Time Capsule Letter

We can’t believe it has already been so long since our time in Peru ended! We can still remember the amazing trek through the mountains to Aguas Calientes. Often times, it seems like yesterday that we were singing at home base, exploring the cobblestone streets of Cusco, and wandering around the pathways of San Pedro Market. You’re probably back in school (or starting college!) but we wanted you to know that here in Peru we are still thinking of you and the impact we made this summer together.

Our time spent together here truly did make an impact. You should all know you left the communities outside of Cusco better places than when you came. The community members of Secsencalla will continue to use the corn dryers you helped construct for them for many years to come. The bright and colorful rooms you painted will exist long after our time here is just a memory, making the environment of those sites more comfortable for the people that live there.

And of course, the MEDLIFE staff and the individuals in the communities that we served, will never forget the dedication and hard work that you put into to your service days with the mobile clinic. Perhaps most importantly, the knowledge you gained on this trip we hope will serve you and the communities you go on to be in for the rest of your life! We know the value of quality medicine, education, and development and how access to these services can dramatically shape the life trajectories of individuals everywhere.

We also experienced Peruvian culture by eating the food, learning Spanish, haggling for souvenirs and creating unforgettable art and music, not to mention the chocolate museum! We braved the Vilcanota River rapids and ziplined across the canyon. And how could we ever forget our magical day at Machu Picchu, one of the seven manmade wonders of the world.

Remember our Group’s OMG – “One Meaningful Goal” – that we created at the end of the session? We pledged to use what we’ve learned to benefit our communities and become the people we want to be!

Remember to share updates of your personal goals with GLA too, they’d love to see how you are BEING the CHANGE back home!

Thanks for helping to make these special memories in an amazing place and good luck with all your OMG projects!!

Best,
Your Peru Team

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Tuesday July 9, 2019

It’s the first day in Cusco and after several flight delays most students arrived safely! We can’t wait to welcome Lily and Patrick tomorrow morning and to have the whole group together. With some fun name games, a session on Peruvian culture, and a hearty lunch we have started to settle into our home-base rooms in our sunny Cusco garden!

Tomorrow will include program orientation, a schedule overview, and a walking tour of the local area, markets, and city plaza. Then later this week we will dive into service, working on our Healthy Homes projects and getting to know the Peruvian country side. We can’t wait for the fun, adventure, and learning to continue!

More blog posts from students coming soon!

Lauren Schloss, International Director

Friday July 12, 2019

The day after arrivals, we all began to know each other and became familiar with our new home base. Wednesday, we left home base for the first time and explored Cusco. We went to the San Pedro Market where we got to see many traditional foods and souvenirs.

Thursday, we went on a reality tour with Medlife which showed us the conditions that Peruvians experience on a daily basis. The tour was an eye-opening experience into the local lifestyle. On the tour, we got to see two local schools and got to interact and play with the children. We also visited an animal sanctuary where we were able to see vicuñas, llamas, alpacas, and condors. Later that night we got our mentor groups, smaller groups where we share and reflect on our experiences so far and how they relate globally.

Today, Friday, Medlife came to home base and gave us a tutorial and explanation on the work we will be doing during service. For lunch, we went to a restaurant, Fuego, where everyone had different options, including alpaca burgers! Later, we experienced a “Pago” ceremony where we got to experience a Peruvian ritual by the owner of our home base, Papa Yuri. Later on, we had a leadership activity where we did a mock debate about large pharmaceutical companies and their ethics.

Tomorrow, we will leave home base for the weekend to river raft and experience our first hiking adventure. S.O.S it will be a new experience hiking at such a high altitude on a steep mountain. We’re still excited though, don’t worry J.

Blog written by Emilie, Andrea, and Lacey

Monday July 15, 2019

Hey everybody,

We’ve had a pretty active past few days. Saturday, we traveled far from home base, a 2 hour drive, to Cusipata for our first overnight adventure. Our adventure began with white-water rafting down the Urubamba river. Down the river and through the class 3 rapids, the views were incredible, and the water was frigid.

