Many friends and family have asked me to keep them updated on my upcoming adventure to Peru and I figured this would be the easiest way. After I'm back from Peru I plan to continue to update the blog with all the excitement...or lack there of in my life. I hope you will all read on!
Since everyone has heard varying pieces of my plans for Peru, I figured I'd lay out my plans here. Essentially, I only have my first month or so fully planned out as I found it pretty difficult to find a volunteer program that fit all my wants and needs from the States. Once I'm in Peru I'm sure I'll figure the rest of it out, right?? If all else fails I guess I could just live out my friends' dream for me of joining a Peruvian flute band or swinging from vines in a loin cloth like Tarzan!
While I'm not singing and dancing in funny looking clothes I plan to be doing some volunteer work and getting to know local customs and cultures while learning a bit of Spanish. Here's the general plan. We'll see if the actual trip turns out to be anything like this:
- Depart June 2nd, spending a few days in Peru's capital and largest city, Lima
- June 6th - September: Work in construction/infrastructure development in the mountainous city of Cusco near the incan ruins of Machu Picchu. Also, do some mountain biking and learn to salsa. (67 degrees and sunny most days!)
- October - February: Do micro finance work in Trujillo on Peru's northern coast while surfing...a lot! (77 degrees and sunny most days!)
- March - May: Work on rain forest conservation somewhere in the Jungle while searching for my future wife :) (Just kidding mom...kind of) (85 degrees and 90% humidity yuck!)
- Return home around June 1st 2010
Before planning this trip, I probably couldn't have even told you where Peru was on a map yet alone Cusco, Trujillo, or the jungle. Hopefully this map will give you a better idea of where I'm going to be:
Rob's new home in Peru
Since coming home, life has slowed down a bit from the hectic pace at U of M. Crazy Thursday nights at Good Time Charlies have been replaced by 5pm dinners, watching World News with Charlie Gibson and getting to bed by nine, but I guess that's life as an alumni! I will say the home cooked meals beat 3 day old pizza and ramen noodles! Hopefully I'll be able to say the same about guinea pig in Peru :)
That's all for now. I guess my next post will come from Peru.
Until next time, keep livin' the dream!
