Vacation, Amongst Other Things

     I have been meaning to write sooner than this, but I have been ill for the past four days and had no energy or desire to sit in front of a computer for any length of time. I'm not 100% yet, but I feel better today than I have since Friday. Being sick is no fun, but being sick in a foreign country is even worse. Even though I have made a life for myself here in Trujillo I still miss many of the comforts of home when I am not well. The first and foremost is having the ability to lay on the couch all day, watch pointless TV programs, and sleep as much as possible. It's kind of the same here, but now I watch Netflix on my laptop in my bed. I'm not complaining or anything, but I really miss the couch.
     Anyways, here are some things I have been up to since my one year anniversary post a week and a half ago.




     Last Friday Carson and I met some guys from school for a bachelor party for one of my co-workers named Matt. I don't think I have ever seen such a ragtag, international, group of misfits before in my life. There were attendees from the States, UK, Belgium, Australia, and Peru. We ate, drank, and danced the night away; and when it was time to go home, everyone was ready.
     For some reason all the photos I took over the course of the night have disappeared. The only one that survived was the first photo of the night. The photo below is proof that Matt is a great guy. Every night around 9pm Matt walks down the street to his now mother-in-law's shop to help her close the gates and lock everything up. Even though on this particular night he didn't have to do it he still asked everyone if we could walk to her shop and help out. She and her friend got a big kick out of seeing all these gringos in funny Peru hats.

A motley crew. The party boy is front and center with the really funny hat.
On the back row from left to right: Tony, Wayne, J, yours truly, David, Chris.
Photo credit goes to Carson Jewell

     Since the 3rd bimester of school had just ended, I had a week off from school. Carson and I the plan of traveling up the coast to different surf spots, surfing when the waves were good, and seeing what there was to see. So, Saturday morning after the bachelor party, Carson and I rose bright and early (10am) to take a bus to our first stop on out mini surfari, Puerto Chicama and the longest left hand point break in the world.

   

The walk from here to the point, which you can see in distance,  will take more than 20mins.
On a good day you can catch a wave breaking off the point that will take you much farther than what I could capture in this photo. Sometimes these waves will last over a mile and a half.

Carson looking up the point at sunset. He caught the longest wave of our trip, over half a mile long. The waves were only waist high.  

We found a pool hall to hangout in in the evening. The pool table down here are very similar to the ones you might find the States, but these have tiny pockets. It is, unbelievably, difficult to play on them. 

After two nights in Chicama we decided to head north to Pacasmayo. This spot is, also, known for its long left hand point break. The surf ended up being worse here than in Chicama, but he had a good time getting to know the town. 

The Pacasmayo concrete company.

We came upon an old VW van turned restaurant truck. We didn't eat here, but it looked pretty cool.

Another night of pool on tables with tiny pockets

The pool hall served dinner, as well. A plate of boiled beef rib meat with onions and yuca. Tasty.

     Since the surf was no good in Pacasmayo we headed back to Chicama the next day. Unfortunately, the surf was dwindling there also and the swell forecast was not looking good for the week, so we packed up and headed back to Huanchaco. This was not a bad thing considering I don't make much money right now and traveling can get expensive.
     It was really nice to be able to relax at Casita de Jewell in Haunchaco, use the grill, drink coffee, and do a few day trips. The highlights for me were, definitely, grilling. I have not had a true hamburger since I left the States in January (McDonald's does not count). Carson made some delicious burgers one night and I ate two of them which sent me to bed very early. Carson, also, grilled a whole Corvina. It was a fresh morning catch in Huanchaco and only cost a little over $6.00. We ate it will Hop'in Juan and a salad.

   

     All vacations must come to an end and everyone must go back to work. I am very excited to start my fourth and final bimester of the year. I really enjoy seeing my students after a week break and hear all about what they did during their time away from school. Usually, I have some students that go to some pretty interesting places like Mexico, Dominican Republic, Europe, and sometimes the U.S. I always encourage my students to bring me back something great and I have not been disappointed yet.

Martha went to Cuba for her break and brought me back a kilo of Cuban coffee.  I can't wait to get up at 5am  tomorrow morning to give this stuff a try. Thanks Martha!

     On a side note, I am thinking about changing the name of the blog. An American Teacher in Trujillo does not really fit the content. I write more about my life in general down here than I do about teaching.  I'm still pondering it, but don't be surprised if you come here one day and the name has changed. Also, I am worried I have too many grammatical errors to have the word Teacher in the name.

Anniversary, End of the Third Bimester, Vacation

Today is the one year anniversary of my time in Peru and I will celebrate it by going on a week-long surf trip in the north with cousin Carson. I haven't been too far north of Trujillo, so I am excited to see what the northern coast holds...

One year with Cuss'in Carson.

Primo Carson and Prima Vera

     I'm pretty busy this week since it's the end of the term and I have lots of school work to complete before Friday, so I'm not going to write too much. Here are a few photos of what has been happening since the arrival of cousin Carson and spring time.

Carson is here and he is already cooking!
BBQ chicken and succotash.
I think this is the first time succotash has ever been cooked in Peru.

Third day in Peru and Carson is doing the Inca Two Step.
Sick boy.

Trujillo has a huge spring celebration every year.
Miss Spring Trujillo

Miss Tourism Trujillo

Carson's not sick anymore!
We just happened to watch the Primavera parade in front of a daiquiri stand. 

Parade band

Plaza de Armas after the parade

Post parade dinner of food from the Amazon. D-lish-ous.

   

Vernal Equinox, Cousin Carson, and Juegos Florales

     Winter is officially over in the southern hemisphere; and it couldn't have come at a better time. Well, it's not really what I normally consider winter, but that's what it's called down here. To me, it's more like early autumn or late spring in North Carolina, except you only get a day or two a week with sunshine.
     One of the aspects I really like about the winter in Trujillo is that I don't sweat while I am riding the bus to work in the morning and I don't sweat while I teach. Also, there is not a lot of tourism in Huanchaco during the winter time. This place is so crowded throughout the summer months it's really nice to have a beach with so few people on it. One of the aspects I'm not so fond of is the fact that there is not a lot of sunshine. A day or two, tops, of blue sky and sun every week is pretty normal. During the weekends I really try to take advantage of where I live, so I surf a few times, go on walks in the city, see an archeological site, and hangout on the beach; but it is always more fun when there is some good sunshine. Since spring is now here all of that is about to change.




     Tomorrow, my cousin, Carson, arrives in Trujillo for four months. Four months! I'm not sure who is more excited, him or me. He has been planning to come down here since March or April and I am so happy that it is finally happening. Although I spend most of time during the week at school, I have a week off at the beginning of October, so we are planning a surf trip up the northern coast to see what kinds of waves they have to offer. I haven't been much further north than Puerto Chicama, so it will be nice for us, both, to see these places together for the first time.
     When I am busy working at school, Carson will  be surfing and, hopefully, getting a part-time gig cooking and learning Peruvian cuisine. I'm not sure how it happens, but I seem to always live with people who can cook really well. This is awesome for me because I am a horrible cook and I never mind doing the dishes.




     The past week at Fleming, we have been celebrating Juegos Florales. It is put on by the Spanish department and this year the focus was multiculturalism. The students made various presentations, studied classic literature, and decorated their classrooms to show what they had been learning about other cultures. Luckily for me, ten of my sixth graders participated in a cultural exchange with a school in Mexico, so we always had a lot to talk about. 

My homeroom preparing the class for Juegos Florales

Part of the finished product.
I'm still not sure how the Angry Birds hanging from the ceiling fits into multiculturalism theme.

The whole school gathered for the end of the Juegos Florales celebration.

 One of my students, Bruno, taking center stage to recite a poem for the school. He did a great job.

     On Wednesday, the 19th, we celebrated International Talk Like A Pirate Day. This meant I was able to tell all of my corny pirate jokes I have learned over the years. Like usual, my students didn't really get my jokes. They're a tough crowd.

Captain is coming!
Taking a break from sitting in a classroom to play an awesome pirate game.
It's amazing how much educational value this game had. My students had to practice their English listening skills  by following directions and working together.

