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Andean Adventures: An Unexpected Search for Meaning, Purpose and Discovery Across Three Countries
His future seemed insurmountable. But the heights he reached were well worth the climb…
Allan J. "Alonzo" Wind’s university life had already shaped his strong views about society’s injustices. But even as he rode an unquenchable thirst for excitement and adventure, focus and direction always felt beyond his grasp. So when the time came to charge out into the world, the intellectual hedonist held true to his high school dreams and joined the Peace Corps in pursuit of something bigger.
Sometimes staring down the wrong end of a gun due to his social service in an unfamiliar land, Alonzo’s compelling autobiographical account outlines how simple experiences, extraordinary connections, and rich communities left an indelible impact. Written to inspire those who long for a more unified world and cling ever harder to their hope for humanity, you’ll soon be chomping at the bit to start your own quest for what truly fuels your soul.
Join Alonzo and be moved by his incredible odyssey of love, loss, and life lessons learned, to begin your very own trek towards enlightenment.
Andean Adventures: An Unexpected Search for Meaning, Purpose and Discovery Across Three Countries is a captivating memoir of simpler times that embody the true spirit of being human. If you like whirlwind exploits, hard-earned wisdom, and stunning scenes, then you’ll adore Allan J. Wind’s poignant tale.
Buy Andean Adventures to plant your flag high today!270 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 26, 2020
63 people are currently reading
1616 people want to read
About the author
Allan J. "Alonzo" Wind
10 books238 followersAllan J. "Alonzo" Wind is currently a Senior Advisor and Scholar for the Foundation for Law and International Affairs (FLIA) and routinely conducts policy analyses. He is part of the group Supporters (Friends) of Standing Together in the Washington DC metro area.
He served from February 2022 – December 2023 as the International Medical Corps Mission Director in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt), supervising a staff of seven expats of different nationalities and over 75 local Palestinian staff, in Gaza and Bethlehem. He was elected in 2022 to the Executive Committee of the Association for International Development Agencies (AIDA) and served on the UN OCHA Humanitarian Country Team and UN HF Advisory Board.
Mr. Wind is a retired Senior Foreign Service Officer from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), having worked for 22 years on diplomatic assignments with USAID primarily overseas in Peru, Nicaragua, Angola, Nigeria, Iraq, Afghanistan and South Africa.
Mr. Wind previously worked for fifteen years for different nonprofit private voluntary organizations in Ecuador, Bolivia, the Dominican Republic, and the UK, among others, also serving as the Global Programme Coordinator of the International Save the Children Alliance Secretariat. Mr. Wind also serves on the Boards of Directors of different NGOs, including Hunger Relief International, supporting their efforts with the neediest in Guatemala and Haiti.
He graduated from the University of Chicago. He is originally a New Yorker, and as a high schooler he was a "subway rat" attending the famous Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan. There he studied creative writing for two years with his teacher, the famous Irish American writer Frank McCourt. He has always been an avid science fiction fan and sometime writer, and notes that writing science fiction and creative writing under Frank was invaluable for future U.S. government work.
He served from February 2022 – December 2023 as the International Medical Corps Mission Director in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories (oPt), supervising a staff of seven expats of different nationalities and over 75 local Palestinian staff, in Gaza and Bethlehem. He was elected in 2022 to the Executive Committee of the Association for International Development Agencies (AIDA) and served on the UN OCHA Humanitarian Country Team and UN HF Advisory Board.
Mr. Wind is a retired Senior Foreign Service Officer from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), having worked for 22 years on diplomatic assignments with USAID primarily overseas in Peru, Nicaragua, Angola, Nigeria, Iraq, Afghanistan and South Africa.
Mr. Wind previously worked for fifteen years for different nonprofit private voluntary organizations in Ecuador, Bolivia, the Dominican Republic, and the UK, among others, also serving as the Global Programme Coordinator of the International Save the Children Alliance Secretariat. Mr. Wind also serves on the Boards of Directors of different NGOs, including Hunger Relief International, supporting their efforts with the neediest in Guatemala and Haiti.
He graduated from the University of Chicago. He is originally a New Yorker, and as a high schooler he was a "subway rat" attending the famous Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan. There he studied creative writing for two years with his teacher, the famous Irish American writer Frank McCourt. He has always been an avid science fiction fan and sometime writer, and notes that writing science fiction and creative writing under Frank was invaluable for future U.S. government work.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
September 21, 2020
This is the best book of essays I have ever read!
From a teniment house in New York to a stent in the peace corps in Ecuador and that was just the beginning of all the adventures Allen wind would have. After the Peace Corps he worked for the Minister of health and Faye Bueno Ecuador, only to travel south the words to Peru, Bolivia everywhere in South America. This is where he would find friends, his new family his wife Mabel and a bunch of happy memories that those who don’t turn the happiness into Motion never achieved. He has lived a life anyone can be proud of. I totally enjoyed reading this book and can definitely see why anyone would call these the good all days. He knew as much about the countries he lived in as one would know about the home country. I never got the feeling it was him against the people that live in the country, But that he just easily moved into his role in whatever that implied. I enjoyed all the stories. I highly recommend this book if you love travel stories and knowing the inside scoop of peoples lives this is the book, If you like stories about travels and adventures then you’ll love this book. Be a fly on the wall… On many walls in South America with Alan wind. A great great story.
