7 Julio 2011

The morning in the Secondary school was interesting. I felt a little bit like a talk show host or an infomercial saleswoman. I brought in a little sound system, put on some Arcade Fire and started throwing candies at the kids who answered my questions about VALE correctly. Then, each child who had turned in their pact form promising good attendance to VALE and reading habits received their “official VALE pin”. This was very exciting for them, and worked perfectly for me to get more kids to sign up. We will see how many last the program, ultimately.


Then, this afternoon, about 20 kids showed up to paint the world map. And having given the older classes a little talk about being roll models today, they ALL SHOWED UP. I am so proud of them. They acted as pretty darn good leaders and teachers too (except when one of the guys taught the little ones how to draw boobies, but we can scoff that off to adolescence). There were so many kids there we had to take three shifts of painters. We finished about 80% of the country painting, and can plan on finishing the map itself tomorrow. Then, Meche and I will swoop in next week and do the Madrigal Municipality and Peace Corps logos. I am still debating doing touch-ups or not. I kind of love the fact that the map has a very made-by-little-hands feel to it, and it is on the Primary School wall.

Tonight there was a parent/teacher assembly. This usually turns into the parents bitching at the teachers for every little thing they have done wrong, and the teachers bitching at the parents for their unhelpfulness in their children’s education. Needless to say, it is not good energy. But, I was invited to speak about VALE and get the parents motivated and I was going to take advantage. I made a HUGE effort to be as charismatic as possible and liven up the room, and it went extremely well. I was so happy and appreciative to be so generously accepted by the parents, I left the assembly almost bouncing. This is when their children, who were waiting outside, in a beautiful, unanimous chorus sang, “Hasta luego Señorita Luuuuuuz!!”
“Hasta luego, lindos.” Barely fell from my lips as the uncontrollable tears of love and joy spilled from my eyelids.

As I arrived home, Don Juan and Roxana were packing for a weekend trip to Arequipa. As I was helping them pack and getting Roxana nausea pills (she doesn’t ride in cars much), Doña Juana was feeding me shots of gazillion proof alcohol mixed with sprite. “To celebrate my brother’s birthday that is today.” She reasoned. I have never been in the canyon without Roxana before. Even for 3 days, I will miss the little lady.

Now I munch on sliced Arequipeñan cheese, fruit, and buttered popcorn with a street kitten curled on my lap. I’ll take it.