Skip to Content Skip to Footer
Goshen College

Arequipa: Olivia and Joshua

July 6, 2017

June 25-27.

Olivia and Joshua are two of the four students doing their service assignments in Arequipa, the second largest city in Peru.  Situated on a plateau at about 8,000 feet above sea level it enjoys year-around comfortable temperatures, and every day it sees some blue sky.  At the north end of the city sit three majestic snow-capped volcanos rising to more than 18,000 feet above sea level.

Olivia and Joshua, both biochemistry majors, are working in medical laboratories in Arequipa.  Olivia’s first work assignment had not turned out as hoped, so during our visit Maria took Olivia to a local hospital to start work in its lab.  Although this made it impossible to get pictures of Olivia at work that day, the new service assignment has worked out well since then.  During our visit to the small community clinic where Joshua works, within a minute of entering we found him peering into a microscope analyzing a stool sample for parasites.  With the assistance of his helpful supervisor Willy, Joshua has learned a variety of basic lab tests.  After two weeks in the lab they will rotate him through some other departments at the clinic so he gets some broader experiences.

From the street in front of Olivia’s house she has an impressive view of the Misti volcano.
Lunch with Olivia’s family.
With host parents Peter and Sofia, and sisters Sindel, Ariana, and Stefania.
Olivia’s first day of work at Pedro Pediaz Hospital.
Olivia in the lab with co-worker Lilly. [Photo furnished by Olivia.]
Another view of the medical lab, with co-worker Ines. [Photo furnished by Olivia.]
When we arrived Josh was relaxing with his host mom Gloria and little brothers Bryan and Diego.
His dad, Gonzalo, joined us for a dinner of homemade Chinese food.
After dinner Josh entertained us with a song.
At the health clinic where Joshua works we found him hot on the trail of some parasites.
He helps Maria spot the parasites twirling around on the slide.
Getting another stool sample ready for analysis.
He’s also learned how to measure the amount of red blood cells in a sample.
His supervisor Willy has taught him how to do a wide variety of laboratory analyses.
Later Josh will do a 2-week rotation in the obstetrics ward and …
… with the nurses in triage.
The entrance to the health clinic.