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

Land of the Incas (Part 1)

Before I forget I thought I'd write down the experiences I had in Cuzco, the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu.  My mum and sister, after some persuasion, finally decided to visit Peru and we decided that since this was a once in a lifetime trip we'd visit as many of the must see sites of Peru.  I'd always dreamt of standing on a rock above the ancient Inca city of Machu Picchu looking down on the ruins of a city and a nation of which there is but a shadow now.  So we headed south of Lima to Cusco.

Cusco main plaza with the cathedral

Cusco was the site of the historic capital of the Inca Empire and was declared a World Heritage Site in 1983 by UNESCO.  The city lies at 11,200 ft above sea level.  As soon as we stepped off the plane and walked up the ramp into the airport we felt the effects of the high altitude.  Just walking at a quick pace left us pretty breathless and tired so, the first day we took the advice of our guide and took things easy.  We sipped mate de coca (coca leaf tea) which is supposed to be an excellent cure for all sorts of things including altitude sickness.  To be honest it tastes awful but it really does work.

Mate de coca

We spent the afternoon walking around the many market stalls of Cusco where you can buy all sorts of beautiful souvenirs and pretty coloured cloth and embroidery.  There are lots of street sellers in Cuzco selling everything from silver jewelery to puppies and chickens! Although this is quite a novelty at first,  it quickly becomes quite a nuisance because they do keep nagging on at you till you either manage to out run them or give in and buy something.  There are also ladies who wander around in traditional costume carrying all sorts of interesting things in a blanket on their back - I saw baby alpacas, lambs, babies and puppies.  I was silly enough to stop and start talking to one of these women when all of a sudden she plonked a lamb in my arms and out of nowhere her friends gathered round and demanded a photo.  The catch was that they expected payment and were not happy with a few coins!  They nearly cleared out my purse as I made a mental note never, ever to stand still long enough to attract their attention again.

A very scary experience

I'm writing this as I recover from a very scary experience we had this morning. On our way to school every morning myself, Diana and her son Daniel always take a taxi to beat the traffic and escape the very over crowded buses at rush hour in the centre of Lima. Today we did as we always do: we hailed a taxi in the street and, after negotiating a price with the driver, we got in.  On hindsight, as the taxi pulled up I did think it looked a bit old (even for a Peruvian taxi - which can be pretty ancient!) but being a bit of a novice when it comes to travel in Peru, I quickly forgot all about it. We got in and took off.

Diana gave directions and off we sped (literally) towards the school. We had only gone about 2 blocks when we came to a junction. Our driver, in typical Lima fashion, sped right on without stopping to check for on-coming traffic. All of a sudden another taxi, also speeding and not watching, came out of nowhere.  Everything happened in slow motion.  We were going too fast to stop and smashed head on into the side of the other taxi. Yikes!

There was a terrible couple of seconds afterwards of shocked silence.  Fortunately nobody was seriously hurt even though the taxi had no seat belts. Unfortunately, for the taxi driver his car was a bit of a wreck and had to be pushed off to the side of the road by some helpful bystanders, leaking fuel.  Sadly, with the loss of his car the driver also probably lost his livelihood.

We got out after a few minutes of shock and made to school a little late in a safer and slower taxi. We're all a bit sore and quite shaken up by what happened but more than anything we are thankful we weren't going any faster and that nobody was in the other taxi. Things could have been very different and much worse. For me it's woken me up to the dangers of the roads of Lima but most importantly I've seen God's protection and care in a very personal way. He promises that He is with us always and those who trust in Him will walk in safety, their feet shall not stumble and they shall not fall. (Proverbs 3:23/24). 

 I don't mean to scare senseless anyone thinking of visiting Lima because in all the time I've spent here I've never seen an accident till now.  We happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and these things happen but I've also learned my lesson: it pays to be vigilant and careful when out and about in Lima. Thanks be to God that He is ultimately in control of whatever happens to us.

Not my photo but definitely captures the chaos of Lima's traffic

                                                                                        

A tempremental relationship

I wrote this entry a while ago but never posted it. So here goes, the saga of myself and the shower and our rather difficult relationship. 


