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Friday July 14, 2018

Hello Friends and Family!

Despite delayed flights and missed bags, almost all of us have arrived safely to our home base of Ollantaytambo (Ollantay)!

Upon arriving at the airport, we loaded up onto passenger vans to make the hour and a half trip to Ollantay, located in the heart of the Sacred Valley. Along the way, we passed through open golden fields, winded through snow capped mountains, and ultimately followed the bank of the strong Urubamba river home to our lodging, where we will live for the next two weeks.

Here in Ollantay, we are located in a river valley, nestled by tall mountains speckled by Incan ruins. Upon arriving at home base, we received a tour of our accommodation and ate a hearty lunch. Our afternoon was relatively lax, as we all took time to rest, settle in, and begin to adjust to the altitude of 9,000 feet! In the evening, we engaged in orientation-lite— establishing house norms and participating in several get-know-you games before dinner.

Lights out will be pretty early tonight as we prepare to launch head-first into our Service in the Sacred Valley program tomorrow. We will be beginning our day with more orientation, before taking a tour of Ollantay and the surrounding ruins.

We are still waiting on two of our students and are excited to greet them with open arms! Stay posted for our group photo coming to you shortly!

With Anticipation and Zeal,

Service in the Sacred Valley Staff

Sunday July 15, 2018

Hola from Peru! We started off our first full day by watching the final match of the World Cup. Our local director, Raquel, told us about the history of Ollantaytambo and explained the culture to us. We went into the town for a delicious lunch, then walked to the ruins that are in Ollantaytambo, visible from Home Base. Before entering the ruins, we walked through a small market and some of us bought our first Peruvian souvenirs.

We had great tour guide who explained the history of the ruins and the stories of the land that we are living on. We explored the ruins for a few hours, and then some of us explored another area while the rest of the group played games and did yoga. On our way back to town, some of us stopped at the chocolate store. The chocolate was delicious. We then enjoyed a nice pasta dinner back at Home Base. We played a guessing game that determined our mentor groups, then met with our groups and played some games to get to know one another.

Adios!

-by Cecilia, Edgar, and Max

Monday July 16, 2018

Today we met our nonprofit partner, Awamaki, an organization which teams up with women cooperatives who make handwoven goods, helping them create a more stable and reliable source of income.

After being briefed on what kind of work we would be doing, we split into groups and explored our home town of Ollantaytambo. We participated in a scavenger hunt to become further acquainted with the surrounding ruins and alleys. Following the scavenger hunt, we visited an alpaca and llama farm and had the opportunity to feed the animals and learn more about them.

After, we drove to the village of Pisac for lunch and stumbled upon a massive festival which included large floats and marching bands walking through the town center. After a delicious lunch at a local restaurant called The Blue Llama, we visited the market and many of us purchased traditional alpaca clothing, blankets, and bags.

Finally, to close out a long day of adventure, we visited and climbed up the ancient ruins of Pisac and got to see parts of mountains that had been carved out into caves and tunnels to serve as burials for Incans. We had a very full and adventurous day; now for hot showers and some good rest!

With Zeal,

Service in the Sacred Valley

Tuesday July 17, 2018

Today was our first day of service. After driving up to the worksite in the village of Huilloc, we were split into groups to dig up rocks, create mud, carry buckets of water, and sift dirt.

We worked for about three hours and then met some of the women who are involved with Awamaki. They greeted us with Peruvian flower necklaces and made us corn and potato soup for lunch.

We then went back to home base we each got to make our own object out of pottery. After we finished, we learned and played native Peruvian music, using flutes, djembes, and a cajón! Thanks for keeping up to date with us; stay tuned for another full day of fun tomorrow!

With Zeal,
Service in the Sacred Valley

Wednesday July 18, 2018

Today was our second day of service at Huilloc. Like yesterday, we were split into groups and we preformed a selection of jobs.

Some of us were making bricks out of mud that we made yesterday, removing rocks from the area that will be a patio, and sifting dirt to make the mud.

After our half day of service we returned to the base camp for lunch. After lunch we had the opportunity to go into town and get snacks for tomorrow’s hike and exchange money for future purposes. We also had the chance to connect to WiFi in a local cafe and get something small to eat.

Afterward, we returned back and had a briefing about the trail we will be hiking— the Lares trek. We had dinner and prepared for the hike. Overall, it was a great day and we are all excited for tomorrow.

Thursday July 19, 2018

Today we started our exciting 2 day Lares trek!

We began with a 3 hour bus ride with gorgeous views and then began our hike. Although it was raining, everyone was in high spirits and ready to get started. We hiked 2 hours to lunch and ate an amazing 4 course meal in a small town on the side of our trail called Wacawasi.

Afterwards, we continued our hike which became even more difficult due to the increasing elevation, something none of us even thought was possible. Three hours later we finally made it to our campsite.

The campsite consisted of many tents surrounded by the Andean mountains. After we got to the campsite, we shared snacks and then rested until dinner. We had a four course dinner and then headed to sleep in the freezing cold. Despite the challenges, it was an amazing day.

Friday July 20, 2018

We started off our day with an early breakfast in the beautiful town of Aguas Calientes. After breakfast, we ventured out into the rain to get on the bus to Machu Picchu.

The rain was discouraging, but everyone was still excited to see Machu Picchu. We climbed up many, many stairs to get up to the ancient city, and everyone was surprised when we got up there and couldn’t see anything because it was so cloudy. After a few minutes, the clouds cleared and we could see Machu Picchu in all of its glory. Everyone was wowed. The light clouds surrounding the mountains made it look magical and mystical. We spent a while taking pictures and taking in the view.

