Amazon Adventure and Request for Donations to Calendar Project

Link to donate to the Women´s Empowerment Calendar Project:
https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=donate.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=527-067

I know it has been forever since I last posted a blog and I attribute this to a natural progression in my cultural integration. All of those hilarious and exciting experiences at the beginning still happen but they just seem normal. Today I was sitting at lunch with a volunteer who has been in his site for two weeks and a donkey ran down a main road of town right outside of our restaurant window. I didn't even flinch but when he started laughing I realized that the situation was hilarious. I will miss these quirky little experiences when I move back to a world where the only animals that pass by restaurant windows are well groomed dogs on Coach leather leashes. On my ride home I decided to do a little exercise to get back to the state of mind where everything is new and exciting. For 15 minutes I tried to look at things as a visitor from the US would. I saw chickens having sex along the main road, a man with a live goat hanging off his handlebars on the way to market, and a school bus sized vehicle driving down the road with its right wheels about 10 inches smaller than the left so that it slanted at a precarious angle. I need to make sure that I never forget how unique my experience here in Peru ha been.
One of the most memorable aspects of my time in Peru has been the travel. I was lucky enough to end up in a country with some of the most amazing natural and cultural history in the world and I have taken full advantage of the travel opportunities. Since we are not allowed to travel after our close of service conference, I took the last week before my conference to see the Amazon jungle by going on a tour that left from the “island city” of Iquitos. The city is only accessible by four day boat ride or by plane. Due to my lack of vacation time I opted for the plane. My tour consisted of four days of hiking and canoeing to look for wildlife. I ended up being the only one on my tour and the only guest at the second lodge which meant that I had a huge staff to myself. On paper this sounds great but it got a bit overwhelming when my two waiters were so eager to help that they kept snatching my dishes before I was finished eating. My guide and I shared candlelight dinners listening to bird calls on his mp3. Despite some moments that felt more like a date than a nature tour, there were tons of benefits to being alone. We were able to stay very quiet so I saw tons of new bird species including the elusive blue and gold macaw and four species of monkey! I caught and ate piranhas, took afternoon naps in hammocks overlooking the Amazon river, and tried to learn the calls of the hundreds of bird species surrounding me at any given time. After returning from the jungle lodges I had a day in the city that I was going to use for sampling local delicacies including lizard and grubs but I came across a sports bar owned by a Texan expat where I watched the US Open and ate the best pancake I have ever had. It also helped that the restaurant had ac and Iquitos is about 100 degrees with 100% humidity. Between the pygmy marmosets, one on one birdwatching tutorials, and Texan banana pancakes I am completely satisfied with my final vacation in Peru.
The last stop of my travels was a retreat center in Lima for my close of service conference. As I look back at how my perceptions of Peru have changed I realize how fast these last two years have gone. There have been hours that seem to go on for days and days that seem to go on for weeks but the months have flown by and all of a sudden I found myself at my close of service conference. I only have two months left so it was time for me to find out how to close my bank accounts, request my plane ticket home, and write my final report. The best part of the weekend by far was hanging out with my entire training class (those of us who made it for two years) and hearing what these people have been up to for two years! It was great to share experiences and hear about the exciting post Peace Corps plans people have.
My last big project as a Peace Corps volunteer is the “Peruanas Poderosas” calendar project. We started this project last year based on an idea that volunteers in Bolivia had before they were pulled out of the country. This calendar highlights twelve women who have proven to be invaluable community partners for volunteers all over the country. The women in this year's calendar will represent 8 departments and a variety of professions. The calendar is a perfect means to celebrate these strong women because every Peruvian house and business is decorated with calendars of naked women an white babies surrounded by floating dolphins. Why not try and replace some of these with motivational stories about women who have overcome adversity and are working to improve the communities in which they live? We will release the calendars at regional workshops on domestic violence and women's rights. Because of massive budget cuts, we need to fund this project through the Peace Corps Partnership Program, a program where people from the US can contribute to our projects through the secure Peace Corps website and have it be 100% tax deductible. I beg you all to get involved and help us recognize this group of women who are the foundations for our projects as Peace Corps volunteers and the key to sustainable development. This calendar is an excellent opportunity to recognize women who are not generally recognized for their amazing efforts. To get involved please visit the link below. Thank you so much for your support.

The link:
https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=donate.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=527-067