While we are stuck here in Lima for the day waiting to head back home later tonight, I would say that things are starting to sink in that our three months in South America are coming to a quick end. Given Patricks excitement on Thursday night, lots of medical run around on Friday, travel plan changes and preparations for the Seeds of Hope Christmas party on Saturday, and the Seeds of Hope Christmas party and packing up yesterday, we have not had too much time to even contemplate the changes in our plans. One thing that has come through though is that it is very true that you never know what is going to happen when you wake up in the morning, and you have to suck the marrow (aprovechar) every moment. I think we feel content leaving early because we have had such a rich experience here. The icing on the cake is the fact that we were able to complete the whole month of volunteering at Seeds of Hope, including the final Christmas party for all the kids.
I have decided to think of our time here as three months in the Andes, instead of a trip to Ecuador and Peru, as this is the distinct place and culture that has been our home for the past 11 out of 12 weeks down here. We have come to know the people who live in these mountains and learned a lot about the people who used to live in these mountains. Being here in the flat, hot, deserty vastness of Lima definitely makes me feel the absence of the mountains already.
It will be interesting to return to Rochester in the peak of Christmas. Our experience of Christmas here has been in some ways similar to home, and in ways totally different. Take the Christmas party we had yesterday for the 50 Seeds of Hope children, and a few of their family members who came along. All the kids are totally psyched that it is Christmas — they have off from school, there is a magical quality to the air, and they will hopefully be spending a good part of time with their families. But instead of wearing new Christmas clothes from the mall, more than half of them came to the party yesterday proudly wearing their new used clothing we had given their parents the day before — whether that was a t-shirt, a hat, or a pair of shoes. For decorations, we had just 50 balloons, two hanging banners saying Feliz Navidad, and some streamers, but they thought every decoration was amazing. Every child got one present courtesy of a very generous donation from the Huaraz area, and I do not think that they will get much, if anything more on Christmas morning. And most striking to me of all is the fact that this is probably one of the only parties these kids get to enjoy all year, and even more rare to have a party just for them. They do not have birthday parties or go to parties of friends. These kids come from families that eek livings out of nothing, that waste nothing, that aquire some sort of food and shelter for an amount of money I consider to be close to nothing. But it is still Christmas and all the true beauty assocaietd with it.
I will miss being in the Andes with all my heart. It is very emotional to be leaving, but I sure am glad to have been here.
I just wanted to add a few more thoughts on my previous post regarding making a donation to Seeds of Hope. My mother (Katy Votava) has very graciously offered to be the central U.S. collection point for donations, which she will then forward on to me in bulk so that it is easier to receive them here. We would like to get any donations figured out by the middle of this week so that we can work with the people here to decide what to do with the money before we leave. So let me know if you were thinking of making a donation and we will figure out how to make it happen!
Thanks to the people who have already contacted us about making a donation! We can’t wait to report back on what the money will be used for.
Just a quick post about my amazement at prices in Peru. First off, I’ve been sick with a cold that I can’t seem to shake. When I missed school during an afternoon this week, we decided it was time to head to the doctor. We didn’t know what to expect, but wanted to make sure that my cough wasn’t something serious… it’s not. We got a recommendation for a clinic that our boss trusts and has visited a couple times: Medico Clinico Internacional. It’s nearby and we walked in, waited for about 10 minutes to be seen, got my vitals checked by a very friendly nurse (the gringo-smile goes a very long way in Huaraz). When we were done, the doctor prescribed two courses of action:
First, I got a dosage of Cortiprex (20mg of the steroid prednisone) for what the Doc described as a “dry trachea”. It’s not pnemonia, not a problem in my lungs, but might be what we know as Bronchitis in the US. The dosage is 1.5 pills every 12 hours for 5 days = 15 x 20mg pills.
Second, I have a problem with Radicels Libres (Free Radicals) running amok in my chest, which causes either too much or too little oxidation (still unclear) on the cellular level, which makes new cells die too quickly. For this, I have Fluimucil which come as 600mg effervescent tablets that (when taken with copious amounts of water) will gobble up and eliminate the free radicals. I’ll take one pill everyday for 5 days.
Finally, I’m on strict rules not to eat chocolate, fruit juices, cookies, soda or other overly-processed foods that will likely spike the free radicals, until I’m healthy again. Because my body is a temple, I’ve coined the phrase of going “Buddhist Monk” on the sweets (i.e. cold-turkey using mind control).
