blog post: sometomes voluntourism is found in unsuspecting places

Read my latest post for Women on Their Way by Wyndham Worldwide about my recent trip on Aqua Expeditions M/V Aria: "Sometimes Voluntourism Is Found in Unsuspecting Places."

photos: aqua expeditions m/v aria - amazon, peru



Me with a turtle rescue from poachers



One of the dozens of species of wildlife we encountered on the Amazon River

Aqua Expeditions latest luxury cruise vessel, M/V Aria

View from my spacious suite (#206) aboard M/V Aria

Aqua Expeditions gives back to local rainforest villages/communities in many ways. One way is by offering $5 Toiletry, School Supply or Fishing (above) Kits for passengers to distribute during village excursions.

One of the four naturalists aboard M/V Aria.

Gourmet Peruvian cuisine aboard M/V Aria. Breakfasts and lunches were served buffet-style, while multi-course Tasting Menus designed by Peruvian Celebrity Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino spoiled guests each evening.

View from the dining room.

One of many stunning sunsets.

Children in dug out canoes near the city of Iquitos, Peru

Me and some children during a village excursion.

More super dreamy sunset magic

My suite aboard M/V Aria. Very luxurious with luxe linens, king sized bed, iPod docking stations, gorgeous black and white photography, modern decor, hardwood floors, rain showerheads, Peruvian bathroom products, in-room safe, robe and slippers and floor to ceiling windows.

Children of the rainforest

A local Pacaya Samiria National Reserve ranger and fisherman

Look closely! There's a three toed sloth in the branches.

Ranger Station #2 in Pacaya Samiria National Reserve

Beautiful reflection on a black water river.

Check out the rest of my photos from my trip with Aqua Expeditions on the M/V Aria here.

sunset on lake charo - amazon river, peru

skiff ride through the slums of floating shanty town, belén - east of iquitos, peru

bottle-feeding orphaned baby amazonian manatees in peru

adios - i'm off to the amazon

Still reeling from wrapping up The Global Citizen Project earlier this week, I'm headed to the Amazon on Sunday to check out the latest addition to Aqua Expeditions' Amazon cruise vessels - the M/V Aria.  I'm very much looking forward to returning to one of my favorite corners of the world and cannot wait to get my pink dolphin fix.

Thank you Amanda Castleman, Alex Kralicek and Libby Seiter Nelson for the school supplies and clothing donations. Thank you LAN for flying me LAX - LIM - IQT.

Note: This trip is a fully hosted press trip, with the exception of flight arrangements from SEA - LAX.

headed to the amazon with aqua expeditions to experience m/v aria

You can take the girl off the travel roster, but I guess you really can’t take the traveler out of the girl. I swore off all post-project travel (at least straying from mainland U.S.) for the summer, but when an invite to experience Aqua Expeditions' brand new, super luxe ship, M/V Aria landed in my inbox, I immediately checked the Yellow Fever shot dates on my yellow World Health Organization immunization card. If I had to name my top three favorite places on the planet, the Amazon in Peru would make the final cut. Hands down. I was fortunate to experience this region of the world a few years ago on a similar river itinerary and had eyed Aqua Expedition’s ship. M/V Aqua at the time (M/V Aria's sibling ship).

Here’s the official rundown from Aqua Expeditions:

Aqua Expeditions CEO Francesco Galli-Zugaro announced plans this month to launch the second Aqua Expeditions vessel on the Peruvian Amazon, the M/V Aria, in April 2011. The M/V Aria features 16 specially designed cabins with floor-to-ceiling picture windows, a fully air-conditioned top deck with observation lounge as well as the Aqua Expeditions’ signature Amazon Grill with award-winning Executive Chef Pedro Miguel Schiaffino.


In addition to these amenities, the M/V Aria will also boast an exercise room and an outdoor Jacuzzi with sun deck, a unique addition to accommodate the discerning and fitness conscious traveler.


“We are thrilled to announce the launch of the world’s second five-star luxury vessel to sail the Amazon,” says Galli-Zugaro. “The M/V Aria will provide the ever-growing number of travelers who wish to explore one of the world’s last great wilderness areas with a one-of-a-kind travel experience.”


