squeek

I don´t know how to make this more brief, without just bullet-pointing…I could talk for hours, and well, I´ve got living and sweating to do here in Iquitos! Oh my god, it´s hot… One of Rachel S and my favorite things to say is from Guns and Roses´ Welcome to the Jungle….¨You´re gonna die!¨ Yeah…read on.
I´ve felt pretty dirty in my life, but this could perhaps be the dirtiest I´ve felt. It´s interesting how at first it stresses you out having paint, and dirt, and kid germs, (different from US kid germs I might add…these kids have parasites and have been itching their buttholes), and bug spray, and sunblock, and so much sweat, monkey saliva (yeah I got bitten by a monkey, but it was in a preserve and apparently they have been vaccinated), and stray dog, and dirt, and most likely sewage…all over…but then you sort of settle into it, get used to it, and it´s ok. You see kids in torn and dirty clothes, walking around barefoot, playing soccer with a ball that just bounced into the puddle of god knows what, and you have to think, it´ll probably be just fine. And truely I haven´t gotten sick until today. And today, I don´t think it´s sick so much as an allergic reaction. I ate fish yesterday, which I suspect to be the culprit, and now have a bright red rash covering my arms and legs. Benadryl has helped though…so yes, I´m dirty and smelly and red.
Today I had the opportunity to walk around by myself and enjoy the little intricacies of the town. I was left on accident when the group went clowning and I had run upstairs to grab the Benadryl, so I instead decided to venture out and take in Iquitos with a different perspective—you certainly see more when you´re sola. The town is mad with people. There´s humanity seeping out of every corner and block and within every interaction. Babies holding babies, people sharing cigarettes and snacks, people selling everything you can imagine, people everywhere….it´s like the farmer´s market on crack, but with a million motorcycles and moto-taxis (kind of like rickshaws but less enclosed), much more noise, and it goes on for miles.

Belen: A district of Iquitos: this is where we are doing the community work. It´s one of the most impoverished towns I have ever seen (mind you I´ve also been to India, but I have to say it´s worse off than towns I´ve seen in Kenya, South Africa, and Venezuela). The houses literally have nothing in them. They are just stilted platforms with a few hammocks for sleeping. That´s about it. The streets are more like muddy/raw sewage-y paths, which become canals during the rainy seasons, and are positively littered with junk. You are constantly looking down to avoid stepping in fish bones, poop, broken plastic objects, fruit rinds, etc. There are 70,000 inhabitants, 40% of whom are children (wow wow wow!). They have problems with domestic violence, street violence, prostitution—adult and children, and HIV (the rate is 45%!). And as a result of AIDS there are many orphaned street kids, who in turn take up prostitution, get HIV and become pregnant and the cycle continues exponentially…

Clowning: Each day we visit different hospitals, shelters, prisons, or other sorts of places lacking in cheer. Adorned with red noses, fake hair, crazy hats, sparkles, stickers, tutus, tights, silly shoes, rubber chickens, stuffed animals, and a slew of other nutty paraphanelia, we take over these places. Unfortunately I have only gotten to go once, to a hospital. It made me appreciate the often freezing hospitals in the US—hot hospitals seem even more disgusting than they are (Even though our super sterile and cold hospitals probably harbor superbugs that could eat the germs in these hospitals alive.)
Clowning is not only a means of making people smile and bringing them momentary cheer, but a social change force. We are building friendships and working to nurture the community by painting houses, teaching workshops to empower the people and improve their lives in sustainable ways, eg teaching girls about how to stick up for themselves when their dad or uncle wants to touch them, and teaching non-violence to boys. Clowns are different from other volunteer workers—they inspire change within individuals to help themselves and their community, while having fun. The clowns also have developed a group of young boys and girls who are community leaders, who act as positive role models and points of strength in the community the other 50 weeks of the year when we are not here (often I feel groups come to impoverished areas and pat themselves on the back for doing some, albeit good, work for a week or two and then leave, and the community more or less remians the same…I do not feel this is true in this case). The clowns are under strict rules to not give anything but friendship, hugs, and love to the people. It´s hard because people are always asking us for our left-overs from dinner or begging for money on the streets, but it is our commitment (at least for this trip), to forgo handouts (which only help in the short-run), and instead offer hugs or play a game with them. Our role as clowns is as a friend. It´s really interesting, and we´ve had a lot of feedback from the community leaders about our positive impact.
The house painting brings cheer to the neighborhoods, and involves people in their community. Kids are estatic about it, which is great because not only are they having fun, but they are getting an early sense of working and helping their families and neighbors. The workshops too are fabulous. I know one of the classes was teaching women to turn all the thousands of discarded plactic bags and bottles into useful household objects or things. I am teaching a dance class for 8-14 year olds, which I suppose is more for fun than anything, but we are putting on a show at the end of the week, which I think will be really great for them to have the opportunity to show off to their families.

Other notes…before my brain melts and I collapse in a sweaty red and dirty puddle:
Pat: I hugged a few little ones, with you in mind
Salsero/as: I went salsa dancing here, and it´s much different….mostly they dance apart from each other, so not all the turns and dips and patterns, etc. I definitely missed dancing with you all. That´s all I´ve got for now…I´m waiting to go dancing in the big city of Lima!
Buddy: Happy Birthday!!!

I´m thinking of you all!

Love, Rachel

And PS…if this made you think I don´t feel safe, or that I am really ill, or sad, or anything, that´s not true. I am doing quite well. Thanks for your lovin!