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Yesterday was a very sad day for me!!!! It was my day working with the children and the volunteers in my group. Before the work day started, a domestic worker, named Carmen, gave Emma and I a pair of red and black earrings. I though that was extremely generous of her; she really felt that we were friends and people worth deserving gifts from her. I felt truly honored to know that I had touched someone. She also promises to write us just so we can keep in touch. When the work day started, I saw on the list that I was given more responsibility. I got to prepare the porta cubiertos activity, and I got to help with the lunch rounds. During those moments, I truly felt more involved because I ¨knew what I was doing.¨ During lunch, I showed the kids pictures of my family and friends. They thoroughly enjoyed the photos and kept asking questions. One interesting observation that I realized that people in Peru have a different perspective on skin color. My mother and sister are ligh-skinned, and when the kids saw a picture of them, they thought that they were white because they were not muy skin-toned. From this event, one can see that being ¨black¨ is actually having dark skin. In America, I feel like we characterize people not only by their skin color but by their features. What makes a person ¨black¨ in America is that fact that they might have big nose and full lips, even if the person is light-skinned. I find these differences extremely interesting, and it would be cool to see a research done on the different perspections of skin colors around the world (their is probably one done).
After lunch, we continued with the activities, and then, we went to the park and played a game. After the game, the volunteers annouced that Sunday was my last day with the children. The children were sad because we had gotten so close. We spent the last fifteen minutes taking pictures, talking, and hugging. I gave a few of them my e-mail address, but I do not think they actually have e-mail. When the kids got on the bus, I kept waving at them, and they smiled and waved back. I know that I will never forget these kids; they are such great people, and I will always miss them!!!
Today was our last sunday and I´m suprised at all the emotion the day has brought. The children were extra wonderful today. One boy, Deivid, (yes, it´s spelled that way to make the pronounciation more like the American David) age 8, came in a little late,and was very shy because, as he told me, he didn´t usually come with this group. At first, he kept his head down, not saying anything. Things went really smoothly in the morning - I tried to make sure to include Deivid as much as I could and I think that made an impression on a bunch of the boys because for the first time they (boys) reached for my hand when walking or wanted to sit with me. Generally the boys don´t look for affection in such obvious ways (having been socialized that way), but today was different.
We had a half hour for the children to write a letter to La Casa de Panchita and Deivid´s was great. I wish I could remember it word for word but basically he said this:
Dear Panchita,
Today when I came I was very shy because I did not know the kids or the professors. The new people made me red (¨"me ponen rojito" - for those who can appreciate that endearing phrase). Really I´d prefer to be in the street because in the street I can do whatever I want and play all the time. But I do like the food here and the games are fun.
with love, Deivid
There was more and it was better but that´s more or less what he wrote. In the afternoon, after lunch we went to the park as usual but everyone was feeling tired so for the last 10 minutes we all sat in the grass. I was surrounded by a few of the children: Cintia, Teodora, Deisi (Daisy), Jesús and a really sweet kid named Dario, with Deivid, not quite over his shyness, leaning against my back. They asked me to sing for them because they had heard of the workshop we did on American music so I told them that they had to sing for me first. They started and a bunch of others joined in. Later I sang just a little bit of "Yorkshire girl" (for those few who know that) for them. I wonder if I was somehow exhuding a need to be filled by them today, because this group (some of whom had accidentally come before) did just that. They filled me up with so much sweetness and cute little kid stuff that I think it will last me for a while. At the end of the day Beto made the announcement that this would be my last day and suddenly I was giving out my e-mail address to half a dozen kids who don´t use the internet. I don´t expect to hear from them, unless they take my advice and write to me via La Casa de Panchita, but maybe they´ll find the paper and remember me.
After the kids had left the people from my group, Beto, Edith, Carlos, Iris and Elena and I all sat down and had some soda and crackers while being very leisurely about our evaluation of the day. They ended up by going around and saying some really nice things to me about my work. They were all so great. I tried to let them know how much I appreciated them but couldn´t put the words together right. Soon I will write them each an e-mail to let them know.
So tomorrow is the last day and we have lots of last minute work to do. Sorry this was sappy, but the day was sappy and I´m only recording. See you all soon.
