Piura, Peru must be one of the most wonderful places in the world. After three years of waiting and hoping to return someday, it felt completely unreal to finally get there. There is no way to express the exact feeling of being in this place, but I will try to give you a glimpse of the city through my experience over a week there.
To begin the story of the trip, I should probably start with where it started for me: the night before. As usual, I was packing at the very last minute the night before our flight to Lima. The week leading up to the trip was just so hectic that I hadn't really realized that I was going to Peru until this point. Javi helped me pack, and at 2:30 am I finally headed to Megans house to spend the last two hours of the night before our taxi came at 4:30 am. Luckily she was also up doing last minute spanish homework and packing! Two hours later, we got to the airport somewhat buzzed off of the lack of sleep. Megan and I bought a bar of chocolate and managed to eat almost the entire thing while waiting at the gate. The mix of chocolate and no sleep made us absolutely ridiculous, and poor Eric had to deal with us for hours as we waited.
I slept throughout the flight, and arrived in Lima a bit calmer. Of course, there was another chocolate/pastry place in the airport and Megan and I got a large amount of ice cream and apple pie, to Eric's dismay. After a long layover, we finally boarded the plane- only to be called off of it a few minutes later. Unfortunately, we had failed to realize that our Chilean watches were not correct in Peru, and in fact this was not our flight! (Although somehow they'd accepted our boarding passes...) How embarrassing! Good way to start off the trip.
Arriving in Piura was, as I said, completely unreal. Matt, Victor, Jose, and new workers from the church came to pick us up with a big welcome sign at the airport, and in a few moments we were immersed in the city, cruising down the dusty roads in the back of their pickup truck. The hazy roads, the colorful clotheslines, the people sweeping their doorsteps, the crumbling, colorful paint of the dilapidated houses, children's cries of "gringos!", the rickshaws filling the streets, the cries of street vendors, the dry desert wind in the back of the truck, carrying the familiar smells of firewood, street food, and that indescribable Piura smell, all hit me with the feeling of coming home to something after many years of absence. Even more strange was entering the church, which for years I had seen only through the webcam on the wall. After talking for a while with Matt and Victor, we headed upstairs to our rooms. That night we ate at the church, and went to mass, where I saw a few old friends, and said a quick hello to Father Joe afterwards. luckily, I was exhausted, or else I never would have been able to go to sleep that night.
The next day we went right to our volunteer work. Megan, Eric and I were sent to the new hospice for terminally ill patients, where we helped to care for them for a few hours. It wasn't easy work, but it was really rewarding. I had the job of giving haircuts to all of them, which was really fun! The men commented to each other that they looked handsome like Robin Hood.
That night, my family (the one we've sponsored and been pen pals with) showed up at mass! It was amazing to finally see them again, and I was so excited to meet Karen's new baby Luhana, and her husband Teo! We talked for a long time after church, and caught up on the last three years.
The next few days really blend together. Our volunteer activities were all really fun. We went to the kids' Vacation Bible School to help hand out drawing supplies, play games, and play outside with them, which was really fun, and also visited a girls' home/orphanage, where we later returned to bring a huge amount of food that we bought at the open market. The girls showed us their home, sang songs for us, and did a dance they learned in class. Later we all had a dance party. The girls were incredibly sweet- it was so hard to leave! My new friends Tania and Esther gave me really sweet cards when we left. Eric was a heartbreaker- many girls burst into tears when he left!
Another day, I went out with Matt, Karen, Karla, and Luhana to buy Luhana a jumper and other supplies. It was so much fun! We also visited a beautiful church and monument in the center of the city. Later int he day Megan, Eric and I got building supplies for the next day's activity, and packed food to deliver to people's houses in the outskirts of the city. I love delivering food packages- it is such an incredible experience to be able to go into people's homes in the desert and talk with them for a little while. People are always so thankful and really nice and welcoming, although sometimes I feel guilty, because I am hardly doing enough to warrant such appreciation! I feel that I am getting an equal amount out of it, really. In the end, I think people in Piura are particularly welcoming to "gringos" because of all of the donations the city gets through the church (1,400 families in Piura are sponsored by families in the US) but also, I feel like the people of Piura are just really nice, good, welcoming people.
On the other hand, a few things really threw me off at the beginning of the trip. A few of my good friends who worked at the church before are no longer there due to some scandal, and I was basically not allowed to see them. It's a long complicated story, but basically it was really sad that something like this happened, and even sadder not to be able to see my friends. I guess no person and no place is perfect. I hope it all gets sorted out and I get to see them again next time.
On the 7th, we delivered more food packages, and built a new part to somebody's house. I've never done so much sawing and construction. It was a great experience, and so cool to see the finished product! Later, as usual, the Lachiras (my family) came to mass with us, but afterwards my little brother Jorge David, Megan, Eric and I decided to join the altar boys for a soccer game. We had a fantastic time, and played for hours until we were all exhausted. What a great night.
The 8th was our last day in Piura. I was really sad to go, but there was so much going on that I didn't have much time to think about it! It was Karla's birthday, so after going to the open market (sooo cool) to get supplies for the girls' home and buy a cake, we all went to a movie together and got ice cream afterwards. It was so much fun to hang out with our friends and my family. Afterwards, we went to mass for the last time, and had a surprise cake and jello party for Karla, Teresa, and Eric. (Eric's birthday is the 9th, and Teresa's is the 13th.) We invited all the staff and soccer boys, and had a fun, crazy time before leaving. We also learned a new tradition- cracking an egg over the head of the person with the birthday, and then throwing flour over them! What a MESS! Apparently it is also traditional for despedidas (going away parties): An hour or so before leaving, Megan, Eric and I were covered in raw egg and flour. It was grossss! We quickly showered and headed off for the bus in the back of the truck. I was very sad to say goodbye to everyone, but it helped that Matt decided to come to Trujillo for the next day with us! I just hope that I see everyone there again before another three years or more pass.
Next entry on our visit to Trujillo coming soon!
