We raced back from Trujillo to go to our district capital, Las Lomas, for a meeting with the mayor and the boss of the health center. So it was our first time staying in Las Lomas. It was kind of neat to see how the place runs at night. It was kind of busy since it was Sunday, lots of people out and about. Lots of parties and music. However, it was HOT and I hadn´t missed that part of being away at all.
So the next day we had our meeting with the mayor, which was supposed to be at 10am, I think we were actually called in around 11am. It all seemed to be going well, he seemed interested in our work, and interested in supporting our projects. But as I am learning, there are no normal conversations with Peruvians, and all of the sudden (forgive me grandma if you are reading this), he proceeds to tell us he is like the Japanese, because he can have sex 3 to 4 times a day and not finish, in fact he says he probably only finished 3 to 4 times a year. All three of our faces were just blank. That was a first for me!!! Ihave never been in a meeting with an official, at any point in my life where he interupts the conversation to discuss the complications of his sex life. Only in Peru!
Later once that successful/awkward meeting had ended, we went over to the Health Center and met with the boss there. He was a young enthusiastic doctor who was familiar with the Peace Corps and eager to work with us which was very exciting. I wish all the time that I had a doctor like him working in my site, it would just help things flow so much easier. Fortunately my doctor is leaving in April and I am counting down the days. I just really hope we get a better one to replace him.
So after all of this was said and done, I went back to my site for the first time in over a week. But I was heading back with several objectives. The first one was with my host family. I decided after talking to over volunteers that I wanted to start cooking breakfast and dinner for myself. I really like their food, but it can greasy and just too much so I wanted to take control of that. So I told them I would be only eating oatmeal for breakfast and having tea at night. Our dinner is usually around 8pm and I am just not hungry then, and I feel like I´m forcing myself to eat. So of course my family was okay with this when I told them. But when I actually started doing it, they keep giving me the hardest time. They think I am not eating enough and they keep offering me more and giving me dirty looks for declining. I am still eating their biggest and most important meal of the day with them. But I am really sick of feeling like a child and I wanted some control over what I do in a day. However, they are having a hard time with that. And I am too.
The other thing that makes me beyond furious is having me younger host sister who is 22 tell me what to do all the time. The other day I left the house and she questioned where my hat and sun block were! And then the other night I went to sleep with my fan on, and around 11pm she wakes me up to tell me to turn it off because I will get a stomach ache.
I have been very patient. But I am 26 years old, I am adult! And I´ve lived ALONE before this for a very long time. I am REALLY sick of being disrespected. So I´ve been nice, but I think now I´m going to have to start getting stern and maybe even rude if it takes that to get my point across.
Integrating with family is really important for us, but sometimes I need to remember as well as them that I am also a tenant, and am paying rent. So I don´t need to be treated like a child.
So yesterday, I did a demonstration in the health post for Mom´s on how to make the puree baby food. Most of the Mom´´s strictly feed their babies potato puree and they don´t really get more creative with it. Since we had a meetign the other day where we taught them the importance of food groups in their babies diet I thought I would show them some examples. I had about 13 mom´s show up, which was good. But I found out later they were expecting plates of food and not the little samples they got. I am just shocked sometimes with them! But they seemed interested in what we made and I hope they are going to practice it. They are always challenging me I feel like!
So my host Mom and host brother are in Piura getting him settled for school and his new place to live. And my host Mom is going to return and my host sister Mirta (who I don´t really like) is going in her place. That makes me really happy! However, before Mirta can go, the family is going to slaughter a pig to pay for her way. One thing I am learning is that these people´s money is not saved away in the bank, it is actually saved away in the animals they have.
I have wondered why we have so many animals that we never eat. It is because my family raises them, and then kills them when they need money. I have seen them do it over and over again. We do not benefit directly from the meat, it get sold away.
A few weeks ago one of the turkeys got really sick, it can´t walk or do anything. And my family has been really nervous and nursing it back to health. Because they told me it´s an 80 sole turkey, which is a ridiculous amount of money to them. But for me it´s been sad watching this turkey suffer for weeks now, it still can´t walk.
So there is the update...I am sure I will have more soon!
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