Kristin

I am back in Chota, after a great vacation of one month. The last week I spent in Arequipa with the other 9 norwegians. We had a really constructive period of time, talking about experiences so far and how we wanted the final three months to be. I really felt like being in little Norway, because Harald (the leader of the Act Now programme) had brought with him a lot of Norwegian chocolate, magazines and newspapers:)

It`s good to be back in my own room, not having to search for half an hour in my big suitcase to find that one yellow sock... Things are basically the same in the office, but these days we have some auditors (revisorer) visiting, so some days ago we counted all the things in the storage room and cleaned up the shelves. Inger Marie and I are back in track writing the works of the children into the computer, listening to salsa or the popular reggeaton (like "gasolina") from the radio. The two next months will be the rain period, so I guess we will have to read a ton of books and enjoy the cocoa from Norway which my sister brought. I will soon start my new essay which most likely will be on the importance of the courses for adults in the villages, which are run by CODE. I will try to ask the participants (mostly women) why it is so important for them to get this type of education, as they might as well be working back in their small farm and go on with life as it has always been. I am anxious to learn more about this. I am suspicious that education in general is a key to many things, such as development, less corruption, less health problems, more effective agriculture, more self esteem and even more. Vamos a ver! (Let`s see!)