From a teniment house in New York to a stent in the peace corps in Ecuador and that was just the beginning of all the adventures Allen wind would have. After the Peace Corps he worked for the Minister of health and Faye Bueno Ecuador, only to travel south the words to Peru, Bolivia everywhere in South America. This is where he would find friends, his new family his wife Mabel and a bunch of happy memories that those who don’t turn the happiness into Motion never achieved. He has lived a life anyone can be proud of. I totally enjoyed reading this book and can definitely see why anyone would call these the good all days. He knew as much about the countries he lived in as one would know about the home country. I never got the feeling it was him against the people that live in the country, But that he just easily moved into his role in whatever that implied. I enjoyed all the stories. I highly recommend this book if you love travel stories and knowing the inside scoop of peoples lives this is the book, If you like stories about travels and adventures then you’ll love this book. Be a fly on the wall… On many walls in South America with Alan wind. A great great story.
September 26, 2020
A warm friend showing you the people of the Andes
I sat down with a book and I received an extended visit with a friend showing me the people of the Andes. Having read about hiking the country previously I had not met the people or seen the needs. Now I feel I have. Thanks, I look forward to more.
I sat down with a book and I received an extended visit with a friend showing me the people of the Andes. Having read about hiking the country previously I had not met the people or seen the needs. Now I feel I have. Thanks, I look forward to more.
September 22, 2020
For anyone wanting the back story on international development
Alonzo Wind has written a compelling tale of the nitty gritty of a development worker in the third world. It is a personal, and highly entertaining story of his own path into this wide field. As a former career USAID’er myself, I particularly enjoyed his tales of his Peace Corps days in Ecuador. He made a major difference at an early age, with far fewer resources than most development projects. The section on Bolivia slowed me down a bit, with perhaps too many names, but I recommend this book to anyone contemplating this kind of career, and to the older folks who have already “been there.” Cuz even if you were, you probably didn’t “do that.”
Alonzo Wind has written a compelling tale of the nitty gritty of a development worker in the third world. It is a personal, and highly entertaining story of his own path into this wide field. As a former career USAID’er myself, I particularly enjoyed his tales of his Peace Corps days in Ecuador. He made a major difference at an early age, with far fewer resources than most development projects. The section on Bolivia slowed me down a bit, with perhaps too many names, but I recommend this book to anyone contemplating this kind of career, and to the older folks who have already “been there.” Cuz even if you were, you probably didn’t “do that.”
March 23, 2023
Very interesting
Please note: I won this book in a GoodReads giveaway. Rating 4.5 rounded up to 5
I’m not big on memoirs, but this one was very interesting and I liked learning more about South America. I also work in health advocacy (though in a very different way) and could related to some of the frustrations and obstacles Wind faced.
This book is for people interested in 80s and 90s geopolitical and health work in South America and fans of memoirs.
One detraction would be the editing. There were a few typos, especially near the end, that were a bit distracting.
Please note: I won this book in a GoodReads giveaway. Rating 4.5 rounded up to 5
I’m not big on memoirs, but this one was very interesting and I liked learning more about South America. I also work in health advocacy (though in a very different way) and could related to some of the frustrations and obstacles Wind faced.
This book is for people interested in 80s and 90s geopolitical and health work in South America and fans of memoirs.
One detraction would be the editing. There were a few typos, especially near the end, that were a bit distracting.
July 20, 2022
It was interesting to hear about places that our church mission group have visited in Ecuador. I also found out more about the Peace Corps. Over all a good book.
I won this book in a Goodreads book giveaway.
I won this book in a Goodreads book giveaway.
December 12, 2020
I won this in a Goodreads giveaway.
Very informative memoir about the author's time in South America.
Very informative memoir about the author's time in South America.
August 3, 2021
I wanted to learn about life and culture of the Andean people. Author wanted to talk about his life.
January 19, 2021
Allan Wind knew he wanted to join the Peace Corps from pretty early in his life. But he expected that he would serve two years abroad and then return to the US and continue his career. He became a Peace Corps volunteer (PCV) and served for two years in Ecuador but after that he did not return home. He stayed on in Ecuador, working in development, later working in Bolivia and Peru as well.
This is a memoir of the early years of Wind’s lifelong career in development. He begins his journey after college in 1980. From the beginning he is an agitator, always trying to go beyond his job description to do more. Taking on additional tasks as the opportunities present themselves.
His approach is very popular with his Ecuadorean sponsors and counterparts, but not so much with Peace Corps administrators. Thus after two years the locals want him to stay on, but Peace Corps Ecuador refuses. So Wind gets a job with an NGO (Non–Governmental Organization) to be able to continue his work. Thus begins an odyssey of moving from one position to another as opportunities emerge. He ends up spending a career in international development, beginning with twelve years in the Andean countries of Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru, the years described in this memoir.
