Paracas: two uses for sand

The second weekend we were in Peru, Laurie and I went to Paracas, on the recommendation of other volunteers. Situated about 4 hours south of Lima, on the coast, Paracas is located in the desert and also on the ocean. Our drive was very barren after leaving Lima limits. The Pan-American Highway followed the ocean, and the tiny shacks were few and far between.

Paracas was a bustling resort town for Lima's elite. In 2008, there was a massive earthquake that devastated the region. Once the humanitarian aid left, the area has remained poor and off the beaten path. There are some homes on the water, and Hotel Paracas has been rebuilt, but all for the wealthy who do not live in Paracas year round. It really felt like a ghost town. At our little motel, there was only one other family staying there. Granted, we were in Paracas in the dead of winter.
Paracas is known for its deserts, and the typical tour includes sand dune buggy riding and sand-boarding. We felt like we were on a roller coaster flying over the dunes in the buggy with our driver Wilber as the sun set. Sand boarding is just like sledding in the snow, only not as cold and wet. Wilber took us back to our motel after our ride, and because there are not many shops, drove us by his sister's neighborhood mart in her living room, to buy water and snacks for dinner. All the little boys and girls came running when they saw the vehicle to get a better look at us. We very much stood out in this town.

The next morning we took a boat to see the other Paracas sight: Islas de Ballestras, or the "Poor Man's Galapagos". The small islands are a sanctuary for birds with crashing waves that are a result of the Paracas Bay and its currents. Boats sail around the islands, but tourists are not allowed to disembark. The large number of birds leads to an abundance of guano, or bird poop, which is allowed to be harvested every 3 years for export. The smell is overpowering. There is a small research station on one of the islands, and one person is stationed there for months at a time to guard the islands. They have no outside contact.

The islands are home to many species of birds and animals. We saw guanay guano birds, Peruvian boobies, tendrils, pelicans, cormorants, seagulls, seal lions, and Humbolt penguins. There is a lone penguin in the middle of the picture getting ready to hop in after his friends. Below that picture, there are penguins standing in a group on the top of an outcropping. The picture looks washed out behind the penguins, but the rock is actually teaming with birds.
The sea lions are LOUD! Their barks sound like a cross between a loud burp and those low-sounding blow horns that people have at hockey games. They were the island greeters and have a lot to say!
I am amazed that I saw all of these creatures. We teach our children about the animals, and research their characteristics, needs, and habitats, but never see them in person. My class did a research project on the sea life of Chile for our non-fiction unit last spring (yes- 6 and 7 year olds can do research!)...now I can actually show them pictures and tell them stories.

I loved this experience, but on the ride back to the dock, I started thinking about this wonderful ecosystem and my students in Villa. It is practically in their backyard, and most of them will not even see it. In America, our students travel the world through books, internet sites and videos, first hand accounts, and trips. How much of that do students in Villa experience? Then I was struck by another thought: I spend the week with the children and then jaunt off to these amazing places (Machu Picchu and Paracas) on the weekend with the thought that I only have so much time, and it's a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Life has a way of punching us in the stomach and putting life in perspective sometimes. I struggle to process the feelings and disparities.

Machu Picchu

Many of you have been asking about Machu Picchu. We went on a Sunday morning, and spent all day in the park. We had a tour guide who spent 2 hours with us and led us through much of the ruins, teaching us about the Inca's economic, education, agricultural, architectural, and calendar systems. (The walls are built by pressure alone! They carried every one of those stones up the mountain and sanded them with hematite.)

The Inca civilization is amazing, and many of our traditions and beliefs today are based on the truths they discovered centuries ago. The main tenants of the Inca civilization are peace and reciprocity, and you can see these themes in every action they performed. Reciprocity took on an entirely new meaning for me that day.

After lunch, 4 of us hiked to the highest peak overlooking the ruins. It took us about 4 hours up and down. We came off the mountain at 5:15pm, just in time to catch the last bus. That hike was the most challenging thing I have ever done, calling on strength I did not know I had. Although 4 of us set out together, we each fell into our own pace, and hiked the second half of the climb alone. We met at the top and sat in silence for a time. It was a grueling journey, physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. The place emanates an energy that I have never quite sensed anywhere else.


It is hard to believe, as I sit here with pneumonia now and struggle to climb my own stairs, that I climbed Machu Picchu and touched the sky just over a month ago. But I did. I walked through clouds. The sun shone down. I climbed a mountain. And wow, life is good.

Dunkin Donuts

Dunkin Donuts. Did I get your attention?

In the middle of our tour of historic Downtown Lima, our tour guide Enrique takes us by none other than Dunkin Donuts, and tells us we have a 5 minute break. The American-food deprived college students in our group were on that doughnut counter like white on rice. Even the tour guide bought a coffee! Since I had only arrived 3 days before, and liked the meals I had been served so far, I did not think it necessary to miss home quite yet.

