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DO YOU HAVE A "WHY" TO LIVE?

By Leitter Omar León (Faculty of Psychology, University of Piura)

Have you ever wondered if you really live or just exist? Living involves doing what you want, what makes you happy, and growing as a person. It means getting up every morning and trying to do what makes your soul vibrate, in short, finding meaning in your life. On the contrary, existing refers to the mere fact of being in the world by chance, without having a purpose for living. It is like eating simply to satisfy hunger, but not to become nutritionally enriched or to stay healthy. Living gives you the possibility of realizing yourself as a person, of achieving human flourishing, and, above all, of transcending, that is, going beyond the everyday and making a difference or leaving a mark.

It is said that you only live once, but from my point of view and based on my experience, I am convinced that you live more than once. You live every time you smile with your family or friends, when you watch that movie you like so much, when you go to watch a game of your favorite team, when you enjoy nature, or when you travel and acquire new experiences. Regarding the latter, I will briefly tell you about a volunteer service that I did last February, in which I decided to experience more than one occasion.

Thanks to a collaboration between different institutions—the University of Piura, Nexos Comunitarios, and the Soqtapata project—I had the pleasure of visiting the conservation project, a natural reserve located in the jungle of Cusco. This trip gave me the great opportunity to meet very varied, wonderful people with human values. For almost a week, we lived together as a family, taking care of each other, sharing almost the same meals, sleeping under the same roof, and delighting in the exquisite singing of the birds and the pleasant sound of the river.

At first, I felt that the days were going to be eternal due to the remoteness of the place, which caused me great wear and tear (I traveled from Cajamarca), and because the fear of not getting used to the environment began to invade me. However, the day after arriving in Soqtapata, I felt more energetic and decided that I was going to live and enjoy everything that surrounded us. From breakfast, which, like all meals, was always delicious, I had the feeling I was going to enjoy it, and I did. Everything I knew made my soul vibrate and brought me peace, such as the incredible waterfalls, the imposing trees, the beauty of the plants and animals, added to the exciting stories that the Pilares family told us.

The following days followed the same line, full of adventures and enriching conversations that allowed us to value and appreciate each other's presence. Without a doubt, they were spaces full of learning and moments that I will always remember. Because living also means opening up and giving yourself to others, allowing them to enter and leave a mark on you. This program awakened in me that desire to continue exploring and learning about other realities, which I am sure will contribute to my human growth. A new "why" to live has emerged in me.

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¿TIENES UN PORQUÉ PARA VIVIR?

Por Leitter Omar León (Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Piura)

¿Alguna vez te has preguntado si realmente vives o simplemente existes? Vivir implica hacer lo que deseas, lo que te hace feliz y crecer como persona. Significa levantarte cada mañana e intentar hacer aquello que te hace vibrar el alma, en definitiva, encontrarle un sentido a tu vida. Por el contrario, existir se refiere al mero hecho de estar en el mundo por azar, sin tener un propósito para vivir. Es como comer simplemente para saciar el hambre, pero no para enriquecerse nutritivamente ni para mantenerse sano. Vivir te da la posibilidad de realizarte como persona, de alcanzar el florecimiento humano y, sobre todo, de trascender, es decir, ir más allá de lo cotidiano y hacer la diferencia o dejar huella.

Se dice que solo se vive una vez, pero desde mi punto de vista y basándome en mi experiencia, estoy convencido que se vive más de una vez. Vives cada vez que sonríes con tu familia o amigos, cuando vuelves a ver esa película que tanto te gusta, cuando acudes a ver un partido de tu equipo favorito, cuando disfrutas de la naturaleza o cuando viajas y adquieres nuevas experiencias. A propósito de esto último, les contaré brevemente sobre un voluntariado que realicé el pasado febrero, en el que decidí vivir más de una ocasión.

