Giving Thanks

As I reminisce on Thanksgiving holidays spent at home, familiarity is at the core of these family celebrations. During all the Thanksgivings I celebrated in the US, I was always surrounded by familiar foods, familiar faces, familiar places, even familiar tastes and smells. This familiarity marked the essence of the holiday for me, a sense of comfort flooding my body as I breathed in the scent of baking pumpkin pie. Just like everything else in the past year and a half, these past two Thanksgiving holidays have been different. Different, as I found out, can be a very good thing. Although I value the familiarity of home and the importance of tradition, the two Thanksgivings I’ve spent in Peru have been among the most memorable. Although I associate the holiday with familiarity, its foundations were surely quite different. I think the basis of Thanksgiving developed through the union and fusion of different cultures, different customs, and different traditions. As the pilgrims and Indians sat down at their supposed feast, I doubt the dual cultures and new smells evoked any deep seated sense of comfort or familiarity. I imagine it was in the discovering of each other’s potentially bizarre language, customs, and foods that made the event a legendary day of sharing that we continue to commemorate today.

Last year, after spending only three short months in my new Peruvian home of Poroto, I remember being extremely excited to reunite with my Peace Corps volunteer friends. Although being far from friends and family for Thanksgiving was different, we managed to create a little piece of America in the depths of the Andes Mountains in Ancash. This epic Thanksgiving celebrated with glacial lake hikes and high altitude turkey-trot races set a high bar for my Peruvian Thanksgiving expectations.

This year, we decided to bring Thanksgiving to the beach, and celebrated in Puerto Malabrigo, the site of the world’s largest left wave. Peace Corps volunteers traveled from near and far to reunite and celebrate together. We enjoyed the sunshine and spent the weekend preparing enormous pots of food. Each person brought their favorite family recipes to prepare and share; sweet potato biscuits, homemade stuffing, garlic green beans, pumpkin pie, banana pudding, ginger broccoli, chocolate cake, homemade applesauce, spicy cornbread, apple pie and more. Chris and Ellen even brought their pet turkey all the way from Cajamarca, which they’ve been raising since last year to serve as the focal point of this important meal.

Our Thanksgiving day began bright and early with a turkey trot 5K race. We all donned our matching red “Hang-5K” t-shirts and headed to the beach to work up an appetite for the afternoon feast. Although winner received a free surf lesson, everyone enjoyed participating in this memorable Thanksgiving event.

As most people know, I adore my Peruvian host family, so I naturally wanted them to join us in Puerto Malabrigo for this holiday celebration. I had been nagging them for weeks, raving about the enormous platters of delicious food and beautiful location of this year’s Thanksgiving, but as usual they wouldn’t commit 100% to coming. When they called to tell me they were on their way to join in the festivities I was quite excited (I think Joshy was won over when I told her 30+ gringos would be in attendance). We spent some time soaking up sunshine and frolicking in the waves, and then commenced the chaotic cooking frenzy.

After a weekend of cooking we sat down at a table that seemed to stretch out forever, filled with Peace Corps volunteers, host families, and other local community members. As different people stood to give “palabras” or toasts for the holiday, I found myself overwhelmed with emotion. With my host family by my side, delicious food on my plate, and friends filling the room, I’ve realized that familiarity isn’t found by simple repetition of the same people, the same places, or even the same foods, but rather by embracing the circumstances you’re given and creating something new and beautiful.

Thanksgiving leftovers on the beach... that is a tradition I could get used to. Cold turkey sandwiches never tasted so good.

Confronting Teen Pregnancy with Confianza

Teen pregnancy rates in Peru are extremely high, and the repercussions of unplanned early pregnancies are evident in a variety of ways. As youth development volunteers, many of us see the impact of teen pregnancy within our communities and work on diverse projects to address this issue. Tackling this problem is not simple, and the contributing factors to teen pregnancy are various. Long term planning and goal setting is lacking among most Peruvian youth in my community and the immediate necessities of life often dominate the focus and energy of people here- especially for those most affected by poverty. The short-term economic benefits of working in the fields or marrying young often outweigh the long-term benefits of finishing high school or pursuing a professional career. Many families do not have the luxury of a steady income, a two-parent household or educational opportunities, and thus find themselves caught in a cycle of poverty and limited options for the future.

