Chaos rules the roads

Traffic chaos in central Lima (not my photo)

The traffic here is really something else! I guess in a city of 9.5 million people there is bound to be a lot of traffic but Lima has all kinds of public transport, some of which is legal and most of which is not. I've been going to school in the mornings by taxi with Diana and her son Daniel. This might sound like an unnecessary luxury especially since there are any number of buses we could choose from but it is the easiest, fastest and probably the safest way of getting there. Add to that the fact that its nowhere near as expensive as in Scotland and I'm happy to travel in style! Our 10 minute taxi ride costs us only £2.00!

There's also the little mototaxis which are faster and cheaper in some areas of the city. Its like a motorbike with seats on the back. Its a bit of a bumpy ride but its exciting too, you see more of the city and they don't go too fast!

There's a bit of a knack to hailing a taxi in Lima. There are hundreds of them to choose from but not all drivers are trustworthy, many are not registered, to avoid paying taxes, and hardly any of them are regulated so you're putting your life into the hands of a potential driving maniac when getting into a taxi here. 

The other option is the bus. Well, that takes some describing! They are all brightly coloured and have the main stops painted on the sides. Easy no? They are also in various states ranging from brand new with comfy seats, to literally falling apart where you have to avoid falling into the hole in the floor and sit on a wooden bench squashed between  ten other people. There are probably thousands of buses in Lima from the little minibus style (called combis), the small buses (micros) and the big bus types (bus). The price you pay depends on where you're going but at its most expensive its only 2 soles (70p) to go from one side of the city to another. Travel is very cheap here but certainly comes with its adventures!

Combi in Lima (again not my photo)

Often bus drivers will race each other at break neck speeds along highways. First to the corner/bus stop, changing lanes and dodging pedestrians seems to be a great game for the driver and a real test of his skills at dodging other traffic. Its another story for anyone not used to it. If you're unlucky enough to be standing then its bus surfing for you as you try to keep your balance and avoid standing on anyone's toes while the bus driver shows off how fast he can drive and then do an emergency stop. 

If you survive this without falling on top of the unfortunate soul standing beside you then you'll probably need to use your gymnastics skills to battle your way off the bus because the conductors (combradores) like to play their own games: how many people can you squeeze into the bus at any one time.  Phew, travelling by bus is always an eventful experience and although I was terrified at first, it is growing on me (slowly)!

There's also the little mototaxis which are faster and cheaper in some areas of the city. Its like a motorbike with seats on the back. Its a bit of a bumpy ride but its exciting too, you see more of the city and they don't go too fast!

You can change the world for someone

On the 5th of April this year very heavy and unseasonal rain fell on the desert coast of Peru.  It's quite rare for it to rain here in Lima and the surrounding area at all so when it rained heavily it was very strange.  It didn't rain in the city at all but just 20km inland from Lima it rained for days. For some this rain would have been a welcome relief from the choking dust and arid climate of the coastal desert but for the people of the town of Chosica it was a disaster. The rain caused an avalanche of several thousand tons of rock and mud to pour down the hillsides above the town onto a poor area of Chosica, destroying everything in its path: houses, schools and shops. That day many people lost not only their homes but also their livelihoods.

When the children of San Andres heard about what happened they wanted to help in any way they could those who had lost everything. So they collected clothes, blankets and money and with the help of a contact in a christian school in Chosica, a small group of secondary pupils made the journey up the steep, rocky hillsides to the town and gave their gifts to these families.  They also arranged to buy and install 4 wooden houses which will provide replacement accommodation for families who have lost their homes.


Although I wasn't there, I know how much this small act of kindness and love will mean to these people because, sadly, during my stay here in Lima I have seen so many living in equal poverty. Sometimes I think it's impossible to change the world, enable children to go to school to learn, help those who are starving because of lack of food or dying because of dirty water or lack of health care and the idea that the work is impossible for me to do is a convenient excuse for doing nothing or a reason for being depressed about the state our world is in.  But the other day I read somewhere that "one person cannot change the world, but you can change the world for one person". Small acts of kindness and mercy like those of the San Andres pupils shows that this is so true. Too often I am tempted to think that to be a blessing and a help to those in great need I have to give money I don't have but giving shoes to a child who has none, a Bible to someone who can't afford to buy one, a blanket to a mother of newborn or your time to listen to the heartbreak of those who have no one to talk is enough to change the world for that person because they know that someone cares about them and sometimes that is just what they need to know. Poverty is only bound to this earth and we are reminded in the Bible that it is only a passing thing but our attitudes to it show whether we too are bound to this earth or whether we take our example from the one who said:

“Blessed are you who are poor,

    for yours is the kingdom of God. 

²¹ 

Blessed are you who hunger now,

    for you will be satisfied. 

Blessed are you who weep now,

    for you will laugh."

San Andres News

Father's Day - Día del Papa

Some cute little things in Kindergarten

I thought I should keep up to date with all the things that have been going on in San Andres in the last wee while especially since I have only a little time left here in Peru.  


On Friday we had a special breakfast in school for the fathers of all the primary and kindergarten children to celebrate Father's day! Peruvians really do celebrations in a big way whether that's a birthday, Christmas, Father's day or Mother's day or just a national holiday! So although the Father's celebrations were a lot less extravagant than the Mother's day ones, it was still quite a fuss for someone like me who isn't really used to having a party every few weeks! On saying that, there is a lot we could learn from the Peruvians about learning to appreciate our loved ones and making the most of what we have since the majority of us have so much more than many, many others.  On Friday the chaplain led a special service for all the "papas" reminding them of the role they play in the lives of their children and of the responsibilities they have as a father.  He also reminded us all that we should take our example from our Heavenly Father who is the perfect father and who cares for his children however old they are and however much they think they don't need Him.  

