Estoy vive en el Solar de Challapampa, L-2

The first week has past and so has my first impression of what I like to think of as an Andean desert in the mountains, Arequipa. AIESEC Arequipa’s members are extremely nice and there are many dedicated AIESECers. As for little cultural differenes that I’ve noticed, it is that the Peruvian’s like a lot of their food salty and their TVs and radio’s loud. The city itself is centered around the vibrant Plaza de Armas, a central square located next to a beautiful cathedral. Inside the cathedral there are two striking features aside from the alter: a massive—yet apparently dysfunctional—organ, and a wooden statue of arch angle Lucifer being cast into hell, which is pretty creepy looking. Beside this central Cathedral is a line of shops and cafés, some that have balconies overlooking the central square where you might see a person covered in a multitude of overfeed pigeons (think bird lady in Home Alone 2).
Cercado is the name of this central district. To leave the city centre you could hop on a combi—an independent bus—or take a taxi. There are a plethora of combis but even more taxis that together own the roads of Arequipa also making them dangerous to cross with the lack of traffic lights. Strangely you have to admire the road system as traffic manages to flow smoothly. The skill of the combi and taxi drivers to get around on the roads also impresses.
When you take a taxi away from downtown and go far enough to the outskirts of the city you start to notice a different Arequipa. You will arrive at the pueblos jovenes, or the poor areas where people that have migrated to Arequipa, maybe from other city, but likely from rural areas in search of a livelihood settle. But they don’t find much in the pleubous jovenes for many are without water or electricity. Right now there is a member from AIESEC, Illona, who is working with the pleubous jovenes, the government and the Universidad Catolica de Santa Maria on a health campaign.
As for Arequipa Sostenible, we will focus on building sustainable livelihoods—that is promoting development that will not undermine the natural resource base. Professor Zhorzhik Huaco Arenas will be a project mentor, as we are analyzing the opportunities for AIESEC to raise traineeships with the government, NGOs or medium to small businesses. Although he was speaking in Spanish, my existing knowledge of project management ensured that I was not totally lost, and I was impressed by his professionalism. The process of research to formulate a project that fulfills a clear need is exciting, and just beginning. Our goal in the end is to have developed a PBOX (Project Based on Exchange) where Arequipa will benefit from AIESEC talent, and the trainees will benefit from their internships!

Off to Arequipa, Peru!!

30 hours of planning, packing goodbyes (and an agenda with more scribbling than my JK masterpieces), 9 hours of flight...1 AMAZING experience. As a Cultural Envoy for Exchange Development (CEED), I will be working on setting up a Project Based on Exchange, Arequipa Sostenible.

As we strive to tackle the burdens of poverty in an era of globalization, job creation and continued economic growth is necessary, but at what cost? The environmental impacts of irresponsible capitalism have begun to erode the earth, and the signs abound. There are two examples that are fresh in my mind. The first I stumbled upon my accident being captured by belly flops, dives, and waddles. Empire penguins in the arctic are losing the habitat thousands of years of evolution has conditioned them for. That was the somber message echoed in a documentary on television. The second example that is the alarming is the rate of deforestation. Deforestation that undoes nature's diversity in the time you can say "clear cutting."

A picture of the social element of sustainable development shows there are an estimated 1.1 billion people living in extreme poverty. For those unfortunate enough to have been born to these social conditions, life is fragile. A drought or flood could determine whether they live or die. The basic amenities of like such as shelter, and clean drinking water may be lacking, education is a luxury that can not often be afforded and there is little access to healthcare. The majority of the people in the world that live in such abject poverty are in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa (Sachs 20). Sustainable development entails acknowledging these people have a right to improve their lives, to develop and reach towards a brighter future, while uniting this cause with concern for the environment.

Reconcile the world's social and economic needs with the environment? That is true harmony. Some might dismiss this ambition as impossible, but to them I counter with these words:

"When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong."
~Arthur C. Clarke

"The future is simply infinite possibility waiting to happen. What it waits on is human imagination to crystallize its possibility."
~Leland Kaiser

Throughout this blog you will see the founding of a practical sustainable development initiative emerge! This is not a talk shop, it's about creating a unique exchange opportunity for AIESECers passionate about the future of all people and environment. Way to go AIESEC Arequipa for initiating this needed project: the world needs leaders with vision like you! Also, a huge thanks to Kurt Archer for his AIESEC knowledge and inspiration and to Shahzad for your encouragement.

Chau,
Vera