Teen pregnancy affects a broad spectrum of the Peruvian youth population, but certain demographics are more susceptible to this trend. In my observations, teen pregnancy rates have a strong correlation to lacking educational opportunities. Unplanned pregnancies are much higher among adolescents who do not attend school or who live in more isolated caserios, indicating a lack of both sexual education and future opportunities. Although there have been several instances of students attending high school and becoming pregnant, there are many more cases that attract less attention because the girls do not attend school and are further removed from the public eye. Unfortunately it is often the most isolated and difficult to reach youth who most need intervention and education. Creating a comprehensive strategy to combat teen pregnancy is complicated and requires entering into a variety of social situations.
Since arriving at site I’ve worked with a group of youth health promoters who we train in sexual health topics including teen pregnancy, self-esteem and values, STDs, HIV and AIDS, etc. The members of this group have been the solid core of my work here in Poroto and forming trusting relationships with these youth leaders have helped grant me access to the “hearts and minds” of Peruvian teenagers. At this point we’re all very familiar with each other and able to delve into touchy issues and uncomfortable topics, providing important insight into the lifestyles, decisions, and problems of the youth of Poroto. The teens in my group are able to ask questions and share stories openly without feeling judged, and this has opened the door to many interesting conversations (some of which still make me turn rojita). I’ve seen relationships evolve, given love and advice, and helped talk them through important decisions, which is undoubtedly the most rewarding part of my work. Statistics of teen pregnancy and other youth issues can be overwhelming, but if I can have any kind of positive impact through the personal relationships I’ve formed I’ll consider my work here a success.

Apart from my work with my youth health promoters, I recently partnered with the local high school and health post to facilitate a school-wide teen pregnancy prevention campaign using the resources from PreNatal. I’ve really enjoyed working with this program because it encourages youth to think about consequences of sexual relations and pregnancy on a holistic level; considering repercussions not only for their personal future and health but also their future babies. The message of this program focuses on the importance of family planning and considering the implications of having a child at an early age which include a higher risk of birth defects, premature births, and maternal health problems. The program includes a poignant video featuring real teen parents, a series of personal reflection questions, and even a catchy music video. I facilitated these workshops with the support of the doctor and nurse from the health post and coordination from the school staff. The response was extremely positive from all those involved, and will hopefully influence the youth to think about their decisions and possible consequences.

Although working directly with youth is important, values are undoubtedly rooted in the home, and family dynamics have an incredibly huge role in personal development. Children of adolescent single mothers are much more likely to be teen moms themselves, creating a cyclical pattern that can be difficult to break. Additionally, teenagers with unstable home lives or lacking parental support are more likely to become teen parents. Working with youth only goes so far, so engaging parents is imperative to fully address teen pregnancy. I’ve recently started an “Escuela de Padres” program, which consists of a series of workshops for parents focusing on areas including familial communication, preventing alcohol abuse, and teen pregnancy. I’ve partnered with the nurse from the health post and recently had the added support of a psychologist. During these sessions we’ve encouraged parents to improve communication within the home, tackling potentially difficult issues such as sexuality. We’ve sought to engage parents in interactive sessions where they can share their struggles, successes, and concerns about raising teens. Never before did I think I would be talking about erections and masturbation in front of 20+ Peruvian parents, but Peace Corps continually broadens my comfort zone.

As I’ve explained, I’ve worked with youth, parents, the health post, and teachers on programs and projects to combat teen pregnancy, which leaves out one important faction: teen moms themselves. Accessing this particular group can be more difficult than the others, but is also incredibly important. I’ve found the best way to interact with these women is in informal settings, and my most successful attempts have been cooking classes. Last summer I worked specifically with pregnant women, many of whom are teen moms, during healthy cooking and maternal health classes. I also had a youth baking club which attracted the interest of teen moms, who otherwise wouldn’t participate in youth oriented activities. I’ve recently been working on nutrition and cooking themes in one of the most isolated caserios, where various mothers are under 16 years old. This has been an opportunity not only to reach out to these teen mothers, but gain access to other young women in isolated communities who do not attend school.

Teen pregnancy is a deeply rooted societal issue, reflecting cultural, political, familial, educational, and health practices. These complex influences affect adolescents in different ways, and the solution to decrease teen pregnancy rates is multifaceted and requires attention from various sectors of the community. Adolescents need access to quality educational opportunities, reproductive health information, strong values and decision making abilities, and familial support which calls not only for the support of local authorities and institutions, but also individuals who take a vested interest in the lives of the young people of the community. As Peace Corps volunteers we’re granted intimate access to the daily lives and personal decisions of Peruvian youth, so I would encourage each of you to capitalize on this confianza and confront teen pregnancy on a personal level.

