---catching you up--

Yeah, It’s been a while since I’ve put anything up on here. I am still in Perú. lol What can I say, time seems to escape oneself even in such a remote village like Carata, where everyday seems the same. One of the oldest women in town, Juana Juarez just asked me today what day it was, because for her- there is no difference between today or tomorrow.

Looking back since my last entry<-------I guess I have been a busy man. February’s highlight was going to the Peruvian version of Mardi Gras in Cajamarca (located in central northern Andes). A good size group of Peru 6ers rallied together to celebrate “Carnival” with water balloons and paint. We “ played” just one day, of that weekend, Sunday was definitely a day of rest. Another PCV printed up secret agent t-shirts for all of us to proudly wear as we were literally bombed with balloons and paint in the streets.

Small and large gangs of Peruvian youth paraded through the tight streets with home made drums and instruments, chanting as they doused anyone who looked dry. Meanwhile buckets of water were dropped from rooftops and balconies in the city streets. By the end of the day the balloons were all gone, the attacks seized and we joined the locals, bonded as one, sharing drinks and stories and united as carnival survivors. We marched, sang, and danced to the drum beat until the sunset.

Back to THE CHAMBA! Juan and I worked hard to get our grant written during the month of March. Originally our plan was to write for funds to contribute with the local government in a renovation of Carata’s potable water system. This large infrastructure project was long overdue and definitely needed. But it became publicly known that the municipalidad had decided to plan and finance the project. Excellent! So where could we fit in?

Sustainability-PC always wants us to work within a framework of consistent sustainability and this time I had an idea. surprise!? The municipality would come and direct the locals to rebuild their water system but never planned on actually training a small group in the maintenance of the system. If something broke, who would fix it? Would it stay broken for 20 years until the entire system was renovated again? Probably. But not today.
It sounds so simple but thats the difference between developed and developing countries. A plan for the future needs to be included. How can you expect farmers to maintain a water system or a new bridge, or a school or electrical system if no one teaches them how? Hello. It´s basic people! Lets problem solve before the problems occur!

We had written a detailed rough draft for the project plans-and it was a struggle. As a first time grant writer (in Spanish!) I can visibly see new wrinkles and a more prominent receding hairline on my 26 year old head! Juan was easily the best local to aide in the process but hardly the most ideal counterpart. He was struggling with health problems and not always available when needed. Nevertheless, given the structure of the application, 99% of the locals wouldn’t have been able to sit and help me write the 30 page document. Remember that more than 50% didn’t finish elementary school. Reading levels are extremely basic. It’s a miracle that Juan could do as much as he did.

I guess I can put my finger it…I didn’t write much on here in March because I was writing so much everywhere else! The last thing I wanted to do was open another word document!

Camp ALMA has been moving along-slowly. We’ve gotten together a couple of times collectively as volunteers to plan the 3 day retreat. And although it was originally going to be for adolescent girls, the mood has switched to adolescent men. We’ve also decided to ask a local youth organization to help in the planning to promote a cross-cultural exchange and encourage a lasting program. Keep your fingers crossed for success!

School vacation ended in March and is now in full swing. Alongside with the local first grade teacher we began a year long tooth brushing campaign for her students. They are a group of 17 five and six year olds. When I was home in December for Christmas my Mom and Dad received generous donations of toothpaste and toothbrushes from their dentists. To execute a long term project with this class, I presented the toothbrushes and toothpaste with the premise that they will brush morning and night.

Another volunteer, Mark started this project last year in his community. By piggybacking on his original project I’m implementing it here in Carata. This is how it goes….Each student receives a card every 14 days. The card lists the days of the week and a place for a parents signature in the morning and night. If the student successfully brushes his/her teeth 2x a day and gets it signed they will be rewarded. Every two weeks those students with their card signed will be able to participate in movie time in the health post. I also use this meeting time to teach them something else about oral health. A local Caratino named Victor who is always available to help, has agreed to print the cards on thicker paper using his company printing press in Lima.

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Missing your big ol´faces,
Mateo