After hearing all of their lip-smacking and moans of satisfaction, I gave in at the airport a couple days later. Uh, American Dunkin Donuts needs to take a tip from their Peruvian brothers. The Dunkin Donuts in Peru serves the BEST doughnuts I have ever tasted. I seriously think they lace the delicacies. They had frosting flavors I could never imagine. I had a doughnut covered in toasted coconut, and when I bit into it, liquid caramel oozed out. I also had a doughnut frosted with a mint green fruity goodness. Fast forward to the night I left Peru. I tried to spend all of my soles so I would not have have to exchange money. I made sure to spend down so I had 5 soles left, enough for one last doughnut at the airport. This time I had duranzo, peach icing with jimmies. Divine!

Last week, my brother, sister-in-law, and I stopped at Dunkin Donuts on the way out of town. I had a boring old maple glazed. Sigh.

Celebrations

My friends and I visited Cusco (11,000 feet above sea level), the Sacred Valley, and Machu Picchu during Winter Solstice. June 24 is Inti Raymi, a Festival of the Sun, celebrating Winter Solstice in Cusco. What an energizing time to visit Cusco. Everywhere we looked, there were banners, flags, people in costumes, and music. We walked into the main Plaza de Armas after dinner, and were caught up in the drumming, singing, and dancing. I have never seen anything like it. It was such a cold night, the stars shone, and hundreds of people just danced on in skirts, wraps, and bare feet.


Before I left for Peru, all of my friends wondered if I would meet someone tall, dark, and handsome. Do any of these friends count?

I heart Lima

I had a love/hate relationship with Lima. I remember when I arrived in Lima and drove through the dark streets to the house where I stayed, I thought, "Oh my gosh, what is this place?" It was ugly, dirty, and run-down. But as I came to know the city and its people, it became beautiful. As we drove that same route from the beginning on the night I left, I fought tears, thinking the city was a "beautiful ugly." The bright colors, old cracks, wrought-iron gates, exhaust-stained walls, and even graffiti give the city character.

It is amazing the difference in period architecture, colors, and spaces across the city. This is the main Plaza De Armas in Downtown Lima. The buildings are a mix of Moorish and Colonial design.

The Presidential Palace

The Mayor's Home and Ministry Buildings

Fountain of Fertility

Peru is a largely Catholic country, and we toured 3 different cathedrals and monasteries in Lima. The Monasterio de San Francisco is a beautiful yellow cathedral with a tranquil Moorish courtyard. It was so peaceful in the courtyard that we forgot we were in the middle of a bustling city. It had an amazing library with antique texts pre-dating the Conquest. But what the church is most known for is its vast catacombs below the cathedral. Estimates say there are around 70,000 burials. The tunnels and bones are eery, yet beautiful. I was struck by the small size of the skulls.

Then just on the outskirts of this beautiful city, a reminder of how much of the population lives, in brightly colored boxes on the mountain.

Alfahors

Alfahors could quite possibly be, the best things to ever come out of the country of Peru. Little flour cookies (kind of like shortbread) sandwiching fresh dulche du leche, they are dusted in powdered sugar, and simply amazing. I have been known to inhale a box of 8 small sandwiches before the bakery was out of walking sight.

Custom in Latin America is to take gifts whenever visiting someone. I took a box of alfahors, sunflowers, and stickers with me when I met Maria and her family. Ironically, I climbed into their car and they had a box from La Casa del Alfahors waiting for me! We laughed, and then dug in. Later that night, I opened my box of 20, which was more like 16, and offered a taste to Leah and Laurie, my roommates. They both liked the cookies a little too much for my liking. They next morning, after they left for placement, I realized I only had 6 left, and decided I better have an after-breakfast snack, just so I would not have to share them later!


Laurie and I discovered La Casa del Alfahors on our walk the next day. She gave me the most unkindly look when I grabbed her hand and dashed for the door. When she realized where I had actually taken her, she giggled like a little girl. There were alfahors everywhere! Regular, cookies with chocolate, regular rolled in coconut...you name it, they had it! I swear the entire store basked in a wonderful faint glow. We each chose a personal alfahor size to snarf down that very moment. Then we realized they sold kits with the cookies and dulche de leche, so you could make your own at home. It was as if all the planets aligned and everything was right in the world. Aaaaaaahhhhhhh.

Needless to say, we each traveled home with kits! My last day in Peru, I decided to forgo a museum visit, just so I could make one more visit to an alfahor bakery. Is that bad?

I made some alfahors last week for my family to try. I made 18, and everyone was allowed 3 cookies. You can only imagine the arguments that broke out. There are some slow pokes who took their time coming for their cookies. Bet they were sorry... Now, then, when to make the rest of the kit??

Sneaker Eulogy

Oh, my faithful foot friends. You have held me up, and kept me sturdy and strong over the years. I remember the day I first tried you on, like it was yesterday. You were gleaming white, with huge marshmallow-like protrusions growing out of your bottoms. I called you moon-bounce shoes. Your protrusions concerned me, and it took extra coaxing to look past and see the good you could offer me. And you did share so many wonderful experiences with me.

