December always disappears.

Nothing really gets done in December, yet it's somehow the busiest month of the year. I'm still trying to figure out exactly how that works.

***Warning: This post contains a picture of my feet. If you don't like feet, don't read this post. Carry on.***

This year, December's gone like this:

Week 1
--Helped paint a school with some of my teen alums.
--Visitors at my house.
--My cat pees all over the house.
--I am extremely embarrassed.
--Flashmob on the Malecón.
--A mustache party.
--Learned recycled crafts with the women's Saturday class.

Week 2
--Cat gets spayed.
--Sleepover with a friend at a hotel downtown: Air conditioning; cable; hot showers; heaven.
--Day trip to help an acquaintance fill out the request for a Peace Corps Volunteer to work at their organization. I am treated as the guest of honor all day long. (My favorite part was the ceviche they fed me for brunch: YUM.)
--Convince the high school principal of one of my teen alums to let her miss a week of school so she can attend a Peace Corps workshop in Quito.
--High school principals are scary.
--But it wasn't hard (see first clause of this post).
--Hit the Guayaquil pavement, apartment searching with/for a friend.
--Visitors at my house.
--More visitors at my house.
--I like visitors.
--Oh look! Here's some more!
--Traveled with some PCV friends to nearby Santa Elena to run my first ever half marathon. This, like the run in Esmeraldas province, was another run to support the preservation of Parque Yasuní.

I'm the one in the sparkly baseball cap.

After the run we were pretty much ready for it to be Christmas. (More photos of the run can be found on the 21kx24provincias blog.)

Week 3
--Traveled to Quito to spend the week at Peace Corps' "Brigadas Verdes" workshop! A number of volunteers working on environmental projects were invited to come and bring a youth alum along. We attended sessions on the state of the environment in Ecuador, how to form an Eco Club and plan activities, and recyclable crafts.

--Being at this workshop with a bunch of teenagers to keep an eye on was akin to what I imagine being a camp counselor is like.
--I'm glad I'm not a camp counselor.
--But the workshop was fun!
--Except for the last day, when a few of us woke up with food poisoning and had to travel home feeling rather ill.
--I threw up on the bus.
--While in Quito, I also visited the Peace Corps Medical Officer because my foot's been bothering me of late. She diagnosed tendonitis. No more running or wearing flip flops for a few months.

Goodbye, flip flop tan.
Hello, yoga.
Ommmmmmm.

Week 4
--So far, I've read a lot; nursed myself back to solid foods; and cleaned my house.
--My bathroom is the cleanest it has ever been, ever.
--Even though I've only lived in this apartment for a year, I am 99.9% sure that the above statement is true.
--My sister flies in from the States tomorrow!!!! (Er...later today.)

In honor of sisters and Christmas, we bring you this Public Service Announcement, circa 1954:

Makin' Coffee

I have a hand-me-down coffeemaker from a previous volunteer, but unless I'm brewing for more than just me, I like to pretend that I'm roughing it in a thatch hut on the side of a windy mountain. So I use this:

Have you ever seen one of these? They're called moka pots. They were patented in 1933 in Italy. Having one makes me feel cool.

For the longest time, these things baffled me. How could it be possible to brew coffee in one of these without defying the laws of physics? I wanted to open one up and look inside, but I never got the chance. So I just believed in the power of magic and coffee.

But now, I have one. And I can show you how they work. And guess what? The process follows the laws of physics, and it's still magical.

Ready?

Step 1: Unscrew the moka pot and fill the bottom compartment with water.

Step 2: Put in the tube thingy...

...which is capped with a filter:

Step 3: Heap a few spoonfuls of coffee on top of the filter.

Step 4: Screw on the top and put on the stove!

The top also has a filter, so the coffee grounds are effectively sandwiched between two filters.

Step 5: Wait for coffee to percolate.

Percolate...percolate...percolate...

...here's where the physics comes in: something about water reaching a boiling point, and then it rises through the filter, through the coffee grounds, and into the upper chamber of the moka pot...

...and before you know it, you've got a nice strong cup of coffee to start the day. Good morning, sunshine!

Tech Exchange: When one volunteer visits another volunteer's site to help develop a project

As PCV Olenka and I walked in leisurely fashion towards the Casita de Chocolate, I looked up and was amazed to see a huddle of women waiting for us outside the gate. After 16 months of constantly seeing community members arrive late to meetings and events (usually smiling and reminding me about the concept of la hora ecuatoriana), I knew these women were truly excited about our weekly manualidades and bisutería (crafts and jewelry-making) classes, because instead of arriving on time, they arrived early.

Seven women and their daughters sat at the table and looked at us expectantly. One proffered up a dollar coin; for previous classes, we had asked participants to contribute $1 each toward the purchase of materials. “Today’s class is gratis,” I explained, “because we’re working with recycled materials.” This pleasant surprise grabbed the women’s attention, and they seemed even more eager to get started.

Over a period of two hours that Saturday morning, Olenka shared with us her expertise in turning chip bags, milk cartons, and old magazines into wallets and beads. The ladies and I learned three new techniques that are low-cost; benefit the environment; and produce eye-catching products.

[Olenka shows the women how to roll paper beads from old magazines]

My favorite part of these classes always occurs right in the middle of our time together, after the ladies have grown confident enough with a new technique that they begin conversing among themselves while their hands are at work. Just a few weeks ago, these women were strangers to each other; now, they’re giving each other health advice, inquiring after one another’s families, and debating the merits of various platos and cooking styles. It’s been incredibly rewarding to see the bond between them grow over such a short time, as it has been heartwarming to see the relationships between the older generation and their daughters manifest in different ways during the workshops. Often, the steady hands of the mothers will guide their daughters’ less graceful efforts, while at other times, the girls’ keen eyes and quick facility for learning turn them into their mothers’ instructors.

This particular class, Olenka captured the ladies’ imaginations by transforming common household items before their eyes. Previously, they had never envisioned a milk carton becoming a change purse, or old magazine pages turning into cute pieces of jewelry. By the end of the two hours, the women were brainstorming additional ways to use items from around the house that would otherwise go into the trash, and they left excited to return next week and continue practicing the techniques Olenka taught us.

[Working on milk carton wallets and paper beads]

The women’s enthusiasm is infectious, and while we are all hopeful that the concept for a microempresa will emerge from what we learn, for now I love cheering them on as they continue to plan classes and meet weekly in what has become a small but strong community, forming a foundation of friendship that will surely direct their future efforts toward success.

[The women show off their handiwork. All products are made from recycled materials]

Día Mundial de la Lucha contra el Sida

Every year on December 1st, people around the globe celebrate World AIDS Day by holding events to raise awareness about and educate people on the prevention of HIV/AIDS. You might recognize the red ribbon, which is the global symbol for solidarity with people living with HIV and AIDS.

Each country Peace Corps serves has its own specific needs, but Peace Corps has identified five global initiatives - areas in which every volunteer can and should focus at some point during their two years of service - and HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention is one of them.

So, what did we do for World AIDS Day in Guayaquil? We danced.

Remember when I talked about the flashmob we did at our Midservice Conference back in September? Well, one of the volunteers choreographed a dance. Throughout the month of November, we practiced once a week with other PCVs and youths who have participated with us on various projects related to health and HIV awareness.

On the big day, we busted out our moves on the Malecón, right in front of the famous statue of Simón Bolívar. Originally the plan was to perform multiple times in different spots, but then the boombox batteries died.

So we settled for 1.75 performances, handed out flyers and information on HIV/AIDS, and called it a night.

Stay tuned, you never know when the Peace Corps flashmob will strike again!