Emma
After lunch we went to visit Beatriz, an ex-domestic worker who was fired without pension when she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. She´s now living in a nursing home on the charity of the workers and volunteers in La Casa de Panchita. Beatriz herself does not look like a cancer patient - she´s healthy and relatively active, walking around the grounds with her friends and going to church regularly. She took us around to meet several of her friends. The first one we met was 96 years old and shockingly lively. She sat on the bed during our visit but cracked several witty jokes and was generally healthy. After visiting a second friend, who we left to take a nap, I was stopped by a woman in the hall. We had been saying "buenas tardes" to everyone we met because it is clear that so many of the people in the home have stopped receiving visiters and as we left the room of the second friend I said it to an old woman passing by. She stopped me, pointing at her door and I opened it for her. She took the opportunity to tell me that people were talking about her and it was making her sicker. She seemed so genuinely upset that I didn´t know what to do. She started listing her ailments, even having me feel her back where there was pain. She was blind in one eye and couldn´t hear very well at all. She said she didn´t know why she was still here. There was nothing I could say to her and nothing I could give, but I just listened for a few minutes. When she stopped talking I told her I needed to go, but that I was really sorry. I had nothing better to say, but it seems like she appreciated the chance to talk.
The rest of our trip was relatively uneventful. We met a third friend of Beatriz´s who, at 84, seems incredibly healthy in body and mind with the exception of her arthritic hands. She had already been there 11 years. We then walked with Beatriz in the park right outside the complex. She and I talked a bit - she wanted to know if I was going to get married soon but then agreeing that I should wait until I had finished my studies. She talked only a little bit about her life, telling me she hadn´t had the time to have a family. According to one of the women at La Casa Beatriz had worked for the family that fired her for a long time, devoting herself to them. She seems to healthy now and I hope she keeps it up. I think it´s amazing what La Casa de Panchita is doing for her. They visit her weekly at least and provide her with as much as they can, all on the money given freely by those who work there, because as an organization they can´t legally give her money. She´s living comfortably and seems content enough, though she said she´s not used to living at that complex and would leave if her health would allow it. With cancer I think sickness can happen quickly, but she seems healthy enough now and I hope she lasts a while longer.
On Thursday, Emma, Emily, and I went to visit Beatriz. As I stated earlier in one of my entries, Beatrix was once a domestic workers who went to La Casa de Panchita. She now has terminal cancer and has now way of efficiently obtaining money and buying all of her neccesities. La Casa de Panchita has a box where people can donate food and money for Beatriz. When we visited Beatriz, she appeared in good shape for a person who had terminal cancer. One could not tell that she was sick at all. She was sok pleased to have visitors; she also introduced us to more of her friends. They were all really funny and young at heart. One lady we met was 96, and she had the greatest sense of humor!!!!
More background on Beatriz:
Beatriz is around her sixities and is on medication for her illness. The doctors really do not provide her with enough care and attention. Also, she does her food in the dinning hall because people shout at her, and she feels disrespected. She usually eats in her room. On Sunday, Emma and I are going to donate milk to give to her. Emma actually spent a lot of time talk to Beatriz so she will definitely have more to share with you in her journal. Since I have met Beatriz, I have been constantly contemplating about life. Beatriz has terminal cancer, and yet, she is enjoying every moment of life. She has made me realize how valuable life is and how fast time flies. Not too long ago, I landed in Lima, Peru, not knowing what to expect. And now I am getting ready to leave in four days, and I have gained a better appreciation of life and the people around me. I have met soo many wonderful people in Peru, especially at La Casa de Panchita. I am definitely not ready to leave!!! However, I am going to take what I have learned here and treasure it always. I have two more days left at La Casa de Panchita. Sunday, I will be working with the children all day. On Monday, I will meet with Agota and Saija to disscuss all of my Englsih lectures. Then, I am going to have a meeting with Johana, Blanca, Agota, and Ignacio to discuss what I have learned and accomplished at La Casa de Panchita. I promise to give an update soon!
¡Hasta Luego!
This morning, though, we did have a nice change of scene. We went with a group of children from Las Pamplonas to a exibit on robots. It was an interesting exibit, though at first it sounded a little strange - the idea was the show children how recycled items were used to make robots. We went through the small exibit looking at various ¨robots¨made from various recyled things (old CD players, cell phone vibrators) and then we went to make our own robots. With two styrofome cups, a small motor, a lot of tape and three markers we made robots that drew circles all by themselves.
The children loved it. It was great for them to be working hands on with something so cool. Even the most jaded adolescent boy couldn´t help but love it. The best part about it is that they got to bring their creations home. Making something and being able to claim it and remember it is very empowering for anyone but they need the empowering. This past week I´ve been finishing up the two books given to us by Johana and writing the required reports. These books are about the program we are involved in with the children and by reading them and writing about them I´ve really been getting a better idea about the lives of the children we work with. So many of them are working almost full time (especially since they don´t have school right now). It´s hard to put the image of a child worker together with the faces I saw today, full of excitement. With the adolescents, however, I am able to see it more. I got to spend time today with some girls in Jessica´s sunday group and I see a reserved shyness in too many of them to be a part of their natures. But that´s what La Casa de Panchita is about, reminding these girls (and boys) and women (and even men) that they are not actually subservient but are people with rights to opinions and voices.
