Feliz Cumple Brigit...

Today is Thursday, and I am close to the end of my first full week here in Peru! It already seems much longer, and I am definitely getting into the rhythm of life here. I am adjusting to the stares, the noise, the food and the bumpy bus rides, along with the Spanish and the school itself.

Today was one of the students birthday, Brigit, who turned seven (or eight, she didn't seem sure). All in all, although a birthday is a thing to celebrate, today has left me a little bit depressed as a few of the realities of life for these children sinks in.

I have spent the last few days mainly working with Saul, the five year old little comedian, and Luis, another five year old. They are both quite bad at concentrating yet at the same time so sweet. Trying to get them to pick up their pencils and write one word is a daily battle, yet when they try, they can do it. Luis's favourite thing to say when you ask him something is "pues siiii" quickly followed by a tilt of the head in the opposite direction while saying "Pues nooooo" Basically, he is saying, welllll yeeesss, welll noooo, over and over again as I desperately try to get him to do something, anything! All the children love colouring in, the school has one packet of colouring pencils and the last part of the day is spent drawing various pictures for each child. If you are interested, I can draw you a picture of Ben 10, dolphins, cats, dogs and some kind of Japanses cartoon (which I thought was pretty good!)

This afternoon my plan is to go and buy a map of the world for the children, along with looking for some pictures of Shrek that they can colour in (by special request of Saul). They currently have a map of South America hanging on the wall, so when I say I am from Inglaterra they ask me: is that in Colombia, or Brazil or Chile... They have managed to hear about the USA though, unsurprisingly enough! So they are all very excited to see where Europe is, and where I live. They also love knowing where Trujillo is on the map, and know that Peru is the yellow country (on this map anyway!)

For Brigit's birthday we sang once in English and once in Spanish, and then everyone had to give her a hug. Watching some of the boys being forced into hugging her was one of the funniest things I have seen, and I think she really enjoyed all the attention. She got given one carton of chocolate milk by the teacher as a special treat which she was very pleased with.

Saul had a arrived in school today with 30 cents in a small plastic bag, and was beyond excited, and spent the whole telling me he was going to buy something (just to be clear 1sol = roughly 20p). When he saw Brigit's milk he was so jealous, and wanted to know how much it was, and if he could buy it with his 30cents. Unfortuantely, the carton of chocolate milk costs 1 nuevo sol, and his face was so sad - he had been so excited before by his 30 centimos! It made me feel awful, and I wish I could have just bought him a whole trolley of chocolate milk, or at least given him the seventy cents extra to buy one, but it is not a good thing to give them money, for obvious reasons.

The  next reality check came  when I went to collect breakfast for the children today, and I was talking about the last volunteer before me with one of the little boys. He told me he really missed her, because he had got used to her, and now he would never see her again.He was so sad when he said it, and was just pointing out what should be obvious, but I hadn't thought about it before: one month isn't really long enough to spend with these children, and the effect of all these volunteers appearing and disappearing can't be that good for them. I already feel really sad and useless at the prospect of leaving...

Some Photos!

Hand washing! The kids are experts at blowing bubbles...

Saul, 5 years old, loves Justin Bieber!

Roger, Saul y Luis blowing bubbles.

Brian awarding the prizes for the art competition. I have included this picture to show what the school looks like!

The winners of the painting competition - Kevin, Saul and Brigid - with Brian and I. They each won a pair of shoes - the kids here all wear flip flops, even though it is winter. Some of the shoes are held together with pieces of wire, so new shoes are an important prize!

Roger and Jacqueline - brother and sister. Jacqueline is very naughty, but very cute, as is Roger. Each day they walk us to the bus stop, and wait with us until our bus comes!

                                  

My first few days in Trujillo, Peru

So I am sitting here in Trujillo, Peru... Even that is weird for me! I am really tired and feeling pretty weird to be honest, talk about a culture shock. So where I am sitting right now: at the most ancient computer ever, in the apartment that I am sharing with seven others. I share a room with an Australian woman who is married (her husband is working in Rio) and an English girl, who is great but is leaving today. People seem pretty nice, if not a tiny bit reserved. The girls here are scared to go out alone... and I have already been told about three muggings, one at gunpoint! Pretty nice welcoming stories, but I guess it is no worse than anywhere else, it just seems scarier here as I dont know it that well yet.