Together, we walked the beaten path in Boston, smelling the wharf and seeing history. You helped me relive my childhood, touring Disney World and remembering how much I loved Mickey. You hiked many trails in Asheville, the round-about way of Sun City, Hilton Head beaches, and local Greenways at home. You allowed first grade cherubs to step on you. And you helped me to run all the way around a track for the first time ever.

You were my official shoes of Peru. You traipsed the sidewalks of Peru, dodging crazy drivers as we crossed. You jumped morning puddles. You hiked three flights of stairs multiple times a day without complaint. You climbed down the cliffs of Miraflores to stand on a pebbled beach, and then hiked up 345 steps to get back to solid ground. You walked the cobbled streets of Cusco, scrambled up trees in the countryside, climbed old Inca ruins, and above all, survived a trek up the side of Machu Picchu. Together, we touched the clouds. For all of this, you awarded me with blisters. You rode in an open air dune buggy, and ate sand as we crossed the desert. You were lucky to duck and miss the seasickness that hit our boat ride from Islas de la Ballistras.

You served me well. Thank you for giving me wonderful and unforgettable memories. I wish you well in your retired life in the slow-lane. I know you and your hot pink Soucony emblems will keep Abuelo Thomas warm in Villa.

Happy pictures

Don't you just love the triangle nose with the line down the middle, showing how much he notices about his face? I especially love the over-sized ears in the next one! (The little boy really does have big ears too!)

Settling in

Yes, I realize I said I would post and write about a picture a day, and that has not happened. I spent the last week with my family, some much needed down time. I showed my pictures and talked about my stories a few times. It felt good to share my experience. There are definitely more things I plan to share here.

I attended a young professionals meet-up for the World Affairs Council of Charlotte a week ago. It was ironic and kind of comforting to learn that every one of us sitting at the table had traveled abroad within the last two months. I appreciated their stories, and their tales of culture shock returning home. It helped me feel like I was not alone. Now, I feel very much an American again!

I've been e-mailing back and forth with some of the volunteers from Peru. My friends Corinne and Emilie are from Paris, but now live in Cleveland. When I hear from them, I get the biggest smile. They are such sweet women, and I hope to see them again soon!

I am rather impressed with the entire Cross-Cultural Solutions program. There was so much support provided while we were in Peru; every possible situation is planned for. The program cost a lot of money, but was totally worth it. I did not have a thing to worry about, and did not have many out-of-pocket expenses. CCS has been in contact with me weekly since my return, by phone, mail, and email, just checking on my experience, my re-entry, questions or concerns. I would definitely consider volunteering with CCS again.

Minimum wage

I almost forgot to mention. Families expect homework daily, and the children complete it (even the smallest ones). Homework might be literacy based (tracing a letter), math based (tracing a number, drawing shapes, coloring patterns), or science or religious based (identifying body parts, praying a special prayer). All of the children take home notebooks with the nightly homework...

...that the teacher traced or hand-wrote for each child.

I now sympathize with these teachers. A class of 40 children. Writing the homework 40 times for each child. And they receive at most, 20 soles a day, essentially $6 a day. I think I just might sit at my desk as the children run wild, too.

Summer School

Attending school seems to be a privilege, although it should be a right for all children. For three weeks, I volunteered in a public school for 3, 4, and 5 year old children. The school is funded by the Ministry of Education in Peru. It is a neighborhood school, and most children walk to school with their parents. School runs from 8:30am (or whenever the children arrive) until 12:30pm.

The school is an open-air building, presumably because of the moderate climate. It has 5 classrooms, 1 of which is a prep room/staff gathering area. It has 2 gated playgrounds, 1 with swings and slides; 1 with swings, a teeter totter, and a merry-go-round. The swings are wooden and old. There is not much room to run around, but the children definitely find space to wrestle! There is a large, open, concrete courtyard that is covered in between all of the rooms, and that is where gatherings are held. Behind the building is a small garden that the teachers and children tend, and they use the bounty in their snacks.
The classrooms are very small, and very loud. Most of the space is taken up by tables and chairs. The children seem to love puzzles, so there are shelves filled with puzzles (provided by students), and legos and tangrams (provided by the government). Most of the teachers' measly supplies are provided by the students' families as well.


One of the classrooms where I was placed had a small library, but there was not an area large enough to gather for a read aloud. Although the books were displayed, they were not read. The children loved taking the books off the shelf and paging through them. Anytime I brought books with me, the children clambered to sit with me and listen. They did not care that I read books in English. All of the books in the classroom are provided "gratuitously" by the Ministry of Education. The books are also bilingual, in Spanish and Quechua.

Quechua is a tribal language spoken in the Highlands, but is strictly oral. It does not have a written base, although it has been written for street names or for a dictionary. Villa El Salvador is a shanty town that was built in the 1960s by people who migrated from the Andes, so yes, some older inhabitants of the area may speak Quechua, but all of the families now speak Spanish. The fact that the books, issued by the government, are written in both Spanish and Quechua is interesting. As an oral language, can a book be written and read? I spoke with some people who have children in school in Lima, and they were surprised that the books were in the classroom. Their reactions, and strong feelings against Quechua in the school, lead me to believe that these books are not found in all of the schools.

