Yamiyaco

After our three day hike, Ben and Libby took me to Musho, their Peace Corps site. Musho is a small rural community of approximately 2,000 and lies two hours outside of the regional capital Huaraz.

Most of you already know about the Peace Corps. It is an amazing U.S.-government funded program that sends Americans to other countries to share their knowledge and experience with local communities. I am proud that my dad was a volunteer in the program´s earliest years and that Sarah, my girlfriend, was a volunteer in Panama more recently. These U.S. volunteers face inummerable challenges, including: learning the local language, gaining the community´s trust, overcoming divisions within the community, identifying people´s needs, ensuring that any improvements are sustainable, and more than two years away from friends and family in the United States.

My first day in Musho was ¨World Health Day¨ and I spent it watching Ben and Libby give charlas (workshops) on handwashing and waste management. They were both amazing. Libby created a cartoon story to explain the importance of hand washing to Musho´s children and Ben created a posterboard that highlighted the need to properly dispose of inorganic waste and recyle. They are doing an incredible job in their site. (You can check out a description of their experiences at: http://theadventuresofbenjaminandlibby.blogspot.com/)

The town of Musho is goregeous as it is situated at the base of 21,000-foot Huascaran, Peru´s highest peak.

Ben, Libby, and I spent many hours discussing their work and ways to help the people of Musho. They have been in the town for nearly four months and are still grappling with how they can be most beneficial to the community. Libby is working to improve the health of those living in Musho and the surrounding areas. Ben is charged with helping Musho better manage its resources. Ben and I spent my second day in Musho helping a farmer harvest his potatoes and hiking in the hills above the town. I was sad to leave Musho, as I enjoyed the town and my time with dear friends, Ben and Libby. I am eager to hear of their successes over the next year and a half. Musho has potential, and I am confident that Ben and Libby can harness it.

I am now back in Peru´s capital city of Lima. But I am only here for a few hours because this afternoon I am flying into Iquitos, a remote Peruvian city deep in the Amazon. I am really excited to see the jungle, the river, and all the area has to offer. (P.S. ¨Yamiyaco¨ means ¨how are you?¨ in Quechua, the local language.) I still haven´t had time to upload more photos from the Cordillera Blanca hike or from my time in Musho, but I will do so as soon as I get the chance. Ciao.