Getting the painting equipment

It was a one day trip and they took the opportunity to show me the nice city of Piura and Catacaos, famous handicraft market with typical Peruvian restaurants.

In Talara, we could get the tri-plys, wood layers that will be used to cover the old wall of the Primavera office. Little by little, everything is getting prepared now to start actually revamping the place.

6 at a time!

New T-shirts have been printed out! It took a few more days than expected to get them but I am really happy to see the final result. They will be sold very soon at the WAVES Surf Centre once the workings are finished over there.

Printed, ironed and packed ready to go!

Unfortunately, it is already time for me to say goodbye to Lobitos, the kids and the WAVES staff. It has definitely been a great human experience. Things are moving here and it feels really motivating to be part of this overall long term development project that WAVES has been elaborating since 2008. Surfing here was also fantastic!

SPECIAL THANKS to Junior, Irene, Sonia and of course Tali (WAVES Project Manager), who is also famous in Lobitos for his delicious pizzas that I couldn’t stop eating!

Eli Smajda a.k.a DJ Smash

Just before entering the oven

She dedicated her victory to her little deughter Julia and to WAVES for Developement. She donated half of her prize money to WAVES Switzerland.

Thanks Laura for your commitment to children education

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Showing the school kids a video of my job

Some Freeride videos were shown and we made the comparison with how to organize a surf competition in Lobitos.  Indeed, Lobitos has great potential for such projects and WAVES for Development is working on it!

On Wednesday 9th of May, Tali and I went to Talara to make some new customized T-shirts that will be sold at the WAVES Surf Centre. I designed two different styles: one for girls and one for boys. You can already have a very good idea of what it will look like on the pics.

The 'girl' design for the WAVES Lobitos T-shirt

I can’t wait to see the finalized T-shirts…they will be ready on Saturday!

By popular demand from local youth, we incorporated skate boarding

Last but not least, you can find big smiles every day and everywhere in Lobitos. The kids here are just awesome!

Outside the WAVES Lobitos Primavera Education Centre

It was time for me to go out!! And experience what tourism is about. This time six hours away from my lovely Lobitos!

Now I was looking forward to going sightseeing in the city of Chiclayo, please let me tell you something that this place has many activities going on every day: beaches, tours to its many museums, ecologic reserve, nightlife, etc.

This time my goal was, get to know more about the Mochica Culture and visit the tombs of The Lord of Sipan and The Old Lord of Sipan. Some of the noblemen & warriors with religious and military powers were located in the complex Huaca Rajada in the city of Sipan!

Before walking In the Museum “Huaca Rajada”

Ceremonial dress of Lord Sipan

Some of the ceramics of the Mochica Culture, they called this one “The God Of Wisdom”

Also I needed to visit the Museum “Tumbas Reales The Sipan” (Royal Tombs Of Sipan) that exhibits some of the most important archaeological remains of the Mochica Culture. It is an exceptional exhibition that combines maximum scientific accuracy, security and enjoyment to show the jewels.

It is not allowed to take pictures from the inside! I just made sure to get one from out.

Plus I had to get some “llanques” if you have no idea what this is, here is a picture of them,

They are made of recycled car tire.

My adventure for getting them started at Mercado Modelo: a huge market place surrounded by vendors everywhere. This place is a mix of little malls and shops, restaurants, barbershops and other trades in between.

Anyway I walked all around this place to get my llanques and finally I met Sergio who owns one llanques’ Store, he provided me the quality & quantity of llanques I was looking for. I told him I would be back as soon as I can for more stock

We started selling them at our Lobitos centre of surf and tourists seem to love them because they will last forever of that I am sure (I just got my own.), they are made in Peru and it is 100% recycled!

Still in Mercado Modelo, the next thing I got to do is feed myself, so I headed to one small restaurant where I got mesmerized by one of my favorite yummy yummy dishes! This one belowis  some chopped onion with some lemon juice squeezed on accompanied by some green lentils plus some rice and the main character the Cabrilla fish! So tasty!

If only you could actually smell and taste this!