It is common knowledge in Lima that families work to put their children in private school. A child with a private school education has a better chance of finishing school, and possibly even going to university. If a family can afford to educate their child in the United States or Canada, they will, as those children are more likely to go to an American university and come back with a career. All of the CCS program managers were educated in America.

On my first day at the school, I was told that these children were here to learn but as soon as their parents made enough money to send them to private school, they would sacrifice and send them. I was intrigued by the lunchboxes and bookbags. The children LOVE Dora the Explorer, Minnie and Mickey, Winnie the Pooh, Strawberry Shortcake, Princesses, Ben-10, Hannach Montana, Spiderman, and more! Parents buy these items because they want their children to be excited to go to school. They want their children to finish school and maybe even have the chance to move out of Villa.

Casa 1235

People have so many questions and I want to answer them all. It is so very difficult to explain the emotions and sensations I have this week; I never thought for a moment that I would struggle to re-assimilate to my life. I know people think it's crazy that I feel overwhelmed; believe me, I think the same thing.

So, in order to help me process this experience, to give you a taste of life in Peru, and to start telling my story, I've decided to choose a specific photo and then just let a story flow from there.



This is 1235, San Borja. This rooftop hallway was my penthouse. All the time I was in Lima, my mother could not understand how I lived on the roof.

The house where we lived was situated in a middle-class area, close to highways. Like all houses in this area, it was gated with electric security around the roof lines.
The house had 3 floors. The first floor included the kitchen, living and dining area, courtyard, and small bedroom. The second floor had 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. The top floor was also the roof. It had 3 bedrooms and 2 very small bathrooms. This past week, there were 34 people living in the house.

Lima has a moderate climate year round. Most houses do have some living quarters on the roof, whether a house has a terrace and chairs, or it has bedrooms, or it is just a concrete slab and clothes are hung to dry. To get to my room, I had to walk out onto the roof under the stars (well, maybe not stars so much, since the city is in a continuous smog-induced cloud cover). My actual room had walls, a roof, and door, so it looked like any other bedroom. The windows are left open at all times, so it did feel a bit like camping. Each morning, my toes were awakened by the puddle of water collecting at the threshold of the door. It normally mists all night (and throughout the day), so the water would run off the roof and puddle in the morning. The housekeeper would push a wool blanket around with a broom to sop up the water every day.


We had two very small bathrooms. There was a space above the door that was open to the outside. We quickly learned the trick to hot water was to barely turn the knob on. Any water pressure was sacrificed for a warm shower.

I remember laying in my top bunk, wide-eyed, the first night I arrived in Lima, thinking, "Oh my God. What was I thinking? What am I doing here? I'm sleeping on a roof for 3 weeks!" Now, I actually miss that roof. It seems odd to sit in a house with air conditioning and a fan. The air in Lima is definitely dirty and I did develop a slight cough, which went away each time I left Lima. But I feel like I had fresher air there than cooped up in an air-conditioned house.

So, yes, even though everyone here is dying in the heat, I'm actually loving being outside in the sun and warmth.

Culture Shock

I'm experiencing reverse culture shock.

I awoke this morning, and was overwhelmed by the sense that I was out-of-place. I was in a big bed with air conditioning and a fan blowing on me, and it was too quiet. My mind immediately jumped to: I should be getting dressed and loading up the vans to ride into Villa. I thought about the time and what I would be doing in Lima at that time. Throughout the day I have looked at the clock and thought about what I would be doing, or what everyone else was doing, in Lima.

My day has been in slow motion, and I find myself savoring each thing I do, finding pleasure in the simple tasks. I am having a hard time visiting with or talking to people today. I hope that it is just because I am tired, and because I was in such social situations for 3 weeks. It is not that I do not want to see people, rather it is just the thought of talking and being social zaps my energy. Today I enjoyed quiet time.

I ventured out to Trader Joes. I went during the day while it was low on people. But even standing in the aisle looking for certain products was overwhelming, too much choice. I finally understand what my friend Laetitia (from Paris) was talking about when she talked about our super stores and how confused she felt by just the drink choices.

My first sense of culture shock occurred yesterday while transferring terminals in Newark. The bus was full, and I had to hang on to a rail while standing in the middle of the bus (you all know of my un-gracefulness...I try to avoid potential accidents at all costs). As I stood there, balancing, I faced 3 seated men. They all looked at me, but no one offered me his seat. I wore a back pack, and sat a bag between my feet. None of them had a bag. In Lima, all three of them would have stood up and offered me a seat (they stuff their buses there). Granted, I would never ride a bus in Lima; they are worse than the death cabs. But, if I did ride the bus, they would offer the seat to a mother and child, or another woman. On the bus in Newark, all I could think was, "This is America."

Driving around today, I was struck by the beauty of the abundance of green, grass and trees. We have really big yards. I was also struck by all of the big cars and trucks.

