Hasta la próxima. Until next time. I’ve repeated these words many times over the past several days as I bid farewell to my co-workers and friends in Peru, and each time I’m reminded of how different this departure feels. Every time I’ve left Latin America, I’ve been able to anticipate when I’d be coming back for my next extended stay. This time, as I hugged … Continue reading Hasta la Próxima
After an hour plane ride, 10-minutes on a mototaxi, and two hours in a deslizador (motorboat), two of my co-workers and I had arrived at Nueva Betania, an indigenous Shipibo community of approximately 400 residents in the jungle of Ucayali, Peru. We were there to meet with teachers, students, and other community members and gather their perspectives on the impact of UNICEF’s Escuelas Amigas program. … Continue reading Out of the Office and into the Amazon
Reflections on the First Few Weeks of my Internship at UNICEF Peru It’s hard to believe that today marks the beginning of the fourth week of my chamba (or work, as many Peruvians refer to it) at UNICEF in Lima. Before I describe the specifics of my internship responsibilities, let me tell you about some of the qualities that make this office a truly unique … Continue reading Comenzando la Chamba:
Generosity: this word pretty much sums up my first day in Peru. 15 hours after bidding farewell to Philadelphia on a sunny Wednesday afternoon, I walked out of the Lima airport into the thick fog that fills the streets on winter mornings. I was greeted by Einsten (yes, Einsten, not Einstein), a friend of my Airbnb host who operates a taxi service part-time. As we … Continue reading A Warm Welcome to Peru
The International Educational Development Program 