But we survived long enough to hit the sauna right afterwards! After lunch was ziplining across the river and back to the lodge. To end the day, we went on a walk through the rural town to experience what life is like in Peru. After talks with local children, we walked back, stargazing and telling scary stories. Bedtime was set early at 8 pm but for good reason.

We arose at 3:00 am the next morning for a light breakfast before our departure at 4 am. For what you may ask? RAINBOW MOUNTAIN, of course!!!! We slept through the hour-long curvy drive through the Andes. The hike to Rainbow Mountain was around 6 miles total at an altitude of about 5,000 meters (16,500 feet). The majority of the hike had a slight incline, but the last half a mile was killer with the steep, strenuous climb to the summit.

At the top, we were freezing cold, but the views of Rainbow Mountain and the surrounding, snow-capped peaks were worth it. On the way back, we got to see that the 1 hour ride back was on a mountainside with lovely views (don’t worry, we survived it!). After the long ride home from our excursion, we had a low-key movie night with yummy Peruvian snacks from the local convince store. We watched a movie based in Peru–Emperor’s New Groove!

Today was our first day of service! We drove about 45 mins to Secsencalla to help the local community. Today’s focus was on painting walls, building corn dryers, and constructing fruit baskets as a part of MEDLIFE’s Healthy Homes project. The mother of the family we helped, Loudres, was very grateful and prepared us some traditional Peruvian snacks including potatoes, fresh cheese, corn, and a spicy pesto sauce.

We came back after an exhausting day to showers and card games and are getting ready for dinner. After dinner tonight, we will reflect on the past few days with our mentor groups. And all are exciting for tomorrow’s surprise. Stay tuned to the next blog to find out what the surprise is!

Sending our love home,

Adyson, Carly, and Kendall <3

Friday July 19, 2019

Hey all,

This week we concluded the service portion of the program, having given our volunteered hard work to four houses in the valley village of Secsencala. Having sanded, painted, oiled, or re-fenced untold numbers of fruit crates, square feet of wall, or corn dryers, we have reached the intermission between our healthy homes project and our participation in MEDLIFEs mobile clinics. During this aforementioned intermission we will trek for two days, as well as travel by van and train, to the mythical, controversial, and beautiful ruins of Machu Pichu.

Also this week we were treated to a chocolate cooking class at Cuscos chocó museo, and a music and ceramics class. As per always however, the greatest rewards that have come of our hard work over the past five days are the smiles on the faces of the families that we have assisted, and knowing that despite the relative insignificant scale of our service, it will have potential positive effects on the people assisted that will qualify themselves on a plane of significance far superior to the initial work that we dedicated our week to, and will continue to do so come the conclusion of the weekend.

Hoping that all is well,

-by Jackson Howes

Tuesday July 23, 2019

Yesterday we concluded our two-day Lares trek through the Andes Mountains, where we overcame both physical and mental challenges. On Saturday we started the twelve-mile hike bright and early from the town of Lares to the town of Patacancha. In Patacancha, we boarded a bus and traveled to Ollantaytambo. The hike was challenging but pushed us out of our comfort zone and allowed us to view this country in its natural beauty. Our first night on the top of the mountain brought cold temperatures and an experience that will stay with us forever.

Early the next morning we finished our trek through meadows teeming with alpacas and learned about the advantages and disadvantages of living on top of a fourteen thousand foot mountain. Later we arrived at a hostel in the thriving town of Aguas Calientes. Here most of us took advantage of the warm shower and internet connection, resting after our energy-consuming adventure.

Another early morning rolled around and our group traveled via bus to the entrance of Machu Picchu! The Incan ruins were breathtaking. Being able to walk among a part of history that has stood tall for over five hundred years is humbling and learning about the civilizations that have influenced the entire world is amazing. To wrap up the weekend, the group took a four-hour train ride and thirty-minute bus ride back to home base. All of us crashed after the full weekend and refueled for the upcoming week of service.

Today we experienced our first day of clinics. After adapting to the cold weather and setting up all our stations, we learned about the issues that face the communities on the mountain and felt humbled after connecting with the people of San Salvador.

