We had part of our training in the "Sierra" (mountains) so the cold obviously obliged us to purchase touristy, colorful, peruvian toboggans. =)
The boys in our group had a peruvian mustache competition!
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
So my work here in Nasca is crazy and is never-ending… and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Working here takes a lot of patience and persistence. Peruvians have a nasty habit of saying one thing and then not following through. I’m hoping that my consistence will rub off on them.
So what is it exactly that I’m doing? Good question. I have recently finished my community diagnostic of the community which is a very large 3-month long process. It is basically a full report of our site to learn about everything: the culture, the functioning of the pueblo, the specifics on the water and sanitation here, and leaders/institutions in the community. It’s a great tool to get us to get out in the community and understand the workings so we can begin working to the best of our ability. This diagnostics includes talking to people in the community, holding interviews with the various institutions, meetings of presentations, and surveys in the community. Nasca being a bigger city, it was a good challenge getting “conocer” everything; however, I can confidently say that with 4 months in I have been able to get to know many people in the community (especially those who I want to work with in various institutions) and have been able to form various plans for the community. I will list a few so you have an idea of what I’m up to:
-A Province-wide diagnostic and capacity building of the theme of solid waste. The people here do not have much of a consciousness about trash management… just throw the trash on the ground, in the rivers, in the archeological sites. It’s a problem. SO basically we are trying to fix that. This is a huuuge project, but luckily there’s a lot of community support for it.
-Teaching about trash management in the school systems and doing a city-wide competition between the schools about how creative they can get with their recyclables- making toys, clothes, house objects, decorations, etc. This is not only to teach about recycling, but also to raise the consciousness of what they should do with their trash.
-Transforming one specific school into the example for Nasca of a “Colegio Saludable” (a healthy school). We are improving their rates of hand washing, doing compost, making a greenhouse thing, begin recycling system, starting a health club, training the teachers, making a school for parents to teach them about various healthy family topics, etc. Basically, I want for all the schools in Nasca to look at this school and say “Wow, I want that.” (well, in Spanish of course haha!) and then copy healthy living tips from that school.
-I am beginning a tv talk show here in Nasca. Every Wednesday at 8PM I will be talking about topics of healthy living, water management, world facts, etc. I want to make learning fun for these people.
-HIV/Aids workshops in various school systems. There is barely any sexual educations… which explains for the excessive amounts of kids people have.
-A pen-pal match between a school here and my high school back home. It’s a fun way for them to share cultures and get see a different point of view on things (on both ends of the pen).
-We are also going to be starting up basketball teams in some of the schools around here. I am really looking forward to this because if I have time I will want to coach as well.
So yeah! These are some of the projects I am working on. The cool things that I really like about these projects are that they are very sustainable because basically I am just setting up and helping organize them, but the citizens here are the ones running a lot of it… which is one of my biggest goals. When I leave Nasca in the next few years, I want things to still continue to flow. I am just beginning things right now, so there’s not much to show for things yet, but poco a poco things will build their way. Things move pretty slowly here so we just take it at Peruvian pace. ;D
PS- For those of you that have been sending packages/want to send packages/ SHOULD send me packages (hehehe) here is a little list of things I would love:
Oatmeal packets!!! All flavors yumyumyumyum
Granola bars, and other healthy snacks
Pictures of places and people I love
Sanitary face wipes/ good smelling hand sanitizer
Scotch tape
Gum
Homemade baked goods and/or oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
Relaxing facial mask cream or something calming like that
Peanut butter
Magazines about science/outdoors/NatGeo... basically just want to learn/read interesting articles!!!
Things that make me smile/relax
You!
I love helping out at the farm!
