Last day in Peru. Sad to be leaving but looking forward to being back in Edinburgh too. It's going to feel very strange indeed after all this time.
Have had lots of great times and good memories to keep. Also had some sad moments of course, but never without hope for the future. There are lots of good people here in Peru trying to improve lives. I've noticed a big change here even in the few years I've been coming. This year they have a presidential election. Lets hope they do the right thing, or at least don't vote Keiko into power. She seems to be running second in polls right now.
I've just heard from Ricardo at Maximo that they are taking Fernando to the clinic today, so hopefully there will be good news there. He is still in La Policia de la Familia unfortunately.
Getting to know Fernando and Alberto was one of the highlights of my time in Peru. As was meeting the kids of San Juan and taking them to the cinema and lots of other things. I will go back there to see them for sure. Don't know when but some day soon.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Fernando and Alfredo
Fernando and Alfredo are two 12 year old boys who were in La Policia all last week. I spent quite a bit of time with them just chatting and playing games. There were between 6 and 9 kids there every day last week.
These two boys just did not want me to leave. There are both great kids but have had lots of problems in their lives as have all the kids here. Fernando had been sent to work in a brick works every day for who knows how long. He also had a hard time at home so needless to say he ran away and refuses to go back. The police seem to have accepted that he will not be able to go back home.
Because he was working without any protective clothes or goggles his eyes are now damaged. To what extend I don't know. The police asked if I could help so called Dr Grober and he is going to arrange things for him. I've left some money with MN to pay his medical fees. Hopefully it will turn out to be treatable and he will be ok.
I hope to keep in touch with both the boys when they move to a home. Ricardo at MN will try to keep me posted on where they go to stay. It would be good if they went to same place.
It's Alfredo's drawing that I've posted. I asked him to draw a picture for me showing where he lives and who he knows there. The guy in the picture is his father with the big hat. He didn't tell me much about him. I like that he has shown a happy sun, though I did have to ask if there was not a sun to be seen near his house, so maybe he does not see it as sunny at all. Maybe he was just trying to please me.
So that's my time at La Policia finished yet again. There's never a dull moment there. Hope to be back there some day soon.
These two boys just did not want me to leave. There are both great kids but have had lots of problems in their lives as have all the kids here. Fernando had been sent to work in a brick works every day for who knows how long. He also had a hard time at home so needless to say he ran away and refuses to go back. The police seem to have accepted that he will not be able to go back home.
Because he was working without any protective clothes or goggles his eyes are now damaged. To what extend I don't know. The police asked if I could help so called Dr Grober and he is going to arrange things for him. I've left some money with MN to pay his medical fees. Hopefully it will turn out to be treatable and he will be ok.
I hope to keep in touch with both the boys when they move to a home. Ricardo at MN will try to keep me posted on where they go to stay. It would be good if they went to same place.
It's Alfredo's drawing that I've posted. I asked him to draw a picture for me showing where he lives and who he knows there. The guy in the picture is his father with the big hat. He didn't tell me much about him. I like that he has shown a happy sun, though I did have to ask if there was not a sun to be seen near his house, so maybe he does not see it as sunny at all. Maybe he was just trying to please me.
So that's my time at La Policia finished yet again. There's never a dull moment there. Hope to be back there some day soon.
Sunday, January 09, 2011
Javier
I've seen this boy and his mum on the streets numerous nights. Last night I brought him some food and had a chat with him. He is 11 years old and says he goes to school every day. God knows how he makes it. They can go to ahelter but not until midnight and they sleep there the rest of the night. He's a great wee kid, but tell me what chance does he have? He didn't mind his foto being taken and I paid them. Will look for him tonight and try to give him a bite to eat.
Saturday, January 08, 2011
The boy with no name
The boy with no name has been found a place in an orphanage. I was there when he left which was good. He gave me a cuddle as he left, though I doubt he really understands. He still had no name as he left. I'm sure he will be well looked after now in his new home and I'm so glad he didn't have to hang about in La Policia de la familia for too long. I will always remember his smiling face.
Only two days to go in Cusco. Leave here on Monday. Slight change in plans of one day. Have been to work today, Saturday, for a couple of hours, as Alfredo and Fernando insist on me coming in. Will go in tomorrow for a couple of hours too for my last visit. There are six boys there over the weekend.
Going out to pub tonight to see my favourite band for last time. Think I might request a Bobby D number. I'm sure they could manage Forever Young or Knocking on Heaven's Door or something .....
More tomorrow all being well and maybe your first taste of Quechua....