Today was laundry day. As I put clothes away, I decided I had too many clothes. It was a sudden decision, and maybe a bit irrational. I felt like I packed light, but I did not wear half the clothes I took to Peru. I lived in layers, and many of us just wore the same things over and over. So as I stared at my drawers and closet, I began pulling things out and tossing them in a pile. I do not have any cute little abuelos and abuelas (grandpas and grandmas) who would love the extra layers, but maybe I can take the clothes to Crisis Assistance.

I know you are all waiting for photos and stories. I promise they are coming and appreciate your patience as I write in the current stream of thought.

Villa El Salvador

I tried using this photo as my background, but it was taken with my friend's iPhone and emailed to me. It is too small to stretch.

This is Villa El Salvador (pronounced Via El Sabador). This area stretches as far as the eye can see and up the mountains. During the winter, which is the current season, Lima is enveloped in a continuous fog from clouds and pollution.

This is where I worked every day.

Home

I returned home today safely. I left Lima last night and arrived in Charlotte just before noon. I have so much I want to write about in this blog, so many pictures and stories to share. It has to wait. I am physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted. These past three weeks have been an unforgettable experience, and I'm just starting to process "que passe." For now, sleep.

Pescado and amigos

A student at Porter Ridge, Maria, is from Lima. Her family lives in North Carolina during the school year and returns to Lima during breaks. I finally caught up with her family tonight.

Maria and her mother picked me up this afternoon and toured me around Miraflores, a very nice area near the sea. We met her father at a restaurant there: Breuhuja de Cuchina (translation: Bewitching...). I have never eaten so much pescado (fish) and mariscos (seafood) in one sitting. The food kept arriving at the table: shrimp, cervieche (cold marinated fresh fish), octopus, crab, fish, and oysters. We drank Pisco Sours, the national beverage of choice. For my main meal, they ordered more fish, calamari, shrimp, and potatoes. For dessert, Maria ordered lucama sauce for me. It is a very sweet fruit mixed to the consistency of pudding, served over a very small chocolate brownie, with fresh and warm chocolate sauce. What amazing and warm friends. I feel so blessed that they have cared so well for me and treated me to a true Peruvian experience.

I really enjoyed speaking (half Spanish, half English) with Maria's parents. They had some very interesting ideas and observations about education, and were very curious about my experience in Villa. Maria's mother, Alicia, has been so hospitable and has offered to take me to the national museums tomorrow since I do not have school.

A night of great pescado and amigos. Muy bien!

Dia de las maestras

I really felt discouraged last night, as you can see from my last post. This morning, I had to set a positive intention for the day. Tomorrow is the Dia de las Maestras (Teacher's Day). My school celebrated it today. I quickly ran around during lonchera (snack) yesterday and traced each child's hand. I made a large card with all of the hands wishing Miss Luz a Happy Teacher's Day. I gave it to her today and she was very happy. In honor of the day, the school is taking tomorrow off of work. (They use any excuse for a day off.) Hmmm...a free day for Teacher Appreciation...there's an idea.

The school held a celebration. All of the parents were invited and the students learned dances to perform. So, of course, there was no instruction AT ALL today. Miss Luz spent the morning mopping the floor of the courtyard in preparation while I stayed with her class (she looked at me like I had horns growing out of my head when I asked if I could mop so she could teach). Imagine. The volunteer volunteering to mop so the teacher can do her job!

The actual celebration was fantastic and I cannot wait to share pictures! The teachers invited me to sit on stage and introduced me as a teacher from the United States. We all wore special nametags, and a parent gave us flowers. Each class had students who dressed up and performed for the teachers. Parents came early and were cleaning chicken in the bathroom sink to cook a special lunch for everyone. All of the children dressed up. The children in my room dressed in traditional Quechua/Peruvian dress: colorful dresses, vests, wraps, and hats. It was very beautiful.

Although I struggle with the state of education, I must say they know how to celebrate!

Volunteering

My head has been filled about my placement....

Friday was actually a really good day. I was in the 3 year old room, the room I really like. I taught the children how to play ring-around-the-rosie. Of course, they loved to "all fall down"! Then Fiorella, the assistant, and I taught some of them how to do somersaults. We started with one or two, and then all of them wanted to do it. It was so cute with their little bums in the air waiting to be pushed over. The smiles and giggles were so big!!

In this school, the director (principal) acts as the substitute. The director, Veronica, filled in for Luz on Friday, and she kept those children busy and working the entire day. They listened to her. She made them work. It was such a calm and fun day. There is one little boy who I am noticing is the instigator/bully. He often chases children, hits them, steals their toys, and tears their papers. Normally the teachers pull him away and then ignore the behavior. Veronica quieted him immediately, set him in a chair in the corner, and sat beside him and talked with him one-on-one. He cleaned up his behavior right away. Today, on the other hand he showed no respect towards any adults in the room and just wailed on the children. It is hard to watch, and I want to gently correct the behavior, but at the same time, I am an assistant to the teacher, not a teacher and I do not feel it is my place to discipline.

