Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Full Gente.

Just wanted to put up a quick post to say that all is well.

We are currently on vacation in a beachtown called Mancora in the north in the region of Tumbes. We will be here until the afternoon of the 3rd when we take an overnight bus back to Lima where I will be until the evening of the 9th. It is absolutely beautiful and there are a lot of people in town because of the fact that today (July 28th) is Peru´s Independence Day.

I hope everything is well back home. I will be sure to write more soon.

Ryan

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Huaytara and How I got to School on Friday

On Monday, July 6th, after having been in Ica for five days, Kate, Anthony, Ben, Steven and I traveled to the pueblo of Huaytara. You may remember from my description of the four day journey we took to get to the first schools, that we stayed in Huaytara for a night to start that trip. We came to Huaytara thinking we were going to be there for three weeks. Well last Friday we found out that public school vacation would begin on the 15th instead of the 24th as decided by the national government in an effort to prevent the spreading of the Swine Flu. That meant our trip was cut a week short affording us less time in the schools working with the kids. We were however able to give 5 multigrade teachers a 2 day, 12 hours per day, crash course on the XO. I will get into Huaytara more but for the first four days Kate and I were working in a school (Muchic) about 15 minutes by car from Huaytara while Steven, Anthony and Ben (Who left Thursday) rode with us to get to their school (Cuyahuasi) which was just a few more minutes down the hill past ours. Everything was fine until Friday because all of our transportation had been arranged up until this point. And without any further description here it is. (And sorry for the repeat information.)

My 'How I got to school on Friday' story:

So for the last week Anthony, Steven, Ben, Kate and I have been living in Huaytara. Since Tuesday we have been in two groups with each group visiting a different school. Kate and I make up one group and the other three guys the other group. We have come to find out that transportation up and down the mountain in this valley is next to impossible to find. Well I guess I should say I found this out on Friday. For the entire week the five of us have had a driver arranged to take us to and pick us up from the schools which are about a 15 - 20 minute car ride away from where we are staying in Huaytara. Well come to find out on Thursday upon our return in the afternoon that our driver cannot give us a lift on Friday. Not being too concerned we went about our business until the following morning when we realized it was at that point an immediate concern. Our Ministry of Education pointman, Edwin, and fellow intern by the way had taken off already on this day leaving us with no one to help us to arrange anything. For Anthony and Steven it wasn't of grave concern that they make it to school that day, but Kate and I on the other hand needed to show up as we had already arranged a meeting with the parents and also having one of the students laptops in tow. I'm not sure how many of you know this about me but I have some sort of determination to accomplish something when I decide that I am going to do it no matter the steps involved. And for me on this day that meant getting to school before noon.

Well at around 7:30 am I woke up and immediately set out into the village to arrange a ride with a different driver. In around 10 minutes I had set up something or so I thought for 15 soles or 5 dollars total each way. I went back to tell the others after which we embarked on our usual breakfast of coffee, fried eggs, platanos and rice. After feeling satisfied with this sufficient breakfast we met with the driver who told us that she was not so set on the original price. We have gotten used to this entire process as most purchases in Peru are negotiable. I also might add that there are typically two prices for items here: one for peruvians and one for non peruvians. It is up to us to negotiate the latter as close as possible to the former. The difference in the prices we have come to dub as the hustle factor. It sometimes becomes frustrating as we are not merely tourists but volunteers working in the schools through our own financial means and donated time. So after being fed up with this particular lady's indecisiveness we sought other means of transportation. After about 20 or so minutes I went to the local Ministry of Education branch and pursued help here. I got about a half an hour's worth of the run around and some crazy talk about that's how much we were supposed to pay when we had not paid that much for the last three days. It was at that point Anthony and Steven decided they would be spending that day in Huaytara while Kate and I forged on.

Our first thought was to get to the road where we would wait for a passing car that had space to give us a lift to our destination of Muchic. When we had finally made it to the main road we stopped for a moment to contemplate our next move. I decided at that moment to keep walking toward our goal and hope to flag down a car in the process. It was quite hot on this day and I was sporting my Timbuk2 shoulder bag packed full of necessary items. We walked onward for around 15 minutes when a Quechua-speaking construction worker asked us where we were going. His friend translated and upon our response told us we should wait at the next grouping of buildings just down the road. When we got there we waited for a good three or so minutes before I decided this was not sufficient for me and I continued walking. Kate stayed and eventually, after no luck with a ride, returned to Huaytara. I then began walking the route we had taken for the past three days which was the most beautiful road I had ever walked on in my life. Well the road itself was made of asphalt but the surroundings were indescribable. The surrounding mountains made for nice scenery as I stuck to my goal of reaching the school. I was passed by the occasional car but without any of them stopping and offering to take me down the road. Along the road were numerous pastures full of either crops or livestock. I couldn't help thinking back to the times on the roads in the mountains when our car would be chased by protective dogs until we were clear of their territory. The road was beautiful but I could picture myself being chased down the road by an angry dog at any moment. For just over an hour I found myself traveling by foot feeling as though I was going nowhere. It was at that moment that a large white truck passed my outstretched signaling hand and came to stop about 100 meters ahead. I made it to the truck before it started back up and politely asked the dumbfounded driver if he could take me the rest of the route to Muchic. He hesitantly said yes and pointed to the top of the truck. I climbed an attached ladder and settled myself on the top of the truck's wooden frame. It was satisfying knowing that I would soon make it to the school and without having to walk another meter. The truck after an extended wait started back up and headed down the hill another 5-10 minutes before pulling up to the entrance to the small village of Muchic. I finally made into the classroom where I was received with an enthusiastic greeting from kids. They and I were glad that I had made it to school on that day.

The day went well which was spent on the XO's in addition to the meeting with the parents to whom I gave an introductory course in using the laptops. That afternoon without an organized ride to return to Huaytara was spent at the mercy of waiting for a passing car to stop and return me back up the hill. The teacher from the village preschool waited along with me. She informed me that if we were lucky we would only wait 30 minutes to an hour. Lucky huh? Well it must have been that kind of afternoon because no more than 10 minutes after I proposed my question a gleeming gold van zoomed around the corner and came sliding to a stop in the dirt area just in front of us. I was relieved at the sight of this beautiful (well not so much in hindsight) Toyota van. For only 1 sol (or 33 cents) the driver took me and the rest of the passengers back to Huaytara. When we arrived I went straight back to the room where I found the others to whom I recounted the day's events. Surviving something like that always makes you stronger, no matter how you feel in the moment in which it is happening.

Anthony and I would, only a few days later, repeat this type of adventure on foot from a school that sat on the top of the mountain. I'll detail that in my next entry.

