Ayacucho is the capital of one of the poorer departments in Peru, located in the Andes about 9000 feet above sea level. Marisa, Landon and Karina work here at a school, a museum, and an orphanage. Marisa assists teachers in several English classes in grades 2-5 at a private religious school. She also helps in the office at the beginning of each day, recording the students who arrive tardy.
Landon works at the headquarters of Anfasep (the National Association of Relatives of the Kidnapped, Detained, and Disappeared), an organization dedicated to the search for missing victims of the 1980-2000 conflict between the Maoist insurgency Shining Path and the country’s military. The conflict began in the department of Ayacucho, which also had more civilian victims than any other department in Peru. Anfasep also does public education about the conflict, so that it will not be repeated in the future, and seeks reparations for the victims’ families. Landon sometimes gives the tours in English at the organization’s small museum, helps make new signs, teaches some English to his supervisor, and sells souvenirs in the small gift shop. Finally, Karina works at an orphanage run by a private nonprofit organization. They take care of about 22 kids who were brought there by government agencies. Karina helps the kids do their chores, teaches them, and plays games with them during the day.
[Doug and Maria are wrapping up a hectic travel schedule of visiting the 21 students in their various service locations. In the next few days we’ll be posting the rest of the blogs.]
Marisa teaches at the Apostol Pablo high school.With Maria outside one of the rooms where she helps with English classes.Part of today’s lesson is on the days of the week.Marisa leads the kids in the song “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.”During a break between classes Marisa and Maria shop at the snack bar.Marisa’s home is at the edge of Ayacucho.An early breakfast at home with host mom Julia.In front of the dining room with Julia and her mother.Landon in front of the Anfasep headquarters and museum, with murals about the victims of the war in the 80s and 90s.Red and green represent Shining Path and the country’s military, responsible for similar numbers of assasinations of innocent civilians. The panels on left and right depict the violent methods used by the opposing sides.The office where Landon sells mueseum tickets and crafts made by families of the victims.Erbita is Landon’s supervisor.The pets in Landon’s home.Maria enjoys feeding the baby lamb.Lunch of pachamanca, a traditional Andean dish dating back to before Incan times.Pachamanca includes meat, potatoes, lima beans, and sometimes sweet potato cooked either underground (with hot rocks) or in the oven.Landon’s host mom, Elizabeth, shows cancha, roasted corn she just prepared. [It tastes much like popcorn.]Landon’s host family includes (from lower left) Diego, Wendy, Herbert, Francisca, and Dionisio. The mural in the back was painted by fall SST’ers Alexandra and Rachel.When we arrived at Hogar Casa Luz, Karina was playing with some of the children.This game involved throwing colored cardboard chips. Doug never quite figured it out, but the kids were having a lot of fun.Karina sits with her friend John, who had eye cancer a few months after birth and now has prosthetic eyes.Karina with her supervisor, Antonia Flores.At Karina’s home we had stuffed potatoes for supper.Karina with host mom Nieves and brother Javier.For our last night in Ayacucho we took the students out for dinner, …… and we celebrated Marisa’s birthday with cake and music.