We split up into tour groups to learn more about Machu Picchu. We learned about the techniques that the Incan people used to built amazingly strong buildings that have stayed strong for hundreds of years. We learned about how these people used light from the sun to measure time, and we learned about symbols that they used to represent the land.

After exploring the ruins, we took a bus back down to Aguas Calientes for a delicious lunch. We then got to explore the town and pick up some souvenirs at the local market. The train ride back to Ollantaytambo took almost 2 hours, then we ate dinner back at home base.

To end our day, we had a speaker come in and share some very interesting philosophies and perspectives with us about the world.

Adios!

-Service in the Sacred Valley Team

Saturday July 21, 2018

Hola from 14,000ft! Last night was an unforgettable experience. After a long six hour hike, we settled down at base camp. We quickly fell asleep, excited for the next morning.

Day 7 started with snow flurries and a beautiful sunrise. After a quick breakfast, we began our second day of trekking. From 14,000, we hiked up 600ft to the summit where we learned about Incan culture. Next, we descended the mountain towards a village for lunch and our bus ride back to Home Base.

We arrived at Home Base and promptly packed our backpacks for the Machu Picchu excursion. We took a roughly two hour train ride to the town of Aguas Calientes and quickly settled down in our hotel. We were all excited for the next day’s adventure.

Sunday July 22, 2018

Finally we see the sun. We began our day bright and early and after a hearty breakfast got comfy on a bus for 2 hours. Our destination was a cozy, outdoorsy stop where we prepared for our thrilling rafting experience. The wetsuits, jackets, shoes, and life jackets were a bit too wet and cold for comfort, but we eventually got used to them and the outcome was totally worth it. This was a first time rafting trip for many us and I think we all agreed it was tons of fun.

Although our hands were numb, the close calls, teamwork, and competitive splashing made it worth while. The rafting trip felt way too short but the amazing guides provided us the opportunity to zipline over the river afterwards. Going against many of our fears we did it, and although it was short and simple, it was quite exhilarating. After another 2 hour trip back to home base we enjoyed a fabulously made meal and celebrated Kaitlyn’s birthday with a yummy cake. Pacha Mama blessing us with clear skies for star gazing was just the cherry on top to this amazing day.

Monday July 23, 2018

The day started at 8 am amazingly as it hadn’t for a while. We ate breakfast at a preferred and normal time and went right to work at the weaving center in Huilloc. We endured around five hours of physical labor with a great lunch break (fried rice!), and afterwards drove back to Ollantaytambo for a well deserved break. After the hour and a half long relaxation period, we headed out to one of the most amazing dinners of the trip. We ate different pizzas (cheese, Hawaiian, and even Alpaca), and everyone seemed as happy or happier than they had been for a while. We even got another surprise when the mentors took us out for brownies and ice cream. This put a cap on a great day. We went back shortly after and did mentor groups until around 8:30 pm. The rest of the night was relaxation and sleeping, and it served as a satisfying finale for a wonderful day.

Tuesday July 24, 2018

Buenos Días Everyone,

Today we were finally blessed with beautiful weather! After having breakfast, we made way to the service site in Huilloc and everyone applied some SPF before getting to work.

We made some progress today and definitely became more efficient at our human chain system. We saw a lot of hard workers today and had loads of fun learning and helping to the best of our abilities.

After lunch, back at home base, we split up into two groups: The first group went to the chocolate museum first and learnt about the Peruvian art of making chocolate. The second group went to the city centre first to go shopping and change money and then joined the chocolate adventure after the first group had finished.

Both groups first made two types of hot chocolate (the way the Mayans made it and then the way the Spanish changed it) by grinding cocoa and adding lots of ingredients and then everyone made their own chocolate molds.

After loads of fun and a sugar rush we all regrouped at home base and then had dinner together. We ended the night with a bonfire under a clear night where we played some song battle games, told scary stories and had a bunch of laughs.

What a fun day!

Thursday July 26, 2018

¡Buenos días!

We began our day by walking to the plaza to meet up with our bus driver for our last day of service in Huilloc. Sadly, Max, Ethan, and Isaac could not join service because they were under the weather. We had a very productive half service day; we sifted, made cement, and leveled the patio. Everyone worked very hard today. After service, we went back to Ollantaytambo for a delicious lunch.

After lunch, a Peruvian shaman came to home base and performed a sacred ritual to bring us blessings for our future. The shaman displayed his beliefs through a ceremony.

After the ritual, we got the choice to play soccer in town with the locals or stay at home base and relax. Later, we sat down for a chicken stir fry dinner. And then everyone enjoyed an exciting trivia game night.

¡Hasta Luego!

Thursday July 26, 2018

We woke up and had a nutritious breakfast and then made our way to Huilloc.

We stopped to look at some pre-Incan terraces and learned their purpose and history. We also stopped again to visit a small colonial church, tucked away among tall mountains.

We arrived to Huilloc and the women greeted us with open arms and muña tea. They demonstrated how they weave and dye their textiles, and then thought us how to make our own bracelets. After, we ate a large, traditional lunch.

We then beaded back for home base and got ready for our farewell dinner. After a short walk into town, we are s beautiful meal at a local restaurant, topped off with chocolate cake! We then returned to home base to begin packing.

It’s a bittersweet feeling as we prepare to leave Ollantaytambo and our new-found friends, but we are excited to come home and see all of you!

Hasta Pronto!

Service in the Sacred Valley

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Thursday June 28, 2018

What an exciting day we had in Peru! Our great team of Mentors woke up very early to meet all our students in Cusco for their arrival. After many long hours of travel, students were grateful to have friendly faces waiting to help them at the airport. Once we got all the bags- everyone’s bag made it!- we took our shuttles back to Homebase.