Much love.

Laramarca: The Work

As I mentioned before, Kate and I lived and worked in Laramarca for two weeks. During this two weeks we were tasked with the responsibility of working in the elementary school assisting the teachers with anything related to the XO laptops including how to implement its use into their current curriculum. We found out upon our arrival that the school had received the computers over a year ago meaning that the kids were already used to navigating them and all of their capabilities. This was a very good thing for us because it meant that we could focus more on its implementation versus just explaining the basics of how to use them. The school had six classrooms, grades 1-6, each with its own teacher. The reason I mention this is that many school in Peru are multigrade classrooms meaning that there is one teacher for a classroom filled with kids of different grade levels. This set up meant that Kate and I would each spend two days in three different classrooms and one day in the remaining three the following week.

The days were typically run as follows: At 8:15 the bell would ring signaling that school had begun. Prior to this you could find some of the kids partaking in either volleyball or soccer in the plaza space in front of the school. At the sound of the bell you could see them all running furiously into their specified classrooms. The teachers would then begin the day's lesson and continue with that until around 11:00 am when recreo would start. This was essentially 30 minutes of outside time for the kids to let out all of their energy in any number of forms including volleyball, soccer, or conversation amongst themselves. I typically spent this time playing football with the kids. For the first four days or so we played with the soccerball that I had brought from Lima, but as we were playing on the side of a mountain, the ball was first popped by a cactus, and then lost for good the bottom of the hill. From then on we played with anything that was round and you could kick. The girls all played volleyball. They absolutely love it. The Peruvian national volleyball team has actually been doing really well in a world tournament in Thailand that they have been showing a lot on television here in recent weeks. Then around 11:30 am the bell sounds again and the kids run back into the school. The lessons then continue until 1:30 when the attention deficit and hungry children get to go home and eat lunch.

Kate and I spent each day observing the teachers and making suggestions to them about how the activities on the XO could serve to enhance the current lessons being taught. We also answered any technical questions that they proposed to us. I did not want to take away from the lessons being taught during the classroom time so we devised some sessions to address all of this at 3 pm each afternoon. Here we discussed all of these topics without distracting the children.

This type of technology is not yet ubiquitous like it is in the US therefore there is an extreme learning curve with the users of this software especially the adults. As with any children, the exploratory process takes a short amount of time before they are proficient in the use of the laptops. At times it seemed bit difficult and almost counterproductive to introduce the laptops into the current lessons for any number of reasons including the laptops needing to be charged but there being a lack of outlets, the sheer lack of fine motorskills by the younger grades, or just a lack of ability to accomplish what you would like to with the available activities. I believe that this is the main reason that we are here as interns for OLPC. What they have done is created these laptops and handled the distribution; however, now it is time to make an impact. And it is the feedback that we will be providing them that will help them to do this. One main concern for this program is just the necessary ability of these laptops to stand up against the extreme conditions in which they are deployed. Let me put it this way. You hand a kid who has never had this type of technology to take care of before a laptop and you can only expect that it will be battered and bruised beyond its limits. Its not that they don't respect the laptop, its just that they don't have the knowledge to care for a foreign piece of equipment like this before. They don't know the things that come natural to you and I such as proper maintenance and potential dangers to the computer. These kids not to mention always have some kind of dirt on their hands making proper cleanliness of the laptops a constant battle. The XO's are also kept in extremely dusty environments where as I mentioned temperatures range from freezing to smothering. I have been keeping a journal of all of my thoughts and experiences, so I hope that the information that I have gathered will be helpful to the OLPC mission of empowering children in regions where resources are limited.

I do know that these little green laptops have given the children something that you can not put a value on and that is the love for learning and attending school. If nothing else it gives the kids who otherwise may not go to school a reason to leave their homes and potential responsibilities and walk however many miles they have to just to go to school for five hours. I believe the laptops open the doors to opportunities. It shows them a world bigger than they have ever known. That is what this program is all about and I am blessed to be a part of it. It is now up to the organization to build on this and possibly make the use of the XO even more influential. I won't go into my ideas but I and the rest of our team have some that we hope will make a greater difference in these eager kids' lives.

The work has not always been rewarding but I have to keep reminding myself that the reason I am here is not for me but for the children whom we hope to influence. It is their lives not mine that we seek to change. I know however that my life will forever be changed in the process of achieving this.

Here are some pictures I have captured in the classrooms of the children using the XO's:

Laramarca: The People

Laramarca is a small village, small enough where everything pretty much knows everything about everyone. With that said, our arrival was fairly well known after spending a couple of days in the school. As I noted in my earlier entry we were known as the gringos to many and professores to the children. The reason I was so excited about coming back to peru this year was large in part to the experiences I had with the people of Peru in my previous trip here. Being in such a small place afforded us the opportunity to get to know the towns people on an intimate level. At first you could see that the people did not really know what to make of us but as with most relationships you could slowly see signs of them opening up to us and making us feel welcome. We were never without the stares that come from seeing something so foreign but it was typically offered up with a greeting of some sort such as "Buenos Dias" which helped easy the transitioning process for us.

I will honestly say that the people of Laramarca as little resources as they may have had were very generous and humble in their interactions with us. They may not have had much but what they did have they appreciated and openly shared with us. An example of this was when one family from the village invited nearly the entire village to their home for a meal. And when I say meal I mean a three course feast complete with dessert. The food by the way really grew on me quickly. A vast portion of it made with some combination of the following: potatoes, rice, noodles, platanos, and eggs. On a side note: I haven't been able to get a workout in in about a month and it is killing me. All of these carbs are keeping me well fueled however.

I can't talk about the people of the village without talking about the kids. We spent nearly 15 days working in the town's elementary school with kids ages 6 to 12. The kids absolutely loved that we were there which was often reinforced with a mobbing embrace or some other sign of appreciation and affection. It has been a while since I worked with kids but I quickly remembered how much of a joy it is to do so. The kids of the Peruvian sierra are incredibly cute and have a sort of energy and self sufficiency that makes them fun to be around. They typically referred to us as "Professor" and were never shy to ask us any questions about where we were from or how to say any number of words in english. As with the adults even the kids took a couple of days to open up to us. But after this phase ended, they constantly asked us to be a part of any activity they were partaking in at that moment. One sad thing about the kids that just tore me up was the fact that because they are in such an extreme climate with temperatures dropping into the low 30's at night and then rising into the 70's/80's during the day due to the unobstructed intensity of the sun, the kids hands and cheeks were dry and scabbed. The first graders literally had the hands of an 80 year old person. They were burned from the sun and dry and cracked from the freezing temperatures that came at dark all year round. Their cheeks as well were dry and burned from these opposing temperatures. It is so sad because these kids despite their state have so much energy and joy for life. I want to do anything I can to help them.

