Ok...finally something in English!

Hey you guys,

Finally got myself to sit down and write some words about what I´m actually doing here in Peru in ENGLISH…yep…when I was in Africa, you guys had the privilege to get my story in English, but this time it’s the folks back in Belgium and Holland who can follow my adventures in Dutch here on my site…BUT I´ll do my outmost to write down some things in English once and a while….And still, my pictures are enjoyable for all, no? Most of the time the pictures speak for themselves, they say it all…

So how did I end up here in Ayacucho, Peru?!?!? And what the hell am I doing here??? Well get ready for a longggg story…

When I got back from Zambia, I kind of was a bit lost, like most volunteers are. So I tried to pick up my life from before…that meant following classes at the university again, but this time in Development Studies (this time at least a real study ;-) One beautiful day in March, there was a seminar on Social Economy with many interesting speakers, followed by a reception…After attending them, I really had to kick my ass to go to that reception to do some oh so important networking, cause hey, you never know….and yep, I started talking to Bob, a founder of a Joker, a well known travel agency which organises trips to the most beautiful places in the world in a way that you really get to know the people, culture and benefit to the country. After telling him the story of my life, he looked at me and asked me if I would be interested in a new adventure. Ting ling, my ears started tickling…..sure I was!!!!

“How would you like to convey a feasibility study in Sustainable Tourism in Ayacucho, Peru? You would be paid for one year to figure out the possibilities to provide courses in Sustainable Tourism (= tourism that benefits to the life of the local people and keeps a balance between the culture, the nature and the income brought by tourism, so a tourism that is in balance and doesn’t destroy a country)? more info: http://www.lscoop.com/Nl.Content.3038.aspx, http://www.solidinternational.ch/page.asp?lng=en&mmi=2&proj=19&projsub=5&projsubsub=11

During that year you will have to discover the tourist aspects of Peru and Ayacucho, because after a year the renovation of a beautiful old colonial house will be finished to start a ViaVia café! (www.viaviacafe.com) Yep, I want you to start a place where travellers can meet and interact with locals, where they can chill and relax with a plate of typical local food or discover the world kitchen, where they can get loads of tourist information and book alternative trips to really get to know the place, where they can discover local talent in weekly concerts or paintings on the wall, where they know that the place supports local social projects, where they know that they support the locals…. But there is just one little problem, we are still looking for a chef for this place, so we can not send you alone…”

This just sounded tooooooo beautiful to be true…of course I knew someone, a tiny little kampfmaus with tons of energy and an everlasting up cheering laugh, Minna! And who, surprise surprise, is a cook! And yep she was even more excited then me, and was in for it from the first second!

So after devastating my family and friends with this big news, after letting another amazing job opportunity slip away and after surprising friend and enemy, I met Minna the 15^th of August on the airport of Schiphol, ready to rumble…. We first flew to Indonesia. Indonesia?!? Yep we had 4 weeks to visit a ViaVia café in Yogyakarta to figure out how it is organised and to get some good ideas. We had the hard task to follow all the trips they offered, and to discover what sustainable tourism is all about in practice…After a month of harsh labour, it was finally time to fly to our new home, Peru! But not without a stop in Australia…where we had the chance to stay one day in the airport, or take the next connecting flight 5 days later…hmmmm…tough choice….so after some sightseeing at the opera house, botanical gardens, bondi beach, skydiving,..it was time to move on to our final destination. After having set foot in New Zealand and Chile and many many mannnnnnnnnnny hours later, we did arrive in Lima, the Capital of our home for the coming months, years???

After a day of sleeping, we were totally ready to see Ayacucho with our own eyes…And yep the first impression of this town (100.000 inhabitants) hidden in the Andes, was beautiful. We have been welcomed with open arms by the most gentle and friendly people. It is these people that make this place feel like home immediately. If you want to see the real day to day life of a Peruvians, Ayacucho is the place to go to. Old ladies in traditional clothing walk next to hip students on the sidewalk and you, as a gringa, can easily walk next to them, without being looked upon as an alien or a walking piece of gold. Such a relief after having felt like some kind of celebrity in Zambia too often. No really, I couldn’t have asked for a nicer welcome. Everybody seems genuinely interested and excited about our plans. Also the club of NGO people and volunteers, who are also here very well represented here (and luckily for me there are tons of Belgians and Dutch).

At the moment we are staying in an apartment with all the luxury you can think of, hot water (although you risk being electrocuted every time) and wireless internet! But it is strange to know that just a few streets further up, people are living in small houses with too many people and to less means…That is why, this time, we are trying to support this place by providing work to local people with our café (tourism as a way to fight poverty), to support local social projects (already have an agreement to have a small shop in our place where souvenirs made by street kids will be sold) and to try reach a better understanding between the different cultures…because understanding the other, in stead of fearing the unknown, is a step closer towards world peace….not?

From the second day, we have been busy visiting the different institutes in the field of education in Tourism, making networks, getting to know people, the culture,… A new continent, new culture, new people, new language, new house, and new work…is there anything familiar?!?...yep, I can not deny that I haven’t had moments that I have felt that the ground beneath me slipped away …but luckily I have my big support always very near me, Misses Optimist Minna Dahlbacka!

Today we went to visit the old mansion where our café will be and ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh my God it is beautiful…ok, there needs to be done a lot of renovation, but you can really see the potential…and the atmosphere that is there, it is simply amazing….So right it down in your agenda, September 2008, you are expected at the Grand Opening of our ViaVia café!!!!!!!!!