Punal

Entrance to Punal

Juli-Ann: This morning we traveled to Punal, a barrio near the Santiago airport.  It is the second of the neighborhoods in which we will do interviews of loan recipients.  As the crow flies, it is just a short distance from the ILAC Center, perhaps 2 or 3 kilometers, but to get there by public transportation, one must go northwest into the center of Santiago and back out at an acute angle southeast. So it is about 40-50 minutes of travel.  It would be about 25 minutes probably, by taxi, but the extra time saved is expensive.  For two of us, the taxi back and forth would be 1000 pesos (divide by 38 for dollars!) versus 200 pesos by guagua and public car.   The public car stop is called Entrance to Punal, just like this picture!

Ana Mercedes Comes Out to Greet Us

We walked into town and asked for Ana Mercedes, the first name on our list.  A woman yelled down the street and Ana came out to greet us.  She then proceeded to take care of us the rest of the morning, accompanying us to each address.  Four of the five people we wanted to see were home.  We explained the project to each and secured permission for the students to visit them to do interviews.  Two women have jewelry-making businesses, selling to stores in the city.  One does fingernails in her home, and one sells clothing on the street. 

Ana Mercedes, our "Fairy Grandmother"

We have decided that every village needs a “Fairy Grandmother” to show strangers around.  It was so easy with her taking us in and introducing us to each loan client!  After we visited the homes, she took us into her back garden to show us her flowers.  She invited us to stay for lunch, but we were expected back at the ILAC Center.  The cooks at ILAC are very conscientious about making sure there is enough food for those expected, so we don’t like to not show up when we are expected!  Sure enough, when we got back, they brought the food back out for us (we were almost an hour late for lunch, what with the noon time traffic). 

Anyway, gracias a Ana Mercedes! 

 

A Home in Punal

We will return to Punal another day to meet four more clients.  That will also give us a chance to complete a file of comments and pictures to direct the students about how to get to Punal and how to find the homes after they arrive.  Notes and photographs will guide them.