Thought things would be different without a full load of graduate courses

Since leaving my job in June, moving to Peru, and taking the semester off of my graduate studies so I can settle into the new place, many of you have been asking me, "Just what the heck are you doing in Peru?" So I figure it's a good time to talk about l'il ol' me. I'll try to keep it short and to the point, but I don't often get to ramble in English these days, so you may have to bear with verbosity for a moment or two (that is, if you want to get to the heart of the matter)...

When I started my graduate degree, I intended to spend 2 years abroad with the Peace Corps so I could rack up some experience points (very AD&D of me) living and working overseas. It helps that the Peace Corps has a loose affiliation with a number of colleges and universities across the U.S. for their Masters International Program (MIP). Under the aegis of the MIP, a student may volunteer with the Peace Corps as part of their undergraduate or graduate program. Each participating university offers different benefits (and responsibilities) to the student for completing those 27 months overseas. It just so happens that there are only a handful of schools in the DC Metro area that participate. George Mason is the only university in this small group that offers programs outside of nursing (or public health), education (i.e. teaching English as a second language), or biology. So now, if your math is up to par, A+B=C, or, in more relevant terms, I only applied to GMU for graduate school.

At the time of application, GMU was still offering in-state tuition and 6 free credits for those students who participated in MIP. However, as soon as I accepted the invitation to attend the university, I found out that they had recently dropped the in-state tuition benefit. That's been a pain in my pocketbook for 2 1/2 years now, but since I clearly haven't joined the Peace Corps, ultimately it's a moot point.

However, volunteering with the Peace Corps still counts as two classes: the Directed Readings and Research course (i.e. an independent study) and the Internship course. Since it so happens that it took the Peace Corps approximately 1 1/2 years to move through my application and near the point of offering me a position, those 2 elective courses are the only courses remaining in my degree program. And, in my mind, since there is a dearth of online course offerings at GMU and the university has no formal ties with any of the universities here in Lima, those exact same electives are the courses I intend to take while here.

So really, now the question becomes, "Why did I choose to go to Lima instead of to join the Peace Corps?" My Peace Corps' gals, Akoua and Stephanie, can probably already answer that question. My intention with the Peace Corps was to gain that ever-necessary overseas experience needed to obtain my dream job of working in USAID's foreign service (that's right kids, a cool job AND I still get to travel around the world with Anthony), BUT Peace Corps requires 27 months of dedication, potentially in isolation, and in a location that you do not get to choose. I am so proud of, and so awed by, those volunteers who devote so much of themselves and their lives to the work of the Peace Corps. However, I now feel that I am developing a family (yes, the furry creatures COUNT) and I thought it would be hard to live without Anthony, Grace, and Pookie (Maggie is new, so she didn't factor at the time). It really came down to asking myself, "What do I want out of life?" (The answer always is that I want my cake and I want to eat it, too.)

When Anthony got his forwarding assignment with the State Department, my application was still sitting in limbo at the Peace Corps office. After months and months of waiting, Anthony and I began making plans for living in Peru; and then, magically, one day the Peace Corps called me and it appeared they were ready to begin the nominating process. Yet I was already so comfortable with the idea of traveling abroad with my family. And the idea of being a maverick and saving the world as an army (albeit benevolent and peace-loving) of one appeared a little less shiny and bright.

And voila! The idea of acquiring the same experience (without all the support - only half the calories!) while still maintaining some sort of home life and connection to the people I know and love was born. I believe that I can gain valuable experience here in Peru, finish my masters, and still be home every day to rub Grace's belly (or Anthony's, really).

So you now have a basic outline of my first year in Lima: 1) learn Spanish, or at least gain enough fluency that I can be effective in an internship; 2) apply for internships; 3) obtain internship; 4) write proposal for independent study and develop syllabus with Dr. Benjamin; 5) intern; 6) write papers; 7) finish masters degree. Somewhere in there, I'd like to volunteer, too, but we'll see what kind of time I can manage to squeeze out of my schedule for that. (Something about taking on a puppy...)

The second year here is a bit more optional. Since my visa does not allow me to work on the local economy, and I never was going to make a great housewife, the second year all depends on what kind of employment I can acquire. I am only able to work embassy jobs here in Lima, but many of them are pretty basic and will not be particularly helpful in building my resume. (Although I did just apply for a 2-year contract position with USAID...wish me luck!) On the other hand, I may be able to gain some traction with a job in the States. For example, October 1st marks the opening day for Presidential Management Fellowship program applications. Guess who will be applying at 12:01AM that day?

