koffiebonen aan het drogen / coffee beans are drying
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bijna klaar (kleur is al gewijzigd naar bruin)/ almost ready (colour is changing into black)
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de boon uit het fruit halen / to take the bean from its fruit
woensdag 7 mei 2008
Pictures of coffee-making
koffiebonen aan het drogen / coffee beans are drying
bijna klaar (kleur is al gewijzigd naar bruin)/ almost ready (colour is changing into black)
de boon uit het fruit halen / to take the bean from its fruit
maandag 5 mei 2008
Balance after 4 weeks
Hidiho!
Somewhat four weeks ago I was in the air on my way to San Francisco. Incredible, but we are already four weeks further in time. Time races and the impressions have been counting. So I would like to share the first ones of Jaén, Peru.
* in a restaurant you can eat what is made that day, ordering from a menu is done in expensive diners (read: 2 euro for a meal; a cheap dinner is 0,5 euro)
* they make that menu but if you are really late to enter there is a chance it is sold out
* a quick snack in between is quite difficult, because the restaurants are closed between 11 and 4, they only eat on regular eating hours
* you can eat delicious cakes and pastery (yes Queen!!!)
* rice with almost everything
* they seem to work a lot and they don´t seem to need much sleep at the same time
* you actually have clothes with little pockets in the inside of the pants to store a cell phone or some money (they are customed to theft, that's for sure)
* just outside the village Jaén there are still communities without clean water
* wine tastes more like Martini
* the food: ceviche (raw fish in a slightly spicy sauce), humita (mais with cheese), tamales (mais, cheese and chicken), empenada. chicha morida (mais fresh drink), fried cheese, ... all good!
* sunny and sometimes rain for half an hour
* there are one-day-in-a-week-open-markets as known to Belgians but also permenant markets with a roof
* there is a herbal shop (where you can buy hallucinative cactusplants) and the guy has one blue and one brown eye (he gave me an extract of a tree as a repelant)
* I go and eat at señora´s Nora. She has a dog with no hair because it is too hot here, a skinny cat, chickens, perroquets (papegaai), little birds (parkieten)
* mototaksi´s as seen in Thailand are also here the means of transport, even for two streets (off course with theft you would think twice)
* every Sunday there is the flag ceremony (patriotism mixed with militarism)
I have a room with Lizandro and Desi, and Eva as well and Rosillo as well, so three tenants. They have three children, two sons and one daughter. The oldest son is a soldier and lives in San Ignacio, the youngest studies to become a doctor and lives in Trujillo. And there the three tenants come in handy because it is a private study. Anita is living in Jaén and just gave birth to a baby girl JeniferAnita, a little sister for Elmer. She is a bank employee and will get paid during her three months of absence.
Do you know that they did not yet have a name untill two days after the birth? And the family and friends made a list with names. In Belgium the name is a secret untill the card or telephone comes. Here they told everyone the sexe and they invented a name after the birth. Ne güzel! Isn´t this great, no pressure, no nothing.
I do start to miss some little things ;-)
Beso!
Somewhat four weeks ago I was in the air on my way to San Francisco. Incredible, but we are already four weeks further in time. Time races and the impressions have been counting. So I would like to share the first ones of Jaén, Peru.
* in a restaurant you can eat what is made that day, ordering from a menu is done in expensive diners (read: 2 euro for a meal; a cheap dinner is 0,5 euro)
* they make that menu but if you are really late to enter there is a chance it is sold out
* a quick snack in between is quite difficult, because the restaurants are closed between 11 and 4, they only eat on regular eating hours
* you can eat delicious cakes and pastery (yes Queen!!!)
* rice with almost everything
* they seem to work a lot and they don´t seem to need much sleep at the same time
* you actually have clothes with little pockets in the inside of the pants to store a cell phone or some money (they are customed to theft, that's for sure)
* just outside the village Jaén there are still communities without clean water
* wine tastes more like Martini
* the food: ceviche (raw fish in a slightly spicy sauce), humita (mais with cheese), tamales (mais, cheese and chicken), empenada. chicha morida (mais fresh drink), fried cheese, ... all good!
* sunny and sometimes rain for half an hour
* there are one-day-in-a-week-open-markets as known to Belgians but also permenant markets with a roof
* there is a herbal shop (where you can buy hallucinative cactusplants) and the guy has one blue and one brown eye (he gave me an extract of a tree as a repelant)
* I go and eat at señora´s Nora. She has a dog with no hair because it is too hot here, a skinny cat, chickens, perroquets (papegaai), little birds (parkieten)
* mototaksi´s as seen in Thailand are also here the means of transport, even for two streets (off course with theft you would think twice)
* every Sunday there is the flag ceremony (patriotism mixed with militarism)
I have a room with Lizandro and Desi, and Eva as well and Rosillo as well, so three tenants. They have three children, two sons and one daughter. The oldest son is a soldier and lives in San Ignacio, the youngest studies to become a doctor and lives in Trujillo. And there the three tenants come in handy because it is a private study. Anita is living in Jaén and just gave birth to a baby girl JeniferAnita, a little sister for Elmer. She is a bank employee and will get paid during her three months of absence.