Gracias a una colaboración entre diferentes instituciones, Universidad de Piura, Nexos Comunitarios y el proyecto Soqtapata, tuve el placer de visitar el proyecto de conservación, una reserva natural ubicada en la selva de Cusco. Este viaje me brindó la gran oportunidad de conocer a personas muy variadas, maravillosas y con valores humanos. Durante casi una semana, convivimos como una familia, cuidándonos unos a otros, compartiendo casi las mismas comidas, durmiendo bajo el mismo techo y deleitándonos con el exquisito canto de los pájaros y el agradable sonido del río.

Al principio, sentí que los días iban a ser eternos debido a la lejanía del lugar, lo que me generó un gran desgaste (viajé desde Cajamarca), y porque el miedo de no acostumbrarme al entorno comenzaba a invadirme. Sin embargo, al día siguiente de haber llegado a Soqtapata, me encontraba con más energía y decidí que iba a vivir y disfrutar de todo lo que nos rodeaba. Desde el desayuno, que, como todas las comidas, siempre estaba delicioso, tenía la sensación de que iba a disfrutar, y así fue. Cada cosa que conocía me hacía vibrar el alma y me traía paz, como las increíbles cataratas, los imponentes árboles, la belleza de las plantas y los animales, sumado a las emocionantes historias que la familia Pilares nos relataba.

Los siguientes días siguieron la misma línea, llenos de aventuras y conversaciones enriquecedoras que permitían valorar y agradecer la presencia de cada uno. Sin duda, eran espacios llenos de aprendizaje y momentos que siempre recordaré. Porque vivir también implica abrirse y entregarse a los demás, permitiendo que ellos entren y dejen una huella en ti.

Este programa despertó en mí ese deseo de seguir explorando y conociendo otras realidades, que estoy seguro contribuirán a mi crecimiento humano. Ha surgido en mí un nuevo "por qué" para vivir.

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A few months ago, I was contemplating on whether I should go travel for fun or travel while doing something good; contributing directly to the community. After giving it a deep thought, I decided to do an internship with Nexos Comunitarios to have a real-life experience of working in a field related to my major and to get a full immersion in the Peruvian culture. In actuality, I never intended on visiting South America. But certainly, this was one of the best decisions in my life. The time I spent there was not long but I did contribute a lot to the organization that is working alongside the Andean communities with initiatives grounded in the respect and promotion of interculturality and human rights. I especially treasured the weekly site visits I did in Cuncani, which is located high up in the Andes mountains. The other interns and I would march out of the house in the early mornings at 5 a.m. in the cold Peruvian winter to go through a long 5 hours’ journey to go to Cuncani. Trying to fight off the altitude sickness during the journey was not so difficult when we were accompanied by the mollifying view of llamas and alpacas relishing themselves in the wild green. One of the projects while I was there was completing the Participatory Action Research Methodology project in support of the ongoing effort to combat malnutrition in the communities. I felt beyond proud seeing the positive improvement in the children’s motivation to learn after the organization started the Nutrition Program for the children. Furthermore, I got to practice my Spanish fluency when I lived there for a whole month! Besides this, I realized how non-profit organization is not an easy work. Behind the scenes, I got to see how even political and economical aspects of the country play a big role in how the non-profit organization could operate. Honestly, although my time there was short, I learned numerous valuable lessons that I wouldn’t trade for the world. If anything at all, I deeply value the friendships and connections I made with the people I met in Peru. It’s amazing to think that most of us still keep in touch with each other even after months of saying goodbye. This internship experience also taught me a lot about patriotism; for Peru, and for my own country. Equality is an important aspect needed to be held upright regardless of the place, race, or any other factors. From this experience, I learned that we have to fight for each other’s right, protect each other, and give support to all who needs it. One thing for sure is that, by joining Nexos Comunitarios, you’ll be involved in a community of people who will strongly support you and give you all the help that you need. It was a splendid experience for me, and I wish everyone would join and experience a better one!"  --- Izzy Yusuf MSc Clinical Mental Health Sciences Candidate, University College London (UCL) B.A. in Psychology with a Minor in Organizational Leadership and Supervision, Purdue University PROGRAM: INTERNSHIP

