Community Time

I realized while thinking about something to post today that I haven´t talked too much about my community or the type of things that we do all together. It is an important part of why I chose to do JVI and is such a prominent (both for better and for worse - well, not worse, but at times a struggle) part of life down here, that I feel like I should share a bit.

Every Sunday night we have community night, and that can range and include from playing a game like Spinners (a really fun form of dominoes), to going over house issues, to talking about some interesting issue with some informational prompt (like when we watched a documentary on immigration and discussed it), to simply checking in with each other on how we are feeling and doing.

Every Wednesday night - though with the business as the school year has reved up, this often changes around - we have a Spirituality night. Last night, our in country coordinator - a Jesuit named Father Dolan - came over and we celebrated mass with just our community. I really enjoy those little celebrations because we get a chance to share our own petitions, ask him questions about different parts of the mass (I had not realized before last night that the symbolism of the mixing of wine and water was that they can never be separated once they are mixed). We also sometimes do guided reflections or discuss some issue of spirituality. It usually is just a nice time to relax and reflect a bit - and again, to share in community some feelings and thoughts.

One of the nice things about stressing these times and community dinners (we have three a week in which all five of us committ to being there to eat) is that when the conflicts or little issues arise, we have enough of a foundational relationship of trust and understanding that usually we can discuss the problem from a positive place. For instance, if there is an issue with dishes being left in the drying rack and not being put away or not being cleaned all the way, it is brought up and discussed and usually resolved (though maybe not perfectly). Obviously there are other times when the issue might be harder to discuss or it might brim beneath the surace, but our desires to support each other and the bonding that we have shared definitely helps it all out.

On a different note, I had my second adult English class in Habitat this past Tuesday. Adults are definitely a different challenge to work with (and I am finding that a lot of the interesting resources like worksheets and fun activities out there, that I can find at least, are for children). I am still sort of nervous about the classes - mostly I think because I try to think how I will fill two hours of time - but I am starting to feel like I at least know what my group of students will be like (a little consistency) and what their levels and interests are, which definitely helps.

Another little tid bit - I went on retreat this past weekend with Cristo Rey, which is the wealthy school with which I did Mes de Mision. In the middle of the retreat, as a little exercise, the priest in charge (who happened to be Fr. Dolan) asked the kids if they wanted to continue with the retreat. No one responded and after some awkwardness and a lot of silence, eventually half of the kids did end up leaving. Whoops. I guess it shows that there are spoiled kids and kids who don´t want to be involved in school communities/personal formation everywhere.

Finding a Rhythm

As the school year is starting to get into the flow of the third week, I am definitely finding myself getting into a rhythm of teaching and just generally life here in Tacna. I have my schedule for running and step class, have planned out an entire week ahead of time (although I am still trying to get a feel for what can and what can´t be accomplished in my 45 minute and hour and a half blocks of classes), have found a regular lunch vendor (instead of trying to brave the hordes of kids and parents around the school door trying to pass lunches back and forth only to eat at a street cart or the same chicken everyday at the women´s house who sent us food last year, I and my good friend Juan have settled on having one of the kids mother´s send it into the school for us), and perhaps most important, have begun to feel like a real teacher.

Other than that, not too much else new to note. In our community, we are struggling/discussing the issue of whether or not to invite neighborhood kids over to the house to perhaps hang out, or cook something, or play guitar (and I still harbor hopes to learn myself how to play during my two years here). There are many issues at stake (the privacy of a home, Peruvian versus American culture, worries about the kids becoming dependant/infatuated with us, etc), and I think a number of us in the community feel really strongly about it. We have handled it really well (yeah for Community - and yes, with a capital c) and are discussing the issue with multiple perspectives and advice from others.

On a perhaps more interesting note, the most popular band in Peru came to Tacna on Sunday. I really wanted to go, but partly because of the fear of it lasting until like 4 in the morning I did not. As evidence of why this might have been the case and just generally more Peru craziness, the ads about the city were split between some saying it started at 3 pm and some saying 6 pm, but as of 6, there was no one even in the venue (and, apparently at these types of concerts, the opening act and the main act can go on for like 3 hours each - yikes). Also, this group - they are called Grupo Cinco and play cu-cu-cu-cumbia (said like the bird that goes I´m cu-cu-cu-cu-cucu for coco puffs) is just generally hilarious and here is a picture of them if you want a good laugh: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKldJSuhmkYO2_PnpfZoUdNj0HkfrBnnedo7XWXjoUAUkTfwDcmf3LijXYwMuYu2lMvH4hD4QfOFbR1HfUg2M6pTid5KVGSMK0aB2ZT9tnLFiv0FRfj_fFFL8Etm6IHR0kj1TN1x77jn6/s400/grupo5.jpg

Almost Community Time

Instead of talking about what I have been up to (nothing super exciting - a going away party for the ex volunteers, doting over the package my brother sent me that had everything from the useful - reading materials - to the fun - chocolates - to the head scratchers - instant mashed potatoes -, teaching some classes, going to a huge mass that was given by the bishop and had the atmosphere of a southern revival), I figured I would just briefly talk a little bit about what I am thinking about on the horizon.

Next weekend, I move out of living with my host family and into the place where I will be permanently for the next two years. Needless to say, I am super excited and pumped to do that. Life will be much simpler - at the host family´s, everything has been given to me that I asked for, we have gone out to eat at restaurants a bunch, they are almost insulted when I try to help out, and while I have felt very welcome, I have just generally felt too like I was a visitor. Now I will be settling down into much more simple digs where I will have to cook, do my own laundry and work with others - but also will benefit from (and I guess at times struggle with) having people that I feel like I can talk and share things with from my own own culture and with similar struggles.

But just to give everyone out there an idea, the house is pretty small, we always have flies about, always have visitors (often students or family connected to Miguel Pro - the school in this area where three of the volunteers teach) from the community dropping in to talk or just generally hang out with the gringos, we do everything ourselves, and perhaps most importantly, we live simply. That means everything from doing it all ourselves to intentionally not using many creature comforts to being conscious of our water usage. It will be both a real challenge and a real learning experience - I am sure.

And I guess when it all comes down to it, I can always give the old host family a buzz when I want to enjoy some of the benefits of the life I have led for this month - which is a true testament to their openness, friendliness and kindness.

p.s. Sometimes I definitely feel my english slipping away - like the other day when I spent hours trying to think of the word non sequitur.