This means we have fresh fruits and vegetables from our backyard all year round! Additionally, there are lots of native plants that provide food and natural remedies to the community. For example, we have eucalyptus trees, hierba luisa (Lemon Beebrush), and other native hierbas (herbs) which are used as traditional medicines. As for food, there are plenty of paltas (avocados), truchas (trout), piñas (pineapples), and lots of other frutas y verduras (fruits and vegetables) to enjoy.
There are many challenges to living in an environment like this. For example, the rainy season has just begun here. That means that almost every day, it rains like crazy for a couple hours. Sometimes, the rain is accompanied by strong winds and lightning storms which can knock out power. Additionally, the strong rains can cause flooding in people's homes and in the streets. Aside from the rain, people also have to deal with the steep, rugged terrain. There is very little flat land here; people's homes, chacras (farms), and businesses are built into the hillside, and because of this, it's not easy to travel. We have steep, windy paths that you need to traverse carefully to get into or out of town.
People have lived here for centuries. There are even ancient ruins of the Chachapoyas civilization in my town! The Chachapoyas civilization was prominent in this part of northern Peru before the Inca civilization conquered them around the year 1475. Historically, people here have relied on the river that runs through town for food and water.
