Hi everyone! (written on Dec 24th, 2008)
I know, I know! This blog entry has taken forever to be written. Only I am to blame. I had various chances to write it but never did. From September to late November I was undergoing intense technical training, and I seldom found time to go online to write on my blog. Training was amazing; our group Peru 12 is really cool. I became good friends with all the new volunteers, and my host family was a real treat. Swear in was the 28th of November, and from there we embarked in our journey to our new sites.
Currently I have been in my site in the town of Huántar for almost a month. Things are going fine. I cannot say things are going great because it is very very hard to get used to the culture of the Andean mountains. On top of that, it is really tough that I have only been here less than a month and it is already the holiday season. I am writing this entry on Christmas Eve, and there is absolutely nothing going on. It’s very depressing that there are no Christmas lights, no Christmas trees, and no Christmas spirit. Today feels like any other day, which is good because I at times forget that it is Christmas Eve. Tomorrow two other volunteers and I are going to the nearest small city and spend Christmas Day together. It’s the first time I have spent the Holidays away from home, and it is terribly difficult. I keep thinking about how I celebrate it at home and get nostalgic. I know it is a new experience, and part of growing up is going through all of this by myself, but oh man, oh man, does it hurt to think that I am so far away.
My host family is a nut case. I really hope I get used to the living situation or else. My siblings are the cutest thing in the world, but my host mom I don’t think likes me very much. I guess it must be cultural differences, but talking to her is close to impossible. My dad seems like a cool dude; he doesn’t really mess with me much. My room despite being very cold, I can probably get used to.
My town is cool. We have a plaza, a church, a municipality, a school, and a couple stores. The mayor seems like a neat guy. He is working very hard to develop the town, and has been giving jobs to people to rebuild the health post, a school, the plaza and some streets. He comes from Lima, and is very interested in improving life in his district. Last Sunday another volunteer and I went to a meeting at the municipality. There was a discussion group about poverty and under nutrition. The district is starting to follow a national plan to target these problems, and Peace Corps is going to work hand in hand with the program.
The weather will be a challenge. I will probably get sick from colds often during these two years. If it’s sunny it is very warm, and when it rains it drops to the forties. The rainy season is starting now, and when it decides to rain, it rains! It usually rains harder at night which is good, because it helps me sleep more soundly.
Nature is truly magical. People keep saying it’s going to get greener around March but I really don’t see how it could ever get greener than this. The mountains around here are breathtaking. One of my hobbies is to go on hikes and enjoy nature. Everyone in my town has ‘chacras’ or plantations that they go work on during the day. Most people have corn, potatoes, wheat and lentils. It is truly beautiful.
We are celebrating New Years in Huaraz, our provincial capital. We are so lucky to have this place! It truly helps me stay sane. We meet over there every two or two and a half weeks. There are a couple cafes that we frequent and use the internet. There are also a couple clubs that we absolutely love. We recharge batteries for a couple days and return to our sites.
Work is slow. The first month my job was to get to know the town, and start making connections. For the next two months I will be doing a community diagnostic which hopefully will keep me very busy. So far I spend my days either going on hikes with the nearest volunteer or helping out a little at the health post. I spend many hours hanging out in the plaza, talking to the neighbors, playing volleyball, reading, and writing. I have been writing a lot of poetry, and now I have decided to begin writing a play. I don’t have much written yet, and that might be another way to keep myself busy.
That’s a quick summary of my life in Huantar! I really would love if you guys would call my cellphone or if you were to write or send care packages to me. I really miss all you guys and wish that I could call you guys this Holiday Season and tell you how awesome and special you guys are.
Take care everyone! And God Bless! Peace in the New Year!
Claudia
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Uncomfortably Numb
Classic songs are timeless not because of who sings them or because of their incredible music arrangements, but because of how their message reaches across cultures, genders, classes, and generations. I must confess I know as much about music as I know about rocket science. A couple days ago while lying next to the pool enjoying great tropical weather I listened to my ipod which had recently been updated with music with help of my brother. I laid there motionless, anesthetized by the sound of the wind when Pink Floyd’s most famous song started playing: “Comfortably Numb.” I had never heard the song before, and to be honest I thought Pink Floyd was a teenage punk band because my brother has a T-shirt with a weird triangle on it… until the song started.