This Peruvian Life

Things I love about my Peruvian life

1. Old people’s wrinkled smiles

2. Hanging out in the chacra- probably my favorite place in Peru

3. Seeing a baby walk or talk for the first time, which makes me realize how long I’ve been here

4. Going to SERPOST and having a handwritten letter or thoughtful package from home.

5. The luxury of having time to just think

6. Castillos at town festivals (enormous firework towers that spit sparks all over the crowd)

7. Throwing around Peruvian “jerga” (slang) to the amusement of all those around me

8. Being gifted fruit as I walk through town
9. Ridiculous encounters that would never happen elsewhere

10. Laughing with my host family11. When a taxi driver agrees to the first price I offer

12. 3 course meals for 5 soles ($1.75)

13. Spitting guaba seeds in the chacra

14. Being told that my white skin is beautiful… who needs a tan?

15. A hot shower after weeks without one

16. Making a joke in Spanish that people actually understand

17. When my host family calls me their hija/hermana18. How good a real hug feels

19. When teenagers seek me out for personal advice

20. Peruvian baby cheeks and deep brown eyes21. Hearing my name echoed through the streets as I pass by
22. A juicy Porotina pineapple
23. Cooking and eating delicious baked goods with people here

24. The sun setting over the distant mountains as I run along the sugarcane fields

25. Losing all embarrassment over dancing at any and all occasion26. Being told that I “dominate” Spanish

27. Climbing a tree and being tall enough to reach the perfect fruit

Up Close and Personal

I’ve been living in Poroto for over a year now, and with each passing day I find myself more immersed in the daily life of our community. Upon arriving in Poroto, I was quickly able to identify the typical adolescent issues- teen pregnancy, domestic violence, alcoholism, etc. However, during the first few months these community problems were evident only through simple observation or second-hand stories. The initial months were full of sensory-overload; new experiences, a foreign language, constant realizations, and cultural clashes. I was thrown into a completely foreign environment and did my best to embrace it, but I’m just now beginning to fully process it all. During the last 13+ months I’ve been able to form meaningful relationships with the members of my community and come to better understand the dynamic of their daily life. Poroto has become home, and simultaneously the intricacies of town politics have revealed themselves. I feel that I’ve earned the trust and friendship of many community members, which grants me greater access into the realm of local life.

Although I relish the deepening relationship with my town, this connection has opened my eyes to deeply personal troubles I was previously shielded from. It is one thing to recognize that alcoholism, teen pregnancy, malnutrition, and domestic abuse exists in your town, but it is an entirely different experience to witness the repercussions first-hand on people you’ve come to care deeply about. In the last several weeks there have been various encounters where I’ve been shocked by the information disclosed to me. It can be disheartening to realize how difficult it is to change deeply engrained societal problems. The cyclical nature of teen pregnancy, alcoholism, or even poverty as a whole can be daunting, especially when these issues are no longer statistics, but the faces of your neighbors, friends, and students.

Peace Corps is an incredibly unique opportunity because we are given the chance to live among a foreign community for two years, truly sharing in every aspect of their lives. Peace Corps volunteers understand how large-scale problems affect individual community members, offering powerful insight into development work in the most basic form. Unlike many other development agencies, Peace Corps volunteers are able to see and experience their community’s advancements, challenges, and downfalls first hand. Although seeing personal struggles first-hand is incredible opportunity, it can also be overwhelming and discouraging. Although we are living among our community members, we are still outsiders and our scope of assistance and true understanding will always be limited.

As these deeply-rooted societal problems become personal I think we have two choices. At times it can be tempting to resign to the power of poverty, corruption, or limited opportunities and grow cynical about the ability for change or to make even a minimal impact. However, we also have the option to embrace the situations we are given, taking advantage of our unique position as foreigners living as locals, and utilize the relationships we’ve formed and the trust we’ve gained to incite even the smallest positive changes in the community around us.

Gladys does the Great Amazon River Raft Race

On the Bote, Ready to Raft the Amazon!

The Real Adventure Begins…

Early Thursday morning a hodgepodge group of about 200 gringos and Peruanos gathered in a plaza in Iquitos armed with oars, chairs, snacks, foam, rope, and other building supplies. Collectively we were quite a sight to see. We all piled in buses and traveled to Nauta where we had a celebration for the commencement of the 13^th annual “Great Amazon River Raft Race” complete with jungle dances, a toast with jungle liquor, and a bienvenidos from the tourism director of the area. After a chaotic scramble to buy last-minute supplies (my favorite purchase being an enormous reed sombrero) we piled in boats and were transported across the river to the bank where we could be constructing our rafts. The sun was incredibly strong and the humidity made the air thick, but the views were gorgeous.

