Yesterday: Environmental Awareness, Today: Agriculture

Yesterday we got split up into two different groups. Jasmin and Jim went to a special education school and Adrian and I went to a Private Primary School. Peru´s educational school system works differently than the U.S. A primary school teaches grades kindergarden to 8th grade. Already I was a little anxious because this is the first time all four of us were going to be split up. When we got to the school, Jesus of Nazerith, we got split up once again. I was to be working with 5 and 6 year olds and Adrian with the 7th and 8th graders. Right when I got into the classroom the teacher, Ms. Ivonne told me that I was to watch the children as she had an errand to run. I was very apprehensive at first, knowing they weren´t going to understand most of the words coming out of my mouth. But I introduced myself, and a few of them introduced themselves also. They ran up to me asking me questions in spanish, which sounded like complete jibberish to me so I responded with Si, si,si,si, si, si, si. Which of course they laughed at. They were just like any other kindergardeners which i have worked with before, its just that i had to communicate with them in a different way other than language. We used big expressions and hand gestures. The teacher finally came in about 20 minutes later and they said a prayer. Within the 4 hours I was there they lined up and walked across the excersize courts and washed their hands 2x, and had brushed their teeth. It was interesting to see a Peruvian school to be teaching such good hygene. It is important for young kids to practice this as it will become a habit in the future. Something else that I thought was well taught was the act of recycling. As I had posted in my previous post, Yachay Wasi cares so much for the environment as they have many meetings about the air pollution and environment. They care about the world as much as they do, and even more for an actual human being. Mother´s day is a huge deal here in Peru and the little children were making mothers day cards. They cut out little magazine cutouts of the things that reminded them of their mom, like bags, shampoo, lotion, dresses lipstick, etc. When they were done they proceeded to throw the colored paper in the color paper recycling bin and the white paper in the white recycling bin. Even the smallest actions, such as recycling paper can help the environment. After my 4 hours were up Adrian and I met up with one of the teachers that taught at Jesus of Nazerith. He gave us a tour of the school and pointed out that the staircases were all unleveled (pointed downward) so when it rained the water would be recycled all into the same area. We also got the oppurtunity to talk to 7th and 8th grade classrooms about how they could decrease the air pollution as an individual. We stood in front of the class and told them they could change some of their daily habits such walking or riding a bike to school instead of catching a bus or taxi, or even driving. Their is a hole in the ozone layer and the Arequipa government even made it a mandate that the people living in Arequipa must wear a hat. If they cut out on doing these things little by little they could prevent that hole in the ozone layer from getting any bigger. The heat in Arequipa keeps getting worse and worse as more people are getting skin cancer compared to just 10 years ago. We talked to each class for about 10 minutes and left them with the English phrase “I Love The Earth.” I am so grateful for having this oppurtunity to work with Juana. Juana is an amazing person, and the work she does with Ashoka is absolutely amazing. Everday I am learning so much and am doing the things I have never expected to be doing. Such as teaching children from a different country about the environment and what we can do to better and prevent anything else happening. Juana is very down to earth, but has an amazing mind and incredible insight to life.

Today, we helped cultivate life/trees at a preschool. It was enlightening working with young children once again, but this time we were helping them creating a life with them. Each of the children got to plant their own tree and then write their name on a tag that wrapped around the little plant that would soon begin to grow. All four of us also wrote a little message in spanish with our names in the back of the nametag, so our efforts and moments with the children would not be forgotten. We planted these trees along the gates and surroundings of the school. When the school was made, they didn´t have any gates or security at all. Yachay Wasi provided them with these walls and many other things that would make a school easier to teach in without the thought of worrying so much. Also, Yachay Wasi changed their water pipes so the water they cleaned their hands with led to a place where water was to be recycled. On the way to the school I sat in a taxi with the agriculturalist that was with us the whole day. There were many terraces (Antedas) that we passed by. THe agriculturalist told us that out of all the water that was being used to cultivate with these Antedas, only 20% of that water is recycled. She showed us a stream and they called it the Black River, because none of that water went through any kind of cleansing and its smell reeked very badly. I am glad that Juana made it so we don´t do the same thing everyday. LIke we are not working at the same school everyday, more importantly our work is not based on the same theme for 2 whole weeks. We get to experience and volunteer with all of what Arequipa has to offer, as we offer them back. I have always learned about reciprocity, but only now am I taking it into full action. I am beginning to notice and see myself growing into a member of Yachay Wasi. I realized that giving back and volunteering does not stop after our Peru Mayterm is over. The real test happens after we leave Peru. I have learned that The depth in which I have learned throughout volunteering here in Peru can barely be spoken with words. But real learning can only be graded and tested on with whether or not your actions going about the world and people have been influenced by what you have experienced and what you have been taught.