Saturday, July 30, 2011

Ugly American?

Something must be wrong with me. I spent my entire daily living stipend at Dunkin Donuts yesterday. Jockey Plaza, aka “The Mall,” is my new happy place. On more than one occasion, I've contemplated seeing Mr. Popper's Penguins. Even worse, I became strangely excited to discover that Limp Bizkit would be performing in Lima on August 3rd. My close friends and family would recognize immediately that this is a marked departure from my indie-rock/ thrifty chic/ feminist persuasion. Hopefully, they would also slap me (hard!) across the face and bring me back to my senses. Yet these recent ruminations lead me to wonder: AM I AN UGLY AMERICAN??


 
Although I have avoided wearing a baseball hat backwards and sporting a fanny pack, my nostalgic fondness for commercial remnants of American Culture has taken me by surprise. Is this normal? Probably. According to the Peace Corps, I'm not losing my damn mind. Instead, my behavior is symptomatic of “cultural adjustment.” They even went through the trouble of publishing a volunteer handbook (A Few Minor Adjustments) on the subject. Thanks, Peace Corps!

Eloquently stated, “Adjustment involves getting used to all the things that are missing.” Therefore, on the rare occasion I might encounter a McDonald's or a Pizza Hut, I find myself compelled to place an order, simply because it represents a tangible connection to home. And yes, I will buy those marked up M&M's at Plaza Vea, simply because it makes me happy!

When very little is “known and familiar” you start to entertain crazy thoughts, like paying money to see a dumb movie about penguins or talking robots. Why? Because those are the few American movies I can “enjoy” here in my native language, or at least with the assistance of subtitles. Although I am integrating slowly into the Peruvian culture, by speaking Spanish daily, consuming massive quantities of rice, and spending time with my host family, sometimes you just crave a semblance of familiarity. I certainly did not arrive with an innate desire to consume mediocre fast foods, which I mostly avoided in the States, but a sudden loss of familiar routines and faces can be difficult to manage sometimes.

Once again, Peace Corps provides a message of comfort and reassurance: “There is no foolproof formula for successful adjustment. On the contrary, adjustment is a highly personal matter that each of you will approach at your own pace and in your own style.” I guess my “style” comes in the form of jelly donuts and bad movies. But I should probably draw the line at Limp Bizkit.







Thursday, July 28, 2011

Talking Shit

Yes, it's true. Peace Corps volunteers are mildly obsessed with talking 'bout shit. Our poop stories provide a constant source of conversation and entertainment--- at lunchtime, on public transit, at birthday parties. We're shameless!

During training we learn how to describe our shit properly, utilizing a 7-point scale. Most of us have already memorized the Bristol Stool Chart forwards and backwards. Please review the attached diagram at your leisure. FYI: '7' is no longer considered a “lucky” number by anyone in Peru 17.



I should also make reference to the phenomenon of “Peru-ing” your pants and the 70% club. Prior to my arrival I was informed that 70% of PC Peru volunteers will shit their pants at least once during their term of service. Dr. Jorge, our esteemed medical officer, insists that this statistic is more like 95%.

Ironically, while composing this blog entry I shit myself. Literally. I had been suffering from some gastro-intestinal issues, but I seemed to be on the road to recovery. I thought I was in the clear, that my darkest hour had passed. Nope. Lesson learned: Never trust a fart!

Although I am somewhat humiliated by my toddler-like regression, at least I'll have an interesting story to share at lunch tomorrow.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Adventures in Transportation

One of the highlights of living in Peru is the exciting variety of transportation options that exist. The most commonly utilized form of public transit is the “combi,” which can best be described as a hybrid of Scooby Doo's Mystery Machine and a defunct bus from the United States, circa 1976. These magical emissaries of mass velocity are often impressive in their décor. The most common decorative themes are Ode to Cannabis, I Love Jesus, and Straight-Up Machismo. The combi drivers definitely take ownership in their vehicle and capitalize on this opportunity to let their personality shine through. For example, the combi I rode on this afternoon featured a giant window decal that said “MASTER.” This individual probably reads a lot of Foucault and Nietzsche in his spare time, when not blasting Reggaeton at obnoxious levels.

Yeah, let's take a moment to talk about combi music, the soundtrack of my Peace Corps life. Each and every driver here gets to explore his deferred DJ dreams on a daily basis. Aside from salsa/reggaton, the 80's also seem to be widely embraced and celebrated in Peru. When was the last time you heard Frankie Goes to Hollywood or Toto on American public transportation??? Exactly.

Part of the beauty of riding the combi is that one never knows what to expect. Much like the Dow Jones, the bus fare and transportation routes are subject to change on a daily basis. I usually respond to sudden demands for a higher price by pretending that I can't speak Spanish. The cobrador (fare collector) eventually moves on and will resume his job of yelling at people to get on and off the combi as quickly as possible. In fact, most of the time I descend from a vehicle still in motion, but that's OK. It makes me feel like an action hero instead of an underweight public servant.

After reading this blog entry I'm sure most of you are ready to book a flight to Peru. Go ahead! I'll save you a seat on the next combi. :)











Sunday, July 10, 2011

2 Years, 3 Bags. My Packing list for Peru.

I know everyone must be dying to know what I brought to the Peace Corps, what was left behind, and what I wish I had remembered. Packing for a 27 month adventure is definitely a challenge, but I think I did a pretty damn good job! 

Luggage
Hiking backpack- Kelty Red Cloud Women's 5600
Rolling duffel- REI 48” Wheely Beast
Carry-on bag- The North Face Overhaul 40

Clothing (regular)
12 pair ExOficio High Performance underwear
6-7 bras
Marmot rain jacket
5 skirts
black leggings
3 jeans
3 dresses
1 fleece pullover
1 zip-up fleece vest
base layer (black)
6 collared/button down short-sleeved T-shirts
4 regular T-shirts
4 slacks (gray, dark brown, 2 khaki)
1 long-sleeved button down shirt
2 belts
black/brown socks

Running clothes/gear
5 sports bras
3 track pants
running jacket
4 pairs of shorts
running shoes
running tights
running socks
Garmin GPS watch
regular stopwatch
Glide body lubricant (prevents blisters!)

Toiletries/Hygiene
2 quick-dry towels
2 washclothes
2 Brommers' soap bars
shampoo
leave-in conditioner
texturizing/molding paste
anti-frizz spray
2 Cerave face wash
razor
make-up
scissors
tweezers
Neutrogena sunscreen- 45 and 70 SPF
Tide stain stick
toothbrush
dental floss
the Diva cup
tampons
pantiliners
deodorant
hairbands/headbands

Shoes
Sandals- Teva
Hiking shoes- Timberland
Business casual- Naturalizer black Mary Janes
                          Naturalizer brown flats
White dress sandals
Flip flops

Electronics
Laptop
Digital camera
Memory card(s)
USB flash drive
External hard drive
iPod nano
LED rechargeable flashlight

Miscellaneous
Travel pillow
3 coloring books
2 Crayola markers
2 Crayons
scissors
solar shower
Nalgene water bottle
3 paperback novels
Address book
small purse

Gifts for host families
2 Yankees playing cards
4 NYC magnets
6 mini-Yankees penants
NY state/Hudson Valley postcards

Things I wish I had brought: hand sanitizer, additional long-sleeved shirts, emergency chocolate supply!!