So one of the reasons that the kids really wanted me to stay until the end of the year, was that so I could go on their promocion trip. However, this year there was a conflict, because the primary and secondary school BOTH wanted me to go on their trips, and they left back to back and we essentially going to the same place. Up until a few days before they left, the colegio didn't even know if they were going to be able to go on the trip. Luckily, the trip didn't conflict with Camp VALOR and I decided to go on the colegio trip, and then see how I felt before I decided to go on the primary school trip. Everyone told me that the primary school trip was "better" because they were going farther (Tarapoto versus Chachapoyas). I haven't actually been to Tarapoto, but these paseos aren't the best way to see places for the first time. Here they think farther is better, even if they only end up spending half a day in the place. I'm very close with most of the kids in the 5th grade of the colegio, so that made the trip a lot of fun. It was pretty much what I expected after last year, lots and lots of time on a bus, and disorganization. However, we did make it to our final destination, although we lost a day in the process. The ultimate goal was to see the ruins of Kuelap, however once we got to Chachapoyas (30 hours on a bus later) we were informed that our bus was too big and wouldn't make it up the road. It hadn't rained in a few days so they decided to make the 3 hour trip up the mountain anyway. Kuelap is pretty cool, and I actually went their last year for thanksgiving. Unfortunately, shortly after we got there it started to downpour. This definitely put a damper on all the photos and videos the kids had planned. It's really a shame that it rained, because the view from up there is gorgeous. These kids live in the mountains though, so I don't know how much they actually appreciate that kind of beauty. While we were up at Kuelap, I actually ran into another Peace Corps Volunteer who was also there visiting. He had actually hiked the 3 hours straight up the mountain instead of taking the long winding road by car. Since it was raining, I offered him and his sister a ride back down the mountain in our bus. As we began our descent, the road that had been nice and firm in the morning, had turned into a mud slip and slide. Several times the wheels started spinning, and my friend told me this was dangerous because the bus could fish tail off the side of the mountain. We were in the back of the bus and I just happened to be looking out the window when the wheels started spinning and next thing I knew, the back of the bus was swerving towards the cliff. That was enough for my friend, and he got off the bus and decided to walk down, even if it took six hours. I wanted to get off as well, but I couldn't leave the group I was with. However, he lucked out and found a pick up truck to take him down the mountain. I wanted to get off the bus and hop on that truck but there was no cell phone service to communicate. I got really mad when the truck passed and our bus driver wouldn't let me off, so I decided to storm off that bus the next time we got stuck in mud. I didn't really have a plan, and left everything on the bus. I walked/ran behind the bus for a good half hour until the road got less muddy. The road was that bad that I was able to somewhat keep up. I found out later that 2 other boys were begging to be let off the bus but the teacher wouldn't let them. Once the road got better, the bus stopped and let me back on. However, an hour or so later we got stuck on a curve, and once again they wouldn't let us out. Finally they let us out, and a group of 5 of us just started booking it down the road. I wasn't really thinking so I left my camera and everything on the bus, so there are no pictures. We walked a good hour and a half before the bus finally was able to get out of the mud and pick us up. We figured the farther we walked, the less we had to be on the bus.
The rest of the trip was pretty uneventful. We stopped in the middle of the night in the town of Jaen, because apparently there are a lot of cool things to see there. Then we spent all morning in the plaza de armas, hoping to go to the zoo or the pool. Then the teacher decided that we couldn't see anything because we had to get to Chiclayo early. I didn't really see the point in spending 7 hours on a bus during the day, and neither did the kids. What difference does it make if we got into Chiclayo at 8pm or 10pm. I then asked to use the bathroom before I left, but they wouldn't let any of the kids off the bus to accompany me. I once again left my cell phone on the bus, and the bus took off even though they knew I was in the bathroom. So then we wasted another 30 minutes while the teachers had to go find me, and two other parents who were also not on the bus. If the bus had just waited instead of driving to the end of town, we wouldn't have wasted so much time!
Ok, so this sounds pretty negative, but sometimes I just get sick of the logic here. I did have a lot of fun on the trip, but it was mostly because it was with 26 high schoolers that I'm close with and have been working with for the past 2 years. I decided not to go on the primary school trip to Tarapoto because I had to go down to Lima for medical checks. I'm just getting back from that, so I have no idea how that one went. My host mom, dad, and 2 host brothers all went on that trip. I actually called them when I was in Lima to find out when they were getting to Tarapoto because I was contemplating flying there from Lima. I then found out that they weren't even there yet, and were only planning on spending half a day there before turning back. That pretty much sealed my decision to stay in Lima and not waste money on a plane ticket.
I bought a spray bottle top for 1 sol, about 30 cents. It was the best investment ever. EVERYONE was jealous, I just told them I was smart like that. Then I had to go around spaying everyone down because the heat was unbearable.
Entertaining themselves on the bus without air conditioning.
Jaen. It's part of Cajamarca, but at practically zero elevation so it's very hot. Here is the Plaza where we spent 2 hours taking photos.
No trip would be complete without a trip to the beach. Only one swimmer amongst the group (me), but luckily it wasn't deep.
The whole group in front of Kuelap....before the rain.
If we look uncomfortable it's because it's pouring rain and we are soaked.
Eating menú at a truck stop. But, they had fried PLANTAINS!!!!! I was very excited.
Definitely not the bus-cama-cama that I'm used to!