So now we´re finishing up the week (sunday- thursday is our schedual) but I want to hold on to time and slow it down. I´m not yet ready to leave La Casa de Panchita or Peru.
Today, I helped my group prepare portacubiertos, which consisted three cones glued together so you can put your silverware in them. I also helped organize the files of the children that come on Sunday. Right now, I am typing up my reports on the two books that I have to read. I just finished doing an ïnforme¨ on this previous Sunday group. I had to type up my observations and reactions and send them to my Sunday leader, Johana Reyes. Also, tomorrow, Emma, Emily, and I are going to an exhibition with 30 kids on Wednesday and Thursday; the exhibition will discuss the importance of recycling.
Well, this is all I have for now. I know it is a bit boring, but hopefully tomorrow I will have something more interesting to say!!!
¡Hasta Luego!
Three domingos (sundays) down and we only have one more to go! It´s making me pretty sad actually. I´m really enjoying living in Lima and for a short time being a part of this enormous city. (For those of you who don´t know, Lima has 9 million people. That´s 1 million more people than New York City. Unlike New York, however, very few housing buildings are more than two stories high, so you can imagine the difference, Lima has an incredible spread.)
Yesterday the children were a whole lot easier than the week before (I think that was inevitable). Children will be children though and it was a tiring day. One really nice thing that´s happening though is that I´m starting to get to the point of comfort with my coworkers that we can really have a good time together. We can joke together and have a good time, but I also spent about 15 minutes explaining to Carlos the difference between Republicans and Democrats. They´ll be good people to keep in touch with after I leave.
Sorry this is short, but we have a meeting in a few minutes. I´ve been working on trying to get some pictures up. I have them in my livejournal gallery, but I don´t know how to get them onto the livejournal itself, so I´m just going to give you all a link to the gallery.
http://pics.livejournal.com/jeinperu/gal
Let me know if it doesn´t work.
Hasta luego
After the play. Emma, Emily, and I had to make a presentation about the United States. We talked the differences from the North and South, specifically New York and Tennessee. Then, we talked about the different genres of music. I talked about hip-hop, Emma talked about folk, and Emily talked about country. We also played a bit of each genre and explained what each song was talking abou; everyone really enjoyed it. We also did a bit of dancing for them too!!!
Today, I am going to finish reading the two required books that I have been talking about and begin writing my paper. I also have some translation to do for Blanca. We are also visting a high school today, so I will post an entry about experience and observations there. I am so excited, and I can not wait to meet the students!
¡Hasta Luego!
The most memorable experience this week was going to Las Pampolonas with volunteer leader, Johana. This was a very eye-opening experience,and the level of poverty remind me of Jamaica. The majority of the children who go to La Casa are from Las Pampolonas, one of the most poorest towns in Peru. The roads are not paved, and the houses are constructed out of various materials like wood and metal scrapes. Basically, whatever the people can find to build a merely sustainable home has to work. Las Pampolonas sits on a massive hill with thousands of houses and people living inside them. The level of poverty is clearly visible and not easy to forget. Despite the level of poverty, there still exists a community--a community that welcomes its arms to outsiders. When we went with Johana, we got to visit some of the children from Las Pampolonas that come to La Casa. The teenaged'girls we very nice and open. On our first visit, the girl let us in and talked. She was very sweet and talked to everyone. On our second visit, we met a girl around 14 years old. She has four brothers and sisters, and her mother does not know how to read and write. Her farther does not live with them, and thus, she is one of the main financial supporters. However, she does attend school, which is great. When we came to visit, she seemed a bit nervous. I did not it if was because she was a little embrassed about her lifestyle, or maybe she did not expect so many visitors. She remind at the door while she talked to us and made sure that her brothers and sisters stayed inside. She mentioned that she was having family problems but did not want to go into further detail. We visited another girl, who I think was 16 years old. Johana asked her about what was good and bad about her neigheborhood. For the good part, her initial response was nothing. Johana tried to remind her of the people here and how nice everyone is .
After that visit, we went to another side of Las Pampolonas and visited another family. We ran into two little girls who were soo sweet. They told Johana that they could not come to La Casa on Sundays becuase they had to work. They had to help their mother and their older sister. They would help their mother make this little patches toput on clothes and jackets. One took them a whole day, and they only sold them for 2 soles. 14 soles a weekk is rarely enough for a mother who has three kids. Many of the kids have to work everyday to help support their family even though that aren´t getting paid enoughj for their work. Just seeing their lifestyle and condition of their town really upset me because right on the other side is a very well-off city with big tennis courts and paved streets. The kids clearly recognize this and see the unjustness in their lifestyle. Hopefully, the children will continue go to school, attend college, and have a healthier and safer life.