Now we look forward to soaking up as much information and experiences in Peru as we can for our last week!

Wishes from Peru,

Anastasia and Andrea

Saturday July 27, 2019

Yesterday we concluded our last week of service in partnership with MedLife. Working side by side with the Peruvian doctors was a thrilling experience. The seven different stations: OB/GYN, pharmacy, triage, the two doctors, toothbrushing, hygiene, and dentistry, gave us the opportunity to get involved in various sectors of the health industry and grasp the gravity of the poor health conditions in rural Peruvian communities, such as San Salvador.

Today, we were able to explore the Sacsayhuaman Incan ruins, which were breathtakingly beautiful and had steep rocks that were extremely fun to slide down! We then shopped around the Pisac market for jewelry, clothing, and last-minute souvenirs. After lunch at a local restaurant called Blue Llama, we visited an alpaca farm and some of us even got spit on by our new friends!

Sadly, tomorrow we will pack all our stuff to head home and finish the night with dinner and a show in the city. We can’t wait to see our families but will be sad to leave our friends and the beautiful city of Cusco.

Best wishes from Peru,

Tessa, Kate, and Stephanie

Time Capsule Letter

Hola mis amores!

Greetings from the past. Remember departure day? I’ve just said goodbye to Maddy, Jacob, Luisa and Adriana and am waiting in the spacious Cusco airport for the rest of you to arrive from your yummy buffet lunch. It’s chilly and I wish Simona was here to keep me warm (with Roshan commentating of course).

Right now (my time) you’re all working hard to process all these beautiful strong emotions you are having… Leaving your new friends, discovering new room in yourself that you didn’t know you had, an expanded perspective of who you are and your place in the world, and wondering how this is all going to carry forward into your lives and futures. I wonder where you are all at now (your time) and how you have passed these months.

Yuri, Bridget, Lauren, and I hope that you have been able to understand the change that you have felt and knowledge gained during these three weeks, and have become empowered by it. We hope that through your “One Meaningful Goal” Instagram account you have been able to stay in touch, continue to Be The Change (backwards E) and share the amazing things you are doing in your communities with each other. If you haven’t been active on it lately, we challenge you to reach out, post your 3-month picture and reflection of your new service experiences or continue the conversation on someone else’s post. Remember your mission to continue sustainable service in your own communities and being mindful of the purpose behind this commitment.

Your zest and compassion is apparent. We can guide you and show you the possibilities, but that fire is yours. It’s what drove Camila to carry two blocks the last day at service and blow past Lauren and me at Rainbow Mountain. It’s what caused you all to debate about the Lares Trek until Luisa, Rigel and Jacob gave up with you, and for long after just because you desperately wanted to find a solution (no Justin, we are not moving the village). And it’s what formed you into an inseparable family since those first few days playing Uno and “star tripping”. Even on this last morning, Indigo, I wish you’d seen everyone at breakfast, squeezed into a single table, reading your letter aloud.

Already, we are missing Teo’s DJing, Jasmine’s meditations, Eli’s heartfelt group reflections, moments after having everyone in stitches, Christina’s spirited strength, and Anna’s generosity and kindness.

We hope that this letter finds you all well and that it rekindles the warm cameraderie and passionate intentions that you are all leaving with now. We ask you to take a few minutes today to sit with your memories, connect with your GLA family and, with this, to reflect on the past months and where you are currently headed. We miss you all and wish you so much love and courage.

Jessica Daicos
Mentor
Foundations of Global Health – Peru
11th July 2019

 

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Sunday June 23, 2019

After a very long journey and several connecting flights, all fourteen of us made it safely to Cusco, and drove an hour to our beautiful Home Base in the Sacred Valley! Our orientation day was particularly special because we were invited by our Local Director, Yuri, to experience Pago a la Tierra, a traditional Andean ceremony where we expressed gratitude, set intentions, and honored the Earth. Today, we visited a nearby town called Pisac for our first day in a local city.

While in Pisac, we learned to bargain in the markets to get the best price for hand-crafted souvenirs. Our amazing guide Felipe helped with deciphering what was real llama, alpaca, or silver, from the fakes, so we found the best goods for the best price. We had a wonderful lunch at Blue Llama cafe, taking meal recommendations from Giselle, on of our home base caretakers, who is from Cusco.