While in limbo between awake and asleep it began playing. “Hello,/ Is there anybody in there?/ Just nod if you can hear me./ Is there anyone at home?” it began in a spine-chilling voice. I opened my unUV-protected eyes, and looked up. At first I thought it was a joke. What?! It was not the tiny red devil who rests on my left shoulder. As the song kept playing I began to realize the masterpiece of a song that Roger Waters and David Gilmour had composed. It was so different that any other song I have heard before. It starts almost like a whisper on to the listener’s ear, and climaxes unquestionably with one of the best guitar solos ever.
The most interesting thing about the song I believe is how it speaks differently to different people. From the beginning of the song I was certain that being “comfortably numb” was about someone who had lost the ability to feel sympathy, love, sadness, frustration, and all other emotions that make humans sensible beings. When browsing the internet for the lyrics, I found various chat rooms discussing the “true meaning” of the song, whatever that means. I believe that songs, like poems and other art pieces, are on the eye of the beholder. We mostly listen to music but not truly hear what their message is trying to tell us. I challenge you all to listen to songs, hear with your head, and wait for your heart to respond to them.
This song spoke to me, and now just before leaving for my Peace Corps service in Perú it carries a special meaning. I never want to feel comfortably numb. If sometime you start feeling at ease in a state of stoic dullness MOVE. Find meaning in your life, get out of your house, meet people, take chances, do the impossible, challenge yourself to become responsive again. Dare yourself to LIVE again. At this point in my life I’m experiencing torrents of emotions and feelings that call me to action. I love who I have become, and it scares me to death that I will ever become numb. I know that the next two years of my life will make me everything but numb.
Comfortably Numb Lyrics (by Pink Floyd)
While in limbo between awake and asleep it began playing. “Hello,/ Is there anybody in there?/ Just nod if you can hear me./ Is there anyone at home?” it began in a spine-chilling voice. I opened my unUV-protected eyes, and looked up. At first I thought it was a joke. What?! It was not the tiny red devil who rests on my left shoulder. As the song kept playing I began to realize the masterpiece of a song that Roger Waters and David Gilmour had composed. It was so different that any other song I have heard before. It starts almost like a whisper on to the listener’s ear, and climaxes unquestionably with one of the best guitar solos ever.
The most interesting thing about the song I believe is how it speaks differently to different people. From the beginning of the song I was certain that being “comfortably numb” was about someone who had lost the ability to feel sympathy, love, sadness, frustration, and all other emotions that make humans sensible beings. When browsing the internet for the lyrics, I found various chat rooms discussing the “true meaning” of the song, whatever that means. I believe that songs, like poems and other art pieces, are on the eye of the beholder. We mostly listen to music but not truly hear what their message is trying to tell us. I challenge you all to listen to songs, hear with your head, and wait for your heart to respond to them.
This song spoke to me, and now just before leaving for my Peace Corps service in Perú it carries a special meaning. I never want to feel comfortably numb. If sometime you start feeling at ease in a state of stoic dullness MOVE. Find meaning in your life, get out of your house, meet people, take chances, do the impossible, challenge yourself to become responsive again. Dare yourself to LIVE again. At this point in my life I’m experiencing torrents of emotions and feelings that call me to action. I love who I have become, and it scares me to death that I will ever become numb. I know that the next two years of my life will make me everything but numb.
Comfortably Numb Lyrics (by Pink Floyd)
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Random Quotes
Hello my fellow readers!!
My deepest apologies for not having updated my blog. As most of you know I have been quite busy taking care of two groups of 14 and 15 year olds in Spain learning Spanish. I have had a great experience, and cannot wait to go home in a couple of days.
Oh right, almost forgot. I´M GOING TO SERVE IN PERU WITH THE PEACE CORPS. Isn´t that great!? I´m really excited, yet a little scared. I´ll write more in the next weeks as the date approaches.