Do you know that they did not yet have a name untill two days after the birth? And the family and friends made a list with names. In Belgium the name is a secret untill the card or telephone comes. Here they told everyone the sexe and they invented a name after the birth. Ne güzel! Isn´t this great, no pressure, no nothing.
I do start to miss some little things ;-)
Beso!
woensdag 30 april 2008
Almost robbed again...
Yes yes, one would not think this would happen again. Boy, was I wrong. Week 3 :-)
I step aside from the mototaxi, cross the street and as I want to go inside the restaurant (Elar's birthday), someone runs by and graps the belt of my bolso. Luckily I had it not only hanging loose on my shoulder but I was also holding on to it by hands. Nevertheless, the guy does not give up untill I fell down from the curve onto the street. I get up, see a jeans and white football shirt running and climbing onto a motocycle from a friend. I keep staring, not believing what has just happened.
No harm done, he did not get anything and I just have some scratches, BUT when I think about it is the idea that plants fear in my mind. And one moment I think: am I really going to travel alone for 5 weeks? I erase that thought quickly because fear cannot become a guidance on one's travel, right?! And after all, unfortunately this is common business in South America.
The camera, the passport, everything actually apart from some Peruvian soles are safely locked home in my room. And the waking eye becomes like the eye of Mordor ;-)
Beso!
I step aside from the mototaxi, cross the street and as I want to go inside the restaurant (Elar's birthday), someone runs by and graps the belt of my bolso. Luckily I had it not only hanging loose on my shoulder but I was also holding on to it by hands. Nevertheless, the guy does not give up untill I fell down from the curve onto the street. I get up, see a jeans and white football shirt running and climbing onto a motocycle from a friend. I keep staring, not believing what has just happened.
No harm done, he did not get anything and I just have some scratches, BUT when I think about it is the idea that plants fear in my mind. And one moment I think: am I really going to travel alone for 5 weeks? I erase that thought quickly because fear cannot become a guidance on one's travel, right?! And after all, unfortunately this is common business in South America.
The camera, the passport, everything actually apart from some Peruvian soles are safely locked home in my room. And the waking eye becomes like the eye of Mordor ;-)
Beso!
zondag 27 april 2008
Disco in Jaén
Gisteren gaan dansen. Ik had me iets helemaal anders voorgesteld, echt, niet te vergelijken. En dan kan je misschien zeggen dat mediterrane mensen een warmere mentaliteit hebben, ze kunnen nog wel wat leren van een feestende Belg ;-) Uiteraard is Jaén geen grootstad en dus niet te vergelijken met Lima, Cuzco, Arequipa of Trujillo.
De belangrijkste verschillen effe op een rijtje:
* Wat breng je mee als je uitgaat? in de linkerzak je huissleutels, in je rechterzak velltjes wc-papier en in je boezem je gsm (Hilarisch als de gsm gaat rinkelen, want dan lichten de borsten op, maar doodgewoon, bij ons zou er al funzige commentaar en meer zijn. Soit).
* Mensen jonger dan 18 jaar worden niet toegelaten, behalve schooiende kinderen met chickletten en baby´s onder toezicht van de ouders.
* Helemaal geen sensuele dansen zoals in Dirty Dancing II, want dat doe je enkel met je liefje, niet met eender wie (Peru is natuurlijk geen echt salsaland).
* Langs de randen van de dansvloer heb je kleine hokjes waar een tafeltje staat met stoeltjes, wat dient voor de liefjes om even apart te gaan zitten.
* De bierronde doet ook hier zijn intrede: bierflesjes worden per 2 besteld, je giet een scheutje in een glas, je drinkt uit en je geeft het boeltje door. Genieten van een goeie frisse pint zit er hier dus niet in.
En dan staan er twee gringas (het woord hier voor blanke, in Mexico gebruikt als scheldwoord, hier niet) simpel te doen op de dansvloer. We hadden waarschijnlijk nog niet genoeg bekijks :-).
