Nostalgic
Mariana Gledhill from Wellington, N.Z. spent 7 months, in 2005, in Peru doing voluntary work. She shares her experiences.
Hi everyone,
Well, my AFS programme is almost at an end, but I am in Peru for roughly seven weeks longer. God, it seems like it was just yesterday when I got the news that I was going to Peru. I am excited about going home. There are some material things here I miss, like hot showers, milk that is not made from condensed milk and hot water, but what I miss the most is all of you, especially my family. I don´t miss the foods at breakfast, rather I miss waking up and eating breakfast with my family. By the same token, the thought of leaving Peru, and the ´hijas´ that I have become so close to fills me with dread. I don´t want to leave them or the friends that I have made here.
I am becoming a ¨JLo¨ with families. I have changed again. This was not remotely my fault. My (ex)family said that they were going on holiday for ´4 days,´ which turned out to be almost 3 weeks. I like living with my new family and my old one do not want me back so there it is.
I had my goodbye ceremony (even though I am not leaving Peru for a few weeks yet). AFS got me a cake. In Chincha they have this tradition of stuffing your cake in your face. I tried to duck but my friend mono (that is his nickname, in Spanish is means monkey) got me and I had a beard of Chocolate cake for a brief moment(well, more of a goatee).
I continue to love my work. Sometimes it make me sad, sometimes rather happy. That is what love is, I guess. My workmates continue to be lovely. I was invited to a dual 15 years and 18 years birthday by a workmate. 15 years is significant for a girl, because when she is 15, she is a women. it is like a wedding. the only thing that is missing is the groom (yes, it had the dress, and the cake!). 18 years is significant for a guy as it means he is a man (yeah right!), and the ceremony is the same, with nice suit and cake and all of that, but no bride.
I was sad the next day though because one of my girls is not going to turn 15. She is 10 and has a terminal illness. It is not like she is very talented at anything, except in being a normal little girl. She adores playing with dolls and when she is feverish this is all she does. She make dresses out dirty pieces of fabric. She loves to sing as well. Sometimes, we sing songs to each other…
I help with English a lot too. A lot of girls get private lessons. One of them wants to be a tour guide and she is so determined to meet her goal that she is learning rapidly. If you put her at my ex-school or any New Zealand school she would do so well, but she is in a public school here. Public schools only get 3% govt funding. you can imagine what it is like… But she is learning and I think one day she will be a good tour guide.
Yeah, I love being here. I want to come back and see you all. I don´t want to leave though.
Love to you all
Mariana
