Sunday, February 10, 2008

Do You Want to Teach School in Peru?

Do You Want to be a Teacher in Peru?

Note from Lon:
The following letter was written by Vioricka Rodriguez from Peru to two young school teachers from the United States. They want to help teach English at the new school that PAC Tour is buildings in the jungle. These teachers are volunteering three months of their time to travel into the jungle and work at the new school.

February 6th, 2008

Good morning,
I understand your are restlessness to want to know of the conditions that will be in the KM 46 Village. The village is 30 miles from the big city of Iquitos at KM 46 and that is the name of the school. The main highway passes two miles from the village. You must walk one hour in the jungle from the bus to the village. There is no electricity in the village. There is no drinkable water for the people there. The village takes the water from the rain when the water runs in the gorges and collects in the puddles. I think there are three options for you to drink the water. #1 if you bring your tablets that are put in the water to treat water. #2 to boil the water on the fire before you drink it. #3 to buy bottled water to take to the village for your drinking and cooking.

Now I tell you the status of the foods in the village. You do not have to buy all your own foods. You can eat the food which grow at the village in KM 46. There is banana, yucca, and some fruits of the region. For meat there is guinea pig, frogs and lizards. Do you like to eat the GUINEA PIG? The people keep the guinea pigs under their houses as pets and the meat is similar to a small rabbit.

For your house to live there is a big round house. It is the house for the community and is made of wood and rustic materials with a thatched roof. You can live in the hut and have privacy there. It is possible to be comfortable there and make a simple wood bed with materials of the forest. You do not have to worry about the cost for the house because it is part of the aid we give to you.

I tell you about the pay from the government. They do not have a budget to give you a contract to teach in the school. The reason is the diminishing contracts of teachers in Peru without a budget from the government. Maybe something will change in the 2009 season. This year the four teachers for the government receive $200 each month. The village do not have money to pay more teachers. Maybe it is possible to ask Lon for a small amount of money for you to buy bottled water for drinking and some basic groceries from the city for eating.

You must take caution against the mosquitoes and spiders. There are many mosquitoes that carry the Malaria and Yellow Fever disease. The long legged spiders are poisonous and the bites can cause red bumps on your skin. It is important you use the repellant. In the night you can use the kerosene lamps and the smoke will keep the mosquitoes away. The snakes are most active in the afternoon and you should be careful about walking in the jungle during those hours.

I tell you how the people of the village live every day. They depart the village very early in their morning and go to their small farms in the jungle to cultivate the seeds for their bananas and yuccas. Sometimes they hunt animals to sell them for food. Sometimes also they are going to catch the fish. They are dedicated to cut the trees to remove wood and to sell wood. There are about 30 families that live in the village. I estimate there are a total of 50 more families and 400 people who live outside the village in the jungle. Total there will be about 200 children who will attend the school.

The language they speak is not their original Indian language from the jungle. Their historic language is forgotten and now they speak Spanish. The majority do not know how to read or write. The parents of families and children never have gone to school. To have teachers and a school in their village is an amazing opportunity for them. They can learn to read and write their names. The adults and children will have a better future and make something better for their lives.

Sincerely,
Miss Vioricka

Note from Lon: The village worked to clear the land and dig the foundation in December and January. The school building is in progress during February. The plan is to have the building completed in time for the new school season in April.

If you would like to learn more about the new school project please see the PAC Tour website listed as “New 2008 Projects in Peru”.

Tax deductible donations can be made to:

Christ Lutheran Church Peru Fund
P.O. Box 303
Sharon, WI 53585

END

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