HOOP HOOP HORAY!

I am having trouble finding a catchy way to begin this article, so let´s just get back to basics: life is good in Arequipa. And that has been my gut feeling since the moment I set foot in the Ciudad Blanca.

Indeed last Wednesday, upon arrival and after a long journey over from Paris, this 16 year old looking local taxi driver (who gave me an instant taste of what I was in for by choosing to come to Peru thanks to crazy driving, rather loud salsa music and an unclear swiftly spoken slang) dropped me off from the airport in front of the Flying Dog hostel in the city center.

Arequipa, Peru

No one was to be seen in the dorms, so I just decided to take a stroll by myself, anxious to discover the feel of the place that was to become my new transitory home. For those of you who have travelled a little around South America, you may have been looked down upon in some places, as I previously have, as an undesired stranger. If it is specific to the entire Peruvian territory or only Arequipa I do not yet know, in any case I instantly felt as though my footsteps had covered these cobble stoned streets and my shadow run along these white walls for a while. Welcoming, safe and attractive are definitely Arequipian qualities.

When I got back from this reassuring stroll, I heard enthusiastic voices calling my name around the hostel. And that was the beginning of my friendship with my wonderful fellow volunteers.

All of a sudden I found myself literally crying of laughter, sipping a Pisco drink and already feeling part of the newly formed HOOP family. Even better, that evening March 13th was a special one for our NGO as a fundraiser was taking place in one of the coolest discotecas in town. It was a lot to handle socially and emotionally but I was glad to be instantly plunged into the routine (and introduced to the chevere Peruvian way of partying). Bear in mind that if you ever have the chance to come here, no matter what age or gender or kind of person you are, you will be forced onto the dancefloor, soon to become a salsa master ready to swing it all night long.

Next day was my first day of teaching. Unfortunately, I missed the official ‘back to school Monday’ but was given straight away the responsibility of leading the Monkey class in our Flora Tristan school. A little apprehensive and nervous since it was my first time officially dealing with so many children, I was quickly able to break the ice and feel the incomparable joy these little monsters can propel around them.

With Ruth from Monkey class

The strong link HOOP has established with the impoverished community we work with enables us volunteers to rock up everyday feeling serene, enthusiastic and most importantly impatient to discover what this new day has to offer. Because if one must be aware that working with HOOP is far from being a holiday, I dare you to find out for yourself and see that it is far better. That’s because putting a smile on a child’s face is simply priceless.

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Written by HOOP Peru Volunteer Lead Teacher Megan Macnaughton


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