No Nintendo

“No Nintendo” à No entiendo. 

Today was pretty great.  We were back at the Centro for training and the Associate Peace Corps Director for the environment program was there to talk with us individually.  I’ve heard mixed opinions about him.  One girl said she had a friend who told him she was interested in rain water and he put her in the desert.  Others say he’s very receptive to suggestions.  I guess I’ll just have to see.  He had read my resume and said that with my master’s program, environmental, and organic farm experience, I was perfect for a bunch of the positions he has.  I told him I was interested in learning Quechua, love the mountains, and do better in cold than hot.  He asked me about my concerns and I told him I’m working on my master’s and don’t want to have electricity and internet totally inaccessible, though it’s OK if it’s not at my site.  He wrote things down as I was talking and asked follow-up questions, so maybe he listens.  I’m pretty excited!  A rural mountainous spot with traditional culture and agriculture is just what I’ve been hoping for.  He told me that I’d likely go to the departments of Ancash or Junin.  Ancash is pretty epic with Huascaran, the highest peak in the Andes and lots of Quechua speaking towns.  I don’t know much about it, and less about Junin, but you can bet I’ll be researching as soon as I get my hands on some internet.  The director said that if he decides early which department I’ll be in, he’ll tell me. 

This is all very exciting.  Though I’m bracing myself for it to not to work out or not live up to my expectations.  There is the possibility that I’ll get placed in the desert along the coast.  Or it could be that I get to my dream community and nobody will listen to me or I can’t break into such an insular and conservative place.  We’ll see.  I’m going to remain optimistic and braced for change and work hard at whatever I get. 

After class, a bunch of us went running.  We found the Peruvian equivalent of a gated community that had beautiful trees, a wide sandy road, and big houses.  It was wonderful.  I feel bad for enjoying such an exclusive place that most Peruvians can’t enter, but it was so soso nice to not be yelled at, nearly run over, or chased by dogs.  I think we’re going to go there often.  I’m really happy to have a group to run and chat with.  It’s great to shake out our legs after sitting all day and get to know each other. 

Diego, the country director, warned me about the lack of comfort I could encounter at my site.  Being a dummy, I started going on about how I over-wintered in Idaho in a yurt in the woods and could take it.  I wonder what it will be like?  I expect cold and a potato-centric diet.  Probably loneliness.Maybe boredom.  I’ve never had to do without in my life.  I wonder what value I will take from the experience.  Is there inherent value in doing such a thing?  Billions of people are way worse off than I will be here.  I’m sure I can make it, I’m just having trouble anticipating the experience and trying to think about what I’ll get out of it.