In de namiddag waren we langsgeweest bij het project Manthoc. Kinderen van arme afkomst komen samen, maken houten speelgoed en dergelijke om te verkopen, verdienen daar een cent mee die helpt bij het huishouden (de werkingskosten voor de organisatie hiervan afgetrokken nqtuurlijk). Want die producten worden enkel verkocht in Lima en dan ook geëxporteerd naar Italië dacht ik. Moderne vorm van kinderarbeid? Neen, toch niet, want terzelfdertijd krijgen zij workshops over sociale vraagstukken, enzovoort, krijgen zij een goed maal en vormen zij een groep waar zij kunnen op bouwen, waar zij terecht kunnen om te praten, te spelen, vragen te stellen.
Echt een fijn project!
Beso.
De belangrijkste verschillen effe op een rijtje:
* Wat breng je mee als je uitgaat? in de linkerzak je huissleutels, in je rechterzak velltjes wc-papier en in je boezem je gsm (Hilarisch als de gsm gaat rinkelen, want dan lichten de borsten op, maar doodgewoon, bij ons zou er al funzige commentaar en meer zijn. Soit).
* Mensen jonger dan 18 jaar worden niet toegelaten, behalve schooiende kinderen met chickletten en baby´s onder toezicht van de ouders.
* Helemaal geen sensuele dansen zoals in Dirty Dancing II, want dat doe je enkel met je liefje, niet met eender wie (Peru is natuurlijk geen echt salsaland).
* Langs de randen van de dansvloer heb je kleine hokjes waar een tafeltje staat met stoeltjes, wat dient voor de liefjes om even apart te gaan zitten.
* De bierronde doet ook hier zijn intrede: bierflesjes worden per 2 besteld, je giet een scheutje in een glas, je drinkt uit en je geeft het boeltje door. Genieten van een goeie frisse pint zit er hier dus niet in.
En dan staan er twee gringas (het woord hier voor blanke, in Mexico gebruikt als scheldwoord, hier niet) simpel te doen op de dansvloer. We hadden waarschijnlijk nog niet genoeg bekijks :-).
In de namiddag waren we langsgeweest bij het project Manthoc. Kinderen van arme afkomst komen samen, maken houten speelgoed en dergelijke om te verkopen, verdienen daar een cent mee die helpt bij het huishouden (de werkingskosten voor de organisatie hiervan afgetrokken nqtuurlijk). Want die producten worden enkel verkocht in Lima en dan ook geëxporteerd naar Italië dacht ik. Moderne vorm van kinderarbeid? Neen, toch niet, want terzelfdertijd krijgen zij workshops over sociale vraagstukken, enzovoort, krijgen zij een goed maal en vormen zij een groep waar zij kunnen op bouwen, waar zij terecht kunnen om te praten, te spelen, vragen te stellen.
Echt een fijn project!
Beso.
dinsdag 22 april 2008
A day in Peru
How does daily life here for me look like?
I wake up quiet early, which is surprising for those who lived with me, I knoooooow. But I´ll tell you something else: I even get up without setting the alarm. Reasons: I don´t go to bed really late (around 11 pm) and it is just too hot to stay in bed long. And life begins pretty early here, so there is already a lot of streetnoise.
I eat breakfast at señora Nora´s and then I cross the street to my workplace.
Another amazing thing: I work from around 8.30 am up untill 7 or 8 pm. I really do! There is a lot of general and daily work for Elar, Juan and Nicanor which means that we, Eva and I, come in handy in doing extra jobs, which are also important. We write articles for the news letter, translate documents, update the website, ... And we try to find out what else we can do to enlighten their work a bit. There is possibility for own ideas and projects. So Eva and I have already plenty of them :-). Eva wants to make a booklet with stories from the villagers, I made a folder yesterday and want to think of a photo database system. And we both are eager to work on the website. Again, three months will not be enough.
In the evening I eat again at señora Nora´s or some place else, it depends. Eva goes folklore dancing, but I enjoy the peace and calmth of the house and my room. I read and study some Spanish, but off course if there is a party you won´t see me in that room ;-).
There have been other days. When we go to the villages, the day starts at 6.30 am with a long drive through the mountains, a meeting there, dinner and a long way back with loooots of (singing) people in the pick up car.
Today it is Earth Day and the children of the primary school have run in a mars throught the streets of Jaén, dressed in recycled clothing, butterflies, tr
ees and with lots of noise.
The food is nice; you wouldn´t believe what things they can make with mais. Breakfast is heavy (meat, rice, potatoes, eggs, ...), but that also means my stomach does not protest up untill 5 or even 6 pm. We have not yet tried to visit the swimming pool, but we will. Soon.
Apart from the mosquito bites (and my small allergy on that), I have not been ill ( you know, the usual holiday deseases, nothing big) so far. I hold my breath (not too long off course otherwise I will be ill).