Feliz día papito - Happy Father's Day, Dad

Interhouse sports day

4th Grade races

On Thursday I spent the day at the race track in the Bohemian heart of Lima: Barranco.  The children had an Interhouse athletics competition which involved lots of very over excited children, quite chilly Lima winter weather and constant megaphone announcements about the next race on the track.  All the teachers were given jobs to do and myself and Rosa found we were in charge of the "lanzamiento pelota" or shot putt.  How difficult could that be I thought to myself as I prepared to mark the spot the ball landed in for our first competitor.  2 hours and many re-throws later as well as dodging the odd stray ball and getting a good workout getting them back, I was pretty exhausted! Luckily we did get a lunch break and the afternoon did go past a little faster than the morning since we were on race track duty! By the end of the day I don't know who was more tired the pupils or their poor teachers but I was sure glad I'm not a PE teacher!


My Assembly
Last Tuesday I faced my biggest fear (making a fool of myself in front of a Spanish speaking audience) by taking the primary assembly in school.  San Andres is a Christian school and so every morning we have a 20 minutes assembly where the children sing a few worship songs and one of the teachers leads us all in a Bible study to suit the children.  Well, I had been asked a few times by Clive (the headmaster) to take the assembly.  "It'll be a good experience for you" he said, "It'll be such a benefit for your Spanish" he said.  Very reluctantly I agreed simply because himself and his wife Ruth have been so good to me since I arrived here and I felt if I was going to make a fool of myself for anyone, it should be them!  Well, I am glad I did and it really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be although standing in front of a room of 400 native Spanish speakers and giving a talk in a language you're just learning was quite a nerve-racking experience but I felt a peace while I spoke which could only have come from God and I know that this was His will.  It also gave me a good idea of how I've improved in my Spanish as I could never have done that when I arrived 6 months ago.


Megan's Visit

Myself and Megan with our Anne of Green Gables style hats!

On Thursday Megan , another Scottish volunteer who worked at San Andres before Christmas and in Moyobamba at the Annie Soper school since, arrived in Lima on her way home to the states. Megan is a good friend of mine and I was happy to see her and share stories of how our time in Peru has unfolded. We went to the opera together on her last night here, visited the Ambassador for the Queen's jubilee celebrations and had a few Starbucks together (a kind of tradition for us) We spent a few days together and she left on Wednesday night bringing her 9 months in Peru to an end. I met Megan here in Lima in January just after I arrived and we've kept in touch since.  I spent a great week with her in Moyobamba in May and we plan to stay in touch when we're both back in Scotland in September. So it wasn't so much "Goodbye" but more "See you soon".
Her departure reminded me that I have just 4 weeks left here and the goodbyes I say then may really be goodbye.  How quickly time flies! (or maybe I'm just getting old). 


My Birthday
Speaking of getting old, I was 21 of the 3rd of June! I remember years ago, when I was still in school, chatting with friends about how we'd spent our 21st birthdays. I never dreamed I'd be spending in in Peru! I had a lovely day although I wished my family and friends at home could have shared it too. We went for a nice meal in a fancy restaurant in Miraflores called Vivaldinos.  Another year gone already and my time in Peru quickly coming to an end.  Sometimes it would be nice to have a pause button.  I wonder where I'll be 21 years from now, the future is unknown but God has been so good to me in the past year as He has always been and I can face the future knowing He will always walk by by side wherever I go.

Myself and some of the 3rd year girls

Happy Birthday San Andres!

Feliz Cumpleaños Colegio San Andres!

Some of the men who were celebrating 50 years
since graduating from San Andres

Today, the 13th of June 2012, is the 95th anniversary of San Andres and this is very exciting. The school has a long history and has been through many challenges as well as many good times over the years. Today we celebrate all that has made San Andres the great school it is.


On the 13th June 1917 the Anglo-Peruano was founded by a Scottish missionary called John Alexander Mackay, under the guidance of the Free Church of Scotland, to provide an education for the elite of Lima.  Many of the first students were sons of generals and politicians.  The Anglo-Peruano was founded upon Biblical teaching and continues to teach its student based on the Bible.  The school's motto became "El principio de la sabiduria es el temor a Jehova" or "The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord". The school began as a boys primary school but grew steadily over the years.  In 1919 the school grew to include a secondary department with a total of 70 staff and 270 pupils.


In 1930 the school moved to its current location in the heart of the city of Lima (Avenida Petits Tours) although at that time the school was on the outskirts of the town  It was recognised by the president of Peru as one of the best academic institutions in Lima and the school continued to grow.  


In 1942, the Anglo-Peruano changed its name to what it is now known as: Colegio San Andres.  This was an order from the government because at that time, Europe was in the middle of the Second World War and although Peru was neutral and took nothing to do with it, there were fears that businesses with strong links to Britian could encourage problems.  San Andres has kept its name ever since.  This is very apt since the school has very strong links to Scotland and San Andres or Saint Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland.


In 1994 the school underwent more big changes with the introductions of mixed education. The school grew quickly as a result and new buildings were added to cope with the increase in pupils. A kindergarten section was added to the school meaning that San Andres now takes pupils from the age of 2 years to 16 years.


95 years after it all began and having faced financial problems that threatened to close the school, survived a World War, years of military dictatorship and many different headmasters, San Andres now has over 100 staff and 750 pupils from all areas of the city of Lima and from all backgrounds.  It still holds firmly to its Christian founding principles and is a steady shining light in a city with much poverty and corruption.  Today we celebrated all the blessings God has bestowed on this school and gave thanks for the blessing it has been to generations of young Peruvians.


