Since today is Halloween, I suppose it would be fitting to tell a scary story. The macabre spirit has taken over in Peru as well as the States, judging by the fake spider webs and black and orange decorations draping the store fronts. Tomorrow is an even bigger holiday here: The Day of the Dead (or All Saint’s Day, as Sister Jackie likes to correct us). So dear readers, sit back, grab a bowl of candy corn, and enjoy the […]
When I first heard I’d be working with four-year-olds for five weeks, I was secretly horrified. I do like kids, in a very vague, conditional way. I like them for limited and quantifiable periods of time; I like them if I don’t have to discipline them; I like them if they are already potty-trained and quiet. I have no experience with dealing with more than a few at a time, let alone 30 of them. Unsurprisingly, my first few weeks […]
Categories: Children, Peru, Volunteerism
An image-heavy post for the champagne of Lima. My weekdays may be filled with snips and snails and puppy-dog tails, but it’s not all work and no play for us volunteers in Lima. One of our favorite areas to explore and indulge is Miraflores, an upscale district on the coast of Lima. Miraflores is well-groomed and tourist-friendly. There are walking and jogging paths, fountains, statues, parks, cafes, bars, theaters, shops, surfers, paragliders, skaters, and more. It’s a sharp contrast to […]
Today I joined in on home-visits of five elderly residents of Villa El Salvador with Sister Jackie, an American-born nun who has been living and serving in Villa for the past thirty years. Benedicta, Juana, Domingo, Irene, Urbelina. All are regulars at Martincitos, a community center for the elderly that provides meals, activity, and an extended family of sorts. It’s a place that is heavy with love– the “love thy neighbor” kind of love– done very well. We drove through […]
Categories: Community Development, Peru, Volunteerism
Daily walks from the classroom to the dining hall with the four year-old students at my volunteer placement really should be enjoyable. The kids couldn’t be more adorable, with their shiny black hair and dimpled smiles. The weather is lovely and the school grounds are charming. But as these cherubs stroll along the fence of the vegetable garden, they have only one dark goal in mind. Their eyes pass over every leaf and under every rock, despite my pleas to […]
Categories: Children, Peru, Volunteerism
A question I received a lot prior to leaving for Peru was “what are your expectations?” I could answer the question in very general terms (“immersion”, “wonder”, “discovery”) but in reality I had no idea what I would see and experience. My first few days in the country have affirmed that… with a strong underline beneath no idea. Lima, like any large city, is incredibly diverse and varied. There are thirty districts, each with its own personality. San Borja, the […]
