The Humboldt School

     Today was our first day dedicated to visiting a school for young children. We went to Humboldt Elementary School; formally opened only three days ago, we had the honor of Being Among its first foreign guests. The school is situated in Ventanilla, Callao Province, and caters to children of humbler families in the shantytown along the coast. It faces the Pacific from a high, dusty hill covered in small homes with plain brick (or sometimes even plywood) walls and tin roofs. The school itself shows many signs of its recent construction - tools are everywhere, many rooms are not entirely finished, and there are few school supplies in the mix. Still, the excitement that the students and the town's people felt about this place was palpable.
     We began the visit at approximately 1:00 pm with a brief parade around the block the school was situated in, allowing us to see where its students lived. Next, there were presentations on the cultures of each region of Peru from the students. Although they seemed nervous as they read their lines and spoke occasionally in English, we cheered them on and then a made our own speech. Three Northeastern students went up to greet everyone in the Spanish. Although we had to simplify the subject matter since we were speaking to 3-10 year olds, we conveyed our excitement to still be there. 
     Next, the parents of the kids showcased foods from different parts of Lima as a supplement to the presentations by their children. Foods from the coast, the sierra region, and the Andes were all lined up for everyone to sample. It seemed like everyone found a friend among the children. They were eager to tell us all about themselves, and wanted to learn more about us. They loved to dance with us, pose for photos, and show us the foods there parents were presenting. Although we had spent little time with the students, we both came away knowing our respective cultures a little better.