  We are two volunteers, just out of school, working and living in the orphanage “Aldea Infantil Santa Monica.” The Aldea Infantil, which is translated to childrens village, is the only orphanage in Iquitos that is government run. We have around 70 kids, ranging from two months to 15 years old, who live in 11 different houses with a substitute mum. The kids have a chance here to go to school and teachers also come to the orphanage for reinforcement classes. The aldea is a very lively and cheerful place with always something going on. The kids are out and about amusing themselves with the simplest things; whether it’s climbing trees searching for fruits or playing an intense game of bottle cap flicking; we’re not quite sure what it’s called! Being in the orphanage gives the children an opportunity to learn how to use computers in our computer room. There is also a well-used dance room where they are taught the typical Amazonian dance and other traditional dances, because really any occasion is an excuse to dance. Other activities that keep them busy are the responsibility over the chicken and duck run.  The staff of the aldea includes a nurse, psychologist and a social worker who are here to support the children. These staff members also come along every few months when the aldea packs up and heads off in the direction of a lagoon. We are still amazed at how many kids they can squeeze in to a minibus, not forgetting the two big pots of rice and food that are needed for lunch. The ones we have to thank for giving us the opportunity of living and working in Peru for a year, is the gap year organization Project Trust. Project Trust is a charity that sends around 200 volunteers a year, all over the world. They believe that by living a whole year abroad you can fully integrate into the community and understand the culture of your host country.  Our role in the orphanage is generally helping out in the houses and kitchen and running extra curricular activities. These include cooking, Scottish dancing, drama, English classes, art and a video night every Friday. We also take the kids on outings to the cinema, boulevard, polleria, or to the heladeria for an ice cream. Of course it took us a while to get used to our Iquiteñan life. We remember we were quite shocked when we first saw chicken feet swimming in our soup! So after trying it the first time we decided the kids appreciate it much more and we happily gave it away.  However, the people here are so warm and open and made us feel really welcome. Especially in the aldea; where the director, Jorge Rodriguez, said that we are one big family and that we are now a part of it. Iquiteñans also really know how to party, particularly when it comes to dancing. We soon discovered this because we heard music blasting into the aldea, coming from across the road. It didn’t take us long before we worked out it was the local band Explosion. You can now find us almost every Sunday night singing and dancing along with all generations of Iquitos. With only one month to go we realize how we will miss our life here. Most of all, those smiley brown faces that greet us every day and smother us in Hugs and kisses.
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