This may be my last opportunity to do a blog as the computer is in such demand – today all the new volunteer group have gone to Sacred Valley overnight as we did last month so I can take my time. Trevor usually blogs early in the morning whereas I need to do it in the evenings.
We have just l0 days left before we head home, although we won’t be home until July 1st as we are spending 2 nights in Santiago in Chile before the long long flight back to Australia. I have the tissues ready as leaving the people of Pumamarca is going to be very emotional. The 3 kindergarten teachers and I have developed a great bond, despite the language barrier. A mutual respect has grown between us as we have watched each other work in a common profession. I have introduced some ideas to them which were totally new but which they have embraced enthusiastically. Firstly, to have them sitting down in a group to do finger rhymes and songs –in English with some visuals for Spanish interpretation - it has been fun, and now quite a lot of the children can sing at least one song in English.
The other day was pure joy when I introduced Playdough to the teachers and children.. All the children – about 35 – sat at their tables with their little handful of playdough and were enthralled with its texture, and taste!and with a few pop sticks and egg trays they had at least an hour of enjoyment. I still have finger painting left – using shaving cream and food colouring – that will also be a new experience for them.
But today was also pure joy to watch. I have been responsible for the store room at the house. This is where school supplies are kept and taken up to the school when needed. Well, we had a huge tidy up of the store room, and there was a large bag full of dress up clothes, funny wigs, etc. there. So I decided to take them up to the kindergarten today. Well, unbeknown to me it was a special Fathers Day celebration day. The children, last week, had already started doing a dance to one of the volunteers guitar music and were getting into the groove of dancing to La Bomba. The teachers were making cardboard guitars for the children when I arrived today and when they opened up the bag of dress ups and found sunglasses, crazy wigs, and other dress up clothes, Isabel – one of the teachers – literally squealed with delight and hugged and kissed me. Well, these kids are gorgeous anyway, but with the dress up clothes on, the pretend guitars, the sunnies,and dancing and playing to La Bomba made the whole trip to Peru worthwhile. We couldn’t stop taking pictures of them. Again, a first for most of the kids who for many wear rags for clothes – let alone dressing up in these simple but fun clothes. I found a mirror and some of them wouldn’t have seen themselves in a mirror too many times before, and loved it.
I have spent a huge amount of time collating material for the kindergarten to implement a programme that a previous volunteer wrote for them and I will hand that over to them this week. The new kindergarten building is still a couple of weeks off completion so I will not be here to see them move in which I would have loved to do, but I feel I have contributed the best I can to their future with the materials, and activities I have put together for this programme. The major problem is that the programme and matching activities I have developed are in English, and whilst some of the activities are pretty obvious, others need some explanation which requires someone to interpret it, but I have done what I can, and that part will be up to the kindergarten teachers to follow through.
I now fully understand why some people spend their life living and helping people in third world countries.
I feel it has been an utter privilege to have had this experience in Peru, and in particular to work with these wonderful people in Pumamarca. However poor these people are they always manage a wave, a greeting and a smile. Even walking along the dusty road last week, Trevor and I met a young man and his mother – complete strangers to us, but within a few minutes we had struck up a conversation - the boy had a little English, and us with our limited Spanish and we were invited into their home. We had to decline because we had other commitments, but it just illustrates the friendliness of these people. Everywhere we go they are happy to talk to us - and even the people sitting on the pavement in Cusco selling some tiny item are pleasant and friendly - even when you say you can’t buy from them.
To see the changes in Ernistina’s life in 6 weeks has been amazing. She and her children, now well fed, are looking healthy and happy, although we still hope for a smile from little Maria. In this short time Maria has crawled, stood up, and may just be about to walk. Amazing what some good food can do. Francesco has gained so much confidence, he is now bordering on cheeky when he sees us – a great sign, and Ernistina is going to school to become a hairdresser. Enormous credit for all of this must go to Iris, the social worker. We hope that this will enable Ernistina to at least earn enough money that she and her children will never go hungry again .There may also be ripple effect from all of this. The other day a young lady with a little 2 year old - both suffering from malnutrition, was introduced to Ernistina in the hope of encouraging her to accept a sponsor, to enable her to also go to school - it really is the only chance they have and if she does follow in Ernistina’s footsteps her life could change forever, and maybe some other young women in Pumamarca will follow their example too.
I will finish off now and thank you all again for your interest, and your comments. Well, bye for now. Love from Andrea.
