I have now been and returned from Peru and my elective placement, and although I realise that I haven’t quite finished my series of the 6C’s posts. I wanted to write about my experiences in Peru whilst they are still fresh in my mind. So I will return to those posts at a later stage!
I have to stay the trip to Peru did not start well. I I originally chose to fly from Heathrow rather than from my home city of Manchester as flights were considerably cheaper at the time of booking and I figured that it would be easy enough to get to on the day. My lovely other half had offered to give me a lift and so we departed on what should have been a 3 hour journey about 7 hours ahead of my time to make sure we were not late and also to allow us some time to stop for a coffee and breakfast etc. As soon as we got onto the motorway the traffic slowed down… then it stopped altogether… and then we realised that the motorway had in fact been closed due to a major accident. We travelled around 15 miles in 2 hours and then spent almost 2 hours on a diversion to the next open junction. I was convinced I would not make my flights and would miss all my connections. I tried to call the airline multiple times (on their premium ‘helpline’ numbers) to see if I could get later flights. However whilst I would have been able to get later flights to Lima, the capital of Peru, there were no flights to my actual destination, Cusco, for the next 4 days, and so it was either get my scheduled flights or reorgnaise my entire trip! It was very stressful and I cried a lot of tears. I worked so hard to pay for my trip and I put so much effort into planning every single day of my Peruvian adventure that the idea of not being able to make it or having to miss some of it was breaking my heart.
But, my fabulous other half of a driver got a very grumpy and emotional me to Heathrow and I ran out of the car with my luggage hoping that I would still make it in time. I don’t even remember saying goodbye or thank you. I just ran.
As I ran into the terminal I grabbed the first airline representative that I saw. I explained. I apologised. I begged. My flight was due to leave at 12.15 and it was 11.13. This very nice representative told me it wasn’t a problem, that the flight would close in a minute and she would get me checked in asap. I am ashamed to say that I actually pushed in front of a very very long queue of people for passport security (for entry into the US), for check in and then for passport control. But thank you to that very understanding and lovely airline representative I was sat on the plane waiting to leave by around 11.45. I made it!
I first flew to Miami and I was welcomed by this sign which I thought was a nice little touch considering how stressful the start of my journey had been, but also how the kindness and love of people had got me there in the end! The rest of my trip was long…very long…around 35 hours in total I think! I flew from Miami to Lima and then Lima to Cusco – where I arrived to very rainy and cold weather!
Peru is south of the Equator and so I went during their autumn/winter, but supposedly dry season. Whilst all my friends were enjoying the heatwave of the UK or were going to their elective placements to hotter and sunnier climates I was wrapping up myself in 5 layers of clothing, woolly hats and gloves!
On arrival at Cusco I was met by Angelika, my placement coordinator and we took the smallest taxi in the world to what would be my home for the next 3 weeks – Kyuki Do Wasi – I don’t know if the name means anything specifically. I asked a few times but no one seemed to know!
Kyuki Do Wasi (I don’t know if the name means anything specifically. I asked a few times but no one seemed to know!) is a home for teenage mums. Peru is is a very poor country with little or no social care to help vulnerable people. This home was really set up to help young girls who need a bit more of a helping hand in caring for their babies in a safe environment. The youngest was 14 with the oldest being 17. I miss them, and I miss their little ones too. They were typical teenagers for the most part, moody but also incredibly humourous and playful. The girls always called me Señorita Ruth…and it made feel very respected and also very special! Many people, including other volunteers, referred to them as ‘the teenage mums’ all the time but I didn’t like that. I felt that they were still girls first and foremost and still needed nurturing as individuals and not just treated as mums.
So, that’s my arrival in Peru! Next blog…placement!
notanotherstudentnurse 