By the end of our trip it was certainly difficult to leave the people of Laramarca because of how many good memories they had given us. I would love to go back and visit the little village some day and see how the children especially have progressed. We shall see.

Laramarca: The Pueblo

Laramarca: The Pueblo

Laramarca is a little pueblo tucked high, away in the Andes Mountains of the Huancavelica region of Peru. I am told it sits at around 3700 meters so the oxygen is thin which you notice with any activity where you exert yourself. In the main plaza you will find a beautifully kept common area with benches and fenced in grassy areas. It is bordered on its four sides by the municipal building, the church, the elementary school, and a bakery/cooking institute. The main plaza served as the meeting area for any events that required that the entire village gather together. In the two weeks that we were there we actually able to experience multiple town gatherings that discussed current concerning issues which eventually evolved into some late night celebration complete with fireworks, loud Peruvian music and drinking circles. While we are on the topic, there is one Peruvian tradition that I have not become quite used to and it is this idea of when you drink beers in groups you use one cup and one alcohol source to fill the cup. After you have finished your cup of beer lets say you dump out the foam and pass it on to the next person in the circle to repeat the process. I certainly partook in the ritual but with certain inhibitions. I am now even more concerned with ever present threat of the gripe (flu) nowadays.

Back to my description of Laramarca. The first thing I noticed about the plaza, beyond the immediate surrounding buildings, was the Mirador that looked down on pueblo from higher up on the mountain. On the third day or so I decided to hike up to it and see what it was all about. Essentially from below you see a large cross sitting next to a covered area isolated on the mountain. From the plaza you can tell that it offers the best view of the surroundings. I made my way through the village, up a picturesque wheat field and onto the man made platform known as the Mirador. One thing that Laramarca offers that you cannot put a value on is the incredible view of the Andes. The Mirador reinforced this fact by giving me a 360 degree view of the mountains and valleys that completely surrounded me. I took some photos but as is typical it is difficult to capture this natural beauty in a photograph. I never returned to the Mirador during my time in Laramarca because the first experience I had up there was so incredible.

Most of the buildings in Laramarca are made of Adobe with a few of the more prominent buildings in the plaza being constructed of bricks and mortar. Most of the buildings are homes to the locals with a majority of those doubling as a store to pick up items such as fruits, vegetables, snacks and drinks. The lady with whom Kate and I ate also offered restaurant services at the one humble table that filled the space of her store.

I had a very pleasant experience in this humble little pueblo. It had everything it needed, nothing more, nothing less. Every week or so a truck filled with supplies would arrive to the town allowing all the towns people to restock their shelves and provide determination to earn enough money just to survive. With that said I would like to go more into the people and lifestyle of Laramarca in my next entry.

Here are some photos from my time here:

The Longest Journey - Day 4

So after saying goodbye to Steven and Anthony, we continued on our journey toward our final destination, Laramarca. We forged ahead with our total bodies down to five. At this point I was in sheer awe of the fact that our little Nissan pickup was still running as well as it was after the beating had taken on the rough mountain trails. Squashed in the back between Norma and Edwin I began thinking about the reality of the situation ahead of Kate and I in Laramarca. Until now it had been the others we had left behind, but now it was our turn to be left alone to embark on our OLPC mission in Laramarca. The trail to our destination was quite rough and had made me the most anxious by far of all of the roads he had driven on throughout our journey. The road was not only narrow but looking out of the passenger's side window you could only see down into the abyss below. The path took us up and down the various mountains of the Andes that stood in the way of us arriving to our destination. On our way we took a short break in a nearby pueblo from which you could see Laramarca overlooking us from the next mountain. From the looks of it I could tell the nights would be bitter cold. A condition that my experience in Peru the previous year had readied me for on this trip. The pueblo who's name escapes me was home to a man nicknamed 'Bill Clinton', who is a friend of the people with whom we were traveling. The man was Peruvian in speech but his physical appearance suggested he was a gringo [which I must add is an endearing term I have come to be very familiar with that merely signifies that you are not native born or do not appear to be so]. After a quick visit with William, we continued on a journey which took us down into the valley past a major mining operation. I was told they were extracting copper and gold. We only caught a glimpse but would hear more about it in the following weeks as apparently there is an ownership conflict between Laramarca and those who found an ore running beneath the small pueblo.

The mining operation signified the bottom of our descent and the beginning of our climb up the mountain upon which Laramarca sits. The road up the mountain was the most treacherous so far and sent us up countless switchbacks on which I truly felt could be my last moments. It's a funny thing because no matter how dangerous the roads may have appeared to us foreigners, the drivers remained calm and collected. This was the case with packing people into cars in the sierra of Peru. This is something that in our experience here we have learned has no limits. Anthony told us about a time in Cordova when they were able to squeeze 11 people into a small Toyota station wagon [the car of choice here in the Andes] for a three hour trip. I am still not exactly sure how they did it. We continued our ascent up the mountain for almost an hour before we came to a reason to pull over and take a break in the form of a waterfall cascading across the road and down the nearby ledge. It was a much needed stretch break that made for some excellent pictures as you can see below. From here we could see Laramarca looking at us from above which I came to learn did not indicate that you were anywhere close to arriving there because of the indirect routes these road had to take in order to ascend the grand mountains.

