Bonjour cyber audience. I hope this blog finds you all fine- I’ve seen some pictures from the blizzard of “10” (that doesn’t sound too fluid like blizzard of ’96 but whatevs) and I can’t believe what I’m missing out on! I showed my family photos of the DC snowball war and some pictures of my house under three feet of snow (courtesy of em) and needless to say, they were AMAZED! They thought it was all so beautiful and I think they wish sometimes that a little snow would come down here every once in a while.
This past two weeks I’ve been walking around with my health promoters in our town doing the community diagnostic. So basically, I go door to doorasking if I can come in, sit down and ask the family a few questions (very Jehovah’s witnesses-like I must say). Then I probe them to find out what kind of bathroom they have (one with sewer connection, a latrine, or just a little corner in the backyard), what they like to cook, what they know about AIDS, problems in the community- that sort of thing. I genuinely like doing them (we have 100 to do) but I’m pretty tired after each one. My highlights have included drinking warm goat milk- straight from the udder (pasteurization is for losers apparently) and watching a chicken try to lay eggs in a grandmother’s head of hair wile she slept. Things are looking up.
On Thursday I was waiting for my Peruvian counterpart to get done with her patients (she’s an obstetrician) so we could go out together and interview some folk. Then I found out she had a psychoprofilaxis class to teach that she forgot to mention. This is “having a baby 101” class for all those young mothers out there that, in reality- have no idea what’s about to hit them in a few months. So I decided to go and listen in on her give her lecture. This included lots of baby- delivery videos, which I think terrorized some of the mothers (and maybe myself included), and plenty of uterus diagrams. After the lecture, the soon-to-be mothers did some aerobic and breathing exercises to prepare themselves for the big day. I found myself doing them too. Then Sofia (my counterpart) brought out a plastic tube with two funnels on either end, and like playing telephone with cans and a string, we (Sofia and I) “talked” (in english and spanish) and said hello to the little guys. It was a little awkward sticking the other end of the tube to a stranger’s belly and talking to their baby, but I bet that baby is going to come out of the womb speaking English and dancing the electric slide.
As I’m writing this, I’m sitting in my room; it’s warmer than usual and I’ve just declared war on the fly population that swarms my room all day and night. I’ve had it up to HERE with them. So, like an alligator in the marshes, I’m stalking my prey- just waiting until they get close enough and then I can terminate their life faster than you can say “hasta la vista.” With a makeshift fly swatter. So far- two down- about six to go. Thank God I live on the second floor though because they’re a lot worse downstairs. I use one hand to eat my meals and the other to shoo flies that otherwise bombard your food like children at Harry Potter book premieres. And with the rainy season and all of the standing water that exists- it’s just a fly and mosquito breeding-heaven. No me gusta.
Other news: I found out the Saints won through word of mouth and unfortunately, I was not able to watch it since my town lacks cable access.
Alyse’s cat (and the mascot of our group here in Tumbes), Mozart, died two nights ago from God knows what. I don’t think I’ve told you all about Mozart but he was a noble kitten- with blue eyes and an orange coat. Alyse (one of the other volunteers in Tumbes) found him on the street in her site on the verge of starvation, and decided to nurse him back to health. We took him to the vet, got him shots and kitty food but apparently the poor little guy couldn’t take it. Alyse and Ian found little Mozart in her room after coming back form dinner- rigor mortis and definitely dead. How did she find him (because it had been pouring all night and everyone was without electricity)? By opening the door which collided with his little dead-head . RIP Mozey. May you ever represent the stray cats of Tumbes. He was laid to rest where he was found- in a pile of trash (God forbid there be trash cans here) on the side of the road. It may sound morbid and gross, and that’s because it is.
Tonight, one of Peace Corps’ awesome medical doctors is coming to have a “girl´s night” with the girls form Tumbes. I don’t know what this means, but we’re making fajitas and spending the night at the beach so I’m down. I only wish Peru had food like Mexico, but alas, life isn’t always fair so we’re bringing Mexico to Peru tonight.
Okay, that´s it- I´m late (par usual) for our little girl´s night and i still have a few more errands to run before i head out. See you all! Take care.
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