Today the children had a day off school although the teachers still came in.  This morning we had a formal celebration ceremony with those who graduated 50 years ago and 25 years ago to the day from San Andres.  The school's history was recounted and we all looked at photos together of the school as it has changed over the years. I couldn't help but think as we looked at the old photos of what John Mackay, the school's founder, would have thought if he'd be there. I'm sure he'd be very happy to see how the school has grown and how much of a blessing it has been to the community it serves but most importantly that it has stuck by its principles when sometimes that has not been easy.

3 cakes!!!

This afternoon was great! We all headed to a fancy restaurant in Miraflores for a lovely lunch Peruvian style! By the end of it all we could hardly move but unfortunately Megan had a plane to catch so off we went to the airport.  I waved Megan off tonight and couldn't help thinking how fast time has gone by since I arrived in Peru in January. I only have 1 month left before I too will be making my own jounrey to the airport for the last time and saying goodbye to all the wonderful friends I've made here.  Better make the most of it!

A beautiful boquet sent by a nearby school

Diamond Jubilee celebration in Lima

The Queen's diamond jubilee has been a big deal in the UK from what I'm hearing but we've had our own celebrations here in Peru too! A few weeks ago I logged into my emails to find an email from the British Consulate in Lima.  Oh oh I thought, what if something has gone wrong with my visa or something else along these lines.  I opened the e-mail to find it was an invitation to a diamond jubilee celebration at the British Ambassador's residence here in Lima!  

Cake competition entries

I was 12 years old and in primary school when the queen visited Stornoway on her Golden Jubilee tour of the Hebrides.  I remember all the excitment and special security in place on that day and how lovely the queen looked in her pink suit and hat.  We stood at the town hall and waved little Union Jacks while the queen collected lots of floral tributes and thanked us for coming. I would never have guessed then that 11 years on I would be celebrating her diamond jubilee in Peru!


Yesterday was the big day! Myself, Charmian and her husband Dennis and Megan (who arrived back from Moyobamba on Thursday night) went to the British Ambassador's residence for a buffet lunch to commemorate the Queen's diamond jubilee.  It was a bit of a jounrney there since we stay in the opposite side of the city and Saturday afternoon traffic in Lima is terrible.  We ended up getting lost looking for the car drop off point and had to be given directions by a friendly looking "vigilante".  By the time we made it to the point where we were supposed to meet the private car that was to take us to the Ambassador's house, we were pretty late but thankfully we weren't the only ones to have fallen victim to the Lima traffic!

Beautiful flower table decorations

We were escorted to the residence where we had identity checks and then welcomed to the party with a little paper cone of fish and chips! It was fantastic and better was to come.  We arrived just as the choir of the United British Schools of Lima were in the middle of their performance.  They sung really well and we had a chance to meet the other Brits in Lima.  After a quick speech by the Ambassdor we were all invited to sit and enjoy the buffet.


I was happy to see there food was mostly British (made a nice change) and there was more than enough for everyone.  We sat outside in the lawns of the Ambassador's house with the sandy peaks of the smallest foothills of the Andes in the background and Union Jack banners waving in the breeze to reminds of where we came from, There was a cake competition and a quiz of Great Britian which our team did very poorly in (perhaps we should have listened better in history class!) We had a lovely time meeting new people and catching up with others we hadn't seen in a while.  The time passed fast and all too soon it was over and we were back battling the Lima rushhour traffic but it was a lovely way to spend the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.  We felt part of the celebrations even though 6000 miles and an ocean separate us from where we call home!

In celebration of the Union Jack

Breakfast with the Ambassador

Yesterday the British Ambassador to Peru, James Dauris, visited the school to take the secondary school assembly and answer the questions of the some of the 4th and 5th year students.  He spoke of the economic problems facing the United Kingdom at the moment and ongoing trouble with Argentina over ownership of "Las Malvinas" or the Falkland Islands as well as the celebrations for the Queen's diamond jubilee and the Olympic games 2012 due to start soon in UK.  The students had some good and very mature questions and the visit seemed to have gone very well.  It was the Ambassador's first visit to Colegio San Andres and a great honour for the school as it prepares to celebrate its 95th anniversary on the 13th June 2012.  The school has long established links to the UK and especially to Scotland.  On the 13th June 1917 the Anglo-Peruano was founded by Scottish missionaries to provide accommodation for the elite in Lima.  95 years on and having faced financial problems that threatened to close the school and having survived a world war and many different headmasters, the Anglo-Peruano is now called Colegio San Andres (Saint Andrew's School) after the patron saint of Scotland and has grown in size to 750 pupils from all areas of the city of Lima and from all backgrounds.  It still holds firmly to its christian founding principles and is a steady shining light in a city with much poverty and unrest.  Next week we celebrate the anniversary of the school with celebratory parties and meals as well as speeches from former pupils and a photo display of the school through the ages.  Hopefully San Andres will still be here 95 years from now still providing a christian education for the children of Lima.

After the Ambassador's assembly I, being one of the few British staff members of the school, was invited to have breakfast with the director of the school and the ambassador as well as a lovely Scottish lady who has been a teacher in the school for many many years and the school chaplain!  We shared a lovely breakfast and chatted about British foreign policy (don't mention the Falklands said Clive, the headmaster!) and the Queen's diamond jubilee as well as British influence in Peru and Latin America in general.  It was quite a privilege to have breakfast with an ambassador and although I hadn't really a clue what to say and tried hard not to show my ignorance I really enjoyed the experience.  It's not everyday you get to have breakfast with the British Ambassador!

