The Reason

When President John F. Kennedy founded the Peace Corps in the 1960s, he intended for the organization to have three principle goals. These were:

1. To help the people of interested countries in meeting their needs through technical assistance.
2. To help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the people served.
3. To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans. 

With this in mind, I’m hoping that in some small way, this blog is going to address the third goal. By sharing my personal stories with all of you and by occasionally discussing Peruvian culture and history, maybe all of you will get a general idea as to what “Peru” truly is.

The problem with this idea is its own generality. Even though I’m going to spend 27 months here, I cannot begin to give you an accurate picture of the richness of Peruvian life and culture. I can only give you a small glimpse inward, at best. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it can prove to be detrimental if my observations are interpreted to be applicable to all of Peru.

Chimamanda Adichie summarizes this idea perfectly in her TED Talk “The Danger of One Single Story” (watch it here). As she reflects on the stereotypes she’s encountered in not only others, but herself as well, Adichie concludes that people tend to truncate the cultural aspects of diverse groups of people by forming a single story to describe them. They create an image, often times a negative one, as a means of judging people and places. In her own words (albeit in paraphrase), the danger of this single story is not something to be overlooked: 

“The danger of a single story is that it shows people as one thing over and over…and that is what they become. By continuously labeling and referring to others as ‘poor’ or ‘backward,’ they begin to accept these terms for themselves. In this way, the single story robs people of their identity. So, the problem with stereotypes isn’t that they are untrue, but that they’re incomplete. Stereotypes make one story the only story and deprive an individual of his or her dignity.”

So what is the single story that we generally have of Peru? Well, if you’re like me, I knew precious little of Peru (and, truth be told, still do) before I came here. Thinking of Peru made me think of three things: Machu Picchu, llamas, and poverty. While all three of these things are indeed part of Peruvian culture, they only compose a small part of the multi-faceted diversity that is present throughout the whole country. While I can’t yet speak first-handedly about any Incan ruins or llamas, I can begin to speak about Peru’s economic situation. As I’ve lived in Chaclacayo and traveled to other nearby towns and cities I’ve started to get acquainted with the realities and myths of Peruvian poverty. Believe me, they’re far more complex than what we typically think.

To understand the current economic situation of Peru, you first have to know a bit of history. During the 1980s there was a catastrophic economic crisis that resulted in a cumulated inflation rate of 2,168,482%. This was devastating to the Peruvian population. As my host father describes it, you had to be a millionaire just to buy bread. Hunger, starvation, and frustration led to the birth of terrorist groups like Shining Path, a group that is still alive and operates today in northern Peru. Between the years of 1985-1990, this group caused over 70,00 deaths within the 29 million Peruvian population. 1990-2000 saw the reign of the president Alberto Fujimori. If you ask a Peruvian today what they think about Fujimori, you’re going to get a very mixed response. Some absolutely hate his time and office and criticize him for his scandals and corruption with the media. Others praise him and claim his use of economic shock saved the Peruvian economy and finally reduced the rampant inflation. Whatever the truth may be, starting from 2000 onward Peru has been overall characterized by decreased inflation and, for the most part, increased decentralization and free trade agreements. The result? In the last ten years Peru has had one of the fastest growing economies of the world. From 2001-2012, the inflation rate was just 2.5%. Exportation has increased eight-fold, although most of these exports have been traditional exports (ie: natural resources) rather than nontraditional (ie: tourism). Compared to the rampant poverty that was seen in the 1980s, today only 30% of the Peruvian population is classified as poor. This percentage is continuing to slowly drop since 43% of government project funds go directly to social projects. Thus, Peru’s overall trajectory is still going steadily upward.

So what the hell am I doing here?

I mean, Peru’s not only getting better, it’s getting much better and FAST. Dropping the inflation rate from 2,168,482% to 2.5% in just thirty years? That’s amazing. So why is there a need for the Peace Corps if things are getting so much better? Why am I going to be spending the next 2+ years of my life here if they’re doing so well on their own?

The answer is, Peru can do everything on its own. This is a viable, strong country that has amazing resiliency and pride. However, when President Alejandro Toledo invited the Peace Corps to return to Peru during his 2001-2006 term in office, there was a reason. To illustrate, these are some basic facts and figures taken from recent surveys in Peru:

•      Minimum wage in Peru is 750 soles per month (approximately $278)
• Poverty is defined as receiving 259 soles (approximately $85) or less per month.
• In 2010, the total poverty rate in urban areas was 31.3% while in rural areas it was 54.2%
• In 2010, the total extreme poverty rate in urban areas was 9.8% while in rural areas it was 23.3%
• In 2010, 14.9% of the urban population reported disparity in their access to electricity while in rural areas it was 40.4%
• In 2010, 26.8% of the urban population reported disparity in their access to hygienic services while in rural areas it was 56%
• 54% of the country’s districts have prevalent poverty
• Narcotrafficking is a still a large issue in Peru, although it is mostly confined to the northern jungle regions. Peru is now the #1 producer of coca in the world.
• Terrorist groups, such as Shining Path, are still in operation, although they are not as prevalent as before and are mostly affiliated with narcotrafficking organizations.
• As of May 2012, there are 171 social conflicts in Peru, most of which are related to mining. As of this moment, all of the public high school teachers have been on strike for several weeks. Thus, all public high schools are shut down and no students have been going to school. In addition, as of early September all of the doctors that work in MINSA, the major health provider and policy maker in Peru, have been on strike. As a result, people’s access to any public medical care is extremely limited.
• On August 25, 2011, the government issued as statement that outlined their goals for the 2011-2016 goals. No goals pertained to environmental care or increasing environmental awareness.

