I told you so, Yung Mei

You’ll be pleased or perhaps utterly stunned to find out that I recently received Peace Corps Perú’s Volunteer Excellence Award, an award which recognizes (and I quote) “outstanding volunteers based on five main criteria: primary project success; secondary project success; leadership; collaboration with other Volunteers and with counterparts and host country agencies; and integration in the community.” Because volunteer turnover is frequent given that volunteers serve only two years, Peace Corps Perú doesn’t hand out yearly awards, instead they select two volunteers every trimester to receive Volunteer Excellence Awards. I and a truly deserving volunteer from Arequipa, Rocío Ramírez, received the first two Volunteer Excellence Awards for 2012.

My theory is that they took pity on me for being 59 years old and a diabetic.

Kim Ayers, the volunteer who nominated me, concocted this bit of hyperbole on my behalf: “Charles Martin shows just how much impact a Peace Corps Volunteer can have in a community. While undertaking significant Small Business Development projects, he has done so much additional community development work outside his primary project area that many Callancanos tease that he is the Alcalde Delegado for this distant sector of the Monsefú district. He is a primary trainer for the Artisan Association of Callanca, and with his assistance in networking, the artisans and their products in embroidery and weaving have been featured in the popular restaurants in Callanca, as well as important artisan fairs in Loja, Ecuador and Exhibe Perú in Lima (and as despedida gifts for the Peru 14ers!). Charles also works with Callanca’s restaurant corridor to improve their marketing and promote municipal water & sanitation projects that are so crucial to the success of this fast-growing gastronomía destination. While executing these projects, Charles also managed to find time to set up a community bank with the artisans and to conduct Somos Emprendedores, Somos Perú youth entrepreneurship classes. His group’s plan to raise criollo ducks to sell to the Callanca restaurants won first place in the Somos Emprendedores competition in Lima. Additionally, Charles has assisted local producers of native colored cotton to patent their products. Through all of his work in artesanía, restaurants, water & sanitation, youth entrepreneurship and other small business projects, as well as his patience and cheerfulness, Charles has won the affection, respect, and gratitude of Callanca. Charles is deeply esteemed not only for the projects he has advanced, but the manner in which he advances them, empowering Callancanos of all ages to take control of their lives and improve their living situations. Charles often accompanies Callancanos to the Municipality of Monsefú to show his support for their project requests, and has been very influential in ensuring that all designated funds reach their intended beneficiaries. Volunteers and Callancanos alike wish to publicly express our gratitude for Charles’ support, hard work, and dedication to the Peace Corps mission.”

Please copy to Yung Mei Holaski, the Peace Corps, Washington Placement Officer who told me that she wasn’t convinced that I was applying to Peace Corps for the right reasons and tried to send me to the Ukraine.

How do you say “I told you so” in Ukranian?