***********Gear Change********************
I now have a favorite sugar! :) Not because it´s sweet but because of the cool quotes that are on one side of the packet. They are soooo neat that I took like 10 packets before I left the café. Here are some of the quotes (sorry they are in Spanish):
¨...La única diferencia entre un loco y yo, es que el loco cree que no lo está, mientras que yo se que lo estoy.¨ (Salvador Dalí)
¨Los viejos todo lo creen, los adultos todo lo sospechan, mientras que lo jóvenes todo lo saben.¨(Oscar Wilde)
¨La vida realmente no es el tiempo que pasa sino aquellos momentos en los que el tiempo parece no pasar.¨(Susana Urquiza).
¨No hay nada repartido más equitativo que la razón: Todo el mundo está convencido de tener suficiente¨(René Descartes).
¨La vida es breve, el arte largo, la ocasión fugaz, el experimento peligroso, el juicio difícil.¨(Hipocrates).
¨Nunca hagas apuestas si sabes que has de ganar al otro, eres un tramposo. y si no lo sabes, eres un tonto.¨ (Confusio).
¨La diferencia entre lo que hacemos y somos capaces de hacer, resolvería la mayoría de los problemas del mundo.¨(Mahatma Gandhi).
¨Cuando yo tenía catorce años, mi padre era tan ignorante que no podía soportarle. Pero cuando cumplí los veintiuno, me pareció increíble lo mucho que mi padre había aprendido en siete años.¨(Mark Twain).
My deepest apologies for not having updated my blog. As most of you know I have been quite busy taking care of two groups of 14 and 15 year olds in Spain learning Spanish. I have had a great experience, and cannot wait to go home in a couple of days.
Oh right, almost forgot. I´M GOING TO SERVE IN PERU WITH THE PEACE CORPS. Isn´t that great!? I´m really excited, yet a little scared. I´ll write more in the next weeks as the date approaches.
***********Gear Change********************
I now have a favorite sugar! :) Not because it´s sweet but because of the cool quotes that are on one side of the packet. They are soooo neat that I took like 10 packets before I left the café. Here are some of the quotes (sorry they are in Spanish):
¨...La única diferencia entre un loco y yo, es que el loco cree que no lo está, mientras que yo se que lo estoy.¨ (Salvador Dalí)
¨Los viejos todo lo creen, los adultos todo lo sospechan, mientras que lo jóvenes todo lo saben.¨(Oscar Wilde)
¨La vida realmente no es el tiempo que pasa sino aquellos momentos en los que el tiempo parece no pasar.¨(Susana Urquiza).
¨No hay nada repartido más equitativo que la razón: Todo el mundo está convencido de tener suficiente¨(René Descartes).
¨La vida es breve, el arte largo, la ocasión fugaz, el experimento peligroso, el juicio difícil.¨(Hipocrates).
¨Nunca hagas apuestas si sabes que has de ganar al otro, eres un tramposo. y si no lo sabes, eres un tonto.¨ (Confusio).
¨La diferencia entre lo que hacemos y somos capaces de hacer, resolvería la mayoría de los problemas del mundo.¨(Mahatma Gandhi).
¨Cuando yo tenía catorce años, mi padre era tan ignorante que no podía soportarle. Pero cuando cumplí los veintiuno, me pareció increíble lo mucho que mi padre había aprendido en siete años.¨(Mark Twain).
Monday, June 9, 2008
Convertida en mujer
Fui rápidamente creciendo
para darme cuenta de que quien soy hoy
es posible no sea yo.
Me tuve que haber perdido
o algo no haber entendido.
Quizás entre el rosado de mi primer cumpleaños
y vestidos con lazos almidonados.
O quizás fue más tarde todavía
cuando ya practicaba con el pintalabios
que mi mama efusivamente me concedía.
Y a todo esto recuerdo me decía:
“las nenas más lindas son femeninas”
“calladita te ves más bonita”
En mi adolescencia adolorida
rellenaba con papel los sostenes,
me embarraba la cara
y sacaba las nalgas.
