Making Connections

My first phone call of the day came a few minutes before 7am.  I didn't recognize the number, but picked up anyway, since the person on the other end was using their phone credit to call, they must want to get through.  It was the guide who accompanied my friends on the beautiful Huayhuash circuit last month.  We got cut off twice as his credit kept running out, and I couldn't get through by dialing his number.  Finally we were able to set up a meeting time for half an hour later, to talk about sending him more clients.  He has been a long-time friend of Peace Corps volunteers, since the time a PCV was living in his town several years ago.  He had lost contact with PCV's until a couple months ago, when my reforestation project was presented in his town, and he tracked me down.

After a very nice conversation in which I promised I'd send any potential clients his way, I returned to my house to make breakfast.  As an apple pancake was turning golden-brown, my phone rang again.  Another unfamiliar number.  I answered reluctantly, and was very happy I did.  It was another guide, but this one owns the only horseback riding agency in Huaraz.  I had contacted him about supporting his agency by making it more eco-friendly, and helping out with some English translations, in exchange for some horseback riding.  He was excited about my proposal, and we set up a time to meet in half a hour.  Over a bubbilicious Inca Cola, we talked for over an hour about all the possibilities we could work on together.  I was excited about learning how to horseshoe.  He was excited about my reforestation project.  We discussed implementing tree-planting in one of the communities at the destination of one of his trail rides.  The client could ride up to the top of a look-out, take a break, eat lunch, and plant a tree.  I stressed the importance of planting native tree species, as there is already enough eucalyptus, and the client should be contributing to an environmental cause in order to ffel thye are making a difference, which they certainly would be.  At 3000' meters, quenual trees would grow well, as they do in high altitudes.  Being an important native tree species, and in danger of extinction, it would be a great draw for clients looking to offset their carbon footprint, or to have a memorable experience during their visit to Peru.  They could come back and see their tree amidst the forest!

We discussed our timeline and I told him I would be leaving in December.  When I mentioned I was considering returning to Peru one day, he made me promise to keep in touch so that we could start an NGO together.  We began talking about homestays and cultural tourism, in which a client could spend a night with a family, and learn about the traditional lifestyle.  With the tourist season already upon us, we have a lot of big plans and ideas...we'll see where the road takes us!

Reaching the top during our full-day ride.

Like many Peruvian things, I am much taller.