IST in Piura

I'm back in Lima and after sleeping something like 18 hours yesterday (no exaggeration), I'm able to process this past weeks events and I'm feeling pretty good. For me, the trip started the night before I left, the night I spent throwing up. I had to drag myself to the Peace Corps office the next morning to do some last minute cramming for the in-service training I was leading. My boss decided she would take the morning off and not have her phone on and left me to do all of her work on top of my own, all while not feeling well. This would be the general theme of the IST.

I met the new volunteer who had been evacuated from Bolivia and we, along with Ari who was also leading the IST, hopped a 14 and a half hour bus to Piura city. Talking with the Bolivian volunteer was cool. Not only had she been through some pretty crazy stuff with the evacuation, but I got to hear how Peace Corps was run over there. I always just assumed it was pretty standard across the globe, but it turns out there are huge differences in policy and program from country to country. Some of the stuff I heard made PC Peru sound rather draconian in policy compared to other places. One of the craziest things I think, is that the Bolivian country director had transferred from Georgia after it had been evacuated and had only been in Bolivia one month before being evacuated for a second time. Peace Corps Washington is supposedly freaking out cause they have had 3 evacuations so far this year: Kenya, Georgia and Bolivia. It's interesting that this has happened all over the world and definitely something to think about.

The bus ride ended up going smoothly, with no panic attacks or middle of the night tummy aches. In fact, it was probably the best bus ride I ever had. I usually travel alone, so I'm sure having to wonderful people there helped. I also find traveling incredibly relaxing. Well, maybe not the act of getting to the airport, checking in and all the hassle that goes with it. But usually once I am on a plane, bus, train, you name it, there isn't an ounce of anxiety in my blood. I fell asleep almost immediately and did not wake up until we arrived in Piura. I have never slept so well on a bus. I'm sure the lingering effects of mono played a part in that as well.

The relaxed, well rested Ali vanished the moment she stepped off the bus. Operation IST was underway and every thought and movement revolved around it. An IST has never been given by volunteers before. My boss Kitty, rounded up a team consisting of me, Ari and Elena to teach a 3 day training workshop to youth volunteers and their Peruvian counterparts. Normally, ISTs are given by our program directors and other professionals they hire. I felt like having volunteers teach the workshop wasn't a new, innovative way to pass information along as my Kitty would suggest it was, but her way of getting other people to do her work.

And work we did. Elena, Ari and I would start working at 8 AM and finish sometime around midnight each day. If my doctor back home knew I was pulling those hours so soon after being medically cleared, she would have freaked out. This workshop was stressful, torturous and incredibly frustrating. The three of us could not wait until this stupid thing was over. The amount of effort we had to put into making this workshop seem effortless was made all the more difficult buy our lack of resources like internet or even power point. All of our presentations had be drawn out by hand on giant sheets of paper. Our boss kept pawning off more and more of her responsibilities on us at the last minute. And did I mention the whole thing was done in Spanish?

While this event was like pulling teeth for those of us putting it on, the end result for those who participated was great. Ari, Elena and I were showered with praise for putting on not only an informative but fun and interactive workshop. Indeed it was fun for us at times as well. The volunteers and counterparts who came really committed to their participation. The group didn't act shy or reserved and provided some really entertaining improvisations and skits.

On top of all that was happening with the training workshop, I was still feeling very stressed about other uncertain factors in my life. Even after the IST was over and a wave of relief washed over me, there was still a bit of anxiety boiling in the bottom of my stomach. I hoped that my birthday would be stress free and the beach would wash away the rest of my uneasiness. Every one's response after the IST was so positive, I couldn't help but feel proud of myself and extreme gratitude towards Elena and Ari, who did so much work while I was out on medevac. I think all the work and stress was worth it. I really feel the people who attended got something great out of the workshop. It also did me good to see the volunteers who attended. I think one of the things that was causing me anxiety upon my return to Peru was a sense of having not done anything and being useless for 2 whole months. I felt so accomplished after the weekend that I felt I fully merited my trip to beach and could therefore really enjoy it, cause I had earned it.

I did a great job of scrambling at the last minute to make myself prepared for the IST. The one thing I forgot was my camera. There were lots of pictures taken by other volunteers so I am waiting for them to post some and I will copy some onto my blog.