Only two days to go in Cusco. Leave here on Monday. Slight change in plans of one day. Have been to work today, Saturday, for a couple of hours, as Alfredo and Fernando insist on me coming in. Will go in tomorrow for a couple of hours too for my last visit. There are six boys there over the weekend.
Going out to pub tonight to see my favourite band for last time. Think I might request a Bobby D number. I'm sure they could manage Forever Young or Knocking on Heaven's Door or something .....
More tomorrow all being well and maybe your first taste of Quechua....
Thursday, January 06, 2011
Working life
Such a busy time here in Cusco I rarely have time to write anything here. It doesn't help that I don't have internet in the apartment of course. I leave my laptop in the office here in Maximo, so don't have to carry it every day. Am I repeating myself?
It's Thursday morning here and am in Maximno prior to going off to work at La Policia. I really enjoy my time with the kids at La Policia, though I'm not sure that enjoy is the right word to use, when I see how life has treated so many of these boys and girls. It's a cruel old world, but it always amazes me how the kids survive and get on with things. I think it's more gratifying than enjoyable.
There were nine kids there yesterday, seven boys and two girls. All with their own sad story to tell. All of them individually so important, if you're the kid living it, but all so similar. All comes down to same conclusion.... revolution now. Maybe some day some of these kids will take up the fight. It's the same the whole world over.
I can't recount all the stories on here, but there is one boy there just now who has got to me. He is a "special needs" boy though not that much, he's about 11 or 12. He seems to have been abondoned in the street, which is not unusual. There are two other boys also abandoned. This wee guy is a complete mystery as no-one knows who he is and he can't or won't say his name or who he is. The police say he can't speak. First time I saw him he was in a corner hiding his face and crying. Nobody paying any attention, not that there is anyone who can. It was heartbreaking to behold, though I'm a bit soft in that regard. Other boys wanted me to play games soon as I arrived but waited while I tried to speak to this guy. I gave him my hand and tried my best to re-assure him. He responded after a while and we dried his tears and he wanted a cuddle. I took his had and lead him to the table to play games with the other boys.
He gave me a big smile and along he came, sat beside me and joined in as best he could. Big smiles from him and then he spoke a few words. Not much but at least proof that he can speak a bit. Second day I saw him was the same situation, he was left in a corner all on his own though not crying. The police just do not have the resources to be social workers or spend much time dealing with this kind of situation. Lets hope he gets to a good home. Wonder what today will bring?
All for now.....
It's Thursday morning here and am in Maximno prior to going off to work at La Policia. I really enjoy my time with the kids at La Policia, though I'm not sure that enjoy is the right word to use, when I see how life has treated so many of these boys and girls. It's a cruel old world, but it always amazes me how the kids survive and get on with things. I think it's more gratifying than enjoyable.
There were nine kids there yesterday, seven boys and two girls. All with their own sad story to tell. All of them individually so important, if you're the kid living it, but all so similar. All comes down to same conclusion.... revolution now. Maybe some day some of these kids will take up the fight. It's the same the whole world over.
I can't recount all the stories on here, but there is one boy there just now who has got to me. He is a "special needs" boy though not that much, he's about 11 or 12. He seems to have been abondoned in the street, which is not unusual. There are two other boys also abandoned. This wee guy is a complete mystery as no-one knows who he is and he can't or won't say his name or who he is. The police say he can't speak. First time I saw him he was in a corner hiding his face and crying. Nobody paying any attention, not that there is anyone who can. It was heartbreaking to behold, though I'm a bit soft in that regard. Other boys wanted me to play games soon as I arrived but waited while I tried to speak to this guy. I gave him my hand and tried my best to re-assure him. He responded after a while and we dried his tears and he wanted a cuddle. I took his had and lead him to the table to play games with the other boys.
He gave me a big smile and along he came, sat beside me and joined in as best he could. Big smiles from him and then he spoke a few words. Not much but at least proof that he can speak a bit. Second day I saw him was the same situation, he was left in a corner all on his own though not crying. The police just do not have the resources to be social workers or spend much time dealing with this kind of situation. Lets hope he gets to a good home. Wonder what today will bring?
All for now.....
Sunday, January 02, 2011
Fireworks and a stalker
New year celebrations were all I could have hoped for, and then some more. One of the best Hogmanay celebrations I've had in many a long year. Though I was probably the only one here calling it Hogmanay. I'm teaching Gaelic now as well as English. I offer a phrase of the Gaelic for every phrase of Quechua that I'm taught. Seems like a fair swap. Will post some Quechua phrases soon. Let me know if you fancy any in particular?
