The working days….
The reason I actually find myself in Peru is mainly because of Projects Abroad, an organisation that helps you find a host family and a work placement. Through this of course you also meet a large group of people also working in the area. There are socials, outings and just evening chocolate con leche (hot chocolates spiced with cinnamon) at the plaza with the local Calca gang. Currently there are 9 of us. But APART from all the social activities, there is of course the working aspect.
At the moment I am working at a school in el Piste, just a little way up from Calca, about 5 minutes with a mototaxi, or a leisurely stroll up a gentle slope (trust me, not so gentle for me at beginning I might add). I love walking up there early in the morning, slowly picking up a string of students who emerge from their houses and hold onto any part of me they can, my hands are always first to go, then sleeves, elbows, jackets….. on top of this they often also ask me to carry their books. At this point I do manage to get the point across that this will NOT happen. Upwards we march towards the school, a small fenced in area with one large building and a smaller toilet block. I am usually the first ‘teacher’ there and often find myself trying to entertain this group of children in anyway possible. Last time we had a bag of tin cans, we had masses of fun stacking them all up and then destroying our towers, only to start all over again. The teachers usually arrive about half an hour later, the principle on his motorbike and blatantly fake adidas or nike matching track suit. A milk delivery also arrives, and the bucket of fresh milk is then left outside in the sun until recess time, where the kids all fill up their cups with what I imagine to be not so fresh milk by now.
My kindergarten teacher arrives even later, and slowly over the next hour or so the children slowly wander in. There are no mummys or daddys dropping them off, having a quick word with the teacher or giving their child a hug goodbye. These kids, as young as two years old walk themselves to school. A typìcal day begins with lots of puzzles. The kids love puzzles and will do each puzzle with as much enthusiasm as though it was their first time, when really they do the same ones day in and day out. It is really interesting to watch each child´s method of tackling the puzzle, and i think it gives a lot of insight into how they deal with everything else. Some kids patiently find the correct place for each piece while others just push them together any way they can, usually resulting in breaking a few pieces along the way.
In my class of about 15 children (only about 10 turn up on any day) the children range from 2 years old, to two children ages 9 and 10 with special needs. This makes planning activities and such quite a challange, not even taking into account that spanish is almost non existant, also adding to that, even if i could speak fluent spanish I would still be in strife as most of the children speak Quechua, the native indian language of the area….. all in all this combination has already created some interesting misunderstandings and lots of laughter (usually at my expense.)
I love coming to work, to have the rhythm again, and I´m glad I´m doing something usefully. I am currently planning with the teacher to renovate the classroom by putting in a proper floor, and to also create a separate outside play area for the children. This is all possible due to all the generous donations I received before I left.
I have a few more weeks of this placement, then I am off to the jungle for 2 weeks, going up the towns only accessed by boat in the Amazon basin….. I cant wait!!!
Love to you all, send me an email and let me know whats going on at your side of the world
xxxx
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