Lord of the Flies- Raft Building Chaos

We assembled on the bank of the river and in an extremely haphazard way we were released to begin the construction of our rafts. Given little warning or direction, we scrambled to select our 8 balsa logs- choosing only the ones we could lift (later we were informed the largest logs are the most buoyant). Materials for construction were extremely scarce, and no rope was to be found until it was already dark. Luckily we were able to rely on some locals for help, because without their guidance we surely would have sunk within minutes of entering the water. The entire day was a heat induced delirium surrounded by a chaotic haze of machetes hacking, chainsaws buzzing, and short tempers flying. The collective mood was not improved when our promised lunch and water didn’t arrive until 5pm. Despite the Lord of the Flies-esque environment, we managed to have fun building and decorating our raft, chopping down trees with machetes, and hanging out with the dozens of other Peace Corps volunteer participants. As darkness settled in we completed our raft by the light of headlamps and a campfire. An evening downpour soaked our already make-shift tent and sleeping conditions, so we slept uncomfortably close as water dripped over us.

Team Gladys, Ready for an Adventure

Hacking down support poles with my machete

Enjoying the beautiful Amazon riverbanks

Gladys is finally constructed, by the light of headlamps, after an incredibly long day

We awoke Friday morning and “Gladys” (our affectionate name for our raft) was ready to take on the Amazon River. She may not have been the most quality constructed raft, but with the pink roof, convenient bag holders, and shiny flower decorations I think she was the prettiest. With lots of help, we moved the raft to the river and so began the voyage. We got off to a rough start and in the first 10 minutes I think we were all wondering what we got ourselves into. I imagined the Amazon River to be a narrow, fast-moving current; instead, it was an enormous wide body of water that seemed to move naturally in every direction but forward. However, after a bit of strategic rearranging and in-sync paddling, we found our rhythm and were able to enjoy the rest of the morning. It was pretty exhausting, but a midday torrential downpour actually served to lift our spirits. No other rafts were in sight as the rain started pouring down, but we embraced the cooling shower with laughter and continued on our way. The heavy rain turned the current into a crazy maze of whirlpools, so we spent the following several minutes paddling like maniacs only to turn in circles and zigzags. The rain was quickly replaced with sunshine and we finished our first day of paddling after 6+ solid hours, happy with our progress. We spent the night in a tiny village along the riverbank, arranged in refugee-camp style accommodations crowded in make-shift tents and a school.

Team Gladys, Ready to Rock

Embracing the Downpour and Upcoming Whirlpools

The following day the organizers informed us that the course was significantly longer than the previous day and it should take about 8 hours to complete (which meant much longer for us). If this were true, there’s no way we would finish before dark, but the race directors assured us that if we weren’t near the finish by 4:30 they would tow us in. We drug Gladys back into the water and began the day in high spirits; singing, joking, playing games. We were in a pretty good rhythm towards the beginning of the day, paddling hard and enjoying the wildlife and dolphins swimming alongside us. However, as the day went on we managed to find every obstacle, floating tree, and whirlpool to guide us off track. Around 3:00, after almost 7 hours of paddling, we were exhausted, hadn’t eaten lunch, and were trying to figure out where we were along the course. The support boat passed and told us we had 2 hours to go, so we mustered up our energy and continued on our way.

At around 5:00 we were in the middle of what seemed like an enormous lake with no signs of the finish in site. We assumed the support boat would soon be towing us in, but continued paddling. At 5:30 we saw dark storm clouds, thunder, and lightning in the near distance. Time passed and there was still no sign of the mysterious rescue tow-boat that was supposed to arrive at 4:30. We started to get a little nervous and picked up our pace as the sky grew darker and waves began to form in the river. The banks of the river were lined with steep, muddy cliffs so stopping seemed like an unlikely decision. However, as the sky grew darker and it started to rain and lightning over the river we decided abandoning ship was our only option. We paddled furiously to shore and by God’s grace there was a tiny little village on the bank. We jumped out of the raft just in time and the townspeople literally pulled us up the muddy cliff banks. They led us to the tiny school as lightning bolts hit the river we had just escaped from.

