Hi everyone, and kushikullaami (nice to meet you!) My name is Albert Waters, and I'm a Peace Corps Volunteer serving in Peru. I'm 31, and I'm originally from Italy, but I've lived all over the US as well.
After graduating from Elon University in 2016, I worked in accounting. However, I decided I would rather work outdoors and became an AmeriCorps volunteer. I learned how to use a chainsaw, how to build trails and bridges, and planted a lot of trees and removed lots of invasive plants. I was also a wildland firefighter, and even worked and lived on a historic tallship (an old-fashioned sailboat).
In 2022, I joined the Peace Corps and was sent to Senegal in West Africa. There, I learned the local language (Wolof) and worked with community members and the Senegalese Forest Service on tree planting and environmental education. After two years, instead of going home, I decided to continue the Peace Corps experience and came to Peru. During my first year here, I was a WASH volunteer (Water Access, Sanitation, and Hygiene) in a small town called Chiquian. Now in my fourth year of the Peace Corps, I live in Huaraz, high in the Andes mountains, and I'm working on mountain ecosystems research with the Peruvian government.
I love traveling, experiencing new cultures, and learning new languages, so the Peace Corps has been a great fit for me. My current city is particularly great because I can do some of my favorite activities, running and hiking in the mountains. I also love to play guitar and sing in English or Spanish. Now I'm looking for an accordion to play some Peruvian music on!
Peace Corps Volunteers like me live and work side by side with community members around the world, collaborating on locally prioritized projects, building relationships, exchanging cultures and knowledge, and helping transform lives for generations. Learn more by clicking here.
