Exploring South America and first month at work

I think I said to some of you that I am a really bad writer, well in many ways. One of them is that I am way too lazy. But I promised to write at least once a month, so here I go :)

All is well in Lima. It is winter so it's grey, humid (and humid and humid and really humid) and at the moment drizzling. But every once in a while when we see the sun, oh it feels so good :). I've been told that August is the worst. We are almost there so no worries, we'll get through! And to be honest it doesn't really differ that much our autumn months in Finland, except it's a lot warmer here (outside, not inside). Enough about the weather, I didn't come here for the weather, did I :)?

Since I last wrote I've been lucky to have been traveling a bit to Argentina and Uruguay for a week. I liked them both a lot. Buenos Aires, especially Palermo Viajo, seems really European with cute cafes and restaurants and small boutiques. Also went to see San Telmo and the market and of course found a really nice French-owned restaurant. Everywhere in Argentina the beef and red wine are amazing!!! It was a bit cooler in Buenos Aires, but the sun was there, aaaah! The sun followed us to Uruguay, Montevideo and Colonia del Sacramento. Montevideo was a nice city with a really long beach (quite cold in the winter, I must say) but the sunset in Colonia was one of the most amazing once I've ever seen.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Montevideo, Uruguay

Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

After traveling it was time to start my work. I am volunteering in La Casa de Panchita, which is an organisation that helps domestic workers, both adults and children in Lima. There are many projects going on, thanks to different donors, Naisten kehitysapu and Finnish Foreign Ministry being one of the enablers for this wonderful organisation. So my first 3 weeks my task was to get to know as much as possible of their projects.

Sundays are important days at La Casa de Panchita, since Sunday is normally the only day off for domestic workers. We have kids coming from the poorer areas for a day of fun and there are many different workshops for adults (English, German, dance, drawing, singing, cooking to name a few). It is usually a fun day with lots of people around having a good time.

Sunday at work

During weekdays I got to see many schools where we work. There are morning, afternoon and evening "classes" when volunteers and La Casa de Panchita's workers go to schools to help them with their homework. There are different topics that we go through in workshops, e.g. risks of violence or dangerous situations and what can you do then. We can also go through e.g. some specific math problems. At day time the children are about 7-12 years old and in the evening school around 15-17 years. There are two psychologists who meet with the kids privately, where they can speak freely about whatever issues they might have. And yes, these children are either already working as a domestic worker or are in danger of becoming one for various reasons.

I have also been able to attend workshops with the incredible ladies that come to La Casa de Panchita. There is an employment agency who helps women to find a good job. Employment agency is also the place to come if they have problems with their employers. Before you can apply jobs through the agency you need to go through three-day training where different topics are discussed, for example employee's and employers rights, empowerment of women, how to build more self-esteem and also more concrete issues like recycling and what to do if an emergency happens. And one day is spent in the kitchen to learn different types of cooking. I must say that the scent that comes from the kitchen on those days is really tempting!! (I might have ask if I can join this class, since my cooking and cooking skills are absolutely non-existent at the moment!!!)

This all happens in Spanish, of course, so I might have missed some important things that happens in all these projects, but I think I have covered the basics :). My days are a non-stop Spanish comprehension class all day through :). I am getting there with my Spanish.... Well, of course not as quickly as I would like to (in my mind I should be fluent by now, I've been here 1,5 months already!!!) but I am trying to be patient. I scream of excitement when I can make a sentence that someone actually understands. What a feeling that is :D. The same feeling comes when you have a conversation with someone and you can actually have a (short, but still a) conversation!!! (meaning understanding correctly what they say and give an answer that is actually an answer to THAT question and so on.... It is pretty cool ;) and something you don't realise when you know a language!) I must say huge thanks to all my fellow volunteers, everyone at La Casa de Panchita, the children and the ladies and random people in Lima for being so understanding with my poor Spanish. I promise you all, I will get there, I will be able to make proper sentences that makes sense both in present and past tense and have a more than one sentence conversation with you - one of these days :D. Bear with me!!! Everyone here has been really patient with my crappy Spanish. Even when I just put words after another (normally in wrong conjugation, of course), they nod and try to understand me and guess what I am saying. It is really sweet and I really thank everyone for that <3!!

This month we also celebrated the 25th anniversary of La Casa de Panchita! The official day, July 16th, we had official celebrations with representatives from ministries, partners, embassies and so on. On Sunday, July 20th there were celebrations with kids and ladies, friend's of La Casa de Panchita, volunteers and everyone was invited. There was a lot going on with games, singing, comics and of course the cake! It was a fun and exhausting day :).