I write this as I warm up from yet another freezing cold shower. This has been an everyday day situation since I arrived. Try as I might I can't fix it! It doesn't seem to matter which knobs I turn or buttons I press, it's always cold, colder or freezing! The funniest thing is that Diana can get it to stay hot for at least a little while but when I try, it stubbornly refuses to comply.  I'm really not amused by its tricks.  I don't know if a lack of hot water is common in Lima or if perhaps my shower has a particularly malicious streak (I'm thinking the latter).

I don't mean to sound like I'm complaining though, I do have a lot to be thankful for: running water, a warm bed at night, a safe place to stay and food on the table. I've seen many, many people here who don't have these things. Being in Peru is teaching me some important lessons in what I think I need and what I can do without. Turns out a cold shower is bearable. All the same, every night I secretly hope someone has been in in the middle of the night and fixed the shower. Alas no such luck yet anyway. I guess a refreshingly chilly shower each night is just what I deserve if I've spent the day complaining about the heat though!

In fact its not just the shower I can't figure out. I'm not doing all that well with any of the bathroom applicances. I was very helpfully told by Megan at the beginning of my stay in Lima that you can't flush toilet paper down the toilets here: it all goes in a little plastic bin beside the toilet. Well, you can imagine what that must be like. I found this a little hard to believe at first so I played the ignorant foreigner and flushed it all away. I was quite pleased with myself when this worked fine at least the first couple of times. But, my success was short lived and I ended up very narrowly avoiding a flooded bathroom. Turns out the unspoken rule about the toilet paper is actually there for a very good reason. No more toilet paper down the toilet then...

My problems don't end there though! You can't drink the tap water here in Peru at all - I'm told it harbours some nasty bugs and to stick to boiled or bottled water, which I do (when I remember). But, I'm so used to brushing my teeth with tap water at home that I often catch myself just in the nick of time before rinsing my toothbrush. This is a particular problem in the morning when I stagger into the bathroom in zombie mode to brush my teeth and accidently turn on the tap and get stuck in only to realise in panic what I'm doing. I've done this a few times now and spent the rest of the day watching out for signs of some deadly disease, convinced I've probably poisoned myself! So far I'm happy to report I'm still alive and trying very hard to steer clear of the tap water, not flush toilet paper and not complain about the shower :)

Two special girls

This week I've been very lucky indeed.  I've had the chance to go to not one but two birthday parties!  The Arevalo family with whom I stayed for my first two weeks in Lima have two little girls and both had birthdays this past week.  So that meant plenty of cake, Inca cola (Peru's national drink) and endless cups of tea with Charmian who is British and understands the need for a cup of tetleys from time to time.  

Emily turned 8 on Tuesday and Little Franchie was 4 yesterday.  We had a party for each of them with all the extended family and I was privileged to be invited along.  We played the usual party games and just had a lovely time together.  It made me realise how fast time is passing.  I can very clearly remember being 8 years old and although it only feels like a year or two ago, it's times like these that remind me that it was a long while ago now.  Coming to Peru wasn't even a distant dream back then yet here I am!

Black forest cake known as "torta de la selva"
jungle cake in Peru

Birthday girl no. 1

Birthday girl no. 2

       

 Princess cake for Franchie

School is going very well and I'm kept nice and busy.  Everyone is now settling into a routine there even me.  I spend most of my time with 1st and 2nd grade which I love because the kids are so affectionate and make such an effort to learn.  I still get many questions a day about where I'm from! The Scottish tourist board should be paying me for promoting Scotland!  There's a little fellow in 1st grade who's favourite phrase is "but why?" and likes to repeat everything you say.  Our conversations go something along the lines of: 

Me (waving our two english puppets about) : Ok class I have two friends here... 

Moses (jumping out of his seat) : No you don't have 2 friends!

Me: Well, no but I do here with me just now.

Moses: No there's not two!

Me (trying to be patient) : Um...yep Moses there is. Now...

Moses (jumping out of his seat again) : But why?

Me: Moses please stop asking questions and let's do some work.

Moses (gravely serious) : But you don't have two friends you must have more than that!

Me (defeated) : Ok, ok! Lets just pretend I've only got two then.

Moses (rolls his eyes): Oh no!! Not pretending!

I'm the first to give up on this kind of conversation.  He has something to say about most things.  He is such an inquisitive little thing but he wears myself and Vanessa (the teacher) out.  He is so so cute and I guess its not a bad thing to ask questions...just not all the time!