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I have no reservations in saying that my experience with Nexos has been a major milestone for my academic and professional career. I worked for one of the organization’s health and nutrition project in Urubamba. Very much imprint of Nexos’ vision, the KW project forwarded an interdisciplinary approach to a multifaceted challenge, i.e. improving the lives and future of Upper-Andean elementary school children suffering from under nutrition. I gained through this internship at Nexos first hand insights about health issues such as water-born diseases, lunch-box programs, school gardens as well as indigenous farming practices. Managing parts of a school feeding program, proceeding to database entries alongside writing and presenting policy reports and evaluations were part of my daily tasks during this placement. The practical expertise resulting from performing those duties have tremendously enhanced my skills set. I consider that this internship was thus a powerful springboard to my later professional involvements which include for instance positions for Oxfam-Quebec, the McGill Institute for Health and Social Policy and the Global Water Partnership. I recently completed a M.A. in China Development Studies at the University of Hong Kong and am currently candidate for a M.Sc. in Water Science, Policy and Management at Oxford.

Laurent-Charles Tremblay Levesque.

M.Sc. in Water Science, Policy and Management Candidate, Oxford University.

M.A. in China Development Studies, University of Hong Kong.

B.A. in International Development with a minor in East Asian Cultural Studies, McGill University.

PROGRAM: INTERNSHIP

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The internship not only afforded me practical work experience in international development, but it also helped me to develop life-long friendships and opened my eyes to new cultures. I worked at Nexos as a Policy Intern. My main responsibility was to act as a research assistant to José Carlos Agüero, a Human Rights expert, as he conducted a study on discrimination against indigenous students in a local high school in Urubamba. The experience taught me many valuable lessons, including an appreciation for the struggles of indigenous peoples around the world. Indeed, the study helped me to draw parallels with the experience of First Nations youth in my home country of Canada and inspired me to get more involved in indigenous rights groups at my university. In terms of practical skills, I gained experience in working within a team, writing policy papers and coordinating with community stakeholders. These skills and experiences have since helped me to secure several student positions with the Government of Canada, most recently as an International Development Officer at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development. On a personal level, I have built strong friendships with my fellow interns, as well as with my supervisors- I often seek their advice and mentorship regarding my career and academic goals. The Nexos internship program is the perfect internship for anyone looking to start a career in international development and gain valuable skills and experiences in the field.

Imaan Sandhu

MPhil in International Relations and Politics candidate, University of Cambridge (UK).

B.A.  in Public Affairs and Policy Management, Carleton University.

PROGRAM: INTERNSHIP

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My experience with Nexos Comunitarios in Peru has been life-changing. I have wanted to travel to Peru since as long as I can remember. The week has allowed me to deepen my interest in the culture and struggles that Peruvians faced during the internal conflict. During my week with NC we were able to work on a Learning Service Program at two different schools first in Ventanilla and second in Malambito, both in different districts of Lima. The children we got to work with ranged in age from  4 to 15 years.  Despite some little bumps in the road like during any study, I think this initiative [PhotoVoice] went well. I really hope that our efforts this week can be translated into something to improve the life and education of these amazing children, because they deserve it all so much. My experience in Peru, I can honestly say, was life-changing. Learning about a new culture, new issues, practising a new language and making new friends was all what this week entailed. I had the opportunity to learn about myself in how I responded, engaged and learned in new situations. My time learning about the culture and people in Peru will definitely not be forgotten and I hope to return soon.

Sarah Nartiss

Psychology, St. Francis Xavier University.

