Service without borders

My Photo scholarship 2010 entry

Worldwide | Sunday, October 17, 2010 | 5 photos

In 2007, central Peru suffered an earthquake, and three years later the city still stands in rubble. The 8.0 magnitude earthmover and the following four-meter tsunami caused extensive damage to the city of Pisco, the earthquake’s epicenter, damaging and killing hundreds.

As the community and non-profit organizations restore the community, tourists continue to visit Pisco’s coastal wetlands and the Paracas National Reservation, known for the breathtaking Islas Ballestas filled with pelicans, penguins, cormorants, Peruvian boobies and sea lions.

While the island is off-limits, hour-long boat tours travel close and steer past coasts full of seals and cliffs spotted with birds.

It’s difficult to put such an experience into words, and oftentimes I find words insufficient in describing my experiences abroad. For me, traveling is a service to the community and also to myself. Stepping out of my comfort zone and placing myself within a foreign culture tends to be a humbling experience and reminds me about how life is more than just what I know in the States. Full immersion, the conversations with locals and the experiences abroad color my perspective on life and I arrive home wanting to share stories and offer their culture and insights to my friends and family.

Typically, the best way to illustrate how enlightening my trip was is through photographs. As such, for an aspiring photojournalist like me, the opportunity to go to Bhutan with a National Geographic photographer is more than I could ever ask for.