I've had some exciting news this week.  Firstly one of my very close friends from school is getting married soon after I come home from abroad and has asked me to be a bridesmaid! It'll be my first time and I'm quite excited although slightly worried about fitting into my dress with all the nice food there is here.

Also, my mum and sister have finally taken the plunge, after much persuasion, and are coming out to visit me here in Peru.  They arrive on Saturday night!  I can't wait to show them the country that has slowly been becoming home to me over the past few weeks.  The school have very generously given me time off to spend with them and we hope to visit Cusco, Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley.  I'm especially looking forward to spending time with them since home and family seem very far away when there's 6000 miles and the Atlantic Ocean separating you!  Our time is precious.  Most of all, I'm looking forward to their reactions to life in Peru and all the differences there are.  I'm sure there will be plenty of hilarity and chaos as I try to translate and they adjust to life in a country that seems to know nothing about health and safety or a nice cuppa.

A day at the beach

I'm afraid I've started to get behind on writing this blog already!  A lot has happened in the last week or so since I last posted so I thought I'd better get jotting it down.  


Firstly, I had the chance to see a little more of Lima last week.  Ruth Bailey offered to take me into the centre of the city.  The photos I took just don't do it justice! The city centre is really very beautiful and quite different to the rest of the city. The buildings are very European looking - a legacy left behind by the spanish conquistadores.  Apparently Lima used to be called 'The City of Kings' (La ciudad de los Reyes) and something of its former luxury is still evident today.  We spent a lovely morning visiting some of the tourist sights and I have to admit it was nice to see other tourists and feel you aren't the only foreigner in the city.  We wandered down to the ocean side at Larcomar for lunch.  I was quite glad to get out of the school for a little while since the heat is unbearable at the moment and zaps sll your energy.

The centre of Lima

On Tuesday the whole school staff were treated to a day trip in Kawai, a christian beach site about 2 hours south of Lima.  We left the school at 7 am and spent the day on the beach enjoying the hot weather and peace and quiet.  It was my first time out of Lima since I arrived so I was really excited at the prospect of seeing a little bit of the real Peru.  Lima is the 2nd biggest desert city in the world so when you get out of the city everything is very dry, dusty and barren.  Pretty much nothing grows unless it is near a little oasis of water of which there are very few!  The landscape was strikingly different to the cityscape I'd got used to.  After spending all day at the beach we headed back to the city again and I began to notice all the places I'd forgotten to put suncream (doh I never learn!) 

Kawai

Desert scenery outside Lima

The biggest event this past week has been the start of the new school year after the Christmas holidays.  On Thursday morning it seemed that the whole of Lima was on the move as thousands of school children, all smartly dressed in their school uniforms, headed towards schools all over the city.  At San Andres we start at 7.30am so at 7.15am I was at the school gates to help with organising the children into classes (no easy task when there's nearly 750 children in the school!)  The school day is a long one - from 7.30 am till 3.15pm and quite exhausting when you're not used to it.  I will be helping out with the youngest primary classes aged between 5-7 yrs and I've already had the chance to meet a lot of the children over the past few days.  The kids are really sweet and very affectionate and many already speak quite good english.  I feel really happy in the school and as if its where God intended me to be.

Sn Andres is a really noisy place, constantly full of activity and there's a lovely friendly atmosphere; the feeling that it is a really happy place.  I think the children think of me as a bit of a foreigner though despite my attempts not to stick out too much.  A little girl asked me yesterday "Miss, why are you so white?".  Well I launched into an explanation of where I'm from and all that but she was not to be put off "But Miss you're really, really white. You must be from somewhere very, very far away!" (as she stared in wonder at my pale and pasty arms) I have to admit I felt a little like I'd just come down in a spaceship from Mars at this point and vowed to myself I'd getting working on my tan soon...For some of these children its the first time they've ever seen a foreigner so different to themselves and I love how inquisitive they are.

In school assembly, which they have everyday here, we sing hymns and psalms as well as the Peruvian anthem and the school anthem.  I was put to shame by 6 year olds today who knew the songs far better than I did and who sung them with such gusto and obvious delight.   I really will have to learn the Peruvian anthem for next week's assemblies! That will be my homework this weekend.

Well, I have so many stories to tell from school but since its only the first few days and I will doubtless have many more to tell, I'll leave it at that just now.  I will add some photos of the school very soon.

Colegio San Andres