The people of San Jorge, a village of only 10 families, were the kindest, most hospitable people I’ve met. As we crowded in the school a group of small children immediately huddled around us, their deep brown eyes staring up at us in curiosity. After our racing hearts and nerves calmed down we learned the names and ages of the children and laughed together as the flashes of lightning illuminated their faces. I can only imagine what these little kids thought of us: giant, super-white gringos who washed up off the bank of the Amazon River and into their tiny little village. After awhile we saw a light in the distance and ran to the bank of the river, waving frantically to get attention. Finally, 3 hours after they indicated, the rescue boat arrived. At this point the search and rescue coastguard boat was in full emergency mode, making us all even more panicky. We ran to the riverbank and the coastguard was screaming into a megaphone “ONE AT A TIME, DESCEND THE CLIFF, QUICKLY!” as an enormous flashlight and emergency lights lit the riverbank. At this point the cliff was basically a mudslide, so we put on our lifejackets and slid down the bank. As we boarded the coastguard boat we were greeted by a crowded mess of other race participants who had also been picked up by the rescue crew. We piled on the crew bunk beds and began the rocky ride back to safety.

Finally Back to Safety, Thanks to the Coast Guard Search and Rescue Boat

Needless to say, Gladys was abandoned off the coast of San Jorge, but I’d like to think the little kids are now parading around with glittery leis around their neck and a pretty epic story to share. Since we were raft-less (along with 7 other teams) we were barred to the support boat for the last day of the rafting race. However, with hammocks and free cerveza, life could be worse. We also got to cheer on all the other rafting teams, including the incredible Peruvian teams who flew past us before we could even catch a good glimpse of them. All in all, the “Great Amazon River Raft Race” was quite an adventure. I’ll leave you with the ridiculous but entertaining rap/chant/pep-up song Team Gladys created while rafting down the Amazon. The chant began on day 2 and we repeated it every time we passed another team (or better said, they passed us) or needed some entertainment. As you can see we added extra stanzas to reflect the conclusion of our river rafting escapade.

Watching the Non-ShipWrecked Rafts Begin Rafting Day 3

Day 3- Trading the Raft for the Support Boat

We the girls with the pink roof

We gonna float, we don’t need to proof/

I ain’t gonna lie,

We might not fly/

But at least our boat,

Is still afloat/

Circlin’ in whirlpools is what we like to do

But that’s just cause we’re more fun than you/

Erin is the captain o’ mine

She likes to keep us in line/

Kim likes to rock the life vest

Maybe cause we ain’t the best/

Kelsi is team cheerleader

Singin’ and rhymin’ is why we need her/

Beth forgot her gloves, sista’

Now she’s got a nasty blista’/

Paddle hard, we did try

Til lightning filled the sky/

We thought the rescue boat was near

But we had reason to fear/

Abandon ship in San Jorge

Otherwise we’d be swept away/

Against the shore the waves were crashing

Coastguard’s lights were flashing/

Down the muddy cliff we did slide

The rescue boat took us for a ride/

It’s not that we weren’t tough enough

But the water just got too rough/

World’s biggest river we’ll never forget

It was an adventure we won’t regret/

Gladys was lookin’ for action

Amazon River provided satisfaction

Team Gladys- Celebrating the Survival, Post-Race

Adventures in the Amazon!

Ready to land in Iquitos, the Amazon River beckons

Enjoying the city of Iquitos

Ready to board the bote

Cruising down the Amazon for our jungle adventure

Our selva home for a few days

Our mosquito net beds

Lunchtime! Anaconda?

Boating through lily pads and making friends with spiders

Hoping for a prince

Our entire jungle expedition group, ready to enter the selva

I have experienced many “firsts” during my time here in Peru. I am continually amazed by the plethora of breathtaking sites, invigorating adventures, and new experiences I am exposed to during my travels throughout this country. Peru is famous for its coast, mountains, and jungle, and these three distinct geographies are woven together to form an incredibly diverse and beautiful country. I’ve explored the coast and mountains significantly during my first year in Peru, and recently experienced my most epic adventure yet: the jungle.

It all began several months ago when former volunteers were describing a crazy vacation in the Amazon jungle. Their experience sparked our attention and we were immediately intrigued by their stories of a 3 day rafting race down the Amazon River. We immediately decided we also had to be a part of this monumental competition, and signed up months ago. Despite the detailed anecdotes and candid warnings of last year’s escapades, we could have never expected what was in store. I’ll begin by sharing the more tranquil part of the trip, and the fact that this “tranquility” also involved piranhas, jungle hiking, vine-swinging, tree-climbing, Amazon-river-exploring, and alligator-hunting is an indication of just how ridiculous this rafting race was.

