Ode to Samne

It has been several days now since we last were connected
And without Internet, blogging is difficult, that's true,
But I figured a few international data roaming fees
Are worth sharing our stories from Samne, Peru

Yes we have finally arrived, and by combi no less
And with us, Brian, the Peace Corps volunteer, also came
You may call him "gringo," pero no seas malito...
His impeccable Spanish and Peruvian insights put us all to shame

The town of Samne is nestled in the Andean sierra
And colorful houses line the twisted dirt highway
We were greeted by Alan, the 26 year old mayor
Who so graciously offered his own house for us to stay

Our casita is lovely, with glass windows and a view
A stove, flushing toilet, refrigerator, tile floor
Yet still I sometimes hear complaining and it's not wino music
Truly we are living the good life and couldn't have asked for more

Right away we got down to business, in true EWB fashion
Getting to know Samne with data calculations and tests
The technical team with equipment and tool kit
The community team with Spanish skills that had interviewees impressed

Los técnicos Emily and Prakhar, with our super mentor Tom
Tested the polluted Moche River and the potable water which should be safe
For ammonia, alkalinity, hardness, and nitrates
Conductivity, orthophosphates, and also pH

They also tested soil and performed infiltrometry
At various locations deemed potential landfill sites
They said they were expert rock climbers and doing the "real work"
But playing with water doesn't give them bragging rights

In fact they should be embarrassed and not boasting I think
After losing a soccer game to a few 10 year old boys
And only making friends with their walking stick Gandalf
And the few passerby's who watched them play with their toys...

No the "real work" was done by the community team
Meeting dozens of folks - me, Barbara, Michelle, and Leo
We spent hours introducing ourselves, going from house to house
Though sadly one member was a traitor and our group became a trio

At the Puesto de Salud we spoke with the nurses
And at the school, with the teachers and el Director in control
We organized meetings with the women's group Vaso de Leche
And la Ronda Campesina, the informal community police patrol

For most of our meals we eat at el restaurante Malú
Only the Clean Plate Club can handle all the chicken and rice
There's even lamb, ceviche, and Pedro's vegetarian plates
Thrifty Barbara is always double checking every meal's price

But breakfast we eat on our own in the house
We buy bread from a lady since the bread bicyclist speeds by
We love "Manty" and marmalade, lúcuma and instant coffee
And for Prakhar, enough spicy ají to make a normal person cry

Housekeeping is fun, especially when the boys wash the dishes
We do laundry by hand and hang it out on the line
Emily is truly a fly swatting machine
Besides the snoring and phone alarms, the sleeping situation is fine

In our spare time we play soccer and the best team has won
Probably due to Alan, who evidently never loses
We also enjoy kareoke, stargazing, Fruit Ninja, and late night philosophizing
And climbing soccer goal posts until we are covered in bruises

In five days we have celebrated two Peruvian birthdays
With two cakes, one piñata, and late night dancing in between
We are learning different types of music and making friends with locals
Who are amused by our breakdancing and fist-pumping routine

Just yesterday we met with Ingeniería Sin Fronteras
Another group just like EWB, but from Spain
We have discussed their work in the neighboring town of Otuzco
With their advice and suggestions we indeed have much to gain

Tomorrow we go to Pitajaya, a poor caserio of Samne
That lacks a potable water system and other basic needs
We won't have Internet again till our Otuzco trip on Wednesday
Then our blog will be updated at the fastest of speeds

Until then, our great EWB adventures shall carry on
News of tomorrow's big town meeting we soon shall send
The complex Peruvian love polyhedron continues to morph
And more stories are bound to unfold until we meet again...