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Food for thought: What I eat in a day in Arequipa

5th December 2022

As the old saying goes, let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food. And what good medicine the food is here.*

Typically, a ‘What I eat in a day’ would begin with breakfast. But there is nothing to write home about regarding breakfast. Let’s move on to lunch.

In order to ensure I burn off all the calories I am about to consume at lunch, I prefer to take the long, scenic, twenty second walk from my room in Intihouse to the restaurant next to Intihouse and buy the Peruvian version of Greggs. Chicken empanadas are basically glorified chicken bakes. But don’t worry vegetarians, this is the one of the few times you will be able to find something for you, as they even offer cheese empanadas. I usually wash down my empanada with Chicha Morada. This drink is actually recommended by the health authorities for its medicinal properties. So I’d like to reiterate, let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.

Should it be a weekend and I happen to step into the Plaza de Armas, also a long twenty second walk, I may just have to treat myself to queso helado. Since queso means cheese and helado means ice cream, please do not be alarmed. Absolutely nothing to do with cheese. Just the most delicious ice cream in the world, you’ll never eat a Mr Whippy again.

While I eat Isidora’s delicious meals at Intiwawa, I sometimes have cravings on returning home from work. As such, with friends, a typical dish of Arequipa may be prepared such as rocoto relleno. Translatable as a glorified stuffed pepper. But oh so nice. Best served with potatoes!

*Disclaimer: Food poisoning. Food cannot always be medicine and sometimes you will need actual medicine to treat problems caused by food here in Perú.

Catherine Brown

Stories from Socobaya B

6th july 2022

A big part of the day in the life of a field volunteer at Intiwawa is the commute to Casa Intiwawa. Every day the volunteers will set off from Intihouse at around 12:30 and walk 15 minutes to catch the Socabaya B bus to San Isidro. The commute is around 1.5 hours door to door, which may sound like quite a lot, but it has quickly become one of my favorite parts of the day. Although it is technically the same route every day, no journey on the Socabaya B bus is the same and I feel quite grateful for this daily journey for a number of reasons…

1. We get to see a lot more of Arequipa than we normally would if we were living and working in the center - in my opinion, it definitely beats an open top bus tour of the city!

Once you spot the bus approaching, you have approximately 2 seconds to hop on, and always to the melodic tune of ‘sube suBE sUBE SUBE!!’. Then, when on the bus, you have to try your best not to fall over whilst searching for a seat - the right side single window seat is the golden ticket! Once comfortably in your seat, you’ll see the view from your window quickly change from the bustling city, where people are selling anything from chicha morada to raw meat on the road, to the countryside where a herd of cows will often block the path. Being able to enjoy the view of the peaceful countryside is something I really appreciate before a day at work. Indeed, I feel that I have learnt a lot about Arequipa and the variety of landscapes and lifestyles it can offer from my seat on the Socabaya B.

2. There are all sorts of people of different ages/backgrounds, who are on different journeys but all heading in the same direction.

One of my favorite past times whilst on the bus is people watching. For some passengers, it is easy to guess the purpose of their journey. For example, towards the end of our route there will always be children returning from school in their uniforms. For others, the guessing game becomes a bit more challenging and I have to use my imagination. However, I’m sure local passengers often wonder why six (very clearly) foreign people are on the bus to Mollebaya, so I guess the game works both ways! Regardless of the purpose of their journey, everyone on the bus is very friendly. People are always willing to give up their seat to someone who needs it more than themselves or shout ‘BAJA!’ to the bus driver if your urgent scream is clearly being ignored that day.

3. You will always have an anecdote to share about your journey to work that day.

More often than not, my anecdote is simply someone falling asleep on my shoulder (or occasionally me falling asleep on someone else’s shoulder!). However, sometimes it will be a bit more random. For example, one time a sack of vegetables was thrown at me as a woman rushed to get on the bus. People normally don’t think twice about helping each other in this situation and so, learning from the Arequipeñan hospitality, that’s what I did. Something I also always enjoy is when people hop on the bus and start busking. I personally like the people that rap on the bus and will always give them some spare change. However, something I did not enjoy was waking up to a mime pulling scary faces at me through the window. Finally, something that epitomizes the Socabaya B experience is the bus driver occasionally deciding to stop in the middle of a busy road to buy his lunch from his window from a nearby street vendor. Lomo saltado is always a priority.

And so, just like someone sleeping peacefully among the chaos of the cramped bus, I always find some peace and comfort on my daily commute on the Socabaya B. For me, it provides an invaluable snapshot of Arequipeñan life…all for the reasonable price of 1 sol (0.25 euros!)

Prianka Lakhani

Volunteering in the Madres Luchadoras Project

5th November 2021

It had always been my ambition to live and work abroad, to experience new places, cultures and ways of living, which led me to study languages at university. This dream was put on hold due to the global pandemic, but by May 2021 things were tentatively starting to look better with vaccinations being rolled out across the world. I decided it finally had to happen. The universe certainly agreed with me as I did a quick google search and within half an hour found the Madres Luchadoras project. This combined two great passions of mine, the empowerment of women, and textiles. I applied straight away and 5 months later, here I am.

“What is this project you’re going to work on?” you may ask, as many of my family and friends did. Well, Intiwawa has been supporting families in the Mollebaya district of Arequipa, but realized that additional financial and emotional support to the mothers of these families would be extremely beneficial to both current and future generations. They therefore started the Madres Luchadoras program, which trains the mothers in knitting and garment making, and supplies the materials, so that the “mamitas” have both a skill and a product that they can sell.

After a week of quarantine, I began working with the Mamitas. I arrived at a time when the group were finishing their training and were handing in practice products, and so I went straight in to trying to understand and organize the intake and outtake of materials and finished garments.

I also tried my best to start to get to know everyone and understand a bit more about their lives. I learned about the sacrifices these women make just to attend the sessions at Intiwawa, as well as finish the quotas of products attributed to them, as many also work long hours at other jobs as well as looking after their families.

As the weeks went on, my role also included sourcing and collecting new materials and tools in town, making an inventory of finished products which will be sold internationally and also at local markets, helping to organize and run our place at this local market (feria), keeping updated on the progress the mamitas were making and trying to keep everyone informed of day to day activities. This may seem a lot, especially considering my still sub par Spanish and unfamiliar country and culture. Luckily I have the support of Manon, the general director of Intiwawa, Luis, the president, and many of the other lovely volunteers, whose hard work and dedication to Intiwawa and the families of Mollebaya is truly awe inspiring.

As I become more integrated into the Madres Luchadoras project, I feel more and more excited about its potential and the opportunities it creates for the mamitas and Intiwawa as a whole. We are currently working on “Intiwarmi”’s (mothers of the sun) first official collection of hats, gloves and scarves that will be made from high quality 100% baby alpaca wool and which will be sold in Europe via retailers and on the Intiwawa website. We are also hoping to send some other handmade products out in time for Christmas, so keep your eyes peeled!

Other than that, living in Arequipa is great fun! The food is cheap and tasty, the people are friendly, the traffic is crazy, the buildings and landscape are beautiful and the weather is predictably variable – sweaty in the day and freezing cold as soon as the sun goes down. I’m lucky to live in Intihouse, a big historic house right in the center of the city with amazing views of the mountains from the terrace. Arequipa itself is very lively and, little by little, things are starting to reawaken after COVID. I can’t wait to explore how many more things Arequipa, and Peru, has to offer!

Each week out here is different, but every day I am learning and experiencing new and exciting things!

Many thanks to Intiwawa for having me, and many thanks to you for reading!

Ella McGee

Intiwawa and the Reggio Emilia Methodology

16th August 2021

I still remember it clearly: it was late 2013 and early 2014 and I was in a very challenging stage in my professional training, as I was just about to complete my second year working as a full time teacher in a rural school. It was then that I met a training specialist who instilled in me much of the knowledge that I put into practice in my following years as a teacher. This specialist, Jessica Nakama, accompanied me in many strategies that I came to apply.

At the beginning of this 2021, at the height of the pandemic and health crisis due to COVID-19, and after almost 8 years, I decided to write to Jessica with the same confidence that I remember we shared so long ago. It is then that I told her about the work we were doing in Intiwawa and the need to implement new methodologies and approaches in our educational projects. Without hesitation, Jessica shared with us her knowledge and educational experience, in a proposal that would lead us to a 12 step training plan in the Reggio Emilia Methodology.

So, what does the Reggio Emilia Methodology consist of? The Reggio Emilia Methodology is a pedagogical proposal that emerged at the end of the Second World War, and whose principles are:

Having the child as the protagonist
Having the teacher as a collaborator, researcher and, above all, guide
Having the space as the third teacher
Being present with the families

The purpose of the Reggio Emilia Methodology is the involvement of families, schools and the local community.

We are currently working on arduous training with a group of volunteers in the approach of this methodology. Each of the training sessions lasts an average of 3 hours and consists of academic involvement and practical execution. We are still half way on this path towards improving our intervention, but with professional guidance from Jessica, and the active participation of volunteers, we believe that this path will be full of light of autonomy and learning.

Luis Sotomayor

The story behind Madres Luchadoras

6th May 2021

In 2017, together with various committed volunteers in Arequipa, Intiwawa went in search of ideas for a sustainable project that would allow the mothers of the children of Intiwawa to generate an alternative source of income to the physically exhausting work in brick production. We sought to use education and training to promote the mothers’ self-confidence and self-worth, which in turn would contribute to the long-term development of the community of San Isidro, Arequipa.

