COUNTRY: Peru
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Teaching & Construction
WRITTEN BY: Stephanie Rainbow
Hola,
It is now nearing the start of Week 4 in Peru, and everyone is becoming accustomed to the chaos of living in Cuzco. Yesterday we all went white water rafting for Bridget's birthday and then today we explored markets that are located near the airport and splurged on buying DVDs. The markets were very different from the markets you come to expect in the streets of Cuzco and instead of alpaca wool jumpers and beanies, we discovered miles of shoe and clothes stores. It seemed that this was the place for the locals to buy anything and everything. We then went for lunch at an Aussie-owned restaurant that was recommended by Laura's all-knowing 'South America on a shoestring' book, where we consumed burgers and massive ice cream sundaes. Most of our money lately has been going towards food and snacks, thanks to the local stores that are just 100m from our homes.
During the week we teach at the school at Pumamarca where we are greeted every morning by the children screaming "Amiga!!!!!! Amiga!!!!!". Even the teachers great us as 'Amiga'. In the lessons we teach English, art and sport, where we struggle to control the children and communicate in a different language. My personal favourite is art, where Chloe and I have taught the kids to make masks and mosaics, the latter of which I spent half the time drawing 'Marriposas' or butterflies for the girls. We also did a house visit to the home of one of the students at the school where we found the living conditions to be very basic. The house consisted of just two mudbrick rooms and the walk from the school left us breathless. Part of the money from the fundraising we did in Australia will be going towards giving some of the families furniture.
We are currently planning trips to Arequipa, Lake Titicaca and the much anticipated Machu Picchu. Time is flying by here but I can't say I am not looking forward to home, where there is a guaranteed hot shower and water that does not turn off at random points in the day. Cuzco is amazing though, and every day is an experience. There is always some random parade or festival that you pass by on the bus or stumble across on the street.
Adios,
Steph
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