By Kerri Entin, '04
Funding: Tucker Foundation
I come into houses of people with no possessions other than the bare necessities, I hand their sweet, beautiful, smiling, precious, lice-parasite-rash infested children silly little toys, and I hand the parents condoms. I laugh with the gente, the people of this country, who create beautiful food out of what they have, smiling when they can at a passing monkey munching on a piece of fruit; I taste the exotic fruits and vegetables and wrap myself in the fabrics whose colors are enough to brighten even the most despondent faces. I converse for hours with warm people who
know everything about the jungle and its powers, but know nothing about simple geography, modern medicine, or the history and government that I have learned is important; I cram into the crowded kombi busses each morning and, with the tight fit, feel the desperation of the striving middle class. I breathe in the acrid smells of the dusty shanty towns to talk with people about healthy sexual behavior, birth control, and how to build a successful relationship. This place radiates magic and mystery. I feel calm, tranquil, and spiritual, and sometimes it even feels quiet here among the hustle, the barbed wire, and the honking kombis that fly through the streets of Lima, Peru's capital city.
Latin America has always struck a chord in me. I grew up dancing, eating, and learning about the Latino culture with great family friends in Colorado. Latin America has always been a place that I have wanted to explore. As a Spanish major and a Pre-Med, I wanted to use my off term to do something that would feed my interests and allow me to explore not only myself, but a new culture and region of the world. Finding an internship in Lima working in a Peruvian non-profit organization allowed me to speak Spanish, travel the country, work with people, and do something that truly fueled my passions.
The beauty, spirituality, warmth, and energy lining everything in that country, juxtaposed with the desperation, faulty sanitation, parasites, and wall-less houses reminded me of the old saying that, the more you learn and the more you see, the more confused you become. Although Peru changed some of my conceptions, certainly making me more confused and curious about issues such as poverty, that was only the beginning.
I know that my experience in Peru not only excited me about my capabilities as a result of my academic education, but it also made me realize that I will be successful if I follow my own passions. And, consequently, I will be able to contribute to the world in exciting ways
Go for what excites you and interests you in your rare Dartmouth off-term. If that's archaeology in Egypt, go for it; if it's studying nesting patterns of birds in New Hampshire, go for it; and if it's working in a great business situation, go for that too! The greatest lesson I have learned at Dartmouth has been the importance of being honest with myself and pursuing those things which interest me - not because they interest anyone else. So sit down and think with yourself about what it is you want out of an off term, dream big, and go for it. You can do anything if you want it badly enough, and Dartmouth can help.
