Cumplo 24! (My second Peruvian birthday)

My friend Ryan flew 1/4 around the world to spend my 24th birthday with me in Peru. We met in Lima, and traveled north to see the pre-Incan culture of Chan Chan and then up to my site in Tumbes. Along the way, we saw ruins, dances and beaches, conducted hand-washing and HIV charlas in the schools, and ate heaping piles of white rice.

Oh, and my host mom killed a duck for me. All in all, it was one of the best weeks I've had in Peace Corps.

Street painter in the coastal city of Trujillo

My youth health promoters facilitating a condom race

The health post ladies baked me a cake!

Ryan with my host family

Me at the beach of Huanchaco

At the ruins of Huaca de la Luna. Citizens at the time had to pay a tax of a certain number of adobe bricks. They marked them to prove they had paid the full amount. I like the smiley face one.

Ryan and I at the ruins of the Huaca de la Luna

Tentacles of a sea creature, teeth of a mountain lion and eyes of an owl – representing the 3 levels of the world in Moche culture: underworld, present life and heavens.

Northern coastal dance called La Marinera

Ryan and I at the ruins of Chan Chan.