Mucho gusto! (Nice to meet you!) My name is Grace Hodges, and I’m 23 years old. I grew up in Palos Verdes, California, where I spent my childhood exploring the beach, hiking the cliffs, and playing sports with friends. I went to American Martyrs from Pony to eighth grade, then attended Palos Verdes High School before moving across the country to study Neuroscience at Boston College.
Right now, I’m living in a small, remote city high up in the Andes Mountains of Peru as a Community Health Volunteer with the Peace Corps. My town is surrounded by beautiful green hills, and I wake up every morning to the sounds of moto taxis honking, roosters crowing, and street vendors calling out what they’re selling for the day—anything from fresh bread to fruit to homemade tamales!
I live with a host family, and they have welcomed me like one of their own. My host parents, Miguel and Tania, treat me like their extra daughter, and I have two host siblings, Valeria and Pablo. Our house is always full of energy—not only because of my host family but also because we have three dogs and six cats running around! We eat meals together, celebrate birthdays and holidays, and they’ve taught me a lot about Peruvian culture.
