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Published: December 31st 2005
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Classroom Mayhem
End of term pictures Our time in Ecuador was always going to be short as we had arranged to Volunteer with an organisation called Bruce Peru in Trujillo, Peru, from end of November for a month and so had to get a move on.
So with bags packed we waved adios to Guayaquil and borded our bus to Peru. Fearful of a 16 hour bus journey to Trujillo, arriving at midnight and beginning our Voluntary placement with Bruce Peru the following day, we decided to break up the journey with a stopover in Mancora, a little surfy town a couple of hours across the border. We had heard horror stories about the border crossing with Peru but fortunately our experience was problem free. So with a hop, skip and a jump we were in Peru. After 10 hours on board our stuffy and stinky 'economico' bus we were elated to arrive. We shared a moto (funky little motorbike tuk-tuk thingys) to 'La Posada' with Sean, an Irish surfer we met on the bus. Within minutes we were regretting not having arrived earlier to spend more time chilling out by the beach. We went for dinner (very tasty and cheap) and then a moonlit stroll
along the beach....arrrrrrrrrr it was very romantic. The next day, we jumped out of bed and headed to the beach to soak up some rays, watch the surfers and kite surfers in action and play with the waves. Mancora, as you'd expect of a surf town is very chilled and people very laid back and friendly. We liked it there and were gutted to leave but we had already delayed our arrival in Trujillo by a day and didnt want to take the mikey too much so with heavy hearts we left Mancora the next afternoon.
Arriving in new places at night is always a strange experience and often not a great one, but as soon as we entered Trujillo we felt comfortable calling this city our home for the next 4 weeks. We were due to arrive at 22.00 but as with all buses, it seems that arrival times are simply theoretical....we actually arrived at 00.30 and so felt slightly awkward waking up a very sleepy Jose, the Bruce Peru porter. He is extremly sweet and welcomed us with bed hair and open arms. He then proceeded to explain that we would be accommodated elsewhere for the duration
Gringo Volunteers
Flo, JGirl, Tara, Suzanne, Duncs of our stay, still in Trujillo of course but not with all the other Volunteers and we were escorted to our own appartment. The appartment was huge and in a great spot not far from the Plaza. We were a bit bewildered as to why we were kept separate...had our fetish for playing games and getting naked spread to this continent??? We were in no fit state to discuss the whys and wherefors and so said our goodnights and after checking out our groovey roof terrace we called it a night. Bruce, the man himself arrived early the next morning to introduce himself and inform us we needed to meet at the centre for brekkie and briefing..
At the centre we met all the other International Volunteers, Chloe (UK), Tara (Oz), Sharon (Oz), Kemper (US), Flo (US), Hunter (US), Andre (Oz) and Ewan (US). They had all been Volunteering for a while and I think were happy to see some 'fresh blood'.
For those interested in charity work in Peru, check out the foundation's website www.bruceperu.org. Unlike other NGO´s we have come across in Latin America, this foundation has focus and has as much organisation and structure as
Gringo Volunteers 2
Hunter, Sharon & Chloe enjoying posh Papa Pure (Mash) is possible. It is run by Bruce, his Peruvian wife Ana Tere and a team of social workers, national and international Volunteers. At present there are 22 Bruce Peru schools throughout the poorest areas in Peru. There are 7 in Trujillo itself and Duncs and I worked at Alto Trujillo which is the largest school with 48 children between the ages of 5-16. All children come from extremly poor backgrounds and many arrive with stories of abuse, neglect and abandonment. Children who are not attending school but of school age are 'recruited' in the barrios (slums) and receive an education by professional teachers at a school run by Bruce Peru.
When the children are deemed ready to enter a state school they sit and exam which, if they pass sees them entering their same yr group. All expenses (matriculation and school fees, uniform, materials etc..) are covered by Bruce Peru. The work Bruce Peru does is massively sucessful and our experience is one which we will never forget. I became really fond of the kids at Alto Trujillo and was very sad to leave them. On the 16th December, we threw a Christmas party for all 250 children from
Gringo Volunteers 3
At the volunteers Christmas Party the Bruce Peru schools in Trujillo. The kids all came to the party in taxis (organised and paid for by Bruce Peru) for many it was the first time in a car and you can imagine their excitement. Taxis arrived loaded with excited children, in one case 25 eager young faces appeared squished into one taxi!!!!! yes, packing the cars is not uncommon here!
I got so emotional when my kids arrived. They all ran towards me and hugged me. They were all scrubbed up as clean as could be and all in their 'Sunday best'. This was obviously a huge occasion for them.
Each child received a bag of goodies (sweets, toys, etc..) packed by Duncs and I and a piece of Christmas cake (made by Ana Tere, the best cake maker in Trujillo, more on that later). 3 women dressed in (very) sexy Santa outfits came (slightly odd addition to a child´s party I know) and entertained the kids with games, singing and music, we danced alot and after 3 or so hours we were both completely shattered. The luxury of taps with running water was also fully exploited with constant requests to go to the
Alto Trujillo Kids
Duncan & Sharon´s Boys and Girls toliet!
During our time with Bruce Peru, I gave English lessons to a group of adults in the evenings with my Duncs as my classroom assistant. The money raised here went directly to Bruce Peru. I finished my teaching on the 15th and all my students passed their exams, what can i say? must be due to the excellent teaching! I really loved it..it was a challenge as I was teaching a group of basic level students English in Spanish but I loved preparing each class and gained alot of satisfaction from seeing my students progress.
Anyways, we had a Volunteer's Christmas party and Jorge, one of my students turned up to give me a present...it was a love letter....!!!! oops! he had written a poem and a long letter declaring his undying love for me....Duncs of course was a bit miffed, fortunately we were leaving the next day.
During our stay we were also invited out to dinner by two other students of mine. Anali and Ivan proved to be great company, being both charming and clever with impeccable manners. We returned the favour and on both occasions we spent a number of hours chatting and
learning about each others cultures and history. They proved to be a veritable mine of interesting information about Peru. They are a lovely couple and wish them all the best for the future. They even surprised us by turning up at the bus station as we were leaving to give us a surprise pressie each and to see us off. They gave Duncs a CD of a local band (all in Quechua, local indigenous language) and me a bag full of jewellery, which i have been wearign ever since. We were both very touched.
About the cakes.....well, i have never tasted so many delicious cakes...there are cafes on every corner selling the most amazing cakes you have ever seen. Now, we don't generally have a sweet tooths back in the UK, but I am sure there is something in these cakes that make you form an addiction. This addiction grew into an unhealthy obsession for afternoon cakes and strong coffee...oops...this is not good and we both appear to have piled on a couple of pounds..still, insulation for when we return to La Sierra (the mountains) he he. Anyone travelling in Trujillo .... DO NOT try the "chocolate dream" or
Alto Trujillo Kids 3
Javi and Luiz... Best buddies you will not be able to resist eating one a day!
Our time with Bruce Peru has got us all fired up and we have lots of fundraising ideas for our return to Blighty so get ready to get involved...
After the schools all broke up for their Christmas holidays, we decided it was time to move on, so we left after the party to graze pastures new. Huaraz here we come.........!
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