Last updated on November 8, 2022
I.E.P N°71001 "Almirante Miguel Grau", Puno, Peru, September 2022
In a Peruvian primary school located in the center of the city of Puno, we had the chance to live a great experience with the students of a sexto grado class and their teacher. This school called “Almirante Miguel Grau” is a public school that welcomes several hundred students on two “turnos”, the morning “turno” and the afternoon “turno”. Indeed, due to the large number of students and the lack of classrooms and space within this infrastructure, the school accommodates the different classes of primero (1°) grado, segundo (2°) grado and sexto (6°) grado in the morning, from 7:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and the different classes of tercero (3°) grado, quarto (4°) grado and quinto (5°) grado in the afternoon, from 12:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. In France, the levels quoted would be equivalent to the grade levels of “CP” up to “sixième”.
At the end of the morning, we introduce ourselves to the 28 students of 6°E and their very welcoming teacher Violeta. We show them some basics of the organization of primary school in France via a short film made by us. They are very attentive. However, when the time comes for questions, radio silence. The students do not dare to speak. The first questions are timid. Then, gradually, the questions begin to fuse on their side as on ours, to the point that we no longer see the time passing and that we are surprised to hear the bell ringing announcing recess. This moment allowed us to discuss the functioning of the school in France and the French culture, and in return, also on the Peruvian culture and more particularly that of Lake Titicaca. All were very curious and also very happy to share their knowledge of their culture with us.
Perceiving our interest in the Peruvian culture of Lake Titicaca and the desire of the students to share it with us, the teacher suggests that we come back the next day to let us taste the specialties of the region. Enchanted by this proposal, we of course accepted.
Before leaving the delightful company of this sexto grado class, we stayed to attend the last hour of class before the end of the morning “turno”. We were able to listen to the presentations of the students on different themes, such as the pollution of Lake Titicaca or the intelligent use of technology. Meanwhile, we hear shouting and music coming from the playground. The youngest of the school are in the middle of a football tournament. However, it is almost time to say goodbye for the end of this day. We exchange our contacts with the students. They are happy. Did they probably think they were talking to celebrities? We are treated to a few gifts from the children, beautifully decorated blue and pink pens from a boy and slime with glitter in little teddy-shaped bottles from a girl. At the request of several students, we also wrote in French “I love you…!” on several notebooks so that they can tell whoever they want in complete discretion. On a goodbye with the promise to meet again the next day, we take the way back with the dozens of students from different schools returning home after their day of classes.
The next day we arrive at school a little before the start of the morning shift. We go up to the classroom of the 6°E students, meet, greet and chat with several of them. The teacher is not there yet so we wait together in front of the room. A few minutes later, the teacher arrives, wishes us good morning and invites us inside. The children are very happy to see us again.
After the morning prayer, the students set up the tables in the middle of the room. All take out the food that their mothers have prepared in order to let us taste the regional specialties. A real feast. We are entitled to all kinds of fried bread (wheat, semolina, quinoa). Professor Violeta shares with us that these are children’s favorite dishes but that they only eat them on holidays. We also taste the oca, a very famous Andean tuber, accompanied by fried cheese, a dish made of black potatoes, first dried in the sun, then steamed, also accompanied by fried cheese, a dish of semolina boiled and then fried, to a cheese which was very good although salty and we also tasted “cafe con leche” brought in a 600ml bottle of soda. We tasted everything and shared the different dishes with the students and the teacher. Everything was excellent. Our favourites: the fried semolina breads and the oca with fried cheese.
All of them surprised us with superb food prepared with love and kindness by their mothers for us. On our side, we returned the favor by bringing back a mountain of “crêpes” accompanied by sugar and strawberry jam prepared the night before by us. We wanted to share a bit of French cuisine and culture with them and it was successful. They loved it and made us laugh while eating their “crêpes” with jam AND sugar. One of them tried the experiment and then all of them followed.
This experience was remarkable. We thank them warmly and ask that, when they return home, they thank their mothers for having prepared so much good food for us. Professor Violeta urges us to help ourselves to leftovers and take whatever we want with us. We don’t have to wait too long and take away most of the delicious fried breads and donuts as well as the “cafe con leche”.
Then, the time to leave arrives. We promise Violetta to come back to see her if we ever come back to Peru. We will probably no longer be able to see the students of this class with whom we shared this wonderful experience. Also, we all take pictures together before the students escape for their music lesson and before we leave this school with the wonderful memories we have all created together.