The grand total for everything: S./35 for the doctor’s visit (all told, $11.35 USD). For the drugs, it was S./22.50 for the prednisone and S./17.50 for the fluimucil (all told, $12.90 USD for the drugs). Keep this startling fact in mind, for nearly-immediate, walk-in service at both the pharmacy and the doctors office, I spent roughly $25 and I’m talking about payment-in-full, these-ain’t-no-copay prices.
A second example of prices in Peru (AKA how we are traveling for 8 months on our savings):
We’ve had a few dinner parties here at the house on nights when our deliciously-inspired amiga doesn’t cook, such as on the weekends and holidays, etc. They’ve been really good and we’ve only contributed towards the drinks for the table, for example maybe a $3 box of wine or some soda. We decided that tonight is our turn and have prepared one of our specialties: baked chicken, mashed potatoes, lentils to feed an army and sauteed spinach. We bought everything this afternoon for our dinner party and have just put the 6-pound bird in the oven. The food to feed 10 people very well and we’re expecting left-overs cost just under S./35, which amounts to about $11.30 USD. Let’s call it an even $1/person for what may prove to be the closest thing to an American meal we’ve had in Huaraz. The funny thing is that we feel, relatively, that this was a splurge or doing-something-nice-or-at-least-our-fair-share-for-the-housemates. The thing that I’m most proud of is the lack of rice in my diet today.
Well…we will still be in Huaraz, Peru, which were psyched about. We’ll be volunteering with the kiddies until they break for Navidad It’s really nice to be in one place for this holiday season to make some friends and also feel like we’re doing a little bit more with this time off.
A few people have asked us about donating to Seeds of Hope. That would definitely be appreciated as they are a super small organization living month to month to provide a place for these children to come to receive help with their school work, some food, and love and support — all or some of which is lacking in their schools and homes. Seeds of Hope does not currently have a good way to receive donations online, so Patrick and I talked to them and they thought the best thing if anyone reading this wants to donate would be to coordinate with us to receive the money, we will then pass it on to them, and we will work with them to discuss the best use for it. This place is very grassroots, so the donating capabilities are too.
Some ideas kicking around for using the money are to use it to help get a Christmas present for all the children, or to help upgrade a computer they are currently trying to rehabilitate so that the children can have access to one in the classroom. There might also be a big need for a particular child, such as needing glasses in order to read better, that we can also inquire about. They of course are always in need of food for the children, new books, and school supplies like notebooks and markers.
So if you were interested in donating or want to ask us anything about it, just send us an email and we’ll be happy to tell you anything about the organization or figure out a way to get your donation to them. Mary’s email is Mary…@gmail.com and Patrick’s email is Patrick…@gmail.com .
And…..we finally have some pics of the kids. Here are a few and we’ll be putting more up on our flickr account soon.
Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season =)
Mary and Kati learning to summarize
Patrick and Bladamir tackle their favorite subject - MATH!
Mary and I have been teaching for a week and a half, which has been a great experience. Everybody that we talk to on the phone seems to be curious about how the language barriers have been at school. Here’s what I’ve been thinking about for the past few days:
First, working with the kids is extremely rewarding. Having grown up in a top-notch education system has shaped my mind and skills into a competitive force in the international market place. It is my goal, everyday, to help shape and clarify the minds and skills of our students so that they have similarly grand potential. While I am aware that my kids have mountains more adversity to overcome (especially when compared to my suburban, and extremely comfortable, upbringing), I burn for there eventual success and happiness. So, I get a huge rush teaching something that my students start the session with no idea about (like volume of a cylinder, the history of South America’s independence or how to look up words in a dictionary).
Next, I remember a certain apprehension when we first started stemming from the fear that I wouldn’t know what to do, that language would be a severe hindrance to both myself and the kids. This fear has been totally unfounded. I believe that I am being as effective in Spanish as I would be doing similar work in English. There are three main reasons that I feel effective:
First, I am working with kids who understand and are relatively patient with my lack of nuance in their language. Alot of my work has been pointing to their papers and asking them why they think that’s correct (Que piensas de este correcto?).