As you can see in the group picture, Homebase is situated right in the mountains. Our town is at the end of the Sacred Valley and is called Ollantaytambo (It’s easier to say after some practice). This evening involved name games, orientation, getting to know everyone and mentor groups. We have two adventurous weeks planned and I look forward to working with this group of bright individuals. Everyone headed to bed early to get a good night’s rest. Not without stopping to gaze at the brilliant stars overhead first though!

Stay tuned for updates of our service activities, cultural adventures and outdoor excursions!

P.S. Our Local Director, Raquel, is hiding out in the far right of the picture! She’s super happy to welcome this group of students to her home town and share all her local knowledge.

Sheila Moriarty
International Director

Saturday June 30, 2018

We had another amazing day in Peru! The day began with a tour of the local ruins and the town of Ollantaytambo. We got to experience our first market and learn some history of our town. Later in the day after a wonderful lunch, we had an option of going to a WiFi caffe, playing SOCCER!!!, or staying at the home base. I chose soccer and so did quite a few others:) It was so much fun, and one boy named Jose that was watching us joined our game!

He was so good and so was everyone else. The ball went over the wall once though but we retrieved it and a cactus didn’t pop it unlike last trip so yay! Once you got over the altitude it was amazing! And we might be playing more soccer later in the week! Then we went back and talked with our group in preparation for this amazing Quechuan and Spanish story teller. He shared tales of his Incan ancestors and how in their culture one plus one can equal three- it’s crazy!

The Andean/Amazonian cultures believe that everything has two parts, like moon and sun, male and female, past and future. He talked about the need for multicultural professors in order to understand these beliefs. He also explained why the children think the way they do to help us make sense of their fundamentally different ways of thought. He told us about how grandparents are considered the future and grandchildren the past for being born later while the grandparents were born before. It was truly amazing! I’m just so blessed to be here and to experience this with all these amazing people!:)

-Ella Kopperud:)😜

Sunday July 1, 2018

Stayed the first day service today, we left home base around 9am and arrived in Huillac around 10. The natives told us about their culture and taught us some basic Quechua phrases. Shortly after, we continued building the weaving center to help the women of Huillac become economically independent. Service included: mixing mud into clay to be later used to make bricks, clearing out space in the structure. After cleaning up, we arrived back at home base for lunch. Following some free time, local musicians and artists came to teach us ceramic basics and native Peruvian music. The group separated to either play soccer or go to the market to get snacks. We all joined back at home base for dinner and immediately following there was a surprise bonfire, where we told ghost stories, bonded and sang together.

-by Ava and Peri

Monday July 2, 2018

Today we had a full day of service. There was brick making, dirt sifting, rock breaking and ground leveling at different stations. We got to the foundation at around 10 o’clock and worked until lunch which was at 12. We went to Marta’s (she is the president of the women’s co-up we are working with) house for lunch where we had fried rice and crackers. After lunch we went back up to the foundation and worked until 3. We got back to home base around 4 and some students went to go play soccer with the locals. We then went to dinner at a local pizza place. Some of us got the chance to try alpaca pizza. Overall it was a rewarding and fun filled day!!

-Brooke & Nichole

Tuesday July 3, 2018

Today we had a full day of service working to construct the weaving center for the women of Huilloc. We left home base after breakfast around 9:00 and arrived at the site around 9:45. We continued our work from yesterday by splitting up into stations that consisted of sifting, mixing adobe, laying mud bricks, creating mud bricks, shoveling dirt, hammering stones, and collecting water. We worked hard until lunch around 12:30 at Marta’s house where we ate rice with squash soup. After lunch we were presented with the work of several women weavers who sell their goods to Awamaki (the NGO we are partnered with). We were given the opportunity to buy items straight from the women who made them and thank them personally. We then headed back to the service site and continued to work until 3:00. We later got back to home base around 4:00. We had dinner at 6:00 and began packing for our trek tomorrow morning!

– Abby & Bailey

Wednesday July 4, 2018

Hola everyone! Greetings from Peru! Even though we were not in the US for the Fourth of July this year, we all had a great time celebrating by starting our 2 day hike.

We had to get up super early for breakfast at 5:45. Afterwards, we took off on a bus ride to the start of our hike. We hiked for around 3 hours before stopping for lunch in a little town. We were able to give the local children some gifts such as pencils and marbles. The views throughout the entire hike today was absolutely incredible. We walked among wild alpacas, llamas, horses, and sheep.

After lunch, we hiked another 3 hours which was mostly uphill to our camp site. We all settled down, ate some dinner, and gazed at all the breathtaking stars. To celebrate the Fourth of July, we each got sparklers and had cake! We topped off the night by singing some classic American songs such as The Star Spangled Banner, Party in the USA, and Firework, by Katy Perry. Most of us fell asleep early because of being so exhausted from the hike.

We are all very excited to finish our hike tomorrow. Hasta luego!

-Brenna, Emily, and Peyton

Thursday July 5, 2018

Today we woke up at 6 o’clock in order to pack up our tents and get ready for the second half of the trek. We left shortly after breakfast and had an hour of hiking upwards until we reached the overpass, the highest point of the trek at over 14,000 feet! The hike was super difficult but the breathtaking views were definitely worth it.

We made a traditional Andean offering to Pacha Mama with a rock statue at the top of the pass. The rest of the afternoon involved hiking through high alpine mountains until arriving to Patacantcha for lunch. It was about three more hours of hiking but again, the dank views made it worth it. After lunch, we drove back to home base to pack an overnight bag and to have dinner in town, later catching the train to Aguas Calientes to stay in a hotel for the night. We are all tired from our hike but very excited for Machu Picchu tomorrow!!!