Initially, Intiwawa pursued the idea of creating a bakery. Thanks to the generous support from donors, we were able to fundraise €2,475 for this new project in the spring of 2018. A small, dedicated team of local volunteers quickly teamed up to carry out a comprehensive feasibility study. The study included an analysis of the local market, financial viability and projected benefits for the mothers. Contrary to our expectations, it turned out that the framework for the project was not viable and the risks were higher than initially assumed. Due to a highly saturated market for bakery products in San Isidro, the profit margins would be considerably lower than expected and would therefore generate very low salaries, making the self-sustainability of the project impossible. We would only have been able to hire two mothers to work in the bakery, for a salary that would end up being only slightly higher than brick production. In addition to this, the working hours for this type of work are not family-friendly. For all these reasons, the benefits for the mothers and the community were not as convincing as we had initially hoped. We decided to abandon the idea of the bakery project and identify alternative projects that would meet the developmental goals of IntiWawa and contribute to the mothers’ empowerment.

In the following months, we evaluated various new project ideas. In mid-2018, Intiwawa decided to create a textile project called “Madres Luchadoras”, with the idea to train the mothers in producing textiles made from alpaca wool and sell them in the local and international markets. Its aim would be not only to create a viable, alternative source of income for the mothers, but also to empower them through their active participation in the social and economic life of their community with equal rights and opportunities. Consequently, this will improve the quality of life of their children and families and contribute to promoting their identity, values and customs.

The project initially began at the end of 2018 with 10 mothers of our Intiwawa children. Supported by trainers, the mothers were first taught the basics of sewing, knitting, and weaving, before starting to make a variety of textile products. More mothers progressively joined and started to sell their products, ranging from little bags for a local organic chocolate company to pillow cases to sweaters and other clothing items. After having produced 1000 textile bags for chocolates, Intiwawa invested Betterplace funds for an in-depth training of the mothers at the beginning of 2019. Reaching the end of that year, the mothers had produced 500 clothing items, of which more than 300 items, as well as approximately 750 chocolate textile bags, have been sold, leading to a total income of up to 15,000 Soles. A whopping 50% of the initial investment had already been regained in the mothers’ products sales after only 6 months, giving us high hopes for the long-term financial self-sustainability of this project!

With the money raised in 2019, we purchased 6 weaving machines and started the first classes of training on these machines in March 2020, just a few weeks before all onsite activities were shut down due to the first COVID-19 cases in Perú and the subsequent quarantine that followed. The year 2020 has not been an easy year, especially for our mothers living in the community of Mollebaya who have had to cope with the lack of employment brought on by the pandemic. In addition, they have been faced with new and urgent needs, such as means of protection from COVID-19 (masks, disinfectant, etc.), whilst dealing with a lack of financial resources to support their families and attend to their children’s medical and new technological and educational needs. Due to the extraordinary restrictions as a result of the pandemic, we designed a 100% online training program with the objective of continuing with our mission to empower mothers and to be a point of support in the midst of the health crisis that has been affecting underprivileged families in a profound way. In addition to the textile production and leadership training, our mothers also received psychological support – for example, support in identifying various difficult situations in their homes – as well as personal finance classes, where the mothers learnt that the time and dedication they put into their weaving training has an economic value which should be recognized.

In October and November of 2020, we made an inventory of the products woven by the mothers in 2019 and exported 73 of the 259 hand-knitted pieces to Germany, selling all of these products during our Christmas campaign and generating an income of €1274! After deducting transport costs, 80% of the revenue has been paid out to the mothers and 20% will be returned and reinvested this year for our program needs. The project has evolved since its beginnings to include a stronger holistic component in our mothers’ social and economic empowerment, encompassing not only textile training but also support in other key areas – namely psychological and financial. The idea for the future of Madres Luchadoras is to progressively involve the mothers in the areas of administration and commercialization of their products. Furthermore, the program will continue supporting the women, so that they can become leaders in their communities and use the financial, productive, socio-emotional and marketable skills they have learnt to achieve their dreams and contribute to sustainable change in their communities!

Our Intiwawa Volunteer Experience - The New Normal

26th February 2021

As we all know, the situation we are going through worldwide right now is worrying and has affected many aspects of our lives. From the beginning of the pandemic, it was a challenge to stop delivering face-to-face support for our children and adapt to virtual support. However, as an organization, we have, with great effort and commitment, been able to break the distance barrier with remote personalized support for each of our little ones.

The start of our virtual workshops for this holiday period was an additional challenge, but with the same commitment, we went ahead. The person in charge of the workshop “Botiquín Emocional”, who has been part of the team for a few months, shared with us how gratifying it is to be able to teach the children life skills and important knowledge that they can use day to day. In this workshop, her objective was to provide accessible and necessary tools for the children to be able to understand and manage their emotions, especially in this time of so much uncertainty. Another one of our workshops, “Speech”, focused on providing techniques to improve the children’s oral presentation and their ability to transmit information and ideas that serve them both academically and socially, whilst also focusing on the importance of communication. Finally, we offered two other workshops which focused on recycled art and paper craft, which have undoubtedly allowed the little ones to let their imaginations fly and create wonders with their creativity.

This new challenge has been a great learning process for us as a team, as well as for the children and their families. Despite some factors and challenging situations that are beyond our control, such as the illness of parents who couldn’t help their children, children forgetting to do or send the homework and the lack of cell phones, internet or mobile signal, we have managed to maintain contact and exchange information with our children throughout the program. Alongside this, we successfully completed the vacations program with a brilliant presentation, led by the children, of their final project for each workshop.

As volunteers, we would like to thank Intiwawa. Despite the challenging circumstances, they have allowed us to be part of such a great team, working with the children, supporting them and providing them with information, advice and help when they need it. We are proud to say that, through these activities we have helped the children adapt to this new reality, making life a little less difficult.

Karla Apaza and Maria Fernanda Portugal

Easy Trips for Volunteers – An Adventure Week in Cusco

17th January 2021

Going to Cusco and its surroundings isn’t only a must-see in Peru or South America, but also a super easy trip for beginners, in case you’re afraid of traveling through the continent or even traveling by yourself. You can use Cusco as a base to visit all the beautiful places around it. There are a whole bunch of travel destinations and as many ways to get there. Here are our experiences and advice from our adventure week in Cusco!

We took a night bus from Arequipa to Cusco, which is the cheapest way to go. Arriving in Cusco in the morning gave us a full day in the city. We used our time to book some tours for the following days and do some sightseeing. After the main plazas, we had a look at San Blas. San Blas is the creative and artistic sector, full of the cute little shops.

Due to the exhausting bus ride we got tired really fast and went to bed early to be ready for our first tour. One of the main reasons to go to Cusco is, of course, Machu Picchu. Many people decide on a three to five-days hiking-trip, but, as trekking isn’t completely our thing, nor did we want to pay for an expensive one-day-train-trip, we chose the three-day-Inka-jungle tour. And it was the perfect choice for us.

The first day led us to the highlands behind Ollantaytambo, where we then mountain-biked downhill for 50km, descending 3000m. Going down, the landscape changed really fast into the rainforest. Beforehand, we weren’t really aware that going to Machu Picchu would include an adventure in the jungle!

After lunch (all the meals were provided) the activities continued and we went rafting in the Rio Urubamba, which later leads to the Amazonas. It was really fun but tiring as well, so we were more than happy to collapse into our beds in Santa Teresa that night.

The adventure continued the next morning and we went to a ziplining-pacour. This consisted of six different ziplines, which flew you over or through the jungle, one suspension bridge, and a rockclimbing station. Having done all those fun things, we couldn’t avoid having to walk. We were dropped off in Hidroelectrica from where we had to follow the train tracks for 2.5 hours.

Spending the night in Aguas Calientes, the village below Machu Picchu, we were ready for the main event. We had to get up at 4:00am to arrive early enough. If you don’t want to take a bus, the way to the top consists of 1500 Inka steps. It was difficult but, as always, it was definitely worth it.

When we arrived at the peak of one of the world's wonders, it was completely covered in clouds. The guide told us that it was normal, so we waited for two more hours before the fog suddenly cleared up and the ruins were magically revealed. Although this place is really really, touristy, it is truly special. The mixture between stunning history and the beautiful landscape completely takes your breath away.

The rest of the day was rather unspectacular, we had to walk all the way back and took the bus back to Cusco. Despite the fact that we had decided that we didn’t like trekking, our step counter counted almost 30,000 steps that day!

Luckily, we could sleep in the next morning, as the tour we booked only started in the afternoon. We decided to leave out other sights in the Sacred Valley and booked a quad bike tour to the Salineras de Maras. This was the perfect activity for our adventure week and was incredibly much fun! After driving through some traditional villages and feeding some alpacas, we arrived at the salt mines. Here, there is a stream of warm water coming out of the mountain that contains three times more salt than the ocean. The Incas used this water to harvest salt by creating over 4000 little pools, where the water evaporates with the sun to leave behind salt. This place is really impressive and you can buy your loved ones some salty presents.

Coming to an end, we had one more trip highlight waiting for us: the “Montaña de siete colores”, the Rainbow Mountain! This crazy creation of mother nature can be found at over 5000m above sea level, which is why you should acclimatize in Cusco first before going to such heights. We didn’t struggle with altitude sickness at all, which was lucky, as you have to walk for 1h each way, the route getting really steep at the end. You can also choose to ride a horse up there for 80 soles. However, this work seems difficult and uncomfortable for the horses, so I do not recommend it.

The views on the way up, as well as at the summit, were priceless. Whenever the clouds disappeared for a second, they revealed a whole bunch of beautiful colors. It is not only the famous sight of the Rainbow Mountain itself, but also the panoramic view in all directions, that is so special.

Later that day, we recharged ourselves and our phones in a restaurant and took the night bus back to Arequipa. This trip is a perfect get-away as you can make it shorter or longer depending on your own preferred sights to visit.

And one last tip for your perfect trip: don’t book the tours in advance and know what they should cost. We met people on the same tour that paid four times our price. We paid 150USD for the Inka jungle and around 160 soles for the rest.

The Beauty in Southamerica’s Nature

26th October 2020

Between extremes – jungle, glaciers and deserts

Volunteering with Intiwawa not only gives you the opportunity to get to know the Peruvian culture, but also allows you to explore other South American countries, either before, after or even during your stay in Arequipa. Having traveled through this wonderful continent for several months, I tried to sum up the most breathtaking places for you. Here are my personal highlights of Latinamerica’s diversity and range of vivid megacities, stunning landscapes and interesting historical landmarks.

