Day-in-the-life-of-Ange

Saludos de Peru!

So there has been a request from the creator himself on a 'Day-in-the-life-of-Ange-in-Peru post' so well here it is..and because i have a tendency to write a LOT, I will write in a couple of parts. It's really such a different world and it's all so normal to me now. My day begins with the alarm like any working person and it will be set for the latest time possible. I have a cold shower (there is no such thing as hot water here in Piura unless you pay something like $50 USD a night at a fancy hotel..pfff whatever) for like a minute to wash off all the dirt from the day before. I don't fancy a cold shower at night, even in a Piurian Summer, so I go to bed dirty. I greet my family 'Buenas Dias' and whoever else is in my house and head to the bakery for breakfast.

I meet the other volunteers at 8.30am and we get into a combi (it's a mini
bus meant for let's see..maybe 17 people but they will try and squeeze as
many people, animals -including dead fish, turkeys and today Cedric had a
screaming goat- as they can) but it's normal. And if you are REALLY lucky
you will be stuck up the back next to the fattest smelliest men or woman
ever with the driver going at a ridiculous speed and you will hit your head
constantly on the roof because these buses are NOT made for gringos. You
will also have the attention of the entire bus with your blue or green eyes
or light hair. Your every move. And the questions '�Donde eres?' o '�Que
pais?' (Where are you from? or What country?) A great start to the morning. We arrive in La Arena in about half an hour. And get a moto-taxi (motobike taxi) to Alto de los More where the school is. Passing through the town of mud brick and straw homes or the chakras (farms) with horses and donkeys pulling carts of reeds and people drying corn out the front of their homes and dirty looking children playing in the streets with their boney dogs.

We arrive at the primary school which has around 250 students from ages 5-14 (I have an 11 yo in my first grade and 14 yo in my fifth grade..there are no special classes for kids with learning disabilities and kids get kept down all the time)The school has seven class rooms, the principals office and a small playground, the rest is dirt. There are maybe four unflushing toilets, a small garden and a tin shed for a kitchen (canteen) Ok that's all for now..I will continue a typical day next time

Ange