Hello folks,

My name is Trevor Adams. I am currently working as a volunteer at the Manu Wildlife Center in the Peruvian rainforest with my friend Jeff Strittmatter. Jeff and I graduated from Wesleyan University in 2009 with Tim Devane. We are good friends with Tim as well as other members of the Birthright Earth team, which we are also a part of. Thanks to the incredibly helpful affiliate companies of Birthright Earth, especially Tropical Nature and InkaNatura, Jeff and I were able to pursue our current course of work in the jungle of Manu, Peru. In order to attempt to return the favor to Birthright Earth and the affiliate companies, Jeff and I have happily agreed to post a blog about our work and experiences at the Manu Wildlife Center (MWC).

First, I think it is important to explain exactly what volunteering at the MWC entails. Our primary job is to teach the manager of the lodge, Claudia, English. It is important for Claudia to be able to speak English because whenever a new group of tourists arrives at the lodge, she gives a briefing that describes the rules and services of the lodge. At the moment, Claudia gives the briefing in Spanish and has a guide translate to the tourists. It would be more expedient for Claudia to give the briefing in English, as well as be able to directly answer any questions that the tourists may have. Also, it is important for her to learn English to enable her to be able to understand and respond to problems that the tourists may have during their stay at the lodge, especially for emergencies. Our other main job is to run a shop at the MWC, which contains t-shirts and various Peruvian souvenirs, including hand-stitched items made by a native woman. The proceeds of the shop all go towards the non-profit organization NatureCrafts, which then uses the money to fund various conservation projects.

In future posts Jeff and I will be describing the interesting animals, people, and events that we have seen so far and will see in the future. I hope you all enjoy the blog and that we can help you share in our great Peruvian experience.

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Trevor