So what can be concluded from these stats and figures? In my opinion, it means that, like every country, Peru has areas in which it can improve.

So what can I do?

Well, when thinking on a large scale, pretty much nothing. Yes, I will be focusing on rural health and working directly with the communities and populations listed in the stats above. I will likely be focusing on mothers and maternal health, encouraging the use of breastfeeding, teaching classes on healthy complementary feeing, and demonstrating the importance of early childhood stimulation. I will likely be working on improving water sanitation by teaching safe animal husbandry practices and hand-washing classes in schools, building public latrines, and constructing improved kitchens. I will likely be targeting adolescents by conducting self-esteem workshops, facilitating sex education classes in middle and high schools, and promoting awareness about HIV, AIDs, and STDs to youth. Will these projects have a big bang-like effect and cause Peruvian’s poverty rate to be dramatically affected? Absolutely not.

But then again, that’s not the point.

“The effects of your service in the Peace Corps is like a tree whose shade you never get to sit under.” This is a common phrase that many of our trainers like to quote as we begin our sessions. It means that the consequences of my short time here are long term and, with any luck, sustainable. I will likely not see the hard-earned results of my time here and truly understand its final impact on the community. And that’s ok. In the mean time, I get to share myself and teach others about my own unique and diverse background. In the process, maybe I’ll change the “single story” they have of Americans. I get to learn more about this wonderful country and share my knowledge with you. Maybe that will alter how you see South America and how you regard Peru. And who knows. Maybe, just maybe, that improved kitchen that I’ll build will allow a mother to use less fuel to cook, meaning she can afford to start using some extra wood to boil water regularly for her kids. The kids get healthier, cleaner water and don’t suffer from diarrhea. Their nutrition improves, and they become stronger, healthier and can focus more time on their studies. Or, maybe that sex ed. class I’ll teach will allow a handful of girls to understand how to practice safe sex. They make healthier choices, their esteem increases and they decide to use their savings to go to college.

Will I see any of that during my time here in Peru? No. But is still worth it? Is it worth dedicating two years of my life to the possibility that I may make a small change in just one or two people and bump those stats up by an infinitesimal percent?

Absolutely.  

Winning the Lottery

¡Hola a todos! I’ve finally gotten settled in Peru and can begin blogging about my life as a Peace Corps volunteer.

Before I hopped on the flight to Lima, I attended a Peace Corps staging event in Washington DC. This seven-hour long orientation served as a means for all of the volunteers to meet each other, understand the Peace Corps standards and regulations, and learn a bit about the country in which we’d be serving, Peru. Luckily for us, several returned volunteers attended our staging in order to describe their Peruvian life. Each one had a completely different story, and at first it seemed difficult to draw comparisons between the volunteer that served in the dry, lowland Sierra and the northern rainforest. However, there was one general point of consensus among all the Peace Corps alumni: serving in Peru is like winning the lottery.

What does it mean to win the Peace Corps lottery? Well, the Peace Corps sends volunteers all over the world. Sometimes the land is absolutely gorgeous, but the people are distant and shy. Other times volunteers find that the locals go to extraordinary lengths to be friendly, but they have to suffer through two years of bad food. In general, there is usually at least one thing that goes wrong and you find yourself with difficult weather, landscape, food, or people. Not in Peru. As each volunteer professed over and over again, you will never find a friendlier group of people, a more diverse and beautiful country, more delicious and rich food and a more temperate climate than in Peru. Frankly, this seemed way too good to be true, but I decided to reserve my judgment until I passed a couple of days in my service country. Now that I’ve been here almost a week, do I agree with the advice that was given to me? Do I feel like I’ve got the winning lottery ticket?

Absolutely.

When I arrived in Peru, I spend my first night just outside of Lima and then traveled to Chaclacayo, which will be my home for the next three months. Lying one hour outside of the capital, Chaclacayo is a small town surrounded by low-lying, dusty mountains. It’s springtime here, so it never gets above 80ºF, and drops to 50ºF at night, making most days temperate and relatively cool. There are lots of small restaurants, parks, and blooming azalea bushes that are intermingled with cacti, palm trees, and locust trees too. While I haven’t been able to venture out into the main downtown area yet, I’ve found that everyone is very friendly and chatty, none more so than my host family.

