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Monday, April 27, 2009

The Kitten

One of the memorable experiences I had in Mancora, was finding a kitten on the front porch of the volunteer house. She was the smallest kitten I've ever seen and she was lying on her side, barely moving. I got some milk and she was able to suck it out of my hand, which instantly revived her. She ate a lot and then took a nap on my lap. I sat with her for hours, feeding her and letting her sleep next to me.


The two cats, Toffee and Fat Eddy, that live in the volunteer house now were rescued from a dumpster and PaM has the reputation of saving animals. I guess someone left this tiny kitten, hoping we could help.


I was leaving in less then a week and knew I had to find him a home. I enlisted the help of Gaby, the wonderful volunteer coordinator that will help you even when she doesn't have the time. Basically we were trying to find a home for a baby that needs to be fed every two hours, kept warm (not hard in Mancora), and stimulated to go to the bathroom. Amazingly, one of the volunteers Caitlin, with the support of her parents Michelle and Maggie, agreed to take on the kitten. I was so relieved and grateful I almost cried.


So many animals in Mancora need help and don't get it. I was happy to play a small role in this one cats life, but also sad to know that I couldn't do more for so many other animals. I dream of a veterinarian volunteering in Mancora and I would love to return and start a community run animal rescue.



Saturday, April 25, 2009

PaM/Voluntraveler House in Mancora Peru

This is a video slideshow of the accommodation used by our volunteers in Mancora Peru. 



Monday, April 13, 2009

Learning To Surf In Mancora

Learning to surf in Mancora is an experience I will never forget. Why was this experience so memorable? First, it was wicked awesome fun; Second, I actually stood up on the board a bunch of times during my first lesson - this made me proud as punch; Third, let’s face it, people think you’re cool if you know how to surf.

My first attempt at surfing happened about one week after my arrival in Mancora. By that time I had been to the beach several times and had caught a couple of amazing waves on the boogey board. The thrill of catching those waves made me greedy for an authentic surfing experience. Give me that long board baby!

This authentic surfing experience came to fruition when my friends recommended Robbie, a local teacher and also a world-class ranked surfer. Robbie speaks both Spanish and English (which was good for me because my Spanish was not great at the time). What impressed me most about Robbie was his professionalism and easygoing personality. He’s super nice and really encouraging as a teacher. ‘Safety first’ was really emphasized during the lesson as well. For example, Robbie made sure I started out on the sandy area of the beach and not near the rocky break so I was not at risk of getting a ‘tummy scratcher’. With Robbie’s super easygoing style and mad skills as a surfer, I was up on that board in no time.

So there I was on a sunny Saturday morning at Mancora Beach with a white and pink long board, a borrowed surf shirt, and Robbie at my side. My first victory was learning the ‘pop up’ on the beach. My ultimate victory, however, was accomplishing that ‘pop up’ while catching a wave. The thrill of catching a wave was addictive. After that moment, I couldn’t get enough and I surfed almost every weekend.

Luckily my friend was there to snap a few pictures of my first lesson. (Note the giant grin.) That smile didn’t go away for hours and hours. I was so thrilled about my gnarly new skill that I recommended Robbie to every volunteer I met. It’s great way to experience what Mancora is famous for – a killer off-the-beaten-path surf spot. If there could be a star rating system to surf lessons, I would give lessons in Mancora a 5 out of 5. Hands Down!

Just remember to re-apply that sunscreen and you’ll be set for days and days of Mancora beach bliss on your board.

Friday, April 10, 2009

Mancora the Movie

An adventure drama that tells the story of Santiago, a 22-year old from Lima. Following his father's suicide , haunted by inner daemons and hatred for the world in general, Santiago decides to escape the crude Lima winter to take refuge in Mancora.




It will be interesting to see what effect, if any, this film will have on the tourist industry in Mancora.