-Lucy, Joey and Thomas

Friday July 6, 2018

Machu Pichu, a place of wonder, freedom, and ideas. Machu Pichu is one of the world’s seven wonders and one of its many mysteries. Besides being an Inca civilization no one knows what it was for. Some say it was a convent for the virgins of the sun, others day it was a beautiful winter sanctuary. However the tour guide of my group, Santi, said something that struck my interest. He said that Machu Picchu was a freedom to decide what you thought about it. What I’ve decided is that Machu Picchu is freedom itself to express all the beautiful sides of humanity of the Incan people. Machu Picchu is beautiful! It has amazing architecture of the Inca people. You could tell who was royal versus unimportant based on how the stones were shaped and if there was clay in between them or not. The Mountain views were breathtaking, and you could really feel the energy of everything around you. Walking in the Inca’s footsteps showed us how truly amazing they were and like them we can always be a part of something bigger. Like the Incas to the mountains, we are to our service project.:) over all it was a very fun and beautiful adventure!!!:) alrighty bye for now!:)😜😋

-by Ella K.

Saturday July 7, 2018

Today we slept in and had a great breakfast. Afterwards, we went to play soccer or get wifi at a local café for an hour. Then, we drove to Pisaq and had a delicious three course lunch at a restaurant where we sat on pillows on the floor. Later, we shopped at an outdoor market for souvenirs and fun gifts. Bartering in a local market was super exciting! After the Pisac market we got to go to an Alpaca farm! We were taught how the wool is made into very soft, high-quality goods.

We saw some women weaving the yarn from the alpaca wool. We also got to feed the Alpacas some alfalfa! After the alpaca farm we got to visit some ruins near Pisac. We learned about the burial traditions of the Incas and saw some tombs in the mountains. On our way back to Ollantaytambo we stopped at a restaurant that sold cuy (guinea pig) and everyone that wanted to got to try some (Cuy is a delicacy in Peru!).

-by Nichole & Chelsea

Sunday July 8, 2018

We woke up early again today for a scenic hour bus ride to Cusipata for rafting. When we arrived, we received wetsuits and safety gear to help us stay warm in the frigid rapids. We were split up into rafts in groups of 6 and learned the basics for Class 2-3 rapids. After this, we got on the river and realized just how cold the water was when the sun went behind the clouds. Even though the wind and water were chilly, the wetsuits did their job! The adventure was unforgettable with several exciting parts along the river. We had lunch at the lodge after warming up and had the opportunity to zip line over the river! We drove back home and played an intense game of Peruvian jeopardy after dinner, and although we were all exhausted by the end, we enjoyed today’s adventure!

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Tuesday June 12, 2018

After a long day of travel, the majority of the students for the first Service in the Sacred Valley Program of the summer have arrived!!! We are looking forward to having the whole team together when the rest get in on Thursday (Alexander Judson, Harris Hussain, Leead Silverstone, and William Stanwick). Our first group picture came out a little blurry but I think that it speaks to home much of a blur day one was. All of our students successfully arrived to Cusco despite numerous delays, missed connections and long days. I’m very proud of everyone for navigating the unexpected hurdles that international travel can provide. This is a group of bright individuals with a wide range of personalities and experiences. Speaking of bright, the snapshot of snow-capped peaks and yellow fields and flowers was taken on our bus ride from Cusco to the Sacred Valley.

Once everyone got settled in, the amazing team of Mentors led a variety of fun activities to get to know one another and our home for the next two weeks. We all shared dinner at our homebase in the town of Ollantaytambo. I included a photo overlooking our small mountain community- we are surrounded by towering Andean peaks and beautiful Incan ruins. I am looking forward to our meaningful service project we begin tomorrow. Stay tuned for more details about the adventures to come!

Saludos de Peru!
Sheila Moriarty
International Director

 

 

Thursday June 14, 2018

This morning we woke up to scrambled eggs, rolls, fruit and popcorn for breakfast!! YUM!! We then headed to our service site where we unloaded GIANT logs, hauled them back to the sight and then stripped the outer layer of bark off the tree. We ate lunch and then headed back to home base where we rested before dinner. For dinner we had some Peruvian mac n cheese and then played a World Cup debate game that showed us how to be more open minded. We then had our mentor groups and went to bed!! Can’t wait for tomorrow!

-by Carol & Cassidy

Friday June 15, 2018

We started out the day by visiting Saqsaywaman (or sexywoman), a site that hold the ruins of the Incas. There, we saw a sacrificial platform and the cave where mummification took place. We also had fun racing each other down the naturally formed slides on the other side of Sexywoman. We then had a very yummy buffet lunch in the heart of Cusco where we threw caution to the wind by trying alpaca stew and purple sushi. We walked off our meals by competing in a scavenger hunt around San Pedro market in the old city, before taking some time to shop for ourselves ( and maybe some lucky friends and family 😉 )

Written by the Leaders of Day: Avery, Nick, and Devon

Saturday June 16, 2018

Today was such a fun day despite having to drag ourselves out of bed for breakfast at 6:45. After a long bus drive we arrived at a beautiful little campsite to go white water rafting! we got geared up with wetsuits and headed out into the freezing cold rapids. Though it seemed a little scary at first, rafting turned out to be a blast! After the cold rapids we got to warm up in a sauna at the raft operation lodge. Their dog was absolutely adorable! After a delicious lunch we went zip lining over the river. What a thrill! Finally we had an amazing quechua speaker after dinner that talked the about the Andes culture and folklore. We even got to buy some of the children’s books he wrote to help support the local communities. Can’t wait to see alpacas tomorrow!

