So, you're in Perú... What Exactly are you Doing?

¡Hola Todos!

This is Laura.  She once had the idea that she would organize 
me and Ryan's apartment.  Still hasn't happened.  

As I write, I am commemorating the end of my second week of work and the start of what hopes to be a formative endeavor.  With this mindset on my responsibilities here, I thought I would share exactly what I am doing.  I felt that since my placement in Perú, I have not really given a good, clear explantation of what I would be doing (mainly because it was something uncertain on my end).  But uncertainty was good, and I am realizing this now, because instead of relying on the pre-conceived notions that I could have built up over the last few months, I have gone into Ciudad de los Niños with a very open mindset, ready to take everything in.  

Laundry Area.

Before I proceed with the schedule, I would like to explain a little more the place I will be living and working at.  Ciudad de los Niños de la Inmaculada is a residential school in San Juan de Miraflores, a district in Lima that emerged because of the migration of people from the countryside or the mountains to Lima (I will explain this further in another blog post).  It was started by a Italian Capuchin in 1955 in order to deal with migrant children who were abandoned or orphaned.  Today it works in the same light, bringing in kids who come from backgrounds of unstable economic situations or violence, to name a few.  In all, the kids come from situations where it would be best for the child to send them here.  Ciudad is not a school (there is a Capuchin school next door), instead it is the place where the kids can develop in many facets in a healthy and safe environment.  There is a lot more I could talk about, but I have 18 more months to get those thoughts out.  As for me, I live in an apartment behind the church with the other four Cap Corps Volunteers.  There are also two volunteers from England and two from Germany living in the apartments on the second floor.  They will be here for a year.  

Well, let's begin....

-6:00 am: Wake up.  

-6:30 am: Breakfast.  Granted, I have found out the hard way that this actually means I should get there at 6:25.  Many times, especially during the first week, me and Ryan found ourselves walking towards the comedor and hearing one of the brothers start prayer.  Oh well, late once and a while.  

Living Room, Guy's Apartment.  

-7:00 am: Return to San Juan (the pabellon I am working in).  The older three houses, along with the responsibility of cleaning their house, have the responsibility of cleaning up around Ciudad.  During the time after breakfast we sweep up the streets around our house.  I usually walk up and down the main drive sweeping up random pieces of garbage.  

-7:30am: Break.  Everyone is off to school.  This is usually when I enjoy a nice cup of instant coffee (with condensed milk!) and try to catch up on news (be it Peruvian, U.S., or World).  

-8:00 am-9:00 am: Mass.  All of the workers come together for mass everyday.  At first I was dreading the prospect of having to go to mass everyday (and there are times where I would rather sleep, read, or write) but I have come to appreciate it as a way to reflect, practice Spanish (especially the responses), and understand where this place comes from, in a spiritual sense.  

Entrance to San Juan

-9:00 am-11:00 am: Work.  For me, during this time I do some sort of manual labor job.  This can range from anything from working in one of the gardens to cleaning up the little tienda o kiosko (sometimes I even sell some things-thus living my dream of working in a colmado!).  At times I do get frustrated when I hear I have to work in the garden again, or sweep up the house again, but being that I am usually by myself, I have come to find that this time is a really good time to reflect.  It is a very humbling job.  

-11:00 am-1:45 pm: Break.  Often involves reading, relaxing, or taking a trip to el mercado and getting to know a little bit of San Juan.  

-1:45 pm: Lunch.  Boys are back from school, ready for a lunch that usually consists of soup and some combination of rice, beans, potatoes, and recently fish.  So, for all those who are worried about me losing weight (mom), it probably wont happen.  

-3:00 pm: Work.  For the three oldest pabellons, the kids begin to work in some sort of workshop (such as a bread shop, shoe repair, wood work, or hair cutting place, to name a few).  However, I am with the awkward house that has boys old enough to work and boys who are too young.  Therefore, I get to work with the boys who are left behind-sad, especially since they have to spend two hours with me.  We usually clean up the pabellon, garden, or, such as yesterday, play a lot of futbol (ended up playing 2.5 hours of it yesterday-and no, I am still horrible).  

Cancha.  Can usually find me playing fútbol here

-5:00 pm: Break.  

