Rounding the bend..
5.12.08
After 10 days of being stuck in Piura city, I finally was able to head home to Tunal. Due to one of the worst rainy seasons in years (since el niño in 1983 and 1998) the whole region was greatly affected. Many of the mountain roads were washed away or buried by mudslides isolating various districts here in Piura as well as other departments (states). Some of my doctor friends who had to return to Tunal spent two days crossing rivers and flooded by valleys in inner tubes and horse drawn carts and walking for hours. They fortunately got a ride in a mining company’s pickup truck saving them from having to walk another 8-10 hrs. Fortunately my return wasn’t so urgent so I could enjoy the comforts of the dry city why my friends suffered, eating only rice and eggs for days since no trucks could deliver supplies.
It continues to rain, but very little. Finally everything is starting to dry out. I’m tired to washing mold off of my kitchen utensils! My corn field didn’t yield even one ear of corn… probably the end of my agricultural ventures ;). The word is, however that the rain will prove to be very beneficial for many areas here. A lot of the other crops seem to be doing well.
In late march I began training for a marathon which is being organized by a volunteer who lives in coastal town about 4 hrs from Piura. I’m not a huge fan of running, so for me it’s been more of a test of discipline. The rain and mud have made training a bit difficult here, limiting me most days to running laps around the soccer field. With the hundreds of laps that I’ve run, I’ve made quite a nice path in the uncut grass…so nice that it’s become a popular highway for the local livestock. Every time I run I find more and more hurdles of natural fertilizer.
This past week I was in Lima for our close of service conference (doesn’t that sounds crazy!) and decided to take advantage of the beautiful running path along the beach to do my longest run yet of about 14 miles. All went well until about 3 hrs after I finished the run when my right foot became rather sore. Turns out that the sudden switch from cross country running on soft grass and dirt to the hard cement was not a good idea (it may also have had something to do with the 6 year old cross trainers that I was wearing for the run.. I bought a new pair the next day). Due to the likely march fracture I may be sidelined for the next couple weeks… probably the most important in the training process.
Workwise, the baking business continues to be a success. The boys have fully paid off the oven and continue investing half of their earnings into the business. They have been baking 6 days a week and are only ten cakes away from the 200 mark. Word is spreading throughout the community resulting in an increase in orders to go along with the cupcakes that they sell daily in the streets. Unfortunately someone stole 100 sols from them which was really a shame, but they have since been able to recuperate nearly all of the loss. They are really excited because I told them that if they can each save up 60 sols (just over $20) that I’ll buy them (cheap) mp3 players when I go to the states in June. I’m also hoping to treat them to a weekend in Piura city since they rarely ever get to leave Tunal.
The weaving project that I have been working on is finally gaining momentum...now that I only have 3 months left here. We had the first workshop two weeks ago which went really well. Organizing the project has really been a nightmare, between the ridiculously long beurocratic process of obtaining the financing from the municipality, being semi-swindled by an NGO, fighting the rainy weather, finding a teacher.. etc.. it’s just not been fun, so I was very glad to see that the women really enjoyed the workshop and learned a lot. They have been progressing very quickly on their first shawls and ponchos. They actually ran out of yarn, and of course my order for more yarn has yet to come in, so we are face with another bump in the road.
I’ve continued working on the Small Business Development program video with a fellow volunteer. We’ve cut 10 hrs of video down to just over an hour. The video will be used in the training of the new volunteers arriving next month.
As I mentioned earlier, I was just in lima at the COS conference. It was a very bittersweet time, as it was the last time that all the volunteers in my class will be together at the same time. We’re quickly approaching the end of our service, completing 2 years in country next month. Our term officially ends September 1, however we have been given permission to leave up to one month early. My plan is to stay as long as I can, so I’ll probably head out the last days of august. Though I really haven't a clue where I'll be or what I'll be doing after Peace Corps, I´ve begun updating my resume and the rest of the documents that I might need for the next adventure.
Other exciting news: I’m an uncle! Jonas and Priscilla are now the proud parents of a new baby girl, Lilly Asha Nelson. Congrats bro!!