~ Kayla, Riley, and Peter

Sunday June 17, 2018

Today we started the day with a drive to Pisaq where we walked through an alpaca and llama farm. The animals were so cute and social: we even got to pet, feed, and take selfies with them! We then went on an interesting tour through an ancient Incan cemetery hidden in the mountains. We learned about how the Incans burried and worshipped their dead. From there, our group had a delicious lunch at a local place called the Blue Llama. After we were refreshed with food, the group started shopping in the Pisaq market. Some of us truly shopped till we dropped! We finished up our day adventure by trying the local delicacy cuy – they actually eat guinea pig here! The day in Pisaq was super fun and we can’t wait to explore more in the coming week!

Cecilia & Jamie

Monday June 18, 2018

Today we learned about the community, Patacancha, where we have done our service. We went to a Pre-Incan worship site which during colonization was turned into a church which is still used today by the local population. We also visited some terraces that have been used for farming for centuries. They dug canals from a glacier to irrigation every level of the terrace! Then we went to our service site to learn from the local women. They taught us how they dye and spin wool. It’s way more work than I could have ever imagined! Afterwards, the women also helped us to weave our own bracelets! After sharing a traditional Andean lunch, we went back to Ollantaytambo and shopped and visited the local bakery.

-Grace & Harris

Tuesday June 19, 2018

We had an amazing breakfast at 8:00 and left for the Awamaki office at 8:45. Awamaki is the non-profit we have been working with to do our service. We learned a lot about the organization from an intern named Kira. After that we split up into groups and went on a scavenger hunt through Ollantaytambo. On the scavenger hunt we saw Incan ruins, a farm, and new products from many Peruvian shops. Next we ate lunch at the home base before learning and experiencing local pottery and Andean music. Everyone got to play a variety of Andean, African, and Australian instruments. The pottery activity involved everyone making their own creation from a block of clay and painting it. We finished the day with a great dinner.
– Joylene and Alex M.

 

Wednesday June 20, 2018

Today was our final day at the service site. 🙁 We moved and stripped lots of large trees and also moved over 75 giant mud bricks. These materials will be used to finish the walls and roof on the new kitchen for the women’s co-op. Right before lunch with the women, we had a limbo contest! Megan won!! It’s amazing how much we learned during our service days in the local community. After we returned to home base, everyone was given the opportunity to either go to the town square or play soccer on the local field. We spent the night preparing for our trek and getting all packed. Big day ahead!!!

Love,
Alexa, Megan and Reese

Thursday June 21, 2018

Thursday morning we rose before the sun to eat an early breakfast at 5:45. We loaded onto buses, all packed for a two-day hike through the gorgeous Andes Mountains. A scenic three-hour bus ride later, we arrived at the beginning of our trek, with six miles to go until our camp. Our tour guides led us through a few miles of Andean beauty before we stopped for a delicious lunch prepared by our guide company’s chef in a small mountain community. Afterwards we continued on to our camp, at around 14000 feet of elevation. As the sun set beautifully over the snow-capped mountains and the thin air cooled, we bundled up in all the layers we had and waited for another great meal. We all went to bed soon after, resting for another day of hiking.

Friday June 22, 2018

Today, we woke up bright and early to the smell of breakfast and the cold mountain air. We started the second half of our Lares trek right after we ate. The first hour was probably the most difficult part of the entire hike, but once we reached the top the views were amazing! We were able to make an offering with coca leaves and rocks. Thankfully, after reaching the 14,000 ft peak, the remainder of the six miles was mostly downhill. We finished our hike in Pataconcha, our service site, where we had lunch made for us. After our amazing lunch we quickly went back to our home base to unpack our bags and prepare them for Machu Picchu. Once we were ready, we headed to a delicious buffet dinner in Ollantaytambo before catching a ride on the Inca Rail train. The train ride was very relaxing and almost everyone slept the entire way. Right now we just got to our hostel in Aguas Calientes and are preparing for another awesome day here in Peru, and the highlight of the trip- Machu Picchu! Excited for the rest of the trip!

By: Kelly, Leead, and Will K.

Sunday June 24, 2018

Today we were able to explore the beautiful Incan ruins here in Ollantaytambo. After a short and scenic walk up to the top we were able to take in the beautiful and historic view. After our morning of exploration we were out on the town. Although the time out in town was short the experience was amazing. Our final day in Ollantaytambo was definitely one for the books. We concluded the night with a farewell dinner and a short and sweet toast from Sheila. The trip overall was definitely one of the best experience ever. The mentors and local staff could not have done anything more to make these last two weeks any better, the students here on this trip can all confidently say that this trip has changed our lives for the better.

Hugs and kisses,

-Diallah, Will Stanwick and Maddie

 

Thursday August 3, 2018

After a full arrival day yesterday, we’re happy to report that 22 of our students have safely made it to home base! They are currently enjoying learning about Andean culture (and the homemade pineapple juice) before jumping in to service orientation this afternoon. We can’t wait for the last two members of our team, Brian and Owen, to arrive shortly!

Tuesday August 7, 2018

Well, ever since the arrival day that included many delays, the group has been up and running, adapting to new challenges. On the second day we all participated in a welcome ceremony led by Yuri, our wonderful host. We later learned various medical skills like how to take a blood pressure, how to take a heart rate, and how to communicate with our patients in Spanish. The last few days have also included a lot of games ranging from capture the flag to Simon says in Español. We watched The Bucket List or Antes de Partir as it’s known in Spanish and went white water rafting.

