Chimbote Cribs

Hey ya, it´s Katina coming at you from the scene of Peru...crashing the cribs of Chimbote! I´m going to share a little bit of what you might expect to experience while bunking up with a Peruvian host family.

Like many other people who make the brave trek to Chimbote, I had a lot of questions about what to expect, what to bring, what I can buy there, what I should buy before I leave, what the living conditions would be like, what I could do for fun, what, what, what, what, ahhhhh!!!! OK, I will admit, I freaked out a little. And as you can imagine, with all of the volunteers arriving throughout various times of the year, the volunteer coordinator gets bombarded with questions...Wow, this blog is a brilliant idea!

Short-term volunteers usually stay in the dormitories located at the parish. If you are a long-term volunteer, you are most likely going to stay with a trusted family of the parish. The location of your home may vary from Nuevo Chimbote, to La Victoria, to Alto Peru, to Miraflores Bajo (all neighborhoods surrounding the parish)...however, no matter where you stay, the parish is easy to get to on foot or by kombi (taxi vans).

Obviously, the details of each house will differentiate, but I have found that the basic necessities are very similar. The host families all have running water, bathrooms (toilets and sinks), showers (no hot water, but who needs hot water in Peru?)












Kitchens (stove and refrigerator), a washing machine (with plenty of lines to dry on), bedrooms, and electricity (FYI...the outlets can take U.S. appliances without an adaptor). I have also found that many of the host families have a computer, phone and television (for your daily dose of Peruvian soap operas).












And what, you may ask, is there to do in your spare time? Oh, the possibilities...well, to state the obvious, it always appropriate to relax during the siesta. For questions about this, please see Charles...below.


If shopping is what you desire, downtown Chimbote has many shops and markets, where you can find almost anything your heart desires. For the smaller, daily necessities, there is the mini-mart Mario´s, conveniently located one block from the parish. It has a surprisingly large selection of goodies to choose from. If you are looking to support the local industry, there are usually smaller family owned markets on every street. Then of course, as you may find in any other city, there is an array of parks, restaurants, cevicherias, bars, discotecas, and movie theaters to occupy your evenings and weekends. Or, if you are in the mood for some fun in the sun, there are plenty of beaches that are only a short cab ride away!











No matter how long you come to Chimbote for, you are sure to have an adventure! I realize there is a level of anxiety when traveling to new territory, and it is normal to have millions of questions. Keep in mind that the Peruvian way is usually very laid back and relaxed. Get used to going with the flow, and your experience here will be much more enjoyable. And remember, come with an open mind, stay with open eyes, and leave with an opened heart. From the scene of Chimbote...¡Ciao amigos!