Salud from Peru

The following has been edited by me (Caleb), and is composed of emails from Liz.

Hola from Peru everyone,

We have been in Peru for almost two weeks now. Our plane to from Toronto toLima was detained in a town called Chiclayo for one night because of bad weather, so we arrived a day late for our activities. We stayed in a great hostel in Lima, the guys that worked there helped us learn Spanish, and even showed us around the city and took us dancing on their time off. We arrived inIquitos yesterday, the northern jungle city of Peru, awake for 36 hours!! So tired.

Work: we have spent several days volunteering at local shelters, walking dogs and handing out pamphlets in the park in the weekend. This past Saturday was our first sterilization campaign, we all tried a neuter. A total of 39 animals were sterilized in about 6 hours - the vet works very fast. Besides watching and helping with surgery, we were completely in charge of anesthesia which was a quick lesson in subcutaneous, intramuscular, and intravenous injections....And dosage calculations....Who ever thought that Dyson would comeback to haunt us in Peru! Our most important lesson here, despite the excitement of surgery, is learning from the people here that volunteer their time and resources, going against the norm, to help animals. Their passion and dedication to improving the lives of animals is astounding. Practical education, for example, how to feed a dog when you do not have enough money to feed your family, along with sterilization seem to be the major areas of emphasis for long term change.

We have met people from all over the world. The education manager at Vida Digna (lima animal shelter, "dignified life"), is from England. Travellers at The Lima hostel from Belgium, Israel, Australia, etc. We have also connected with a vet from Australia that is working at the only animal shelter in Iquitos (pop:300, 000). There is a cat hanging around our residence that we are going to catch and bring to her....It has no use of one front leg and walks palmargradeon the other front leg. Starving, fleas and mange of course, and we think it has a maggot infected cuterebra. A sad sight to say the least. Maria puts ona latex glove and pets it sometimes : )

Other: the food is great. I am making out okay as a vegetarian, my favorite peruvian dish is good ole beans and rice : ) None of us have been really sick yet so we are crossing our fingers. Amy tried roasted guinea pig, which suitable grossed us all out. The people have been amazing as well. I have always felt safe....From our hostel friends who teach us Spanish and take us out, to the taxi driver who invited us to her house, and the several people who have gotten up early to meet us at the hostel, take us where we have to go and then go back home to start their own day! I hope we can bring some of this unabashed helpfulness back to Canada.

We spent a day at the veterinary university in Lima. They had the deanґmeetings room prepared with a coca'cola bottle at each seat, and we presented about Canada, vet school in Canada, global vets, etc. They then gave us a similar presentation about vet school in Peru, and then the band came and played three songs for us. The music here is beautiful by the way! We we represented with pins of the university shield, and taken out for a tour with a great lunch (Maria tried bbqґd octopus!).

We are currently working at the primate center in Iquitos, we tattooed monkeys and gave tuberculosis tests today's. Then we worked in the lab, fecal flotations looking for bovine parasites in local cows, and 3 monkey necropsies. They are so much like people it is unnerving.

We are off to find some dinner, they are taking us to visit the zoo tomorrow where they help care for some of the primates. Should be fun. I have been managing to run about every other day, which helps keep my head clear. Our spanish is terrible but we are committed to learning and practicing at every opportunity. I would like to return here, maybe next summer, and speaking the language will help so much. We are spoiled in that most people speak at least some English, and many speak excellent English.

Best wishes to all of you, I hope you summerґs are going well and you are spending you time in meaningful ways.

Liz
P.S. the keyboards here have "ссссссссссссс" ґs. Cool eh