8. Titicaca Lake
Titicaca Lake is the world’s highest navigable lake and can be found at the border between Bolivia and Peru. It contains several ancient islands. Some of these islands are “floating”, as they are simply made out of reeds. With luck, you’ll be able to discover the lake’s real beauty: when the sky is clear and the sun is shining, the water turns a deep blue color and you can see the Andes mountains in the background!

7. Volcano Villarrica
Visiting this continent you will discover countless beautiful mountains and volcanoes lining the countries. If you get the chance, you should definitely climb one of these warriors, as they shape the Andean landscape. I chose to climb Volcano Villarrica, an active volcano in Chile. Although it was one of the most exhausting things I had ever done in my life, it was completely worth it. The view inside the crater is absolutely stunning and you may also be able to see some magma.

6. Geyser Sol de Mañana
I visited this geyser on our Jeep Tour in Bolivia. It is over 5000m high, but that isn’t the only thing that will take your breath away. Unlike most other geysers, this one doesn’t spit water, but mud. The sound, the smell and the sight of pieces of silt jumping out of the small craters is really disgusting at first. But for some reason you’ll discover a special beauty on closer inspection, as you observe the strong colors of bright blue, green and red.

5. Salar de Uyuni
I don’t know a single travel guide that would leave out this salt flat when talking about South America - and, deservedly so. Driving for hours and only seeing salt will leave you completely speechless. You won’t even meet a single tourist, the expanse of this place is simply impressive. Don’t miss out on the sunrise on the Isla Incahuasi, where you can sit between hundreds of beautiful cactuses!

4. Iguazu Falls
Although Iguazu Falls is pretty touristy, you really can’t miss it. This waterfall system, that is shared between Brazil and Argentina, is the biggest in the world, containing around 280 single waterfalls. Located in the rainforest, you’ll also be able to spot some exotic animals and plants. This visit is a unique experience: you’ll get soaked and will barely be able to talk because of the noise, as you watch the masses of water running down the edges on which you are standing.

3. The Perito Moreno Glacier
This glacier in Patagonia, southern Argentina, is one of the few glaciers left on earth that is still growing. By walking on different paths, you can either get really close to this icy monster or get an overview of the whole scenery. You can also just find yourself a spot and observe the glacier. Due to its calving, breaking ice walls that crash into the water, making incredible noise, it is almost like you are observing a living creature.

2. The Atacama Desert
The Atacama desert in the north of Chile is the world’s driest desert. Here you would need one year to fill a small cup of water with rain. Knowing this, you’ll expect a Sahara-like desert only made out of sand, but it is so much more diverse. You can find volcanoes, lagoons, geysers, valleys of rocks and, last but not least, the clearest night sky in the world. Don’t miss out on an astronomic tour, especially if you’re from the northern hemisphere - you'll discover stars and galaxies impossible to see from home.

1. Torres del Paine
At the other end of Chile you can find this impressive national park. It’s famous for its three remarkable mountain peaks: the ‘Torres’. However, these mountain peaks aren’t always visible and this park has so much more to offer. There are four different microclimates within the park, and, due to the strong wind, the weather changes crazily rapidly. Honestly, I’ve never experienced a wind like this: buses started shaking and sometimes you couldn’t even stand straight anymore. In addition to the glaciers and the cute guanacos (which belong to the family of the llamas) that can be found everywhere, the most stunning thing for me were the lakes. Made out of water from the glaciers, every lake has a different shade. But all of them are so bright and almost artificial blue, it feels like you’re part of a picture in a travel magazine that writes about ocean paradises. A must-see in Southamerica!

What to know before you go

7th October 2020

1. The most important thing is to not be afraid! The media can create this inaccurate impression of this really dangerous continent; it is not. You simply have to follow basic rules of common sense. For example, carry your personal belongings in a fanny bag, avoid the more risky parts of the city (like everywhere else), and trust your own gut judgment!

2. Depending on where you’re from you will have to get used to a different mentality. Everything will be more relaxed and everything works slower. Try not to worry, relax and go with it! It may be good for you to leave the stressful environment at home.

3. In case you plan on traveling around, pack light and functional! You really won’t need that many clothes. Just be prepared to layer, as the weather can change really fast here.

4. Don’t book touristic tours online or in advance, it will be significantly more expensive! Just head to your destination and visit some tour operators there. Do some research on how much each tour should cost - we’ve been on tours where we’ve paid a fourth of what other people did!

5. If you haven’t already noticed, buses are the way to get around - but they work differently than at home. Basically, they stop whenever you want them to stop, there are no set bus stops. It can be confusing at times. You may find the right bus to use but not know when to get off. That’s why I’d recommend you to download an offline map (I was incredibly happy with maps.me), so that you can follow along the journey.

6. A great way to save some money is by changing what you eat, to discover local and delicious delicacies. Many restaurants have special promotions on certain days. Also, don’t shy away from food trucks or old ladies cooking in the streets. I had my best and most traditional meals eating at places like this, sometimes for not even 1€!

7. You can’t throw toilet paper into the toilet! And you should always carry some with you, as it’s not provided everywhere.

8. Get a Starling Debit Card! You can use it everywhere without having to pay fees for the card itself. Once you’ve arrived in Arequipa, there are banks that won’t charge you anything with this card!

Our Intiwawa Interns from Colegio Mayor de Antioquia - Darwin Hoyos Palacios and Robinson Rúa Gómez

1st September 2020

Intiwawa offers volunteering opportunities in all areas of our organization. In 2020, we were joined by Darwin Hoyos Palacios and Robinson Rúa Gómez, two Colombian interns who collaborated with us through a macro cooperation agreement with the Colegio Mayor de Antioquia. This agreement was initiated thanks to the interest of Darwin, one of the students who heard about our organization from a friend who had previously volunteered with Intiwawa through AIESEC. Darwin noticed that the mission and work of Intiwawa are particularly relevant for his university peers from the undergraduate program of Planning and Social Development. Recognising the opportunity of a partnership between the two institutions, Darwin supervised the management and selection process for Intiwawa interns from the University. Since the Colegio Mayor de Antioquia approved the mobility of the programme and provided resources for more students, Darwin and his classmates were given the opportunity to work together in Peru with Intiwawa. Here are the stories of Darwin and his classmate Robinson, and their experiences as interns for our organization!

Darwin Hoyos Palacios

Alongside his studies in Planning and Social Development, 26 year old Darwin Hoyos Palacio also works as a social and youth leader in the municipality of Entrerrios – Antioquia. That’s why he feels so close to the quotation from the journalist and writer Eduardo Galeano. Darwin first moved to Peru on the 7th of November 2019, initially moving in with other international Intiwawa volunteers for 2 months. Later, in January, Darwin decided to live and work in a hostel as a volunteer, in order to receive economic support which allowed him to extend his stay in Peru.

At Intiwawa, Darwin contributed to and collaborated on different projects in the fundraising department of the organization. He worked on the establishment of an inter-institutional cooperation project with the Katari Hotel and helped raise funds for the ‘Madres Luchadoras” project. In December, he was also the coordinator of the Intiwawa Christmas Party in San Isidro, Mollebaya and Coporaque, and also recently supported a project to take the Intiwawa children to Cineplanet.

This experience enabled Darwin to grow and develop personally and professionally, as he was pushed to extend beyond his comfort zone. By visiting the communities with which Intiwawa works, he was able to experience and understand the reality of other societies, as he learned new ideas and conclusions that he was later to apply to his learnings in Colombia. Alongside the way in which Darwin’s work boosted his self-esteem, he also learned to cook!
Darwin adapted easily to Peruvian culture and life in Arequipa, as the country shares a similar culture to that of Colombia. However, he had to learn the local slang and vocabulary, as Peruvian castilian can differ considerably to Colombian castilian. Darwin described Arequipa as a beautiful, safe, peaceful and cultural city, and also had the opportunity to visit several other places in the region of Arequipa, as well as other Peruvian cities such as Cuzco.
Darwin concluded that Intiwawa is a very well-structured organization with a high social impact, thanks to its different projects. He greatly admired the NGO’s structure and its hard working team of collaborators. Darwin built strong relationships with his fellow volunteers and learnt a lot from them. He confided that at times he found it difficult to communicate with some volunteers, since most of them come from Europe and share English as their common language, but explained that it finally helped him to improve his English skills.

Robinson Rúa Gómez

Robinson Rúa Gómez, a 27 year old Colombian student and father of a 4 year old son, previously had experience working with social development NGO Niñez. Robinson saw the internship with Intiwawa as an opportunity for personal growth, as well as academic and professional development. His peruvian adventure began on the 3rd of February 2020, and he decided to stay in a hostel where he also works as a volunteer to obtain lodging and economic support.

Robinson is currently working on generating alliances with the municipalities’ mayors to expand Intiwawa’s impact in local communities. Alongside this, he works in the planning of events and forums for the charity’s children. He also works with the Parent’s School and with groups for young people, assisting them in their search for work, whilst also empowering them to establish and fulfill their future goals, objectives and dreams. In addition, he is working on the sustainability project to obtain sponsorship for local families. As his second work experience collaborating with vulnerable communities, Robinson’s internship with Intiwawa has shown him that there is still a great amount of progress to be made in Latin America’s social development.

Robison has described Peru as a wonderful country to live in, and Arequipa as a very cultural city. His time here has allowed him to generate bonds with foreigners, to take part in a great cultural exchange and experience a new world view. One of his most special memories here has been climbing the Misti, where we felt a connection of his mind and body, as he realized that he was stronger and more resilient than he thought.

