Crazy day!!

Today the first accident at school happened... a kid was in the playgroung and he fall down to the road (may be 4 metters high). He opened his head and it didn't seem very well... then he lost conscience. I tried to call a taxi that was stopped just a few metters away but he didn't come. Then I stopped other taxi that was passing and we took the kid to the hospital. You can imagine how worried I was... He's ok now, it seems he has nothing broken, however he's still at the hospital.
I've asked the children to write a letter to Santa Klaus. Most of the kids don't want to recieve toys but clothes. In one letter a child said that she wanted some clothes because she has no father to buy it and her mother has no money, and because she has 5 brothers sisters. Other kids asked Santa Klaus to keep their families together... Even in these details these children are so different from european children.

Chrristmas' idea!

Of course, in the video I put here you will feel all the best of Peru. You won't feel the poverty, the traffic caos, the polution, the danger in the streets, the earthquakes... You will feel the traditional dances, the peruvian parties, the peruvians as they are.
Tomorrow I will start my 4th work week. Yesterday we had an idea to make a special Christmas for the children and their families in our school. The goal is to give them a special Christmas this year. Usually these kids don't recieve presents, don't have a special meal on Christmas day... so we will try to change it this year. For me it would be the best way to spend here Christmas.

Feel how Peru is watching this video

If you want to feel how Peru is even being many kilometers away see this video and you can feel it... The first time I saw it was just before my departure, and since I'm here I could confirm that Peru is all of what you can see in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fzbhVxhiC4

Last post conclusion

... whenever you feel down and worried with your problems think that there are children that have much less than you... however they have a beautiful smile!

It's necesary to cross the Atlantic and come to a 3rd world country to have the complete notion of how nonsense are most of the problems that people have in Europe. When I spent almost all day with those children I realize that. Although they have nothing and their life is hard and without any hope, they have almost always a smile in their faces; as well as their parents, working all day at the chacras (fields), but then when I meet them they always smile at you and they say nice things.
Last thursday was Peter's (a canadian volunteer) last day at school. The teacher and the pupils prepaired for him a good bye party. Then I completely realized how much is important for those children what are we doing there. You should have seen their faces begging him to not go... it was very impressive. Then one child told me that I could not go. I didn't know what to say him...

Christmas in Peru

Today I was in shock when, in the way to the school, I started listening "Santamaria's" music in the radio. Santamaria is a very bad portuguese music band and I was so surprised listening it. While I write these words I have a very boring child teasing me... she is the hotel's owner daughter, and she's always around.
The weekend has already started. Tonight we will make a barbeque, with all the volunteers.
I still don't know where I'll spend my Christmas... may be with my host family or may be I will spend that day helping some institution to give Christmas meals to poor people.
Christmas here is different, there's no cold weather, no Christmas' lights... and it's imposible to see the shopping fever that there's in all european cities.

After the pictures, some words

I hope you all have enjoyed my pictures. Today my legs are better and finally I can walk normally. School's going as always... I can notice that kids are improving their skills, specially in maths. Their problem is to get concentrated and understand the questions. They love to learn geography. I make with them a game, asking them to show me on the map where different countries are and their capitals. At the beginning they had a lot of difficulties, but now they can already recognize almost all south american countries and capitals. Europe for them is harder, but they already know where Portugal is and its capital.
On friday is holiday here so tomorrow it will be the end of my 3rd work week. The other day some kids told me that they wanted to come with me to my country... Most of those kids have no future at all here.

The hiking team

Me and Neil almost at the top!

We did it!!!

Look at this sunrise!!!

Isn't it wonderful?! Only to have this vision was already worthy the trekking and wake up so early

We with 2 guides

The guides performed for us the local traditional dance

Edgar in the paradise...

Palm tree... really the paradise

Look at this swimming pool in the oasis!!!

Nice sunset... what do you think?!

Our room in the oasis!!

Views of the oasis

And more...

Here you can see how deep is the canyon... and how much I climbed!!

Other picture

The great alpinist!!!!

First picture

This was the climbing team! Me, Robert (our guide), Neil (irish volunteer) and Shane (english volunteer)

I survived!!

I came back from my trakking trip to the Colca Canyon yesterday. Everything was amazing... but at the same time very demanding. Totally during the 3 days we walked 25 Km (up and down) in very difficult paths! The first day we walked down for 3 hours to the bottom of the canyon and we stayed in one oasis... with pools, palm trees... There was no electricity, no phones, no mobil phones signal... nothing, just water and toillet. We slept in real bamboo huts. The next day we walked (up and down) for other 3 hours to an amazing place in the middle of no where, to an hostel called Llauar. There was only one other turist there, a french lady. In that place we could relax in a termal baths, the ideal for our poor muscles. At dinner the guides performed for us the traditional indian dance. Next morning we wake up at 2:30 am and walked up for more than 4 hours... most of them at night! Then I coul see one of the most amazing sunrises I've ever seen!! At that place the sky is really blue and the stars shine more than ever.
You can imagine how my legs are now... but everything was really worthy!
I hope to put here tomorrow the pictures and then you will see how amazing was everything!!
ONCE MORE THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR COMMENTS!!!