The Young Leader

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PERU – Spanish Service Adventure – July 21 – August 10, 2017

DAY ONE
Spanish Service Adventure Session Two has officially begun!
After a long day of travel, all of the participants have arrived. They spent the afternoon getting to know each other and settling into their new home for the next three weeks. What a great group we have!
Tomorrow we will jump right into a busy schedule – starting with an orientation at the two service sites, followed by lunch and then placement tests for Spanish.
More blog updates to come!
(First full group picture – in PJS right before bed!)

DAY TWO 
Written by our very first leader of the day: Jackson!
Today we had a cool breakfast and got to sleep in. After breakfast we went to meet the kids at their schools. I found it very interesting that the school was very well kept together and clean. Also although this was a unique school I found that the kids looked very happy to be there. It made me think about how having a nice art teacher helps excel learning. This was because I found the teacher to be very nice and the kids were highly skilled in arts and happy to show it off. This shows that the teacher there cared about teaching the kids skills while being nice to them, which I find very rare in schools.  In the schools we are helping to build a bathroom and other neccesities such as helping with the kitchen. Many things that we will help with are very important for the kids. Although many of us probably don’t think about a kitchen in a school being very important it is how they are fed during the day and no one knows if they have access to food outside of their school. I am excited to help with the bathroom since yesterday I saw a young student boy crawl over into the top whole of the bathroom, go down and than open it for us gla people. In addition, I  am surprised how nice and friendly the people in Peru are. A good way to realize how extremely kind these strangers is this: say hola to 10 peruvian strangers you see here. Remember their responses, than say hello or hi to 10 people in your town/city (strangers of course) Then you will see the complete difference.
Airport pickups – day one

Exploring Coya 

Served a sweet mint tea at one of the service sites 

Warm welcome from the school, complete with musical performance by the kiddos 

7/23/2017

The day started by eating toast with jam at the dining room table. Then we set off to a llama farm where we learned about llamas and alpacas and got to feed the animals. We then set off on a hike where we started on top of the mountain and went down to a small town Pisac where we were able to exchange money and buy goods. After that we went back to our home base to eat a delicious lunch and relax before our dance class. Our dance class was a traditional saya dance that we all learned. After that we ate a fabulous dinner and had a motivational talk by jorge our mentor. the experiences today were really great!

7/24-26

Hola todos! Here is Brooke, Ellie, and Delaney writing to you about the past few days on our Spanish Service Adventure. On Monday, we began working at our service sites. At the first school, we are in the process of painting murals on the outside walls, building a new kitchen from the group up, and working with the kids at the school. In the second school, we have several ongoing projects, some of which include digging a trench to supply water for plumbing, painting rocks to organize the plants in the greenhouse, and plastering the walls with adobe we made ourselves! The service hours are very long and tiring, but seeing the progress makes it worth it. Every day we come home to a delicious Peruvian meal for lunch and then continue on to Spanish class. In Spanish classes everyone is encouraged to participate through oral discussions, fun activities, and interviews with the local Peruvians. Tonight, we had a cooking class where we made every course for dinner. The meal began with “causa rellena,” followed by “lomo saltado,” and finished with “pudin de pan.” We also had the chance to make “chicha morada” a tradition purple corn refreshment. Every course was taught in Spanish and was handmade by each student. Today included another special treat, as we were able to join in the pre-Independence Day party that paraded around the plaza, with everyone carrying torches and dressed in traditional ponchos and costumes. We are having such a great time in Peru and are learning so much every minute of each day.

 

 

July 27, 2017 written by our leader of the day – Maycee! 

We started the day harvesting potatoes and painting murals for the schools. The potato harvest was challenging but rewarding. After service, we visited the plaza of Coya where a festival for Independence Day was being celebrated. Our Spanish class consisted of interactive learning with the children, as well as, traditional class. Overall, our day was an exciting and informative experience.

What a weekend! After the first full week of service, the students had three days of adventure and exploration. Here is an account of the weekend events, written by one our leaders of the day, Zoe.

On Friday we started off Peruvian independence day by biking 10 miles through the Andes Mountains and afterwards went to see the beautiful moray terraces created by the Incans. We spent the afternoon having a music class and learning to use the local instruments in Peru. That night we ended our celebration by lighting sparklers and having a disco dance party. On Saturday we ventured to Cusco city and enjoyed an informative walking tour. We ate out for lunch and had pollo a la brasa. Later we visited the Saucsayhuman ruins and had a mellow evening with an inspiring talk by Jorge. On Sunday our excursion was to Chinchero, where we had a weaving workshop, tried cuy (guinea pig). Lastly we got an opportunity to shop at barter in the market in Chinchero and met with our mentor groups. Overall this weekend has been very fulfilling and we look forward to continuing our service work and Spanish classes this week!

 

August 1, 2017

Today we were awoken to the sounds of fireworks and music at 3am. We soon found out it was due to the beginning of a new year in Coya. We started the morning with a 7:00am breakfast consisting of the usual toast. At 7:30 we headed to our designated service projects where we continued our work. After service we headed back to the home base for lunch and free time before Spanish class. At 4:30 we went out to the plaza and interviewed the Coya inhabitants on how they celebrate the new year. Afterwards we had noodle soup and soy chicken for dinner. Finally, we had mentor group. Another great day in Peru!

Written by leader of the day: Lily!

Friday August 4

Today we started our day with a delicious breakfast before hopping on our two small buses to head to Santa Teresa. On our way there we stopped to pick granadillas and take a break from the curvy roads at a small tea farm. From there drove along a road along the side of a mountain and on the edge of a cliff- not so much fun for those of us scared of heights. When we finally arrived at our hostel where we quickly changed into swim suits and headed to the hot springs. We all quickly became assimilated with the lower altitude and the mosquitoes that accompany it.

Saturday August 5

After breakfast at the hostel we drove the starting point of our hike. At the beginning there were quite a few steps but then it was flat- actually flat, not “Peruvian Flat.” We walked and walked and walked along until we got to our lunch place. Before lunch we took a quick, chilly dip in a natural waterfall near by. From lunch we walked to our hostel which was another hour away. In Machu Picchu Pueblo we all had a few hours of free time to enjoy the endless public wifi and the numerous shopping opportunities. And then… we had pizza for dinner which we had all been looking forward to. When dinner was over we all went back to our rooms to crash because we were getting up at four o’clock for Machu Picchu.

Sunday August 6

At 3:45 our alarm sounded to get up and be ready to roll to Machu Picchu nice and early. After enjoying the brisk air of the town while waiting for the bus up to Machu Picchu, we arrived at Machu Picchu with enough time to see the sun peak out from the mountains over the ruins. The view from where we were standing for the sunrise also made for great pictures- A LOT of pictures! From there we broke into two groups to go see the Incan Bridge and the Sungate Bridge. After our small hikes we went to tour Machu Picchu with our small groups and informative guides. The buffet, which has been hyped up by the mentors, was next. We spent the rest of our time before our train home eating, using wi-fi, and participating in a scavenger hunt.

