Really, there has only been full days so far, but today's activities really ran the gamut. We began with a student panel of secondary students. They were last year students who were practicing their English and asking me questions about the culture of the United States. I used google tranlator a bit, and realized later that there was also a student translator available. They did an excellent job speaking English and supporting me by teaching me Spanish. One of the big take aways for both of us was how different higher education systems are structured. These 16 year olds were about to go to University to study their chosen career. If they made a change in their career path, they would have to start all over. I shared with them that many college students in the USA do not know what they are going to pursue for a career when they begin college. I also explained how college students take general classes that are applied toward their degree. They were shocked at the flexibility. From this Santa Ana campus, we boarded the preschool car to see the younger kids in action. Wow! It was impressive. We observed an English lesson for three and four year olds. They were learning the English names of fruits. Rosita, the English teacher had songs, matching puzzles, and movement games for the students to participate in. All of these engaging activities were packed into the short 30 minute lesson. Santa Ana preschool is a beautiful school. In addition to the classrooms, it has a pool for swimming lessons in the warmer seasons. It also has a full kitchen where the children learn to make food. From the preschool, we returned back to the primary and secondary campus. Peru was playing another futbol game so it was being shown on a large tv for the students to enjoy. After the game was over, we were told that students were going to present information about Chiclayo to us in English. We started with the secondary students. I was so impressed with how complete their presentations were, and also how well they were able to communicate their information in English. When the presentations concluded, we were offered authentic foods from the region, and wathced music and dance performances. Phil was even given the opportunity to play a drum. In the primary class, students also did an excellent job with their presentations. Maxine was able to join us for this fantastic experience. The presentations included powerpoints, more local cuisine, more traditional music, and more dancing. This time I was invited to join in! After the student presentations, Jose Luis, Phil, Maxine and I drove to downtown Chiclayo. We went to Plaza de Armas Chiclayo. We started exploring by visiting another gorgeous church, Inglesia Santa Maria. Next, we went to the Municipal Palace. There we went into an area that taught us about the Afro-Peruvians of Zana. Next, we walked to Mercado Modelo. It is a vast market where you could purchase anything and everything including: tennis shoes, blankets, fresh fish, goat hooves, cacti, voodoo dolls, beads, hair products, jewelry, kids clothing, herbs, etc. Our goal was to purchase blankets for our trip to Incahuasi on Thursday. My dad had donated money for this trip and with it, I was able to purchase 30 wool blankets to be handed out to families in need. After the market, Jose Luis drove us back up to San Jose for lunch. The restaurant where we had the fried fish, was closed down as the worker had mentioned. We found another restaurant and we were served a seafood soup. It had fish, clams, shrimp, mussels, and other sea creatures in a flavorful broth. It was fantastic. After, we went to watch the sunset at Puerto Eten. It was another gorgeous beach experience. The wind was intense and the sand dunes were works of art. We went back to Kullayki Piruw so we could get showered and ready for dinner. We have been eating all day! When Jose Luis brought us to the place he had in mind, I recognized the music teacher from Santa Ana School. We were in for a treat. Jose Luis chose this particular restaurant because the food was great and they allowed him to bring in live music. We were mesmerized by the talented trio who shared Peru's traditional music. What a day!
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