1. Tell us a little about yourself

I’m 21, studying Spanish and am finishing my prerequisites for a physician assistant program.

2. What was your housing like?

I lived with a friendly Cusquena family; energetic dad, kind mom, 17-yr-old son, 5-yr-old daughter and completed with a dog and a couple birds. Our house shared our door to the street as well as our address with two other houses (it was it’s own house, but kind of had it’s own “cul da sac” off the street). The bathroom was a separate room outside the house, with inconsistent water. Very Peruvian.

3. What did you eat?

A lot of potatoes and rice, haha. But seriously, the food was good. It’s more natural, and thus healthier, than American food.

4. What did you do during your project placement?

Worked with nurses or alongside physicians in a basic health center that catered to a suburb of Cusco, giving it’s services for free and the medicine too, if the family couldn’t afford to pay. Specific things I did were: to learn to exam a pregnant woman, check for various types of otitis, educate the reasons why a child is getting diarrhea, go to families homes to make sure the hygiene for the children is healthy enough, find tuberculosis under the microscope, test the psychomotor development of a child, etc.

5. What is your most memorable experience?

When Yovana, my favorite nurse, took me out into the neighborhood to the homes of families were the children were suffering from diarrhea and family didn’t score well enough on the hygiene questionnaire. We saw the actual living conditions, if allowed in, and advised on more sanitary ways of doing things. It provided more pressure onto the families to improve their living conditions, as the nurses would continue returning until their score was up to par. What made the day even cooler was since we were up the hill outside of Cusco, Yovana made a little side trip for me to show me some ruins that many of the locals didn’t even know about, telling me about medicinal uses for plants we passed along the way. Definitely a bonding moment

6. What have you done as a Volunteer that you never thought you would?

Get a different perspective on the “indigenous” side of the community.

7. Do you have any advice for anyone considering joining Volunteer Visions?

Be patient. Peru is not known for its organization.

8. Do you have any photos that you would like to share?

Sure, check em’ out!