And when you get there, the police station is pretty colorful, too. It's a tall white building with blue trim, and the back half is a pleasant orange-yellow color, and that's the part the girl's live in.
The first day I went there was a get to know you day, since a lot of new volunteers arrived at the same time as me. The first hour or so was for "english time", and the second half was allotted for dancing. After every one was introduced, (I forgot half the names as soon as I learned them), We divided off into groups, and I ended up paired with a girl named Carla. She is the sweetest girl, with a pretty face and some really nice braided hair. This was only my third day in Peru, so I knew very, very little spanish. Some how, I managed to have a conversation with this girl, and a very long one, too. She pretty much asked me questions that I understood very little of, and then went off on a long story, which the only words I understood were mother, father, child. I'm pretty sure she told me her life's story and I didn't understand it at all! It could have been the most tragic, heart breaking story… and I really don't know. But she seemed really happy that I was listening, and after that we talked about our birthdays, and she randomly hopped off into the other room and brought back a bracelet for me. It's a pink bracelet made out of yarn that she had made. She gave it to me, and it's one of the most cherished presents I've ever gotten. After this we all danced to some peruvian music.
Almost all the days at la Punta follow this pattern. Talk, hang out, chill, get to know the girls, and then dance with them. Dancing is always worked in to every visit. Sometimes we bring music for them, but mostly they just play their own music, some of which they have their own coordinated dances too. Some of them are really good dancers. One time, we even taught them the Macarena! They wanted to do it over, and over, and over. It was great because it was a dance I actually knew how to do. We've also done other activities with them. We've made bracelets, we've done origami, we've done team work activities. Mostly, we just chat with the girls, and bond with them.
Even though I don't know where any of them have really come from, I know they are all from backgrounds that are not so great. They're from abusive, broken homes, and horrible places. I feel so much for these girls. They are taken away from their homes, or from of the streets most times, and brought here, to live with other girls from similar places. I can't even imagine what their lives have been like. I can't even imagine what they must be feeling. There have been times when they just burst into tears, right there when you're talking to them. We've been told we're not allowed to ask what they've been through, but even if we did, we wouldn't be able to understand, in more than one way.
I know that they look forward to us coming, though. I hope, and I'm pretty sure that us volunteers are one of the bright spots in their lives. We're like their big sisters. One of the ladies that works there told Lidia that they ask all the time, "When are the girls coming? Are they coming yet?". I really do love volunteering there.
Sometimes we bring gifts for them. We've learned that if you bring something for one of them, you have to bring something for all of them, otherwise, they cry at night if they didn't get something. The girls ask for stuff sometimes, and it's hard when if you can't bring it for them. They ask for chocolates a lot, because they don't have them there, so the other day we brought chocolates. One day, we had a full on party with chips (crisps if you're british, haha), inca cola, cookies, and two giant cakes! And we had dancing and music that day. Lots of fun. And, some of the volunteers have donated clothes, and some jewelry. The most shocking thing was when we found out that they don't have pads or anything, and that they have to use their socks at that time of month! That just really sucks! So Maemie went out and bought them some.
The language barrier is hardest here, in my opinion, because you want to the girls to know that someone cares about them and understands them. And sometimes, you just have absolutely no clue what they are talking about. But sometimes, I'll forget there is that lack of complete communication because I love those girls, and feel like I know them as if we were speaking the same language.
Ever since the second or third time I've gone, on girl in particular has clung to me. She is officially, "my girl". Her name is Wendy. She's 12 years old. I've spent the most time with her than with any other girl. She's crazy, sometimes loud, and has a great smile. She is completely obsessed with the Lady Gaga song Bad Romance, and I've brought my mp3 player a couple times so she can listen to it. She cranks it up full blast, and sings along, even though she's the only one can hear it, and she has no clue what the words are since they're in english. It's so funny. She attacks me with hugs and kisses every time I'm there, and million questions I try to understand. She laughs at me all the time, because I some how still manage to be funny with out being able to speak spanish. Or maybe I'm just pretty ridiculous. At one point, she thought she was going to go home, so she wrote me a big long note (most of which I have yet to translate), and tried to communicate to me that she was leaving, and got my e-mail address from me. She also got across to me that she loves me, that she is my sister, and that she has me in her heart. I hope that she knows that I have her in my heart, too. I love my peruvian sister. Mi hermana.
Also, almost all of the girls seemed to have spend their free time making bracelets. Out of yarn, out of beads, out of whatever. I have been given to many bracelets now from those girls! But with every one I've been given, I know what girl it is from, and every time I where it, I remember them.
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| Some Bracelets from the La Punta Girls! |
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