He has very high expectations for the rest of his time with Intiwawa and his adventure in Peru. Robinson believes that this will be a very enriching professional experience for his resume, thanks to the reputation of the organization. In addition, he considers that being a volunteer and working for the happiness of others, without expecting anything in return, is sincerely personally rewarding. Robinson hopes that this experience will continue to help him broaden his vision of reality, understand other social contexts and improve his language skills, as he dedicates his time to improving the lives of others.

He commends the goals and work of Intiwawa, and its kind and hardworking team. Robinson appreciates the independence that he has been given to carry out his work, make decisions and to execute his projects in the best way. He is also grateful for the excellent communication of the organization’s directors.

Exploring Bolivia for One Week

18th November 2019

I had never really considered Bolivia as a top travel destination, but, after hearing only good feedback from other volunteers, and having to leave the country anyway to extend our visa, we decided to spend one week there. After staying one night on Isla Amantani on Lake Titicaca, we traveled to La Paz for two nights. Next, we took another overnight bus to Uyuni to do a tour through the Salt Flats (Salar de Uyuni), to see the salt desert and flamingos, and take a bath in hot springs.

Check out the video below of our trip to Bolivia!

Q&A: Evelyn Sanchez – Intiwawa Alumnus

9th February 2019

Twelve years ago, Evelyn Sanchez was one of the first children at Intiwawa. Now, 22 years old, she is a thriving University student, currently in the USA on a work placement.

How are you enjoying the United States?

It is a beautiful experience to be in the US and learn about North American culture. The weather is crazy and it changes almost every day! One day it rains, the next there’s sunshine, and then all of a sudden everything is covered in white snow!

I am a housekeeper in a resort called Nemacolin in Farmington, Pennsylvania. It is a temporary work and travel program for three months, so I will return in March.

The resort gives us food and accommodation, so that I can save all the money I earn and bring it back to Arequipa when I return. I came here with my best friend, and the two of us live in an apartment with four other girls from Peru.
Going shopping in the US is so different because there is all this ready-made food that only takes five minutes to prepare. In Peru we always have to cook everything from scratch. I do really miss Peruvian food though!

What was your life like back in San Isidro?

My mum stays at home and looks after our cafe, as well as a small shop we have. My dad works in brick production.
I started going to Intiwawa when I was 10 years old and stopped when I finished school at age 18. My brother was also in Intiwawa and he is now pursuing a technical career in Arequipa.

How did you get to where you are now?

I applied to a work and travel programme offered by Pice [a national Peruvian programme for work and study exchange]. We could choose where we wanted to work and there was the option to stay more than three months, but I have to go back and continue my studies in Arequipa. I study Administration at the UNSA [the National University of Saint Augustine] – the best uni in town!

After finishing my studies in Arequipa, my dream is to study abroad in a different country. My experience here will help if I choose to apply for a Master’s degree abroad.

Do you think that Intiwawa influenced your personal development and has helped you to get where you are now?

Yes. I definitely think so. We always talked about overcoming obstacles, how nothing is impossible, and that we can reach our goals. Intiwawa has definitely influenced my personal growth.

Leonel [the founder and current president of Intiwawa] was always a role model for me. He also had problems in his family when he was younger, but he managed to study hard and live abroad in France! It just made me think, wow – that could be me! And I always followed his travels online.

It was the most beautiful feeling for me to hear that he was proud of me! It’s because of people like him that I still feel that strong, emotional connection with Intiwawa today. I know that they are there for me and I can always talk to someone when I need support.

What did you like most about Intiwawa?

It was like having a second home. The cultural exchange was so inspiring. The international volunteers always supported us and motivated us to move forward. They showed us that we were special and different. I’m grateful to Intiwawa for also giving me the opportunity to spend time with other kids my age.

I learned so many things! I learned how to share with others and how to help others, be empathetic and care for them. I also learned a lot about different cultures through the different workshops and activities. It inspired me to know that Intiwawa volunteers study as well as travel. I have always wanted that for myself.

What do you think could improve at Intiwawa?

I can see that Intiwawa has improved greatly in its online presence. I always follow what is being posted. The website and social media pages have a lot of photos of the projects, and the organization seems to be growing internationally. All of the content is in English now.

I learned English in school, but the classes are very basic and in secondary school you just repeat what you learned in primary school, so I had to start from the beginning when I came to university.

It would be good if Intiwawa could offer optional English classes to children over 10 years old. To be able to study at university in Arequipa, it is a prerequisite to speak at least one foreign language, so I chose to do a three year English course offered by the university.

What would be your message for the current generation of children at Intiwawa?

Make the most out of your time with Intiwawa, and enjoy this stage of your life!

This interview was conducted on the 25th of January, and has been translated from a Spanish transcription.

5 Reasons Why Helping Others Makes Us Happy

12th December 2018

There are so many reasons why helping others makes us happy. Here are five of the most important benefits!

Helping Others Gives Us Perspective

When we help others, we gain a global perspective, one that encompasses understanding and compassion for all kinds of people. It reminds us of how big the world is and that we are all connected to one another. By gaining a greater perspective on the problems in our own lives, we are able to adapt and react accordingly, so we can spend our time and energy finding solutions for the really important issues. We’re not perfect, and sometimes the small things will still get to us, but clearer perspective can help us to stop sweating the small stuff and learn to laugh off life’s small inconveniences.

Helping Others Provides Us with a Sense of Community

When we are volunteering, we get the opportunity to connect with like-minded people that share a common commitment. This connection makes the challenges of our work lighter, as we have an instant support system where we can vent about our problems and share life experiences. It’s hard not to feel happy in a safe community full of inspiring people who try their best and look out for each other.

Helping Others Shifts Our Values

Volunteering reminds us of what we truly value in our life. Sometimes, we get so focused on material things that we think we need to be happy, we forget what really matters. By changing what we value, we’re able to create happy and sustainable lifestyles; lifestyles in which we spend time doing what we love with the people we love. Alongside this, studies show that when we help others, our mood increases and our feelings of stress and depression decrease. So, when we help others, we are not only focusing on what truly matters to us, we are living healthier and happier lives.

Helping Others Boosts Our Self-Confidence

We feel accomplished and more confident when we are able to make a difference in our community. Joining projects where everyone has something to offer and a voice to be heard makes us feel like we always have a purpose. So, even on our worst days, we still show up. Just showing up is huge! When we can’t help out in person, we can still feel good about donating whatever we can, as every little act can make a difference.

Helping Others Spreads Happiness

The feeling of watching joy spread, as a consequence of your act to help someone else, is unbeatable. Not only are we able to create happiness for someone else, it brings us joy to know that we have improved someone’s day with our hard work.

If you would like to donate to our projects, or if you would like to volunteer with us, just click on the links!

Exploring Máncora

28th November 2018

Last week, a group of our volunteers headed north to Peru’s border with Ecuador, to explore the surfer’s paradise Máncora.

Overview

As you get off your bus at the terminal and begin to wander down the strip, you can immediately sense the chilled vibe of this beach paradise. Walking down the street past surfer shacks blasting reggae, the seafood restaurants serving prawn linguini and tuna steak salad, and the cool coffee bars with deck seating, you instantly feel on holiday. A short walk perpendicular from the main street is a walkway lined with beach shops and ice-cream parlors to satisfy your summer holiday retail needs. Eventually the tarmac road will fade into soft white sand and the sparkling horizon will come into view. The seafront is punctuated with restaurants, bars and hotels at your disposal. Grab a sunbed, order some food and drinks, and relax in the beautiful sunshine! For the thrill seekers, you can rent a board and head into the waves. For those after a more relaxing time, get a massage on the beach! If nature is your thing, then you can head out to sea for a whale watching tour – providing it’s the season. During the day, Máncora has an ultimate chilled vibe – perfect for reading a book or some beachfront yoga or meditation. However, once you witness the beautiful sunset over the horizon and the sky turns from blue to orange to pink, the party begins. By 6 o’clock all the restaurants on the strip are open and the choices are numerous. Sushi, Italian, Argentinian, Peruvian – the list goes on! Indulge in some incredible seafood and a cocktail or two. Then either head to one of the booming bars or simply head back to your hotel and see the night in with a relaxing read in a hammock under the stars.

Where to stay

You can either stay in a hotel/hostel on the strip or you can choose one of the many accommodations in the jungle-vibe outskirts of Máncora. This area is covered in palm trees and tropical plants. La Maison Eco Hotel is a great option, with a small pool and good breakfast.

How to get there

As Máncora is near the northernmost point of Peru, you’ll need to take two planes from Arequipa. First fly to Lima, and then from Lima to Piura or Talara. From Piura you’ll have to take a 3 hour bus to Máncora, which is 20 soles each way.

Meet the Volunteers: Noémi

21st November 2018

Hear our volunteer Noémie’s perspective of life with Intiwawa!

Noémie, 26, French

“I studied Psychology and Management for my Masters degree at university, and currently work as the head of a group of social workers at an organization that supports people with disabilities.”

“I had various reasons for wanting to come to volunteer with Intiwawa. Firstly, I wanted to give my time to a good cause that focuses on the welfare of children. I also wanted to fully discover a new culture – something you cannot experience by merely traveling to touristy destinations. Volunteering allows you to better understand and experience a foreign culture.”

“I chose Intiwawa due to a friend recommending their great experience to me. This, in addition to Intiwawa’s social media platforms, gave me a good insight into what the organization was about, consequently encouraging me to sign up.”

“When I first arrived I found speaking Spanish in the weekly meetings and to the children rather difficult. However, after several weeks, my language began to improve quickly.”

“I love living in Arequipa because the city is so beautiful and there’s brilliant sunshine every day. Also, the cost of living is relatively low, so I am able to enjoy eating out and traveling around Peru, discovering the country.”

“I would advise future volunteers to brush up on their Spanish before coming, but not to be nervous because everyone here is very welcoming and friendly.”

Exploring Huacachina

31st October 2018

Last week volunteers ventured to the desert oasis of Huacachina – a truly magical paradise where you can sand-board down the dunes, relax by the pool and party the night away.