Afternoon tea in prison

"Remember those in prison as if you were there yourself"

Yesterday I had the privilege of visiting a woman's prison here in Lima.  Santa Monica prison is in the area of Lima known as Chorillos and is a maximum security prison holding, amongst others, suspected terrorists.  I had never visited a prison before let alone a maximum security facility and so I really didn't know what to expect when I got there.  We had lunch in a restaurant opposite the prison doors and bought some bread, cheese and ham to give to the women in the prison then at 2pm when the visiting hour starts, we had to line up outside a huge cast iron door and wait to be ushered inside.  I was with my friend Miriam and another girl visiting from England but I was pretty nervous about the visit.  After 15 or so minutes the door opened and we were called into a small, dark room where we had to show our passports and leave our belongings.  We weren't allowed any cameras, mobile phones or watches or jewellery inside the building and we had to wear skirts in case we had to be strip searched! 


Our passport numbers were logged onto the prison system and we were given three ID tattoos and a number.  We then went into a room and were searched for anything illegal including mobile phones and after passing this test we were allowed into the prison.  As we stepped inside the prison confines and the door to the outside world closed behind us, I felt a bit nervous and slightly claustrophobic.  I didn't know how safe the place was or who we'd find there.  

Our security tattoos

Miriam goes to Santa Monica every week and so knew immediately what to do and where to go.  We followed her past row upon row of tiny dark cells till in the last cell of the block we stopped and Miriam called someone's name.  Out of the darkness of the cell emerged two women and at first I thought they might be guards.  I had no idea they were inmates and was surprised by their friendliness and warm welcome.  They seemed so pleased to see us that I was quite touched!  They invited us into their "room" and showed us what had become home for them.  There were two bunk beds and a tiny area curtained off with a toilet.  All their worldly possessions lay on their bunks or on two small shelves on the wall.  Except for the beds and the toilet there was no other furniture.  The doors were padlocked from the outside every night at 9pm and opened at 6am.  If there was an earthquake nobody could escape.  The cell was tiny and dark and very claustrophobic so we sat outside in the patio.


Fanny and Cecilia, as the women were called, made us coffee out of their meagre rations and we chatted about all sorts of things as more and more women took an interest in the "foreigners" and came to see what was going on.  All the ladies we spoke to were very open with us and shared their life stories.  I was surprised by how warm they were.  Cecilia and Fanny were long term members in the prison.  Fanny had already been there 16 years and Cecilia 14 and had sentences of 25 years each.  Fanny became a christian in prison because of missionary volunteers who run a Bible study and her peace and the love she has for others was evident.  She said she believed that in God's time she would have her freedom and that He had forgiven her.  Cecilia was a quiet lady but opened her heart to us and told us so much of what life was like in prison.  She wasn't a christian and was often very depressed and spoke with such hopelessness that it was emotionally difficult to hear her story.


The ladies explained that hardly anyone ever leaves Santa Monica because most women have very long sentences but every week more and more are arriving and there's no room.  In some cells there are two bunks and a third person sleeps on the concrete floor with a blanket.  The penal system in Peru is very corrupt and most of the women have already been in prison years before their case in heard in court.  As political prisoners accused of terrorism, their convictions are not often based on evidence but on the intuition of the judge.  Sentence lengths often do not reflect the crime committed.  Sentences are very rarely shortened and even good behaviour and effort in studies doesn't count for anything.  


There are not only women in Santa Monica but children too.  Children born to women in prison stay with their mothers till their 3rd birthday and are then sent out to life with family/friends or in orphanages if they have no one.  I can't imagine how awful the pain must be for the women who have to give up their children and how terrifying the experience must be for the little children who don't understand why their mums can't come with them.  When it was time to leave, Fanny produced a present for each of us that the ladies had made in their workshops in prison.  


Both myself and Verity felt very emotional when we said our goodbyes and the door closed behind us locking them in and letting us walk out to the freedom of life outside the confines of the prison wall.  It was an experience I will never forget and although it was at times emotionally draining, I am glad I went.


It would be easy to think that a place like Santa Monica is a lifeless, souless and hopeless place but amazingly that is not always the case.  God is working among the prison community of Santa Monica in a powerful way and many of the ladies go to the weekly Bible study. This made our trip a great experience. God is working miracles in the lives of those who nothing and His limitless mercy forgiveness is clearer to see here than probably anywhere else in this city.

Lines of family waiting to visit the ladies
 in Santa Monica prison (not my photo)

A trip to the jungle (Part 2)

Wednesday

Today I went back to school with Megan in the morning. This meant getting up at 6am to be at school for 6.45am! I didn't dare mention that I was supposed to be on holiday although I was secretly glad that San Andres starts at 8am. The extra hour in bed makes all the difference! Megan had 4th grade today and so went through the routine of telling them where I'm from and what I'm doing here and no I'm not Megan's sister! The children enjoyed finding out about Scotland especially the Loch Ness monster! Wherever I go the children never seem to tire of this story so I've had to start adding bit to it until Nessie decides to make an appearance and give us something new to say about her/him.

The sign at the baths gave us a laugh:
"Welcome to attractive tourists " it reads in English!

Tonight we went for a trip to the thermal baths outside Moyobamba.  It was a fantastic experience for two reasons.  Firstly I got my first ride on a motorbike! Nearly everyone in Moyobamba has a motorbike since the dirt tracks, which are the only kind of roads here, make it impossible to drive a car.  Instead of taxis and buses they have mototaxis - a motorbike with a contraption attached to the back for the passengers to sit in.  Its a pretty noisy and bumpy journey and a bit of a pain when your mototaxi gets stuck in the mud after it rains but its another memory of Peru that I will never forget.

