Pachacutec:
This is about a 45 min bus ride from where we are staying and this is where the school is and the Wawa Wasi's (baby house's) are. I have already decided I definately don't want too teach, I had enough experience of that in Kenya and I also don't know enough Spanish to be able to handle a classroom! Each classroom has about 40 kids in it, so a bit of chaos. Instead, on Thursday when we went back I went to one of the Wawa Wasi's and helped the Mum there. There were about 8 kids and they were ALL so naughty. They fight, hit, steal and don't share anything. You spend most of the morning breaking up fights between them and trying to help share the toys. It is a bit sad because the house is a tiny slab of concrete, so the kids are literally playing in dirt in these houses (they do try keep them clean) and they aren't allowed to go outside so they re stuck all day in this tiny room, it would drive anyone insane. The hardest job with them all was trying to feed them, they get given HUGE plates and are expected to finish everything, even the little baby of the group who was only about 15 months was expected to eat the same amount as the two year olds etc, the poor little guy fell asleep with his head on the table while I was trying to feed him. It was a good experience though and when I left one of the little boys shouted out at me 'Don't go!'
San Antonio:
This place is a 20 min walk from where we are staying and is the normal children's orphanage. They asked what age group I was comfortable with, so I ended up helping out in the 1-2 year olds room. There are 7 toddlers in this room, one with Downs Sydnrome, and only one helper to look after all of them. She works from 8am-8pm; feeding the kids, dressing them, bathing them, playing with them, I don't know how she manages on her own! The kids were all so cute but got into as much mischief as they could pulling the bins over, trying to open doors, pushing the cots around the room. You couldn't even put them in their cots to have a break because they climb over them into each others cots or try and climb out altogether. You have to pretty much have eyes at the back of your head.
Semillitas:
This place is a very short bus ride away and is the Special Needs Orphanage. We spent the morning there today and it was very full on. Luckily they seem to have lots of volunteers helping out there so our role was mostly to take the younger ones for walks outside to give them some fresh air. We also helped out with the older boys and took them down the road to the park which was really difficult because they were quite stubborn and would get sick of pushing themselves which left us struggling to try and push two chairs at once. I enjoyed this place but didn't feel nearly as needed as there were so many other helpers around the place.
La Punta:
Another 30 min bus ride away this is where we occasionally go in the afternoons. This is the home for Girls who have been abused and so far is my favourite place. I have been twice this week and we spend the time trying to teach the girls english but are generally just there to have a good time with them and they absolutely love it, which makes it great for us too.
So these are all the different places that I have been this week and my timetable will probably end up something like this:
Monday: Semillitas
Tuesday: Pachacutec and then in the afternoon La Punta
Wednesday: San Antonio
Thursday: Pachacutec and then in the afternoon La Punta
Friday: San Antonio
At the moment there are just three volunteers including myself. Some of the other volunteers are travelling and coming back afterwards and there will be some more coming this week. We are all staying in a house together in San Miguel and are all very well looked after. We are staying with a host family and the Mum, Lidia, is the General Director of TARPUYSonqo (The Peru branch of IVHQ).
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