About an hour and one terrifying six point turn later we arrived to the entrance into Laramarca. We passed through the main road in the small pueblo and found it to be lined with the typical adobe built buildings and people at their front door steps. We have grown accustomed to the stares we receive in every village we go. I compare it to an alien walking the streets of the USA. You have always heard of them but have never actually seen one. It is the same in these small pueblos when a person all the way from the US passes through their streets. You just have to brush it off and accept that it will happen as long as you are there. When we finally came to a stop we unloaded ourselves from the truck and climbed some nearby steps that led us into the main plaza. I have learned from my travels that Hispanic pueblos are centered around a main plaza which contains the main municipal building and a church. They also take a lot pride in their plazas and ensure that they are well maintained and spotless. I respect this greatly because as we experienced during our time in Laramarca the plaza provides a perfect space to hold community wide events. In the plaza we were greeted by the Director from the school where we would be working for the next two weeks. He took us to our accommodations in the municipal building which were both humble and comfortable in the same moment. This is another feeling that being here in rural Peru has helped me to overcome. Initially you are not only separated from the normal comforts of daily life (such as internet, cell phone, and television) but the actual living conditions are quite different than what you are used to. You are constantly engulfed in dust and showers are a rarity. In the two weeks I was in Laramarca I took two hot 'showers' from a bucket. As unbearable as it seems you begin to accustom yourself to this way of life. I am no longer constantly preoccupied with having clean clothes everyday or a shower before I begin my day. It is actually quite a relief to not always be worried about this and take more joy in the more important things in life such as food, good conversation, and bringing help to others in need. I understand in the US we have a standard for appearances and I believe it is this reason alone that makes this more simple and less focused on appearances, societal structure such a breathe of fresh air. After settling into our rooms we decided it was about time for some dinner. Kate was feeling the effects of being exposed to foreign food and a foreign environment so she stayed behind and the four of us found a restaurant in which to dine. When I say restaurant in these pueblos I mean someone's house in which you can get a plate of whatever the Señora is serving at that meal. Another aspect of life here that takes some getting used to is that the food here does not require the aesthetics that we demand in the US. It is more important here that the food taste good versus just appearing appetizing on the plate. I prefer the former to be honest. Don't get me wrong I love a good tomato that has been carved into a swan but when it comes down to it I just want good food. That night's menu consisted of Tallerín (pasta) and cafecito (cafe). The hot meal if only for a moment helped us to forget about the cold outside that had no regard for our well being. I experienced some of the coldest nights in my life in Laramarca which could only be fended off by layering on a grand majority the clothes in my suitcase and hiding beneath the four blankets layered on my bed. Up there, sleeping was more like a challenge of survival than a bodily necessity. At dinner that night we joked in Spanish over the events of our journey which had finally come to an end after four long days. After dinner it was time to retire to the cama where I would wake up in a heap on the floor the following morning. Apparently the planks of the bed frame were not enough to hold up my weight for more than four hours. Every hour thereafter the planks gave out one by one until I was lying on the mattress that had fallen to the floor with my feet above my head.

That ends my account of our journey to Laramarca. I will include a separate entry that details my experience in the pueblo over the last two weeks.

I love and miss you all and wish you the best in all your endeavors now and in the future.
Ryan

The group at the waterfall just below Laramarca.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

The Longest Journey - Day 3

I hope everyone is doing well! Last night I arrived to Ica from Laramarca after having finished our assignment there. The first shower in nearly two weeks sure felt amazing. Before I get into the details of my experience in Laramarca I want to finish my Longest Journey account.

When I last left off I had just woken up sitting upright in a pickup truck after having suffered one of the worst night´s of sleep in my life. After thawing out and getting some decent food in me I was back to my normal self and had almost all but forgotten about how terrible last night had been. The gleaming light from the sun and the incredible view of the Andes sure helped the process. We proceeded to spend that morning figuring out the details of Steven and Ben´s stay in San Gayaico before loading up into the truck once more and heading in the direction of Cordova. As it turns out Anthony and I were given the ´privilege´ of sitting in the bed of the truck for the duration of the 6 hour journey. It wouldn´t have been so bad had the roads been paved. But with them being dry, dirt roads, we were left with thick layers of dust covering our faces by the end of the day´s journey. After two or three days of just roughing it you start to lose the sentiment that makes the whole situation seem unbearable. You start to embrace the simplicity of life by surviving with only the bare essentials. Our journey took us down and out of the Andes into the desert, only to make a near 180 degree turn and head back into the Andes before making it all the way to Ica. The reason for this our driver, Oscar, told us is that the path directly from Sangayaico to Cordova was too dangerous. I nearly laughed out loud because from the looks of the roads we had been driving on this passage that he was speaking of must have been a pure nightmare. As dusty, treacherous, and long as this day´s journey was, we were handed an incredible award for all of our troubles in the form of an unforgettable sunset over the Andes. This was not the only gift as after the sun had set, the stars above were visible in a way that I had never before seen in my life. It was as if you took a black sheet of construction paper and tossed a handful of rice down on it. Purely magnificient. Unfortunately I was unable to capture the stars in any photographs. But that is alright. I´m sure the photo would not have done the sight any justice.

Around 8 o´clock or so we arrived to a bright spot among the darkess of the surrounding mountains. Anthony and I could not hear any of the commentary going on inside the cab but we correctly assumed that it was our final destination for that day. Sure enough, after an hour of winding toward the small town, we had arrived at Cordova. After having been in Sangayaico the previous night, Cordova seemed like a metropolis. The concrete road entering the street was lined with well constructed buildings which ended at the foot of the village where the main plaza, church, and school could be found. Unlike in Sangayaico, the school´s personel was waiting for us with a satisfying dinner of bread with cheese and hot tea/coffee. It was a very warm welcome that ended shortly with the four of us (the interns) falling asleep on some simple yet comfortable foam pads on the floor of one of the classrooms. The following morning we woke up to the beautiful vistas of the Andes and the sound of children filing into the school around 8 am. As we had come to expect, the children were completely intrigued by the four Americans who had arrived to their school seemingly out of nowhere. I will have to say the way these kids take to us after such a short period of time may be one of the most gratifying feelings I have yet to experience in my life. It truly gives you the motivation you need to make a true difference in their school and in turn their lives. After a quick morning bite to eat, Anthony and Steven began their introduction to the school´s staff and facilities. At each sight Norma, the representative from the Peruvian Ministry of Education, and Edwin, from Huaytara´s Branch, had a formal meeting with all of the school´s teachers and directors to formally introduce the assistance program on which we were about to implement into the school over the next few weeks. While this was taking place, I spoke more with Oscar, our vehicle´s commandeer, who is also a professor and computer repair handyman. Most people here are fans of football so for me that is a common topic of conversation. But beyond that he has an interest in learning english so I acted as a human dictionary and grammar teacher on his behalf. At that point I was requested to act as a helper in one of the classrooms. When I entered all of the students had their XO computers out and were using a various activities. Some of them even had ´How to Play Chess´ Books out and were playing the chess activity against the computer on the XO. Which I may add is near impossible to beat. I have since made it a goal of mine to conquer this robotic force that is the XO. I worked with the kids for another hour before deciding that it was time for us to set back out on the `trochos`(mountain roads) and wind our way to Laramarca. Our final destination on the trip. See my next entry for the rest of the day´s events.

We made it to the desert only long enough to snap this photo.


Anthony and I after 5 hours in the bed of the truck.


Amazing puesto del sol.


Your luggage will be dirty starting now.


