Sean Carberry's Blogs
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Promise and Pitfalls in Peru
Back in November I spent a couple of weeks in Peru on an International Reporting Project Gatekeepers Fellowship. The program was a whirlwind tour of the country. We began with a few days in Lima, flew to Cusco, visited Machu Picchu, trekked off to the Amazon region of Madre de Dios, and back to Lima. Along the way we met with government, business, academic, and development figures. We explored public health, development, environmental, and political issues. We even visited the International Potato Center and learned that the country has more potato varieties (on the order of 3,000), than any other country. So, I want to share some thoughts, observations, and takeaways from the trip. In essence, the best summary of Peru came from the US Embassy team who described Peru as a “swing state.” Peru is a state on the edge in a variety of ways:...
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Alpaca: It’s not just for sweaters anymore
First, for some context. I am writing currently from Cusco, Peru where I am on a 2-week journalism program. It is the Gatekeepers Editors trip organized by the International Reporting Project at Johns Hopkins University. We are traveling the country to learn about health, environment, development, resource, and indigenous issues, and we are also learning about another growing sector of the economy: gastronomy. Peru is an export nation. Gold, silver, oil, coffee, and now asparagus. The nation is growing into an agricultural force, providing an assortment of fruits, grains, and vegetables for the world market. But it’s not just providing the raw materials. Peru is now an exporter of cuisine, and not just the traditional Andean dishes of Lomo Saltado or chupe. Today, the country is leading a movement in Nuevo Andean cuisine. And despite the riches the country is earning through its mineral...
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