Part of training includes a host volunteer visit. This is where trainees get to see where a volunteer lives, how classes are run, and ask someone one-on-one about his/her personal experience. I traveled with another trainee, Paula, to visit Gerad, who lives in the mountains. It was probably one of the farthest host volunteer sites.
We got to the taxi stop at 5am and left at 6am. Then we rode in the taxi van for about 7 hours up the winding mountain roads. We stopped at a camptown for lunch and then took a bus to get to his village. The bus ride takes about 3 more hours, but on the way there, a tractor was parked in the middle of the road, which made it impossible for the bus to pass. Luckily, a taxi driver agreed to drive us the rest of the way up. The altitude combined with the sharp turning, narrow roads (much of it also unpaved) made me feel more carsick than I ever have in my whole life, but we finally made it to the village at 6-7pm.
When we arrived, the mountains were so foggy, compared to San Francisco, but the next couple of days, we were able to enjoy the remote village. It made the ride getting up there completely worth it.
 |
| Me and Paula in the village |
 |
| Sunset at the Camptown |
On the way back, a goat pooped on my backpacking backpack.
We were debating whether goat poop is more like deer pellets and just rolls off your pack, or more like cow mud pies that soaks into the fabric. But I would guess it is a lot funnier not being there. Much love.
A goat pooped on your backpack?! Oh No!! What a story!