emily McGinnis. And always having my Peruvian boyfriend to talk to who has spent part of his life in the US so he understand both Peruvian and US culture very well and can help me see cultural reason to difficult situations.

What's next?

Moving back home to Portland, Oregon with my Peruvian boyfriend where we will hopefully reacostumbrar juntos to life in the states while being very Peruvian together.

Any advice to other Volunteers?

Don’t give up on projects that you see great potential in, no matter how difficult and frustrating things get. Do something that makes you happy every day. And don’t every forget out lucky we are to be living in this beautiful and chaotic country of Peru where our lives are an everyday adventure.

Shout outs:

To all my amazing Ancash volunteers: I love you all and would not have been able to do this without all out laughs and crazy adventures. Ancash is better and it always will be! Lila, my Bolognesi sister, thanks for understanding my pain every time Bolognesi was left out of being saludared in Ancash Huayno songs. To my site mate- turned-brother  (and sometimes dad) Tyler, thanks for being a shoulder to cry on and for keeping me sane in our impossible but darling site. Kae Rae, thanks for helping me get through PST and all our crazy memories. Emilita, thanks for all those 3 hour long phone conversations. I don’t know what I would have done without you and all your kindness and inspiration!