And that, my friends, is my life in a nutshell. I'm not much of one for the 10-year plan, but I've got a heck of a one-year plan! It should be interesting and I'm glad that you're all here to enjoy the ride...

Vampire dog!

There is no question in my mind why Grace likes to sneak away to her loft sofa and bury her head in the pillows.

Fast food

In the states we have McDonalds and Burger King (technically, we have those here in Lima, too), but here in the lovely coastal city of Lima, we have Pardo's Chicken. And I finally got me some.

I have internet!

The internet technicians were here today and we are now connected to the rest of the world, without having to snag an unsecure signal. That's one huuuge, "Woot-woot!" from my corner of the world.

Street begging

Young boys performing acrobatics, juggling, or playing instruments are common sights at the major intersections here in Lima. Wherever you see a traffic light, you are likely to also see one or two 10- to 12-year-olds cartwheeling, flipping through the air, tossing tennis balls, or even simultaneously playing a small guitar and the flute. These are the street beggars I have seen most often. And before the light changes again to green, they walk slowly down the line of cars, pleading for small tokens of appreciation.

These sights are a direct result of the poverty here, which, to put it in more understandable terms, as one of my Spanish language teachers tells me, means that the average Peruvian makes approximately US$170 per month, or under US$4 a day. Even though the cost of living here is low in comparison to the United States, that is still a miserable amount with which to eke out a living, especially if you have a family of mouths to feed, shelter, and clothe.

Having once worked with the homeless, I am comfortable with many people's reactions to the idea of giving money to the homeless or beggars. Personally, I try to never give money to people on the street, preferring instead to give my money to organizations that provide programs for the poor. In those instances, I am confident of the purpose my money is being used to obtain. It's a personal decision and I respect the thought processes that guide others reasons for giving or not giving.

That is all to say that I haven't once given these children money.

Just before I came down with food poisoning, one of my Peruvian friends informed me that the majority of these children who perform at street corners are in fact addicted to drugs. Although the Peruvian government is very strict and very strong in its response concerning drugs, that hasn't entirely eliminated their sale or distribution. And these young children are very poor and resort to the lowest classes of drugs because they are inexpensive. Even more disheartening, they are also the most deadly. I am told the drug of choice is cobbler's glue - these children sniff the glue used to attach the sole of your shoe.

In cases like this, I begin to wonder which is worse: the grinding poverty or the life of drugs these children sometimes succomb to...?

I HEART the internet

What was supposed to be a few days has now turned into a couple of weeks. Shortly after moving to the new house, two things happened and one thing remained the same - all of which prevented me from writing. They are as follows, in perfectly chronological order and numbered for Andrew's personal viewing pleasure:

1) My mom was visiting and we decided to attend the FREE PUPPY event at the American Embassy. And basically, all you have to do to have a whining, peeing, poo-ing, biting, vampiric little tramp in your house is to send my mom to an event that gives away FREE PUPPIES. So yeah, we got another dog. Her name is Maggie and I am dangerously close to losing my mind and have completely sworn off puppies for the rest of my natural born life.

2) Also since my mom was visiting, we decided to take her out for a nice meal. At this (supposedly) great restaurant that sits on a pile of rocks out in the middle of the ocean, La Rosa Nautica. Well, I basically consumed everything the books tell you not to, other than the tap water, which I specifically asked the waiter if that's what he served us. I ate shrimp coctail and ceviche (fish cooked in lime or lemon juice), I consumed a daquiri, and then I ate a completely raw strawberry. The fish tasted a little old or not all-the-way-cooked, and the daquiri was a little sweet - the strawberry? It was a taste of heaven. And for one of these fine dining experiences, I was destined to pay. I quickly contracted food poisoning and was down for the count for a week.

3) And the one thing remaining the same? We still don't have internet at the house. I don't know what's happening here, but I turned on the computer today and magically had a connection. I'm not questioning it right now because now? I'm loving every second of my connection to a world outside of Lima.

Moving to less humidity

We are packing up the cushy San Isidro apartment as I type, and are moving to the house in Surco in the morning. I don't know if I'll still be able to connect to the internet in our new home, but I will try. Otherwise, it may be a few days more until I am able to post again. We'll have to see about internet service...