Peru, Lima - U30: Final Week

The final week was bittersweet. And cold. We got a taste of what fall feels and looks like in Peru. The heavy mist and temperature would be associated with the same weather on Vancouver Island. But we kept working through it and the mud. Throughout the period of four days we were able to finish off a cement path leading into a building that will be finished soon. On Friday we were treated to a special ceremony for the principal and for us. After dancing and celebrating, it was time for us to go home. 

There aren’t enough words that can explain this experience. Peru is one of those places you have to go to witness the culture first hand. We've learned to live by their rules for the past month and doing something different feels almost foreign. Peru is filled with the most amazing and beautiful people, a few we became lifelong friends with and hope to see them again in the near future. Their rich history and landscape is breathtaking and just magnificent. Volunteering in this country was a life changing experience and we couldn’t have chosen a better country to go to. 

Peru, Lima - U30: Week 3

It was a short week coming into the third week we were here. It started to get colder coming into the season of fall. Cloud covered our worksite most of the day, but we never stopped being positive and working through it. The parents started to help us out by moving big rocks, raking the dirt to make it level, and clearing a path to make it easier. Even though the rain (which is more like heavy mist), they kept going. The amount of effort and perseverance these people put into is incredible. And they work with a baby on their backs! At the end of the week we were able to finish the steps. We were even given one step to put each of our names in. 
 

The weekend cultural excursion was to Machu Picchu.

Peru, Lima - U30 Team: Week Two, working on the wall

We started week two through the dusty wind, working hard on the wall. It was nothing what we’ve expected before and we were all sweating buckets at the end of the day. We hauled so much dirt that I never wanted to see it again. But though all the mixing and rock digging, we slowly saw the wall come to life. It’s amazing what team work and positivity can do! 

During the week we also got to spend a lot of time with the children. We did as much as we could with them, and seeing their bright smiling faces put more happiness into our day. They were very competitive with soccer and even volleyball. Some would have a great future if they kept playing it. But these are the happiest kids I’ve ever seen. 

Peru, Lima - U30 Team: First Day at Work Site

From the jungle of towering buildings, to the dusty hill of Pueblos Jóvenes, Lima is living city home to over nine million people, heavy traffic, and a rich culture almost as old as time itself. 

The day started through the jumbled mess of traffic, maneuvering through a labyrinth of streets, and passing cars where you swear will crash into you.  It’s an adventure itself. But we soon arrived in San Jose Obrero, the site we would spend the next thirty days at. 

The view and landscape is filled with arrangements of colourful buildings built by the people themselves. They scattered the hills like children blocks, small little one roomed houses that would be considered shacks in Canada. And dust, dust, and more dust than we could ever imagine. At the school, we were greeted by a few parents, teachers, and the principle himself. He welcomed us with open arms and started to show us around the small school they had built for the children of the community. 

In every classroom we went into to meet a few of the children, we could see from the bright smiles on their faces they were excited to meet us. 

We were told we were going to constructing a concrete wall and finish up a brick building already 40% done. So we started the first day to our one month volunteer experience. 

Aly Hughes
DWC Team Member
Peru, May 2015

Lima - Bodwell Team: Final Day at Work Site and Goodbyes

 A week of hard work later and we have 3 mostly completed projects. Miguel is going to put the final coat of red paint on the school and take the retaining boards off the wall once our freshly poured concrete dries.

We had a lovely goodbye ceremony by the students in 6th grade and then distributed books we brought for the classroom libraries (thanks Jana White and Jenny Gallant!). We also donated a large KitchenAid mixer to the kitchen. Every day they have after school sessions teaching kids how to prepare healthier meals.

 

 

Lima - Bodwell Team: Work progressing

Sometimes we feel like big moose going up and down the school staircase, while we watch nimble children navigate the angles (with no railings all week). Today, Jerrmy in particular can feel some success because he was determined to see that project through to the end. The railings are up!

 

 
We put on a fresh coat (or 3) of paint on the school, in Peru colours!

 First thing this morning we removed the retainers from our concrete wall. A proud moment. We reused those pieces to frame the next half of the wall since we didn’t have enough money to buy enough wood to build the whole frame.

So, proud moments through the day as we mixed and poured and filled the second half of the wall.

 

 

 

 

 

Lima - Bodwell Team: Working, Walls, Posts and Paths

It took us almost a whole day to erect the structure that will be used to hold the concrete for half the wall. It constantly amazes us how hard we work and how slow the visible progress. Miguel, our foreman, never takes a break and constantly teaches us new skills.

 

 

Jeremy has been laboring to dig holes for fence posts. The only problem is he is digging into pure rock that is filled with iron. This of course raises questions for students who know a little about economics and wonder why the rock isn’t being crushed to extract the metal. But that’s a story for another day. Nevertheless, Jeremy has persevered and due to this diligence, succeeded. Jeremy is pictured with his nemesis, and his young protégé.

Brenda finally conquered the pathway, using crushed rock from Jeremy’s iron-rock holes to fill a pathway about 30 cm higher. That’s a lot of fill! Topped it off with many layers of dirt and dust and voila! A safer walking path to get the kids between class to the kitchen and bathrooms.