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I remember sitting up in the attic of our farmhouse as a child, looking through those bright yellow “ National Geographic” magazines, that someone had given us. For hours, I dreamt of those far away and strange places. Never, believing it could ever come true. So now that our children are on their own, I decided to pursue the dreams of childhood, of far away countries. Not just as a tourist, but as a person who could perhaps help improve someone’s else life, or just bring some joy for a few weeks to someone who needed it. I picked Peru, because of Machu Pichu. I chose Huancayo, a city of half a million. I started looking on the Internet under, “Volunteering in Peru, teaching English”. My disappointments came day after day, when I discovered that lots of money was required by organizations, you had to pay to be a volunteer? Disappointment turned to perseverance. I kept at it, and found many organizations that wanted anyone with good English skills to teach.  I made contacts and picked one. I asked what they needed for supplies. Arrangements were made for Aldo to meet me at Lima airport, and accommodation would be provided that first night by them. I was going and by myself, which some people took as brave others as plain silly. Dreams drive a person to do things.

Judy

After 18 hrs of traveling from Canada, it took approx. another 2 hrs for the plane’s luggage to arrive on the conveyer belt. Welcome to Peruvian time. Then as luck would have it, when I pressed the lights at the security doors, it turned to red. They wanted to search my luggage. Was I in a good mood, nada.  I put the first tote up on the shelf, 70 pds, and no help from him! I told him he would have to find something sharp to cut the white zip ties. He found a dull knife and with effort and his frustration (me I smile) finally cut the first two. Wait, there are others on the side, I told him, he was not happy. I said my husband did it. I smiled, he did not. After pawing through my tote that was filled with books for children I ask if he wanted to search the other two containers, he did not, I wonder why? I had brought approx. 170 pds of books, pencils and supplies.

After avoiding many cabdrivers that wanted to drive you somewhere, anywhere and places you didn’t want to go, I found my name on a place card. Aldo was angry that I was late. I told him it was not my fault. He dismissed me by grabbing the cart with the entire luggage to discover it heavy as, well you know. He quietly looked for a taxi, as communication was nil. Many approached him, all were brushed off. He saw a cab and we got in, and as we drove thru’ Lima, of run down buildings, garbage everywhere, they both turned and locked the back doors where I sat. A moment of panic set in, as I wondered if he was from “Peru-for-you??? He had no name card. Did they want my body or my body parts, I was asking in my head. Probably the latter. Relax; I said to myself, I wanted some adventure. 

We arrived at a Hostel, and the taxi driver shook his head at all the suitcases the white lady brought with her,  Aldo asked me to pay for the taxis, but I did not have any soles, so he became angry and paid. I was told that they arranged this in return for me volunteering and bringing 170 pds of school supplies. (First lesson-this is just the beginning of expectations from this organization) “Good night, I leave you now”. “See you at 10:00 am.” OK, and I am left alone. I was too tired to be afraid; I just wanted a bed (expectations to come, be careful, what you wish for) I paid $ 6.oo US for a private room. Second lesson (accommodations arranged, not paid for) I asked for water, (aqua) and they say they will go buy some for me, as it is not safe to walk this late at night in Lima. I gave $20.00 he returned with change of, $15.00 his tip was included. Third lesson. (bring smaller bills) I put my two suitcases in their storage.
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I lugged my 40 lb suitcase, full of supplies and personal efforts, up rickety dark stairs to a room. There were no porters here. Third lesson (should have kept personal efforts separated from school supplies, in a back pack) Beautiful! - 2 saggy beds and a great peephole, the lock was gone. I contemplated which bed was lest desirable. I dusted it down with a generous amount of baby powder. (bedbugs don’t like the powder) I plugged the hole with a sock, and put the chair under the doorknob. The bed was super great – not! – Nice and lumpy, the pillow a rock; I had been up 24 hrs. I finally got to sleep to be awakened at 6 am by parrots in a cage making noise, bathroom doors slamming.  Aldo picked me up on the every so Peruvian time, meaning late. We went to the bus depot. I paid for the taxi. $12 for the bus ride and $15 for the heavy luggage, to Huancayo. The bus was full of passengers. Drink lots of water to prevent altitude sickness, I had read. So with two bottles of water, two liters each, I started drinking. Half way through that journey, the bathrooms weren’t pretty.

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They provided a box lunch, chicken, rice, a cake and pop. I endured 2 full-length English movies and lots of cartoons, and so 9 hrs later we arrived at Huancayo. (Attitude 3260m/11,300 ft) What happened to the 6-7 hrs ride???

Part II

Arrangements were made to stay with a host family. $45.00 a week and a promise that most of it would go to the host family. Fourth lesson (don’t pay up front, or pay directly to the host family.)

The family was waiting for me, with eager smiles.