Elementary school in Cordova where Anthony and Steven worked for three weeks.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

The Longest Journey - Day 2

So as I mentioned on Day 1, the 9 of us packed into this small pick up truck and headed into the depths of the Andes. Before I go on I want to adjust the mental picture you probably have in your mind. When I say we drove to the villages, this doesn´t mean that we hopped onto a paved highway and just sat back until we arrived at our destination. No, it means we braved the one car width dirt paths that wind around the Andes as they slowly climb toward the peaks. The entire ride you are looking out your window thinking that at any moment you could be going over the edge into the abyss below. For 8 hours we continued up into the Andes, always hoping over the next mountain our destination would appear.

Beside a bit of anxiety, the trip was going well. That is until we reached the little town of Capillas where after the sun had long left us, we found mounds of dirt and rocks blocking the only passage through the village. We spoke to a local resident and he told us it would be 10 days before the road was rebuilt. Of course we could not wait that long so after some ingenious thinking and some expert driving skills from our driver, Oscar, we leveled the dirt enough to be able to make passage through the village. Wow...that was a close one. Another piece of important information is that once the sun goes down in the Andes you have nothing but a freezing cold environment where no one can be found wandering around the town. That is unless a truck full of Gringos is passing through your pueblo.

A couple of times the four guys in the back seat and the two in the bed had to get out and help push the truck up the dirt roads. It was quite an adventure to say the least. I remember constantly trying to comprehend the reality of our situation. It was unlike any experience I have had in all of my previous travels. In addition to the cold you get copious amounts of dust swirled up by the spinning tires. All of our bags were left in thick layers of dust from the trip. Around 9:00 pm we finally arrived to Sangayaico where we would be staying the night and leaving Ben and Steven for the next three weeks. The trip thus far had really allowed all of us to become very close friends and it would be difficult to continue on without the full team present. Upon arriving we ate some bread with cheese at the local restaurant which is really just someones house where food is served. Steven Ramirez who had traveled the entire trip in the bed was nearly frozen and covered in dust. All any of us wanted was just a place to lay down. During dinner, Edwin searched for places for us to stay for the night. The two women got beds in one of the teacher's home, three guys were staying in an open air room, and that left Anthony, Edwin, Oscar and myself searching for somewhere to spend the night. After failing to convince one family we were left sleeping upright in the truck in which we had ridden to the pueblo.

Well I have to head back to Laramarca but I believe I will be back in Ica next weekend and capable of using the internet. Im feeling some sickness coming on..so i hopefully I can fend it off. Take care everyone!

On break in middle of nowhere to cool down car engine with water. Beautiful out here.


Steven and Ben relaxing.


Ramirez building a road.


Early morning fresh session.


Curious little girl.

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Laramarca.

Before I finish my detailed account of our journey to Laramarca I just wanted to let everyone know about my current state. I arrived to Laramarca on Wednesday. The small, pueblo sits isolated high up in the Andes Mountains. I´m not sure of the exact number of residents but you can walk the town in an hour. I am actually in Laramarca with one of the other interns named Kate. The two of us are being housed in some humble accomodations in the municipal building. Most of the homes are made of adobe bricks and the kids of the village all have red cheeks and aged hands from the intense climate conditions. These conditions include nights where temperatures dip below 30 degrees and days where temperatures skyrocket into the high 80´s. Laramarca is quite impoverished yet the people in the town are hospitable and glad to have us in their small pueblo. The view of the moutains from the town is incredible. On Thursday, I did some exploring of the city and made my way up to the ´mirador´ which sits high above the town giving adventurers an extraordinary 360 degree view of the surrounding mountains. Although they don´t have many of the creature comforts we have come to expect in the US such as hot showers and internet, I am learning to adjust. Things have not always been easy but I have learned to always remember the reason I am here and that is the children of this developing country.

Although I have only been able to spend one day in the school of Laramarca which consists of six classrooms each with its own teacher, I have seen something amazing in the kids who attend this school. I spent Friday morning with the first graders and you should see the potential they possess. They were quickly writing their names, pronouncing simple words, and matching words with their appropriate drawing. Even from just one day I can tell that the XO laptops have brought an excitement to learning that these kids desperately need to justify even coming to school. For the last 45 minutes of class the children got to use the laptops to enhance the lessons they completed during the first half of class.

This weekend we are in Ica which is the nearest city to Laramarca. As I mentioned before Laramarca is not equipped with internet so I will not be able to update my blog for at least a week. This experience is truly making me appreciate everything and everyone that I have and has given me the drive to make a difference in the lives of these children. They are no different than our own children in the USA except that they were born into this world in a different place. They deserve every bit as much of an opportunity to live a decent live as we do. Over the course of the next two weeks Kate and I will be working in the school to help enhance learning using the XO´s and creating a project that the teachers can use to address one major problem the pueblo faces each day.

I love and miss all of you!
Ryan

Church in Plaza of Laramarca


Kids taking photos using their XO laptops in Plaza of Laramarca


Yo


View of Laramarca from Mirador


Proof that God does exist

The Longest Journey - Day 1

Wow...It´s only been a week but I am willing to say this is the most eventful week I have ever experienced in my lifetime. Last Sunday, June 14th, six interns (Steven Cymerman, Anthony Tijero, Steven Ramirez, Kate Voss, Ben Bell and myself) and one representative of the Peruvian Ministry of Education (Norma) set out on a journey that would span four days and an absurd amount of rugged moutain ¨roads¨. Our week of training in Lima had come to a close and all of the interns were being sent out to their deployment sites where we will be for until July 3rd. After a great night out in Lima, the six of us loaded up into cabs and made our way to the bus station where we would catch a ride to a pueblo called Huaytara which resides in the Huancavelica region of Peru. Before leaving the hotel I took a shower. This tidbit of info will play a critical part later on in my story. All of us with luggage in hand made some last minute purchases (*a tip for anyone traveling to South America especially Peru, always have some TP on hand. It will make life much better) and then loaded into the bus. The journey started out with a bang which came as a result of being seated in on the second level and in the front row of a double decker bus. We all had an amazing panoramic view from our seats. The ride took around 5 hours and included an exceptional meal of a local dish called lomo saltado. It is essentially a stir fry of beef, onions, and french fries ontop of rice. The perfect addition to an already great situation. At this point none of us really knew what the future would hold for us.

