Life just keeps on trucking

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The weeks seem to be flying right now. I by the time I start one week and figure out what the heck I am doing, that week is over and it is time to start the next. This never bodes well for those who have a lot to do. I am managing, however, to finally stay on top of everything I have to do. Perhaps that is because I am getting a better grasp of Spanish and thus I do things a little quicker; perhaps it is because I have made a conscious effort to not try and make everything perfect (a character flaw I possess - though its ironic, I work hard to make whatever I do perfect, but I can’t recall a time when I have ever created a perfect finished product); perhaps it is because I have just learned to organize my time and my work a little better to adjust to my life in Puyo and the Ecuadorian way of work.

Either way, I am a little happier and a lot less stressed. My counterpart, Bolivar, is not trying to make things any easier for me. When my Peace Corps boss was down last week to check on how we were doing, he and Bolivar talked about the role a volunteer should play: technical advisor, information source, give workshops and presentations, assist with projects. This was good that they had this talk, because Bolivar has been working me hard since Andrea left in March. I assumed all of her work, while still continuing to do my work. This meant that I was in the interesting position of being both my supervisor and my subordinate. I became a project coordinator for CODEAMA which is not what my job as a volunteer is. Peace Corps is very specific about that, the idea being that a volunteer should not perform the work that a host country national can already do - they don’t want volunteers replacing employees. Anyhow, Bolivar was very understanding and we also talked about my work load and how I work as hard or harder than any other volunteer in country and that I need to take some time to travel and experience more of Ecuador, its culture, and its people. He totally agreed - things were looking up.

As soon as Pablo left, he showed me a grant opportunity that he wanted to write a proposal for. It looked promising so I said go for it. He then asked for my help on ideas - I agreed and now I find myself bogged down in this grant proposal. I spend hours reading things like the Kyoto Protocol and a Report from the 7th Conference of the Parties just to get the terminology we need to put into the proposal. I finally told Bolivar that I don’t have time to spend 4 hours a day working on a proposal, that it really doesn’t interest me but that I’d be happy to review what he has written. He responded kindly and said that he understood and only wanted me to give him ideas. Hmmmm, we seem to have a communication gap. He also has asked the other Volunteer, Matt, to help out. Matt is equally as frustrated as I am and is uninterested in writing a proposal. So, my attempts to pawn this responsibility off on Matt were not met with enthusiasm by him. He is in the lucky position of not having CODEAMA as his counterpart so it is easier for him to tell Bolivar NO.

What Bolivar doesn’t seem to grasp is that writing a very technical proposal in Spanish is about the hardest possible thing he could ask me to do. It is hard enough in English. I equate it to trying to climb Mt. Everest in flip-flops. He has all the background information, he has previous proposals that he has written, and he knows the layout of this area. For him, writing a proposal shouldn’t be too hard. I don’t want to keep rambling about this topic, so I will give you one more example. A few days ago, Bolivar asked Matt to find him a map of our study area so we can include that on our proposal and use it to calculate the area. Matt said he would do it, but kept putting it off, so I decided to do it. Where did I find said map? In Bolivar’s computer, in a folder named “mapas de Pastaza.” The folder had about 30 maps all what we needed. I showed it to Bolivar and he proceeded to ask me to copy the map on to a word document and get another map that showed all of Ecuador with Pastaza highlighted. I pointed to the open folder and showed him that that map was already in the folder for him to use. He then asked me again to put it on a word document. It rubbed me the wrong way so I told him, “you asked for maps, I found all the maps you needed, you are currently working on the proposal, so copy the maps and put them on your document right now, I am not your secretary.” He was taken aback by it. I kept explaining that he has me doing a million other projects and that I don’t want nor have the time to do shit like this. If he wants me to work on the proposal then he can go to the communities and do my presentations. Ok, that isn’t quite what I said. I think that in Spanish, using all the vocabulary I could muster, I said something like: “I have no idea what you want of me Bolivar. All the information you keep asking me for is already on your computer. I already have too much to do and cannot spend more time on this.”

