Puerto Maldonado and Wawawasi

Disculpame.  It’s beena long time since I last wrote.  I took a little trip to the jungle (Puerto Maldonado) with my buddy Ruben and came back with a fever.  I've been taking multivitamins that the pharmacist told me would make me feel maravillosa, and I actually am feeling much better.  Here are a few pictures of that amazingly beautiful place.

So originally I didn’t want to volunteer with FairPlaybecause I’m taking my Spanish lessons there, and home staying through them, andgoing to cooking classes through them… I wanted to branch out a little.  However, after applying to one place, playingwith kids but not really doing much at another, and seeing/hearing of countlessothers that I’m not quite sure of… I’m going to start volunteering with FairPlay.  I know the people that are running thisprogram have a heart for these people are doing this for all of the rightreasons.  They are trustworthy and theyhave an excellent program planned.
If you didn’t know, FairPlay is owned by John from Belgiumand his Peruvian wife Fanny.  You canread more of the history of FairPlay in better detail on their website.  It’s a really cool organization.  But as for the volunteering, this is acompletely separate venture they are starting in March.  Basically for 6 years John has wanted tostart a program for the children of mothers living in extreme poverty.  The idea is to start an afterschool programto teach subjects – like information about countries around the world – thatare not taught in the schools.  Thisgives the kids a place to be that’s not on the street when they are not inschool and a chance to learn new things they would otherwise not be exposedto.  The problem is that these kids aremalnourished, which means theirs brains will not develop normally, makinglearning harder for them.  So as part ofthis program we will be cooking healthy meals for them, packed with nutrientsthey need to grow and learn.  The programis completely free to the mothers, but they are required to take classes onnutrition and hygiene and other things on how to care for their children.  So the kids will learn about different thingsat 4 different stations, eat some food, play some games in the garden with thevolunteer staff, and get to play with the puppet theater.
The program is supposed to start in March, when the kids goback to school from summer (heh, it’s freezing here) break.  So we have been working this week on buyingsupplies and painting the room, buying supplies to make cushions for sittingon, and organizing what else needs to be done. Next week we will complete our painting, buy the supplies and set up thekitchen, and get the materials ready for the start of the program.  The name of this program is Wawawasi, whichin Quechua (the main language of the Andes) mean house of babies.
We’re pretty excited to get started!  Wish us luck!

Here is a picture of the room after we painted the base coats and before the designs are going on (maybe tomorrow).

Trabajo Voluntario III

Hola a todos!

So this is my fourth week in Cusco... it's been really fun getting used to the differences in living here, rather than just vacationing... there are funny quirks in living in a house rather than staying in a hotel.  It's more relaxed in our neighborhood than it is in the centro.  There are less taxis, less traffic, so less polution and you can actually breath... there's also more dog poo all over the sidewalks from the random dogs that roam around the city ;)

Classes are going well.  I love my professoras.  They are both really sweet and we laugh a lot during our classes when I try to explain things in spanish and they don't have a clue what I'm talking about because I'm not making sense.  Other than those times, I think I am making a lot of progress in speaking.  At least I can understand loads more than when I got here and people seem to understand what I'm talking about about half to 3/4 of the time, rather than 10%.... heh heh.

I have been spending lots of time with the students in my house, who are really fun.  Laura from Texas is super smart and going to go to school for study abroad in Arequipa.  Stephanie and Paul are a couple from Minnesota (they are a pastor and youth pastor) and they are traveling before hosting a group from their church to volunteer at this school they support as well as take the train to Machu Picchu.  They already hiked it themselves on the Inca Trail.  We have been having a good time trying out food and drinks, and doing fun little stuff in Cusco like the overpriced chocolate museum.  I will be very sad to see them go at the end of next week.  It's been like having a little family in Cusco. 

Stephanie and Paul took me to the school they are volunteering at.  It's pretty awesome.  During the school year the kids actually attend classes, then go to these little classes in the afternoon to learn trades like bracelet making, baking, carpintry, painting and drawing, and ceramics.  Right now they are on vacation, so they just come in the afternoon and do their trade classes.  I went with them the last two days and we played with the kids and hanged out with them while they were doing their classes.  I sorted beads with little girls and asked them about their siblings and their favorite games.  They asked me how to say words in English, and I had them teach me words in Quechua.  The teacher borrowed my llama bracelet to figure out how to make it so they can make those too... it's kinda weird not to be wearing it since I've worn it since August nearly every day.  :)  Grace is still wearing hers while I'm gone, so I have to be sure to get it back.

Yanapay is a strange sitch.  I went to visit that one day and they said come back sooner if you want!  Then they sent me an application, I had issues returning it, so they sent me another format, finally they received it... then they told me they don't need volunteers for the kids right now.... just in marketing.... which I know nothing about.  :)  I might just email them back and ask what particularly they need help with... but it's odd.  The school in Choqachaka is really cool, but it doesn't seem like they need volunteers.  They are pretty self sufficient.  So the hunt is still on for volunteering opportunities... I do think it will be good to finish my classes before volunteering full time anyway because it is pretty exhausting doing both.  Also, my friend's dad seems to know of some places and would like to help me out.... so please keep praying that I will find the right place to serve.

Here are some pics from the school we visited this week. 

The girl in the pink in the first pic is my pal Milagros (miracles).  She taught me a bunch of clapping games, then we were running through Cusco holding hands after school the first day because I thought she lived close and wanted me to walk her home.  Turns out she lives like 30 minutes by car outside of the center and wanted to walk me home... somehow we compromised and Paul, Stephanie, and I walked her close to her bus stop before going back to school for our cooking class on Tuesday night.

Well... that's pretty much it for now.  I'm going to check out the jungle with my friend tomorrow.  I had to get a yellow fever vaccination in order to go there.  If you saw me after I got my shots for the trip in August, you'll be happy to know I didn't come down with a 4 day fever this time ;)

Have a great week.  I'll try to post pics of la selva (jungle) soon after I get back! 
Kelly