La Casa de Panchita 25 years!

If you are interested in volunteering at La Casa de Panchita, check out Etvo-site (in Finnish). The application period for next year is on! For non-Finnish people, you can always just contact La Casa de Panchita, if you want to volunteer. You can contact me, if you want more information.

So what next? Tomorrow, July 28th, is the Independence Day of Perú so there will be lots of celebrations around the city. Schools are on holidays for two weeks so we won't be going to schools. I will attend an NGO conference in Trujillo and then back to normal routine with work. I will also have a visitor from Germany to explore Lima with :).

Enjoy your summer in Europe!!!!!! Hasta luego!

Soy Soile!

Me llamo Soile. Soy de Finlandia, es decir soy finlandesa :). Soy una voluntaria. This is what I started with at Peruwayna last week, my first Spanish lessons in Peru. It was lot of fun with my great teacher Marilyn and 2 girls from UK. We learned how to introduce ourselves, ask where to go when we are lost and lots of other important things :)!! I must say this week I can already make some sentences - great start, I'd say :D! Well, I am far, far, far from fluent but day by day I am getting there, creo que si!

Last week there were many firsts: my first ceviche, my first visit to Centro de Lima, my first pisco sour (local drink), my first glass of Peruvian white wine (I think!) to name a few. I have enjoyed lovely food, met really nice people and started to enjoy this, a bit grey city (well, it is winter!!!). Weekend surprised us all and we saw the sun :)!!!

Centro de Lima con mis chicas

Pisco Sour @ Hotel Bolivia

Ceviche á la Punto Azul, Miraflores

Trying very hard to study @ Parque Kennedy, Miraflores

So first two weeks I am a student, next week I will be a tourist and then volunteer work starts at Casa de Panchita!

Alkuhämmennystä ja -ihmettelyä

Täällä siis viimeinkin ollaan - Perun Limassa. Onhan tätä jo kauan odotettukin, mutta kuten aina, viimeiset hetket lensivät kuin siivillä ja tälläkin kertaa osa järjestelyistä jäi kuin jäikin viime tippaan. Mutta deadline on ainakin allekirjoittaneelle yksi parhaimmista motiiveista asioiden loppuunsaattamisessa eli kaikki tuli tehtyä enemmän tai vähemmän kunnolla :).

Kauas on pitkä matka! Tuli koettua elämäni pisin yhtämittainen lento Amsterdamista - Limaan 12,5 tuntia. Yllättävän hyvin meni matka, sillä lähtöä edeltäneenä yönä en nukkunut lainkaan, joten nukutti kyllä koko ajan, kuten on nukuttanut viimeisen vuorokauden ajan.

Valitettavasti sain tutustua jo kaupungin ikäväänkin puoleen :(. Matka Liman lentokentältä majapaikkaani ei sujunut ihan ongelmitta. Lentokentällä vastassa oli sovitusti turvalliseksi tunnettu taksikuski. Jouduimme kuitenkin ajelemaan ei-niin-turvallisen-alueen läpi ja yhdessä risteyksessä, kun odotimme kääntymistä vasemmalle, eräs mies yhtäkkiä iski auton ikkunan rikki ja yritti viedä laukkuni. Onneksi olin jo kuullut näistä tapahtumista ennakkoon, joten käsilaukku oli lattialla ja ovet lukossa. Sain myös pidettyä laukustani kiinni, joten varas jäi tällä kertaa ilman saalista ja häipyi takavasemmalle. Loppumatkan istuin lasinsirpaleiden keskellä, jotka eivät onneksi aiheuttaneet kuin pari pientä haavaa. Varmuuden vuoksi pidin kuitenkin kädessäni jättikokoista lasinsirpaletta ja vannoin mielessäni, että seuraavaa tyyppiä isken sillä, jos uskaltaa lähestyä! Ei ehkä ihan järkevä suhtautuminen asiaan, mutta onneksi tällaista tilannetta ei tullut ja matka perille sujui mainiosti.

Maailmalla sattuu ja tapahtuu, mutta ei saa antaa ikävien asioiden ottaa ylivaltaa. Myönnän, että ensimmäinen yö ja päivä meni hieman maailman pahuutta ihmetellessä. Tosin ihmettelyyn saattoi vaikuttaa myös aikaero ja matkaväsymys, mutta väsymyksestä toivuttuani alkaa taas maailma näyttää suht mukavalta paikalta :).

Tänään kävin tutustumassa sumuiseen rantaviivaan, mutta enpä muistanut ottaa kameraa mukaan, joten kuvia saatte jäädä vielä odottelemaan.

Ihanaista kesää sinne Suomeen <3