Today, in light of the transportation strikes going on in the surrounding areas, we stayed in. We all made up games based around the Spanish and medical skills we recently acquired. While most students played the games and had a discussion about big pharma(ceuticals), some of us helped construct a spiritual sweat lodge called a Mascal which was made of made of straw, adobe mud, and horse poop. Eventually our drivers made it over and we took the buses to Taray to finish painting the clinic.

After turning the building completely blue and the rusty truck a vibrant orange, we took a break to play (or watch) a friendly soccer game with some adorable local kids. Everybody has been bonding and getting to know each other, and new friends are being made every day. Free time is filled with card games, soccer tennis, and lots of laughs. We are all excited to get even closer to each other over the next week.

Wednesday August 8 through Friday August 10, 2018

On Wednesday morning, a couple of us went back to the clinic to finish up painting while the rest went to the Pisac Clinic to learn about vision testing. We learned how to conducts a vision test by having a patient close one eye and read each line of letters to determine the extent of their eyesight. After we finished training, we started the scavenger hunt around the town’s markets. I loved seeing all of the colors and different things being sold and it was super fun to walk around and talk to vendors in Spanish. My favorite part of the market was finding the chocolate store where a couple of us got to try different types of chocolate and buy drinks from its café.

-Kristin Lips

After the extensive tour of the market and a lunch at home base, we had a talented family over to educate us on traditional Peruvian rhythms and to lead activities on pottery and music. Everyone circled up in the Maloka and attempted to make clay creations. We then listened to our guests perform Andean songs and some of us participated; trying to play drums or guitar or pan flute. We then painted our pottery and packed up the instruments. We finished out this exhausting day by playing the night game Sardines, which was surprisingly difficult. All in all a fun-filled day.

-Katherine Shock

On Thursday we all woke up super early to go to a school in San Salvador. The school was really great because it is a private school that is free for smart kids living in poverty. At the school we tested kids in from second grade to sixth grade. We set up different stations where hemoglobin levels, vision, glucose levels, blood pressure, and heart rate were tested. Others went around with the kids to the stations to keep their vitals on a piece of paper and comfort them if they needed it, although most of the kids were pretty tough! After testing a little under 200 kids, we said goodbye and headed out to lunch. We had lunch at a restaurant in Pisac called El Sabor and then headed out to the ruins in Pisac.

-Caroline Gracey

After a fun time at the school, poking students with needles and causing bloodshed we took a fortyfive minute drive to the ruins of Pisac. Picking up our tour guides Alfredo and Mario we headed to the ticket stands to get admitted inside the ruins. The group of 24 as well as our guides and mentors climbed a decent amount up the mountain until we ran out of breath. The guides were telling us about the stories of the Incas and the wars they had on this mountain. They also showed us the area where they bury the dead and they lay them in a fetal position because they believe in the afterlife. After taking a ton of pictures like a pack of tourist we climbed to the top to take a better view of the mountain where half the group slipped and fell a little. To wrap up our tour we climbed down some steps which seemed to be meant for giants and we all headed home.

-Jaideep Bijjala

After a wonderful week, we had an amazing day starting with being able to go to a local clinic in Pisac and testing adults and young children for nutrition deficiencies. There we were able to once again practice taking hemoglobin and glucose tests and taking blood pressure. We also had the privilege to stop at a market and buy some sweets and snacks. After a delicious lunch of pasta and potatoes at home base, we had the luxury of having 2 doctors and 1 nurse come and talk to our group. Here we were able to ask questions about what it is like to be a medic in a developing country. We also learned a lot about the health and differences of each region and how this knowledge is very important to one’s health. In addition, we learned that many locals. Here drink cow spleen juice as it is an excellent provider of iron, which is a necessity as many people in Peru have Anemia due to lack of resources and knowledge. Now we are excited to see what dinner is and what will be instore for us for the rest of this marvelous trip!

-Serina Bernsen

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Monday July 9, 2018

We are so excited that our Session 2 Crew made it to home base in Lamay! Everyone arrived on time, and everyone’s luggage made it with them! We drove to our home base and we had a great lunch and a great dinner. We covered orientation in the afternoon, and now everyone is resting up and settling in to their rooms. We start our full schedule of service, leadership, and cultural activities tomorrow!

Thursday July 12, 2018

Hi Parents! Here’s a recap of day 4!

The Clinic

Within our small groups we got the chance to participate in health studies of the indigenous people of Peru. Each group went through five different rotations where we got the opportunity to take vitals, do blood tests for glucose and hemoglobin, make posters for awareness and listen in on a Gastrointestinal research study. Along with the chance to further our medical experience we got to appreciate and interact with the locals. The particular group we got to work with today consisted of elders (60+) who spoke both Spanish/Castellano and Quechua. Through this experience we saw the traditional Peruvian clothing which consisted of multiple beautiful and unique handmade sweaters. We also noticed the intricate way Peruvian women styled their hair, some woven with thread or cloth, but almost always in braids. Some of the challenges we endured involved dehydration of the patients which caused difficulties in taking blood tests. Even with a language barrier we still made our best efforts to connect on a personal level. We all enjoyed this special moment for our first time leaving home base and look forward to continuing our medical journey.

The Incan Ruins

Later in the day we drove to the Incan ruins in Pisaq. The ruins consisted of buildings made of stone and clay, a tomb with approximately 2,000 mummified corpses inside, and terraces that were used for agriculture. That’s a lot of ghosts. The ruins were constructed thousands of years ago. The ruins are chock full of fascinating history such as: very exact architecture and tombs that related to the status of the people, and terraces that were used to acclimate crops to elevation. The ruins were atop a mountain. When we reached the top, we were treated to breathtaking views of the scenery around us.

