It’s a quiet morning in the project room at the Manu Learning Centre. There’s the usual hum of insects in the background, interrupted only by the shuffling of papers and soft clicking of keyboards, as research staff mull over data sheets from their early morning surveys and begin data entry on their computers.
It’s business as usual, as some would say – unless you count the woman sat at the table dressed as a reindeer.
Yes, Kat Mataya is on a mission to bring Christmas, as she knows it, to the rainforest.
Canadian field staff member, Kat, said goodbye to her home country almost nine months ago – and with that, she also left behind cripplingly cold winters and newsworthy snowfalls.
Now, Kat is looking forward to spending her first Christmas in the hot and humid, southern reaches of the Peruvian Amazon, a far cry from the cozy, hot chocolate and candy cane-infused experience that she has lived out for the past 25 years.
Of course, Kat is just one many staff members and volunteers who will be away from home over the holidays – but she does have an extra special place in her heart for this particular holiday, so it only seemed natural that she should share a few tips on how to celebrate Christmas in the jungle.
Listen to the special Crees Class podcast below to hear more from Kat (and to find out what’s on the menu from Chef Karla Flores Garcia!):
Audio, photos & text by Katie Lin