After 10 days of being stuck in Piura city, I finally was able to head home to Tunal. Due to one of the worst rainy seasons in years (since el niño in 1983 and 1998) the whole region was greatly affected. Many of the mountain roads were washed away or buried by mudslides isolating various districts here in Piura as well as other departments (states). Some of my doctor friends who had to return to Tunal spent two days crossing rivers and flooded by valleys in inner tubes and horse drawn carts and walking for hours. They fortunately got a ride in a mining company’s pickup truck saving them from having to walk another 8-10 hrs. Fortunately my return wasn’t so urgent so I could enjoy the comforts of the dry city why my friends suffered, eating only rice and eggs for days since no trucks could deliver supplies.
It continues to rain, but very little. Finally everything is starting to dry out. I’m tired to washing mold off of my kitchen utensils! My corn field didn’t yield even one ear of corn… probably the end of my agricultural ventures ;). The word is, however that the rain will prove to be very beneficial for many areas here. A lot of the other crops seem to be doing well.
In late march I began training for a marathon which is being organized by a volunteer who lives in coastal town about 4 hrs from Piura. I’m not a huge fan of running, so for me it’s been more of a test of discipline. The rain and mud have made training a bit difficult here, limiting me most days to running laps around the soccer field. With the hundreds of laps that I’ve run, I’ve made quite a nice path in the uncut grass…so nice that it’s become a popular highway for the local livestock. Every time I run I find more and more hurdles of natural fertilizer.
This past week I was in Lima for our close of service conference (doesn’t that sounds crazy!) and decided to take advantage of the beautiful running path along the beach to do my longest run yet of about 14 miles. All went well until about 3 hrs after I finished the run when my right foot became rather sore. Turns out that the sudden switch from cross country running on soft grass and dirt to the hard cement was not a good idea (it may also have had something to do with the 6 year old cross trainers that I was wearing for the run.. I bought a new pair the next day). Due to the likely march fracture I may be sidelined for the next couple weeks… probably the most important in the training process.
Workwise, the baking business continues to be a success. The boys have fully paid off the oven and continue investing half of their earnings into the business. They have been baking 6 days a week and are only ten cakes away from the 200 mark. Word is spreading throughout the community resulting in an increase in orders to go along with the cupcakes that they sell daily in the streets. Unfortunately someone stole 100 sols from them which was really a shame, but they have since been able to recuperate nearly all of the loss. They are really excited because I told them that if they can each save up 60 sols (just over $20) that I’ll buy them (cheap) mp3 players when I go to the states in June. I’m also hoping to treat them to a weekend in Piura city since they rarely ever get to leave Tunal.
The weaving project that I have been working on is finally gaining momentum...now that I only have 3 months left here. We had the first workshop two weeks ago which went really well. Organizing the project has really been a nightmare, between the ridiculously long beurocratic process of obtaining the financing from the municipality, being semi-swindled by an NGO, fighting the rainy weather, finding a teacher.. etc.. it’s just not been fun, so I was very glad to see that the women really enjoyed the workshop and learned a lot. They have been progressing very quickly on their first shawls and ponchos. They actually ran out of yarn, and of course my order for more yarn has yet to come in, so we are face with another bump in the road.
I’ve continued working on the Small Business Development program video with a fellow volunteer. We’ve cut 10 hrs of video down to just over an hour. The video will be used in the training of the new volunteers arriving next month.
As I mentioned earlier, I was just in lima at the COS conference. It was a very bittersweet time, as it was the last time that all the volunteers in my class will be together at the same time. We’re quickly approaching the end of our service, completing 2 years in country next month. Our term officially ends September 1, however we have been given permission to leave up to one month early. My plan is to stay as long as I can, so I’ll probably head out the last days of august. Though I really haven't a clue where I'll be or what I'll be doing after Peace Corps, I´ve begun updating my resume and the rest of the documents that I might need for the next adventure.
Other exciting news: I’m an uncle! Jonas and Priscilla are now the proud parents of a new baby girl, Lilly Asha Nelson. Congrats bro!!
posted by Ryan Nelson | 4:58 PM
1 Comments:
Thanks for the post, bro. Em and I are on our honeymoon in Galveston, TX. Pretty crazy. I'm a married man!
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