The Market

After hiking, we descended into the valley below to the Pisaq town market. The bustling market offered a variety of goods, such as gloves, hats, woven bags, alpaca sweaters, blankets, and socks. The market gave us a perfect opportunity to practice our bargaining skills… in Spanish! Outside the seemingly small market, there were several traditionally dressed people holding baby goats, lambs, and small alpacas available for pictures…..for a price. Once inside the market, we realized that it was actually very expansive. Vibrant colors exploded at every stall and intricately made alpaca figures roamed the tables. Overall, the independence that the market gave us a new perspective of life in Pisaq.

Buenos noches,

Sophia K., Tessa, Jayanna, Emily (Hi mom!), Georgia (sup dad), Adrienne

 

Saturday July 14 through Monday July 17, 2018

On Saturday the 14th we went white water rafting on the Urubamba river. After waking up at 7am, we left for a two-hour drive to the rafting center. The drive was monotonous until the end where we came upon a car crash. We pulled the bus over and our mentor Scott helped administer first aid because he is an EMT. We later learned that both people injured had broken bones but are recovering well. After the situation was cleared, we continued to the rafting center where we zip lined across the river. We then changed into wetsuits to prepare for the adventure. Our energetic river guide gave us a quick safety lesson and made us feel more comfortable with the situation. We then proceeded to the river in groups of five to six. From the launch point, we rafted 11 kilometers through cold waters, relying on each other to carry us down the river. The rapids weren’t too scary, but we had a ton of surprises with drops in the river. We reached our destination chilly but excited. After the ride home, we had a nice dinner while we were prepped for the three-day Soqma trail hike.

The following morning, we left at 5:30am for a two-hour bus ride to the mountain town of Soqma. Upon arrival, we were introduced to our trek guides and given advice for the challenging task ahead. Loaded with snacks and gear, we began the journey. Some students enjoyed the trek more than others, but the views were breathtaking to all. On the first day, the mostly uphill trail led us for three miles to our campsite. Along the way, we discovered an incredible waterfall pouring out of the mountainside. We stopped for a snack break at an Incan archeological site and received a brief history lesson about the Incan trails, which extend in the four cardinal directions from Cusco. Afterward, we continued to our campsite. The endpoint gave us much relief from the steep trail. The trek chefs provided with absolutely delicious food for the entire endeavor. Then, we wrapped ourselves in layers to sleep for the night.

We rose with the sun and were given coca tea to begin our expedition on day two. After a satisfying breakfast, we started the hike. Unfortunately, a few of our friends were unable to continue the rest of the trek due to altitude sickness, but the rest of the group charged ahead. Similar to the day before, the hike was uphill and challenging. After struggling for a few hours, we reached the mountain pass and were greeted with an amazing view. The snow-capped peaks were mesmerizing and made us forget about the struggle uphill. From there we proceeded to lunch where our chefs did another outstanding job. Afterward, we packed up our stuff and continued to the next part of our hike. The trail was calm with gentle hills before it became a dramatic incline and subsequent decline. The campsite seemed out of reach for a while, but we arrived at our destination safely with glee and soreness. After dinner we were greeted with incredible stars and found ourselves exhausted and settled down for our last night on the trek.

We got up at the same time the next morning with determination to finish the journey strong. Continuing with the steep decline, we proceeded to the town of Ollantaytambo. We were able to see our destination steadily get closer, and before we knew it, we had arrived. Luckily our guide was able to get us a ride to the restaurant where enjoyed a hearty lunch before returning to Home Base. On the ride home, we were able to reflect on the challenges we faced and lessons we learned whilst trekking through the Andes. Once we arrived back at Home Base, we spent the rest of the night recovering from the journey, so we could prepare for the service project the next day.

By: Noah, Ben, Emerald, Lydia, Riley, Clarissa

Wednesday July 18 through Friday July 20, 2018

On Wednesday, we went to the Calca clinic to learn some more medical skills taught by Dr. Francisco. One skill we learned was how to take an ultrasound, which uses sound waves to produce an image, or sonogram, of the inside of the body. Using the probe, we were able to see the abdominal organs as well as the heart and its valves. It was fascinating, especially seeing the valves pump blood through the heart. Another skill we learned was how to check someone’s ears for any occlusions. We used an otoscope, which gave a view of the ear canal and the tympanic membrane, or eardrum.

That afternoon, a local family from the sacred valley came to Home Base to share traditional Andean arts with us. The family preformed beautiful Andean melodies for us. We learned many different traditional beats and had the chance to play the different instruments. We all had the opportunity to try drumming in front of the group.

It wasn’t as easy as it seemed! We learned about the origins of these different music styles. We also had the opportunity to sculpt pottery to whatever we wanted to create. Some pottery designs that had been created were bowls, ring trays, and a llama! We completed our pottery by painting our designs.

This Thursday we started renovations at the clinic in Taray. After a flood last year, the clinic has been in desperate need of a face-lift to help encourage the local people to come in for check-ups. Everyone worked together to sand the walls and fence posts to smooth out any chipped paint or rust in preparation for a fresh coat of paint.

On Friday, the whole group split up. Hal of us went to a nearby school while the other half stayed at the Taray clinic to spackle walls and clean up the outside area. As a part of the gardening team, we pulled weeds, helped maintain the plants and flowers, and used pick-axes to clear away most of the long grass that was covering the walls we’ve been preparing to paint.

The rest of the team filled most of the holes in the walls of the building with plaster to provide an even surface for when we begin to paint later on. Cleaning up the clinic in Taray has been a really cool experience and a great way to participate in a different kind of service other than the hemoglobin campaign. We can’t wait to see the finished product, and we hope the local people are as excited about it was we are.