The boat’s itineraries will vary from those of its sister ship, the M/V Aqua, but will also explore remote areas of the Amazon River. The 24-crew member M/V Aria is staffed with four world-class nature guides and will also include an Amazon wildlife reference library and air-conditioned multimedia room.

While this expedition is not volunteer oriented or part of The Global Citizen Project (which wraps up May 16th), there will be opportunities to visit impoverished villages along the Amazon. I plan on packing an extra suitcase of school supplies, toothbrushes/toothpaste, baby/children’s clothing and any other items that seem useful. I take off for this trip May 22, but if you act now, you can get your do good stuff into my suitcase. (And I'll throw in an extra set of thanks for your efforts!) Please email me at cpfeuffer (at) yahoo (dot) for my mailing addy. Thanks in advance for your help. I really look forward to sharing my M/V Aria experience with you and this spectacular region of the world.

volunteer travel - do you get what you pay for?

After volunteering in Peru with Karikuy, I started writing a post about how you get what you pay for when it comes to volunteer experiences. Project #3 of The Global Citizen Project with Campamento Tortugeuro Platanitos in Nayarit, Mexico quickly changed my mind.

The more I process my volunteer experience with Karikuy, the less inclined I am to recommend it. I love what founder, Julio Tello is doing to promote responsible tourism within Peru and give back to its impoverished communities, but his volunteer program did not live up to expectations.

My bed at Karikuy

The price seemed right – free accommodations in exchange for 8 hours of volunteer work per day, Monday through Friday. Accommodations are touted as a “Bed and Breakfast,” a term I’d use loosely. Very loosely. Add one cat and a cute, but untrained puppy and Karikuy “B&B” felt a bit like shacking up in a litter box. When American Airlines lost my luggage (they found it the next day), my biggest concern was not having flip flops because there was no way my feet were going to make contact with the bathroom floor. It was nasty, only made nastier by piles of puppy poo. At one point, I sat down on the toilet to pee, and Pisco, the shih tzu puppy sidled up next to me on the floor and squatted. I love puppies as much as the next gal, but that crosses all lines of cuteness. The dorm-style bedroom was the best thing going for the house – a bunk bed, a twin bed and few cabinets for storage. I knew that Lima in July (the dead of winter in Peru) would be cold, but had I known how cold an unheated house would be, I would’ve packed a sleeping bag. Sheets, pillow and a wool blanket were provided, but I still slept in Smart Wool head-to-toe and shivered. (That’s no fault of Karikuy – homes in Peru aren’t heated.)

Puppy poo on the bathroom floor

Volunteers are charged $50 a week for Monday through Saturday meals. The food was simple, sometimes tasty; more often than not, monotonous. Breakfast was typically a roll with fresh cheese and avocado and tea. Lunch and dinner involved a broth based noodle soup with a smattering of vegetables and a mystery chicken part, followed by a mountain of rice, more chicken (sometimes beef), and usually a boiled potato. A gal can only handle so much chicken, rice and potatoes before crying Uncle. Given the option (and if the “B&B” kitchen were functioning and not just a catch-all for trash and recycling), I would’ve been happy to prepare some of my own meals or at least have the option to eat some meals from the abundance of nearby street food vendors. We ended up eating out a few times during the week instead of at the house, which I was more than happy to do, but should be noted, was on the volunteers’ dime and not part of the $50 per week budget. Knowing how well one can eat for cheap in Peru and far a sole stretches, $50 for food costs seems a bit steep. But, can you really complain when housing is free? Still, the soup, rice dish, repeat menu got old pretty quickly.

Pisco, the cute, but very untrained puppy

If you go with Julio on out-of-the-city excursions or take him up on deeply discounted Karikuy tours (like hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu), you do have the opportunity to explore and learn more about Peru. However, such excursions increase the bottom line cost of volunteering and cross into vacation territory. It seems as though these experiences are strongly encouraged, in an effort to create fodder for the Karikuy blog. Personally, if I’m going to explore Peru, I’d prefer to fly solo or in the company of friends, call it what it is (a vacation) and post about it on my own blog. It’s not like it’s all that difficult to explore Peru on the cheap. I did learn quite a bit what day-to-day life is like in a lower income neighborhood in Lima and was able to blog about that for both myself and Karikuy. I also completed a fair bit of research on Peru, its cultural, recent news and responsible tourism, but was it worth the time and price of admission? I’m not so sure.