“Sin maquillaje no salgas de la casa”
“No te vallas a poner gorda como una vaca”
Las inquietudes me llevaban
A maquillarme aunque solo me vea el perro.
A pensar ser gorda sin serlo.
A tenerle terror al vello en el cuerpo.
A peinarme como una artista.
A vestirme como una diosa.
A asistir al gimnasio como religiosa.
A salir siempre bien olorosa.
A visitar constante el estilista.
A romperme los pies con los tacos.
Y a hacerme manicure en las manos.
Entonces me corté las uñas.
Me quité los zapatos incómodos.
Me hice en el pelo una cola.
Me lavé bien la cara.
Me dejé crecer todos los pelos,
me desnudé por completo
y me miré en el espejo.
Y me encontré.
para darme cuenta de que quien soy hoy
es posible no sea yo.
Me tuve que haber perdido
o algo no haber entendido.
Quizás entre el rosado de mi primer cumpleaños
y vestidos con lazos almidonados.
O quizás fue más tarde todavía
cuando ya practicaba con el pintalabios
que mi mama efusivamente me concedía.
Y a todo esto recuerdo me decía:
“las nenas más lindas son femeninas”
“calladita te ves más bonita”
En mi adolescencia adolorida
rellenaba con papel los sostenes,
me embarraba la cara
y sacaba las nalgas.
“Sin maquillaje no salgas de la casa”
“No te vallas a poner gorda como una vaca”
Las inquietudes me llevaban
A maquillarme aunque solo me vea el perro.
A pensar ser gorda sin serlo.
A tenerle terror al vello en el cuerpo.
A peinarme como una artista.
A vestirme como una diosa.
A asistir al gimnasio como religiosa.
A salir siempre bien olorosa.
A visitar constante el estilista.
A romperme los pies con los tacos.
Y a hacerme manicure en las manos.
Entonces me corté las uñas.
Me quité los zapatos incómodos.
Me hice en el pelo una cola.
Me lavé bien la cara.
Me dejé crecer todos los pelos,
me desnudé por completo
y me miré en el espejo.
Y me encontré.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Clinton Our Suga' Mama
“Is Puerto Rico on the Pacific?” Michelle Obama asked her husband this morning.
“No honey. It’s in the Gulf of Mexico.” Responded Barack as he continued to sip his Starbucks coffee and read his New York Times.
It comes to no surprise to learn that Hillary Clinton won the Democratic primaries yesterday in Puerto Rico. The Clintons spent much more time on the island than the Obamas. They never grew tired of eating arroz con habichuelas, holding press conferences, dancing salsa, and making promises to Puerto Ricans. Despite my discontent with the whole electoral process on the island, I must sincerely congratulate the Senator. She did a wonderful job at successfully convincing the electorate that if elected president she would address many issues of extreme importance to the island, among them the “problem of the status.” In other words, she would allow for Puerto Ricans to determine and decide how to resolve our current colonial status. Perhaps more importantly, she promised to help PR come out of its economic slump, and said to try to allow PRcans the right to vote in presidential elections.
Less than half a million people, much less than expected, woke up this morning to participate in the so-called democratic process. People cast their vote for a variety of reasons. All of them full of hope that these primaries would put Puerto Rico on the map. Who’s map? I’m not really sure. Marta Martinez, after voting said, “Now that the candidates have been to Puerto Rico, they have seen the problems and the necessities we have here. The expectations now are for them to keep their promises” (El Nuevo Dia).
Another headline today for El Nuevo Dia reads “Promises that might not be kept”. I wonder why this very short article waited until the day after the elections to get published. Does anyone actually think any presidential candidate in the near future will address any of our problems? Come on! Wake up and smell the coffee, the Puerto Rican kind!
