Wow, what a week! Somehow I have the impression that all my reports from Perú have to start either with the words wow, or amazing, or incredible. Why is that? Maybe because I wasn`t expecting much when I first came here. Maybe because I meet incredible people all the time here. Maybe because I stay longer in every place than I actually planned. I mean during the first week Perú was pretty much what I expected - with touristy Lago Titicaca, tourist trap Cuzco and Machu (Rip off) Picchu. But after that... wow!
So anyways, let`s not waste precious time and words. The last week I worked for M.A.D. (Make a difference) Voluntarios in Pisco. In this little city of 90.000 inhabitants an estimated 80% of the buildings either collapsed or were seriously damaged during the last earthquake in 2007. As there were "only" about 600 deaths and some 2000 injuries, the president declared this earthquake of 8.0 on the Richter Scale as not serious and therefore Pisco didn`t receive any international aid. Only desaster relief voluntary groups like M.A.D., Burners without Borders, or Pisco sin fronteras arrived to help people sort out their lives and housing situations.
So I thought I might be able to use some of the strength I gained during my last weeks at high altitude to do some good for a couple of days. Planing to stay only for a couple of days I moved into the M.A.D. House. Immediately I had to find out that the work is very rewarding and the people I worked and live with were very clever, ambitious and really keen to Make A Difference. Thus my 3 day plan turned into more than a week and leaving was not easy. I would have loved to stay longer but time`s running out and there´s still so many places to visit on the way to Bogotá...
To just give you an idea of what I did while I was there. First, we moved a house and poured a concrete floor for this lovely old lady who has to look after her disabled sister. She lives in a hut with mud floor and walls of straw since the earthquake. We went to a school to paint and renew tables and chairs, we dug holes to errect a wall and a roof for another disadvantaged lady, we taught English at the house as well as at an institute, and we improved our own house to host more volunteers and set up signs in streets so they can find us. I also operated as a translator since spanish speakers are somehow scarce amongst volunteers.
The learning part for me this time not only included practical things like woodworks, concrete and paint but also how to talk to the people and how to find out whom to help and how. It`s not easy when people know how volunteers assess personal situations and then hide valuables or make up stories to get their work done for free. Unreliability is the next big problem. So it just happened that 8 people were waiting at 9am on Thursday for a guy who has been promised help with his concrete floor. He was supposed to pick us up but never showed up - no phone call, nothing. Obviously help wasn`t that necessary.
A nice thing is to walk around with the Voluntary T-shirt. All of a sudden prices are only half as much and shopping at the market gets incredebly cheap. So maybe help is appreciated.
Going fishing, playing chess, having lunch at Chicho`s, dancing like crazy in the front yard and taking care of the mental cat called Fleebag added some unforgettable flair to my stay. I really wish I could have stayed longer.
Thanks Jun, William, Robin, Hanna, Ashley, Katie, Dom. Keep doing the shit you do, you are doing it really good - the concept of the house is perfect, just maintain it!! I will look for new smart volunteers...
Check Mate!
No comments:
Post a Comment