Moving schools in Puquin

So we have 3 schools in total in Cusco and about 40 kids. One of our schools is in an area called Puquin and a few weeks ago we were given notice and told that we would have to find another hovel to teach in.

After a bit of coming and going, the teacher in Puquin, Roger, and our social assistant Haydee found an alternative location for us. It´s an equally glamorous hole with 4 walls, no water, no bathroom and no windows! It´s got great views though!... and it's not next to the road like the old school.

There was a timely strike in Cusco a few days before we had to move schools so we spent our time decorating and preparing it for the kids and turning into a virtual aquarium.
We had help from our new volunteer Severine and she brought a friend too. In the end there was 5 of us, plus a little help from a local boy that Nelly befriended. We got it all done in a few hours, all ready for the move on the friday.

The new school and the old school aren´t actually that far away from each other, but as luck would have it the road was blocked that day with roadworks so we had to move the furniture and everything on foot. The first thing we saw was lots of little people on the horizon, carrying a table. From then on the grown-ups took over and for the next 2 hours lugged tables, chairs and a lot of 'stuff' from one to the other in the mid-day sun. I felt like was in the world's strongest man contest....until I realised I was carrying two children's chairs!!

When the kids saw their new classroom they went nuts, and all the cutting and sticking and painting had been worth it!

Judgement Day

So Saturday 27th September arrived and ran me over. Rita and Tomek left for the shores of Brazil on Friday. Rita announced their departure on Friday afternoon at the weekly meeting with the teachers and the room fell silent and so my three weeks as 'la directora' began. My first full day was the event we've been preparing for for weeks at Club Cusco.

Here are the edited highlights.... At 6.30 myself and the little chef, Joel went shopping for the fresh ingredients he needed for the lunch. We bought fish for the cerviche, and then got in trouble with the police bnecause it turns out that 4 months of the year in Peru it's illegal to buy that kind of fish!?! We spent over half an hour in a police van answering questions and filling out documents....for buying fish! Things carried on in a similar fashion the whole day, but from the outside looking in, it was a success. Club Cusco gave some invitations out for free by mistake, ten they only set the room up for 60 people, when we expected 150, then the chef left the building just as we were about to serve the lunch and then we ran out of food an hour and a half before the event finished!

Having said that, the teachers were all fanatastic! Everyone worked so hard. Roger even had his haircut especially so he could fit in with the elegant dresscode!



Nelly and her daughter set up a jewellery stall to display all the many beautiful things we made. Unfortunately the rich people of Cusco are too cheap to buy any of it, but we have other plans for the fruits of our labours...



Everyone seemed to enjoy the food. I didn't manage to get any pics of a plate of food, but I guess that's a good sign...



DJ Didiez Cruz played all day for us for free, bless his soul and also took some complaints from Bruce and Ana Tere in good spritis.



The Salsa dancers came on at the beginning of the event and really opened it with a bang! Everyone was transfixed by them and they really looked beautiful.


Afterwards eveyone ate the lovely food and enjoyed the toned-down music and begrudgingly parted with two soles each to take part in our spectacular raffle. Our brave teacher Saida got up twice wiht the microphone, once to announce the raffle and once to thank everyone for coming. She was really brave becasue you could see she was nervous, but she did it anyway.


Somehow we didn't raise very much money (largely due to the stingy members of club cusco who paid half price for entrance and then claimed that the small crowd they brought with them were all family members who were also entitled to the reduced entrance fee). On the bright side all the money we made was profit and goes directly to helping children and we also got bags and bags of presents for the kids, which we're saving for Christmas presents. We also made alot of great contacts with people in Cusco....of which my favourite is the lovely Christian, one of our sponsors from a local club called Roots...he has a very special, low voice...hamanahamana!


The day was a success and everyone enjoyed themselves. I don't count myself in that category, but personally, I feel like grew a a good few inches that day. I'll never forget our day at Club Cusco and I am so thankful to everyone who helped Bruce Peru Cusco that day...you all have your place in heaven!