Tonight I went with of Megan's friends on her motorbike.  It was fantastic! We drove along the windy, dusty tracks out of the town and into the jungle.  It was beginning to get dark and as we sped along I looked up to see millions of stars burning beautifully and brightly against a background of palm trees and mountains covered in lush jungle.  A warm tropical breeze was blowing through our hair and the sound of parrots in the trees reminded me I couldn't be anywhere else but in Peru.  I had never seen the stars before from the southern hemisphere and they looked brighter and closer than they'd ever seemed at home.  It was one of the most memorable moments of my time here in Peru and one I will never ever forget! It made me think again of how fortunate I am to be here in such a beautiful country.

The Río Mayo from our canoe

Thursday
Today we took a boat trip along the Río Mayo (the Mayo river) which runs through Moyobamba for thousands of miles through the jungle until it reaches the great Amazon river.  We took Megan's substitute mother, Yolanda and a friend with us.  Luckily we managed to secure a covered top canoe since it was very hot and sunny.  Unfortunately we didn't see much wildlife except parrots but it was a lovely experience and a very relaxing out on the river with a very gentle warm breeze blowing.  The time passed very quickly and we had to return to shore long before I wanted to but it was another unique Peruvian experience I will remember for many years to come.  As we climbed the never ending steps from the river bank to the town on the hill above we came across a rather strange sight.  A group of men and boys were furiously hacking at the grass and undergrowth on the edge of the path with clubs and machetes! We stopped for a while to watch and ask what was going on.  Apparently a big poisonous snake had been spotted near the path and they were trying to batter it to death.  Further on up the path we came across a little green parrot who was quite happily nibbling on someone's coffee beans that were lying on a big piece of plastic, drying in the sun.  I don't think I'll ever tire of the unique sights and sounds of the jungle!

Friday
Today I left Moyobamba behind and myself and Megan headed back to Tarapoto before going to a little town called Lamas.  I'd heard about Lamas before and really wanted to visit.  One interesting thing about Lamas is that it is built on a hill in three levels and on the bottom level at the bottom of the hill live an indigenous community.  The Wayku, as they are called, are one of many indigenous tribes in Peru and are mostly Quechua speaking.  They live a quite different life to the mixed (mestizo) Spanish-Peruvian community in the rest of Lamas.  They still hold onto to their own culture, traditions and livelihood.  Many work as farmers in the fields that surround the town, others work as craftsmen making pottery or woven mats.

typical Wayku house with no windows

One of the things I noticed as soon as we got to the community was the strange houses.  The Wayku houses have doors but no windows at all so inside they are very dark! There is a small hole in the roof for the smoke from the fire in the centre of the room to escape.  Apparently the Wayku have their own religion, like many amazonian tribes, and are quite suspicious.  They believe that having windows in your house encourages evil spirits to enter and stay, bringing bad luck on the family.  The Wayku community are quite reserved and because we didn't speak Quechua we couldn't really converse with them which was a bit of a shame.  After a short time in the village we headed back up to Lamas where we stayed the night.

Lamas is really a very small town and doesn't really get much tourists so everywhere myself and Megan went we got stares and comments about our pale skin and blue eyes.  It's been quite an eye opening experience living in a country and a culture where I am the foreigner when I am so used to speaking of others in that way.

Some Wayku women making pottery and sewing

Tonight we walked to the top of the hill on which Lamas is built.  You get a wonderful view of the surrounding countryside from the top and the rural, empty countryside reminded me of home except the sound of the crickets and the warm wind! My time in the jungle is very quickly coming to an end.  Tomorrow I head back to Lima which is a million miles from the exotic, tropical peace and quiet I've got used to over the past week but strangely, going back to Lima feels like I'm going home.

A trip to the jungle (Part 1)

I'm afraid I've got very behind with keeping up to date on what's been happening in the land of the llamas.  I wrote this awhile ago but never published it so here is my news from the jungle.


I've just come back from a week long trip to the Peruvian amazon! We had a week's school holiday and I decided I had to get away from the traffic and busyness of Lima and see some more of the beautiful and fascinating country in which I am staying for just a little while longer.  On Saturday morning I left behind the city of Lima with all its familiarity and chaos and headed into the jungle!

Beautiful banks of the Mayo river

The journey didn't go too well at first.  I arrived in Tarapoto 4 hours later than expected because of "adverse weather conditions" in the area.  It turns out it was only raining heavily but the small plane we were on couldn't cope with landing on a wet run-way and so we had to wait out the thunderstorm in Lima.  After a few hours in the Lima airport, with pretty fierce air conditioning, I was a bit cold, fed up and very thankful that the rain never causes flight problems in Scotland or we'd never get off the ground!


Eventually I did arrive in Tarapoto and was met at the airport by my friend Megan who has been working in a school in Moyobamba since February.  It was lovely to see her again and I was glad the journey was almost over.  We got on a little mototaxi which took us to a taxi station where we got a taxi to Moyobamba which is about 2.5 hours from Tarapoto further into the jungle.  En route we passed some beautiful scenery: tall mountains covered with all kinds and colours of trees and flowers and tall waterfalls cascading over cliff edges surrounded by palm trees.  We passed through many little indigenous villages where the people live a very simple life side by side with their animals and as we arrived on the outskirts of the town of Moyobamba the sun set in a spectacular burst of red and yellow over the Peruvian amazon.  The trip promised to be an unforgettable experience!