By: Fiona

Monday August 7

Our morning today started out much later than usual, as we were given much more time to sleep in and recover from last night’s journey. The fact that we were staying in Coya for service today also contributed to our relaxed morning, as we only had a few blocks to walk to begin our project. The first couple hours of our day were spent scraping layers of posters and paper off of the telephone poles throughout the town, as this is a task that only gets done a few times a year. Afterwards we returned to Pisac for an hour of free time before Spanish class, which took place around the town. Most spent their time shopping and taking advantage of our last chance to barter for reasonable prices at the market there. A quick 15 minute drive brought us back to home base in time for dinner, and mentor group which followed.

 
Wow! What an amazing past few days we have had.
Our last day of service we spent working to finish the roof on one of the schools. To do this we had to mix a LOT of adobe, which meant getting our hands and feet dirty (we were covered in mud!). While some were working on the roof, others played soccer with the kids or worked on arts and crafts. After we finished Service the community put on quite a show (including a lively competition with the school kids) and served us potatoes and “tortillas”. After service we had a surprise trip to visit the salt mines!
Our last day together was spent rafting. We got in four rafts and floated down the river for two hours. Some brave souls jumped off a bridge at the end!
On our last night the kitchen staff cooked an amazing dinner and brought out a surprise – a giant cake with all the students names on it! After dinner we reminisced about our time in peru and closed up with an appreciation circle to show some love to the people we’ve spent the past three weeks with.
This morning some students woke up with the sun at 6:30am to hike up to some Incan ruins above the home base. Everyone is all packed up and ready to go… we cannot believe this adventure is coming to an end!
Thank you to all the participants of the Spanish Service Adventure in Coya, Peru. Your mentors and directors are proud of all you have accomplished and can’t wait to see the things you do in the future! Safe travels home!
❤️

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PERU – Spanish Service Adventure – June 27 – July 17, 2017

All the kids have arrived, pictures and post to come

 

-Jack and crew, to tell you a little bit about our first full day in Perú! 

¡Bienvenidos a Perú! After both buses arrived at our home base in Coya, we were treated to a delicious traditional three-course meal. We even tried a new fruit, a tree tomato which tasted like a slightly sour peach. Then, we settled into our rooms and meeting our new roommates for the next three weeks. Later that day, we were given a tour of our town featuring an unexpected parade celebrating La Fiesta de San Juan.

The next day, after a good night’s sleep, we headed out to see our project sites for the first time at 7:30 on the dot. After a very scenic drive into the Sacred Valley our first group was dropped of at a primary school in Maras, and the second group continued on to a school in Umanes. The students performed traditional Qechuan songs and played sampona (indian flute) to greet us, as well as bracelets, marbles, and many hugs! Later on, we played games with them such as pato pato cuy (duck, duck, guinea pig). After hours of fun, we were fed a traditional Andean snack of potatoes cooked in an underground adobe oven called huatia. We also learned our service projects consisting of building bathrooms, kitchens, and new gardens. Finally, it was time to say goodbye, and we returned home while snacking on granadilla, which tasted like passionfruit, and the seeds looked like fish eggs, yet was housed in a hard shell. We made a quick stop in the market to pick up necessities in Urubamba, and made our way back to home base. The rest of the day we had free time and bonded with our peers, took Spanish placement tests, ate dinner, and met with our mentor groups where we discussed our hopes and concerns about the trip.

Blog for June 30th and July 1st

Blog collaboration by Shefali, Hallie and Lucy 🙂

Thursday was our first day of service! Though we were split into two groups in order to help out at two different schools, both groups started similar projects.

At the primary school, we learned that we would first have to level the ground before any building could be done. The local parents were kind enough to come to the school in order to teach us their traditional ways of building. It’s amazing how much work can get done using rather simple building tools! Our first task was to level the ground on which we will be building a small kitchen. As the cheeky children looked on, we went at it with pick axes and shovels! We also had the opportunity to get to know the kids and help with smaller beautification projects around the school including planting the garden and making traditional necklaces and bracelets.

Similarly, at the primary-secondary combination school, we dug a lot of holes to lay the pipes for the new bathroom. We were also put to work in beatification activities, which included gathering heavy logs and rocks.  Even though we were supposed to be the ones working, we felt the altitude in full effect and the 9 year old boys beat us in strength by a long shot. They laughed as they sped past us with 40 pound logs, eager to show all of us up. In fact, all the kids eventually had to shooed off to let us do the work! Additionally, we got play with kids and practice our Spanish over lunch.

We continued work on Friday, but took the afternoon to take a hike up to the local ruins (because we have those here!!) Our dear, dear mentor Patrick told us that it would be a simple hour long hike to the top of the mountain and then a short while down. But lo and behold it was one of the hardest hikes most of us have ever done! Save the super speedy cross country runners, we struggled up the steep, rocky incline taking breaks every few minutes due to the altitude. Despite the struggle, we all made it to the top! As of now, we can say that we have successfully hiked the Andes Mountains! The ruins had a view of the entire City of Coya, and all of us were (extremely tired) proud of our accomplishment!

Today, we took a break from service to go into the City of Cusco for some shopping in the local markets. We got a chance to practice our Spanish as we bartered with the shopkeepers for authentic llama wool goods. Pro tip: ask for a yapa! We were also assigned to find various vegetables for lunch! We helped cook a delicious meal of causa and lomo saltado!

After lunch, we made our way to the scenic Saqsaywaman ruins! We had a chance to slide down the natural slides and learn about the Incan Empire and its communication system from the guides.

We made it back to the base just in time for dinner!

All in all, it’s been a truly rewarding trip thus far ☺

 

4th of July Blog– Lauren, Mia and Safi

Sorry for not sending this update sooner – we lost wifi connection for a couple days and then left for the craziness of Machu Picchu!

On Monday, after a long morning working on our service projects, we returned to home base for lunch. After a traditional Peruvian lentil stew for lunch, the staff challenged the students to a friendly game of volleyball. Despite their valiant effort, the staff beat the student team (Safi, Todd, Hallie, Gabriella, Avery, Ben and Jack) 2-1.

The next day, students left their service site 15 minutes early to visit the town over, Pisac. There, students not only enjoyed high-speed wifi but were also able to shop for snacks for our upcoming excursion to Machu Picchu. After, students returned to home base to celebrate the 4th of July.

Before our 4th of July celebration, students and staff were treated to a tradition Incan music performance. They explained the instruments (some are up to 2,000 years old!) as Shafali and Maya translated. They then proceeded to play various songs, including one of their originals. After, students got the opportunity to try their hand at Incan instruments, but, it doesn’t seem to be a promising career path for any of us.

The festivities started with a dinner of asparagus soup and a Peruvian attempt at french fries and hamburgers. Afterwards, we all went into the plaza to enjoy sparklers and fireworks. Some bought ice cream and we even attempted a human pyramid!

Soon after we went inside for a dance party featuring crowd surfing and lifting each other up on chairs (similar to a Bar Mitzvah). The dance party also including a disco ball and dancing to various American classics such as the Cupid shuffle and Super Bass.

