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Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Volunteer Update from Mancora Peru


(Photo: Volunteers and friends Ann, Armando, Dave, Alex, and Sarah at a beach bonfire)

Hello! My name is Elise, and I am a current volunteer here in Mancora, Peru! I might be updating every so often with exciting news or inane anecdotes (most likely the latter) just to give you an idea of what life is like in Mancora.

After having a full house (8 people! We should have applied to be on 'the Real World') things are mellowing out as now it is just Jason, Samantha, me, and our adorable gatas (cats) Toffee and Eddy. We have been here for about a month and a half, although I am not very good at keeping track so it may have been longer. Time goes way too fast here! We are always busy with projects (I even make time for a paid job from my university which I do via the internet) and somehow, never get sick of surfing.

Recent events include:
  • Learning to make homemade ice cream from a friend who owns a restaurant in town
  • Drawing up the final sketch for the mural that the Club de Chicas will be painting in their school and preparing for the next meeting on Friday (look forward to pictures!)
  • Playing endless games of dodgeball during rec time at Robin Hood (they call it 'Mata-gente' here: literally translated to 'kill people'. Don't worry, its very fun and not violent)
  • Celebrating the 4th of July by finishing off an awesome day of surfing and beach volleyball with a barbeque at a friend's house involving excessive amounts of pasta salad, potato salad, s'mores, hot dogs, red beans, and tuna burgers.
  • Elise attempting to make the pathetically uncomplicated dish 'Mala Rabia' and ruining dinner for everyone. Luckily the shop across the street makes amazing cake and juice.

Upcoming events include:
  • Painting the mural!
  • Heading out with the Dengue team tomorrow morning to do our usual rounds of water testing and larvae-cide distribution
  • Saying goodbye to our housemate, Alex, this evening as she heads for a week of trekking in Cuzco!
  • Pineapple Challenge: Elise, Sam, and Jason attempting to make as many recipes involving pinapple in one weekend as possible. (Lets see if this actually happens or if we just eat all the pineapple)
Feel free to e-mail if you have any questions about life in Mancora! We'll be in touch.

Best,
Elise

4 comments:

  1. Heyt Elise -

    I am looking to go to Peru in July 2010. Looking for some Volunteer work. Let me know if you have any ideas. balto21@aol.com

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  2. Nice blog,i like those events.waiting for your next blog.Thanks for sharing all.

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  3. looks like it's been a while since you've been out here. But I'm currently in the area for an extended period of time and would love to use it towards something a little more philanthropic than sun-bathing. Have any suggestions? Or orgs I can contact?

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  4. Hey Elise!

    I'm looking at doing some volunteering in Norther Peru in a couple of weeks. I'm working on a farm in Ecuador at the moment. It's been really cool. Where are you volunteering exactly? I'd love to work near a good place to surf. seanoconnell001@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete