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Brace yourselves for this one. I usually try to write my blog entries ahead of time but it seems that I've found myself in an internet "cafe" with nothing prepared. There's reggaetton blaring kind of in the background but pretty much directly in my ear. I also happen to like reggaetton so it's a bit distracting.

Since Semana Santa I've spent much more time in site. It's been a much wetter year than most so we've had some issues with the water. The La Leche River has flooded a couple of times, leaving the old Pan-American covered and threatening to collapse one of the bridges I cross to get into Chiclayo. The last time it rose it took out a few light poles and left us without electricity and, hence, water for around a week. The municipality finally got around to sending us water which unfortunately must have been treated by someone who doesn't understand that more of a good thing isn't always better. Certainly, there was nothing living in that water but it tasted like pool water there was so much chlorine.

I've started doing surveys in my community in order to get some more information for my community diagnostic. More than anything, I've found that it has been a good way to get to know people better. It's a good excuse to spend time talking with some of the people I still haven't gotten the chance to chat with. Of course, some people have been confused about why I want to do the surveys. One woman was fairly certain the info was going straight to the desk of the U.S. President. I'm sure he would be highly interested in the details of her trash disposal.

A couple of the visits proved more humorous than the rest. One woman in her seventies decided I couldn't hear when I asked her to repeat the last two parts of her name. She had at least five names. She started edging closer and closer to me until she was shouting into my ear. Her husband's name was yelled at me in short bursts while she thrust her head as close to me as possible kind of like a pecking chicken. I'm assuming this action was an attempt to aide my apparent inability to hear. Then, she told me her husband was 98 years old which I of course believed until 30 seconds later he came striding through the door. She was only 20 years off. He's 78. Luckily for her I didn't tell her husband she thinks he's nearly 100 years old.

At the next house I went to I was asked if I would be interested in doing a radio interview. The senor who lives there works for the local radio station of Pacora. I agreed assuming it wouldn't hurt. Before I knew it he had recorded a short interview which I assumed was just practice and possibly a trial to see if my Spanish was decent enough. Much to my surprise, two days later a teacher in my town told me she heard me on the radio. I asked if she could understand me and she said she could and even added that it was very clear. However, she proceeded to ask me about my knowledge of making crafts out of recycled trash which she seemed quite convinced I mentioned during the interview. I'm fairly certain I didn't but I told her that it does happen to be one of my skills.

The other day I took the opportunity to tell a couple of ice pop venders that, indeed, it is not a compliment to refer to a senorita as mister. They were quite surprised and I later heard them telling their fellow venders about the blunder. Unfortunately, I provided them with the correct word and missed an excellent chance to spread another incorrect form of address around the streets of Chiclayo. They would have believed anything I said.