We’re all having a great time and are making serious strides at our service sites. At the first site, (just a lower school) students have laying the foundation for a kitchen and clearing the land to create a garden. At the second site (the lower-middle school) students have been hard at work digging a 500 foot trench to lay the pipes for the school’s new bathroom. In addition, they have been painting signs and gardening to beautify the school.

 

July 7-8, 2017

What an exciting weekend! On Friday morning we packed our bags and set out for our day-long bus ride to the Machu Picchu region. During the ride, we made several stops to grab snacks and admire such sites as a glass hotel built into the side of a mountain, reachable by only by rock climbing. Later on, we stopped at the top of a mountain peaking at over 14,000 feet, the highest point we will reach during the entire trip. Following that, we partially descended into the Amazon basin, where we stopped for lunch at a small tea plantation. After a short tour from the lady who runs the plantation, people also had the opportunity to pick fresh granadilla fruits from several trees. For the next several hours, we enjoyed more scenic driving until we reached our hotel in the town of Santa Teresa. Once we dropped our bags off, we headed to a local hot springs to relax for a few hours. Friday night concluded with a buffet dinner near the hotel, and then lots of rest to prepare for Saturday’s hiking.

After a quick breakfast at the hotel Saturday morning, we took a short bus ride to the trail and began the hike. The trail followed train tracks and was mostly flat, so it wasn’t particularly difficult. Along the way, our tour guides, Andy and Tulio, pointed out many different birds and trees that are native to Peru. As it turned out, we could also see part of Machu Picchu mountain throughout the day. After about two hours of hiking, we took a break to explore a botanical garden and have a short swim near a waterfall. Once we dried off, we had lunch at a restaurant along the trail. We then got back on the trail and walked for another hour and a half until we reached the tourist town of Aguas Calientes, the site of our next hotel. The rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing at the hotel and at various WiFi cafes around town. For dinner we were treated with pizza, which was a nice taste of home, and break from Peruvian cuisine.

 

July 9, 2017

On Sunday, we all woke up around 4 a.m. so that we could get in line for the bus to Machu Picchu as early as possible. After standing in line with hundreds of other tourists, we boarded the buses that took us up to the ruins in time for the 6 o’clock opening. Although it was initially foggy, we were greeted with stunning views of the ancient city and the surrounding Andes. Following a short history lesson from Tulio and Andy, we split up into groups to explore different parts of the ruins. Many of us began by hiking up to the Sun Gate above Machu Picchu, which marks the end of the historic Inca Trail. Others chose to take a different hike to view the ruins of an Incan bridge, while the rest began exploring the main site immediately. The ruins were fascinating, and we all had a wonderful time learning about all the history behind the city. When our tickets ended around midday, we went back to Aguas Calientes for lunch and a restful afternoon of exploring the town. At night, we took a train back to Ollantaytambo, and from there a bus back to the home base in Coya. We are looking forward to our last week of service and exploring in the Andes!

Written by Ian Rackow

 

July 11-14, 2017

Hello, Todd and Leo here, and we’re going to describe to you the past four days.

Wednesday – We started the day late with scrambled eggs, sausage, and toast. Then, due to the strike, we went out into Coya to pick up trash for the municipality. We used latex gloves and trash bags to pick up plastic bottles and other rubbish.  Then, we went back for lunch before having a Spanish class and free period. During free time, we went out to play volleyball and soccer.

Thursday – In the morning, we had a breakfast of quinoa porridge and toast. Next, we went to the municipality to get tools and salt water for scraping posters off of the light posts in the town square and by the river. During this work many locals stopped to ask what we were doing and they were very grateful that we were helping their community. Afterwards, we had lunch and then got a visit from a group of traditional Peruvian dancers. The dancers put on a performance for about an hour, and then they taught us all how to dance with them. Following dance lessons, we had Spanish class. Once Spanish was finished we had dinner and then free time until bed.

Friday – Finally we were able to return to our school worksites because the strike had become less intense than the two previous days. We worked for about half of the morning and then played games with the kids because it was our final day together. Then the GLA students working at the primary school and some of the local students got on a bus and went over to the bigger school where the rest of the GLA students have been working for three weeks. Here we had a closing ceremony where various people spoke and ate lunch together. Once the ceremony finished, all the GLA students and the students from the primary school got back on the bus to bring the little kids back to their school. After dropping them off, we returned back to our home base in Coya, and had an amazing talent show featuring various musical and comedic acts. The night closed with a delicious cake made by the kitchen staff to celebrate our talents.

Saturday – Today, we woke up to eat breakfast at 7:00 and left for the lake.  Once we got to the lake, we were given bikes and started our ride along the lake in the highlands. All the way, the views were amazing and we could see snowcapped mountains in the background. We went on for about an hour and a half before we arrived in Moray, the archaeological site with circular terraces used to acclimate and adapt potatoes and other crops. Then, we took the bus back to the home base for lunch and free time before we went out again to Pisac. Once there, we shopped in stores and watched the parades for Dia del Carmen. For dinner, we were treated to a non-Peruvian meal at a local café before heading back home.

 

Final Blog Post

WOW!
What an adventure these past three weeks have been. All of our students have passed through security and are on their way home (or to the next adventure!)
We spent our last two days together exploring the beautiful Sacred Valley we’ve called home for the past few weeks: first doing a challenging (but beautiful!) bike ride through the mountains, and then rafting down a river in teams, waging war with our paddles in attempt to get the other rafts wet… eventually most people ended up overboard and in the water.
We finished our time together with a family style dinner, award ceremony and appreciation circle. It was so special to see the connections that all of our students made with each other, and they way they appreciated their new friends.
The staff is so proud of each and every participant on the Peru Spanish Service Adventure! Each student was pushed out of their comfort zone, worked hard, and contributed so much to our team. We will miss you all! ❤️

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PERU – Service in the Sacred Valley – August 1 – August 14, 2017

All 21 students on session 4 have arrived! We did orientation today and are resting/playing ping pong/drinking tea/waiting for dinner time! Looking forward to a great last session.

– Grace King, international director
 

 

August 2, 2017

Today was our first full day in Cuzco and it was so amazing! We had breakfast at home base, rice, and eggs with the incredible bread they have at every meal, and then we headed to our service site. We got to drive through the windy roads through the city and saw some wonderful sites and pretty awesome stuff. For example, there was a pack of dogs that were standing at a cross walk and waited for the cars to stop before they crossed the road. Then, we got to service and it was so interesting because we were doing stuff that I had never done before like pick ax and create a mud mixture with my feet, shown in the picture! The people are very kind and open and the city is so beautiful, not to mention how awesome the food has been so far. So far everything has been great and I am looking forward to the rest of the program and all the fantastic things we will be doing in the coming days. Adios!

~ Erin Horrigan

 

August 4

Waking up in a cold room can be a struggle, but every morning we all seem to be able to do it. The feeling of helping others is something I can’t compare to anything else. As we slowly make our way to breakfast, then to the buses and then to the sights I realize the natural beauty of Peru. Yes, there might be trash littering the streets and bumpy roads, but how different the culture is compared to Santa Barbara is something I will never forget. The people that belong to these villages don’t have much, but you won’t ever catch them complaining or upset. Seeing the astonishment and happiness in their eyes as we build houses for the Cuy (guinea pigs) is one of the best feelings I’ve ever experienced. Instead of sitting around and not interacting with us, the villagers try their hardest to communicate and even help out with the tedious work. From mixing mud with their feet to lifting dirt bricks these people always show enthusiasm. The work is painful and challenging, but I wouldn’t give this experience for anything, it is life changing.

