20 Minutes

Still a little wheezy from the Semana Santa (Easter) party in Ayacucho, a fitting end to my time in Peru, well worth the hungover bus ride. Too much fun for a good 18 hours running from bulls with hysterical crowds, live fireworks singeing t-shirts while dancing around raging bonfires in the town square to live marching bands that didn't stop. All to celebrate Jesus' re-birth. Lack of laws and safety regulations make for good parties. No one got hurt, plus it's tradition and culture.

Took the lloooonnng bus ride last night from Lima to Tumbes. Popped in to the ex-office to say hi but everyone was out which is too bad because that was probably the last chance I'll ever get to see them. But then again, who knows. Still in a familiar place for about 20 minutes until I board the bus from Tumbes across the border to Guayaquil. Leaving my adopted South American nation but I know I'll be back. The plan is a week in Ecuador, 3 weeks in Colombia, a month in Brazil. Come meet me. Contemplating trying to squeeze in a peak of Chavez and the regime in Venezuela and I still might but planning that far ahead crossed my eyes from looking at maps and made my head spin. Going to take it one week at a time. Peace out, Peru. It's been a blasty blast. Wait, didn't I already say that.

What's Update

4th last day at MEDA Peru today. It's been 7 months on this continent, which seems like a while but everything is relative. Sat in a meeting today with the two bosses and a retiree, Phil, who used to work for the World Bank. I mean I've learned a lot in my time here and I've written a lot about it but I've still got only 7 months experience while Phil has been working this field and this continent for twice as long as I've been born. So I sit through an entire days meeting, all keen and awake, ready to give my two cents at a moments notice but ultimately can't contribute a single thing. Nary a peep. I just contribute lots of nodding. It is a good way to convey interest and understanding without interrupting.

For example: What are goals worth pursuing? What seems like it should work but doesn't? How do you get attention? How do you persuade communities? How do you communicate to donors? How can you be sure what you're doing is right? Has this ever been done? What happened in Colombia? What happened in Bolivia? I don't know. I'd just nod and pretend they're rhetorical questions.

Wednesday is last day. Easter holiday after that will be spent in Peru and then my visa expires and I gotta be out by the 19th of April. I'm taking a bit of a detour on my way back to Canada. Two and a half months to grow my hair, somewhere in South America (Colombia or Brazil). Excited yes. Call me Al. The main drawback is that I'm going to miss the hockey playoffs. At least the Oilers aren't making it.


Peace out, mangroves. It's been a blasty-blast.