South America (A) Instructor Welcome from Nathan

¿Que tal chicos?

Hola from the highlands of Peru. I'm Nathan Heath and I will be the second half of your instructor duo on our adventures through South America. I am currently exploring some of the mountains that will be our stomping ground over the next two months. And the more I explore the more I am stoked to pick you all up from Lima and start our journey in just a couple weeks!

I would love to get a sneak peak into who you all are, so if you find the time please introduce yourselves via our facebook group. I’ll start with a little bit about myself...

I am a Midwestern American by birth, and have lived throughout the US and abroad throughout my adult life. I went to university in Knoxville, TN at a little school called Johnson University. I majored in Intercultural Studies with a few social and internationally focused concentrations. During my time in university I lived and worked abroad in China as well as traveling whenever possible. After graduating I moved to Haiti to work with a community resource center in Port-au-Prince. When Hurricane Sandy hit the U.S. I transitioned into domestic disaster response. Disaster response took me to Colorado where I fell in love with the mountains and decided to “settle down” for a while. I stayed in Colorado for about three years, doing search and rescue, outdoor education, and wilderness therapy. I love the transformative power of wild places, new experiences, and broader perspectives.

Following my time in Colorado I wanted to blend my loves for traveling and cultural exchange with teaching and personal development. After some serious research I found Pacific Discovery and haven’t looked back. I absolutely love that I get to meet awesome young people, travel to new and unforgettable places, and guide y’all into growth, learning, and self-improvement. Everything we get to do together is pretty incredible.

When I am not working I enjoy traveling, being a coffee snob, reading, working on old, broken vehicles, and spending time in wild places. At the moment I am in Peru trekking, searching for the best cup of coffee, and getting stoked for all of you to get here. It’s just around the corner!

Thanks for taking a few minutes to meet me. I would love to hear from you all as well. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to message or email us. My wifi is spotty at best, but we will do our best to get to you when we can.

Tips before departure: · Google the weather (especially the temperature) in the places we are going and adjust your packing accordingly. · Don’t forget your sunscreen! · Bring small bills ($20, $10, $5, and $1) and dollar coins if you can find them. Small change is sometimes difficult to come by in Ecuador. The cleaner & crisper the bills the better!

¡Hasta pronto! Nathan Heath