Huacachina is a traveler’s playground in the desert. After a few minutes’ driving out of the city of Ica the dunes begin to rise either side of you. Palm trees start to pop up from behind the dunes revealing the oasis. A stone walkway encircles the water enabling a civilized wander around the water’s edge. Numerous bars and restaurants are situated along the way with terraced seating allowing for food and drinks accompanied by an oasis view. As the day heads towards its hottest it’ll definitely be time for a cup of crushed ice drizzled with your choice of fruit syrups. Take it and relax on the sandbank at the water's edge where kids splash in the shallow waters and the parents lie back and enjoy the sun. To cool down head back to your chosen hotel or hostel and take a dip in the pool.

During the midafternoon it’s time for some action. Travelers start to head up the dunes to take an adrenaline fuelled sand-buggy ride. A fleet of buggies congregates at the top of the first small dune to collect willing participants for what’s described as a roller-coaster ride in the desert. Those who want a less thrilling experience can walk up the dunes armed with a sand-board. As the sun begins to set you should ditch any plans you may have and start to climb up the highest dune. As you will see, many of the inhabitants of Huacachina will slowly trudge up to then sink into the sand and watch the beautiful sunset. If you’re lucky there won’t be many clouds in the distance. As you look over the miles of undulating desert you’ll see the sun gradually disappear into the distance within a number of seconds.
Now the day is no longer, the nighttime activities begin to develop. As you descend the dune facing down towards the oasis, street lights dotted intermittently between the palm trees begin to flash on. The buggies roar as they race back from the empty desert towards Huacachina. Once dark it’s time for dinner. Choose one of the many restaurants by the oasis – the more authentic Peruvian the better. Carola Lodge houses one of the two clubs in Huacachina where you can go to continue the holiday vibes partying into the early hours.

Where to stay

For a good atmosphere and holiday resort aesthetics choose either Carola Lodgeor Banana’s Adventures Hostel. Both have a pool and lounge areas. Banana’s has a more Hawaiian beach bar vibe with hammocks and wooden shacks for rooms. Whereas Carola’s has a European slick holiday resort look. Both offer good food and drinks with a BBQ dinner in the evenings.

How to get there

From Arequipa it’s a 10-11 hour overnight coach ride from the Terminal Terrapuerto in Arequipa to Ica. Most prices average at around £20 each. From Ica you can take a 15 minute taxi ride to Huacachina for 10 soles (£2.30).

Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Arequipa

9th October 2018

In Arequipa we’re lucky to have a variety of delicious vegetarian options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You can’t help but try them all!

El Buda Profano $$$

Serving a delicious range of vegan sushi accompanied by concoctions of fresh fruit juices, El Buda Profano will easily become your favorite spot in town. This cozy dimly lit restaurant with an exposed brick interior has a perfect atmosphere to enjoy a quick dinner among friends. Get the set meals to share to sample the variety of sushi they have to offer whilst still ending the night with a full stomach.

La Abadia $

Probably the cheapest option on this list is La Abadia. With a cool artsy interior you wouldn’t expect to be able to pick up a full meal for the equivalent of £1.60. For example, this menu could entail a fried cheesy potato starter, vegetable tortilla with rice for main, a fruit compote desert and a drink all of a mere 7 soles. What’s more, it’s super-fast and there is the option to take it away.

Pasta Canteen $$

This extremely popular pasta bar offers a simple choice of personalized pasta dishes. Choose your pasta, sauce and toppings to form your own individual dish. Creating a quirky dining experience Pasta Canteen has shared bench seating and offers a side jar of salad – advised to be shaken before consumption. This place has modern dining down to a T.

Pippala Vegetarian Restaurant $

Pippala doesn’t deal in trendy aesthetics or inventive dishes. Go to Pippala for some Peruvian authenticity. With a plain interior and plastic chairs Pippala is the prime example of the old adage ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’. This very simple veggie spot serves for those wanting some meat free munch, fast. Usually packed with people, be prepared to share your table with multiple other diners in the classic Peruvian fashion. Pippala’s menu is a simple choice of meat substitutes, stir-fry rice, salads and sandwiches.

AQP Burger Company $$

This trendy burger joint makes a killer veggie burger served with a selection of delicious sauces and thick cut fries. The ideal destination for when you just feel like being bad and indulging in some good old junk food. For the Instagram kings and queens you’ll be pleased to know AQP does simple aesthetic dining at its finest – serving the munch on wooden boards and tin trays.

Omphalos $

Set in a quiet courtyard a stone’s throw away from the bustle of the Plaza de Armas lies Omphalos Vegetarian Restaurant and Café – serving arguably the best vegetarian and vegan dishes in town. There’s a set menu option consisting of an appetizer, quinoa soup, a choice of pasta dishes or stuffed peppers with rice for main course, a pudding and drink – all for a mere 10 soles (equivalent to around £2.40 or $3). Alternatively choose one of the many other inventive veggie plates off the menu – also at a very reasonable price. This is the perfect place for either a quick bite or a prolonged lunch in the tranquil center of the historic quarter.

Mamut $

Mamut’s modern sandwich bar vibe is perfect for fixing yourself some quick munch before continuing with the activities of your day in Arequipa. Although not exclusively vegetarian, this little shop on a busy street off the Plaza simply makes great sandwiches – served in crusty ciabatta rolls with a choice of 8 different dressings. To quench your thirst Mamut has an extensive list of fresh fruit juices and milkshakes.

A Day in the Life of a Volunteer

29th August 2018

A quick look at the everyday adventures of an Intiwawa volunteer. From kicking back with a book on the roof terrace to playing games with the kids to heading out for some post-Intiwawa drinks – there is never a dull day as a voluntee

Buenos días!

For those who deem a lie-in as a luxury can indulge in a late get-up every morning. Many volunteers ease into the day at around 10am – whipping up some breakfast in the Intihouse kitchen and taking to our stunning terrace to enjoy a coffee under the morning sun with a view of the volcanos. This is a perfect opportunity to have some ‘me time’, so grab a book or stick on some tunes, swing from a hammock and enjoy. Alternatively, for those who prefer to fill their mornings with activities, there are plenty of things to get involved in. Some volunteers rise much earlier and head to the local gym – a 10-minute walk away from Intihouse. After working up an appetite volunteers have a variety of coffee shops to choose from to grab some much-needed breakfast. Kafi Wasi on the same street as Intihouse does a set breakfast including fresh juice and coffee for a mere 10 soles. The morning is also a great time to do some shopping. Either walk to the central Mercado San Camilo or jump in a taxi to a whole district full of markets. You can grab a trolley and fill it with the freshest fruit and vegetables or many other typical Peruvian items at an insanely cheap price.

Buenas tardes!

At around 1 o’clock those going to Intiwawa in San Isidro begin to make their way there. But not before grabbing some quick munch first. A 7 soles set menu from across the street tends to do the trick. Volunteers first have a 15-minute walk to the bus stop. After flagging down the correct bus they jump on, hoping to get a seat. After a 45 minute journey to the outskirts of Arequipa, volunteers squeeze through the standing passengers to land on the dusty ground under the strong heat of the sun. One more 5-minute journey lands you in San Isidro – 30 minutes early to prepare for the arrival of the kids. When the hour hits 3, the first few Intiwawa kids start to grace us with their smiling faces and high energy. In no time Intiwawa is a hive of activity with the kids grabbing their homework and heading into their classrooms. After an hour and a half of concentration, music blasts from the office – the signal that it’s time to clear up and get ready for dinner. In a matter of seconds. Intiwawa goes from near silence to an explosion of laughing, shouting and kids running to wash their hands. They line-up, gradually filter in and sit waiting for their food. After dinner, it’s time for teeth-brushing and the necessary cleaning chores. Once the kids have left, the volunteers gather in the office to have a little debrief of the afternoon before heading to the bus stop to return home.

Buenas noches!

Once back at Intihouse, depending on the day, you could be heading straight into a meeting. Monday is a meeting of all volunteers, giving everyone an opportunity to share their ideas, project updates and news with all. There’s usually a new member to introduce so the meeting usually starts with a round of introductions followed by an ice-breaker game lead by the Intiwawa scouts. After the meeting, many volunteers tend to head out for some food – pizza, burgers, sushi, the list is endless. On any other day, the volunteers have a free evening to put to good use. Which usually means indulging in one of Arequipa’s great restaurants, sometimes followed by some drinks at a bar. The night-time atmosphere in the city is so lively that it would be a shame to waste it! Alternatively, if you’re not feeling like going out you can chill out in the games room which is kitted out with table tennis, a snooker table, table football and darts. Volunteers also use the big tv to watch Netflix or a movie to end the day before retiring to bed for the night.

Curious Encounters in Arequipa

18th August 2018

Adapting to a new country and culture can often take an adjustment period. Whilst Arequipa may share many things with the cities and lives of our home countries, there are undeniably some bizarre and brilliant differences you are sure to encounter!

Eating guinea pigs

Whilst these fluffy little animals are kept as pets in most Western cultures, in Peru guinea pigs are a local delicacy! Peruvians enjoy “cuys” on special occasions, roasted with potatoes.

Musical garbage trucks

In Arequipa, garbage trucks don’t pass by to pick up your trash on dedicated times, but they have their own very special rhythm. You can hear them from blocks away, playing the melody from Disney’s “The Little Mermaid”, signaling it's time to take out your trash.

Barbecues in the street

Are you in a rush and hungry, without time to go to a restaurant? No problem in Arequipa! You can find street vendors on every corner grilling meat skewers ready to eat.

Summer all year long

Life in Arequipa is a dream for every summer lover, as here you can enjoy blue sky and sunshine all year long. Nearly every day you can expect a steady 20-25 degrees celsius, and even in the rainy season from December to February, there is sunshine!

The city of shoelaces

Did you ever urgently need new shoelaces when you were on the go? Neither did I, but apparently people in Arequipa do, as selling shoelaces seems to be a serious business here. You can get them on almost every street, in all colors, shapes and sizes.

