An Act of Cultural Arrogance?

Mil disculpas for the delayed update. Excuses: We were busy getting ready for the Feria, and then really not too much has happened in the last couple of weeks. We are in the heart of the dry season, and the bees are not doing much of anything because of a lack of nectar flow.

The forage crops garden is coming along relatively well, although I made a tactical error in planting: Some of the seeds we planted in standard rows, but others we simply scattered al voleo (broadcasting method). At Ivor´s farm we planted all the fields in rye as an end-of-season cover crop, and simply scattered them without covering; therefore I followed the same method here in our garden. But it seems that the broadcasted, uncovered seeds were eaten by birds: I failed to take into account that in larger fields the amount of seed consumed will be negligible, but in a small garden a couple of birds can eat every last semilla. Two Sopachueños warned me of that danger when we planted, but I ignored their advice based on my own experience. Moral of this story: Bolivian farmers know what they´re doing! They´ve been farming this land all their lives and know its intricacies much better than a foreigner with one year of agricultural experience. Luckily, we hedged our bets and the other half of the seeds, planted by Don Tomas in the traditional rows, are doing just fine.

Naturalist writer Edward Abbey once referred to the Peace Corps as ¨an act of cultural arrogance.¨ He was referring to the tendency of young American idealists to think that, as ¨civilized, well-educated¨ people, they can simply arrive in the Third World and ¨help¨ the poor, ignorant locals to improve their lives. They quickly learn that, as suburbanized housecats with little technical experience and no grasp of local customs and intricacies, they have little of substance to offer and instead much to learn from the supposedly ¨backward¨ peoples they came to help. Bellarmine President Joseph McGowan also once referred to this phenomenon as ¨the Peace Corps syndrome.¨ (Of course, given the extravagant mansion Dr. McGowan lives in, I take his advice on social justice with a grain of salt...)

Of course, Abbey´s indictment is not unequivocally true: Since the Peace Corps is defined principally by the actions of individual Peace Corps volunteers, whether or not PC service is an act of cultural arrogance depends in each case on the actions and mindset of the volunteer. I, for one, struggled with this problem before coming to Bolivia: Even though I postponed my PC assignment by a year in order to gain some agricultural experience working for Ivor, still I knew that with one year of experience in Louisville, Kentucky I would have little to ¨teach¨ Bolivian farmers who have been working the land their whole lives, and who are following generations of local knowledge handed down by their forebears.

With that in mind, you might be wondering, what are we doing here? Why not instead use the American citizens´tax dollars to fund international NGO´s or government social programs? Well, for me, part of the answer has to do with the value of giving one´s time. Some of the most lasting benefits that Peace Corps Volunteers can offer come from their simple willingness to leave the familiar, comfortable life in the USA and spend two years living in a foreign place, learning the language, participating in traditional customs, working together with local folks. In this way, we show a great deal of respect to people that aren´t used to receiving much respect. Sending a check does not achieve the same effect.

Of course, cultural interchange is not the whole story. The projects matter a great deal, and Peace Corps Volunteers can in fact offer substantial support to communities through their work. Admittedly, generally speaking we are not experts and will probably fail as much as we succeed (e.g. my al voleo planting). But then failure is also a very good teacher, a stern tamer of cultural arrogance.

These are a few preliminary thoughts on what is for me still an open question. Maybe after two years of service my ideas will be clearer. I would appreciate any thoughts you guys have on the subject...

In the mean time, assuming the road blocks are lifted I am heading to Sucre this weekend, so I hold out again the possibility of finally posting some Sopachuy pics for you all to see. Be well and never stop questioning yourself!

La Musica Increíble de los Años Ochenta

Hello there...

Here in Sopachuy we are still getting ready for the Feria and prepping the garden... not much new to report work-wise, relatively busy and happy, especially now that I am free of that maldito skin rash. I am working on A Confederacy of Dunces, my seventh book since I arrived in site as many weeks ago. Also halfway through 3 separate songs... hopefully at least one will turn into something, I am hedging my bets!

