How did you discover VoluntEars?

Online, I was craving traveling right after graduating with my doctorate in pharmacy degree, and I just lost the rest of my hearing.

Why did you join VoluntEars?

At the time in 2019, it was the only one I could find from the US that would accommodate deaf volunteers without having to know ASL. And VoluntEars wasn’t even based in the US! I’m so happy I joined.

Why did you choose the Peru trip?

Because I enjoyed three previous trips with VoluntEars over the last 5.5 years (would’ve been more trips if it wasn’t for Covid interrupting). Peru was my fourth trip and it opened my horizons AGAIN in unexpected ways. But by now I know that traveling and experiencing the local cultures will always change you in ways you can’t predict. It was nourishing, it was exhilarating, challenging, it was delicious. And being in the scenic mountains was stunning.

What were you looking forward to?

I was looking forward to meeting people, both the volunteers who I didn’t know yet, and the local Peruvian people.

Were you worried about anything before the trip?

Yes, I was worried that it would be hard coming back home, but I didn’t expect the stresses I would face while I was there! (They were worth it)

What words would you use to describe your experience in Peru?

It changed me emotionally and physically. High altitude is no joke! The air is fresh, crisp, and very dry. The lower oxygen has its consequences and each person reacts to it differently. A good number of us got altitude sickness. The mountains were so gorgeous. The sun was so bright too – don’t forget to reapply sunscreen!! We got burned so easily. And it helped me form a habit of drinking more water, because dehydration was real there.

There was the stress of high altitude as my body struggled to make more red blood cells (if I was there for 2 more weeks I would’ve adjusted just fine – I could play my alto flute even better when I got home!), but the people were so kind. The mountains were so beautiful (Puno and Aguas Calientes and Machu Picchu were my favorite!) The fruit juices and corn were delicious!

What was your funniest or most memorable experience?

You can guess, I got engaged to my 3.5-year long boyfriend!! He proposed on Lake Titicaca and it was absolutely wonderful. But even before that, I loved dancing at various places in Peru, with the locals and with VoluntEars. I loved seeing the adorable alpacas and llamas and cows everywhere. The local music and sound of earthy wooden flutes were sweet to hear with my cochlear implant. I’ll never forget the way the little girl on the floating islands saw my mobility canes with such excitement and she played with them for so long, the canes were three times her height – it was so cute and refreshing!

What did you enjoy the most on the trip?

I’m really happy to have been able to practice my sign language! I got to sign lyrics to a Backstreet Boys song while watching another VoluntEar sign it in BSL (we were side-by-side, it was AWESOME! He did it in BSL and I in ASL) at a local pub where some of us went for a snack, and we got to compare signs in the local Peruvian sign, American sign, and British sign languages. So many layers of cultural exchange!! There was another point in a restaurant when three of us got to improvise songs by blowing notes on our water bottles. I cherished the creativity with our different backgrounds.

How do you think you benefitted from the experience?

My signing is smoother, my lungs are stronger, I’m more conscious of drinking more water and eating more protein and nutrients my body needs before getting full (our appetite slowed at high altitude, so it made me realize I needed to eat what my body needed before I got full each time!), and best of all it empowered me with my disabilities, like each time does that I’m with VoluntEars. I did not have to feel very judged while with the group and I could enjoy the traveling more without thinking about my differences. Including my communication differences.

What did you like about the VoluntEars trip?

The coffee workshop (honestly, I hate coffee! The smell and the taste. But I found this workshop interesting and I actually enjoyed the samples they offered us). I enjoyed the many hikes we went on, even though I tripped and fell (as my condition makes me do often) – there were always people to help and VoluntEars staff always had medical supplies on hand to patch me up each time. I healed faster than ever too (maybe it was the dry air?!)

Would you join another VoluntEars trip?

Yes.