Like many others Mr. Wind has struggled to find inspiration and motivation for public life during the Trump administration and especially the COVID–19 pandemic. He states:
I offer this book to recall better days. I want to remind us when national service in Peace Corps, charities and nongovernmental organizations abroad offered a chance to help. When service abroad offered a chance to find meaning and purpose.
I encourage you to read Mr. Wind’s memoir and hope you are inspired by it as I was.
This is a memoir of the early years of Wind’s lifelong career in development. He begins his journey after college in 1980. From the beginning he is an agitator, always trying to go beyond his job description to do more. Taking on additional tasks as the opportunities present themselves.
His approach is very popular with his Ecuadorean sponsors and counterparts, but not so much with Peace Corps administrators. Thus after two years the locals want him to stay on, but Peace Corps Ecuador refuses. So Wind gets a job with an NGO (Non–Governmental Organization) to be able to continue his work. Thus begins an odyssey of moving from one position to another as opportunities emerge. He ends up spending a career in international development, beginning with twelve years in the Andean countries of Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru, the years described in this memoir.
Like many others Mr. Wind has struggled to find inspiration and motivation for public life during the Trump administration and especially the COVID–19 pandemic. He states:
I offer this book to recall better days. I want to remind us when national service in Peace Corps, charities and nongovernmental organizations abroad offered a chance to help. When service abroad offered a chance to find meaning and purpose.
I encourage you to read Mr. Wind’s memoir and hope you are inspired by it as I was.
December 5, 2021
If you love travel stories and adventures, this is the book for you!
This book was so interesting and enjoyable. It was honestly even better than I anticipated!
It was fascinating to get an inside scoop of life in other countries (to my own). The author has shared tales of his Peace Corps and International Development days. While it provides insight as to what a career and life might be like if you too join up, or pursue a career in that field, I didn't feel like I had to have that want in order to read the story.
Even for people who have traveled the world, I think the author's experiences would differ vastly from your own visits to the South American places mentioned in the book, and it would be an interesting read and at times humorous.
While this can be considered a book of personal essays, taken from the author's journals during his time spent in South America, I felt like it read more like a memoir story. I felt like it was important to read cover to cover vs individual essays, where one might seek out random chapters here and there to read. I was pleased with how the story unfolded and the book's layout. It didn't feel like individual essays or chapters, it felt like a cohesive story throughout, and read as being well edited.
I sincerely look forward to reading future stories by him, and have recommended this book to others.
**Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest unbiased review**Free media does not affect my review.**
This book was so interesting and enjoyable. It was honestly even better than I anticipated!
It was fascinating to get an inside scoop of life in other countries (to my own). The author has shared tales of his Peace Corps and International Development days. While it provides insight as to what a career and life might be like if you too join up, or pursue a career in that field, I didn't feel like I had to have that want in order to read the story.
Even for people who have traveled the world, I think the author's experiences would differ vastly from your own visits to the South American places mentioned in the book, and it would be an interesting read and at times humorous.
While this can be considered a book of personal essays, taken from the author's journals during his time spent in South America, I felt like it read more like a memoir story. I felt like it was important to read cover to cover vs individual essays, where one might seek out random chapters here and there to read. I was pleased with how the story unfolded and the book's layout. It didn't feel like individual essays or chapters, it felt like a cohesive story throughout, and read as being well edited.
I sincerely look forward to reading future stories by him, and have recommended this book to others.
**Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest unbiased review**Free media does not affect my review.**
July 10, 2021
This was an extremely inspiring account of Wind's time in South America. In spite of his youth, he was very insightful and really grasped the importance of the participatory involvement of those communities being served. The journey tracks Wind's ongoing growth and discovery of himself and the meaning he is searching for. I would love to see a sequel of the next chapters in the story, the other places he, Mabel, and Katrina Rose traveled to, and the lessons learned along the way. I love the maps and wish I had realized they were there when I started reading the account! What a wonderful, engaging book!
September 2, 2022
This book is the epitome of living vicariously through someone. The adventures through different countries in a pre-technology world. Absolutely amazing. Ups and downs of culture clashes and working through them. Bringing education and resources to communities to help better them and working through some bureaucratic red tape. I won this through a good reads giveaway and am happy to have had the opportunity to read this captivating story that provided a glimpse into a world I have never been exposed to.
December 27, 2020
Full review here: https://reedsy.com/discovery/book/and...
December 30, 2023
Such a beautiful view into the Andes people. I loved this. It was inspiring and eye opening. I felt like the different essays were truly well written!
I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.
I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.
February 18, 2021
A lovely trip for the mind, filled with interesting people and events and thought-provoking insights.
June 30, 2021
Hard to put down
August 5, 2021
This isn’t the typical book I would read, but it touched base with some many things that are close to me as well. You have lived the life I only dreamed of.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews