Gender Identity/Sexual Orientation teaching and Medicinal Plant Lecture

I really love my job and the opportunity to get to teach youth.

Here are some pictures from the most recent training this past Wednesday night in Cusco with the "genderbread" person and myths/facts regarding sexual orientation.

Additionally, we had a great lesson through Sacred Valley Health this past Friday on medicinal plants and how to prepare them and use them by a local expert, Oscar, from the Ollantaytambo Municipality.

Soon, I will be putting up a sign for reiki by donation on my house and I hope to start my practice soon. Lastly, I look forward to using the knowledge I gained from the last training to make my own tinctures and pomades to give out and perhaps sell.

I am in Cusco today and I bought the following herbs in preparation for my lotion and potion making:

*Muña (Andean mint)
*Hierba buena (mint)
*Cidroncillo
*Molle
*Chamomile
*Coca
*Ch'iri Ch'iri

Can't wait! I will keep you updated on the happenings!

Lucy and Sarah, both community coordinators, having a great time teaching at Casa Mosqoy

Casa Mosqoy youth looking at the book of STIs.....yikes. Scare tactics?

Sarah teaching the youth at Casa Mosqoy

Everyone paying full attention

Lucy explaining gender identity, sexual orientation, self-expression, and myths/facts about homosexuality with our awesome posters

Oscar and Leticia teaching our health promoters about medicinal plants

More medicinal plant education at the Chillca health post

We started to make pomades with muña and vegetable fat (seen on the ground)

Oscar taught us to make tinctures in dark bottles and with cañaso, a sugar cane alcohol found here in Peru (basically Peruvian moonshine)

Taking the leaves of muña off to make a pomade

Straining the muña/vegetable fat mixture and letting it cool

Using our makeshirt morter/pestle to crush eucalyptus leaves for a cough syrup

Teamwork makes everything easier!