Sarah K in Peru!

It is day 3 in Lima! We’ve already done a lot, yet we have so much more to go. These past two days have been a wonderful start to our trip, and have already taught me so much about the country, the people, and the corporate side of Peru.

Museo Larco

To kick off our trip, our wonderful guide Alejandra took us to the Museo Larco. This museum is a private collection started by a prominent Peruvian family that was eventually molded into what the museum is now. Alejandra began our tour with a history lesson about the Pre-Inca civilizations. Prior to this, I had no knowledge of the classification of “Pre-Inca,” I guess I assumed that all the historical groups were classified as Inca. However, it was a pleasant surprise to learn of these groups who spread across the land, interacting, fighting, moving, and eventually disappearing.

The first section of the museum was dedicated to pottery and weaving artifacts. Alejandra showed us the difference in molds, textures, and finishes that the different civilizations used. It then moved into more artifacts like weapons and jewelry. One of my favorite exhibitions was a burial bundle bought by the museum despite not knowing what was inside. Through later X-rays, it was discovered to be the body of a child, around 7 years old, that had hydrocephalus. It was astonishing to learn that children with disabilities like such were treated as any other. Many other cultures would kill the babies, and even not so long ago recent generations would abandon them on steps of hospitals.

Corporate Visit: KPA

To kick off our first corporate visit of the trip, we met David Jenss at KPA. KPA is a machine refurbishing company that has recently gotten into recycling. We got to visit one of the workshops, and learn about large printing machines and balers. The most interesting part was when we actually went to a recycling baling site. David explained to us how different materials are separated (by hand!), fed through the baler machine, then stacked.

David explained to us that KPA acts as an intermediary in the recycling industry. Individuals collect the material, bring it to them, it is sorted and baled, then distributed to various companies. David also talked to us a little bit about the general attitude towards recycling initiatives in Peru. Most the time, it is not supported by larger companies, and instead taken up by intermediary types of people who want to help their customers in more ways than one.

Lima’s Historic City Center

We started our second day of our program with a walking tour around the historic district of Lima. Alejandra taught us about the different types of architecture used across different periods and the restoration “windows” that show each layer of paint. We also got to look into a couple different churches, a photography exhibition, and the Plaza de Armas. We even got to catch a little bit of the changing of the guard at the Presidential building! It was amazing to see all the beautiful architecture and historical significance of each building. This was definitely a highlight of my time in Lima!

Corporate Visit: DP World – Port of Callao

Now this was hands down a FANTASTIC visit! It definitely set the bar for all our other corporate visits! Each person we met was so knowledgeable and excited to teach us. We got to take a ride all around the port and see the cranes in action! We got to see them unloading containers from a ship, and also stacking them in the dock.

Our guide, Juan Carlo, gave us the run down of port operations. He explained how, right now, they’re in the middle of a project to move the RTGs to an automated system. This increases productivity and helps keep the port’s capacity at a functional level. He also explained how they have a good portion of their vehicles running on electric power. Port Callao is a forerunner for this kind of operation. They are doing their best to minimize their emissions, and working on decarbonizing as much as possible.

My group asked some general questions about the amount of support decarbonizing projects have in Peru. We learned that while a good few customers want it, the political and economical implications steer official efforts away from such. Peru has no national requirements or goals for decarbonizing at the moment, so DP World’s efforts stand out greatly.

Two of our group members also got to try their hand at the auto-mated cranes! So that was very fun to watch.

Wrap Up

The experiences my group has had so far have completely exceeded my expectations. It’s been so interesting to see so many sides of this city, and it’s hard to believe we’ve only been in ONE. Lima feels so vast, but each area I love more and more.

Usually when I travel, I focus more on the historical side. Never have I had a chance to integrate that with a present world. Getting to go from the historical city center to a large operation like Port Callao really puts into perspective the way this city has changed and expanded over time. It’s nice to see that connection, and makes it feel more personal in a way. The people here are just as passionate and protective of this way of life as the people of the past.

Despite periods where people have tried to cover up history (I’m looking at you, Spanish Inquisition), some still remain resilient in protecting it. Not only that, but protecting the people and the country itself. Both of our corporate visits have acknowledged that moving towards sustainable practices is a difficult task, but it is a necessary one. Just how the restoration projects in the city center are difficult and time consuming, but necessary for future generations to enjoy the same pleasures we do. It all goes hand in hand really. The main factor connecting all of it is the people: those who care, and the ones who need to be cared for.

While today set standards very high, I’m excited to see what comes next. We have one more walking tour and compare visit tomorrow, so we shall see what treasures they bring!