I would say that I have helped and added value to the project through the physical work and time I have put in. I was able to contribute to giving these rescued animals - some of which had to experience terrible things due to poor husbandry, abuse, hunting or dwindling habitats - a beautiful and peaceful life.
Johanna had an unforgettable time in Cusco and supported the Wildlife Shelter for a month. Afterwards, she had a month of free travel time in Peru and discovered her love for this unique country. In this report, she talks about her tasks in the project, the accommodation, her free time and gives some tips for future participants. For Johanna, it was particularly nice to get to know the animals, their stories and the people in the project and to make a positive contribution herself.
Before I left, I knew almost nothing about Latin America, let alone about the individual countries. All I knew was that it was certainly very different from home. I also really wanted to try out my Spanish from school in real life, which was one of my biggest motivations at the beginning. However, as the whole concept of traveling alone intimidated me for quite a long time, I booked spontaneously and my actual planning and preparation time wasn't long.
I left Germany in April and had only booked the project in mid-February. Within those one and a half months, I had the feeling that there was no room in my head for anything other than my upcoming trip. There were so many things to take care of that I hadn't even realized before. So during this time I really relied on all the emails and patient phone calls with WanderWorld Travel, which really gave me a lot of reassurance and where all my questions were answered immediately, which was really great! I received all kinds of preparatory information and documents and yet I also spent a lot of time online or in offices and doctors' surgeries. For a vaccination consultation, I ended up driving a few hours to the nearest tropical institute to get proper advice and the first vaccinations. Make sure you have this topic on your radar in good time!
In the last few days before departure, it helped me a lot to talk about my packing plans and the excitement and anticipation I was feeling with other participants, who I could meet beforehand via a get-to-know-you video chat. That was really cool and took away a bit of uncertainty. After all, being able to see people beforehand and then talk to them afterwards took the fear out of being in a foreign country.
My first days in Peru were full: full of new people, new language, different climate, so much information. I had the misfortune that my luggage unfortunately didn't follow me all the way to Lima and got stuck somewhere along the way. That really threw me off balance at first. Firstly because it was my first big trip alone and secondly because I didn't know what to do in a situation like that. But once that was sorted out and I was able to take my mind off it, Peru gave me a very warm welcome. I had a few days in Lima, where the introductory day also took place, before I flew on to Cusco. In Lima, I met the two other participants with whom I then shared an apartment in Cusco and who were working on the same project. It was really nice, a small group formed immediately and we infected each other with our anticipation. I was very impressed by Lima, it's a huge city, we only got to know a fraction of it in our short time, but that gave us a taste of the diversity and size of this city. The incredible traffic and yet the sea right next door, with beautiful beaches and lots of surfers, was very special.
The introductory day with Charly was great, we were able to see a lot of central Lima, got to know the beautiful Barranco district and learned a lot from him. You could really ask him anything. He took time for us and we were also able to do things like get a Peruvian SIM card. We all got on well and were able to get to know Peru a little through his stories.
After just a few days, we three volunteers realized that we were really lucky with our small group. From the first day of work on the project, we were a well-coordinated team. I am really so happy to have met these two.
On the first day, two employees picked us up at the bus stop to teach us the half-hour journey to the project by public colectivo. Once on site, we were given a guided tour of the site with an introduction to the animals and their stories. It was a challenge to remember all of this and to complete the new tasks on the side during the first few days, but we were able to master it well.
During the week, we worked on the project for 4 hours a day from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. There was always a lot to do, there was always something new to do. Nevertheless, after a few days we had the feeling that we knew what the most important tasks were every day and who was best at what. For example, I spent the whole month chopping up a huge and colorful selection of fresh fruit for all the parrots and birds in the facility together with others in the mornings. Other tasks on the daily schedule included fetching fresh hay from the hillside, cleaning the alpacas' and llamas' enclosures, feeding tortoises, cleaning water troughs for various animals and offering tours of the grounds for small tourist groups in English. All the staff were really nice and you could learn a lot about the animals and their habits, which was really interesting!
In the beginning, it sometimes took a while for a new job to be communicated clearly or for everyone to know what to do. Over time, we were able to learn new Spanish vocabulary and communication then worked better. Volunteers and employees on site were a well-coordinated team. We also had private conversations and were able to learn more about Cusco or the area from a local perspective. These moments in between were really nice and, looking back, I can definitely say that I looked forward to going to work every day. Even if getting up early was hard.