As we traveled south from Lima we headed into the desert where not much live was found present. The scenery became more bland but this soon changed as we made a quick turn and began east bound into the Andes. I spent last summer in Peru but as the sun went down and the stars came out I soon remembered how beautiful the landscapes of the Peruvian Andes are. The first part of our journey soon came to an end as we got off the bus at the foot of the small pueblo of Huaytara. It seemed a bit strange that the town was so dark as we collected our luggage from the cargo hold beneath the bus. We were quickly informed that the city was without electricity until a unknown time in the near future. We were greeted by a lady from the local municipality who guided us through the darkness to our accomodations for the evening. As we passed through the town we were met with gazing eyes from locals, an action that we have now become accustomed to experiencing. Let´s just say not too many Gringos make it to the parts of Peru where we are now living. Our hostal was a humble building with nothing more than the basic necessities that a shelter should offer. After a quick dropoff of our baggage, we headed to a small restaurant for some late night Peruvian Cuisine. Half of us ate fried trout while the others chose another round of lomo saltado. The restaurant owner, a stocky, fast talking Peruvian gentleman, made sure we were well fed. Following dinner the six of us made our way to a quiet spot to take in all of the beautiful stars overhead and just discuss what we thought of how things were playing out. In the middle of our conversation, the lights suddenly show down on the pueblo below, signaling to us that the electricity had decided to return to Huaytara for the time being. After an hour or so, tired and our stomachs full, we decided to call it a night.

The next morning, with the sun beating intensly down on us, we returned to the same restaurant for a quick bite to eat before meeting with Edwin, a representative of the local branch of the Ministry of Education, who would be coming along with us for the remainder of our journey. Our meeting with Edwin gave us further insight into the sites at which all of us would be staying. We found out internet was unlikely, and cell phone service was probable. At the conclusion of the meeting each of us used the internet for any last minute correspondence that we had and loaded up on any supplies we thought we might need including a lunch to eat on the road. It was at this point that our adventure truly began.

Norma had told us to get our bags and meet back in the main plaza where our transportation would be waiting for us. As we approached the square in bags in toll, we saw two brand new, shiny vans waiting for us to board. As we walked toward them we were intercepted by a Peruvian man named Oscar who informed us that he would be our driver for our trip. Next to him were two older, well used trucks. We assumed at that point our luggage would be thrown in the back of one while all of us would be riding in the other. This was not to be as Oscar told us all nine of us and our luggage would be packed into the small Nissan pickup and driven to our first destination of San Francisco de Sangayaico where we would be dropping of Steven Ramirez and Ben Bell. We were baffled at how this was to be done but as I have come to learn in Peru, nothing is impossible. After about 30 minutes of figuring out how we would be arranged, we began our journey into the depths of the Andes mountain range.

The view from the bus on the way to Huaytara


Our accomodations in Huaytara


Our group with the Director of Education in Huaytara


15 suitcases. 9 people. 1 small pickup truck.


The Journey continues with Day 2

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Miraflores 2

Today, along with William, Kate, and Becky (other interns), I went back to Miraflores to visit and go shopping for some last minute supplies before departing tomorrow. It was so cool to be back in the part of Lima where i spent last year´s summer taking spanish courses. just to back track a little bit. i actually came to miraflores the day of my arrival in lima. i decided to venture back and try to visit the lady with whom i stayed during my time in peru last summer. after negotiating a fair price with a taxi driver i hopped in and ended up getting out at the parque kennedy. this park sits just one block away from the building where i had stayed. after taking it all in i walked over to the building´s front gate only to be greeted by the same doorman who had held the post last year. after finding out Elma was not at home but in the park selling her hand made jewelry, i ventured over to the park. before continuing on to the mini market where i assumed i would find her i was stopped by the scene of some older couples dancing in a circular concrete depression in the park. this is the place where Elma met the man with whom she now lives. i stopped for a couple of minutes and just watched as these couples took pleasure in the simple things in life. i had a overwhelming sense of joy and tranquility come over me as i often do when i travel and just soaked up all of the scenery. one lady stole the show when she used her suave salsa moves to bring the crowd to an abounding round of applause. soon thereafter, i headed toward the market and suprised elma and carlos as they had no idea of my plans to be in peru this summer. it was an extraordinary feeling to be back in miraflores speaking with her seeing as when i left last summer i had no idea i would be back so soon. we caught up on recent happenings in our lives and then i left but not before promising to come back and visit them upon my return to lima in early august.

So today the four of us ate at San Antonio in miraflores, an overwhelming favorite for all of the students in the program last year. the food was just as good as i remembered it being. we were all quite satisfied with what we had ordered and ate until we were content. we then made our way down to larco mar which is a fairly new and quite posh shopping center that was built into the side of the rocks overlooking the coast of peru. the ever present fog in lima obstructed our view of the shorelines however the cool temperatures made for a pleasant walk. we then made our way through miraflores to wong´s (a walmartesque store) where we loaded up on presents for the children such as soccer balls, colored pencils, and markers.

our next stop was a lowes type store called maestro where we picked up some multiplug extension cords to help outfit the schools where we are going. the xo laptops are an excellent tool but making sure they are all charged and capable of being used during classtime is an issue we came across in our trial run on thursday. most classrooms only have a few plugs and the adapter on the xo sometimes limits the amount of xos you can charge at one time. hence the reason for our supply run.

we finally made it back to the hotel around six only to be greeted by a red carpet leading the way into our hotel. come to find out the hotel bolivar is hosting a red bull party tonight. perfect news as tonight will be the last time all of us are together until late july.

This week has been incredible and has really made me eager for the next six weeks during which we will have a chance to make a real impact on the lives of the children of peru. i dont know what the internet situation will be like where we are going so im not sure how often i will be able to update my blog. i will soon know and pass the news along.

que te vaya bien!

Ryan

¨La Selva No Se Vende¨

On thursday the indigenous people of the jungle regions organized a protest in the plaza de san martin. it just so happens that our hotel resides in the same plaza. so lucky for us after returning from the school and enduring the traffic created by the protests we were able to walk through the middle of the action. here are some pictures to illustrate the events:

Alan Garcia as the Terminator on a sign


No they weren´t protesting for that..its just the flag of the incans


La Plaza de San Martin


Fuera Garcia, coming to a town near you


The protests

Friday, June 12, 2009

Untitled

I want to start off by saying that I couldn´t find any words to describe all of the ´awe´some events that have occured this week. So Monday morning was the first day of our week long training in cooperation with members of the Peruvian Ministry of Education that is supporting the OLPC effort in Peru. Going into it our group (which consists of 22 of us) knew very little about what we would set out to accomplish during our week of meetings in Lima. That morning we met in the lobby of the Hotel Bolivar, which resides in the center of Lima, and after introducing ourselves to each other made our way to the meeting spot for the duration of the week. The meeting spot is the home of a small startup called Escuelab. They are a center for learning, using, and creating with technology. The head of the organization, Kiko, is a really cool Peruvian guy that also speaks english and german fluently. He has a very intriguing vision for Escuelab and has some good financial backing from some Spanish, Danish, and Peruvian municipal organizations. We are meeting in this location because they have all of the appropriate technology that we need to be able to facilitate the meetings.

Upon arriving to the Escuelab we were introduced to the members of the Ministry that are heading up the OLPC Peru Program. They spoke to us about their reason for this program and the progress they are acheiving. Right now Peru has very big problem to tackle with regards to education. They do not currently have the necessary resources to produce the desired amount of well educated children from their educational system. Most of the schools here are ¨multigrado¨ meaning that there are children from all grade levels in the same classroom being taught by one teacher. We were afforded the opportunity yesterday to see first hand what this situation is like in a school on the outskirts of Lima. Our entire group was bused to the school to give assistance to the teachers in the school which had recently been given the XO laptops to implement into their curriculum. Some of the other interns and myself were able to work with the younger kids (grades 1st and 2nd). These kids were absolutely incredible. Here are some pictures to explain:







We found out earlier in the day that some of these kids walk for miles just to arrive at school, some even without having eaten breakfast. (Just as an aside: Peru unfortunately has some very impoverished regions and children often begin working to help their familes make money at very early ages. So because of this poverty, the breakfast that each of us is fortunate enough to eat every morning for these children can be a rare ocurrence.) The teacher really did an amazing job of keeping these kids focused which was assisted by the programs offered on the XO laptops. The eight or so of us that were in this classroom worked with the kids to use various programs to do educational yet entertaining activities to help them to benefit from the day´s lesson. One program in particular allows the kids to take a word from the teacher, type it into the program and after clicking hear the large cartoony face repeat the word allowed. This experience allowed us to not only see the XO in action but also see the issues that this little laptop can begin to help address. It was a great preview of the situations in which we will be immersed beginning on Sunday when we head to our various deployment locations. I will actually be going to Huancavelica which is located in the Andes just southeast of Lima. (Map of this location: http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=es&q=Huancavelica,+Huancavelica,+Per%C3%BA&sll=37.509726,-95.712891&sspn=30.931016,53.261719&ie=UTF8&cd=3&geocode=FWHsPP8dMQSI-w&split=0&ll=-12.618897,-73.894043&spn=9.55256,13.31543&z=6 ).

Going back to our training sessions. Throughout the week I have gotten to know some really incredible people who have like myself wanted very much to take part in this internship. Most of the interns are either current students in different Universities across the country or recent graduates like myself. There is also a gentleman named Man Bui, who is friends with one of the members of the Ministry from their previous work at IBM, who along with his son has taken time off from his consulting work in the USA to help the Ministry improve this Program. He may be the most genuine and friendly individual I have ever had the chance to meet. His son, who is high school age, has been given a really great opportunity to expand his horizons before pursuing a college education.

All of our meetings take place in Spanish which has really helped me to improve my Spanish language skills. This aspect alone has made me extremely glad to have decided to come down and take part in this program.

I have to go because we are all going to happy hour at one of the Ministry Director´s homes. I will be sure to finish this entry. I wish everyone the best!

Ok I´m back to finish my thoughts. (the shift key on this computer doesn´t work real well so i´m sorry about no capital letters) But as I mentioned before i have really seen an improvement in my speaking abilities in only a week of being in Lima. this makes me look forward to the next six weeks when i forsee spanish being my only means of communication. We found out our assignments yesterday. we haven´t been given many details but we know we are catching a bus tomorrow at noon to go to Ayacucho which is in the Huancavelica region. From there we will go to the first school where we will be helping out for the first three weeks. these schools will be fairly modest and located in the andes. after three weeks we will move closer to ayacucho to help at another school for the remaining three weeks. essentially we will be helping the teachers to develop lesson plans that implement using the xo for learning purposes. as i mentioned before we don´t have many details because of the unforseen change of plans that occured because of the protests in the jungles. So wish us luck and safe travels!

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

La Primera Semana

This week we have been training with members of the OLPC Peru Program and the Ministry of Education of Peru. I haven´t been able to update my blog but I will be sure to before I leave on Sunday for Huancavelica.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Lima...beans

Before I get into how I got here I want to let everyone I made it safely to Lima. I am actually sitting here in the Hotel Bolivar (http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotel_Bol%C3%ADvar). I just woke up from crashing hard in my little humble chambre after an exhausting journey. It began yesterday around 5:30 pm at the Charlotte-Douglas Airport where after saying goodbye to my parents (a thing that they have become all too familiar with) I headed through security and to my gate. I had been looking at the weather prior to arriving at the airport and conditions did not look too good in Miami (my connecting city on the way to Lima). We boarded the plane on time and set off on our little regional jet headed southbound. Halfway through the flight the pilot notified us that there were some storms in the Miami area so we would be redirected around the tip of Florida over Key West and come into Miami from the southern side. As we approached the city all you could see were thick storm clouds and flashes of light from all directions. At this point my heart started to beat a bit faster. This only contined as we neared the city and it seemed an impossibility that we were going to be able to land safely. After some intense prayers we manuevered our way around the storms and roughly below the clouds. We finally landed safely in Miami and I made my way into the terminal in search the location of my next departure gate. A bit anxious and tired I stumbled across a little bar that was showing the USA-Honduras World Cup Qualifier. It was the second half and tied 1-1 at this point. I am by no means a drinker but boy would an adult beverage help to calm the nerves at this point. After watching the remaining minutes of the second half which resulted in a 2-1 victory for the US thanks to a Bocanegra header, I found the gate for my flight to Lima. It had just occured to me that as I entered the terminal after getting off of my earlier flight I noticed a long line for those waiting to rebook flights that had been cancelled due to the weather. At good ol gate D43 there was quite a crowd as apparently the flight had been overbooked with people who had come from the line that I just mentioned. They were all waiting anxiously to see if their lucky number would be called.

Just as I was gathering everything that was going in that moment I saw a little bright green object out of the corner of my eye. An XO laptop! Soon its owner returned and I approached her to introduce myself as I assumed she was headed to Peru on the same program as myself. She confirmed my assumption and told me her name was Kate. She also mentioned how she should have already been in Lima earlier that day however, she was one of the victims of the cancelled flights. We talked for a while and I found out she is from Massachusetts and pursuing an undergraduate degree in a multitude of disciplines. It was at this point that I got my first taste of just how intriguing the XO laptop is tochildren. A precious and hardly shy little girl approached Kate, who has kept her laptop out, and asked her what she was doing. For the next hour the little girl, Sammy, who I would actually end up sitting next to on the flight to Lima, was completely drawn in by everything the little laptop had to offer from digital painting to solving puzzles. It was also interesting because at first Kate was mostly controlling the activities they were working on but by the end Sammy was sitting on the floor oblivious to us working intently on the laptop by herself. This event made me extremely excited for the work we will be doing in the schools over the course of the next six weeks.

We finally began boarding the plane and to our dismay Kate was not lucky enough to land a ticket on this flight. She is actually still in Miami at this point and hopefully arriving tomorrow morning. Everyone was thankful to finally have boarded the plane. There was one minor detail that the crew failed to mention. Apparently a couple of people had accepted vouchers to allow other passengers to take their place on the flight. That is all well and good however their luggage had already been loaded into the airplanes cargo area. After a 2 hour delay we finally took off in the direction of Lima. The flight was fairly uneventful except that I could not sleep. Around 6:30 am (5:30 am EST) we landed in Lima. After making it through immigration services I changed some money and collected my checked bag. Having been to Peru last year made things less anxious for me which only made me concerned for the others in the program who were arriving alone without any previous experience in this unique city. Once you collect your bags in Lima you get to play a game before you exit. Essentially how it works is that you hand your declaration paper to the airport worker and then you proceed to press a button. If the button comes up green you win and get to exit the airport...but if it turns red. You dont even want to know what happens. Ok well you have to step to the side and workers check your bags thoroughy which I would refer to as losing the game. In the three times I have played I have maintained an undefeated record. After the excitement of winning the game I passed through the automatic doors into the land of taxi drivers. They crowd themselves anxiously awaiting potential suckers...I mean customers. Luckily I had done this before so I found a man that looked legitimate and agreed on a 45 Sole (Pronunciation: Soul-ehs, the typical exchange rate is 3 nuevos soles to one dollar) fair and proceeded toward the Hotel Bolivar where I was staying. This taxi driver turned out to be first-rate. He gave me some history on the city that I had never heard such as how in the mid90s a group of kings and ambassadors were held hostage by terrorists in the Japanese embassay in Lima. (the conversation was in spanish so this is my interpretation of the story) After four months of negotiations, the special forces group surrounded the building and created a plan to enter into the building and take out all of the terrorists who said that if they didnt get their demands fulfilled would shoot a person a day until they were all gone. So the special forces dug tunnels into the embassay and ambushed the terrorists killing all of them in an intense fire fight. The jolly old peruvian man had successfully gotten me to the Hotel Bolivar by the end of his extraordinary tales of Lima. I checked into the Hotel which is quite large and historic in appearance. After a quick arrangement of my things in my room I laid down on the bed around 7:30 am and awoke six hours later.

So that brings me to the present. After finishing this entry I will head to the store for some bottled water. Tomorrow I will meet the rest of the group in the lobby around 8:30 am and begin training for our deployment assignments.

God bless!

Ryan

Sunset from the plane to Miami


Paul Wight aka The Big Show in the Miami Airport


Adorable girl at the airport that came up and started using the XO


My room in the Hotel Bolivar


La Plaza Mayor en Lima

Friday, June 5, 2009

You've had two pairs of gloves the entire time?

I found out this morning that the plot has taken an interesting twist. Until about 10:00 am this morning I was set to be deployed in the San Martin Region of Peru. This region lies right on the edge of the Amazon Jungle where many indigenous people both live and work.

Well, come to find out these people have organized a massive protest against Peru's President Alan Garcia and nine decrees that affect their lands specifically with regard to the extraction of raw materials such as crude oil, gold, gas, and timber. The government has opened the lands to exploration and development by foreign companies which has given the Jungle Tribes reason to create resistance in seven of Peru's twenty-four regions. The indigenous people have already caused disruptions at airports, bridges and main river traffic sites.

So needless to say the Peruvian officials leading the OLPC Program have chosen to find alternative sites at which we will be working. I have been notified that the locations will be in the mountains and since it is winter in the southern hemisphere, temperatures are going to be quite low.

With most of my things gathered to handle the climate of the Amazon, I am set to alter my wardrobe selection for something more suitable for temperatures in the low 30's. This is the kind of excitement I expected with this trip, so don't worry my spirits are still high.

Thanks to everyone for their kind words of encouragement. It means a lot to me knowing I have such a great support system from my friends and family. Love you all and look forward to my next entry from Peru!

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Enlightenment

Today I found out that I will be deployed in the San Martín Region of Peru. There will be six interns at this site including myself. I am super excited and still have no idea exactly what our daily tasks will involve. I'm thinking that not knowing is contributing to this excitement. I'm currently in the process of learning a bushel of facts about the San Martín Region so that I can be prepared for when I arrive.

I'll add to this entry when I become better informed about my temporary home for the next six weeks.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Is that a spider monkey?

Well I just found out that Piura will no longer be one of the deployment sites. That means to the jungle (San Martín) or mountains (Pasco) I go.

Here are a couple of photos of the XO laptop that I received. I've been working on establishing a long lasting relationship with her. This little things can do wonders. I can't wait to see the children's excitement when they begin using these laptops.

Look for an update and more information on my final deployment site.






Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Preparing to Know

Well I'm off for another adventure. This time I'm heading back to Peru with the One Laptop Per Child Organization for a two month long internship. I'm currently still in the process of figuring out the details of what I will be doing while I am down there but I can say that we will be in various schools in rural areas throughout Peru distributing XO laptops. I am petitioning to be located in Piura which is situated on the Northern Coast of Peru. I should find out for certain this coming week. Once I hear something I will post more information.

I actually received my own XO laptop so that I can become familiar with how to use it and in turn help the children to learn. This little green and white thing is incredible. It has the internet, a mesh network (so that all of the XO laptops can communicate meaning the kids can chat, send pictures, video, etc. to other XO's), a music making program, a paint program, and more. Here are some interesting links if you are curious about this organization and the XO laptop:

http://laptop.org/en/
http://laptop.org/en/laptop/index.shtml
and for spanish speakers
http://www.perueduca.edu.pe/olpc/OLPC_Home.html

Some videos about the OLPC program already taking place in Peru to give you an idea of the organization's purpose:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk-GkwvxP2Q
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hU2QfIaIu3g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3p40kdi0Nk&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKFvXK4-Ej4&feature=related

I will actually be writing a thesis for my Master of Global Innovation Management; therefore, I will be documenting as much of my experience as I can. With that said I hope to let all of you in on the details of my trip.

This is an amazing opportunity and I will certainly take advantage of every moment of it. When I return to the US in August I will be looking for employment so needless to say this may be my last adventure for a while...well maybe