We celebrated Daniela´s 3rd birthday yesterday, Valentina´s little girl... typical kid party, lots of running and cake. They blasted a DVD of American music videos from the 1980´s -- I was ecstatic to revisit such musical gems as Rock Me Amadeus, Somebody´s Watching Me, We are the World, If You Want my Body, the Grease Mega Mix, I Was Made for Loving You, and Who Can it Be Now. (I will admit, however, that ¨Take on Me¨ is a guilty pleasure.) I was the tallest so I suspended the piñata while the kids waited underneath like a pack of ravenous hyenas. Then we sat around and drank beer, and the participating in the conversation became more and more challenging with each glass. But it was a good time.

More soon.

Forage Crops and a Pair of Rabbits

Howdy y´all. I am writing from Sucre, my regional city and the true capital of Bolivia. I am here this weekend running various errands, which range from finding the ingredients for honey shampoo to buying a pair of rabbits for a friend in Sopachuy. I hope they don´t shit too much on the seven-hour bus ride back to town.

In my site we are preparing for the big agricultural fair in July, a yearly extravaganza which attracts lots of outside visitors. Our beekeeping group will have a stand there, where we will be selling honey and, hopefully, other products including said shampoo and lip balm. On the forage front, Don Tomas and I finally broke ground the other day on our demonstration garden, which will include various types of alfalfa, barley and triticale (a mix between wheat and rye); we will plant next week. I brought a couple of cervezas along, as is the custom when dedicating a new piece of land, and Tomas poured out a splash for the Pachamamma, a Quechuan kind of Mother Earth figure. He said a prayer that she would allow our garden to produce fruitfully and that people would be educated by our efforts, rather than laugh at us. Indeed.

About that pictures thing... unfortunately this computer won`t let me upload any. So we`ll have to wait `til next time, I suppose. I haven`t taken that many yet anyway, but I promise next time to offer a comprehensive sample of Sopachuy life. Okay? Okay.

Love and miss. Go Obama.

Granny, Shamrocks and Space Quest

So I will start with a prayer of thanksgiving for Granny, for her strong, simple faith, for her quiet constant love for her family. My thoughts are with you all. We should not say that our family has lost its center. Instead I pray that her memory will keep us close to her joyful spirit, and thus draw us closer to each other.

My mom and dad tell me that her passing was peaceful, and that Anna sang beautifully at her funeral, and I am glad for that. As for me, I am sorry I can´t be with you guys during this time. But the neat thing about family is that I am somehow still with you anyway. I feel Granny´s presence with me here in Sopachuy. Obviously she would not forget to visit me here, since, after all, I am her favorite.

My Trinity brothas will be glad to know that Joey Porter ´78 will be named an Honor Alumnus at graduation this weekend. I say, it is about damn time. Through him I have lived and breathed Trinity since I was a youngin. Many of my first memories are hanging out at Steinhauser gym, collecting lost quarters and dimes while my dad coached basketball practice. He loves Trinity so much that he even agreed to assume the dreaded post of disciplinarian for like 7 years. He hates St. X with a 15 year-old´s passion. Trinity is his second home, and I cannot think of anyone who represents that place and what it stands for better than my father. I know better than anybody that he is a very good teacher. I am proud of my dad. Go Rocks!

Brief Sopachuy update: Patience, the pictures will come. Next time I go to Sucre I´ll upload a few. In the mean time, I am learning how to gather information from community members, to find out what interests them and what potential exists for various projects. If you guys remember the old Sierra computer games, King´s Quest, Space Quest, etc., you would often have to explore a new city, and there were always like 2 or 3 people hanging out on the street corner that you had to approach, and ask the right questions to advance in the game. They would give you information, like where to buy a tool you needed or where the bad guy lives, etc. Otherwise you would just have to wander around the city indefinitely. Being a PCV is pretty much like that: most of the valuable information I have collected, and ideas we have come up with, stem from casual conversations with folks on the street. Thanks Space Quest!

More soon. Peace and love...

Una Vida Nueva

Just as I was getting used to the frenetic pace of training, life has radically changed again. Now officially a Peace Corps Volunteer, I am writing from my site in Southeast Chuquisaca, where I will be living for the next two years.



I arrived just over a week ago to this gorgeous place, a quiet town nestled in a lush valley and enveloped by two rivers. During my site visit Dan introduced me to the town and many people, so I already know a few folks here. So far, I have basically been spending my time wandering around town, chatting with folks, or hanging out at the agricultural cooperative store, visited daily by many of the farmers with whom I will be working.