 

I leave the apartment every weekday at 8am, with a guy called Brian who also volunteers at my school. He is twenty three and from the states, taking three months out to volunteer and apply for medical school. Our school is called 'New Jerusaleum' and is meant to be one of the three most dangerous areas in Peru, according to Brian, so another welcoming fact! It is so so poor; the houses are just made out of clay or bamboo and the roads are dirt tracks with stray dogs running everywhere (some pretty mean ones). The kids are cute, although one when I entered just shouted ´tengo miedo´which just means I am scared! SO he is not my favourite kid yet... Another one marched up and shook my hand and another one gave me a big hug and then tried to take the ten soles i had in my pocket! ha! Its hard to teach them the Spanish stuff at the moment, and also understand everything they are saying, but I think it will take a few days to get going and hopefully feel more comfortable with my Spanish etc. With any luck when I come back to London I will be speaking like a Peruvian street child...

I dont get the impression there is loads to do in this town, and also, everyone has told me not to walk around on my own, so it will kind of limit me on what to do with my free time, but I have a lot to read... There are two American guys here, and a French guy who head out a lot in the evenings. Last night they went and saw a Freddy Mercury impersonator - something that I gave a miss, but maybe next week! I know i is early days yet, but I am not feeling great at the prospect of 6 weeks traveling this country alone - I have already been grabbed and kissed by one Peruvian man! Awkward... Luckily it was on the cheek. It is really cold too - I can hear the beach and sun calling me from somewhere!

 

Friday was a really good day, the sun wass shining so that helps a lot too. We had a painting competition between the three schools that the NGO runs, and it was our schools turn to do their painting. So, in our little clay hut with the dirt floor I did lots of drawing and painting with the kids, which was just so much fun. I think I had paint in my hair, on my face, my clothes... worth it though. We also brought the kids cookies, as it was a 'special' day, so they went down well.

The bus ride to the school is going to kill my back - it is soooo bumpy! It is basically a small van thing with about 10 seats and the roads are full of potholes. The way it works here in Peru is that if you want to be a bus driver, you buy a bus, and go to the company and get given a timetable. On the bus route the 'conductor' has to jump out and get his little card stamped at various stages, and if they run late then they get a fine. This results in a high speed race through the streets of Trujillo, when people get on the bus they are yelled at to hurry up, likewise when people get off. If you are too slow, you get lifted on by the conductor, or lifted (thrown) off. All for only 1 nuevo sol... bargain!

We get to the school around 9am, and go straight into helping the kids at whatever they are doing. They are all very naughty though, so concentration is a problem. What makes me laugh a lot is the fact that they know, and love, Justin Bieber, and I have had the pleasure of hearing 'Baby, Baby, Baby' sung by a little five year old called Saul. Next Friday we are having a singing competition, so I am hoping to bring my camera up and catch it all on camera... The problem is that the other day a volunteer got mugged outside the school waiting for her bus, so I am a bit wary of losing my camera! I think it will be ok though as long as I keep it hidden. At eleven we walk up the dirt track and bang on a door made of bits of scrap metal, and a little old lady appears with a bucket and cups of 'breakfast' for the kids. On Friday this involved something white and slimy, with some weird lumps in it. We also bring a bucket of water with us everyday up to the school (from the apartment), as there is no water in their neighbourhood. We use this water to wash the kids hands before they eat, and also to brush their teeth after. They love the liquid soap, and spend ages at the bucket of water, lathering up and trying to blow bubbles, until they are covered in soap. Of course, I already have some favourites, including Saul the singer. Also very cute is Luis, a five year old who seems to wear clothes made for adults, and who gave me half his cookie today, and hugged me on my arrival!

Anyway, although it feels kind of hard here, and I am still finding my feet etc, I enjoy the school part so much, so at least I know I am here for the right reasons.