-5:30 pm: Homework.  I kind of help to run a study hall.  I walk around, making sure that everyone is doing their homework, while also helping as much as possible-I was asked a question about chemistry... kind of wish Suzanne (chemistry major) was there to bail me out of that question.  But for the first week and a half I felt like I had no idea what I was doing-which was true.  I would walk up and down the row, and then stand at a window looking immersed in thought (in all reality i was probably thinking about what the kids were thinking about me... "who is this guy? He looks lost."  This past week I was really intentional about observing one of the tutores (head of the house... I am close to his position, but not quite) and try to understand what he does during this time.  This, as well as the fact that my relationship with the kids is changing, has made the last few days really good.  

-7:00 pm: Alabanza.  This is 30 minutes of praise and worship, i.e. singing and dancing in church with the boys.  Slowly understanding the songs.  

-7:30 pm: Dinner.  

-8:00 pm: Boys goy back to homework, I call it a day (or I try to call it a day... need to learn how to say "no".) 

Pachacamac.  Ruins Just South of Lima

It is a very busy schedule, but it has allowed for me to do almost everything that I wanted to do as a volunteer in Lima.  I have been able to reflect, be it on spiritual questions or social problems (hard not to forget that as house filled sand dunes stand as the backdrop to any view); I have been able to spend time and get to know the people I am working with; I have also been able to walk with and share lives with people that I encounter.  This can be anything from a conversation, and smile, laugh, or a look into a face.  Each person comes from some place, and it has been an experience to work to see where people are from.  

I have loved hearing from all of you, be it through emails, letters, or Skype conversations, and I am excited to be able to continue sharing with everyone.  

paz y amor. 

Miguel

Learning to Love a Place I Do Not Know

Hola a todos!

The Pacific Ocean.  Looking south.  

I have been in country for almost a week and a half-although it feels like a month has already passed.  From the moment of arrival to the time of this entry, the city of Lima has brought so much.  Henri Nouwen, upon his arrival in Lima, said that he quickly fell in love with the country.  I cannot say for certain if I am love with this country yet only because I do not know it.  The country is not Lima (even though 1/3 of Peru's population is centered there), and Lima is not just Miraflores (the part of town where I have been living during the duration of language school).  Each part of the country has something amazing to offer, be it the beauty of the mountains, the forest, the ocean, or-most importantly-the people, and I believe I need to encounter all of this to find a deep love for the country.  Even though I cannot say definitively that I am in love with this place, through my experiences throughout the last week and a half I can easily say that this is an amazing place that will offer challenges, joy, passion and a deeper connection to my faith.  If this past week is any indicator, I believe I could say that by getting to know Perú through these offerings I will soon fall deeply in love with this place.

After a day full of traveling, we (me, Ryan, and Laura), arrived in Lima at 5am on the following Sunday (who knew that we would see our first Peruvian "sun" rise so early on!).  We were met at the airport by Tania, Jeanette, Hermano Hugo, O.F.M. Cap, y another worker from Ciudad (I forgot his name, but hope to update this when I find it out), and were quickly driven to San Juan de Miraflores (SJM) where we were to spend the night at Ciudad de los Niños (CDLN)!  The drive from the airport to SJM mainly consisted of me trying to take everything in.  I was lost.  I had no idea where we came from and where we were going.  I didn't know which direction was north or south.  I felt so small, surrounded by the never ending sight of the ciudades jovens on one side and buildings on the other.  I felt as though I needed to go to the highest point in the city just to take it all in.  Like I said, there is so much in Lima alone.  I want to say that I love it, I want to say that my heart is connected to the place, but what do I know? Nothing.  I am still in transition.  I am still living out of my suitcase.  I have already seen the beauty of this place; in the people, in the ocean, and in the house filled hills around SJM-it is an eerie beauty.  Yet, I do not know this place.

Procession after la Misa de Santa Rosa.  National Cathedral is on the right,
Presidential Palace is in the background.  