I was lucky enough to live with two other WanderWorld volunteers in Cusco, with whom I got on really well. It therefore came about quite naturally that we did all the larger excursions and tours together. We discovered a lot of Cusco on foot during these weeks. We walked to viewpoints, looked at a few museums and churches and tried our way through the markets. We really enjoyed Cusco, both the huge selection of delicacies and the regular salsa lessons in our favorite bar. We also visited Rainbow Mountain and the Sacred Valley. There were also a few excavation sites and Inca remains on the way to work, such as tunnels within a rocky landscape near Sacsayhuaman. A quad bike tour that we took to the Inca site of Moray and the salt terraces of Maras was particularly fun and the trip to Palccoyo Mountain was also a totally impressive experience for me. And of course the classic when you're in Cusco: Machu Picchu! We did all different types of excursions and treks around Machu Picchu and we were all totally blown away and really enjoyed it.
I would say that I have helped and added value to the project through the physical work and time I have put into it. I was able to contribute to giving these rescued animals - some of which had to experience terrible things due to poor husbandry, abuse, hunting or dwindling habitats - a beautiful and peaceful life. We volunteers were also able to initiate a few things on site that could make some processes or the work of future helpers easier. For example, lists and photos were hung up next to the fruit stocks, where people could look up the different types of fruit and vegetables and quantities of food for the various animals. The descriptions of the animals and facilities, which were given to us as a learning aid for the tourist tours, were improved and supplemented by native English speakers. The younger employees in particular benefited from our English vocabulary and were able to practise their pronunciation with us. As we were a large and motivated group of volunteers, we were also able to tackle some of the tasks on the site that had been put off. For example, uncovering a stone staircase to the other end of the pump enclosure or building a new bird enclosure. I had the feeling that we could contribute to improving this place and making it a suitable habitat for these animals.
I lived with the two other volunteers from Germany in an apartment in a safe area of Cusco, close to the city center and the beautiful San Blas district. We all had our own room, a really spacious living area and a kitchen, which was mostly only used for breakfast thanks to the nearby market. The house was totally safe and was managed by a super nice landlord who welcomed us very warmly and was always on hand whenever we needed help or a tip for Cusco and the surrounding area. We felt very comfortable there as a small shared flat from the very beginning. Regularly buying drinking water was something new for me that I had to get used to. The stark difference in temperature at night, which meant that you always slept under at least three thick blankets, also made getting up early a lot harder. Ultimately, these were all things that took a bit of getting used to, but then I got on really well.
I only spent the two months of my trip in Peru. And even then, I only got to know one half of the country; the north and the rainforest are still waiting for my second visit. So you definitely need enough time to get to know as much as possible of these very different landscapes and countries. There are so many special places to discover, most of which are bursting with history and long traditions. And the people there are very aware of this and are proud to introduce you to all these customs and old stories. I was often warmly and openly welcomed and accepted. Most of the time you just had to take heart and ask and you would be told and answered a lot. For me, Peru and the two months I spent there were perfect for trying out this way of traveling and getting to know this beautiful country better. The mixture of a first month, which was planned with WanderWorld Travel and in which I had support and experienced help, and a second month in which I was able to travel and plan on my own, was great for me. It was great for a first trip so far away! I can only recommend Peru to everyone! You're far away from home, a different language is spoken, a lot of things are new and different. Nevertheless, all the warmth, the beautiful places, the people with a similar mindset and all the little obstacles on a trip like this (which help you grow and prove yourself) make it all worthwhile.
I felt very safe in Cusco itself. It is a tourist city that is well lit at night and never deserted. Nevertheless, I was rarely alone at night and as soon as it was dark. In general, we made sure there were always at least two of us and only went out as a group after partying. I never had any valuables or a lot of cash in the back of my rucksack. I always kept such things in a well-sealed kangaroo pocket across my chest or, on long bus or night trips, in a waist belt under my clothes. I can definitely recommend this, because I always had my things in view and you can still get to them easily if you need something.
Once on a public bus in a less touristy area of Cusco, I didn't have a good enough view of my small bag. Unfortunately, my cell phone was gone when I got off the bus. So I can generally recommend simply locking away all valuables that you don't need on the road at home or in the hostel from the outset and always carrying everything else close to your body and within sight. If you have an overview, you can enjoy your trips much more relaxed. But during my independent travel time after the project, I had a good feeling even without a large group. I mostly avoided cabs from the street and had great experiences with driving services such as Uber or inDriver instead.
When I talked about my participation in this project, one of the first questions I was always asked was: "Do you want to be a vet or do something with animals when you grow up?". Although that's not the case for me, this project was still the right thing to do and I enjoyed my time there. By that I mean that you don't have to have at least four animals at home or see your future in veterinary medicine to be right for this project. Of course, you should be interested in animals or enjoy being with them and not be afraid of being close to large animals. Being outside in the sun for several hours at a time and doing physical work shouldn't be a problem either. But if you like to work with your hands, want to learn a lot about unknown animal species and don't mind getting your work clothes dirty, this project could be a good fit. I looked forward to going to work every day. In addition, I met so many great people among the staff and volunteers and was able to get a lot out of the physical work with the beautiful and impressive animals! I can only recommend it to anyone.
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