Bus adventures

In Arequipa, you will get to know a whole new bus culture. Even if you think the bus is full already, the driver’s assistant will not stop shouting “Sube, sube, sube!” (get in) until all the passengers have breathing troubles and you can’t count the number of people you’re touching anymore. Riding the combis here is like riding a roller coaster with high-speed turns, full breaks and jumps over bumps in the street.

Last but not least…

…dried alpaca fetus! This is probably the strangest thing you will find on your cultural expedition in Arequipa. At the San Camilo market, and probably also at other markets, you can find dried unborn alpacas that are sold as remedies against different illnesses or as an offering to Pachamama – mother nature.

Visiting Lake Titicaca

27th July 2018

Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world, and one of the most visited tourist destinations in Peru, due to the beautiful landscape and picturesque islands. Whilst there are countless local agencies that offer tours of the islands, if you want to avoid being scammed, escape the tourist masses and directly support the local families, you should definitely visit the islands on your own account. In the following article we will tell you how!

Have a local contact

Our friend Benita owns a beautiful house on the charming island of Amantani on Lake Titicaca. You can contact her directly (find her contact at the end of the article) to stay at her house and enjoy a delicious breakfast, lunch and dinner, cooked with fresh locally sourced products from the island. Benita will pick you up at the harbor upon arrival, and is more than happy to show you around their peaceful island. On Amantani, you can also hike up the two sacred mountains to the temples of Pachamama and Pachatata.

Take a shared boat service

Instead of taking one of the packaged tour services, go directly to Puno harbor in the morning to take a shared boat service to Amantani, leaving at 8am. Luckily, Benita’s brother works at the harbor and can assist you in getting a fair price. The boat also includes a short stop at the rather touristy but interesting Uros islands, before it arrives at midday at Amantani island. The next morning, the same boat takes you to visit the neighboring island of Taquile, where you can hike to enjoy the stunning landscapes, before you head back to Puno.

Speak Spanish

Speaking at least basic Spanish is essential to communicate with Benita over the phone and to purchase your boat ticket. Alongside this, to to authentically experience the lifestyle and culture of the island, Spanish is important to be able to exchange with Benita and her family and learn about their lives. Speaking the native language Quechua would be even better, as most elderly people like Benita’s mother Franzisca cannot speak Spanish.

Support the local community

Like most people on the island, Benita and her family live from what they grow themselves on their fields or exchange with their neighbors. Everything they can, they make by themselves: their clothes, bedsheets and furniture. Tourism is their only source of monetary income to buy all the things they cannot produce by themselves.

Contact Benita to arrange your stay, she will be delighted to receive you!
+51 951 637 361

Fighting poverty through education

26th June 2018

Children from low-income families in Peru have limited access to quality education. In many cases, children are forced to sacrifice their education in order to help their families make a living. By providing educational support, Intiwawa empowers the children with which we work to seek different opportunities and to escape the cycle of poverty.

How is this possible? UNESCO has identified 4 key reasons why education is such a powerful tool for fighting poverty in a sustainable way.

1. Education promotes economic growth

Education not only empowers people with new life tools, it also encourages them to think about what they learn. People who have received education are empowered and enabled to focus on career goals and working towards them. It has also been shown that education directly results in higher wages: According to UNESCO, one additional year of education results in an average 10% increase in wages. Therefore, education contributes significantly to the economic development of a country.

2. Education promotes gender equality

Education empowers women personally and economically and, therefore, promotes gender equality. Girls and young women who have received quality education are more likely to know their rights, make more positive decisions and have higher self-confidence. Educated women are also more likely to marry later and have children when they are truly ready and willing. For women, one additional year of education results in a 20% increase in wages.

3. Education promotes health

Education increases people’s knowledge of how to live a healthy life. Through education, people learn more about health and are better able to protect themselves and their children against diseases. Educated people know what kinds of foods are healthy and are more likely to prepare healthy meals for themselves and their families. Education also provides people with knowledge about vaccinations, clean drinking water, personal hygiene and fitness.

4. Education promotes environmental sustainability

Education can support the protection of our natural environment. The higher the level of education, the more likely it is for people to be concerned about the environment. People with more education tend to save water, recycle their waste and protect and cultivate plants. Education can also provide future farmers with critical knowledge about sustainability challenges in agriculture.

The Chachani Volcano: Hiking at 6000 meters

3rd June 2018

Climbing the Chachani volcano, with an altitude of 6075 meters, is a once-in-a-lifetime experience; not many people have been on a mountain higher than 6000 meters. If you live in Arequipa and make the necessary preparations, you can make this mountain-lovers’ dream come true.

The Chachani is said to be one of the world’s “easiest” 6000-meter mountains, as you don’t need technical skills nor ice-crampons to climb it. However, to reach the top of this beautiful volcano you need great physical fitness, proper acclimatization and a strong will.

Preparation and Acclimatization

If you are living in Arequipa, at an altitude of 2300 meters, and you regularly do sports, you are already on your way to properly acclimatizing for the Chachani summit. A few weeks before the big adventure we went running more regularly to prepare ourselves. One week before the hike, we did an acclimatization trip at 5300 meters, hiking around the Mirador de los Volcanes in Patapampa. We felt ready for the adventure!

Hiking the Chachani: Day 1

On the first day, we got picked up by our guide at 7:00am from our accommodation. As we were driving closer to the Chachani in a four-wheel jeep, we climbed higher and higher and got more and more excited. During two short acclimatization breaks at 4000 meters and 4600 meters, we caught our first glimpse of the beauty of the surrounding landscapes and were greeted by a wild vicuña and her baby.

After around 2 hours we reached the end of the dirt road at 5000 meters. The beautiful landscape reminded us of the famous rainbow mountains around Cusco. We started the hike with our 15-kilo heavy backpacks, as we carried 5 liters of water per person as well as our tents, mats and sleeping bags. The hike started off being relatively easy; the only hard part was a short climb over huge rocks with the heavy backpacks. After around 2 hours we reached the Chachani basecamp at 5300 meters. Here, we set up our tents and enjoyed the spectacular surroundings. Our guide cooked a delicious dinner and at around 5:30pm we went to snuggle in our tents, as it was already getting really cold.

Hiking the Chachani: The night

As it got dark, we tried to relax in the tents, wearing all of our clothes. Due to the high altitude and the cold, nobody could sleep, so we stayed awake until breakfast at 1:00am in the morning. Luckily, none of us suffered from altitude sickness. We were cold all night long, but nothing prepared us for the sharp cold we experienced when crawling out of our (icy!) tent in the middle of the night. It was around -15 degrees Celsius when we started our ascent on the Chachani volcano.

Hiking the Chachani: Day 2

To prevent us from getting altitude sickness, our guide started the hike at a slow pace. Consequently, we did not get warm during the walk and, on the contrary, it got colder and colder the higher we got. Our water bottles froze, I was constantly shivering and I couldn’t feel my fingers anymore. Alongside this, at this point in the journey, one member of our group started experiencing altitude sickness, so we continued slowly, putting one step in front of the other, following our guide. We hoped it would get warmer as soon as the sun rose. However, with the rising sun, the icy wind also got stronger, so it got even colder. However, the view of the surrounding mountains in the morning light was spectacular!

The higher we got, the slower we moved forward. We were constantly chewing Coca leaves to try and relieve the altitude sickness. We finally reached the top after 6 long and cold hours of hiking. The breath-taking view, combined with the feeling of pride achieved at reaching over 6000 meters, was definitely worth all the suffering! Hiking back down was fast and fun, as we slid down the sand.

Conclusions and tips

With a good level physical fitness and proper acclimatization, the Chachani is definitely doable and a great experience! However, we do not recommend hiking in the winter months (between June and August), as it was way too cold. If you do, take your own professional high-mountain equipment instead of renting it locally. All in all, we are proud of our achievement and will remember this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Things that are cheap in Arequipa in comparison with European and US price

23rd May 2018

Weekend travels

Compared with the costs in Europe and the US, travelling on the weekends in Peru is relatively cheap. For around 9 dollars there and back you can take a bus to the deepest canyon in the world, the Colca Canyon, where you can visit hot springs, do a several day hike, observe condors and enjoy breath-taking mountain landscapes! You can also explore several beaches around Arequipa on the weekends, where a night in a hostel dorm costs around 6 dollars.

Going to the movies

We all love going to the movies with our friends. In Arequipa, it is more affordable to go to the cinema on a regular basis, a movie ticket costing around 4 dollars and a huge (refillable) bucket of popcorn costing around 3 dollars.

Eating out in fancy restaurants

Most restaurants in Arequipa offer lunch and dinner menus for around 3 dollars. Even fine dining is comparatively affordable, with prices between 10 and 20 dollars. Arequipa´s best restaurant offers dishes for 30 dollars.

Getting a haircut

Going to the hairdresser can be quite costly at home. Also, sometimes waiting times are quite high and you end up spending much more time and money at the hairdresser than you intended. In Arequipa, you can get a quick and good haircut at any time of the day for only 6 dollars.

Exotic fruits

Whilst mangos, papayas, melons and pineapples are delicious, they are unfortunately quite pricey at home. However, here you can enjoy a mango every day if you wish, for only 30 cents. And if you think you like exotic fruits at home, you will even love them more in Peru, as they taste much sweeter and more flavorsome than the ones in Europe and the US. If you go to the market you will probably only recognize about half of the fruits on offer, as there are so many delicious fruit variations to discover in Peru!

Going to the gym

Going to the gym can be a big expense in Europe and the US. However, gym memberships in Arequipa cost around 25 dollars per month, including constant support by professional trainers.

Taking a taxi

Taking a taxi is normally a great luxury in countries such as the UK, France or Germany, however it is considerably cheaper here, making it a much more convenient mode of transport, especially if you’re running late! In Arequipa, taking a taxi for half an hour costs only around 3 dollars and taking the bus is even cheaper, with a maximum price of 30 cents for bus rides up to an hour or more.

