This week, from February 25-March 3, we celebrate Peace Corps Week, commemorating President Kennedy’s establishment of the Peace Corps on March 1, 1961. It’s been six months now since I left Peru and completed my Peace Corps service, but part of me is very much still there. Today I reflect upon some those places (and faces) that I called home during my service.

Here are my top three:

l. El complejo (the sports complex), my santuary:

Each afternoon between 4 pm and 5 pm when the day was cooler, I would walk down to the complejo with my students to exercise. We would run around the soccer field  or do Zumba in the park. Often times we were joined the neighborhood street dogs ran along with us.

Camino_al_complejo
The path leading to the complejo
Zu_baby
My dog, Zorrito enjoying a sunny day at the complejo
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Zorrito getting a head massage from one of my students

(Getting my hair done by my favorite stylists)

2. La Fila (mountain lookout), where you can see all of Magdalena…

Hear the relaxing sounds of nature…

..and find turkeys in trees 🙂

 

3. La plaza de Magdalena (Main square of Magalena), the heart of the community where all the action takes place: The kid’s playground, a meeting place for friends, a spot to sell goods, and where all ceremonies take place.

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Getting hugs from two of my favorite students in the plaza