The host family’s house was very nice and clean. Host mother was concerned about altitude sickness, and made sure I drank cocoa tea with a wonderful meal, that I could not eat after that joyous bus ride, (did I mention the bumps and the hairpin turns that sent you moving on your seat, or the cold, and my husband laughed at me when I packed a hat and mittens) Her cooking was wonderful, I soon learned.

They spoke no English and I knew a few words in Spanish that I could say to make myself seem important. I learned to understand more that speak, and after two weeks, dictionaries and hand signals were seen and heard in that house.

Another wretched bed and altitude sickness in middle of night persuaded me to take liquid gravol. Worked marvelous. (At that altitude, I was tired and had to pace myself, however, I walked 5 miles a day.) Tepid-water showers were common and I was lucky to live with a family that at least had a shower. (I had brought Baby wipes, and used them for 3 days, then the fourth day I took a 2 min, shower.) Woman from the placement organization met me at the house to tell me things about their organization.  She told me that they had another place for me to help out at besides the children in the slums. I said O.K. (fifth lesson, too eager to help out, you may be taken advantage of) and we walked to the first place I would teach at. Wonderful smell of diesel everywhere, the air was blue. Annoying persistent honking horns and loud motors penetrated my head. Smelly, putrid smell everywhere. They had a unique practice of getting rid of their garage though. During the night, garbage was dumped, and then tame and not so tame dogs fought and peed over it, yummy! I quickly found out what the other putrid smell was. Human waste. When some people needed to do their daily constitution, they just squatted. There was no shame or hiding. People were living on the banks of the condemned river, cardboard, tin, paper, plastic, whatever they could find to make a square to call a house. Anything with two legs had no right of way on the streets, the trucks and carts did. Beasts of burden were not donkeys, but were the people pulling and pushing massive amounts of vegetables & fruits to their corners to sell. 
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Please come in and teach. Teach what?? With what? A chalkboard was provided. I won the prize for thinking on my feet. They were working on language and pronunciation skills. I didn’t mind helping out by volunteering. (Sixth lesson, giving too much creates a ‘gimme’ attitude) However, one week later, I was asked to give some more free lessons to people who could not afford to pay. I said yes, only to find out a week later, that all these people were being charged for the lessons and were told that I was receiving the monies. I quit and taught those people in their homes after that. I walked the streets and found 20 odd organizations teaching English, and one was offered paying jobs. I was told that we would go by taxi to the slums to meet the children, after teaching the adults. I of course paid for the taxi. I would be on my own the next day, I was told. I could take a taxi every day for 3 soles/1.50 U.S. one way or take the bus for 20 cents. “Just take the big yellow bus that is on this street,” however, I found out that there were a lot of yellow buses. I learned fast. At first the bus driver could not believe that I wanted to get off at the slums. They started to recognize me after a week. Walking around was the quickest way to become familiar with the city. The buses were always crowded, and people stared at me, don’t know why, could have been the funny Canadian hat. It was winter there. It was 9 degrees in the house in the mornings and evenings. The school was a room off someone’s house, given for free. It was a 12 by 12 cement leaky room with one broken window, shards in tact, and no bathroom to use.

The children were dirty, smelly, some were better cleaned than others, but with no or little water or power and living in squalor, it was amazing how clean most of them were. But children are children and liked to hug and cheek kiss. (custom). I used tea tree oil on my hair everyday; lice don’t like tea tree oil. They loved the stickers that were given out at the end of the 2 hours of school. Pencil crayons were a hit and screams of joy were heard every time I brought them out to color their craft. It was wonderful. They would await my arrival by the bus stop and would run up to me and could not wait to begin the lessons. I numbered rocks with the alphabet and numbers. They loved playing with the puzzles and other games I brought. I may not have taught any lasting lessons, but I brought joy to those children for six weeks.

Many varieties of fruit and vegetables were grown there. Much of the produce came from ancient (heritage) seeds. The corn eaten was big, hard and crunchy, and used daily in soup. Hundreds of vendors - selling everything. You could buy all kinds of meat and all the goodies that go with it, like the eyeballs, the tongue, even whole heads of cows, you get the picture. Guinea pig was raised (meat was stringy and soft) and you could have picked which one you would like to have eaten, the cute little brown one or the black one. I liked the taste.
Real estate was expensive there and every bit of the land was used in the lots, which resulted in condominium style adjoining walls for most neighbors. All had high brick walls surrounding the houses for security. Some families had animals, which were kept in the courtyard during the night and brought out to graze on what grass could be found during the day. Families of sister/brothers/ wives/husbands/Grandparents all lived in the same house. Yes, screams of fighting and of laughter were commonly heard.

After six weeks of volunteering, I left to go see the sights of Peru. I will return. I have invitations to return to visit the friends I made.

I am off to Cambodia this summer for eight weeks, with more knowledge and more lessons to learn. I have a few contacts, via the internet, but I will make no commitments to any one organizations. Other then that, it is the same as Peru, there are many schools that will accept my free help to teach English. I will pay directly to the family I stay with and no middleman.

To contact Judy Click Here
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