One Act Play in Lima

     After a four day stay-cation in Huanchaco I used Monday ad Tuesday to prepare for my trip to Lima. On Tuesday night I took the overnight bus from Trujillo to Lima oversee four secondary students as the performed in a one act play at Hiram Bingham College. All eight (I think) of the British Schools of Peru got together this past Wednesday and Thursday night at Hiram Bingham College in Lima for a small one act play festival. The Fleming group got to Lima on Wednesday and went to Hiram Bingham for play practice for and hour or so. The theatre at Hiram Bingham was very impressive with its state of the art sound booth and wonderful acoustics which allowed all the actors to speak without microphones. It was very different from Fleming's outdoor makeshift theatre that sits right on a very busy city street.

     Wednesday afternoon and Thursday afternoon was spent practicing our performance with our act appearing Thursday night. The Fleming students did a great job and I was very pleased with their flawless performance. One of our actors got sick the day before we left for Lima, so another girl was brought in at the last minute to fill the spot. She learned all her lines in a matter of days and was a great addition to the cast. I'm sorry to say that I completely forgot about taking pictures, so I don't have anything good to post other than a few photos I took at night after the performance.

Hiram Bingham College
This building houses the cafeteria, theatre, and indoor swimming pool.

Soccer fields at Hiram Bingham

   
     On Thursday night I took the overnight bus back to Trujillo just in time to get to school and begin my Friday classes. I don't sleep well on the bus not to mention the fact that I lost my voice just before getting to Lima. Getting around Lima can be difficult sometimes even when I do have a voice, but it was really hard when I couldn't speak. Every time I took a taxi I had to haggle with the driver for a better price. I know they thought I was really weird. To add insult to injury, I lost my cellphone in one of the cabs. Bummer, huh?

Friday afternoon in Huanchaco I enjoyed an afternoon beverage with my friends Jochen and Amy after a long week .

     This afternoon while I was in the staff room, I caught eight of my students receiving Green Cards for doing great things in another class. Green Cards are part of primary's extrinsic motivational system where, after acquiring a certain amount of points in the classroom for good behavior, students make a visit to the principal's office to receive a note of good conduct. These students were being rewarded for outstanding work in Personal Social with Ms. Elena. Students, also, come to see the principal to get Yellow and Red Cards for poor behavior, but I don't take photos of them.

 Regardless of the constant talking and general shenanigans that occur in my class everyday, I really enjoy my students.  I was so happy to see them I thought I should document it. They are a great bunch of kids and I am happy to have them.

      

Santa Rosa de Lima

     There is no separation between church and state in Peru. Catholicism is intertwined so deeply in the local and national governments that you can the Virgin Mary in every police station, post office, and public office. While I want no religion in my own government, I really like the combination of church and state in Peru for the sole reason that I get eight paid holidays during the school year. Yep, I get off work eight times a school year for a religion that I have no part in other than touring really old cathedrals when I go traveling.

     

     This past Thursday the school was closed for the Catholic holiday of remembering Santa Rosa de Lima. The saint was born in Lima in the late 1500's and was canonized in the late 1600's. I'm not too sure what she did to become a saint, but I read somewhere (Wikipedia) that she, one time, cured a leper.  I did not witness any events marking her day on Thursday, but on Sunday my friend Amy and I saw a procession for her in the beach town of Salaverry in Trujillo. Sixteen men and women carried a shrine dedicated to Santa Rosa de Lima on their shoulders through the streets followed by a brass band and around fifty onlookers. To be honest, I am not 100% positive it was Santa Rosa de Lima they were carrying, but from all the roses on the shrine I am pretty sure that is who it was. I have seen this kind of march before, but it always intrigues me and the locals always get a kick out of having a couple of gringos there taking photos. 

    My Thursday was spent relaxing in Huanchaco. I wanted to surf, but the surf was so big it was closing out on the point. I spent a few hours helping a friend of mine move into her new place and I went for a walk, but that was about it. Friday was another holiday called Teacher's Day. I am, still, not too sure what this day meant. I thought we had Teacher's Day back in July, but I guess it wasn't finished. That is fine by me. I took care of my lesson planning before the holiday started, so I did my best not to think about school stuff.

Thursday and Santa Rosa de Lima.
Cool temps and overcast skies are the norm for winter in this part of Peru.
You can't really see it, but the surf is BIG.

Procession of Santa Rosa de Lima in Salaverry.