Coming from a task-oriented, hectic society, and fresh out of an intensive three-month training period, it is a challenge to adapt to the slow pace of life here, and to the lack of immediate work. I am not by nature a very patient dude, so that is a virtue I am quickly learning here in site. And although there is not a lot to do just yet, the local folks seem excited to get started on new projects, and we are beginning to exchange ideas and make plans. I will continue working with the beekeeping group developed by the previous volunteers here: It is honey harvest time, and the group´s strong colonies are producing well. Also in the works are plans to produce more advanced bee products, including royal jelly, with the group´s three strongest beekeepers. In addition, the cooperative has agreed to the idea of using a small plot of land as a demonstration plot for various forage crops, which if it succeeds will hopefully convince some of the socios to plant alfalfa or clover. Such crops are sorely needed here in Sopachuy, as the grazing animals here basically starve during the 8-month dry season. Growing and storing alimento would make it possible to sell meat and dairy products in the winter months (summer in the States). Other possible projects include building fish ponds, in which Jorge at the cooperative has expressed strong interest. I told him that I knew exactly nothing about fish farming, but that I would research the topic. So basically, there are tons of opportunities here in my site. The trick is to have patience while things develop: The most important thing is to build friendships and gain the trust of the community, without which accomplishing any meaningful work will be next to impossible.



Personally, I am doing pretty well. I love it here in Sopachuy, and everyone has welcomed me generously. Yes, Mom, I am making friends. I have loads of free time, which I spend walking, reading, cooking, playing guitar. But of course, being the only gringo in town, speaking Spanish all day, being away from the ones I love is tough. But I knew that those occasional feelings of loneliness, isolation would come. One friend counseled me, ¨When you feel alone, just remember all the people who love you.¨ And that sure makes me feel better.



Life is good here, man. I certainly can´t complain. I´ll send pictures, once I take a few. Till then, keep on rockin in the free world...

Declaración de Compromiso

Before swearing in, each trainee has to write a commitment statement and present it before the group and the Country Director. Thought I would include what I wrote, in case you´re wondering what in the world I´m doing down here...

