When I first heard I was selected to be a part of the UBCO volunteer group to Peru a million emotions washed over me. I was incredibly excited, very nervous and I wanted to be certain that the work that I would be doing in Peru was positive and that the organization was one that was truly making a difference. This was my first experience volunteering abroad, so I was really excited! As it got closer and closer to the time of departure to Peru, I felt ready, excited, educated and prepared (or as prepared as you can be)! When I arrived in Lobitos, the beauty, the simplicity and peacefulness, blew me away. The people at WAVES and the local Lobitos community members were so welcoming, I felt very much at home within the first few days.
And then there was surfing. Lessons from Henry, Raffael and the other amazing instructors at WAVES got me up on my first wave and after that it was everyday, 5:00am surfing! The feeling of getting up on your first wave is life changing. More important, just being out in the ocean and learning to understand the complexity and magnificence of the waves was spectacular. On Monday we gave our first workshop with the elementary students. The first workshop was on nutrition and healthy eating. The workshop was a huge success because of the amazing planning of our team working with WAVES. The kids had a lot of fun and we had a great time getting to know them and learning from them as well. By the end of our time in Lobitos, after two more workshops, saying goodbye to the kids was one of the hardest parts.
I met so many amazing people and learned so much during my time in Lobitos. The work that WAVES does in the community is fantastic and getting to be a part of the difference WAVES is making in the community was amazing. It was wonderful to see the positive impact that WAVES is having on Lobitos! I wish I could’ve spent a much longer time there. I know I will be back in the near future and next time I plan to stay much longer, learn more about the community, the people and the work that WAVES does in Lobitos!
by Jenna Gall
