Huancayo – A Speech In The Heart Of The Peruvian Andes

I wasn’t planning to visit Huancayo while in Peru, but I was invited to give a speech for Global Youth Service Day.

I took the night bus from sea-level Lima back up into the mountains. At two miles high, Huancayo isn’t too hot or cold, but when I was there it was still the rainy season. It rains every afternoon.

The city itself is nice. The central plaza is big and inviting. A free public concert was happening the day I was there. I couldn’t believe it, but someone was wearing a Cleveland Browns coat. Certainly, it’s second-hand Ropa Americana, but still. That was the last thing I expected, like finding an Ohio State hat in Huaraz.

We went to the University of Central Peru to promote the event. It was quite nice as you can see in the pictures below.

The speech itself went really well. The audience was full of young people eager to volunteer and make their city better. I shared my experiences volunteering throughout Latin America and Peru. I also talked about my thoughts on volunteering and living a life serving others.

All in all, an unexpectedly good experience and I’m thankful to have had the opportunity to share my thoughts and experiences with the young leaders of Huancayo!