I feel like this experience is a sociological learning test. I am studying a lot of the educational and cultural differences without stepping in and teaching a "better" way. Who is to say my "way" is "better"? It has been a humbling adventure, and some days I feel like all power is lost with the language barrier. I sympathize with our students at home; I sense that they want to please and do their best, but because of the language barrier they just feel completely lost and as though they are not going to do anything right.

Lately I have been struggling with who I am here and my role. I chose this experience for the volunteer aspect. But I am in my placement for 4 hours each morning, and then I go off with my English speaking friends to tour the city, sit in a cafe, shop at a mall, or jet off to mystical places that these children will never see. Some days in placement, I just feel lost and useless--standing and watching. What is my purpose here? Am I making a difference for someone, or am I a burden standing in a classroom? It is not about me, it is about these children, but sometimes I feel like I am making it about me by saying I feel useless. With the term "volunteer", I feel as though I should be working longer or doing more. I cannot believe I have been here just over two weeks, and am preparing to return home at the end of the week. When I planned this excursion the thought of three weeks scared me, it seemed like forever. Now I feel like I'm just establishing myself and I have to leave. There are people here who are staying for six weeks to three months. I wonder how my placement at the school would change if I stayed longer? How much more Spanish would I learn? How many more opportunities would I have to teach and feel comfortable? Would I become a part of the class and not just feel like an outsider? Hmmmmmmmm.....

My life flashes before my eyes

Lima traffic is unreal. I've never seen anything like it. Imagine a road with 4 lanes, but 7-8 car lines across. We take our lives in our hands each time we get into a car. The street music is a melange of car horns, mixed with our coughs caused by the heavy pollution.

Laurie and I caught a taxi back from the plaza this evening. What should have been a 5 minute drive turned into a white-knuckled 30 minute ride of death. When a car turns left, 3 turn into a one lane road...at the same time. We were stopped at a intersection turning left. There were cars turning from every which way, all facing each other, with no space in between. How they could actually move through without hitting any car, I have no clue.

Traffic is crazy, and I cannot wait to get back to car drivers that just run red lights in single file.

Villa El Salvador

Today is Independence Day in Lima. All of the schools and stores were closed in celebration. I went to the local clinica in Villa El Salvador with 3 other volunteers. We helped clean up a church at the top of the hill along the beach. Now, beachfront property, it was certainly not. Riding home after the project, we were all talking about how we could ever start our blog entries about what we saw.

Words cannot totally describe what we see every day. One of the guys took a picture from the top of the hill overlooking all of Villa, which I hope to publish soon. Supposedly, 40,000 people live there. The roads up the hill are dirt. The houses are unfinished. Doors are broken. Walls are made of cardboard, plywood, or the thin molded metal/tin roof pieces. Dogs roam everywhere. Trash and grafiti are common place. The residents near the church live in constant fear of tsunamis. Lima is in the desert and receives very little rain. Traveling the dirt roads, all I could think was one heavy rainfall and the place would be a mudslide.

But this is where people live. The 4 of us moved large rocks down a hill, bagged sand, and painted a fence. I felt so useful today. We completed a lot of work. It was hilarious when they began blaring Frank Sinatra on the bullhorn so we could sing as we worked. What I loved most about the day was how the community slowly came out. By the time we left, there were 20 community members there. The kids were doing the most work. In such an "ugly" place, it is so beautiful. These people live in homes that would be considered squalor-conditions at home. But they are so happy. The love each other, they are proud of their homes and families, they want their children to have better than they do, and they LOVE to step up and help their community.

Just a memory...

I recharged myself and went into school yesterday with a pep in my step! I found a Memory game at the house with pictures of fruit and Spanish/English words. I walked in with a smile. The teacher, Luz, took one look at me and told the class to clean up and listen to "Senorita Elizabeth" as she walked out the door. I was thrust into the spotlight.

So started a game of Memory. The students were more interested in sucking on the cards and smacking each other in the head. The cards are destroyed. The teacher finally returned and I pleaded for help. Nothing. I kept saying "terminado", meaning I'm done. It was like student teaching all over again when the very first lesson ever is a bust and you question your entire decision to spend your life teaching. Ha.

Tomorrow, I'm going back to school without any tools. I do not want to be the teacher. I want to learn from them and be the assistant. Tomorrow is a new day...

Vegetarian...out the window!

Okay, so most of you know that I prefer to eat vegetarian. I really do not like the texture of meat. But Peruvian food is amazing, and well, I have come to the conclusion that I have to try some meat. It is all part of the hospitality and being nice...

So, on Friday night, I tried...

Dunh.
Dunh.
DUNH.

Alpaca.

Yes, I tried alpaca, smothered in gourmet cheese cream sauce and vegetables (because cheese makes everything better). Verdict? Alpaca is actually good. I cleaned my plate. It reminds me of pork or veal. I had to try it. Research. And I didn't want to offend the Peruvian culture. Scout's honor.

I touched the sky...

