We also helped out at an after school program in Urpaycancha, a village within Huancayo. At first, I colored with what looked like four-year-olds. Turns out some were at least six. Davidson helped some of them with math homework. Mostly though, the time was spent coming up with fun ways to memorize basic English vocab again. Sometimes, we’d go to the fields and play futból or pato-pato-pavo.

I brought my camera on the last day, and the kids reacted like I was giving away video games dipped in sugar. At least eight of them would yell, “Miss, miss! A mi! A mi! A mi!” whenever I aimed to shoot any other kid. I felt like I was on the set of Urpaycancha’s Top Child Model, but I guess that would make me the bald British judge who Tyra calls “Noted Fashion Photographer Nigel Barker* “. Gross. Whatev, these kids are way better in front of a camera than any model wannabe.

(* Noted by whom?)

Volunteering is new to me, and I’m generally a little scared of kids. They always seemed so demanding. But these children in Huancayo are usually quite sweet and appreciative. I did grow fond of them (espesh Vanessa in the striped sweater) as the week went by. As volunteers, we taught them very basic english vocab. Not sure how much they actually learned from us. I actually think I learned more from them—mostly that I have to be less of a pushover. For reals. (Also check out how the voluntarios all have the same haircut now. The Dalai Lama look is a raging trend these days.)