By Quinn O’Connor

 

 

8/5/17

Yesterday on 8/5/17, we traveled to a new location high in the mountains. Three groups were tasked with different activities, my group dealing with quinoa. Eating quinoa almost every day I have never thought about the labor that goes into getting quinoa from the stem to the bag. The small amount of quinoa that we produced, however, will help a family to grow economically and create a future for their children, who have dreams of going to university and making a life for themselves. Every day I appreciate something new that I would never have even thought about before I came here.

Eryk Yarkosky

 

 

We left camp this morning and had a lovely hike alongside the train tracks into Aguas Calientes. We got to walk around town after dinner and grabbed some ice cream before heading to bed. The big day is tomorrow- Machu Picchu!

 

 

Today we finished the cuy houses, put the cuy inside after giving them medication to keep them from getting fleas, and said goodbye to the community. Good job session 4!
 
These past few days we have been hiking through the magnificent, peaceful, and gorgeous Peruvian mountains. The trek was a total of 2 four hour bus rides, 3 three hour hikes, and a total of 25 miles, but it was all incredibly worth it. Just being in the outdoors with everyone was such an amazing experience that brought all of us closer and it pushed all of us to our limits. We were able to conquer the challenge of hiking up to Machu Picchu together by supporting and working with each other. Machu Picchu was stunning and completely took all of our breath away. Not only did we complete something we never thought we could do, but we became a family with people we didn’t know two weeks ago.

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PERU – Service in the Sacred Valley – July 22 – August 4, 2017

 Day 1

Today, we drove through the crowded streets of Cuzco on our way to the small town of Chocco, where we are completing our service project. The first project we are working on is the construction of guinea pig homes. In Peru, eating guinea pigs is part of the culture.  We got into assembly lines and carried heavy adobe bricks up steep hills, passing them along one by one. The bricks we lifted were extremely heavy and we all wore out quickly, but felt very accomplished at the end of the day. Despite the tough workout, I bonded with a lot of new people and I can’t wait to see what the next two weeks will bring! The best part about GLA so far is that it brings together people from all over the world with one similar goal in mind: to help people.

-Anna Risse

 

Good morning!

Today was very exciting, as we get to go sightseeing today. We went to downtown Cusco where we picked up our tour guide, Dino. ¡Que hombre tan chistoso! Anyways, first we went to Saqsaywaman where we toured the Incan ruins. The structures built there were made of stones and were very precisely cut and smoothed. It’s amazing how well the structures were made considering the Incans did not have machines to facilitate the construction. Throughout the tour, Dino taught us many information about the Incans.

Then we climbed to the top of one of the Incan structures to find a rock slide. (Oh, by the way, we still die a little bit every time we walk upstairs thanks to the altitude.) We all slid down the rocks even though it hurt our butts and legs. Everyone cheered for each other as each of us slid down. It was so much fun. On our way to the next part of the tour which were the tunnels, we came across an old lady letting her alpaca get some fresh air. As we neared her she allowed us to take pictures with them for one sol. And we did.

Next we walked through Chinkana Chica which were underground tunnels (or maze) carved by water. After the tunnels it was time to go back to the bus to go to the second part of the tour, but before we were able to go on the bus we passed by women who were selling souvenirs like necklaces and llama keychains for cheap. We bought some and then it was time to go to the next part of the tour.

Next stop, Puca Pucara. We got off the bus and Dino gave us a tour of the area. Dino said that on the mountains closest to Puca Pucara, there is a path that the Incans took to reach Machu Picchu from Cusco. It would’ve taken them ten days. Fortunately, we will not be taking that route to get to Machu Picchu and it will also take less days too. Before leaving Puca Pucara our mentors allowed us to spend a couple of minutes shopping by the entrance where there were women selling souvenirs like blankets, necklaces, brackets, keychains, and other Peruvian/Andean/Incan trinkets.

By then it was already lunch time so we made our way to a restaurant La Casona del Inka. We were seated on the second floor which had a balcony with an amazing view of the city. The food was amazing and there was love music. Some of the girls started to dance and we had an amazing time.

Our last part of the tour was at Basílica Catedral and we ventured inside the beautiful Cathedral adorned with gold and silver. After that, we said goodbye to Dino and with the remaining one hour we had left, we split up into our mentor groups and either went to the market and had some ice cream.

We took the bus to get back to home base and we had dinner before Tami gave us a Spanish lesson in which we learned how to  say simple phrases that will help us get around in the community and the markets.

Isabella V.
 

Day 3

 

Today was Day 2 of service, Day 3 of being here in Cusco, Peru, and so far the trip has been nothing short of a good time. Breakfast commenced at 6:55 am (still not quite used to the early morning wake up time), and by 7:30 we were on the bus, on our way to Chocco. Travelling through the streets of Peru has yet to bore us; the sight of the houses, people and environment is a perfect start and end to our days of service. We arrive at the base of a hill, jump out, and begin to climb to the property we are working on. Once we get there, we drop off our bags and then hike down to a house at the beginning of the village to pick up wood for the roof of our guinea pig house. Then we carry it back up to the house, passing villagers and saying hello to everyone we see (dogs and cows included). Work today merely consisted of adding rows of adobe bricks to our house and mixing/making mud. Yesterday we spent most of our time carrying adobe bricks from their drying spot to our building sight, so today we had all our supplies near us and ready to go. We listened to good music, gave each other Disney character names, and all laughed a lot.

After we got home from service, ate and showered, we all took a trip to a Shaman’s house to make an offering to Mother Nature. It was amazing to see the detail and tradition that came with the process the Shaman took to make sure the three wishes we all made were heard. After the offering we had the choice to pay 5 soles to have our fortune read, which was also very culturally rich and so interesting to participate in. All in all, this field trip was a great experience.

We came home for a delicious dinner and then a few name games until we were set off to play UNO and charades together. Then bedtime at never because our mentors are G’s. Truly a great day with filled with fun service, once-in-a-lifetime culture exposure, and funny times with good friends. Can’t wait for tomorrow!

PS: Mrs. Hale, your son loves you. Goodnight!