I climbed to the highest point in Machu Picchu yesterday, 8,000 feet. I do not know where the will or drive came from, but I made it to the top. It was an undescribable feeling to stand on top, in the clouds, and look down upon the Inca ruins of Machu Picchu. The hike was long and I had a lot of time to reflect.

I am excited to return to school tomorrow, and have asked my program manager for some assistance. As a teacher, it is sometimes difficult directing a volunteer or assistant in the classroom because we already have our routines established. I want to be an assistant to the teacher, but I do not want to overstep my bounds by suggesting activities, or modeling appropriate behavior for the children when the teacher is in the middle of a lesson. My manager, Aida, who also used to teach, said that the routine I see is pretty normal, but also suggested that any curricular ideas I have would be very helpful as the "chaos" needs to be tamed. The children do not pay attention as the teacher teaches, and she does not correct any behavior. I wanted to make sure my observations fit with the culture of the school, and were not mere criticisms and ethnocentricities from my American education background. Aida made me feel better and helped me form some sentences to start a conversation, in Spanish, with the teacher. I hope to develop a few centers to keep kids working in small groups at their table. My first idea is to make a memory game with pictures of fruit and vegetables, and when the children find a match, they have to say the word in Spanish and try in English. Aida thinks it might work, so if the teacher gives me the go-ahead, I am going to start making the game tomorrow. (I wish I could help implement PRIDE cards, but I think that would definitely be overstepping my bounds...ha!)

PS-I am typing this entry on a computer from France, so if a word is misspelled and the computer did not pick it up, I apologize. (Very difficult statement to make from an English major!)

Tea

I found tea today! It was a "do or die"decision. I found Starbucks in Miraflores! I popped in and talked the barista into selling me a box of green tea. He wanted to charge me 30 soles, which is just over $10. I thought it was expensive, but I need my tea. Leah, one of my roommates, supports that idea. While I was there, I nipped into the bathroom. It was free, clean, and had toilet paper! More to come!

Greetings from South America!

I have internet access for a bit, so just a quick update!

This trip has been an interesting experience so far and my eyes are opened every day. I have a love/hate relationship with my placement, but I am coming to realize that I was placed there to help the teachers see how much they CAN do with their students. The school is open air on the side of the mountain. It is surrounded by square homes that are made of wood, brick, cardboard, etc. I can stand in the courtyard and see the childrens' homes. The classroom is the size of my living room with 37 kids in the 4 year old room, and 20 in the 3 year old room. The 4s are utterly crazy, loud, and rambunctious. The teacher "teaches"over them without quieting them down, so I wonder how much they actually get. They pop out of their seats, run around the room, and climb across the table. Often, she just walks out and they entertain themselves. It's unlike anything I've ever seen. The school is a good candidate for our PRIDE behavior cards!

The 4 year olds draw very detailed faces on their bodies...I don't see that in the American schools. My friend Laurie is a special ed teacher from Kansas City, and is also at the school with me. She sees the same things, and noted that psychologists have found that children who draw faces tend to be very happy. These children are definitely happy!

I have taught in the 3 year old room. The teacher, Luz, is so happy to see me, and she just gives me the floor. A few volunteers and I sat around the table the other night drawing flashcards with fruits and vegetables, and labeling them with English and Spanish words. So I am teaching the English words to the children...they love trying to say the words! It is really cute. I also played some songs and sang and danced with them yesterday.

Lima has such different sections of the city. Villa El Salvador, where we volunteer is on the side of the mountain, with small dirty streets, run-down homes, and dogs roaming EVERYWHERE. We are living in San Borja, which is 20 minutes away, and kind of middle class. All of the homes are gated with electric wires and barbed wire around the compound. Yesterday we toured downtown Lima, which reminded me very much of a European city, historic, brightly colored, and upper class. We walked through a monastery, and through the catacombs below. It is AMAZING how different this city is.

Today, I went to Miraflores, a suburb by the sea. We toured an old pyramid from 400AD, which served as a celebration area and also sacrificial area. It is in the middle of Miraflores and is still being excavated. Miraflores is known for its cliffs over the beach, so needless to say we had a hike. But it was totally worth it and breathtaking. The beach is covered in smooth colorful stones. I definitely want to return there before going home.

Tomorrow I head for Cuzco and Machu Picchu!

D-Day

I'm all packed and as ready as I can be. I think. I am trying to pack light, and be sensible about how much I am taking with me. I pulled out my favorite sweatshirt today...it's pretty thick, and sadly I started to put it away thinking it might be too bulky for my suitcase. My friend stopped me and said, "If it's your security blanket, and you're going far away, take it." She's right. I would not be complete without my scarlet and gray. And it kind of smells like my mom...kind of (I mean, it has been washed numerous times).


So, it will be my "blanket" on the plane. I cannot go anywhere without my alma mater. Now I'm ready.