Work space at Karikuy

A little bit of cleanliness and a whole lot of direction and the Karikuy volunteer program could be a success. As it is now, I don’t think Julio has a clear vision of what he wants to accomplish, and if he does, he doesn’t know how to articulate it and delegate volunteer tasks. I chalked the whole experience up to “You get what you pay for” and nervously awaited my next project, another low budget project.

Campamento Tortuguero Platanitos

Project #3 of The Global Citizen Project at Campamento Tortuguero Platanitos cost $10 a day for housing (with a 10-day minimum). Round-trip airfare from Seattle to Puerto Vallarta ran about $400; bus fare from Puerto Vallarta to Las Varas another $10. Volunteers are also responsible for buying their own food and preparing their own meals. I spent $13 when I arrived in Las Varas, the closest town to Turtle Camp reachable via bus. Thirteen dollars got me rice, cooking oil, vegetables, some spices, cereal, milk, cheese, Fanta and some eggs. I brought peanut butter, jelly and English Muffins along. I dropped another $20 on Day 5 of the project on more edible essentials, including a whole grilled chicken with rice, salad and homemade salsa (about $4.50). Accommodations are rustic – volunteers sleep in one big room, and the guys (Gerardo, the volunteer coordinator, and Hermilo, the biologist) kindly hung a shower curtain to give female volunteers some privacy. The bathroom and shower are in an outhouse a few steps away. We had an ample sized kitchen and a big table to eat at or do work. It’s no Four Seasons Resort, but my bunk bed was actually semi-comfy, the place was swept multiple times daily (and kept relatively sand free) and the kitchen area well-maintained. The best part? I could roll out of bed and dip my toes in the ocean in exactly 73 steps.

Me with an Olive Ridley turtle hatchling

As for the program, it was pretty amazing. My job was to patrol a designated stretch of beach from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. nightly. As a gal, there was always a male presence with me for safety’s sake. We’d sleep late then perform whatever cleaning/maintenance duties are necessary. One afternoon, we cleaned out all the turtle egg collecting bags. In the ocean. That doesn’t suck. Another day, we helped expand the turtle egg incubation/hatchery in the beating mid-day sun. That did suck. Roving the beach in pitch blackness, within steps of the sea, searching for turtle tracks has a meditative quality. I like lots of quiet time for introspection (and get it thanks to my work-at-home, freelancer lifestyle). Plus, I learned a lot about turtles and conservation. I saw countless Olive Ridley turtles emerge from the ocean, make their way up the beach, dig a nest, then lay anywhere from 80 to 150 eggs. The bugs were a bit of a nuisance (okay, they’re a beastly pain in the ass and wherever else they bite you), especially since DEET is not allowed anywhere near the turtle eggs or hatchlings. I managed to hang tough with my eco-friendly bug repellant, although it didn’t really do a damn thing much to deter the mosquitoes (the hundreds of bites all over my body are evidence).

Turtle Camp was my fave project so far – and it’s not prohibitively expensive. It’s a bit of an adventure to get to Campamento Tortuguera Platanitos, but its remoteness is what adds to its beauty and the experience. I volunteered for 10 days – probably three days too long (the heat and bugs became intolerable), but felt like I was able to jump right in and help out with a limited amount of knowledge and absolutely no sea turtle conservation skills. Gerardo and Hermilo, my Turtle Masters were incredible resources for learning and took my safety seriously (much appreciated). The world of sea turtle conservation is lucky to have two such passionate, dedicated and savvy people on its team. And I am grateful that I got to work alongside these men (and a rotating line-up of volunteers) for 10 nights and days. Truly an awesome experience.

one of these volunteers is not like the others

I’m quickly learning that volunteers tend to fall into four main catgeories: the missionary worker, the retiree voluntourist, long-term Peace Corps and NGO workers, and 20-something shoestring budget backpackers. And then there’s late 30-something me.


As a travel writer, I’ve been on my fair share of press trips* and have learned how to get along with (or at least, bite my lip and tolerate) people from all walks of life. I figured volunteering abroad with any well-intentioned person maybe not exactly in my demographic had to be easier than traveling anywhere with a high maintenance travel writer with 101 demands. Surprise, surprise; both scenarios present their own complications and require sacrifices, compromise and some extra effort.