 

 

 

Day 4

 Today was our third day of service, and it was definitely the most challenging day yet. We moved what felt like thousands of bricks today, but we didn’t lose our stamina. It was nice to see everyone in our group motivating one another so that we could get the job done. Some of the locals even helped us out with our project. After we finished our work, we had the wonderful experience of visiting the market and learning more about local foods! We also listened to a fascinating presentation about health in Peru. It was surprising and saddening to learn about how malnutrition affects children throughout the country. We are all looking forward to learning more about the rich culture in Cusco tomorrow on our tour of the city!
Anna Risse
 Day 5

Today we took a break from service to tour Cusco all day long. Not only did we get to sleep in a little, we got pancakes for breakfast! We climbed on the buses at 9:00, picked up a tour guide, and were off to visit some of the city’s most prized sites. We saw Inca ruins, ancient Andean churches, and got to eat lunch at a yummy restaurant that looked over the entirety of Cusco. We were given a lot of knowledge about Inca and Andean theories and philosophies, so make sure to quiz your children when you see them. After the tour, we wondered around (supervised by adults, of course) downtown Cusco where we got ice cream and took pictures. We then came back home and headed off to the super market to grab some more exotic Peruvian snacks, like Doritos, Oreos and Coke. Dinner and games with the whole crew followed a little free time after we returned. Overall, today was a great rest day where we got to learn a lot about the amazing city we get to stay in for two weeks.

Adele Blanton

July 27, 2017

The experience we all had today is one that will never be forgotten. We visited a small girls’ orphanage that housed girls from ages 5-16. While there, we played on the playground- games including volleyball, catch, jump roping- and also learned how to salsa dance from the kids! I have never seen kids smile as bright as I did today, and it felt great that we were helping to create these smiles and to make a small difference in their day. The whole trip to the orphanage was truly inspiring and it was definitely my favorite part of the trip so far!

-Anna Risse

July 28, 2017

There are many things that I will remember about this trip. An easy one is the bright  stars and milky way we saw on the night we camped. I will always have the memory of sitting on a cold blue tarp, talking to friends about any and everything while watching the stars shoot and appear in every available opening. Another lifetime memory will be singing off key to Beyonce, and falling while trying to dance in the hallway with people who started as roommates, then were friends, and eventually family. I will always remember the long, deep, and amusing conversations, that were rarely relevant, but incredibly necessary. As I spoke to other people, they had different memories. One said her favorite part was reaching the top of Machu Picchu, then looking back to see all of the rocks, steps, and hills she had conquered. Another said she love playing soccer with the kids during their recess. We all learn to never underestimate small children, and how much they are willing to play. However, the best thing that none of us expected but all found to be true was how close we got, and how much we needed each other. In the past two weeks we have all learn to hold each other up, and we will always have that, not only as a memory, but as a lifetime skill!

Trena
July 28, 2017

We were up right and early today to start our hike. Our duffel bags were already sent to camp so all we had to worry about were our daypacks. At 6am we were already on the buses that would drive us to the start of our hike. The bus ride was four hours and a lot of us were asleep because of how early we had to wake up. Halfway through the bus ride we took a pit stop at an overlook to go to the bathroom and take pictures. After that we had another two hours to make it to the beginning of our hike.  Finally, we made it to where we would start our hike. Juan was our guide who was going to help pace us on our hike. First, we had to hike for fifteen to twenty minutes to our lunch spot where we had some pasta, soup, and bread. We took this opportunity to climb a bit higher to take in the view as well as rest and go to the bathroom.  After a while it was time to start the rest of the hike. Juan set the pace for us again and we hiked uphill and downhill. It was very tiring but it was a lot of fun. Around 2:30 we hiked to a fish farm where we got to look around and see how this family-owned farm bred their fish. That was our last long break before the big uphill part of the hike, aka the hardest part of the hike. By 5pm everyone reached camp. All of us were so exhausted but at least now we get to rest until tomorrow morning. We got settled into our tents and changed into warmer clothes. It got so cold and so dark so quickly. Fortunately, the sky was clear that night and we had such a beautiful view of the stars as well as the Milky Way. A couple of us were even able to see a shooting star! Dinner time came around and we all gathered in a long tent where we were given our meals for the night. After that all of us either headed for our tents to sleep for the night or stay out to hang out and look at the sky.  The next day we woke up early again to walk to the buses. The buses would be taking us to the railroad tracks that we’d be “hiking” to get to our hostel in the town of Aguas Calientes. On our way there we took bathroom breaks and were able to buy things we needed. Most of us slept throughout the bus ride, waking up occasionally. Then we stopped at a restaurant for lunch. Afterwards, we continued our bus ride to the train tracks. The bus ride also consisted of us driving by the side of a mountain for about an hour which was pretty scary. Finally we made it to the tracks. And we started our very long walk to Aguas Calientes. Juan set a pace for all of us to walk and make it to the hostel before dark. By 5:00 we reached town and settled into our rooms at Inka’s Land, our hostel. We had time before dinner to rest and shower and so we did. We haven’t showered in days and we were so grateful to be able to be able to shower. After that, some of us didn’t bring enough clothes so Tami took us out to the markets and we shopped for some cool Peruvian tshirts and pants. There were so many people selling clothing and souvenirs. It was kind of a preview of the rest of the shopping we  did the next day as well as the artisan market. At 7 we walked to dinner and had some really good food. Next we got to go roam the markets for a while until bed time.

Isabella Velasco

Today was a wonderful day in the lives of the fearless GLA adventurers. We started our morning at6:50 a.m. with breakfast of eggs and rice. Then we were on the bus to Chocco to work on our service. Once we arrived, we finished all of the walls of our guinea pig house, and also had a small Spanish dance tutorial. We love being surrounded by the culture of Peru and also the wildlife. We enjoy taking small breaks from our service to watch goats and sheep pass by. Ricardo was in control of music today, and as a group we give him a 7/10 on his selections (none of us really speak Spanish or Portuguese). After we were finished with our work we played soccer on a cool concrete field right by our working area. 4-3 was the score. No need to mention who won, that simply does not matter. Service was in total a great experience, per usual.

 

After we returned home, we set out for our next exposure to Peruvian culture: music class. We traveled back to where we had service, and a local came to teach us about all the different types of instruments, dating back to the Incan times. The group’s least favorite were the sheep nails. All respect for the culture, but some of us were a little terrified of them. Again, mentioning those names does not matter.

 

Our day finished with a yummy dinner, an hour of wifi where we got to talk to our loved ones, and then some seriously funny games of ping pong. Can’t wait for tomorrow’s adventures!

– Adele Blanton

 

 

 

Instead of working on our guinea pig huts today in Chocco, we drove to a town that was a bit further away, where we worked with several local families. The town was so far up in the mountains that we could see all of Cusco below us. The roads leading up to the site were windy and narrow, which was a bit nerve wracking, but the view was beautiful and well worth it! While there, we prepared beans that were grown locally so that they could be eaten. The families we met were all very inviting and friendly and it was really cool to see their homes. They cooked us homemade soup and potatoes- both of which were delicious! While we worked, we listened to music and got to know more about the other people on the trip.
After our work, we played in a soccer match against the locals- of all ages. Even though there was a language barrier between ourselves and the locals, we were still able to connect with them throughout the game. After we got home from our soccer match and showered, we had dinner then met with the hike leader to discuss our upcoming journey on Monday. It is coming up soon and there is so much to prepare beforehand!

Anna Risse
Day 9

Today was the second to last day of service, so we worked on finishing the guinea pig house. We danced, laughed a lot, and had a great time. The last day of service will include putting the roof on the house, and we are very excited to be done with the project we have worked so hard on. After service, we headed home for a delicious lunch of pasta and chicken. Then we got dressed and headed to what many will call the highlight of the trip. (aka. Visiting the alpaca farm). There, we pet, hug, fed, and loved the alpacas and llamas. They were cute and fluffy, and everything we wanted them to be. Truly a wonderful trip.