What if?

learnnc.org

If you have known me more than a day, you know I don't like milk. Never have. Cheese is a different story--love the stuff! But milk? I will drink pretty much anything else before milk. It was torture growing up because the full mug of milk always sat dutifully next to the dinner plate, and we had to drink the milk before we were excused. What made the scenario even harder was the fact that my mother, the one who served the milk and excused us, did not like milk herself! I have never seen my mother, or my father for that matter, drink a glass of milk. Once I became an adult, I stopped drinking it. I keep milk on hand for cooking or cereal, but not drinking.

So, then, why in the past week, have I craved milk? Craved it in such a way that I have finished 2 quarts. I had to run up to Fresh Market 5 minutes before they closed last night just so I could get a new bottle of milk. Heaven forbid I went without milk until this morning! I cannot get enough of the cold white stuff. AND I just discovered the yummy goodness of organic Jersey cow milk. Not like the watery skim I have always had from the grocery store. This Jersey milk is fresh, and creamy, and I am hooked.

Why am I writing about milk in a blog about Peru? It hit me last night. What if they do not have milk in Peru? I know they will have milk (tres leches cake anyone?), but what if it's not my milk? What if it is made from a goat or llama? What if it does not taste right (to my liking)? What am I going to do for 3 weeks? What am I really going to be able to drink there?

This inner conversation continued this morning, as I brewed my green tea. What if they do not have tea? May I take my own tea bags with me? Or will the airport security search my bags in a false belief that the tea bags might carry something else? What if I cannot have green tea? I have been assured there is a Starbucks (they are every where...go figure) 10 minutes from the house. Will it have the same tea options as American Starbucks?

Who knew such simple things could turn us around. There. Now I'm off to enjoy a glass of milk. (My mom must be falling out of her computer chair right about now.)

4 days...

How is it the middle of June? I leave in 4 days! I have been preparing for 6 months, and now it seems too soon.

Carmen helped me go on a wild goose chase today. The only place that had Peruvian currency (long story) was a bank at the airport. Who really jumps in the car and thinks, "Hey, let's switch it up, and I'll do my banking at the airport today!?" I understand an airport is a very reasonable place to go to exchange money. But going to an airport to get money and not to actually travel takes some logistical planning. One cannot just park and hike in. September 11th prevents one from parking out front. The toll booth hound loves parking fees. So, Carmen and I tag-teamed the expedition. We fought traffic to get in the departures lane. I jumped out of the driver's seat and she jumped in, all while trying to signal to the valet that we were not actually valet-ing. She started the airport loop and cell-phone lot queue with her book while I ducked in to the ticketing counters to exchange money. I came back out and waited for her, as she fought the wrong-way driver who entered the exit of the one way cell phone lot, and then followed on the heels of the fire trucks and smoke (never a good sign at the airport). She finally reached departure gate C, and threw the door open while still coasting, so as not to be chased by valets again. The things we do for foreign currency. We got out with all limbs intact. Thank goodness.

On the packing front, my piles are growing. I had a conference call with the other volunteers yesterday. Although it is winter (Winter Solstice will be next week), it will be humid and in the upper 60s. To long sleeve or short sleeve? That is the question. Our call went over packing and travel plans. Most of the volunteers are arriving Saturday night or early Sunday morning. I get in late Sunday night...I hope I still get a decent bunk! (I feel like I'm back in college, hoping to get there first to get the best bunk on freshman move in day!)

My placement arrived on Monday. Chills went down my spine when I opened the email...it is all becoming real! I will be teaching 3-6 year olds. There are 90 children at the school and 4 teachers. We will be assisting teachers with songs, lunch, playing outside, and art activities. Our pre-K teacher, Miss April, was so awesome to share some music with me. She is sending me with our Pre-K students' favorite cd, and the companion cd in Spanish. I'm really looking forward to this experience.

Painting

It has been a long time since I have posted. The end of the school year and preparing for Peru have kept me fairly busy. We hosted my last fundraiser this past weekend.

On Saturday, 37 people painted the "Sunset Lighthouse" at Cajun Canvas. Every one received the same instruction, yet every painting turned out different. One artist painted a water spout coming out of his cloud. Another artist replaced the lighthouse with a windmill from Greece. What inspiring paintings! The class took 4 hours, a little longer than the instructor/owner, Karen, planned, but it kept us inside during the raging storm!

I had so many wonderful friends, helpers, and artists. Annye, Kristee, Carmen, Katie, Bridget, and their friends painted. Kelly and Kristi were amazing hosts and photographers. Karen was a gracious host. There was wonderful food and drinks. It was an inspiring night.

Now, a word about our sponsors...
Genaro's Peruvian Rotisserie and Grill provided mashed potato balls called causa, and gift certificates to raffle. See their menu and locations at: http://www.genaros-rotisserie.com/. Seriously, go support them and have a meal. Duillio will not disappoint you!

Cajun Canvas hosted a wonderful night. The proceeds from Cajun Canvas took me past my fundraising mark! If you are looking for a fun night out, visit Cajun Canvas: http://www.cajuncanvas.com.


We began by painting the horizon...

Added the sky and clouds...

Then the water and sand...

We finished with a lighthouse, cottage, greens and flowers.

Karen Preston, owner of Cajun Canvas, and me