Getting a massage

Oh yes, you read that right! Comparatively with European and US prices, massages are relatively cheap in Arequipa, normally around 9 dollars per half hour. There is nothing better than a relaxing massage after a weekend of hiking.

5 reasons why being a volunteer is an experience for life

7th May 2018

As a generation, we have discovered that we can have everything but time. We sometimes feel as if we would need more than one lifetime to experience the different gifts life can bring us. One of these fantastic gifts is the sweet work of helping others.

1. Find your purpose in helping others

Everything in life is a service. As lawyers, doctors, psychologists, teachers and engineers we are trying to improve other people's lives to make the world a better place. At any stage of our life, we can create an impact, even if this impact is just a small one. Because together, all the small impacts make one big impact for creating a change. By volunteering at an NGO like Intiwawa, your effort forms an important part of this change!

2. Exchange with people from all over the world

Meeting people from different cultures enriches your own life. There is nothing more interesting than building friendships with people with different ways of lives and points of views. When working together as a team, you can learn from each other and get to know completely new perspectives and ways of thinking. Intiwawa is bonding the different experiences from volunteers from all over the world together for a common purpose: helping the children of San Isidro.

3. Give and receive love

Giving love to the ones who really need it is a great gift. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing the smiles on the children’s faces and experiencing their growth and development, whilst you gain their trust and affection through your work.

4. Take part in sustainable development

Latin America faces important development challenges. Although many countries have implemented solid economic and financial policies, many people do not benefit from the national economic growth. Volunteering at a local NGO like Intiwawa helps to boost the development directly where it is needed, in a sustainable way.

5. Enhance your professional skills

Working as a volunteer with Intiwawa does not only enrich your personality but also your professional skills. You learn how to work with children, as well as working in a team, assuming responsibility and organizing projects and events. According to your personal preferences, you can involve yourself also in Marketing, Finances and Project Management.

Being a volunteer is not a hobby, it’s a philosophy of life!

Around Peru: Mollendo

15th March 2018

Rainy season in Arequipa leaves but one option for the weekends: the beach! Within two to four hours, you can be out of the city and down at sea-level in Mollendo, Punta de Bombón, Camaná, or Mejia.

To get to the beach, take a combi or taxi to Terminal Terrestre and look out for any bus company going where you want to go. Buy your ticket and then pay the small boarding tax at the separate counter. Alternatively, there are also colectivos that leave regularly to the coast, available from near Terminal Terrestre. Buses tickets should cost around 15 soles and the colectivos should cost around 25.

The coast gets really crowded on weekends but is still enjoyable. Table runners come down to the beach to offer you platters of ceviche, calamari, arroz con mariscos, and leche de tigre. The beach at Mollendo is right below a cute town with cheap sleeping options and good seafood, and the beach at Punta de Bombón is a twenty minute walk or a 5-minute tuk-tuk ride from town. I can’t speak to Camaná or Mejia, though rumor has it there are great empanadas and slightly fewer people. If you can get there on a weekday, it should be absolutely beautiful. Don’t forget your sunscreen!

7 reasons why learning sign language is good for children

23rd February 2018

Last week we initiated a sign language course for the children of San Isidro. Within just one week, the school of sign language LARA has taught the children how to count, spell and introduce themselves and their family members in sign language. We were really impressed with the enthusiasm of the children and how fast they learned! Our partnership with LARA has a wide variety of benefits for the children:

1. Social sensibility

There are about 500,000 deaf people in Perú, 30,000 of them living in and around Arequipa. Learning sign language enables the children to communicate with deaf adults and children in their daily lives. It also makes the children more socially aware and sensitive, realizing that there are many people around them who cannot communicate the way they do.

2. Memory stimulation

Learning sign language is like learning any new language. It stimulates the brain synapses and trains the children’s memory and their overall learning abilities.

3. Spelling practice

As sign language includes lots of spelling, the kids practise spelling in a fun way and different way.

4. Silence

During sign language classes, the noise level in the classroom drops drastically. The children are focused and unusually quiet. The silent activity calms the kids down and makes them focus on something that does not include loud noises, screaming or talking.

6. Preparation for the future

You never know what is going to happen. One of their friends, family members or maybe even themselves might become deaf in the future.

7. It’s easy and fun!

Some of the gestures in sign language are commonplace gestures of every-day life. Especially for kids they seem quite logical and are easy to remember. Plus: it’s fun! The kids are learning a secret language that they can speak with their friends in public, so nobody understands them.

Vacaciones Útiles

31st January 2018

It’s summer vacation south of the equator, which means Intiwawa transforms from an after-school program to a morning summer camp. We are currently in the second full week of programming, and are very happy to share the classes and activities our volunteers have organized for Intiwawa’s summer students.

Each child picks two classes to enroll in on weekday mornings - the first from 9:30-10:30am and the second from 10:30-11:30am. After the second class, we wash-up and gather for a midday snack. The following classes are led by one or two volunteers during Vacaciones Útiles:

Cooking (where participants help prepare the meal we will eat later)
Ai Kido
Drawing
Photography
Vocation
Storytelling
Sports
Gymnastics
Messy Arts (painting, collage, sculpture, etc.)
Sign Language
English
Dance
Self-Reflection
Jewelry Making
At the end of each week we brainstorm new ideas for classes and workshops!

Spotlight: Taller de Fotografía

Take a look at some of the awesome pictures our students took in the photography class, led by Marion and Tad. The students broke up into groups of three and walked around San Isidro, looking for inspiring landscapes and objects. At the end of Vacaciones Útiles, each participant will choose a series of photos to showcase in a gallery space in the center of Arequipa.

Medical Emergencies Abroad

25th January 2018

Getting sick while away from home is both scary and a massive hassle. However, it is important to prepare for this very real reality, as you will be confronting new germs, potentially doing more in a day than you would in your home country, and potentially putting yourself in physically trying situations.

If disaster strikes when you’re not in Arequipa, fear not. Dial 106 for medical emergencies and/or ask a local shop owner, etc., for directions to the nearest hospital or clinic. At Intiwawa, we strongly recommend Cliníca Arequipa, a modern hospital facility with the highest-quality care.

In my experience, the actual time spent in a hospital is not quite as moving as the hours and days after, when the impact of what has just happened and what you have accomplished in a second language begins to sink in. I recommend taking lots of rest and speaking with friends and family over the phone - a voice is much different than a text screen. Spend time with local friends, as well, and try to re-acclimate yourself to your daily routine. Take time to appreciate what your body and mind have been through: foreign pathogens, foreign health system, foreign language.

We also recommend checking out the Lonely Planet guide to healthcare in Arequipa, and making sure you’re covered by Travelers Insurance if your health insurance will not cover you abroad.

Meet the Volunteers: Betsy

9th January 2018

Betsy came to Intiwawa in September 2017 and will stay until March 2018!

1. Where are you from?

I’m from Brooklyn, New York. This is my first time living in a desert / near the mountains and I love it. It’s doing great things for my skin. Brooklyn is an amazing place but I like being away from home. When I’m in Brooklyn, I meet lots of people that have just moved to New York. Their energy is uniquely palpable. It’s nice to be on the other end of that experience.

2. How did you find Intiwawa?

I found Intiwawa online. I knew I wanted to travel through South America by way of volunteering, but I didn’t know where I wanted to start. I began searching for organizations that didn’t just cater to foreigners looking to party. I wanted to find an NGO that valued its community; worked sustainably and responsibly; practiced self-reflection and adapted accordingly; and didn’t ask its volunteers to pay. After setting all these criteria, I found Intiwawa.

3. What were you doing before Intiwawa?

I graduated university in May 2016 and spent a year working as a preschool teacher in Brooklyn. I came to Intiwawa in September 2017, with a head full of nursery rhymes, crafts projects, and glitter glue.

4. What will you do after Intiwawa?

My Peruvian visa expires in March 2018, and once exiled I think I’ll look for similar volunteer opportunities in other countries. I’d like to spend a month volunteering in Buenos Aires, a month in Montevideo, a month in Rio de Janeiro…etc.

5. What has been your favorite moment at Intiwawa?

Kicking a soccer ball around with the kids before starting Tareas one afternoon, a tiny little kid's voice shouted “iLA MISS SABE JUGAR!” It warmed my heart to hear the awe in his exclamation (and of course it stroked my ego). It’s fun to connect with the kids outside of Tareas, playing a game we both love. It’s also fun to break down gender barriers, and make sure the kids know both “boys” and “girls” can play soccer–each just as terribly or as wonderfully as the other.

Top 10 Arequipa

12th December 2017

In no particular order!

Buda Profano

Absolute must for vegetarians (& curious carnivores). Platters of colorful vegan sushi that look like their pescatarian counterparts but taste entirely unique.

Mono Blanco

Bar. Go-to spot for Intiwawa volunteers. You’ll probably end up here at least once…don’t let anyone make you drink the blue thing.

Colca Canyon

THIS HIKE IS REALLY HARD. It’s basically an obligatory trek for anyone passing through Arequipa, but BE WARNED. NO ONE WARNED ME. That said, you’ll get to brag that you hiked the deepest canyon in the world and it’s quite stunning. Make sure to check out the incredible condors whilst you’re there.

Las Gringas

Artisanal pizzas are supposed to be the draw, but I like the craft beers. Also a beautiful atmosphere. Despite the name and the fact that I just wrote “craft beer” in earnest, the restaurant draws just as many Peruvians as gringos.

Monasterio Santa Catalina

Well worth the ticket price! A truly beautiful haven in the middle of the city with a thought-provoking history.

San Camilo

Cool market! I think I get ripped off here, but it’s fun to walk around and look at the bounty. Avelino is an even bigger one, a short bus ride from the center.

