Centro Juventil Futuro

Well, today was pretty awesome. I woke up a little late and got to Inppares a few minutes late, just to see that nearly all the doctors and my bosses were in a 5-year planning meeting for Inppares. For some reason thinking that it would be a short meeting, I went to have my appointment with the doctor who was taking care of me during my illness. She said I was fine but I still have to eat bland stuff with no flavor and drink the serum that tastes awful. Sad for my body, but I really can't drink that anymore.

The doctor gave me a list of things I CAN eat instead of Monday's list of things I CAN'T eat, so for lunch today, I went to a restaurant and asked for those edible things. Unfortunately it was all bland white stuff, but at least they put salt on it and I was happy to eat solid food again that I took a picture! Boiled chicken breast, boiled potatoes, and rice. ;) They also gave me anis tea.

So after my doctor appointment, I wandered around a little looking for my bosses but they were still in the day-long meeting. I mustered up my extroversion and poked my head into the youth center, called El Centro Juventil Futuro. That was a very good idea, because the young women working there were so friendly! I ended up spending the whole day there with Zaira, Gisella, and Rocio. They asked me all about myself, let me help with some preparations for an event on Saturday, and taught me everything they do with local high schools and volunteers. They listened to music all day, watched some music videos, edited and printed documents, and invited me out for coffee afterwards (I had to drink some apple tea, but it was still fun). I definitely want to spend more time there, possibly working up to helping leading one of the events once my Spanish gets better. Check out this paint they had on the windows. :) Click on the picture to see it larger: it's a reindeer, a Christmas tree, a snowman with a hat on his penis, and a condom with a Santa hat!!!

The Centro Juventil Futuro contains a number of youth services, including a psychologist who takes all kinds of appointments ranging from general complaints, family issues, career planning, birth control, sexuality, and health counseling. They also train volunteers in going to high schools to give classes about sex education, growing up, and pregnancy/STI prevention. There are also events held at Inppares with similar themes depending on the audience. The girls told me that they aren't allowed to give out condoms to people under age 18 unless an adult gives permission, and it's generally a coach of a team instead of a parent.

I didn't know this, but apparently sexual relations between consenting adolescents here is illegal according to a 2006 law. I read about it and heard more about it at Inppares today. If a pregnant girl comes in to a hospital, she may be interrogated about who her partner is, so he can be punished. So the baby is born without a father on the certificate. This law also discourages young women from getting the proper prenatal care they need, and certainly discourages them from getting birth control under the age of 18 (which they generally can't get without a parent present). What a horrible law. People from Inppares are trying to repeal it.

One of the tests Gisella, the psychologist in the youth center, does is to ask each patient to draw a person in the rain. She showed us a few examples because she likes second opinions, and the conclusion were really interesting. For example, someone drew himself pretty deliberately invisible compared to his clothing, and another person drew the clothing in a women's fashion but it appeared distinctly masculine and clown-like. Another drew Inppares next to the person but with a smokestack coming from it, either like a factory or like a home, we couldn't decide. It was a little eerie. I wanted to take a picture but it was too private.

A really amazing poster I saw in el Centro Juventil Futuro in Inppares today. "Imagine that they forbid you to get pregnant. Now imagine they make it obligatory. Abortion: legal and safe." (It's currently neither in Peru.)

Another interesting sticker on the window. I believe a person can call this number to get an abortion decently safely.

After dinner of plain linguini with olive oil, I showered and went to the Papa John's to meet up with Evelyn. She is the former girlfriend of Taylor, a woman from UNC who gave me tons of advice about Peru and Lima. Evelyn was so nice and we chatted for about two hours, walking around and in a supermarket. She invited me to a birthday party at a legendary gay bar on Saturday and I am really psyched. It has two floors and is split down the middle: half for electronic music and half for Latin music. She said there are all kinds of people there and the music is great. I can't wait!

I'm completely exhausted and I didn't even get to write about everything that happened today. Time for bed.