Switching gears, Susan and I had our 8th Anniversary on the 15th. Unfortunately, we didn’t spend it together. She was busy getting ready for her trip to the jungle and left on the 15th in the early evening. So, we are going to celebrate when she returns on the 23rd or 24th. I admire my wife for being able to deal with the Waorani and taking these week long trips into the middle of nowhere when she is the only English speaking person within a day’s travel. If you think any of my work would be frustrating - spend a day in her shoes. When she tells me what happens on a daily basis in her office I count myself lucky. Much of Susan’s work is comparable to different degrees of banging your head against a wall. One day the women seem to make progress and get it, the next day it is back to square one. A lot of the frustration relates to how they deal with money and grant funds. Outside groups have really done a number on the Waorani and have skewed their understanding of how financial systems really work. There is the Waorani way where a $200 taxi ride is perfectly ok - even though a bus is available for $5 and there is the way the rest of the world operates. It is hard to completely place blame on the Waorani, from their experiences, when they ask for resources, they usually seem to get them.

Umberto is back in Ecuador. It was great to see him the other day. He was very happy with how the center was looking and was pleased with the work of Antonio and Guillermo. He has his work cut out for him though while he is here. All three of the FRATES communities are eager to talk with him and work out all the issues they have with FRATES and who has rights to use the facility. Umberto is actually going to kick out two of the more vocal members (Carlota and her husband). Those two tend to be instigators and are not team players.

Though as I was telling Umberto the other day - everyone here has been positioning themselves in a good light. It is funny that if I have a conversation with Guillermo he will say things are great. If Umberto has a conversation with him, he will talk about a bunch of problems. If I talk with Antonio, he will say that Guillermo is not working hard enough. If I talk with Guillermo about Antonio he will say that Antonio is screwing things up. This can be said of nearly everyone in each of the communities. They say different things depending on who they are talking to. So, my advice to Umberto was to talk with everyone together in the same place at the same time. This way, there are no secrets and everything is out in the open. That meeting is going to take place next Wednesday.

So, since I have been negative for a few paragraphs, how about some positives. I am generally healthy and happy. Susan is healthy and happy. We have about 9 months left in our service. We have a trip planned to Peru with Susan’s brother TJ and his wife Hannah. Susan’s parents are planning on coming in December. It looks like I will be the Volunteer Trainer for the new group of Trainees that will be coming to replace mine and Susan’s group.

Last Saturday, Matt and I went to the finca of Jose Fiallos in Mera. Mera is about 15km from Puyo and is the area that the Water Fund focuses on for its reforestation component. Jose is one of the few farmers that has agreed to participate in the Fund. I had to go up there to check on a fence he installed and to take some pictures of a reforestation project that was done by Servicio Forestal Amazonico. The fence was fantastic. He has it around the pastured areas in to keep the cows from destroying more of the forest and to keep them out of the rivers and streams. The reforestation project was a joke. They planted over a 1000 trees, or so they said. We found about 7 of them and all of them were lemon trees. Very disappointing. Oh well, it isn’t one of my projects, nor is it one of CODEAMAs. I just told Jose that he should talk with SFA about their plan and maybe trying to get them to be more strategic in their design.
In a couple of weeks, I will be starting a series of three summer camps in the FRATES communities. There are a couple of other volunteers at FRATES right now (not PCVs) and they have agreed to help out. This is good, since running a camp for kids is a tough job and doing it solo would be nearly impossible.

After a mentally challenging week of work, Karina, Juan Carlos and I went out to get a bite to eat and have a few beers on Friday evening (last night). We had a great time hanging out and telling stories. I think this is one of those indicators of being accepted in your community. When you can hang out with people as friends and share silly stories.

This past Wednesday was Karina´s 32nd birthday. I, of course, baked a cake for her and the office. I made a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. This is Karina´s favorite and a big hit with the Ecuadorians. We hung out in the office after work on Wednesday to celebrate. Karina is good people and for sure the only thing that really keeps our office running smoothly. I shudder to think what would happen if she left CODEAMA.

Anyhow, that is my life right now. BUSY BUSY BUSY.

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Photos

Farm
This is one of the views on the hike to Jose´s farm.

The Fence
Jose installed about 2000 meters of fence on his farm to help manage his cattle and pasture.

Matt and Jose
Matt (PCV in Puyo) and Jose at the farm.

Pasture
This is one of the managed pastures on Jose´s farm.

Reforestation?
This is one of the year-old lemon trees planted as part of a reforestation project - hmmmmm.

Karina´s Cake
This is my carrot cake for Karina with a trick candle to boot.

The birthday crew
Bolivar, Karina, Raul, Wilmen, Jessie, Pablo, Juan Carlos, and me.