PROGRAM: #BeTheChange (GROUP PROGRAM)

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While this trip was unquestionably wonderful overall, there was one particular challenge along the way; the language barrier was a hurdle I know myself and many others had trouble with. Thankfully, this PhotoVoice project emphasized a lot of non-verbal communication, and I know all of the participants were still able to make connections and jokes with the kids. Though they may not be very wealthy in terms of money, the children we worked with were some of the happiest and most loving I have ever met. They helped me see happiness in a different light, and reminded me what it feels like to be a child again. My trip may have ended a week ago, but I will carry what I learned in Peru with me for the rest of my life. Whether it is lessons about giving more and taking less, or about the power of communication, compassion, and love, I feel empowered to make a difference in my own community and possibly abroad one day. I’m very glad to have experienced Peru the way I did. Peru, and the wonderful individuals I met will always have a place in my heart.

Carmen Leung.

Western University.

PROGRAM: #BeTheChange (GROUP PROGRAM)

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For me, to fully express the essence of the trip I need to delve into my own feelings and thoughts while I was there, good and bad. However, I cannot do this concisely because to shorten the experience to a few key lessons undervalues the importance of the journey to reach these values. It reduces the experience to a few trite proverbs that do little to encompass the magnitude of the experience. It ignores the steps that I took and the process because the journey truly is more important than the destination (to use such a proverb.) Sharon y Kenji entrevistando en CuncaniThus, any reflection requires a look to the entire 6 weeks, which is more than I have the time or mental preparedness to do at the moment. All I can say is that when I applied, I had no idea of the tremendous journey I would complete, from believing I was fully ready to realizing my limitations and working to overcome them. I am grateful for the time I spent in Peru with NC, the person it made me become, and the people I had the honor to get to know. Muchas gracias.

Sharon Schuppe.

Carleton University.

PROGRAM: INTERNSHIP

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As interns, a common sentiment was that in our intention of helping others, we often ended up helping ourselves at the same time. “I went into Cuncani hoping to help the community through my knowledge and skills, as well as to learn some professional skills,” emphasized Roberto Chavez, one of Carleton’s six interns. “My experience in Cuncani was well beyond that.” Ultimately, our time in Cuncani consisted of a lot of work…but play was by no means forgotten. Kenji Misawa, another intern, holds fond memories of the children of Cuncani: “Although we did not share the same language, we had an amazing time laughing and playing at the schoolyard for hours. Smiles on their faces were priceless.” Our “Peruvian experience,” so to speak, provided us with ample skills in research, report-writing, designing surveys and questionnaires, and interviewing both professionals and community members, which will no doubt prove incredibly useful in the years to come. Even more importantly, however, might have been the skills nourished that are harder to explain on a resume. “This was truly an experience in humility, hard work, and community enterprise,” explained Amy Lentini, another of Carleton’s interns. “I will be forever grateful for what I’ve learned.” I’m with you on that one, Amy.

Chloe Halpenny

Public Affairs and Policy Management, Strategic Public Opinion & Policy Analysis, Carleton University.

Read Chloe’s thoughts on this experience and her experience with Engineers without Borders, here: https://ajfexperience.wordpress.com

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This internship opportunity was one of the most amazing experience of my life. The internship is itself is well organized and the members of the organization were very warm and welcoming. The activities were related to the human rights issues and promoting sustainable development in the small Andean communities. The most valuable experience for me was to visit the communities and interacts with communities’ members. I believe in any development works, understanding the reality of the people’s life and building the trust among communities’ members are the most important elements. I believe working for NC is an amazing opportunity since it provides us with chances to conduct field works, as well as practical skills of planning and analyzing the developing program. Also, besides the actual work, NC provided us with various trips and workshops where we could learn interesting Peruvian culture, traditions and histories.

Kenji Misawa.

