My town has a population of about 1500 people, and it really feels like the way my grandparents used to talk about growing up in a small town. Everybody knows each other, everybody says buenos dias or buenas tardes (good morning or good afternoon) when they pass in the street or in the market. As the only non-Peruvian resident, everyone learned my name very quickly, although I still haven’t learned everyone else’s! My town is situated about 8000 feet up in the Peruvian sierra, (the highlands), surrounded by amazing views of the mountains. I live in the Peruvian region of Ancash. Ancash may not receive the same tourist numbers as Cuzco to the South, which is the gateway to Machu Picchu and other famous Incan ruins, but it is well-known among outdoor lovers as one of the best places in the world for hiking, backpacking, climbing, and mountaineering. I feel so lucky to have such incredible scenery on my doorstep!
Since coming to Perú, I’ve experienced so much: I’ve celebrated birthdays, funerals, and all manner of cultural events with my host family, my friends and my colleagues; I climbed one of the tallest mountains in the valley and saw the sun rising over the Andes; I helped start new projects in my community; I survived a 300-mile rafting race on the Amazon river with my little brother and some fellow volunteers, and I’ve tried so many new Peruvian dishes (and even learned to cook some myself!). I’ve even started to learn another language, Quechua, which was the language of the Incans and is still widely spoken in Ancash!
Each day living here in Perú is an adventure. At times you never know what you might get invited to, who you’ll meet, or what opportunities you might find.