Sunday

Traditional dancing

Megan took me along to her church in the district of Lluyllucucha (yep that really is how it's spelt!) The service was a special service for Mother's Day which in Peru is on the second Sunday in May.  Everyone was very friendly and the service was interesting to say the least! It involved tradition dancing from the selva (jungle), tambourines, lots of poems for the mothers and sandwiches, cakes and exotic fruit juice. The church doesn't have its own building so they meet in someone's house.  The room has no walls and the metal roof causes a lot of noise when it rains but luckily on Sunday it was a beautiful tropical summer day. The poor minister had to compete for attention with a very vocal cockerel who kept threatening to make a dash through the room and half way through the service a cat wandered right past him.  There was a beautiful colourful parrot next door who was thankfully well behaved although I'm told he quite liked to be the centre of attention too. All in all I think I can safely say it was a unique church service!  We went home to a lunch of mince and tatties followed by apple crumble - a little taste of Scotland in the amazon.

Monday 

Today I went to school with Megan.  Megan is working as a volunteer in a christian school called Annie Soper which was founded by an English missionary called Annie Soper.  The school is much smaller than Colegio San Andres, where I work, and much more basic but the children are lovely.  They welcomed me with plenty of hugs and kisses and endless questions.  They seemed to be a bit confused as to who I was and although both myself and Megan explained I was her friend from Scotland they still couldn't believe I wasn't her sister.  The morning passed very quickly. The school, like most in the jungle, starts at 7 am till 1pm to make the most of the cooler morning temperatures.  We headed to Megan's house for lunch where I met her lovely hostess Yolanda a very motherly lady who made us a typical jungle lunch of lentils, pork and rice.

Tuesday 

Kinder class in Annie Soper

This morning I stayed at home while Megan set off early for school again.  I made the most of having the house to myself to tidy up and catch up on my sleep.  I woke about 8 am to find someone looking in my bedroom window! I got quite a fright but the lady just cheerfully said "Good morning" and carried on her way.  Peruvians in general don't have the same idea of privacy or personal space as we do in Europe which is not always a bad things. They are far more outgoing and warm and that is something I really appreciate living here in Peru although I did make a mental note to close the curtains tonight!


In the afternoon we headed to our sewing class that we've got involved in a bit by accident really.  Last night we went to have ice cream with a teacher from the school and she took us to visit a friend who holds a sewing class in her house. Well, we were persuaded to stay for dinner and before we knew it we were sewing dolls too! So this afternoon, we went back to do some more sewing at Paula's house before being treated to a lovely dinner by one of the teachers at the school.  Pilar is the primary English teacher in Annie Soper and a lovely lady.  She has a cute little 6 year old boy called Jacob who's favourite phrase in English seems to be "I love you!"  Pilar made us "lomo saltado" which is my favourite Peruvian dish.  It's made with strips of beef, tomato, onions and basil mixed with rice and chips! Delicious!

Dinner with Pilar and Jacob

Happy Mother's Day

1st grade sailors

Today we had a big celebration in school all in the aid of Mother's Day which is the second Sunday in May here in Peru.  Peruvians seem to love any excuse for a party or celebration - this is one of the things I really love about the people of Peru.  
Mother's day is no exception!  Its a huge event here which starts days before the actual day on which its celebrated.  We had no classes at all yesterday as the children put on a performance for their mothers who had all come to watch.  
Each class had prepared something to perform from the little 1st graders right up to the the 16 year olds 

6th grade in their traditional Andean constumes

getting ready to leave school this year.  I only saw the primary performance but that really was enough for me! There was plenty of singing, dancing from traditional to modern and poetry.  All the children performed very well and looked so cute in their costumes.  The little 1st graders in their sailor suits were especially angelic looking and the 6th graders who performed a traditional dance from the Sierra region of Peru looked fantastic in their brightly coloured traditional costumes.  But one performance really stood out from the others.  A little girl in 5th grade and her partner danced a dance known as the national dance of Peru.  The "Marinera" is a dance which comes from the coastal area of Peru and is a fast paced and exciting to watch.  They both danced wonderfully and it was a pleasure to watch their performance.  For me it was another reminder of how different my culture is and the culture I am getting to know.  I miss many things about Scotland but I am reminded everyday how fortunate I am to be here in Peru amongst a people whose traditions and culture are very different to my own but equally as vibrant and exciting.

We have a week off this coming week and tomorrow morning I head off to Tarapoto and then onwards to Moyobamba in the jungle! I am very excited since this will be my first glimpse of the Amazon rainforest! I'm told Moyobamba is a beautiful place full of beautiful green palm trees and brightly coloured flowers.  More than anything I am really looking forward to escaping the traffic and noise of Lima.

The Marinera Nortena

A feast: Peruvian style

Yesterday was a national holiday and so we got a day off from school.  It was all in aid of "Dia del Trabajador" or the day of the worker which is a little ironic really but I certainly wasn't complaining! Myself and another two English teachers from the school decided to head into Miraflores for a relaxing lunch and to taste some of the local delicacies.  We headed to a restaurant in Larcomar, top tourist destination in Lima, where you can get just about any type of food that you might want but I had a specific type of thing in mind.  I've been in Peru now nearly 4 months but hadn't tried one of the Peruvian national dishes: ceviche.  Ceviche is raw fish marinated in lemon juice and served with choclo (giant corn) sweet potatoes and onions.  I have to admit that it doesn't sound awfully appetising but I fancied at least trying it.

Ceviche: one of Peru's national dishes

We decided on a restaurant on the cliff side with a wonderful view across the Pacific ocean.  I was pretty nervous about my raw fish lunch (I'd heard lots of horror stories of terrible food poisoning people had got from ceviche) but I knew I would be dissappointed to go hoem without trying it.  I only asked for a tiny bit, worried that I wouldn't be able to swallow it.  I sat there looking at it for quite a while before eventually plucking up the courage to put into my mouth and swallow it.  Once I got over the idea of chwing on a pirce of raw fish, I realised that it was actually quite nice!  Raw fish isn't something I'm used to but ceviche is very light with a mild taste of fish and a stronger taste of lemon.  I'm not sure if I'd have it again but I am glad I tried it.  It's certainly not as bad as I expected.

