Meet Jesus Napancca

Jesus with Marisol

Jesus is our Spanish Instructor.  He is 25 years old and is a native Peruvian.  Jesus grew up in Lima, however, he moved to Cusco two and one half years ago.  In addition to teaching Spanish, Jesus also teaches English to impoverished boys from the streets.  Jesus likes learning and teaching languages.  He speaks Spanish (his native tongue), Japanese, English, and he is currently learning Dutch by himself.  

Jesus comes from a traditional family.  His parents have been married for more than twenty-eight years.  He also has two sisters.   Jesus believes in family and being together with someone that you love for a long time,  He loves animals, especially los gatos (cats).  He has always had a cat at home.  Whenever he sees a cat, he stops whatever he is doing and touches the cats....unless he believes that they may have fleas, 

Jesus likes to meet people.  He likes talking to people and taking trips and walking in the mountains.  He likes listening to music and dancing to it too (especially Salsa!).  Jesus had plans to travel to Europe.  However, things did not work out as he planned, so he is staying in Cusco for a long time.  Jesus wants to help the children in the streets, and that is exactly what he is doing.  Two months ago, Jesus began a program where he is teaching English to the children of the streets.  He currently has two students which he teaches one hour each day.  Additionally, he takes the boys on fieldtrips with his English speaking students (who he is teaching Spanish).  We were lucky enough tag along on one of these fieldtrips.  

Jesus would like to start his own school where he could teach English to the unfortunate children of Cusco who live and work on the street.  He knows that it will take a long time to get funding for such a project, but in the meantime, he has begun teaching children English.  He intends to expand this program with others who could also teach the children.  His friend, Joost from Holland will be coming over to Cusco in January to start this project with Jesus. 

So why does Jesus want to spend his life teaching English to these children?  He wants to do this because Cusco is a city that depends on the tourists.  Jesus says that without tourists, the economy of Cusco will suffer.  If the tourists that come to Cusco are not happy, they will not return to Cusco or recommend this beautiful and historic city to others.  Jesus believes that as the situation now stands, there are many problems with the tourist industry in Cusco.  The main problem is the lack of communication between the people of Cusco and the traveling visitors.  When a foreign, non-Spanish speaking tourist walks into a restaurant or store, they are not able to ask the questions that they want and get the answers that they want, and this becomes frustrating.  Jesus would like to increase the amount of service people that could speak both Spanish and English.  By teaching the children, he will ensure the future popularity of Cusco as a tourist attraction.  Also, Jesus wants for the people of Cusco to get these jobs in the tourist industry instead of those from foreign places that are currently able to speak English.

Jesus has been a wonderful Spanish instructor to both Rich and I.  He spends many hours a day teaching us the language and culture of Peru.  Additionally, he has taken us on a tour of the Sacred Valley region and introduced us to the history and culture of Peru.  This even included a trip to a small village by the name of Cuyo Grande where we brought gifts to Marisol, a little girl that Jesus met over one year ago when she was very sick.  Her father was carrying her to through the streets, and Jesus asked the man what was wrong.  The man told Jesus that his daughter was very ill from dehydration.  Jesus gave the man a bottle of medicine that his friend really needed.  His friend also insisted on giving this child the medicine.  Marisol soon became better, and Jesus has become a friend to this family.  Jesus is just that kind of guy.

If you would also like to meet Jesus, drop him a line at [email protected].

Jesus y Kelly in the doorway leading to the Ruins of Pisac.

Jesus trying to get connected with Pacha Mama (Mother Earth) at the Temple of the Sun in Ollantaytambo, asking her...................................  "Pacha Mama, where is my love?" 

Jesus tries to strangulate his "estudiante perfecta" at the Picas terraces after a hard Spanish lesson.

Jesus and Rich doing the Salsa at the Salt Terraces.

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