In the volunteer world as I know it, finding short-term, non-faith based volunteer work that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg has been a real challenge. Different people are steered down the path of volunteering for different reasons, and I don’t believe that one path is more righteous than another when good deeds are being done. I also don’t believe it should be prohibitively expensive to volunteer, but that is a discussion best saved until after I’ve experienced a few more opportunities in a wider range of budgets.

I’m living a pretty rough and tumble lifestyle this year and things like outbreaks of Dengue Fever and Bubonic Plague (project #1 and #2 realities, respectively) are beyond my control. I do, however, have a say when it comes to the cleanliness of accommodations, volunteer work expectations or having running water, and will always require reasonable safety, respect and some privacy on occasion. I’ve dropped the “gourmet” from my usual global gourmet existence (also my Twitter handle) and have been living on simple volunteer meals, street food and the occasional cerveza. Accomodations have ranged from a comfortable private room in a home stay to a roach infested basilica to a shared dorm-style room without heat in the dead of winter and a twin bed in a barrio where gun shots lulled me to sleep at night. There’s nothing glamorous about what I'm doing this year, but The Global Citizen Project is not all about me; it’s about giving back. But, there’s a small part of me that wishes I could do just that with a (preferably) female peer coming from a similar place, instead of feeling like the odd woman out.

Whether you volunteer or not, I think we all feel and need a lot of the same things, and hope for a world without so much hardship. At least my ever optimistic self would like to think so. I just wish there were more accessible and appropriate opportunities for women like me, who aren’t afraid to live a scaled back existence, but would appreciate working with people with similar life experience. There are 10 projects to go, so there’s still hope for me to find the perfect fit volunteer project. Fingers crossed.

One objective of The Global Citizen Project is to participate in a variety of volunteer opportunities and report back with honest, firsthand feedback. That is why my project involves me in 12 different areas and styles of service. Although I’m only in the throes of Project #2, there are already many comparisons to be made between my experiences in Peru and Honduras. I’m sure when all 12 projects are said and done, the big picture perspective will be very insightful (and hopefully, helpful) for other service-minded folks, especially 30-something women like myself.

If you’re a 30-something gal who has had a fantastic volunteer experience, I’d love to hear from you. Nancy Drew here is on the detail to see if such scenarios exist. In the meantime, I’ll keep plugging away at my save the world efforts with an open mind, my bottles of bug spray and SPF and a smile.

* For those not in the know, a press trip, also known as a FAM – Familiarization Trip, is basically an all expenses paid travel tour de force sponsored by hotels and tourism boards who woo and pamper travel writers, vying for a few inches of ink (or 12 point type, in these print media world gone to hell days) in one of our published musings.

if i'm going to commit a cultural faux pas, at least it was over wine

Try as I might to be a polite-as-can-be traveler, I am not perfect. In fact, I committed a cultural faux pas during my recent volunteer stint in Peru. I bought Chilean wine – on the eve of Peru’s Independence Day. The purchase was intentional, although the resulting insult most definitely was not.


I make every attempt to eat and drink locally when I travel (and at home, too). But after sampling dozens of Peruvian wines, from splurge to steal price tags on previous trips, Peru’s winemaking seems a little elementary compared to some of South America’s great wine producing nations (specifically Chile, Argentina and up-and-comer Uruguay). Peru’s wines aren’t necessarily bad, as the majority of bottles are blends (versus single vineyard designates); they’re just not all that remarkable. If I didn’t know better, I’d say maybe their wine style just isn’t geared toward the American palette (which is perfectly fine), but I haven’t found any other wine in South America, umm, quite like what’s being produced in Peru.

So, on the eve of Peru’s Independence Day, I found myself scanning the wine aisle at a Plaza de Armas grocery store, absolutely tickled by the selection of super cheap South American wines. Like a kid in a liquor-stocked candy store, I picked out a Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina and a Carmenère from Colchagua Valley, Chile – mindful of the recent earthquake and its devastating effects on the latter wine region. My train of thought deduced that the latter purchase would surely wrack up some good retail karma. The total came to 24 soles or about $8.50 USD for both bottles. Deal!