I know that Ciudad de los Niños will be where I will be planting my roots and growing with the people I will be accompanying.  It is where I will be living-in a simple apartment behind the chapel-where I will be working, and where I will be challenged the most.  Because yesterday (8-30) was the feast day of Santa Rosa de Lima, the patron saint of Lima, Peru, and for many in Latin America, we did not have classes at the language school.  Taking advantage of our free time, we all went first to the procession for Santa Rosa at the Cathedral (interesting experience), and then later me and Laura ventured to SJM to spend the rest of the day at Ciudad.  I have been assigned to work at Casa San Juan (age ranges from 12-14) and yesterday I was able to spend time with some of the teens there.  Those whom I met were wonderful, kindly welcoming the tall, awkward gringo into their community.  I am excited to begin working there, but I also know that i do need to prepare myself in many ways throughout the next week and a half before officially starting.  Wish me luck!

Spanish is going well.  I am realizing the areas where I am lacking, but I am working to repair the breaches in knowledge.  Although our community is really spread out (throughout Miraflores and SJM) I have really enjoyed spending time with them, getting to know each other more, and discovering each other's hidden talents (cough... Ryan's salsa dancing.... cough.... Laura's resilience.... cough-still need to find Tania and Jeanette's).  On Saturday we are planning on venturing a little outside of the city to see the ruins of Pachacamac (http://www.arqueologiadelperu.com.ar/pch.htm).  I have enjoyed receiving updates from everyone, and I pray that this continues throughout the next 18 months and beyond.  You all are wonderful!

paz y amor.

Miguel

La Primera Semana en Perú

Hola a todos!


Writing to say that I am alive, well, and enjoying life in Lima!  I have been in language school for the last week, and have pretty much been studying, speaking, and reading in spanish, as well as eating (la comida es super rica!), walking around, and trying to find my place within this city (for a person living in a city of 9 million it is not that easy).  I am living with a host family across the street from the school-Ryan lives 40 minutes away a pie (I think I got the good end of the stick!).  They have been wonderful and very hospitable.  I am also living with 4 other students/workers (3 from the U.S. and one from Japan), but there is no English to be spoken in the house!  Me, Laura, and Ryan (my other two community members) have been taking advantage of the past week by walking around the town and exploring new restaurants for lunch everyday.  Mañana we are planning on heading to central Lima to see the historical Lima.


I hope to write more in the next couple of days, but I just wanted to send out a quick note with a quick update of my life.  I hope that everyone is having a wonderful time, wherever you all are! You are all wonderful!


paz y amor.


~Michael

Contact Information

Hey all!  

I would love to stay in contact with everyone, be it through conversations, emails, and/ or letters!  If you would, could you please fill out this form so I can have all of your contact information in one place: 

https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dDVsbGptWTB3R2xBcUlsX0liUU5BQ1E6MQ&theme=0AX42CRMsmRFbUy0wYjVlZjc1Mi00ZmQ1LTQ1YTktOWUyMC05M2IxMzljNTJkOTQ&ifq  

All of my information is on the right hand side of my blog page.  Thank you!  

paz.  

Michael 

A Beginning

As July reaches us, I have decided to send out an invitation and welcome to friends, family, and all who are curious to what I hope to be my regularly updated blog on my life in Lima, Peru.  A month from Monday, I will make the trek up to Milwaukee for a 2 1/2 week orientation and the beginning of my 1 1/2 year commitment to Cap Corps.  Throughout my time in the program I will be volunteering at Ciudad de los Niños, an orphanage/boarding school for boys age 3-18 in San Juan de Miraflores, an area to the south of Lima.  At this point I am not entirely sure of what I will be doing, apart from the high probability of working with the older kids at ciudad, but I have no doubt that it will be a challenging and rewarding experience that will test me in many ways.  Through this blog I hope to not only recount interesting, important, or fascinating stories, but also convey what I am learning, feeling, and even struggling with.  My hope is that I will become more knowledgeable about Peru and the factors that bring the boys to Ciudad, more faithful to God, and more connected to the people of Peru and the people I love around the World.  

Although I am still doubting that I will be in Peru in a month and a half, I am equally excited and nervous for the journey to begin.  It will be a culmination to a period of great thought and discernment as well as a beginning to something I obviously cannot explain yet.  But I hope people will stay with me and come to see what this year and a half will bring.  

paz.  

Michael