Archive for the “My View” Category

I signed on for a trip to Yantaló Peru, because I had traveled with Dr. Luis Vasquez and thought the trip would be interesting, challenging and provide me with material for a free-lance article. I was right. It was and it did.

We took an hour-long flight over Andean foothills from Lima to Tarapoto and then motored for three-plus hours to Moyobamba a bustling city of 60,000. The next day we rode another eight miles on rutted, bumpy roads between rice paddies and farms growing coffee, bananas, coconuts, beans and yucca to the dusty, to the seemingly serene town of Yantaló and its 2,700 inhabitants.

Yantaló is located six degrees south of the Equator and 700 feet above seal level in a valley of the Alto Mayo River in the Amazon jungle. Its town square has a paved road on two sides. The rest of the roads are dirt and have ruts carved by tires during the rainy season. The town suffers from lack of work and opportunity, a high birth rate, absentee fathers and primitive living conditions.

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He visto los videos de Yantalo, y me parecieron muy tristes y al mismo momento interesantes, lo que pasa es que me da mucha tristeza ver a tanta gente pobre, y pues que existe mucha violencia  y q las ninas tengan hijos a tan corta edad. Tantas cosas pasan en nueastro planeta y ello me da coraje, tanta gente superficial, y no se da cuenta lo que pasa a su alrededor, espero q algun dia esas personas hagan conciencia y ayuden a los que mas necesiten, no comprandose unas botas de 400$$ dolares, etc etc

Learning English will improve the lives of the young people of Yantalo.  I believe that this area will become popular in eco-tourism in the near future.  If tourism becomes one of the main source of livelihood and opportunities then chances of progress will accelerate for those living here.  The Yantalo project understands this value for the peole and therefore has started an English program where all children in the school must learn English.    In October, I was lucky to be invited to  visit and assist the local English as a Second language teachers.  As I sat in the teacher’s chair I observed children who were well-behaved, responsive and eager to learn.  I believe that the English teachers’ work here is much valued.  “I like pineapple” the class repeated in chorus and “I like Yantalo” I thought to myself.  I am already looking forward to the next visit to the school and town.  Marie-Louise S