     

     Salaverry is a small beach community in the city of Trujillo with the largest shipping port in the north of Peru. There are, also, many local fishermen making their living from the sea.

A group of fishermen bringing in their nets.

Boats on blocks.

Our lunch spot right off the beach.
The owners loved having a couple of gringos in their restaurant so much they turned off the salsa music and put on Lou Rawls and Barry White. It was very entertaining.

Half eaten plate of fried octopus and yuca with salad and a cold, tasty beverage.
It took so long to get our plates we figured the owner went to the ocean to get our lunch. It was well worth the wait.

     

     Before we headed to Salaverry we visited the ruins of La Huaca de Arcoiris. Or, the temple of the rainbow. There seems to be an endless supply of ruins in this area that predate the Incan conquest. These ruins were from the Chimu civilization and some of the smallest. It only took us 30mins to see the temple and it would have taken less, but we had to wait for our guide to stop laughing at my Spanish to English translations. 

The lines around the top represent the arcoiris, or rainbow

Ramp leading to the top of La Huaca, or temple

Western side of the temple and the wall that surrounds it.


The photos are the greatest, but you get the idea. Really old adobe temple in the desert.

     In English class my sixth graders are studying human rights this bimester. We have some really interesting conversations in class since human rights violations are very evident (especially violations to children's rights) in Trujillo. During an assembly last Wednesday, my homeroom class performed two skits about human rights and children's rights. I guided them, but I was very pleased with what they created. One group acted out a scene from the UN's General Assembly where the countries present had to decide what countries needed the most aid after an earthquake. The other group preformed a skit about the horrible working conditions some of the street children face here in Trujillo.

The United Nations General Assembly of class P6C with all of the primary grades in attendance.

Child labor in Trujillo.

     

Super Tourist with the procession of Santa Rosa de Lima

I'm Still Here: Part II

For the full story on my parents first visit to Peru check out the previous post.

     Last week I stopped writing when we arrived at the train station in Ollantaytambo in route to Machu Picchu. We had spent the entire day driving through the Sacred Valley seeing all types of beautiful landscapes and ancient traditions from the Incas and their predecessors. It was really something.

     If you want to go to Machu Picchu and you don't want to, or can't, walk the Inca Trail Peru Rail is the way to go. The train was really nice, the staff was friendly, and the views were incredible. 

Mom getting ready to board Peru Rail. Ollantaytambo to Machu Picchu

The route hugs the Urubamba River for most, if not all, of the way.
Big Andean peaks were above us with lots of hanging glaciers.

My Dad is a civil engineer, so the next two photos are required by law.

This is a bridge.

This is a dam.

     

 

     Every day 2,500 tickets are sold for tourists to go to Machu Picchu. It is, hands down, the main attraction in this part of the country, but there are many other things to see and do here. With all of these people gathered in one place there has to be somewhere for them to stay and food for them to eat. Enter the town of Aguas Calientes or Machu Picchu Peublo. It seemed like this town was built to take care of tourists. It was crowded and very expensive. Though I am very happy we only stayed there one night, my parents and I found a great place to eat dinner and listen to local band play some traditional Peruvian mountain music. 

Being a Super Tourist in Aguas Calientes

     We woke up at 4:30am to get on the bus that would take us to Machu Picchu. Even this early in the morning there were many people up and about preparing to take the same trip. We wanted to be up in the park as early as possible to avoid the crowd, but we had to go to the park office in town to pay for our tickets before we could get on the bus. By the time we had paid for our tickets it was about 6:15am and the line for the bus had grown so long it stretched around a city block. We waited for 45mins before it was our turn to get on the bus. 

     The ride took us down the Urubamba River and up an unbelievably steep, one lane road filled with switchbacks. As you round one of the hairpin turns you could look down into the Sacred Valley below and know that if the driver made one bad move the bus, and everything in it, would go tumbling down to the river below. I had to reassure myself that the driver knew exactly what he was doing and the chances of us going over the edge were pretty slim. 

     As we neared the top of the ridge the anticipation started to build. I have always enjoyed traveling, but I have never thought I would get the chance to visit one of Eight Wonders of the World. Machu Picchu is one of those places you see on TV or in magazines and you say to yourself, "That looks awesome! Wouldn't it be great to go there one day!" The first moment I saw the terraces above me from the bus window was really special. It was almost surreal in the sense that I couldn't believe I was actually here.

     

Mom and I getting in line to take the bus to Machu Picchu.

Dad and I further down the line. Still waiting.

     As I said before, 2,500 people visit Machu Picchu everyday during the high season, which is now. To have that many tourists in one place at one time would seem a little overwhelming and kind of horrible, but in the end none of that really mattered. The place is so amazing and the views so incredible  all the people there with you seem to just disappear and we were able to enjoy it to the fullest.

Super generic shot of Machu Picchu, but completely necessary.

     

You have to have one of these photos if you go to Machu Picchu.

Our guide took us to his "secret" photo spot.  The path to get there was narrow with a steep drop. It about did Mom in.

     A little known fact about Machu Picchu. Though American explorer Hiram Bingham brought Machu Picchu to the world, he did not discover it nor was it lost for all those years. A few Quechuan families had been living on the farming terraces of the site for many years. 

     After we finished Machu Picchu we headed back to Cuzco for a flight to Trujillo. It was time to show Mom and Dad I have been living and working for the past six months.

     Having the time to show Mom and Dad around Huanchaco and Trujillo was something I had been looking forward to for a long time. To be living in a place that your family cannot relate to can be quite difficult when you try to explain certain things that go on in your day to day life. I was really happy for them to be able to come and stay at my apartment with me and do the things that I do everyday. 

Dad and I in front of my apartment.

Mom and I by the church that over looks Huanchaco

Parihuela.
It's a stew with every type of seafood you can think of from  this area.

Mom and Dad enjoying breakfast at Chocolate.

While I was buying bus tickets to Lima Dad found the Fiestas Patrias (Peruvian Independence Day) parade.

Another seafood dinner.
Corvina a la parilla or grilled corvina.

Caballitos de totoras.
Ancient type of reed fishing boat still in use by all of the local fishermen.

Chan Chan.
Chimu culture temple that pre-dates the Incan conquest.

Arroz con mariscos (seafood and rice).
Again, they throw all types of local seafood in there.

Dad taking a ride in a moto taxi.

Fishermen pulling their catch out of their seining nets.

     Our time in Huanchaco was great. We visited pre-Incan archeological sites, saw festivities for Fiestas Patrias, and ate fresh seafood everyday.  For the last leg of our trip we took a nine hour bus ride from Trujillo to Lima. Long distance bus travel in Peru is so much different from the States and it is something I really wanted my parents to experience. For 70soles ($27) you can buy a ticket to Lima and sit in height of comfort. I have made this trip many times since I came here and it has always been great trip.

Mom and Dad enjoying luxurious Peruvian bus travel and drinking Inca Kola for the first time.

Pan-American Highway.
The Peruvian coastline is a harsh and uninviting place.
It's also one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.

Looking east out of the bus window.
Yes, people live here.
Very little electricity and no running water.
Hand woven matting for walls and dirt floors.
Being thankful for what I have is an understatement. 

   
     After reaching Lima, we stayed in an area called Miraflores for two nights before my parents boarded their flight. We had a grand finale dinner at the restaurant Costa Verde which I thought I had photos of, but I guess not.
     I am so very lucky to have the parents I have. They traveled, pretty much, nonstop for two weeks, did their best to speak the language, and tried very bit of weird street food I put in front of them. I am a very proud son and so thankful we were able to share all of these experiences together.



     After my parents departure I had another week of vacation before I returned to work and the second half of my first year of teaching. Life has returned to normal for me, or whatever normal can be when when you live in such a different and amazing place. Below are a few photos of what has been happening over the past few weeks.
     

I play fulbito (kind like indoor soccer) for the teacher's team at my school.
Every Saturday we play in a tournament against other schools from Trujillo.
The love that Peruvians have for this game is unparalleled.

The Town of Huanchaco is ripping up sidewalks near my house.
They don't use any type of mechanized equipment. Only sledgehammers and pick axes. 

This past Friday night we had a going away pizza and movie party at Fleming for one of my students.
We are going to miss him tons!

After eating six slices of pizza, Mr. Jewell was talked into a game of tag with students.
That, probably, wasn't the best idea.