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.