Reflection of Peru

My trip to Peru was a time of personal growth and deepening cultural understanding, ranging from conversing with a local seatmate on a plane returning to her hometown of Iquitos, to visiting the indigenous community of San Martin. Being a part of something that aids in ecological conservation and the sustainability of the communities that live there, gave me a greater sense of purpose. It was my first trip out of America, but the Opwall staff, tour guides, and students made the distance from home seem small. My friends and family often asked me how I could stand living on a boat for weeks or the manual flush toilets, and I told them seeing a harpy eagle catching a sloth for dinner, or stumbling upon a tree with twenty monkeys made every experience worth it. If you decide to take this trip remember to take pictures with everyone you meet, because ….lasting impressions.
I was lucky enough to be in Peru for Peruvian Independence Day. On the river, we could hear the neighboring villages’ celebration all weekend long. The boat deck read “Felicies Independencia Dias.” Everyone joined together to sing the Peruvian national anthem and afterward we had cake and other snacks. Without this trip, I would never have found my love for Peruvian culture and their rich history or our guide Segundo’s salsa lessons. In an email to my parents, I wrote, “So many things are better with dolphins, drinking tea in the morning, reading a book in the afternoon, and watching the sunset shoot colors across the sky and water alike.”
Remote Iquitos was filled with street vendors selling delicious fruits and cooked meats. The streets themselves were filled with dozens and dozens of bicycle cabs carrying people to cafes, playgrounds, the arcade, supermarket, and one really nice air-conditioned shoe store. Along the waterfronts, the people attached logs to their homes so they could float as the water levels rise and fall 30 feet every year. The dramatic rises in the water level left more than a few beached boats dotting the landscape. One of our group mused “Imagine canoeing to your neighbor’s house on the weekends!”
Meeting the fantastic team of biologists lead me to understand the real-world applications of our field research. Seeing how biologists live and work has given me a real-life peek into the possibilities of a career in biology. Immersing myself in the culture of Peru and the cultures of our fellow students and shipmates has broadened my personal horizons as well.