Jodie Van Horn
Class of 2002

Click Here to read the articles that Jodi wrote for the PAX 2100 Newsletter.

Hello Global Studies Majors, Alumni, Faculty and Staff!

Two months ago I was sitting between the opposing slippery surfaces of two monstrous Incan stones. I was resting on the sacred threshold of an Incan compound. To my right spiraled the Temple of the Sun and to my left prevailed the remains of a sacrificial cave with carvings of a serpent, a puma and a condor. I sat on my thrown and thought, “I have the greatest job in the world.”

My Peruvian Family

I was beckoned to the Sacred Valley of Peru by a service organization called ProPeru Student Service Corps. ProPeru is a small nonprofit located in Urubamba, approximately one hour outside of Cusco, that offers social and economic assistance to communities in the rural Andean region. ProPeru is a volunteer program for college-age individuals and graduates, a perfect adventure to compliment a Global Studies degree.

Urubamba

Volunteers participate in an NGO Internship, the duration of which is dictated by the participant. They may choose between many volunteer opportunities; Women’s Rights, Appropriate Technology, Public Health and Education are just a few examples.

Children at Preschool

As Project Coordinator for ProPeru, I had the exciting task of setting up these internships prior to the arrival of each new volunteer. I worked with our local contacts to determine the community’s needs in our various areas of support and then placed the volunteer accordingly. During the week I managed the work and overall experience of each volunteer, and on the weekends I accompanied them on excursions throughout the Sacred Valley.

The Sacred Valley

My seven months in Peru were challenging but invaluable to my personal and professional growth. It was an intense and busy time in a very small town, however, the weekend hikes through the canyons of the Andes, visits to Incan ruins, traditional dance festivals and backpacking trips to 17,000-foot summits offered a perfect balance between work and play. I will carry the memory of this adventure with me forever. So, now you are all thinking, “Why did you ever come back?” Well, my friends, that is a very good question...

Playground Renovation -- Yanahua

If you would like more information about ProPeru Student Service Corps, check out their website at www.properu.org or feel free to contact me at jojovanhorn@yahoo.com.

Saludos,
Jodie Van Horn

[Posted October 22, 2003]

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