¡Bienvenidos a Huaraz, Profe Mel!

Hey everybody! For those who haven't yet met me, my name is Melanie and I am the new volunteer coordinator here at Seeds of Hope. I arrived in Huaraz about two weeks ago, and have been spending my days thus far managing the upcoming Santa Dash campaign, updating Seeds of Hope's social media channels, tutoring in the afternoons, exploring Huaraz, and shopping at the local market. I will be working with Seeds of Hope through April 2018, but expect to continue answering emails until August (when the next volunteer coordinator arrives).

Profe Mel's first day at Seeds assisting Profe Wily

This is not my first time in South America; in 2016, I spent a semester studying at the Facultad de Economia y Negocios in Santiago de Chile. During those five months, I fell in love with the Latin culture, and vowed to return soon. I spent an additional month in Peru before returning home; I worked with STRIVE as a mentor to high school student-athletes and taught English at a local elementary school in Pisac (Pisaq as spelled in Quechua). After graduating with honors from the University of South Carolina Honors College with majors in International Business, Economics, and Spanish (minor: Latin American Studies), I decided that it would be in my best interest to take a gap year before beginning law school. After researching a variety of non-profit organizations in South America, I decided to accept the volunteer coordinator position at Seeds of Hope. I love the efficiency of this organization, and the long term impact that this program has on the lives of children in Huaraz (see previous blog posts regarding student success stories).

My Spanish is pretty decent thanks to my time in Chile, so I have decided to take on the challenge of learning basic Quechua during my free time in Huaraz. Quechua is still commonly spoken by the mountain people, as it is an indigenous language with a storied history. Fun fact: I wrote and defended my senior honors thesis on the Incan chasquis (messengers) in Spanish, and my research would have been a lot easier if I had some working proficiency of the Quechua language.

During the weekends, I have had the opportunity to explore the local surroundings. My first weekend in Huaraz, I trekked to the infamous Laguna 69; check it out:

¡Profe Mel alcanzó la Laguna 69!

Last weekend was the Santa Dash (more information and pictures coming in a future post); and even as an avid runner, I struggled to catch my breath in the thin air. However, it was a lot of fun to run with the children, and I loved having the opportunity to share the joy of my sport with others!

Profe Mel with one of the children before the Santa Dash

Profe Mel finishing the 2017 Santa Dash

All in all, I am excited to see what the next five months bring! Also, be on the lookout for two additional posts later this week -- one is about the Santa Dash, and another is a general update.

~ Profe Mel