Well fellows that’s just a bit of what I did on my 1^st day during my 1^st round in Chiclayo, from now on, one of my favorite places in this amazing country.

I will definitely keep you all posted about my 2^nd one as I move on. “take care and enjoy life” good vibes to everyone.

Junior Carrera

Surfing somewhere!

My name is Eli. I come from Belgium and I have decided to come to Lobitos, Peru to help WAVES for Development organization for 3 weeks. It is also an opportunity for me to enjoy surfing and refresh my Spanish.

After a 36 hours journey, I have reached Lobitos on Saturday (28/04/2012) evening. Indeed, I flew from Madrid to Lima and then directly took an overnight bus from Lima to Piura to eventually arrive in Talara where Junior (WAVES English teacher) was waiting for me!

My plane ride to Peru

Just if you were wondering where Lobitos was....

The next morning, I had a meeting with Tali (WAVES Project Manager) to decide on which projects I will be busy on during my stay:

• Revamping  the local community education centre in the WAVES Primavera office
• Assist Junior for the English classes given at Lobitos public school
• Help Sonia for the Environmental classes
• Make a new poster for WAVES
• Develop a new design for the T-shirt organization

I met Irene and Sonia (WAVES local staff) at the Primavera office.

WAVES office

We will start to renew the education centre next week.  We have made our choice for the light blue colour and protect the old walls with new wood layers. I have taken some pictures of the place before we start working on to see the results after!

Teaching english with a touch of humor

While removing all the drawings and posters from the wall, I found these seahorses that I really liked. We will put them back after the painting is done.

All of these seahorses died of natural causes

I will keep you posted of our projects as they come along,

Eli

Their very own classroom

It was brought to our attention amongst the WAVES team from various educational stakeholders, that local education infrastructure had far exceeded capacity for the academic year and a new classroom had to be built for the children. Local parents organized themselves to raise funds and seek in kind donations that would advance the project. In the end, local parents, the Right Honourable Mayor of Lobitos Pepe Rodriguez and WAVES for Development all partnered up to turn this deficiency into a strength.

Ideally, to strengthen academic resources within the Lobitos education institution in the long term, a brick and mortar building should be built, but as we say in Lobitos ‘poco a poco’ (little by little).

Christen hit the ground running.  In late March of this year she was invited to do a presentation at the “Cultivating Connections: Collaborative Innovation for Global Health” conference at Penn State.  Her presentation was entitled “Surfing for Global Health?” in which she addressed Social Determinants of Health as they relate to WAVES’ activities in Peru.

Check out the presentation here and her full profile on the team page.  Way to go, Christen!

"can't surf at night, but you can now skate!"

All the work began about a year ago when the Swiss volunteer Xavier came up with the incredible idea of ​​building us a skate ramp, and with the help of other volunteers and members of the WAVES team the idea became a reality. Though after a while and by the continued use, some repairs had to be made, a few weeks ago we played our turn “ the local force”, demonstrating our ability and desire to make things right for the benefit of children who play and enjoy the art of the sport of skateboarding,

next generation of Lobitos locals

We (Junior, Luis and Henry) took on the role as the Lobitos half-pipe repairmen: filling in voids with cement and replacing the wooden sheets. These steps done, came the reopening and exhibition even, this would include a mini championship for the local youth of Lobitos.

The team and I never imagined that this event would have had such a great response from people of all ages and different backgrounds! Loads of people came to see what we were doing at the end of the day when the show started the majority of us became active spectators.

Anali Gomes our head judge for the event

Thinking things couldn’t get even better, our event was blessed with the participation and presence of Anali Gomes, one of our top representatives of national women’s surfing circuit.

night lights

With lots of fun and good participants the night fell on and the lights were turned on. Also behind the ramp (our main stage) was a giant screen showing surf videos.

As the night ended and the participants and spectators received their awards: All of them generously donated from people in Switzerland and all this organised by Sylvain Gaeng.

Anali said goodbye and the event drew to a close, leaving us a total satisfaction for our efforts and pleased of our combined achievements.

Prize distribution

Well folks, honestly I have to say that our event exceeded all our expectations and left us with ideas and wanting more for our next event: we will keep you posted.

