My New Contact Info

Carolyn Hwang
Cuerpo de Paz
Casilla Postal No. 132
Serpost Piura
Piura, Perú

- Please do not send packages over 1.1 lbs or else I have to pay lots of money. Books are delivered without problems, however.
- For packages, on the customs form only write ¨gifts¨ that are valued under ¨$100¨...and never ¨used clothes¨ since there are a lot of people selling used clothes from the US as a business here. They´ll make me pay lots of money.
- If you send me expensive technology or electronics they´ll make me pay lots of money. So don´t do that please.
- The slowest month for the post office is Dec 1 - Dec 31st.
- Sometimes packages get lost. :o(

And that´s everything I learned about mail the other day. Today is ¨swearing-in day¨ which means I get to swear that I will protect my country against all enemies, both domestic and foreign so help me God. This is the part of service that almost prevented me from signing up for Peace Corps...that language makes me very uncomfortable. However, I´m not going to say ¨so help me God¨ today and I crossed out that line on the pledge I had to sign, and it seems to be ok with the Man.

We have to sing the national anthem. I realized the other week that I don´t actually know all the lyrics to it. Nor do I know what ¨ramparts¨ mean and neither did the other handful of volunteers I asked. Anyone got a clue?

Well today we spend the night in Lima, tomorrow night we start traveling to Piura and then I have half a day to find a bed so I can move in on Monday. I´m excited and nervous but most of all, just open minded and eager for what lies ahead....my number one goal is to begin developing ¨confianza¨ with my family. ¨Confianza¨ means trust, and it´s an important concept in Perú. Without confianza, nobody will open up to you, which makes it essential if you want to get anything done. But I really hope to develop a trusting, positive environment in my house where I am seen as part of the family. It´s more important than anything else. I think it will take work since I´m going to the coast and not to the Sierra. We´ll see!