I you have questions, just shoot!
I wake up quiet early, which is surprising for those who lived with me, I knoooooow. But I´ll tell you something else: I even get up without setting the alarm. Reasons: I don´t go to bed really late (around 11 pm) and it is just too hot to stay in bed long. And life begins pretty early here, so there is already a lot of streetnoise.
I eat breakfast at señora Nora´s and then I cross the street to my workplace.
Another amazing thing: I work from around 8.30 am up untill 7 or 8 pm. I really do! There is a lot of general and daily work for Elar, Juan and Nicanor which means that we, Eva and I, come in handy in doing extra jobs, which are also important. We write articles for the news letter, translate documents, update the website, ... And we try to find out what else we can do to enlighten their work a bit. There is possibility for own ideas and projects. So Eva and I have already plenty of them :-). Eva wants to make a booklet with stories from the villagers, I made a folder yesterday and want to think of a photo database system. And we both are eager to work on the website. Again, three months will not be enough.
In the evening I eat again at señora Nora´s or some place else, it depends. Eva goes folklore dancing, but I enjoy the peace and calmth of the house and my room. I read and study some Spanish, but off course if there is a party you won´t see me in that room ;-).
There have been other days. When we go to the villages, the day starts at 6.30 am with a long drive through the mountains, a meeting there, dinner and a long way back with loooots of (singing) people in the pick up car.
Today it is Earth Day and the children of the primary school have run in a mars throught the streets of Jaén, dressed in recycled clothing, butterflies, tr
ees and with lots of noise.The food is nice; you wouldn´t believe what things they can make with mais. Breakfast is heavy (meat, rice, potatoes, eggs, ...), but that also means my stomach does not protest up untill 5 or even 6 pm. We have not yet tried to visit the swimming pool, but we will. Soon.
Apart from the mosquito bites (and my small allergy on that), I have not been ill ( you know, the usual holiday deseases, nothing big) so far. I hold my breath (not too long off course otherwise I will be ill).
I you have questions, just shoot!
zaterdag 19 april 2008
Wie-wat-waar en hoe?
Het wordt tijd dat ik ook even het project voorstel waarvoor ik drie maanden zal werken. De organisatie heeft Vima, Vicaria del Medio Ambiente, en heeft zijn hoofdzetel in Jaen (Cajamarca).
Een kleine introductie. Peru heeft een mijncultuur: tweeds in de wereld voor zilver, 3e voor zink, 4e voor lood, 5e voor koper en 6e voor goud. Hiertegenover staat dat een derde van de bevolking actief is in de landbouw. Het zal sommigen al beginnen dagen. Indirect en direct gezien biedt de mijnbouw maar aan een kleine 5% van de Peruviaanse bevolking werkgelegenheid. Bovendien zijn de productie-eisen voor autochtone firma´s te veeleisend en komen ze dus niet in aanmerking om met buitenlandse mijn
-multinationals in zee te gaan.
-multinationals in zee te gaan.Ten tweede worden de opbrengsten niet opnieuw geïnvesteerd in de gemeenschappen, in behoud van de natuurlijke rijkdommen etcetera. Enkel een luttele 2,6 % gaat naar de Peruviaanse staat, terwijl er 50 % buitenlandse cash reserve is. Daarenboven betaalt Peru zijn lening/ schulden aan de Wereldbank in mineralen.
Momenteel wordt een vijfde van mogelijke rijke grond verkend of geëxploiteerd, maar door de stijgende prijzen van de mineralen is er een echte boost van mijnbouw. Concreet worden 3000 gemeenschappen bedreigd, is er een impact op de biodiversiteit en ecosystemen. Het project Rio Blanco - Majaz, waarbij Monterrico Metals 6500 ha exploiteert, heeft intussen 5 bedreigde diersoorten: de Andes tapir, de majaz (soort grote cavia), de Andes kat, het Andes hert en de brilbeer.
De regio waarin ik me nu bevind is ook rijk aan mineralen, maar Vima ijvert om deze regio, Ayabaca en Huancabamba te laten beschermen als natuurgebied omwille van hun ecologisch belang (nevelwouden zorgen voor waterbekkens en voor p
roper water).
roper water). 
Gisteren ging ik mee naar een dorpsbijeenkomst met ´ronderos´(boerenvertegenwoordigers van de verscheidene gemeenschappen) om te zien hoe alles aan de man gebracht wordt. Hoog in de bergen, zingende Peruvianen in de auto, rode vlinders, gele vogeltjes, kleurenpalet aan groen, ... Alles tesaam een mooi tafereel.
vrijdag 18 april 2008
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