I have it!

I've finally gotten my internship placement! It looks like I'll be able to work with women, children, and health matters...it was made for me! I've copied the description below so that in the future I can write about how different the actual experience is from what my current perceptions are. Regardless, I'm very excited that I've finally been placed. I'm also a little bewildered because I think this means I'm actually going to Peru...and I'm actually going to be doing something there. I've been trying to rest since I got back from Europe so it's hard for me to believe that I will be off again in 4 days. Anyway, back to the job description...

The Internship:
"CARITAS in conjunction with ProPeru has devised a program for a volunteer that spans the areas of education, micro-business, and health. The volunteer’s week will be busy and on some days will include a good amount of travel and long hours. The volunteer however, will be rewarded with exposure to many different aspects of development work and will have the opportunity to work with women artisans, children, and rural health promoters.

The first component of the volunteer’s program will be working with one of CARITAS CEOs, located in Ccorao, a rural community approximately thirty minutes from Cusco. The majority of the artesania products produced by the women at the center are sold to tourists. Therefore, CARITAS is hoping a volunteer can assist with product design, marketing, and customer service aspects of these women’s small businesses. They would also like the volunteer to teach English classes so that the women can better communicate with potential customers. On Monday and Wednesdays the volunteer will travel to Ccorao to teach English for an hour and then participate in artesania workshops, getting to know the women and their work. On Thursdays the volunteer can visit the women at their roadside stands, assisting them in their interactions with tourists. They can also spend the morning researching potential markets here in Cusco or interviewing tourists to find out what kind of products people are looking to buy.

On Tuesdays the volunteer will travel to Matinga, a community approximately one hour from Cusco. The volunteer will be able to travel by car with Victoria, who she will be working with in Matinga, as well as in Ccorao. In Matinga, she will assist Victoria in artesania workshops done with youth at a local school. Victoria would like the volunteer to work with half the group of students while she is with the other half. She is open to the volunteer running a workshop with the children of the volunteer’s choosing. It would be great if the volunteer comes ready with some ideas.

Lastly, the volunteer will have the opportunity on Fridays to work in the rural health program. CARITAS runs two different health programs. One program works primarily in the schools and with mothers, providing health education and working with local health promoters to provide health and nutrition information and basic services. The second program works with the rural disabled, providing trainings, physical therapy, and services. The volunteer will travel to the rural communities with the CARITAS staff and then spend the day participating in trainings and observing the staff’s work with local health promoters and rural communities."

Sounds like fun, huh? Wish me luck!