Pleased with my selections, I grabbed the bag and headed with the two other volunteers to meet Karikuy founder and volunteer coordinator, Julio. Realizing that we didn’t have a means to open the bottles (which we fully planned on drinking in the Plaza), we took them to customer service to do the deed. Happy to oblige, the service lady pulled the Carmenère from the bag, scrunched up her face and spouted off something in warp speed Spanish to Julio. His expression was abhorrent as he quickly informed me that it was “sacrilege” to buy wine from Chile. Had it not been within hours of his country’s day of independence, I would’ve gone to bat and argued the virtues of Chilean wine.

As we made our way to the Plaza, Julio started to explain the political tensions between Peru and Chile to one of the volunteers. As far as I’m concerned, a good glass of wine is a good glass of wine (made even better when it’s also a good value) and I don’t care where it comes from. He refused to drink the Chilean wine and eventually ventured off to buy a Peruvian bottle. I gave my host country's grapes another chance, and while it was perfectly approachable and palatable, like alcohol spiked Kool Aid, its didn’t begin compare in quality with the two South American selections. I fully admit in defense of Peru and its grapes that the country has it all over Chile when it comes to Pisco production.

Wine is such a subjective thing. If I didn’t love Peru, its people, culture and cuisine so much, I probably would’ve felt worse about this wine buying offense. When it comes to local beverages though, I play my part in supporting Peru’s economy with Pisco, Fanta (with real azucar!) and cerveza consumption. That counts for something, right? Would I commit this heinous crime again? In a heartbeat. Only this time, I’d check my calendar first, and then buy two extra bottles to bag check and take home. There’s a time and place for everything, and although I try to be as culturally aware as possible in my travels, not much is going to get between me and a great tasting, good value wine. South America's got 'em in spades, but Peru, no hard feelings; I'm afraid you still have a lot of learn.

Postscript: The Karikuy volunteer crew took a five hour bus/road-trip to Ica, Peru’s wine-producing region late last week. There, we visited Viña Tacama, Bodega Lazo La Portada and Tres Generaciones (the latter two for Pisco). We sampled more than 10 locally grown wines, mostly of the super sweet, fruit bomb variety. The majority of the high-octane, 44% proof Piscos were superb.

The verdict: If I was nonplussed about Peruvian wine before, I’m even more so now, especially since I’ve seen the growing climate. It’s next to impossible to grow decent wine grapes in a desert and just because you can make wine doesn’t mean you should. End of story. If Peruvian palates demand sweet wine, so be it, but it doesn’t do much for me. I’ll stick to Pisco.

recipe: pacific halibut ceviche

 

 

It's my last day in Lima, Peru. Since it's all about ceviche here (and countless other tasty culinary delights), I thought I'd share my Pacific Northwest version, made with sustainable Pacific halibut. It's quick and easy to make and packs a kick of heat from the jalapeno. Buen provecho!

 

2 lbs. Pacific halibut, cut into ½” pieces
½ cup fresh squeezed lime juice
½ cup fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
1 small jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
2 teaspoons of sea salt
½ red onion, finely diced
1 grapefruit, cut into segments and halved, the long way
4 small tomatillos, finely diced
¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped

 

Method:

• In a glass bowl, combine fish and lime and grapefruit juices.
• Cover and let sit in the refrigerator for one hour.
• When ready to serve, add red onion, jalapeno, tomatillos and grapefruit segments. Toss gently and season with sea salt. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
• Serve immediately with tortilla chips.

Optional: Can use farmed bay scallops as a substitute for some of the fish as a substitute for some of the fish.

 

media mention: the everywhereist

I'm back from Ica and a bit shell-shocked by the 168 emails that filled my inbox over the past 36 hours. Yikes. So it was a mighty nice surprise find that Seattle travel writer Geraldine of The Everywhereist gave my WE Do Good TV nomination a shout-out in "The Week In Travel." Check it out here and if you're not following her blog, you really ought to be. Geraldine is smart-as-a-whip and dishes snark like few can.

While I have you here, I'd like to remind you that you can VOTE FOR ME DAILY for the WE Do Good Award and help me win a $5,000 Voluntourism Grant from Travelocity’s Travel for Good Program. I'm one of only five finalists for this presitigious award and voting is open through August 31. Thank you in advance for your vote!

peru is possible on a shoestring budget

When I embarked on a river voyage down the Amazon two years ago, nothing could have prepared me for the otherwordly beauty of Peru and its people. I was on assignment at the time, and the fine folks at International Expeditions picked up the tab for my adventure (thank you 100 times for a trip of lifetime). I’ve since returned to Peru twice in a work slash play capacity and have had to fend for myself financially. Since I like to make my travel adventures last as long as possible, when flying solo, I subscribe to a budget travel style.


