Alternative Spring Break in Peru
By: Carolina Canseco ‘16
If someone told me I would spend my spring break with 18 strangers in a foreign country and love every second of it, I would have been skeptical. But now that spring break is over, I can’t believe how lucky I was to go on this amazing trip. Hours of volunteer work, late nights playing Mafia, and tours of the city left me more exhausted than any midterm season ever could. However, every long day made the trip an unforgettable experience.
For our Alternative Spring Break, USC partnered with Cross-Cultural Solutions, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to service trips across the world. We stayed in a house with other volunteers, some young, some Canadian. After our first day, we got straight down to business.
I was assigned to “Los Martincitos”- a senior center located in Villa El Salvador. Most of the residents live in extreme poverty and the site provides meals three times a week to local seniors. For those who are physically disabled, the center pays for their transportation to and from the site. We arrived on Monday morning and I don’t think anyone could have prepared us for the welcoming we were about to receive. Two women literally jumped up when they saw us walk through the gate and showered us with hugs and kisses. Not just the first two women, but every single senior that was there. I don’t even think my family greets me with that kind of enthusiasm for the holidays. It was the most genuine and charismatic welcoming.
However, Cross-Cultural Solutions didn’t sugarcoat anything for us. We went to several homes and witnessed the dire circumstances many Peruvians face. Extreme poverty, shortage of food, and inadequate medical care are all daily struggles for the majority of the seniors we visited. Despite this, none of them complained to us about their situation. Needless to say, their outlook on life is in stark contrast to the one we have back home. Being in Peru reminded me that the human experience transcends culture and generations. The seniors at Los Martincitos valued conversation much more than any material object we could have offered. They expressed deep appreciation for us just being there. “Ustedes nos dan alegría” (you give us joy), is something they mentioned when we visited them or sat down to have a conversation. Some of the seniors are alone in their homes all day as their adult children work (the typical Peruvian workweek is 45 hours for women and 48 for men). Other seniors live alone. As a couple of them mentioned, their adult children migrated to other countries. When asked what that experience was like, one woman said she often worried about her daughter’s wellbeing. Being in a new environment was something that they themselves had to struggle with in the previous years.
Most of the seniors at Los Martincitos had migrated from their indigenous communities in the Amazonian highlands to Lima in order to give their children a better opportunity. Unfortunately, the majority faced racial discrimination, language barriers, and inadequate resources. Instead of returning, they settled in places like Villa El Salvador and built entire communities from the ground up. Our volunteer group helped paint a slogan on the wall of the center that read: “Porque no tenemos nada, lo haremos todo” (because we have nothing, we will do it all.” It’s this deterministic mindset that defines the people of Villa El Salvador and Peru at large. They are resilient. While there were moments when I desperately needed a water break or some shade, older local community members who volunteered at Los Martincitos were undisturbed by the heat or physical labor. A local grandfather was doing gardening work in flip flops while two indigenous women worked in their long skirts and used a machete like professionals. Don’t be fooled by their age- local community members mean business.
At the end of the week, I found myself getting choked up when saying goodbye. In that short period of time, I had experienced the generosity of the human spirit and truly lived in the moment (thanks to a no-cellphone policy). We didn’t solve the systematic problems the elderly at Villa El Salvador encounter- although we wish we could have. But we did contribute to the quality of their center and if we were able to bring them happiness during our time in Peru, then I would say it was a successful trip. I am filled with an immense sense of gratitude- the seniors at Los Martincitos welcomed us with open arms and allowed us the privilege of serving them. It was an unforgettable experience and one I will cherish for years.
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