Ama Suwa, Ama Qhella, Ama Llulla
These are the prohibitions of Quechuan law, which in English are translated, ¨Do not steal, do not lie, do not be lazy.¨ At first glance, these commandments don´t seem hard to follow; neither do they appear to be a comprehensive guide for right behavior. Unlike English, however, Quechua is a language of few words: Saying little, one expresses a great deal. Such is the case with the above laws: For many of us, myself included, to truly follow them would demand of us radical life changes.
Ama suwa: ¨Do not steal.¨ To follow this commandment, not only must we refrain from active theft, but also we must pay our debts. Incidentally, Plato in his Republic defines justice as giving to each what is owed. One reason I joined the Peace Corps is that I believe that the poor of the non-industrialized world are owed the opportunity to lead a fulfilling life – they are entitled not only to food and shelter, but also medicine, education, the opportunity to develop their natural gifts, and respect. Though all human beings share these rights, many in Bolivia and throughout the Southern Hemisphere do not have them. They are owed. And as someone who has had more than his fair share of these opportunities, I feel that it is I who owe: As a person of privilege, I owe it to the Bolivian people to share. To refuse, I believe, would be tantamount to stealing.
Ama qhella: ¨Do not lie.¨ Which is another way of saying, ¨always tell the truth.¨ But in both the First and Third Worlds, there persist many pernicious and oppressive lies. To remain silent while another is lying is to be complicit in the lie: Thus, if we wish to follow Quechuan law, we must actively tell the truth. In Bolivia, as many of my fellow Trainees are aware, some people hold to the lie which says, ¨all gringos are greedy, selfish, unfeeling imperialists.¨ As Peace Corps Volunteers, we have the opportunity to show the people of our communities that this statement is false. At PCV Daniel´s despedida in [my site], farmer and beekeeper Don Tomas spoke of this common perception of North Americans, and he sternly insisted, ¨es mentira.¨ By fighting the lies that foster division and hatred, we have the opportunity, on an individual level, to promote world peace.
In our homeland, there exists a parallel and even more dangerous falsehood: ¨All people have an equal opportunity for success, and the poor, because of their ignorance and laziness, deserve their lot. Poverty is someone else´s problem, not my responsibility.¨ It is my hope that I can return to the United States after my two years in Bolivia as a messenger for the poor, who I feel certain would take strong exception to the above statement. I want to serve as a PCV in Bolivia because I want to tell the truth. (Incidentally, the eradication of the above two lies coincides with the second and third goals of the Peace Corps.)
Ama llulla: ¨Do not be lazy.¨ And why else are we here? We are willing to work hard. We want to do our best. We are chronic overachievers. Personally, I spent 14 months waiting to receive my invitation to Bolivia, during seven of which I worked as a farmer´s apprentice. I took that job because, as a philosophy major and lifelong suburbanite, I was deemed unqualified for Peace Corps. At the farm, I learned how to grow potatoes (a vital skill to have here in Bolivia!), and I also learned how to truly work hard. By accident, I also learned while working at the farm that I happen to love farming.
Strangely, something similar has happened to me during these three months of training. I applied for Peace Corps for many idealistic reasons, partially out of a sense of duty. During training, however, I have happily discovered that I actually enjoy development work, and that I am going to love living in Bolivia. It has been an amazing growth process: What was an abstract and naive idea of ¨fighting poverty¨ is now a set of feasible goals and strategies for development in [my pueblo]. What was a lofty notion of ¨serving the poor¨ has now been realized by a fervent desire to help the Beekeeping Association there succeed, so that Don Valerio can send his children to college. I come to my site with ganas to work hard, to do my very best. I believe that anything less would be a violation of the third law.
So, to the directors of Peace Corps / Bolivia, I submit that:
Because I believe in my ability to work with the women and men of [my site] to make real, sustainable progress;
Because I can already feel myself falling in love with my job and with this place;
Because I believe deeply in the mission of the Peace Corps; and
Because, most of all, I wish neither to be a thief, nor a liar, nor lazy, but rather a friend and compañero to the people of Bolivia,
I therefore ask that I be further considered to serve as a Peace Corps Volunteer.
Finally, to my fellow B-47 trainees, my friends, I say to you, ¨Ama suwa, ama qhella, ama llulla.¨ To which, according to the Quechuan custom, you should respond, ¨Qanpis kikillanta.¨ In English: ¨You either!¨

Visita de Sitio y Otras Fotos

Thought I´d begin with some beautiful scenery: Denis´ toenail used to be there. One afternoon I was studying and my host brother approached me and said, "Andrés, un favor grande...¨ and I helped him rip his rotten, black toenail off of his foot. Such is the life of a Peace Corps Volunteer.

Sucre, the historical (¨actual,¨ according to the people there) capital of Bolivia. It is a rule that all buildings in the city center must be painted white! Beautiful town. Come see it.

The new Sucre crew. As my pueblo is 7 hours from the city, lamentablemente I probably won´t be seeing them much!

Dan, my pueblo´s current PCV, in front of the town.

Me in front of the Rio San Antonio near town. I promise to provide more eye-candy next time -- my pueblo is gorgeous, but it was raining all week.

Dan with Valerio, my work partner. Dan is holding various recuerdos given him by the Beekeepers´ Association at his going-away party.

Lebo watering our award-winning garden. The Ag trainees divided into 5 groups and each group has its own garden. Ours was judged the best. We won a cake. Gracias Ivor.

Spike is his name. He got in a fight with a street dog (they are bad!) and lost part of his ear. I came to the rescue with my Peace Corps medical kit and we sterilized the wound and wrapped it in gauze. But Spike chewed the gauze off. Tough mutt.

Me (in my sweet new sombrero) and Ronaldo (in a ch´ullu).

My host brothers Jhonny (not a misprint), Ronaldo and Denis. Orlando, the second oldest, left 3 weeks ago to look for work in England. Sadly, in a mass exodus thousands of young Bolivians are leaving to look for work, mostly in Spain. As a result, Bolivia is losing its young talent and the country will suffer even more. But Orlando says he´s enjoying England, and has already joined two soccer teams.