Peru is perfect for travelers on a shoestring budget, and not just the backpacker hordes. Its currency is the nuevo sol (S/) and compared to other South American countries, traveling costs are low – it’s easy to survive on $20-25 USD a day. Here are seven tips to help stretch your soles.

Photo courtesy of kudumomo

Timing is Everything
Depending upon when you decide visit Peru, prices can make or break a budget. The dry winter months of June and July are peak season in Machu Picchu and prices rise accordingly (and Inca Trail reservations are scarce for last-minute planners) Tourists flock to the sun-soaked coastal regions during the summer months of December and January. The best bargains can be found during the fringe months of April and May or September and October.

Photo courtesy of Zug55

Take a Tour
Although I tend to be a DIY solo traveler, there are some sights in Peru which require a tour operator – like hiking the Inca Trail or flights over the Nazca Lines. It is, however possible to explore Peru without paying inflated prices. Karikuy, the organization I’m currently volunteering with in Lima, for example, offers a wide variety of tours throughout Peru at budget-friendly price points. They also work to promote responsible tourism, social development and give back to the people and communities of Peru. Do your homework and ask questions and you're more likely to find the perfect fit tour operator.

Photo courtesy of Ivoinperu

Get Out of Town
Lima, Cusco and Puno are Peru’s top tourist hot spots, but venture beyond these towns and prices drop significantly for budget travelers. Think about exploring Ica, Peru’s top wine-producing region on its southern coast, the colonial city of Trujillo and its sunny beaches or hiking in the highland town of Huaraz, near the Cordillera Blanca Mountains.

Cheap Sleeps
Prices for accommodations in Peru vary from dirt-cheap, backpacker hostels to luxury boutique hotels. My head has hit the pillow at every price range in Peru, but when I’m traveling on my own dime (a.k.a. not on assignment), I’ve found several decent mid-range hotel deals. In Cusco, I highly recommend Hotel Rumi Punku (around $50 a night during peak season). It’s a family run, 2-star hostel within three (steep) blocks of Plaza de Armas. Hotel Rumi Punku is safe for the solo female traveler, clean and has free Wi-Fi and continental breakfast daily. Another Cusco property I’m excited about is the just opened, Yamanyá Backpackers Hostel. They had me at heated stone swimming pool and poolside bar, but more practical travelers will probably like their free breakfast, Wi-Fi, airport or bus-stop pickup, TV room with high-definition LCD, huge guest kitchen, comfortable beds and hot, hot water.

Photo courtesy of Muy Yum

Eat Like a Local
As a rule, I try to steer clear of restaurantes turistica. They’re easily identified by oversized menus or chalkboards posted by the entryway with English translations and seats filled with folks who don’t quite look like the locals. Sure, there’s comforting about pointing to a menu item and knowing roughly what you’re getting in a land of language barriers. But I pinky swear promise that if you put the tiniest bit of effort into dining at a non-touristy destination, nine times out of ten, you’ll reap the benefits of lower prices and far superior food.

Imbibe
The name brand liquors you know and love at home are pricey in Peru. For example, a pour of Johnny Walker will run 20 soles – or about $7 USD. That may not seem outrageous by US standards, but if you’re imbibing on a budget in Peru, you can make your bar-hopping dollars stretch much further with a few smart choice. If you insist on drinking cocktails, swap your spirit of choice for a pisco-based beverage. Pisco is a South American liquor distilled from grapes, and cocktails tend run about half the price of American cocktail counterparts. Plus, Pisco packs quite a high octane punch. If you’re really cash-strapped, stick to local beer brands like Cristal, Pilsen Callao or Cusqueña, which rarely cost more than the equivalent of $2 USD.