Public Affairs and Policy Management, Specialized on international studies, Carleton University

PROGRAM: INTERNSHIP

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Spending two months in Peru with Nexos Comunitarios has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. Being immersed in a different culture and being able to witness particular traditions and customs was stirring. The organization offers an amazing context to achieve efficient work, but also personal growth. The job itself allows us to further open our minds by seeing, discovering, learning so many new things. Peru is a unique place and working with local people is the best way to experience the country. This internship was the occasion to learn more about primary research and more particularly Participatory Action Research methods. Thus, it has been enriching on a personal and professional level but also on an academic perspective. International development and development in general is a long and complex process; it needs patience and persistence and this is what I learned at NC by trying to help and making a social impact. What this internship also taught me is to never give up, because only small groups of people who attempted to change the world actually reached their goals

Alice Ebeyer

Economics and International Development Studies, McGill University

If you want to know more about Alice’s experience, please, read the following articles:

https://nexoscomunitarios.wordpress.com/2016/06/14/par-with-the-families-of-cuncani/

https://nexoscomunitarios.wordpress.com/2016/06/02/for-the-children-with-the-children-and-by-the-children/

https://nexoscomunitarios.wordpress.com/2016/05/11/cuncani-beauty-and-courage-rising-from-isolation/

PROGRAM: INTERNSHIP

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ASB was the most rewarding, fun, and life changing experience I’ve ever had! I will never forget the amazing memories I made in Peru with all of the wonderful people I became so close with. It opened up my university experience to so many new opportunities and meaningful friendships. Everyone should be able to have an experience like this at least once in their lives, and ASB is the perfect chance! This program is highly organized with incredible projects and wonderful objectives to help people around the world. ASB has an assortment of different objectives such as health and nutrition, community involvement, and education among many. ASB is also a great program because they carefully choose really great locations and organizations to work with. When I went to Peru, I thought that I would be making a big difference in the world. I do believe that I made a difference while I was there, however, what I wasn’t prepared for was that the people in Peru made an even bigger impact on my own life. I learned so much about compassion and selflessness; everyone around me was always so loving. They taught me to be genuinely kind to everyone and treat everyone with love and respect. They made me realize that we are all connected, even if it’s not by blood. They taught me to be unselfish and to help other people. If everyone in the world would embrace the people around them like the people I met in Peru have, the world would be a much happier place. This experience has truly shaped who I am and what I believe in. Everyone should have a chance to experience a program like ASB!

Monika Volz.

Medical Science, Western University

PROGRAM:#BeTheChange (GROUP PROGRAM)

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This past summer, I was chosen to work as a Policy Intern for Nexos Comunitarios in Cusco, Peru. As a political science student, this professional experience enriched my theoretical understanding of international relations, public policy, and the many development challenges experienced by citizens of middle income countries. Though my time in Cusco, I experienced with my own eyes the poverty, absence of education and health services experienced by aboriginal families in the Andes. Moreover, my experience with Nexos substantiated my research interests on sustainable development strategies for international cooperation, poverty alleviation, and human rights projects. I was able to develop practical skills in report drafting, preparing questionnaires and conducting surveys, as well as conducting meetings with local government officials such as the ombudsman office, municipal government, and non-government development professionals. While working closely with a group of six interns in preparing a policy proposal for human rights education, I strengthen my critical thinking, written and oral communication in Spanish and English. I greatly benefited professionally from this internship, however the highlight of this experience was the close interactions with members of the community, Nexos staffers, and other stakeholders of interest.

Roberto Chávez

Public Affairs and Policy Management, Specialized on international studies, Carleton University.

PROGRAM: INTERNSHIP

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If I could recommend anything to a university student looking to expand their cultural knowledge and make a significant societal impact, it would be working with Nexos Communitarios. The Nexos staffs not only ensured we had everything we needed pre-departure, but were also constantly in contact with us during our trip to ensure a flawless execution and unforgettable experience. The project I had the privilege of working on, PhotoVoice, was an amazing initiative designed to change the mindset of children in impoverished areas in order to help them believe they can do anything they set their mind to. Partaking in this project was an eye-opening and wonderful experience as I made friendships and memories that will last a lifetime

MacKenzie Vozza

Criminology Student, Western University

For more information about her experience, please, read this article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/alternative-spring-break-mackenzie-vozza

PROGRAM: #BeTheChange (GROUP PROGRAM)