Sun, sports and swimming

1st Grade three-legged race

We've had a lot of sports competitions in school in the past few weeks since we are now in autumn here and the weather is a little cooler and better for sports competitions and such like.  Every child in the school is put in a "house" of which there are four and they compete in their house teams for the rest of their time in the school.  There is often a lot of fierce competition particularly at sports events and the primary gymkana two weeks ago was no exception! 


So on Tuesday morning, all the kids doned their sports kits and the teachers their hats and suncream and we took to the patio in the middle of the school for some very competitive games.  There was a three-legged race, an obstacle course, relay races and some crazy games involving giant red balls and balloons!  Everyone had a great time and although unfortunately my house (Macgregor) lost quite badly we all tried not to take it too seriously and we certainly all enjoyed a day free from lessons!

I never did figure out the aim of this game

Last week the competitions carried on with the Interhouse swimming gala.  We all set off in a convoy of coaches from the school at 9am to a pool in Barranco - the bohemian heart of Lima (so I'm told anyway although I can't remember seeing any artists or musicians around).  The children spent the day competing in races to win points for their house and the teachers spent the time cheering wildly for our own teams.  After the races the children had a few hours to splash around in the pool and the teachers got competitive with bottles of water - the aim of the game was to sneak up on someone and pour as much of the bottle of water down the back of their t-shirt before they had time to turn around and get you back!  The fun and games ended with the P.E teacher, Miss Erika, who was particularly good at dousing people in freezing water, being dumped in the swimming pool, clothes and all much to the delight of the childen!  

Not my photo (courtesy the music
 teacher but great glasses! 

Another celebration in the school (Peruvians like parties!) was on Friday - Dia de las Americas or Americas day.  The 14th of April is the day when the countries of central and south america celebrate peace and unity between them and remember their pledge to help and support one another.  Its a great day of carnivals and celebrations and a chance to put the dark past of many of these countries behind them and look to a brighter future.


Every class in primary decorated a flag from one of the countries latin american countries and we had a special assembly with a presentation about each country and its culture.  One of the pupils in the school is a national competior in the folk dancing competition and she treated us to a brief demostration of a Peruvian folk dance called "la marinera" which is known as the national dance of Peru!   We then sang the "Himno de las Americas" (Anthem of the Americas) while the children all waved their flags and then we all marched around the patio in the middle of the school to the anthem banging our drums and cymbals.  It was a lovely day and enjoyed by all.

The Shanty Towns of Lima

Just after we came back from Cuzco, I had the chance to accompany a school group from 5th year secondary to a shanty town on the outskirts of Lima called Pachacutec.  The shanty town was named after the Inca warrior Pachuacutec and it is one of the newest shanty towns in Lima although it is certainly not the only one.  In fact up to half the population of Lima lives in the many shanty towns in the desert that surrounds the city.  Many of the people that live in these areas do so because they have arrived as refugees from the countryside of Peru because of terrorism, natural disasters or war or have arrived in the hope of finding a job and escaping the poverty they lived in in the provinces.  Unfortunately, the dream of a better life in Lima is all too often just a dream and the majority of those who arrive end up living in the shanty towns: many in extreme poverty.

The shanty town of Pachacutec

The community of Pachacutec is estimated to be around 250,000 people and is growing all the time as more and more people arrive.  There is often no space to build more houses so wooden houses are built on the sides of steep sand dunes or further and further out into the inhospitable desert.  Although the majority have electricity (70%) there is very little water or sewage services.  Usually water is brought into the shanty town a few times a week by a big lorry and the sewage is buried on the outskirts of the town.  The town is made of poorly constructed shacks made of anything that can be used to make walls and a roof: cardboard, corrugate iron, plastic sheeting and wood.  Because of the extreme poverty in which the people live, crime and drug abuse is rampant as well as other social problems like domestic abuse, high infant mortality and teenage pregnancy.

No roads and very little electricity or clean water

Every year a group of senior pupils from the school go out to Pachacutec to bring luxuries that many families cannot afford such as school books, pens and pencils for the children and warm clothes and shoes for the winter.  This time we brought school equipment for the children in the small Sunday School.  Through the hard work of some missionaries, there is a small but growing church and Sunday school in Pachacutec.  


To get to Pachacutec we had to cross the city of Lima which, with all the traffic, was a bit of a difficult experience.  Eventually we reached the outskirts of the city and the shanty towns.  Often there was no road just a dirt track and so the going was slow and bumpy!  We drove along the dusty track through the shanty towns passing wooden shacks and dodging stray dogs.  Finally, we arrived outside the small wooden church where the Sunday School children were waiting for us.  As soon as the bus came within sight the children ran out to meet us, waving and shouting hello, desperate to see what we'd brought them.  It was a very humbling experience.

The Sunday School children of Pachacutec

Some of the San Andres pupils played organised games with the children for a little while before handing out  school books, notebooks, pens, pencils and other stationary to each child.  I was so humbled to see how happy the children were with so little.  Since the building was full, I was standing outside and I got talking to a little boy beside me called Aaron.  He told me he was 9 and lived in Pachacutec with his brothers and mother.  The family didn't have much money and although he went to school, he didn't have any books or anything to write with.  He wasn't part of the Sunday School and asked me if he would still get something.  I had to admit that we'd only brought enough for the children of the Sunday school and he looked so sad and hopeless.  After we'd finished giving our gifts to the Sunday school there were some left overs and Aaron did get his books too.  He was so grateful and wanted a photo with his prizes.  It brought tears to my eyes to see such genuine gratefulness for so little.


