A Volunteer At Last!

9.1.10

Well, as most of you know by now, I am here! Here in Bolivar, getting to know my site, an official Peace Corps volunteer. Since it’s been ages since I’ve sat down and typed away my many many different thoughts and emotions, let me try to catch you up.

On August 16, (almost 3 weeks ago now!), we began our final week in Chaclacayo. It was a crazy few days. A funny mix of busy work, long unfinishable to-do lists, impatience with my constantly screaming host mother, and a severe lack of sleep. An emotional roller coaster to say the least that happily ended with one last excursion to karaoke as trainees, a goodbye party for our host families, and on Friday the 20^th, our departure for Lima.

After completely clearing out my bedroom in Chaclayo and lugging it to the training center Friday morning, I returned for one more lunch with my host family. Papas rellenas, my host mom said she would make, to celebrate the occasion. Unsurprisingly enough, when I got home for lunch Susana had only just began cooking. She had another extra twenty minutes while I got dolled up for our big swearing in ceremony so I had hope that some kind of food would materialize before we said our goodbyes. Sadly, I emerged from my room in my favorite maxi dress (I don’t care what Michael Kors says, they’ll always be in in my mind.) and asked politely if lunch was ready. Susana’s answer: “No! What are you going to eat!!” Long story longer I ended up spending my last few minutes in the Salvatierra household scarffing down a giant plate of rice topped with a deeply fried egg. Why I would have expected or wanted anything less I’m not sure.

Off to the embassy we drove in two giant buses. The building itself was impressive, the second biggest in the world I hear. Gigantic. A complete departure from its Peruvian surroundings with grass out front, tons of security, and, possibly the best part, toilets strong enough to flush down your toilet paper.

The ceremony was short, sweet, and in many ways, anticlimactic. Yes! We’re volunteers! Now what?...Well, from there they dropped us off at two hostels in a kinda swanky part of Lima where we were to fend for ourselves until the next evening when the overnight buses would whisk us away to our regional capitals. We enjoyed the night by spending some of the cash burning holes in our pockets at TGIFridays…I recommend the chicken quesadillas. Just like home. Then we were off for a long night of discotequing and, in the morning, some tearful goodbyes to now very good friends.

I slept pretty soundly on my overnight bus and woke up in Chiclayo, my new regional capital. There we met a number of volunteers already working in our region who very kindly brought us bagels (You guys probably don’t realize but there are no bagels in Peru so this was a coup. A volunteer made them in her neighbor’s bread oven.) and cooked us tacos for lunch.

I myself bought some bedding, a giant purple towel, and a mattress and spent the day writing postcards, chatting with the fam on skype, and deciding exactly how I felt about heading up to Bolivar.

After tons of help from Mike, the volunteer I’m replacing (If by some chance you are reading this, thank you, thank you!) and Jenny (Thank you, thank you!) a volunteer who lives about an hour from me, I hoisted all of my belongings on top of the only bus heading to Bolivar that Monday, the 23^rd.

It wasn’t a bad ride. Jenny shared the foody magazines and peanut m&ms (also don’t have those in Peru! Hint, hint.) her mom had sent her, I asked a million questions, and the scenery changed from dry dusty coast to green hills and farmland. Finally, I had landed in Bolivar!...for good!

I arrived exhausted but really really excited. My mind was almost immediately flooded with potential projects, youth groups, and fundraisers. A community garden, yoga classes, a book club, photo class, arts classes, mothers group, cooking classes, skills training, running club…and the various lists of ideas I’ve already started go on and on. After an evening spent rearranging my new room, I was ready to get started. As I put it in my journal, “Hooray! I’m home and feeling good so far.”