Dude on the sand in South America.
Lindsay with the Peace Corps in South America.
My Dog Speaks Kichwa
Lindsay Walker, in GCC Career Services, has a dog that answers to Kichwa, a language native to Ecuador. This story gets its start over ten years ago when Lindsay was with the Peace Corps in South America, serving a small indigenous community. While there, she adopted a dog and then brought him with her when she returned to the United States.
Instead of using English with her dog, whose name is Dude, Lindsay communicates with him in Kichwa. “Nuka puka alku kausan nukawa. Dude shutikan- chunka kimsa watara charin. Allilya allku kan.” Translation: “My red-colored dog lives with me. His name is Dude, and he is 13 years old. He’s a good boy.”
Lindsay explained, “It's fun because it sounds like gibberish, but he understands it all.”
Her Peace Corps assignment was to be a Sustainable Agriculture Volunteer. Lindsay stated, “It was an experience and opportunity to make an impact as a global citizen that I still treasure today.” She added, “I was able to learn just enough Kichwa to get by, and of course, be able to communicate with Dude.”
Lindsay Walker works in Career Services helping students connect with great internship guidance and opportunities. She also assists faculty in incorporating Experiential and Community-Based Learning into their courses.