Second, I have been filling the spot of science and math helper (with the occasional English homework thrown in for fun). With science and math, I either understand the problems or the kids have a textbook that I can use for reference. The time consuming piece is not translating the text in my mind, it’s the repetition of rules (e.g. the volume is the Area of a Base times the Height, of say, a cylinder).
Third I always work with a Spanish-to-English diccionary, so that when the going gets tough, I can (slowly) get the gist of what’s going on. I have done enough homework in my day to understand the context of what we’re looking at and what I would want to see if I were a real teacher.
Here’s Mary and I in our Seeds of Hope T-Shirts:
And another where we’re overlooking the view of Huaraz and the Cordilleras Blancas from the roof of the Seeds of Hope volunteer housing:
I was pondering our mission the other day and believe the following statement:
Education seems to be an internal coming-to-terms with a void of some knowledge and relentlessly filling that void with new and varied experiences. Sometimes, the void can be filled with help from others, but the most efficient teacher is to learn to fill the void on your own. My meaning is essentially equivalent to the proverbial man teaching himself how to fish before you’ve ever arrived.
Last night, everybody got together at the Seeds of Hope volunteer house to wish Kenya a safe voyage back home. He’s been in Huaraz, working as a volunteer for a year and half. Before dinner, we shot this video that shows what folks were up to after a long day working with the kids:
Friday Night at Seeds of Hope
After a week of helping to kids, this is the calm before the storm at the Seeds of Hope volunteer house. It’s the last night in Huaraz for long-time volunteer Kenya and we’re all excited about the dinner he’s made.
Kenya made pasta with pesto sauce and papas with a yellow/spicy sauce… delicious! We all shared some wine and beers to offer toasts to the upcoming concert and thank Kenya for his work. After dinner, we headed over to a local bar, 13 Buhos, to watch Kenya, Yury Grande, Yuri Pequeño and Josh from Colorado play some music. Good times were had by all!
On Saturdays, there are no classes for the kids, but we went over to the school to finish a project with Isabelle (our ‘boss’ and S.O.H. volunteer coordinator). We’re prepping for Christmas already so that all 50 kids can get a present this year. In addition, there are donated clothes to sort and divide up for the kids depending on sizes and need.
Tomorrow, we’re going to try a hike that we read about in the Rough Guide to Peru. There’s a large glacial lake up at about 4800m (or roughly 15,840 feet) that offers spectacular views of the valley. Afterwards, we can relax in the natural saunas in nearby caves heated by hot springs. Monday, we’ll be back to work for week #2 with the kiddies.
We’re fresh off our first week of volunteering with the Seeds of Hope project in Huaraz, Peru. It’s been an extremely rewarding experience and we know — everyday — exactly how and what we’ve done to help our children. Initial thoughts are that the kids are all super cute and very similar to kids from the US. There are a couple major differences, which were quickly apparent:
One, these kids have very little worldly possesions… they wear the same clothes everyday (now, I have also been wearing the same clothes, but our water was out for a few days and have only just taken a shower/changed into something clean).
Some of our kids are also, seemingly to us, extremely starved of positive reinforcement and simply need an occassional adult to talk to them about their world, tell them that they’re doing a good job, give them a hug or read them a story. It seems so simple, but we’ve both witnessed just how far this energy can go.
A third thought relates to our kids’ homelives. Some have moved with (some without) their families to the big city of Huaraz (approx. pop. 100,000) to have the opportunity to live near a secondary school (most towns seem to have grades 1-6, but nothing more). Additionally, not every kid knows about modern luxuries like flushing toilets and tooth brushes.
Something that everyone at S.O.H is involved with is brushing teeth after snack time. We’ll either have snack right at the beginning or just after homework time. The typical ritual goes like this: Arrive and prep snacks [fruit and oatmeal (AKA Quaker)], line up and let the kids into the center, quiet kids and wash hands, homework time for 75 or 90 minutes, playtime for 15-30 minutes (a particular favorite is taking turns on the homemade stilts), wash hands, pray and have snack time, figure out the “points” for each student, line up again to brush teeth, dismissal with kisses, hugs or handshakes (for most of the boys).
