The Peru BucKet List

(Please excuse the lack of puncutation in this entry. I'm typing on my Kindle.)

Oh faithful blog reader Im going to be very honest with you. Ive had a hard time getting back into the swing of this whole Peace Corps thing ever since returning from the States. Elke says that PC volunteers are out on a LIMB -lonely isolated miserable and bored. And all too often its easier to focus on these negative things instead of the positive parts of being a PCV. After a couple of emotional breakdowns on the phone to my Mom she encouraged me to think of ways to make the rest of my Peace Corps service awesome. I have 22 weeks of PC service left and I'll probably bum around Peru for 3ish weeks afterward. In that spirit...

25 Awesome Things To Do Before leaving Peru:
1. Hike the Cordillera Huaywash with friends right after finishing my service. Its eight to ten days and supposed to be beautiful. Described by Lonely Planet as "circling a tight cluster of high peaks including Yerupaja the worlds second highest tropical mountain this stunning trek crosses multiple high altitude passes with sping tingling views."

2. Hike to Laguna 69

3. Hike from Olleros to Chacin de Huantar. A two to three day forty km trek with a 4700m pass. It ends in Chavin de Huantar where there are famous pre Incan ruins.

4. Climb a mountain

5. Make a snow angel on the glacier of Huascaran the highest tropical mountain

6. Go camping by Llaganuco Lodge and swim in the bathwater temp lake

7. Spend a long weekend at the beach

8. Host a murder mystery supper for all of the Ancash PCVs

9. Take the SUENA youth group kids on a field trip to a college in Huaraz

10. Try to start a Mothers School for young single moms

11. Wander aimlessly to the towns of Keren and Kely which should be a good day hike unless I get lost

12. Continue to beat Pat at Settlers of Catan when we meet up on the trail between our towns

13. Explore the trail I found the other day when I got lost

14. Go to Arequipa

15. Walk into Huaraz... and be much better prepared this time

16. Go to Cuzco with my parents visit my host family there and eat at my favorite restaurant

17. Visit Machu Picchu

18. Go sandboarding (which is like sledding but on sand dunes) and penguin watching in Ica

19. Finish the banket I started last year

20. Enjoy the Peru Fifteen Close of Service conference... a week in Lima where my training group gets to learn abut life in America and have a ton of fun hanging out

21. Teach Gulliver how to play Frisbee

22. Throw the Ancash Fifteeners an awesome and unforgettable going away party

23. Take the SUENA kids on a fun field trip

24. Make encouraging cards for all the Ancash vlunteers

25. Keep reading so I can meet my goal of completing 100 books in 27 monthd.

25 weeks 25 awesome things to do. I will give you an update in afew months and let youknow what I was anle to finish.

And as always youre invited and encouraged to come check a few things off this list with me...