Our time at Pachacutec came to an end too fast and all too soon we were back in the bus and heading back along the bumpy, dusty track to Lima.  I couldn't help thinking that I was the lucky one escaping back to my idea of civilisation where I had so many things these people had never seen: running water, a permanent and stable roof over my head and many of the other things that I take for granted all the time.  Those I'd met in Pachacutec didn't have the luxury of escaping their situations.  I will probably never realise just how fortunate I am but that day I saw a depth of poverty I'd never seen before and will never forget.  I learned so much from the experience but most of all I realised that what I have is not mine to hoard: it has been given to me as a blessing from our Heavenly Father to share with whoever might need it.  Around us is always someone is need, someone to whom we can stretch out a helping, loving hand.  

Just one of many sprawling shanty towns
which stretch as far as the eye can see

Land of the Incas - Machu Picchu

Aguas Calientes

The next step of our journey took us to Aguas Calientes - a stepping stone on to Machu Picchu.  We arrived in late at night in the dark and were met at the train station by our guide.  He took us on a mystery tour of this tiny town through narrow, windy streets and empty markets to our hotel for the night.  

We had just settled in when we heard a really loud roaring noise as if a tsunami was heading right for us! Mum opened the door to the balcony and in the light of the moon we could just make out a very swollen and fast running river right outside our door.  There had been a lot of rain and some flooding in the weeks before.  The noise was incredible and I was pretty glad I'd brought my ears plugs!

The next morning we were up before dawn and headed to the bus station where we boarded a bus heading up through the mountains to the lost city of the Incas - Machu Picchu. It had been my dream for a long time of someday visiting this ancient city high up in the Andes mountains so it was a very special day.  As the bus winded its way up through the trees and mist further into the mountains I had to pinch myself to make sure it wasn't all a dream!

Myself and Ruth above the Urubamba river

At the entrance to the site we met our tour guide, Ernesto, and we joined our tour group for our 2 hr guided tour of the city.  One of the most unforgettable moments of the trip was as we stood looking over the city, the thick blanket of mist swirling around the ruins began to lift and we caught our first glimpses of Machu Picchu! It was an amazing moment: one minute we stood in a white cloud, the next there the city was, spread out in front of us and far below us the deep ravine through which the Urubamba river flows all the way till it meets the mighty Amazon river!

Ernesto showed us the most important parts of the ancient city such as the temple of the sun (the Incas worshipped the sun and moon gods) and the temple of the three windows as well as where the rich nobles lived and where the ordinary folk lived.  Most of the ruins are made out of huge pieces of stone many weighing 3 or 4 tonnes! I could hardly believe that they dragged the enormous stones up the mountain from a quarry far below all by manpower. They built terraces to stop soil erosion and protect the city from earthquakes and they farmed yucca, potatoes and coca leaves.  Without a doubt the Incas were a very advanced race.  The disappearance of this civilisation only serves to preserve the mystery and fascination surrounding them.

Machu Picchu emerging from the mist

Ernesto explained that, because of the amount of work it took to build just one building, its no surprise that Machu Picchu is an unfinished city. Whatever made the Inca people flee their beautiful city we'll probably never know but their ruins allow us a glimpse into their life and culture many centuries later.  Some people think they left in a hurry because of the threat from the Spanish army that had destroyed other Inca cities: they wanted to wipe our their culture and race and replace it with their own. In leaving their homes behind the people of Machu Picchu protected a very precious part of their culture and because of their actions it is still there for us to explore today. (thank goodness for that!)

Ernesto explained that Machu Picchu lay abandoned for centuries till an American called Hiram Bingham stumbled upon it while looking for the lost city of the Incas - El Dorado - or Utopia.  He mistook Machu Picchu for the lost city and brought it to the attention of the world.  Well, if it was once lost, it is certainly lost no more! Even though we visited in the rainy season when there are supposed to be few tourists, it was pretty busy!

The narrow path above the ravine

After our tour ended, we had a few hours of free time to explore.  We watched the llamas and alpacas who live among the ruins, we took some photos of the city and sat taking in the amazing view.  Its really hard to explain how magnificent this place is.  Its somewhere you just have to see for yourself I think.  We then decided, on the advice of Ernesto, to walk to a bridge along a trail through the jungle that surrounds the city.  What he didn't tell us was that the track was a very narrow path clinging to the rock face thousand of feet above a deep ravine! yikes! It actually turned out to be a lovely walk. We saw butterflies and hummingbirds although we didn't cross the narrow bridge at the end of the path.

One of the few llamas living at the site

On our way back we heard thunder in the distance and saw dark clouds on the horizon and decided it was probably time to head back down to Aguas Calientes. We boarded the bus down the mountain and left Machu Picchu behind in the mists of history.  During a relaxing lunch in Aguas Calientes we watched the rain pour.  Boy were we glad we made it down on time!  The rain was actually a welcome sight for me since, living in Lima, I hadn't seen rain since I'd left Scotland 3 months ago.  This is something I thought I'd never say but its true, I miss the changeableness of the Scottish climate!

That afternoon we wandered through the markets buying some last minute souvenirs before catching the train that would eventually take us back to Cusco. So ended our day in Machu Picchu: one of the best experiences I've ever had and a day full of memories I know I will never forget.  I only wish I'd had had more time to hike the Inca trail from Cusco to Machu Picchu on foot.  Maybe next time...

Me above Machu Picchu - living a dream