When we returned home, everyone went up to their rooms and packed for our hike to Machu Picchu that starts tomorrow. Then we ate dinner of pork and rice and watched Moana. Since we have to wake up super early to get ready for the hike, our bedtime is earlier than usual. Some are afraid, some are excited, but all are ready for the journey to come, and for the memories to be made.

PS: Mrs. Logan, your sons love you.

– Adele Blanton

 

Peru – SSV – Start July 22nd – Day 13 Blog

Today is the last day of our GLA Peru trip, and to say it has been quite a bittersweet evening is an understatement. We have shared so many amazing memories and made so many lifelong friends, and although we all miss our families, we hate to soon be separated from each other. But who can be too sad when we have done things some of us never thought we would do. For instance: hike to Machu Picchu!

Four days ago, we started our trek to The Lost City. The buses rolled out of our hotel at 6 am, all of us packed up and ready for an exciting next three days. We rode through winding roads, stopping for bathroom and snack breaks. Eventually we arrive at our first hiking start point. We all begin to scale a hill to find a breathtaking view of snowcapped mountains and lush valleys in front of us. Lunch took place on the side of a mountain, where we overlooked our path for the next few hours. Truly the best picnic ever. Then we began our 2 hour downhill hike, over rivers and through beautiful grass fields. We stopped at a trout farm for a small break, and then hiked up to our camping spot for the evening. Once we arrived, we played games, ate dinner and hung out until it was time to go to sleep. Tomorrow would be a full day of hiking, so we were all eager to get a good rest in.

The next day we had breakfast, packed up all our things and jumped on the buses for a 2 hour drive to our next hiking spot. For about 3 hours, we hiked along the railroad tracks to Aguas Calientes, the town we would be staying in for that night. The views along the walk were beautiful, and the path wasn’t too difficult, so we all got to talk to one another without getting too tired. Once we arrived at our destination, we checked in to our hotel and then went out for a yummy dinner followed by treats from a bakery next door to our hotel. All a little sore, we headed off to bed, pumped for our adventure tomorrow.

Yesterday was the day! We, after an hour and a half of climbing stairs and cheering each other on, reached Machu Picchu! Seeing pictures on the internet or on post cards simply does this ancient beauty no justice; it’s breathtaking. We split up and were toured around, listening to a guide tell us all about the history of this city. After we were finished at Machu Picchu, we went back down into Aguas Calientes where we ate some dinner, hopped on a train, then a bus, and finally into our beds back in our hotel in Cusco. This hiking trip met and exceeded our expectations; the food, views and memories are sure to never be forgotten.

Today both service groups put the roofs on our guinea pig houses! Also, both the families we were helping came out to express their gratitude for us. It was a heartwarming experience to see and know that what we have been working so hard on would help these people. Because that is what most of us came here to do.

After service, we headed to a massive market where we all bought presents for our friends and family. Then we came back, got all dressed up, and went out to a great dinner where we watched dancers and musicians, and laughed with each other. Once we got back home, we all sat in a circle where paper plate superlatives were awarded, and kind and loving remarks were exchanged, because that was the last time we all would be together in Peru. After goodbye hugs to the ones leaving early in the morning, we went up to bed and finished packing.

We all want to thank you, parents, for letting us go on this unforgettable journey. For many of us, including myself, it was a life changing experience that we are beyond grateful to be a part of. So thanks, mom and dad. You guys rock. And for the final time, goodnight from Peru!

-Adele Blanton

 

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PERU – Service in the Sacred Valley – July 16 – August 5, 2017

Day 1: July 16, 2017

We started our day with airport pick ups and a tasty breakfast of fruit, eggs and bread. Once all 29 of the students arrived we were able to do introductions and learn about home base. Orientation began after lunch, a healthy chicken soup homemade with love. We began with introductions of all international and local staff, history of GLA and an overview of the schedule. With many questions, a few name games and posters, all students went back to their rooms to rest until dinner. At dinner they were able to see an example of Leader of the Day and were also able to try the Peruvian Asian fusion of Quinoa Chaufa. We closed the day with a round robin of more orientation. They were able to exchange dollars for soles and play cards until quiet time. Students were in their beds by 9:30, exhausted but happy after their long day of travel and adjusting to a new place.

Haiku of the Day:

Traveling to Peru

Excited for adventures

Making fresh new friends

Written By: Raquel and Sierra

Day 2: July 17, 2017

 

This morning began with an 8am breakfast, giving us a bit of time to sleep in and further acclimate to the altitude. We then walked over to a nearby field to continue with some orientation games. We had to spread ourselves out on the court according to where we were from. We were just told what side of the court was north, south, east, and west and we had place ourselves silently on the court. Then afterward we had to line ourselves up by birth month and day. We were just told one end of the line was January and the other end was December. We got it 100% right! After we talked defined a full value contract, where we talked about the values we wanted to have as a community. Then we were able to use the court to play some sports and board games.

Right before lunch we learned a bit of Peruvian history and we’re super excited for all the cultural visits we have coming up. After lunch, we walked over to the service site to meet the Local Director, Mario. He shared with us how he came to open a school with quality education. It all began with his desire to provide some after school tutoring to local students. It has now blossomed into a school with 3 different preschool classrooms. He has the hope that within 2 years he will be able to add 5 more grade levels to his school. We can’t wait to work with Mario, the students, and the greenhouse in the coming weeks!

Written By: Yensi & Matt

 

Day 3: July 18, 2017

Today we woke up at 6:30 to meet at the top balcony for a yoga session with Raquel, one of our mentors. After that we all ate a quick breakfast consisting of eggs, fruit, yogurt, cereal, and some amazing bread. After breakfast we started our 40 minute walk to our worksite. It  was the first day we were started service at the school. We were split into multiple groups that consisted of painting, breaking up concrete, transporting supplies up the steps and working more on the greenhouse. We used axes to break up the topsoil and began to mix it with more fertile soil. We turned and mixed these two a couple times before it was time to head back to the home base for lunch. Lunch consisted of beef and rice; we were all pretty tired so we had a small break before heading back to the worksite. Most people went back to their morning job and furthered their progress. We came back to base for dinner which was chicken salad with rice and juice. After dinner, we all gathered outside to bus into Cusco Plaza to get wifi and desserts. Most wifi time was spent following each other on instagram and Snapchat and speaking to family and friends. We all came back after an hour and hung out and took well needed showers.