Let me just say this loud and clear: I ADORE my host family! My host mom, María, was the one I met first since she greeted me at the Peace Corps training site. I was immediately struck by how warmhearted and friendly she was, and all of my fears of a fast-speaking, grouchy homestay family washed away during our taxi ride to our neighborhood, Yanacoto. As I talked more with María, I learned that she is in her sixties, she works as a house cleaner and serves as a volunteer in the night watch during the week, and loves soap operas. When we arrived to our new home, I got to meet my host father, Francisco, who works as a handyman and is also in his sixties. I swear this man knows everything. He is always reading a newspaper or a book and, with barely any provocation at all, will launch into full discussions concerning Catholicism, Peruvian politics, local district disputes, and economics. He is also convinced that he’s going to teach me the names of every single kind of Peruvian potato. Note: there are around 2,000 kinds of potatoes here in Peru. Good luck, Francisco. I also have three siblings. José is the oldest and is in his mid-thirties. I have yet to meet him since he works in a train office a couple of towns over. He has a wife, Lydia, and the two are happily married. Angelo is the second oldest and is 32 years old. He works with trains as well and serves on the night shift, where he services all the electric trains and conducts security maintenance. He is extremely friendly and chatty and loves to make jokes. Finally, there’s Pamela, my host sister. She’s the same age as me and works on the weekends as a cook and caterer for large social events. Like me, she loves to cook and watch movies and is really excited to have a host sister. Last night we took a combi, a small public bus, to Chosica, a larger neighborhood with more shopping. We played arcade games, watched dancers practicing in the park, and window shopped as she gave me a tour of the various monuments and historical buildings of the area. Last but not least, I have pets! Chi chi, our cat, lives in the house and still hasn’t warmed up to me quite yet. The same cannot be said of our two dogs, Bella, a cocker spaniel, and Cory, a six-month-old lab mix. They live on the roof outside and love me to pieces. Two days ago I left the house early to do some exercise. Yanacoto is located on the side of a mountain, so the roads are steep switchbacks and there are lots of tall staircases around town. To get some cardio into my routine, I left the house a bit early to jog up and down the bright yellow staircase located on our street. Seeing that I was gone, Bella and Cory broke out of their pen and began to search for me. As I came racing down the stairs, I saw them both waiting for me at the bottom, ecstatic that they had sniffed me out. I couldn’t convince them to go back home, so they just exercised with me. Thanks to my family, I am really feeling at home here. They have gone out of their way to make me feel comfortable, insisting that I call them “mom” and “dad.”  They’ve also given me free reign of the kitchen and have little to no restrictions about leaving the house. “Lyndsey, we need a photo of you to hang next to the pictures of our kids!” Sounds like a winning lottery ticket to me!

Aside from my family, I’m starting to love and get the hang of my daily Peruvian schedule. Every day I wake up at 5:30 for some exercise, shower, and have breakfast and watch the morning news with my family. Then I head down a MONSTER hill to get to the bus stop. When a custer, a type of public bus, whizzes by, I shout and haggle with the cobrador, who collects the fare and distributes the tickets, until we agree on a price to get me into La Banderia. When I arrive, I walk a couple of blocks to the Peace Corps training complex and have class from 8:00-5:00. The schedule varies, but most of the time I start off with a four-hour-long language class. My class is small and only has four other students, all of whom are women. Our instructor, Sheila, leads us in the lessons is great about keeping us all animated and focused. Language classes in the Peace Corps are not as structured as those of a high school and university. There are rarely any concrete grammar lessons. Instead, most of our sessions focus on practical application. We practice conversation, navigate through mock social situations, and do other various hands-on activities. Some days of the week, we even have class within a homestay family as opposed to the training complex. I also attend sessions regarding security in Peru, stress-management, life as a Peace Corps volunteer, and Peruvian culture and history. Normally every day ends with a health training session, where I learn about various health needs and resources in Peru. Once the classes are over, I am able to have a bit of free time. However, it starts getting dark at 6:00 here, so I usually head home quickly to spend time with my family and complete my assignments. Every day I’m just plowed with work, and when I go to bed I feel exhausted and brain dead. However, I’m learning quickly and don’t regret a single minute.

Well, that’s a brief overview of my life so far. I’m hoping to snap some photos soon, so with any luck those will be posted somewhere soon. Also, I should update some of my contact information:

Lyndsey Gray

Cuerpo de Paz
Calle Los Cedros 647, Chaclacayo
Lima 8 – Peru
South America

This is the address of the training facility. Any letters or packages should be sent there since it’ll be easier to pick up. Now about packages – if you’re going to send me something, it should be in a padded envelope, not a box. Medicine, baked goods, peanut butter, and candy are strongly discouraged due to customs checks. Also, things should be declared as a gift (in Spanish, un ”regalo”) and sent via USPS only.

If you have any questions, feel free to post them in a comment or email them to me. I’d love to hear from you, though I can’t promise a prompt response. Thanks so much for all of your support! Talk to you soon or, as they say here in Peru, ¡chaufa!