Chapter 3 Summary

The majority of Chapter 3 is comprised of a letter from Pocha Pantoja to her younger sister, Chichi. In her letter, Pocha recounts her experiences in Iquitos. Pocha tells Chichi of her disappointment at not being able to live as the other officers and their families do. She informs her sister that Captain Pantoja's top-secret assignment has put a strain on their family, especially as it concerns Mother Leonor. It seems that when they lived in Chiclayo, Mother Leonor enjoyed an active social life, hobnobbing with the commander's wife, playing cards and hosting tea parties. Since arriving in Iquitos, however, both women find themselves living in relative isolation. They are not permitted to set foot on the military base, swim in the pool or do their shopping at the PX (post exchange, where prices are lower than in the civilian stores). For her part...