Written By: Eve M and Adele B

 

 

 

July 19, 2017

 

Day 4: Today we woke up at 7:00 AM to head down to breakfast at 7:15 AM for some delicious boiled eggs with a side of yogurt and cereal.  After breakfast we headed down stairs and had a 30 min drive to Saqsayhuaman — an incan archeological site. The tour of the site led us into Cuzco where we stopped for lunch at an amazing Indian buffet. After finishing our delicious spicy chicken, our guide, John, led us deeper into the city and took us to a local supermarket where we bought traditional Peruvian snacks. The supermarket was located right next to a plaza with several cathedrals built by the Spanish. Following our raid of the supermarket, we headed down to the Mercado San Pedro where we purchased many, hand-made souvenirs and clothing. We all hopped on the bus back to home base where we all collapsed into our beds. Rice and chicken stew was on the menu so we all woke up to eat dinner at 6:00. During which, we were introduced to our guide for the upcoming Lares Trek who would scare us after we finished our meals. He warned of problems far worse we might experience if we weren’t adequately prepared, including pneumonia. Exhausted from our seemingly endless walking, we all fell into our beds and fell asleep.

Written by: Daniela B and Dann M

Day 5: July 20, 2017

 

Excited to work with the kids, we walked to the school at 8:00am and split up into our two groups- one that teaches the 4 year olds and one that teaches the 5 year olds. Using our lessons plans from the night before, each group had three classes with the children: English, art, and sports. The older kids got to dream about what they wanted to be when they grew up by drawing pictures and learning the English words for different professions. The 4 year olds learned the words for articles of clothing in English and during art, drew pictures of themselves and the things that make them happy. During sports class, the kids enjoyed hot potato, playing with the parachute, and freeze dance. We returned to home base to have lunch, took a break from all the walking, and enjoyed a nice bus ride back to the school for music class! Professional musicians taught us to play the flute and the drums for different Peruvian occasions, and then we brought it all together and sang along which created an amazing song. We bussed back to home base for dinner and birthday cake (Happy Birthday, Matt!!). Then went into our mentor groups to discuss the trip so far as well as our feelings regarding the Lares trek that we were going to begin the next morning. We went to bed a bit earlier than usual, so we could get some sleep before our very, very long day of hiking.

Written By: Juliana

 

LARES TREK: D6, 7, & 8 – July 21, 22, and 23, 2017
 
On the first day, we woke up at 4:30am and got on the bus to Urubamba at 6:00am. After a beautiful drive through local farming communities we arrived at the starting point of our two day Lares trek. We began hiking, and after traveling through the jungle we stopped at an Incan archaeological site. We had lunch above a waterfall where the group was introduced to superfoods. We continued to hike and the final section of the day was alongside the incline of a waterfall. The llamas and mules carrying our supplies arrived before the group with the staff to set up camp. The evening was every cold, however, the clear view of the stars was well worth it. We walked for 8 hours and accomplished 12 miles on the first day.
 
The next morning we woke up at 6:00am to a cup of Mate de Coca and began packing our bags for the second part of the trek. The day continued with superfoods for breakfast as well as a sweep through base camp for trash. After a morning stretch we finished the last four hour assent before we reached the summit of Lares. Once we reached the top as a group we took fifteen minutes to take in the view and catch our breaths. Then, the descent began which was rocky and included beautiful views of snowcaps. After two and a half hours we reached our lunch destination. Once we arrived, many students started to feel ill. Once we regenerated, our group continued our descent into the valley. Once in the valley, many students were convinced that we were approaching the end of the trek. Little did they know however, we still had a four and a half hour trek on a road through the farmland. The last two hours ended in complete darkness with headlamps and flashlights. Once we arrived to the hot springs campsite, we enjoyed a spaghetti dinner and ended the night with good sleep for all.
 

The third day of the Lares Trek, we woke up refreshed and ready for the day. Some of the students chose to enjoy an optional hike that morning, while the others opted for a dip in the hot springs. Later that morning the students got ready to board the bus for a four hour ride back to Home Base. At Home Base the students took turns going to the grocery store to purchase some well deserved treats, while others just showered and enjoyed free time (we were very appreciative of our showers and toilets). Our mentor, Raquel, held an optional restorative yoga session on the rooftop terrace right before dinner, after which we had journaling time and a game night where spirits were high (team 3 for the WIN). The rest of the evening was time for the students to relax, and gather their laundry to be done the following morning.

Written By: Feline, Fiona, Ross, Ellie, Tamar, and Lily S.

 

 

 

Day 9: July 24, 2016

The GLA team woke up to an easy morning with a late breakfast at 8:45am. At 9:00am, we got on the bus to depart to a local park to play with the kids from Mario’s school. We did not have a set schedule and were able to play on the seesaws, jungle gym and soccer field  The kids had a lot of fun! After the park, we all hopped on the bus and went to a local pizza joint. The kids LOVED the pizza and we had a fantastic time having lunch with them.  After lunch, we headed to a movie theatre nearby and watched the new Transformers movie. It was entirely in Spanish, so many of us did not understand, but the kids seemed to have a blast! Once the movie ended, we said our goodbyes to the children for the day and went back to home base for some much needed rest before working on our capstone projects. Proceeding our capstone projects we had a group discussion about privilege and watched a TED talk called “A Single Story”. Finally, we had some free time and quietly went to bed at 9:30, exhausted from the long day and the early morning ahead of us.

Written By: Matt C. and Gabby

 
Day 10: July 25, 2016
 
Today, day 10, we saw Incan Sites, shopped in Peruvian markets, and spent time with our peers. We started the day off by going to Moray which was an Incan cultural laboratory. Our kind tour guide, John, talked about its history and importance to Incan culture. After that we visited a salt mine named Moras. There we walked the border of the mine and collected our own salt for keeping. Later, we ate at a local Peruvian buffet which served a variety of food. After lunch, we went to Chincheros, a ancient Peruvian church. Then, we took a short bus ride to a local artisan alpaca shop. Here, we were shown how alpaca wool is dyed, woven, and made into beautiful creations. We then came back to homebase and had a wonderful meal. We finished the day off with mentor groups as we discussed leadership.
 

Written By: Izzy P and Ellie H

Day 11: July 26, 2016
 
We started off the day with a delicious breakfast of scrambled eggs mixed with onions, tomatoes, and broccoli. Shortly after, the group walked to Mario’s school to continue working on the greenhouse. Some people cleaned the area and transported materials, while others painted the walls. After two hours of hard work, we rode the bus back to home base for a beef stir fry lunch. At around one in the afternoon, we returned to the school to attend a Pachamama ceremony. Using coca leaves, a Shaman read into the personality of each GLA student and answered three questions about their futures. Before dinner, the group had some downtime at home base and many ran to nearby convenience stores, called bodegas, to stock up on snacks. Following a short briefing about the Machu Picchu trip, we ate chicken and vegetables for dinner. For the evening activity, we gathered in the living room to watch The Motorcycle Diaries. Then each GLA student marched up to bed to get some rest, knowing that there is another busy day of service ahead.
 

Written By: Brendan and Hailey

Machu Picchu Trip: July 28 – July 30
 

On the first day, we woke up early, ready to head out on our three day trip to Machu Picchu!  After breakfast, we got on the bus and headed to an alpaca farm. Everyone had fun feeding the alpacas (luckily no one got spit on by the llamas). After that, we boarded the bus and headed to a ceramic workshop in Urubamba, where we learned the process behind traditional pottery techniques.  Shortly later, we went to a delicious buffet for lunch!  Next, we went to the town of Ollantaytambo to get a tour of sacred archaeological sites. Finally, we embarked on a 4 hour bus ride to the next town on our trip: Santa Teresa!  