Photo courtesy of ChrissyJ

Souvenirs
It’s hard to travel pretty much anywhere and not want to take some tsotchkes home, especially in Peru. There are a few basic rules of the retail road that will help you get the best deal. Avoid buying souvenirs near bus stops, where prices tend to be higher. Be sure to bargain – the price on the tag is rarely the final price. Have a maximum price you’re willing to pay in mind and don't be tricked by discounts for multiple purchases. Also, keep in mind that souvenir prices at the airport can triple, so if you see something you can’t live without, grab it. Last minute buyer’s remorse is no fun.

There are a lot of great goodies to take home from Peru, but it’s best known for:

• Baby alpaca woven goods, not just sweaters, but rugs and wall hangings (be sure to check the label – many products incorporate acrylic)
• Silver jewelry with enamel and gemstones, many with Incan and Peruvian imagery
• Pisco, the national drink of Peru
• Small embroidered purses made out of manta cloth
• Chullos (woolen hats with the earflaps)
• Huayruru seed jewelry and keychains – this seed is found in the Amazon and is red with a black spot

Since I’ve helped save you all sorts of money in your travels to Peru with this nifty blog post, be sure to pick up a little something for me. Or send a postcard. I swoon for handwritten mail.

Finalist for WE tv’s WE Do Good Awards Contest, in partnership with Ladies Home Journal

Lima, Peru may be my volunteering home right now for project #2 of The Global Citizen Project, but my shouts of excitement when I learned that I’m one of five finalists in the Travel For Good Award Category of WE tv’s WE Do Good Awards Contest, in partnership with Ladies Home Journal were probably heard around the globe.

From August 1 through August 31, 2010 my nomination will be posted on WE tv’s website and the public can vote on the most deserving Finalist in each of the three Categories.

Here’s what's at stake:

The winner in each category will be notified on or about September 7, 2010. If I am voted the winner, a guest and I will travel to New York City for three days and two nights for the WE Do Good Awards Gala in November 2010. I will also receive a $5,000 Voluntourism Grant from Travelocity’s Travel for Good® Program and will be featured in a future issue of Ladies' Home Journal magazine and on WEVolunteer.TV. To learn more about the prize and review the complete contest rules please visit here. (You can see why I want to win so badly, right?!)


So please, mark your calendars and vote for me between August 1-31st. If you feel so inclined, please pass along the link via your Facebook networks, Twitter, blogs, and whatever other all points bulletin methods you prefer. One million thanks in advance.

If you'd like to hear what my former volunteer coordinator (and dear friend), Tammy Dyson, has to say about my volunteer skills, please click here. Follow the play-by-play of The Global Citizen Project, my 12 volunteer project, 12 country over 12 month volunteer project since its inception here.

Ladies Home Journal circa. 1900 cover photo courtesy of paukrus

third time's (maybe) the charm for lima

I don’t shy from professing my love for Peru; my feelings for Lima, though, have been lukewarm at best. This is my third trip to Peru in less than two years, and to be fair, I must disclose that I’ve logged less than 100 hours total in this colonial capital city; population 8 million.

Past visits were pre- and post pit stops before a riverboat journey on the Amazon and an early 2009 trip to Cusco, Machu Picchu and Puno. The bulk of my time in Lima has been spent shuttling between Jorge Chávez International Airport (one of my favorite airports in the world) and the safe haven of luxury hotel, Swissôtel in the swank San Isidro neighborhood. The extent of my urban explorations was a guided whirlwind afternoon tour of colonial Lima, with stops at Plaza Mayor, Mercado Indio and a restaurante muy turístico, Puro Perú. This sightseeing tour de force was meant as a quick Lima look-see, but traipsing around town en masse felt more like a dog and pony show, with minimal opportunity for organic cultural discovery.

The most telling insight of the day was of the city’s great socioeconomic divide. As we traveled from the well heeled Miraflores area, with its colonial mansions, cafés and upscale boutiques, through gritty neighborhoods riddled with trash, stray dogs and graffiti it was painfully clear that there was wide disparity between the haves and have-nots. Traffic was a major issue – in its sheer volume and recklessness – everywhere we went. Peru has the highest rate of deaths related to transit accidents in the region, and most of the fatalities take place in Lima, where pedestrians are victims in 7 out of 10 traffic accidents. That stat isn’t exactly a selling point for gal who likes explore destinations on foot until they blister. I left Lima on both occasions with a “meh” feeling and no burning desire to return.

