More Changes

American friends of mine, Alan and John Michael, along with my boyfriend, Kris, were able to install all the playground equipment just in time for classes on August 10th


So, school resumed a few weeks ago and I was able to visit the school in La Mansion where Director Froilan is currently working. Classes at Paz y Esperanza started off very well the first full week I returned to teach, but things are kinda slowing down. I do think that its because the children, namely the 4th through 6th graders, are not being challenged enough by the work I'm giving them. By the way, my 6th graders can read simple English phrases with almost perfect pronunciation.....kind of amazing.....


So, I'm trying to find all new teaching material/review worksheets online and in the volunteer teaching materials to reinforce what the older kids have learned about family and possessive pronouns. I'm also trying to get the curriculum done by some time in September, adjusting lessons that I've already done and adding specific information on which worksheet correspond with which lessons. Big task, but I really wanna have it done already.


The school in La Mansion is quite charming for a public school in Peru. The grounds are spacious and the children are surprisingly well-behaved and polite (most of them, anyway). I enjoyed my visit, and I hope to visit some schools in Paucarpata this week. However, I don't know how taken I will be with those schools....I overheard the 3rd grade teacher at Paz y Esperanza describe her experience teaching there as "horrible". She said that the children were violent.........I guess I should prepare for the worst and hope for the best.


I'm getting along well with the new Director. He's asked me about the history of CDCA and the relationship between the NGOs. He is very interested in CDCA's efforts and has shown his support for the organization in APAFA (similar to PTA- in a more "developing nation" kind of way) meetings. I shall update on what transpires from his involvement in the situation at Paz y Esperanza.



APAFA meeting held in the kitchen once used as a classroom











APAFA wokring on a wall (to protect the garden area, I think?)

AND more vacation time......

Hi:) So I went to Colca Canyon this past weekend with some friends (hence the photo above). It was fun, but really cold at night and in the early morning. Definitely gorgeous scenery on the way there and at the canyon (lots of condors flying really close-by).

After this trip I was excited to get back to school to see all the kids and review all the material from before break. I missed them so much....BUT when I got to school yesterday, there was no one around. I saw one of my students, Benjamin, on his bike and asked why they weren't in school. He told me that classes resume on the 10th not the 3rd. In spanish these dates are very similar ("el tres" "el diez"). Guess I heard wrong.

So, its another week of vacation. I've already planned all of the lessons for the rest of the year for 1st and 2nd grades. I think I'll have time to do every single grade for the rest of the year.......actually, that's really ambitious, so let's say at least 3rd and 4th grade this week.

The good news is that I spoke with the "real" Director today and made an appointment to visit him at his new school next week. CDCA is looking into other schools to build relationships with as the situation at Paz y Esperanza has proven to be an extremely difficult working environment. The Director is a great professional contact for CDCA and has welcomed us to evaluate the potential of working at the school he is currently serving in or perhaps other schools in the area. I'm especially excited to see what other schools are like. I haven't been exposed to another public school environment in Arequipa. Something tells me that this search will be promising.......