Check out what our governor had to say, “I congratulate Senator Clinton for her victory today, but the real winner these primaries in Puerto Rico was the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico – Estado Libre Asociado- because both of the pre-candidates made strong compromises with Puerto Rico.” I guess the governor didn’t smell the coffee, much less had a cup. Click here
Don’t judge me wrong, I cast my vote in Missouri a couple months ago but for different reasons. I didn’t vote for what the candidates “said” they were going to do about Puerto Rico. I voted for their platforms in the US, things that actually matter to them, things they will get done: the war, education, economy, and immigration.
We are not the winners, the low turn out of people to the ballots today proves that most Puerto Ricans woke up, smelled the coffee, drank it, and then went to the beach.
PS: Picture credit: El Nuevo Dia newspaper. Taken during the Independence Party protest to the elections. These people had a LOT of strong black coffee.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Air Frustrations
I hate traveling with a passion. I love the places it takes me. The actual traveling I detest more than eating slimy okra.
[Writer’s note: Beware. It’s gonna be a lot of complaining in the next paragraphs. But you will enjoy it.]
After graduating I flew from
Top 25 reasons why flying SUCKS! (I know I’m not being very articulate, but who cares? If you wanna read something articulate check out another blog. Read on and have fun.)
1) It’s freaking expensive! With all the money I have spent traveling up until now I could have built myself a freaking sweet time machine. Would have gone back in time and kicked the Wright brothers’ butts!
2) Now you can only check one bag! Where am I supposed to put the second cadaver?
3) They charge ridiculously for overweight bags. It’s not my fault Mr. John Doe and Mrs. Jane Doe were overweight!
4) People behind the counter are nasty mean! (“Meanness abilities” always on their resume)
5) Bag handlers are beasts! They don’t understand that precious cargo is inside (see number 2).
6) They make you strip before passing the metal detector.
7) They take away your nose clippers.
8) You can’t bring water with you. They do this not for safety, but so you will buy the $5.08 bottle inside the terminal.
9) Only 1oz whatevas on the plane. They want to make sure it goes well with everything else that’ mini on the plane: mini sandwiches, mini pretzels, mini cookies, mini forks, mini knives, mini spoons, mini sugars, mini sodas, mini tea, mini coffee, mini tvs, mini seats, mini bathrooms, mini space, mini service…
10) Seats only recline 2cms, and they make you be in a full right position for landing. Yeah, like it makes a difference.
11) There is one inch between your knee and the guy in front of you’s behind.
12) Footsie and elbowing games with the two people on your side.
13) The fat/smelly/talkative guy on your left.
14) The crying baby behind you.
15) There’s always a long line to the bathroom every time you really have to go.
16) Running to the other side of the airport to catch your next flight.
17) They do their best, and succeed, in making you loose your connection.
18) $10 sandwiches and $5 cokes in airports.
19) They make you wear seat belts, as if they will save you from a plummeting plane traveling 1000 miles an hour.
20) SKY MALL. I have never ever ever in my life seen anyone buy anything from that magazine.
21) The air-hostess, I mean air-waitress, correction flight attendant’s cheap perfume.
22) Horrible airplane food. No wonder ½ hour after serving everyone is rushing to the bathrooms.
23) Waiting an hour to get your bags. Why are mine always the last ones!?
24) Them loosing your bags.
25) Your lack of power over the whole thing.
I have more but decided to stop there. Feel free to add more in the comments section.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Murphy's Law
I never truly understood the popular Murphy’s Law until yesterday. Something had the chance to go wrong, and it did. No Dad, don’t worry…I’m still graduating in four days. I woke up to a gorgeous morning: the sun was shining, the birds were singing, the air was cool. A perfect morning to go running to the park. Knowing that my volleyball days are over, and that running more than two miles seemed more like an impossibility than a challenge, I decided to run to
“Oh shit” I said. Immediately started laughing like a maniac. Even the construction workers turned around to see where that bird call was coming from. I must have dropped them somewhere during my 2 mile run. (Yeah, I know. I’m an idiot to have put them in my underwear.) ….. I then ran to Student Records to see if I could get a new card…. Duh! They are closed in the weekends. That means I won’t be able to get a new one until Monday. “I’ll retrace my steps!” somehow seemed like a good idea. And I ran again….. (Panting at this point)…. L …. Obviously, I didn’t find them. Remember the name of this blog entry? So after 4 miles or so of running and feeling stupid I stopped to get a new key. They gave me a temporary one to get into my building and my room. Lucky I felt? Not! I then went to the cafeteria to see if I could beg someone there to let me eat for free because without my id card I cannot buy anything. Thankfully I managed to beg for some free food and someone ended up with a date proposal. (hehe lol right?)