Selva Alegre

A refreshing green space in a city otherwise given to concrete and dust. It’s nice and fresh here, and a great place to escape the pollution.

Mundo Alpaca

An outlet store and museum! They have live alpacas you can take cute pictures of and an awesome walkway explaining weaving traditions and the textile industry. You might feel justified in buying a scarf for 200 soles after reading about the labor that goes into it.

Biblioteca Mario Vargas Llosa

Beautiful, beautiful library dedicated to the literary giant hailing from the one and only Arequipa. Bibliophiles should hit the two bookstores down the street: El Lector and SBS Libreria. Pick up something great and settle down to read in the library’s garden.

Mollendo, Sogay, or Las Salinas

All wonderful day-trip destinations! Hit Mollendo for the beach, Sogay for waterfalls, and Las Salinas for hikes and salt flats. Each is about two hours away from the city center.

Culture Congress: Photo Dump

4th December 2017

Last weekend was an important one for us — our 10th Annual Culture Congress. We brought 50 kids from San Isidro to our second location in Corporaque for an entire weekend of cultural and recreational activities!

Volunteers put a TON of time and effort into the planning and management of the weekend - the enormity of which I cannot stress enough! But I will spare you a step-by-step walk-through of all the logistics (you have to come to our Monday night meetings for that). Instead, enjoy some lovely photos from the weekend, courtesy of our very own Davida from Belgium.

Lookout for more photos–of lots more activities–coming soon!

What to Bring to Arequipa: Volunteer Packing List

28th November 2017

Water bottle
Sunscreen
Chapstick/lotion (skin gets dry at high altitude!)
Backpacker’s towel
Sunglasses
Sneakers
Sandals to wear around the house
Hiking boots (for trips; not Arequipa)
Hat
Scarf
Medium/heavy weight jacket
Sweatshirt/sweaters for layering
Week’s worth of shirts/socks/underwear
Jeans
Sweatpants
Exercise / hiking clothes
Raincoat / waterproof shoes
Electronics & chargers (laptop, phone, kindle, camera…)
Headphones
Peru guide book
Journal
Small wallet for carrying soles (leave normal wallet with IDs, credit card etc., in dorm/hostel/house)
Backpack
Toiletries
Medicines
Laundry detergent (obviously you can buy that here, but it’s a bit expensive and comes in bulk. If you’ve got Tide laundry pods save yourself 50 soles and throw those babies in your bag!)

I fit everything into one big hiker’s backpack, one suitcase, and one normal backpack.

Other Tips

Water: You have to buy bottled water. You can get 7L bottles and 21L boxes at the grocery store.
Getting to Arequipa: Your international flight will fly into Lima. From there, you can catch a flight to Arequipa (which lasts about 1.5 hours) or take a bus. The bus ride is 16 hours but you can break it up over a few days, with potential stops in Paracas, Huacachina, Nazca, etc. However the bus route may not be ideal if you’re traveling with a lot of luggage.

Getting to IntiHouse: The Volunteer coordinator can send a taxi to pick you up at the airport. You can easily catch a taxi from the bus terminal (should be 5 soles but you’ll get gringo-charged).

How To…Arequipa

14th November 2017

Buy Chapstick! Buy sunscreen! Always put on sunscreen. Wear sneakers. Wear sunglasses. Buy mangos. Eat pancakes, oatmeal, smoothies and quinoa. Haggle with taxi drivers. Haggle with market vendors. Haggle with pharmacist. Lose to pharmacist. Plant cactus. Enjoy cactus. Think about Spanish. Learn past perfect. Get used to traffic. Take combi. Wash socks. Text family. Sit in sun. Drink coffee. Look at mountains. Look at mountains! Look at sun on mountains. Look at sun setting on mountains. Look at pink, purple, blue, orange clouds behind mountains. Feel tiny. Feel existential. Feel independent. Feel past present future. Feel possibilities.

Meet the Volunteers: Marion

7th October 2017

1. Where are you from?

I’m from Bordeaux, a city in the southwest of France. It’s an hour from the Atlantic coast and 2 and a half hours from Spain. My city is pretty big, there are about 250,000 inhabitants and it’s famous the world over for its wine.

2. How did you find Intiwawa?

I found Intiwawa online. I was traveling through Peru and looking to volunteer in Arequipa because I fell in love with the city. I sent an email to the volunteer coordinator, and now here I am.

3. What were you doing before Intiwawa?

For the five months before I came to Intiwawa, I was traveling through South America. I started out in Colombia for one month, then Ecuador for two, where I worked as a volunteer in Canoa (a small fishing village). The organization I worked with—Comparte Ecuador—formed in April 2016, after a huge earthquake devastated the coast. It started out as an emergency relief group servicing in disaster zones and later transitioned to reconstructing communities. I worked on an initiative called “Calle de Alegría,” rebuilding a main street in town. I arrived in Peru at the end of August, and traveled through the country until I reached Arequipa. Before all this, when I was in France, I managed social media and reception at “Mission Locale” in Bordeaux, an association that helps young people find jobs.

4. What will you do after Intiwawa?

The truth is I don’t really know what I’m going to do after Intiwawa. As like since the beginning of my trip, I’ll just be blowing with the wind…money is the only constraint I have.

5. What has been your favorite moment at Intiwawa?

I think my favorite moment has been Halloween with the San Isidro community. It was a really happy day. Children and parents alike were absolutely enchanted and we all got to enjoy it together.

Inti Halloween

2nd November 2017

On the Saturday before Halloween, we threw a huge party for the San Isidro community. We took the holiday as an opportunity to reach out to the community at large and to get our spook on, and what ensued was a joyful, energetic, sugar-fueled and love-based celebration.

We brainstormed the Halloween party as a way to open Intiwawa up to all of San Isidro. We want parents and caregivers to see Intiwawa as a resource and refuge for themselves as much as for their children, and, in this spirit, we invited all to come and celebrate the holiday within our walls.

In preparation for the fest, we strung balloons across the Inti courtyard; hung black and orange streamers from the windows; spun a spider web between columns; set up a face painting station; rolled out gourds; and, scariest of all, let the kids drink as much Inka Cola and eat as much candy as they liked. We decorated to the sweet tones of Michael Jackson, and come 3pm, kids were lining up outside the gate, jockeying to get in.

We opened the doors at 3:30 and families kept rolling in until 5! The kids ran balloon relay races and went absolutely crazy for the face painting - which, thanks to talented volunteers, turned out some excellent looks. The moms in attendance played two competitive rounds of musical chairs while on-lookers danced and cheered, and at the end of the game, everyone re-grouped for the scavenger hunt. We divided the guests into family-based teams, and then they tore through San Isidro gathering clues and solving riddles. Everyone–from the youngest children to the angstiest teenagers to the maturest moms–loved the game.

It was immensely gratifying to see guests of all ages enjoying what we had put so much work into; as if all the energy we poured into the party bubbled back out in laughter, dance, and love. Both guests and volunteers went home tired, happy, and full–a sure sign of a good party–and we met again on Monday with a new intimacy and joy.

Around Peru: Huacachina

28th October 2017

Huacachina is a desert oasis about 10 kilometers outside of Ica — 3 hours from Lima and 12 hours from Arequipa.
We left Intiwawa around six, and 13 hours later we were in Huacachina! I managed to sleep basically from the moment the bus left the terminal in Arequipa till it pulled into Ica (a feat both disturbing and fantastic), and arrived in a sleepy mystified trance.

Huacachina suited my mood: the dunes emanated an immense stillness that I wanted to mirror. The desert oozed ancient patience. Its enormity, density, and consistency calmed me; reminded me of the power in quietly maintaining identity. No need for a frenetic assertion of self.

There’s an irony to a once-vital refuge cum tourist destination, but there’s also a hilarious modernism. Why not put a nightclub at an oasis? And even though food and water come with gringo price tags, the city avoids feeling fake or contrived. In fact, our trip centered around sustainability: we stayed at the Desert Nights Ecocamp, which runs a trash recovery program in the surrounding dunes. Volunteers can eat and stay for free in exchange for four hours of trash recovery work each day.

We collected trash at dawn and dusk; got to see the sun rise and set on the dunes. In between, we rode around in an ATV, boarded down sand mountains, lay by the pool (there’s a pool!!!), and ate on terraces. Two full days was the perfect amount of time to do all the activities and also laze around doing nothing…and we still managed to get back in time for IntiWawa on Monday.

Getting There

Cruz del Sur, 50-90 soles one way. Bus leaves from Terrapuerto in Arequipa. Catch a taxi from Ica to Huacachina upon arrival, 6-8 soles. For your sake, I hope you sleep as well as I did.

Hello from Arequipa!

27th October 2017

Welcome to Intiwawa’s new blog! Check back regularly for updates on Intiwawa events, volunteers, and projects.
As you already know, Intiwawa is a non-profit organization working in the San Isidro community. It was founded in 2007 by a Peruvian and German team of do-gooders, and now draws its support from international and Peruvian volunteers, and from board members split between Arequipa and Berlin.

International volunteers live together in IntiHouse — a beautiful building in the center of Arequipa (think roof terrace, hammocks, cactus paradise) — and travel to San Isidro Monday – Friday. From 3-6 pm, volunteers help the Intiwawa students with homework, serve a delicious and nutritious meal, supervise/facilitate teeth brushing, and clean the Intiwawa facilities. Peruvian volunteers live, well, in Peru, and do not keep as strict a schedule as international volunteers, though are encouraged to come as frequently as possible!

Saturdays present an excellent opportunity for busy Peruvian volunteers to get involved — Intiwawa hosts “Casa Cultural”: a morning of structured play in San Isidro. Volunteers lead art & music classes; sports games; computer classes; and more. The Saturday schedule changes to meet student and volunteer interests, and new class proposals are always welcome!

We discuss new classes, administration, internal organization, future plans, and more at our Monday night meetings. The entire organization gathers at IntiHouse, and together we keep Intiwawa shining as bright as its namesake.