Hola todos!
Since you all seem to be thinking of me and wondering how it goes for me, I will make you an update of my whereabouts.
Since a month back I have been in the amazonas, close to the Ucuyali river. Two weeks ago I moved to a smaller village (maybe 700 inhabitants). This is my base for doing field visits to different cacao producers. My schedule is rather tight. I am having 10 different farmers to visit during a period of 6 weeks, using 2-3 days for notes, observation, interviews and some PRA methods. All my cacao producers that I am visting are connected to the cacao cooperative here, all producing the inherta
(inympade) CCN51, once founded in Ecuador and now growing on the criollo trees.
Most of the cacao producers grow fruit trees like guava, agave, pine apple, mango, papaya, pijaja (special fruit here), mandarines, naranja and coco (kokos) among the cacao trees. It is mainly used for home.
The cacao production in the area where I am, have grown very rapidly during the last 10 years. Before it was dangerous here, with coca productions. But now many are growing cacao. The cultivators connected to my cacao cooperative produce cacao to sell to chocolate production in Europe. In Peru, at the farm or at the cooperatives house, they ferment (5-6 days) and dry (3-6 days) the beans.
Whitin home, sometimes marmelade and juice are produced. The matured cacao beans are surrounded by a very juicy and sweet surrounding, and it is refreshing when cultivating the cacao trees in the hot and humid area.
To get to the different places, I mainly go by motorbike. I have had to cross rivers and walk in steep and muddy vegetation (I have seen one dead small black and blue and poisonious snake as well as one dead tarantula, I prefer to see them dead....).
Here is much insects and I sleep with a mosquito net to protect me from bites. But during interviews and practichal methods in the fields, it is hard to keep away from insect bites. I use creams and spray, but look forward to my Swedish University friends when they arrive in the weekend and bring some
Swedish insect cream. I like that one, very natural and works well for me.
I am still whitest of all here. It is a strange thing to look so different from everyone else. Some are fascinated by my pale color and some are scared. They call me gringa or blancita, but I prefered to be called Senorita C... Even with a bit of a tan, my skin color is very different. Perhaps I will get a bit more morena during my time here.
Yesterday was my birthday (thanks for all sms and emails). I worked with investigations during the day and then at night I was celebrating with my friends here. I rent a room with shower and toilett by a big family that I have become friends with. They had bought me a cake and we danced cumbia, salsa, marengue and other types of dances that are typical here.
I hope you all are well, wherever you may be. I know many of my course mates are far out in the world doing research, and just as me, it may sometimes be days when you feel rather lonely. These days will pass and when we look around, there are beautiful people watching over us. What more is, that even if we are not always able to embrace or talk to each other, side by side, we are all connected by heart and mind, one day once more, rejoining and sharing our stories and experiences. Til then, so long!
(all photos by Ms. C.)