Why Murphy’s Law? It wasn’t that bad. Well, it happens to be that it is not strange for me to find myself in a pitiful situation during my run to
1) Last October I twisted my ankle pretty badly after a dude in a bike almost ran me over in
2) Last year I had to sprint really really really fast for my life when out of nowhere bad weather produced a tornado in the middle of my run. I had to run like a gazelle in high heels to save my life.
I don’t think I have to make my case anymore. “Heisenberg indetermination principle applied to ill luck: The better you know the amount of ill luck that will strike you, the worse you know when this will happen, and vice-versa.” (Murphy’s Laws Site)
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Reloj de arena / Hourglass
Empieza a pasar el tiempo en el reloj de arena.
Pensando que todavía quedan muchas horas
no logramos ver que apresura su carrera.
Primero lento, después más rápido.
Despertamos alborotados,
¿Qué ha pasado?
Se agotó
la
arena
¿Empezamos?
Lo volteámos rápido;
esperamos felices el futuro.
Pero es el pasado lo que nos ha forjado
a convertirnos hoy en orgullosos graduados.
Nos esperan grandes éxitos y nuevos recuerdos.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Yeah, Like We Matter…
I love the Tonight while reading the Nuevo Dia newspaper, one of the main newspapers at home, I couldn’t stop myself from laughing, and then crying (from real disappointment) a very small tear from my right eye. CHELSEA CLINTON IS IN PUERTO RICO!!! Right…like I would have forgotten about the democratic primaries. All of a sudden, they care about their loyal
Hold on to your jaw, it might drop to the floor and break.
I have no problem with US candidates, or their families, visiting the island. The issue lies in the US Congress, its senators, representatives and politicians in general who simulate a false interest in the opinions of our people. They don’t care what we have to say, they never have. Fact of the matter is, as soon as whoever gets their votes they will forget about us for another 4 years.
What I found absolutely hilarious though was that the article published in El Nuevo Dia came from the Associated Press. No no no no. Were they serious? Now Puerto Rican press does not even cover local news? This is preposterous!
For the News Story in English: Click here
Para la noticia en español: Presione aqui
PS: Survey question for all you:
Can Chelsea, or her mother, locate
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
I Am a Potted Flower
We become the places we have visited and the people we have met. I have realized in the past couple of years that my travels around Central and South America have dramatically transformed who I am, and the way I interpret the world around me. I have been a thousand times blessed for having had the opportunity to travel and learn.
I feel at times misunderstood. Traveling connects you with marvelous worlds, but at the same time disconnects you with those who you love the most. I know from experience, having lived away from home for four years, and studying and working in other countries, that jumping from place to place can be harsh on you and those who care about you. Although relationships grow with time, they also have to be constantly nourished.
I have bought a potted plant and put it on my window. (Metaphorically of course!) I agree on watering it every once in a while. I need for you to be the sun that will help it grow! I will consider your comments on this blog rays of light which will help me grow during my upcoming travels.
Picture credit: Luke's Pencil Art
I feel at times misunderstood. Traveling connects you with marvelous worlds, but at the same time disconnects you with those who you love the most. I know from experience, having lived away from home for four years, and studying and working in other countries, that jumping from place to place can be harsh on you and those who care about you. Although relationships grow with time, they also have to be constantly nourished.
I have bought a potted plant and put it on my window. (Metaphorically of course!) I agree on watering it every once in a while. I need for you to be the sun that will help it grow! I will consider your comments on this blog rays of light which will help me grow during my upcoming travels.
Picture credit: Luke's Pencil Art
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