After a quick breakfast in Punta Sal and a rather LONG detour (all the way to Tumbes and back Thanks to Sly’s racing, Pipe’s confusing directions and the Peruvian road authority for leaving both the new ‘and’ the old kilometer markers stand on the PanAm lol ). So after a longish but scenic drive along the far North of Peru we reached our destination (Plateritos/Punta Mero). Here we were welcomed warmly by the colleagues of Pipe (a befriended Peruvian Biologist) and after some brief introductions and explanations about the greenery we set sail in La Bestia into the private biological reserve.

The ride into the reserve was rocky, adventurous and sometimes scary (according to some), but la Bestia (freely translate as ‘the Beast’) wouldn’t be La Bestia if she didn’t eat up any kind of road that came her way. Ultimately she brought us to the border of the reserve, where we climbed a few hills and enjoyed the view while our guides Edwin and Ilich explained everything we wanted to know and more about the local environment, its biodiversity, things to do and to see, etc. Apparently, there is an amazing waterfall with a mint camping spot at the bottom. I can’t wait to take some of the next WAVES volunteers there on a weekend trip. From one particular hill it was even possible to both see the Pacific ocean and the Andes (Imagine that!?!?). Personally, I was quite delighted to see so much green around me, don’t get me wrong I love living in Lobitos. But seeing this oasis of greenness in front of me after nearly six months in the Peruvian desert gives you a whole new appreciation for the diversity of mother nature. I guess there is a time and a place for both desert and jungle…

I was the designated drive for the return to coast and this is when the real adventure began At some point I was challenged with on the left side of the car a gaping hole and on the right side a steep slope… Encouraged by Sylvain yelling “Dale La Bestia” I maneuvered the car between the hole and the slope (or so I thought), I pushed the gas and the car moved along, I guess I steered slightly too far to the right up the hill in my attempt to get away from the hole that La Bestia started leading a life of her own and started leaning leftward at an alarming pace… At one point I felt her tipping over and thats when I put the pedal to the medal and saved all of us (with a strike of luck I daresay ) After some nervous laughter and accusations by some (read Sonia) we continued our journey at a steady but safer pace…

After the excitement and adrenaline of the trip we were all hungry and, luckily the lovely wife of Edwin had our lunch at the ready when we returned from the bush. After lunch we collected a great variety of plants, cacti and trees and loaded them up in La Bestia. Next stop, Punta Sal where our guide, Ilich, has an ecological beachhouse where we snorkelled, sunbathed and talked the afternoon away. On the way back we treated ourselves to some delicious ceviche and chicarron de camarones at Restaurant Bambu in Punta Velero, Los Organos (If you ever get the chance, go there! Some of the best seafood in Northern Peru!) After eating our bellies round with Peruvian goodness, the final leg of our journey had begun. The day ended as it had began arriving back in Lobitos in the twilight…

A great day on the road for part of the WAVES team, full of adventure, education, nature, relaxation and team spirit

More photos on FB at: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150746467707996.427573.20187082995&type=3&l=baeeb6a1d6

http://jumo-organizations.maker.good.is/projects/surf-tourism-develop

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http://jumo-organizations.maker.good.is/projects/surf-tourism-develop

The Idea:

Opportunity for two local ladies to make cakes/bread in a clean and working environment. We work as a live model that there is equitable profit share for their products, we as WAVES set aside a % of profit of sale for their personal micro-credit to enable them to ‘go it alone’ with experience gained.

The Specifics:

We are already upgrading the kitchen area in our volunteer house. In order to really make a go of this project, we need to purchase: – A semi-industrial oven 1,000US$ – Heat extraction system 500US$ -Industrial mixer of 4 kgs 1000 US$ We can further teach the women, train them up with technical interns and volunteers who are professional chefs at their place of usual residence. The concept is that we will guide these people to produce and distribute their baked goods to various outlets in this town of 1400 persons. The market is big enough for this capital investment. Pilot project led up to 6 cakes and 64 breads being made a day for sale. Now we need to transfer these skills for others who have been trained for 3 weeks in baking in January 2012.