On our second day, the group woke up and ate breakfast at the hotel. The eggs were really great. After breakfast, we set out for the hot springs. The water was refreshing, and we all had a lot of fun. Soon after, we left for lunch back in Santa Teresa. Following lunch, we took the bus to the starting point of our four hour hike, the hydroelectric plant, alongside train tracks in the woods. The final destination was Aguas Calientes, the town adjacent to Machu Picchu. After enjoying dinner across the street from our hotel, the group enjoyed an ice cream (mint chocolate chip!!) and snack run in the city before going to sleep.


On our third day, breakfast was at 8:30, but most people woke up before then. After breakfast we walked from our hotel to a market. We shopped around the market for about 45 minutes and then began our hike to Machu Picchu. The hike was short but difficult (1000 stairs to the top) and had beautiful views of the mountains. Once at the top, we ate lunch before entering the ruins. We then split into two groups and walked around Machu Picchu with tour guides. The site and the views were breathtaking with alpacas accenting the archaeological site. Afterwards, the group broke up into two again, with half walking back down the stairs we came up and the other taking a bus to Aguas Calientes, where we ate dinner. After dinner, we waited for our delayed train. (Which pushed our arrival to home base back an hour.) After the train, we took buses back and arrived to home base at 2am.

Written By: Lily H., Sandra R, Claudia G, Adam F, Sophia C, Lily M

D16: July 31, 2017

This morning we were able to sleep in after arriving at back home base at 2 am from Machu Picchu. Breakfast was at 10 and consisted of cereal, eggs, cheese, bread, fresh fruit, and jam. Around noon GLA students had the option of going to a nearby basketball court or just hanging out at home base. At 1:30 we ate lunch and prepared to go to a nearby soccer field. At the soccer field we proceeded to play a series of soccer matches against the locals and we lost miserably (MISERABLY). At 4:30 we got on buses and went back to home base. We had an hour and a half of free time to shower and rest. Dinner was at 6 o’clock and we had BBQ wings, fried potatoes, salad, avocado and lemonade. After dinner we had a rafting charla that informed us about our rafting trip tomorrow. The leaders are especially excited for tomorrow’s activities. Tonight concluded with mentor groups and we talked about cultural norms and how our cultures and sub-cultures differ from others.

Written By: Julia D and Morgan S

 

 

 

Day 17: August 1st, 2017

Today began with an early (but delicious) breakfast consisting of cereal, bread, eggs, fruit, and cheese to get us ready for a day full of activities. After a slightly bumpy start on the road, we arrived at the site eager to start whitewater rafting, ziplining, and to check out the sauna. We put on our fashionable rafting gear and spent the early afternoon on the water. Many of the students had never experienced rafting before and really enjoyed the rapids! For lunch, we tried quinoa soup with veggies, followed by chicken and rice, finished with a great slice of banana cake. On a full stomach, the group successfully navigated the zipline, and boarded the bus back to home base. After an hour of free time, we sat down for a delicious pasta and veggie dinner. On tonight’s schedule was an interesting discussion based on an informative video, summarizing the linear cycle of consumerism in today’s world. We touched on many important points regarding our values as human beings and how they affect the world around us – specifically the interplay between the economy and the environment. With an hour left before bedtime, students had some time to socialize before getting a good night’s rest in preparation for a morning of service at the school. All in all, we had an adventurous day of outdoor and meaningful activities.

Written By: Olivia HG and Sophia C

 

 

 

Day 18: August 2nd

We started off the day with an early, 7:15 am breakfast. Afterward, we headed to service where we proceeded to plant the garden, put up the walls of the greenhouse, paint walls and tediously sweep around the school. After the morning service, we bused back to home base to eat lunch. We had lamb stew, bread, avocados, hard boiled eggs, and lemonade. We then bused back to the school where we attended music/dance lessons. The GLA students had the opportunity to go to pan flute or drum lessons followed by instruction in salsa or traditional Peruvian dances. After the lessons, we walked back to home base and had an hour of free time. Dinner was at 6:00 and we ate rice with a chicken sauce as well as bread, eggs, and potatoes; dessert consisted of a sweet empanada with sprinkles. At 7:00 pm we assembled into mentor groups and talked about volunteer work and how it can be either helpful or harmful, we also discussed our capstone projects. Leaders of the day, Julia Dixon, and Ellie Hyde were very frustrated and frazzled during service today as they were instructed in the beginning of morning service to sweep the many stairs in front of the school. They did so for two and a half hours. Julia and Hyde were then informed that bags of dirt would be carried up and down the newly cleaned stairs. They were not bitter…

Written By: Ellie H and Julia D

 

 

 

Day 19: August 3rd, 2017
 
We started the day with breakfast at 7:15am. After a hearty breakfast we left for our last official day of painting and working on the greenhouse. We left Mario’s school at 12:00 and bussed back to home base. After lunch at 1:00, we left for a market to do some last minute shopping. We definitely bought more than we should. Then, we walked to Wifi cafes, while stopping to buy ice cream half way there. (Morgan being the happiest about this because she finally got her mint chocolate ice cream.) We then splurged on extravagant pastries and ice cream while enjoying some pretty sweet Wifi. We bussed back to home base afterwards and ate dinner. After dinner, we all watched The Freedom Writers (which we would all recommend). After the emotional movie, we all headed to bed for a solid night of sleep.
 
Written By: Gabby W & Lily M
Day 20: August 4th, 2017
 
We got to sleep in and we walked to service celebration where we split up in 2 groups. Half the group worked on wrapping up on the green house and the other half were setting up the decorations for the party. When the locals arrived we had finally finished the greenhouse and went to the playground for the party. There were many tasty treats and a delicious cake that we all stuffed down our throats. We played many fun traditional games that we all enjoyed. At around 11:30 we bused back to home base where everyone began to pack before lunch came around. It was our first chance to try the traditional cuy. After lunch we had plenty of free time where the majority used their time to pack and prepare for the talent show. At 7 we went up to the balcony where we had our farwell barbeque dinner where there was traditional music, amazing food and a pinata filled with local souvenirs. We headed back down where we had our GLA talent show that was filled with good jokes, amazing dance routines and great voices. The night ended with a hilarious movie She’s the Man and at 12:30 we all went to our rooms for lights out.
 
Written By: Daniela B and Claudia G
Day 21: August 5, 2017 
Students left as early as 3:30am to catch their flights. For those who had later flights, breakfast was served at 9am. After breakfast students packed, did a last run to the bodega, played games, went to the court, and shared lots of snacks.
For lunch we had yummy burgers and by 3pm everyone was on the bus for the last drop off at the airport. After checking in, we watched as our lovely students walked through security.
Coming back to an empty hotel was further saddened by the memories of all the good times that were had, all the birthdays we celebrated together, all the meals we enjoyed, the card games we played, the glasses we shattered, and the laughter we shared.
We’ll miss you all so much!!!
~Yensi
~Sierra
~Raquel
~Mateo

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