As our flight descended over Iquitos we could see the winding Amazon River surrounded by green masses of trees, and as we stepped off the plane we were greeted by a wave of intense humid heat. The adventure began early as we were carted off to our hostel in a “taxi” that seemed like it was about to explode. Fortunately our hostel was a step up from the transportation provided, and even had a pool we immediately took advantage of. Iquitos has a very different feel from other cities I’ve visited in Peru and I truly felt like I was on vacation. The city swarms with motorcycles and mototaxis weaving through the streets and the dense heat penetrates the city and seems to impact the laid-back feel of this jungle town. We explored Iquitos, strolling by the river and trying local cuisine; fried banana balls, roasted fish and vegetable skewers, exotic fruit juices, and lots of frozen treats.

The following day we began our jungle expedition with our fearless tour guide, Wilson. My friends and I had the entire tour to ourselves, so we were able to monopolize Wilson’s attention with our questions and special requests. We departed from Nauta, a small port town South of Iquitos and boarded a “bote” that carried us 3 hours down the river to our jungle lodge. As the river narrowed we were surrounded by unique jungle plants, birds, and animals.

Our jungle home for the next 3 days was a rustic wooden lodge built on stilts and carefully protected with nets to avoid mosquitoes. We each claimed our beds, which were thin mattresses on the ground surrounded by princess-style mosquito-net canopies. We enjoyed a delicious welcome meal of what we thought was Anaconda (Wilson later told our gullible-selves that it was really just fish) and departed on our afternoon boat tour. We traveled along the narrow river enjoying monkey howls, colorful birds flitting against the trees, and strange insects joining us in the boat. We took a brief break from the boat to trek around the jungle a bit and then began our nighttime alligator hunting expedition. Wilson took his alligator hunting very seriously, but as usual I had quite a hard time maintaining the requested silence. Despite Erin and my suppressed laughter we were eventually able to find a mini-alligator along the swampy brush. After playing with our squirmy alligator friend for awhile we returned back to our lodge, enjoying the brilliant stars overhead. We enjoyed dinner and cards illuminated by kerosene lanterns and retired to our mosquito net beds, greeted by malaria-medicine induced dreams as we drifted off to sleep.

The following day we awoke ready to trek through the heart of the selva. As we wondered through the dense vegetation we saw enormous 400+ year old trees, long lines of tiny ants carrying leaves 5 times their size, medicinal plants claimed to cure everything from diarrhea to cancer, winding vines for Tarzan swinging, and more. After hours of trudging through the muddy jungle trails in the intense heat and humidity, I happily jumped in the river, regardless of what creatures may have been swimming with me. In the afternoon Wilson took us to the pueblito where he was from, which featured small, open, bright colored houses constructed on stilts to sustain the heavy rainy season. Local children played soccer in the grassy streets as adults kept cool in the hammocks on their front porches. After our brief tour of Puerto Miguel we continued on the river where we found the famous pink dolphins jumping and swimming along our boat. We were able to swim in the warm river water, admiring the grayish-pink dolphins as they gallivanted past. As the afternoon progressed we could see dark storm clouds advancing and powerful rain hitting the water in the distance. We managed to return safely and enjoyed the heavy rain storm from the comfort of our jungle lodge.

The last day of our jungle expedition began with an early morning boat trip to fish for piranhas. Wilson guided us through the morning mist to a piranha cove and we commenced with our high-tech fishing. Armed with wooden sticks, fishing line, a hook, and fish meat we were able to catch dozens of piranhas without too much trouble. Their sharp teeth were intimidating at first, but I ended up having way too much fun playing with my little piranha friends. When we ran out of bait, we chopped up the littlest piranha and used him to lure more of his buddies to our line- just a little cannibalism in action. After our morning fishing trip we relaxed for awhile while the chef fried up the fresh piranhas for lunch. Piranha meat is quite delicious, and the ferocious-looking piranha heads provided some serious entertainment.

After an epic nighttime search, we finally found our guy!

Dinners by candlelight in our jungle lodge

Trudging through the mud- I had to be literally lifted out of my boots more than once

Climbing 400+ year old trees

Tarzan!

Exploring Wilson's pueblito... in the rainy season, you have to access all the houses by canoe!

Local kids outside of Puerto Miguel

Swimming in the Amazon

Post swimming with the pink dolphins

Fishing for Piranha is surprisingly easy.

I was brave, look at those teeth.

Mmmm, Piranha.

Eating our fresh-caught piranhas and having too much fun with their heads