Priscille & Maelys Varillon
Priscille and Maelys are two French sisters who volunteered with Otra Cosa.
"Huanchaco, what an experience!
A mix of fishermen, surfers, backpackers, tourists...
8.30 am : The fishermen on the beach arrange their nets to head of on their Caballito de Totora¨, typical fishing boat.
10.30 am : Chicos are playing football while tourist buses arrives invading the pier and ambulant sellers set up their business in the street, snacks, fresh juices, souvenirs, clothes...
Lunchtime : Flyers of menus attract clients in the restaurants...
That sounds like a tourist place, but two streets away from the beach, a real Peruvian life is going on: from the market to the 2m2 grocery stores, the trumpet of cycling bread sellers and the shouting of vegetable or tamales sellers are followed by the whistle of the street guardians.
Being a volunteer here is much more than helping but taking the time to live their real life learning day after day about this amazing and surprising culture.
8.30 am : We jump on our bikes to be 5min later en la casa Mundo de Niños. The house of these 14 kids is full of life all day long. While some are at school, we take the rest of them to the campo de football or to the beach to do sport activities. We try to make them spend their energy playing outside and rebuilding confidence in themselves while improving their sporting capacity. But who believes in Father Christmas? Some days it turns to playing cat and mouse, fishing crabs, inventing songs, or teaching english on the beach. This bunch of angels in front of us are still marked by their difficult passed and can suddenly forget how to behave. As you can imagine, it s not easy every day, but their unconscious gifts encourage us to carry on : these illuminated faces expressing the joy of an achievement, these shouts of welcome "voluntarias, voluntarias! llegaron!"
10.30 am : Back on our bikes, stealing kisses and whistles of men on our way, 20 min are enough to get to the school of Padre Thumba, CEP Corporation de Education Popular. Behind the iron blue gate, 7 classrooms, nearly all finished, open their doors to a big earth courtyard where the school break is about to finished. Putting together the equipment necessary to start our sport class, we can witness all the energy the teachers give for their kids. Taking 1 to 3 classes a day, we try to establish the habit of warming up before starting the activity of the day (football, baseball, scoutball, and volleyball) for the oldest - 6 to 9 years old, activity to feel and use the body in space for "initials" - 3 to 5 years old. The Padre, his camera, his dog Guardian, and his assistants are the package that will always support, congratulate and thank you for your help at the school. The door of the school comedor is always open to share the typical peruvian lunch cooked by the Mums.
Lunchtime : Either we go back to Huanchaco to meet friends to go surfing and enjoying a free afternoon before going back to Mundo de Niños, or we are going back home to enjoy a lunch on our roof before heading to ACJ en el Milagro.
This afternoon center welcomes 30 to 50 kids. After doing their homework with local staff, we organize games in their small playing area for those who are willing to play. As they are used to play by themselves, we found out the best option was managing games that doesn’t require a full time participation. Despite the echo of the playing room and the difficulty of explaining news rules in Spanish, their goodbye kisses and hugs as if we’ve known them for ages don t make us regret our long travel to this shanty town. Loyal to our bicycles, we have an hour ride back to Huanchaco dropping in the 1st kilometer the lucky happy kids that got on our bikes. Although the alternative of the "combi" (little bus) is more relaxing, nothing will replace for us the challenging race against the lowering sun on the pan Americana, to reach the beach for sunset.
From all the option of spending an evening here, the funniest is the typical Peruvian one; ending up having a drink sited on the pavement of a corner of whichever street. This amusing process actually starts earlier in the day when one would walk around without a goal and would meet within 2 "cuadras" (block) the friend that will guide his next 5 min walk before bumping into another one. And so on... Believe us or not, we’ve tried, this game can take you to a few hours walk crossing the town from side to side.
Fire camps on the beach, bars, friend’s house, we don’t believe it’s possible to get bored in Huanchaco!"