Took in the New Year at La Plaza de Armas here in Cusco. We started of with five of us but three were lost along the way. Not that it mattered much. The Plaza was crowded. Not quite to Edinburgh levels but enough to make it exciting and intimate.
Lots of booze was consumed and lots of people got drunk, as was to be expected. There was a band playing but couldn't hear them because of the noise. The big difference here is that everyone has fireworks and they let then off indiscriminately. And they begin really early in the evening, well before midnight.
Some of these firewporks are very powerful, and kids have them too. So you can be walking along and someone sets off a firework on the street right in front of you. It's incredible, I'm amazed there are not more people injured. People scatter to get away. Lots of rockets set off constantly. I've never seen anything like it. Took me a wee while to get used to it, then you just ignore it and get on with things.
There was an official firwworks display at midnight, not quite of Edinburgh standards but very impressive nonetheless. Will post a couple of pics on here in a bit. The rain stayed away which was good. After that it was off to a bar near the plaza for somo musica en vivo. Band didn't come on until well after one. I was knackered. We walked home about 2.30. Streets were still crowded. But everbody in happy mood.
Yesterday I got up at 8.30 to watch last hour or so of Man U game then had to go back to bed. Went off walking into town to meet a pal. It's not a long walk but it's up a bit of a slope, not really a hill. So have to walk nice and slow so as not to get breathless. I was overtaken by this young woman who kept looking back at me. I thought maybe I'd forgotten to comb my hair. Then she turned back and asked me if I was Donald. She remembered me from last year in Maximo, when we had chatted. She decided to follow me. I was not too surprised to learn she was suffering depression and getting therapy. Just my luck. She was my first stalker. We passed some benches and I told her I needed to rest. She said bye, walked on a bit then tuned back to tell me she was tired too and needed to rest.
What a pain. I was trying hard not to be rude, but eventually I told her I had to leave. I walked across the road and went into a shop until I saw her passing up the other side of the road. She is a good looking young woman but I prefer not to be stalked right now. I feel a bit bad but it was all too much.
I know lots of people here in Cusco and have people coming up to me all the time who remember me from previous visits, but none quite like her.
I've only got one more week left in Cusco. I don't want to leave, I feel at home here. I've got used to the altitude and coping well with it. BP is excellent, not had to take my back up pills this time round. Such is life.
Took in the New Year at La Plaza de Armas here in Cusco. We started of with five of us but three were lost along the way. Not that it mattered much. The Plaza was crowded. Not quite to Edinburgh levels but enough to make it exciting and intimate.
Lots of booze was consumed and lots of people got drunk, as was to be expected. There was a band playing but couldn't hear them because of the noise. The big difference here is that everyone has fireworks and they let then off indiscriminately. And they begin really early in the evening, well before midnight.
Some of these firewporks are very powerful, and kids have them too. So you can be walking along and someone sets off a firework on the street right in front of you. It's incredible, I'm amazed there are not more people injured. People scatter to get away. Lots of rockets set off constantly. I've never seen anything like it. Took me a wee while to get used to it, then you just ignore it and get on with things.
There was an official firwworks display at midnight, not quite of Edinburgh standards but very impressive nonetheless. Will post a couple of pics on here in a bit. The rain stayed away which was good. After that it was off to a bar near the plaza for somo musica en vivo. Band didn't come on until well after one. I was knackered. We walked home about 2.30. Streets were still crowded. But everbody in happy mood.
Yesterday I got up at 8.30 to watch last hour or so of Man U game then had to go back to bed. Went off walking into town to meet a pal. It's not a long walk but it's up a bit of a slope, not really a hill. So have to walk nice and slow so as not to get breathless. I was overtaken by this young woman who kept looking back at me. I thought maybe I'd forgotten to comb my hair. Then she turned back and asked me if I was Donald. She remembered me from last year in Maximo, when we had chatted. She decided to follow me. I was not too surprised to learn she was suffering depression and getting therapy. Just my luck. She was my first stalker. We passed some benches and I told her I needed to rest. She said bye, walked on a bit then tuned back to tell me she was tired too and needed to rest.
What a pain. I was trying hard not to be rude, but eventually I told her I had to leave. I walked across the road and went into a shop until I saw her passing up the other side of the road. She is a good looking young woman but I prefer not to be stalked right now. I feel a bit bad but it was all too much.
I know lots of people here in Cusco and have people coming up to me all the time who remember me from previous visits, but none quite like her.
I've only got one more week left in Cusco. I don't want to leave, I feel at home here. I've got used to the altitude and coping well with it. BP is excellent, not had to take my back up pills this time round. Such is life.
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