story time.

A couple of stories for you.

We reflected on our expectations for our first spirituality night more than a week ago, and well, I guess I never expected to be a part of a rock band in Tacna, Peru, appropriately named Rockna. It turns out there was a rock band competition and concert that is run by a friend of the JV´s in Tacna. He suggested we audition, so, well, we did. And we made the first cut, and we got to perform 3 songs in a cultural festival sort of thing. Cara and Mo sang, Mateo played the base, Carlos (a peruvian teacher from Miguel Pro) played guitar, Alfredo (Miguel Pro student) was on the drum set, and I played keys and a little tambourine and vocals. I really couldn´t believe we were doing it, but it was amazingly fun. We really screwed up our last song, but that´s okay, one day we will redeem ourselves. What is really funny to me, though, is not just that we rocked out in Peru, but that I wasn´t nervous about performing at all. And the reason why? It being still in the first couple of weeks in country, I´m sort of uncomfortable and nervous about everything around me. A little rock concert was nothing compared to culture shock. Nothing at all. So we rocked and rolled, and it was great.

Youtube videos. Yes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRzdvkBZqXs

http://www.youtube.com/user/SWoolfH#p/a/u/0/bve1gRlvbnY

On Thanksgiving day, I was observing classes at Fe y Alegria, a chain of school, one of which is in Tacna. Well, halfway through the class, the teacher told me she had a meeting, and that I should finish teaching her lesson. What?! Okay.... The thing is, my placement in Andahuaylillas is not a teaching placement. I´m going to be working in a parish, so I was only observing classes to absorb more spanish, and just get used to how schools are run here to better understand the circumstances. Suddenly, I was in front of some 35 crazy children. The teacher was not a great teacher, either, so it was not like the kids were behaved anyways. But, oh well, I´ve taught kids before. Thing was, these little munchins were insane. With my limited vocabulary, I got them all to sit in their seats while I passed out a sheet of paper they were to work on. The kids wouldn´t stay quiet until at one moment, one of the kids asked me if I spoke English. So, I started talking to them all in English, saying something simple, like, "Hello, my name is Jessica Vega. I am from the United States. I live in Los Angeles, California. I am here today to help out, because I am a Jesuit Volunteer, getting ready to go to Andahuaylillas, Peru, to work at a parish." You get the idea. Well, it was the only moment that I had the entire class in total silence, totally engaged, and actually paying attention. Of course, they had no idea what I was talking about, but with a promise that I would teach the class some english words, the kids somewhat nicely did their work, though a little later on I did get kicked in the shin. Don´t worry, the student was trying to kick his classmate, but he missed and kicked me instead.

Another day, I was with Cara in her 1st year English class. Cara was singing the "Five little monkeys" song, with volunteers to be the little monkeys. Then, little Martin jumped out of his seat, ran up to Cara, and full on smacked her in the butt. WOW. I could not stop laughing. Sin verguenza. And hilarious.

On Thanksgiving, we all spent some time cooking together for our Peruvian Thanksgiving meal. I was asked to chop up the rocoto, an incrediby spicy chile from around here. I was even warned about this chile, that I should not touch my eyes at all after cutting it, to wash my hands well, etc. Well, then I chopped into the thing and it decided to squirt me straight in the eye. Perfect aim, too. I must have the worst luck in Peru or something.... getting so sick so early, and then rocoto in the eye. I was crying while washing out my eye as best I could. When Mateo realized what happened (he at first thought we were joking when the other JV´s asked what to do, because rocoto really is that spicy and to get it in your eye really is that bad), he got some milk to flush my eye out. Yes, milk. Poured straight into my eye. It took me a full hour to be able to open up my eye once again. Never, ever get rocoto in your eye. It burns like hell, I promise. At least, though, it tasted good in our Thanksgiving dinner.




live without fear.