Mary and I seem to be in charge of the walking-over-early-to-make-the-Quaker routine and we’ve been finetuning our recipe all week. Roughly, it’s 3 liters of water, a cup and a half of oats, a chocolate packet for flavor and about a cup of rice. [I'm far more likely to steal a banana at the end of the week than to trust my own Quaker recipe.] Tonight, a longtime volunteer, Kenya from Japan, is making dinner. It’s his last night in town and he’s playing music at a bar in town with some of the other guys here. I can smell the food wafting through the volunteer house and am headed down to see what’s up in the kitchen. Stay tuned for a picture of us together wearing rocking out in our Seeds of Hope T-Shirts
We are smack in the middle of Day 2 volunteering at Seeds of Hope in Huaraz, Peru (about 8 hours from Lima into the mountains) and I just wanted to take a quick moment to write some preliminary thoughts and reactions (though we are holding off any official reactions until at least day 3 is over).
We’re staying at the Seeds of Hope “house,” which houses their office and a new cafe they started to benefit the school (Seeds Cafe), as well as about 5 bedrooms, a kitchen, and some dining and hang out space. The house is situated very centrally in the town and the view out our bedroom window is a nice little park.
Right now there are three Canadian (though French speaking) volunteers also living in the house, and two others who are permanent staff. There are many other volunteers who come to work at the school but don’t live at the house who are mostly Peruvian.
The school is located about five blocks from the house and there are about 50 children who attend in total. The children all attend the state public schools in Peru, but for various reasons are behind in school and need extra help to get up to the right grade level for their age. For example, some weren’t always in school because they needed to work to help support their families or their parents can’t read or write, and therefore school work can’t be reinforced at home. The children in Peru either go to school in the morning (from like 6 am until 12 pm), or they go in the afternoon. So we get the afternoon schoolers in the morning for about two hours, and the morning schoolers in the afternoon for another two hours.
We mostly either help them with what they are learning in school, or if they don’t bring any school work, then there’s always lots of reading, writing, and math to work on.
We’re just getting to know the children, but they are great. It’s a very different environment than schools in the U.S. For example, I get kisses on the check from every student when they enter and leave the school. I can’t even really begin to imagine what the lives of these children are like yet. Many of them still work to help support their families when they’re not in school on the weekends (like 8,9, and 10 year olds). They live in homes where one or both parents are gone. Homes made of one or two rooms shared with their 6 or 8 brothers and sisters. Some without any running water (no bathroom). They come spunky, but at some point most settle down and just try to work on the regular stuff that is very familiar to me — reading stories and answering questions about them, doing multiplication, finishing science homework.
We also give them food (a hot oatmeal drink, fruit, and sometimes bread with marmalade). They all have to wash their hands upon entering and before eating, and brush their teeth when they’re done eating. There’s also a big emphasis on the rules, like staying in their seats and asking before they go to use the bathroom. It sounds like all these things are not reinforced in other parts of their lives, even in the public schools.
We know it’s Thanksgiving this week and are quite envious of all heading to their respective homes for a feast and the proverbial party with old friends Wednesday night. We’re sending our love to all this week. It’s our hope to stay here to volunteer through Christmas and think it will be a fulfilling way to spend the holidays.
After resting our muscles from the wear-and-tear of the Inca Trail, Mary and I have begun to notice that our plans seem so much smaller in light of our recent experiences. We’d been talking about the idea of finding a volunteer opportunity somewheres along the way, but hadn’t settled on anything. We were both moved by the trail to give something back to the gorgeous country of Peru. [Actually, Mary had always wanted to have a chance to volunteer and it only took 7 weeks to convince me.] Regardless, we’ve found a fantastic organization and have decided to switch directions — head back North, through Lima to Huaraz, Peru. We have tickets on the safest bus-cama company, Oremeño, to leave Cuzco tomorrow morning (Friday) for the 30 hour ride back to Lima via Puno, Arequipa, Nazca and Ica. We should arrive in Lima round about 3PM on Saturday, spend the night in Lima and then swoop up to Huaraz.
We’ve been in contact with Isabelle, of Seeds of Hope, Peru, to arrange our time and brief us on their school program. Check them out on the web and specifically their section on International Volunteers.
Unfortunately, our decision to switch directions will mean that we will miss out on plans to head down to Patagonia. We may still visit Copacabana, La Paz and the Bolivian Salt Flats, but will head very quickly through Argentina. Our tickets remain solid to fly out from Buenos Aires in January, but think it’s totally worth switching directions to lend a hand at S.O.H. I don’t think that we’d expected to enjoy Peru so much and are both REALLY excited to have this opportunity.
Recent Comments