Admittedly, it’s hard to get a handle on a place in a short amount time, especially such a sprawling urban landscape, and my half-assed Spanish skills certainly don’t help. Still, I wasn’t putting Lima on the top of any travel planning wish lists anytime soon. Or so I thought.

When I started planning the itinerary for The Global Citizen Project, my 12 country, 12 volunteer project over 12 months plan to give back, Peru was a priority. I toyed with volunteering in places I know, love and have seen need in, like Cusco and Puno, but decided that this was an opportunity to give Lima a fair shake – and not simply for an overnight stint. Cyber-sleuthing led me to Karikuy and I liked that this organization worked to promote responsible tourism, social development and gives back to the people and communities of Peru. After seeing so many inflated prices and tour company scams when I was in Cusco en route to Machu Picchu, I felt it was important to help support the people and companies who aren’t trying to suck as many soles as possible from unsuspecting gringos and gringas.

I touched down in Lima last Thursday – without my luggage – but with an open mind. (American Airlines has since delivered my missing bag.) We drove about 10 minutes across town, under an icy blanket of early, deep winter darkness to Planeta, the neighborhood where Karikuy is located. Barely one week into my volunteer experience, I’m already charmed by my new, temporary neighborhood. Taxi drivers peg this former squatter settlement as an unsafe place, but I have not felt threatened since my arrival. I hear Planeta was pretty rough and tumble a decade or so ago, but today, it’s your standard issue middle class Peruvian neighborhood. And when in doubt, we call on the fierceness of Karikuy founder, Julio’s guard dog, Killer.

The Karikuy house is located on a gated street and has enough locks, bars and gates to stump even the 'Hillside Burglar.' Beyond the façades of security, though, is a vibrant neighborhood filled with children playing, corner stores and makeshift sidewalk cafés, and the most delicious (and reasonably priced) street food you can imagine. Churros! Papas rellenos! Hamburguesas! Even Sunday afternoon drunks and the sadness of a three-day wake and funeral bring color to the neighborhood.

Peru is a place I’ll return to over and over again, so for this project, it’s important for me to break from my usual see-it-all travel modus operandi to explore within the city limits. I’ve seen the extreme natural beauty of this country, but I’m enjoying the raw realities of everyday life in Lima; especially in Planeta. I’m not running to the wedding registry with Lima quite yet, but this South American city seems more worthy by the minute as an extended travel destination instead a layover or a one-night stand. It’s cleaned up quite a bit since my last visit. Traffic is still an issue, but seems slightly less chaotic. And like everywhere you go in Peru, people are warm and inviting. I’m curious to learn more about Lima over the next two weeks while volunteering with Karikuy, but maybe third time’s the charm. So far, it looks like we’re off to a promising start.

project | building a future and hogares crea in honduras

I'm back in action after three weeks in Honduras for the first project of The Global Citizen Project. My apologies for delayed posts – technical logistics in Tegucigalpa were unpredictable and it’s taken me a full week to step away from the volunteer project and process the experience. On many levels, it was a very difficult trip for me. My time was divided between working with first and second graders in Colonia Ramón Amaya Amador, an underserved barrio on the outskirts of the capitol city, through Building a Future, and with abandoned and street children, many victims of violence, addiction and abuse via various Hogares Crea homes.

I had seen painful glimpses of the face of poverty, homelessness and hunger in Latin America on previous trips, but never experienced its myriad of effects so intimately. Despite this often seen reality, I also traveled throughout Honduras in late 2007 and had been floored by the beauty of the country. On this trip though, beauty was limited to a few quick countryside road trips and the gracious hospitality of the Honduran people; if it existed in Tegucigalpa, it was lost on me. The city (and country) face a plethora of problems ranging from its 40% unemployment rate, $1.30-1.50 average hourly wage and pervasive lack of education (the average Honduran completes 6.5 years of school) to widely divided social classes and a population where more than 50% of its people are ages 18-years-old and younger. Factor in Honduras’ recent Presidential coup and its current political polarization, and well, you don’t exactly have a recipe for (easy) success.

I’m eager to share specific experiences and stories with everyone and plan to do so over the coming weeks before I take off for project two of The Global Citizen Project with Karikuy in Lima, Peru in mid-July. In the meantime, here are my photos on Flickr of the people and places in Honduras that have given me pause and huge gratitude for the opportunity, education and friends and family in my life.