...it's been a long time coming...

(thank you Oliver James...)

I have finally started my project!! My goodness. It feels like it’s been a long time coming.

 

I had my orientation on Monday and there were two other girls from Australia there in my morning session. One from Cairns and the other from Brisbane. They seem nice enough. I’m not convinced I’ll be best friends with anyone from my intake, however they are lovely people, are here for good reasons and have many interesting stories and experiences to tell.

 

After orientation in the morning I had a meeting in the afternoon and was taken out to see my project. It’s an all-girls orphanage, near Cuzco airport (as in, you can hear the planes take off and land…and it’s quite loud!). These girls are all wards of the state and have no family (they were abandoned), or their family isn’t fit to care for them. There are 32 girls currently there, ranging in age from 4 to 15. As I approached the gates, with the Maximo staff I started tearing up. I hadn’t even seen any of the girls yet and didn’t know anything about the orphanage…yet just standing out the front, by the dirt road, looking at the tall walls with broken bottles on the edges, thinking about how they don’t leave this compound, it really affected me.

 

The next day (yesterday for me, the day before yesterday for you!) I went and took my first Spanish class in the morning. It was…ok. I wish learned more French in school, or actually paid attention to the technical side of the language, as I think it might have helped me! The rules are apparently very similar. Anyway, Spanish is a go-er every morning from 11am-1pm. During that first class, there were only 3 of us. I hope the class stays that small, even though there are meant to be able 6 others in the class. A smaller class is much nicer…and I don’t feel as intimidated and self-conscious about speaking and learning this foreign language!

That afternoon I went over to the orphanage. The lady who runs the institute is very well-dressed and well presented…and doesn’t speak any English. So there are just lots of smiles and nods that take place between the two of us. The girls know “Hello” in English and some even know how to say “what is your name…?” and “my name is…”. I found it hard to catch some of the names as they were being said…they are unfamiliar to me….I have 6 weeks to remember and learn them though! The girls are so friendly and affectionate. I don’t even know them and there were some that were coming up and giving me hugs; taking my hand and showing me the flowers and vegetables they are growing; teaching my hand-clapping games and just wanting to sit next to me and link arms. I see so many good qualities in these girls. You look at them and see how good they are. When they come up as close as they can to you, and look up into your eyes, you can’t help but think…why are you here? Are there people that love you, outside these walls? What will your life turn out like? I have a lot of empathy and love for them already. I want to do something fantastic for them and really help them. I’m still thinking….

But any ideas would be greatly appreciated…

 

I think that’s about it for me: I wish I had more warm clothes. I bought the warmest alpaca slippers, which keep my feet nice and toasty. I think the climate is the reason for my nose always running…and believe it or not, but I can’t find any boxes of tissues for purchase anywhere…toilet paper seems to be the material of choice. When thinking about it in terms of days, I still have ages here…but in reality, it’s only 6weeks. 6 weeks to go to Machu Picchu, Puno and Lake Titicaca, The Sacred Valley, The ruins around Cuzco (including Sexy-Woman…it honestly sounds like they are saying ‘sexy woman’ when they mention this particular ruin), AND to do all my shopping! I’m slightly concerned about how it’s all going to fit in my bags…and then how all my shopping from the next port-of-call will fit. (MUM BRING AN EXTRA SUITCASE!)

 

I still miss people terribly, but I have to get into this project and give everything I can. I’m here for these kids. I can’t keep thinking of all the good fresh produce I’m missing out on from home and the lovely weather and this and that and the other. I’ll get to return to my fam and friends maybe not soon enough, but soon.

 

lovelovelovelove