The rest of the group walked to a local elementary school to run some tests on the students. At the school we rotated through stations of anemia testing, vision testing, blood pressure, and finding their height and weight. Afterwards we got to play, talk, and genuinely bond with the students. By the time we had to leave, we were swarmed with hundreds of hugs and goodbyes.

After service we had took an hour-long bus ride to a town called Ollantaytambo. While we were there we had 4 hours free to walk around the market and the town square. It started raining as we were wondering through the town, it stopped after we sat down in a restaurant. There were amazing quesadillas and some really good pizza. After our dinners we went out for some poppin’ ice cream.

By Ali, Madison, Sophie P, Sari, and Abby

   

Saturday July 21 through Monday July 23, 2018

Authors:
Annaliese Fleet
Andrew Graber
Daria Podell
Leeroy Guillot
Leila Dall’olmo
Samantha Dunn

Saturday July 21, 2018

Cuzco City

Hospital
We arrived at the Antonio Lorena hospital in Cusco in the morning and were given a tour by Dr. Francisco Morales. He explained the different facilities in the hospital and the challenges that face the nurses and doctors due to the lack of funding. While showing us around he also explained the basic medical care patients generally receive while in the hospital.

Plaza de Armas
After the tour of the hospital, everyone was given a chance to explore the Plaza de Armas. While some braved the rainy and cold weather in search of souvenirs, the majority headed in search of the warmth and comfort that only Starbucks can provide.

Lunch
After the coffee break at Starbucks, the GLA crew regrouped for lunch at Tunupa, in the Plaza. The restaurant was buffet-style with options for every palate. There was sushi, pasta, salad, a dessert bar, and even alpaca. Most importantly, the bathroom was fully equipped with toilet paper AND soap.

Llamas
After lunch, we went up a precarious mountain road and visited the ancient Incan ruins of Cusco. We even had the fortune to see llamas and alpacas perusing around the ruins. Unfortunately, it was rainy, foggy, and cold; so we only stayed for a short amount of time. We loaded back into the buses and then went to a llama and alpaca farm. At the farm, the GLA crew was able to feed them, take pictures with them, and shop for traditional textiles made from the Alpaca fur. We even got to see the textiles being made. It was a great end to a rainy day.

Sunday July 22, 2018

Maras: Salt Mines & Moray

The next day we visited the Maras Salt Mines. It was incredible to witness the process and hard work that goes into creating the unique Peruvian salts. There are 7,000 salt ponds at the mine, and all of it is naturally produced from the saltwater in the mountains. Later we hiked to the Moray Archeological Site, and our tour guide gave us some facts about the ancient ruins. The structures were built to grow and farm food such as quinoa and coca. Typically these foods could only grow in warm environments like the Amazon, but the ruins were built using levels so that the lower levels were built into the Earth, making them warmer. They were able to mimic the environment of the Amazon using the levels, and could produce the quinoa and coca. We also learned about the measurement system that the Incans used, called Kintu. This system was based on colored string with knots tied into them, and the number of knots represented the number of goods produced. It was fascinating to hear about the intricate ways in which they communicated.

After a delicious lunch at Mamacha Juanas, we took a bus ride to an authentic textile market, where we were able to browse and purchase various hats, bags, and blankets. Overall, we had a great day learning about Peruvian life.

Monday July 23, 2018

On Monday we headed to our service project in the town of Callarrayan. We did health check ups at a rural school which included eye exams, hemoglobin testing, height and weight measurements, and blood pressure exams. We met almost 50 students as part of this service project.

After that we headed to the Clinic in Taray to repaint and just do a whole new makeover in order to bring it back to life. We redid the garden, and painted the building together. The doctor and nurses are hoping that more people in the town will visit the local clinic for their medical and health needs.

Sunday July 29, 2018

Lares Trek:

We departed from home base at 8:00 to begin our next adventure; the Lares trek. We drove
along winding roads arriving at snowcapped peaks. We took a break at the mountain pass,
continuing to a small town where our drive was delayed due to an Independence-day parade.
From there, we continued driving to our place of lunch, after which we hiked three hours to the
campsite at 14,600 feet. During our walk we saw multiple alpacas and met local people selling
their wares. At night we were able to stargaze and watch Mars rise over the mountaintops.
The next morning, we were woken up with a cup of coca tea, packed our things, and had some
breakfast.

Once more, we started our journey up through the snow-covered mountains. Soon,
we reached the highest point of our trek, a majestic overlook of mountains, valleys and llamas.
The beauty did not cease as we made our way to a lake tucked into the side of the mountain.
After resting near this lake, we continued forward along the mountainside until we reached
Patacancha, that day’s lunch spot. After lunch we drove to Ollantaytambo where we took time
to explore the town and from there took a train to our next destination of Aguas Calientes. At
Aguas Calientes we stayed at a hostel to prepare for the next day’s adventure of Machu Picchu.
We awoke at the hostel where we ate a 6:00am breakfast and then took a brief walk to the bus
station to depart to Machu Picchu.

After a brief winding bus ride through what felt like the
jungle, we reached the ancient Incan city where we were split into three groups to learn about
the ruins’ history. We learned about everything from the sacrifice of llamas to the meaning of
double doors during the ‘three-hour tour’ of the Incan city. Afterwards, we took the bus back to
Aguas Calientes where we had the opportunity to explore the town a little before lunch. And
after lunch we went to the train station to catch our return train to Ollantaytambo. Upon
arriving, we took our bus back to Home Base to eat dinner and go to bed; exhausted.