After lunch, we drove to a llama and alpaca farm. Filipe taught us a lot about Inca culture and the animals, especially how to properly pronounce their names. Overall it was a great first day in the community!

-Christina West-Lucchesi, Teodora Nitu, Justin Lebeau

Wednesday June 26, 2019

On Monday, we trained to use the tools for the bathroom project, one of our service sites. We learned about the cultural differences that we might experience during service when with the community members. We also participated in leadership training and team building activities, led by our Local Director Yuri. Finally, we engaged in an intense debate activity about whether or not to a road should be built on the Lares trek, which we will be hiking this upcoming weekend.

Tuesday, the Leaders of the Day (Ei, Jasmine, and Adriana) began the morning by leading a group meditation on their own, in order to refresh and prepare their minds for the first day of service work of the trip. The day’s service consisted of one group shoveling and transporting materials and another breaking down a wall in a community member’s home, all in the effort to begin the construction of a new bathroom. We then came back to home base for lunch, followed by optional group yoga session, and then a pottery and traditional Andean music lesson, a perfect mix of fun and education.

Today, we traveled to Anyi Wasi in Ollantaytambo and learned about various wilderness medical protocols. We practiced splinting legs and arms, treating profuse bleeding, and stabilizing victims with spinal injuries. We also discussed the dangers of altitude sickness, lightning storms and how to prevent further injury. We have had a great few days close to our home base, and are now preparing for the Lares Trek!

Monday July 1, 2019

We spent Thursday learning more about health services in Peru through a tour led by MED LIFE (Medical, Education, and Development for Low Income Families Everywhere), which is the organization we will be serving with after our Lares Trek. We visited a rural school on the outskirts of Cusco and afterwards had a discussion about how education impacts health. Next, we walked through a hospital in Cusco and learned more about the healthcare system in Peru. The last stop on our Reality Tour was an Animal Shelter for abused or endangered wild animals. We were able to see condors, a tucán, and llamas. We finished off our day with a discussion on the social determinants of health. Overall it was a wonderful day full of learning.

On Friday, we woke up early and got ready to begin our drive to the starting point of the Lares Trek. We stopped at a snowy peak at over 14,000 feet on the way to take pictures, then began our trek with 4.5 hours of rainy and cloudy hiking (with a lunch break) before finally reaching the camp site. The view was amazing. We ate dinner, drank hot chocolate, and went to bed exhausted from the long day.

On Saturday, we woke up early, around 5 am, to eat breakfast at our beautiful campsite before we left to complete the second half of the Lares Trek! This hike was much easier than the previous day as it started with a brief uphill that led us to the summit of the hike and from then on, was downhill. The trek finished with lunch at the house of one of the men who guided the horses that carried our bags, cooked by our chef that completed the hike with us. After eating lunch, we journeyed, by bus and train, to the hostel in Aguas Calientes, where we spent the night.

On Sunday, we woke up to an early morning after spending the night in a hostel in the main tourist town for people visiting Machu Picchu. It was a refreshing, comfortable night after spending the previous night in the valley of the Andes in colder temperatures. Following wake up, we bussed over to Machu Picchu, translating to “Old Mountain” from Quechua to English, which was a much anticipated trip. We spent 3 hours at Machu Picchu, walking around the grounds to find the best spots for pictures and most historically prominent areas, all led by 2 incredible tour guides. It was one of the most beautiful sites most of us had ever seen, especially considering it’s history and significance to Peru. Following the day’s main attraction at Machu Picchu, we stopped in the town for lunch, and finally made it back to home base after a long but amazing day.

Written by Jasmine Gates (Hi Dylan!), Indigo Dubois-Greene, Anna Brown, Justin Lebeau, Jacob Petty, Christina West-Lucchesi, Eli Cowan, Maddie Buisch, Adriana Guzman

Monday July 1 through Wednesday July 3, 2019

Monday, we began our first day of service with MEDLIFE, an organization that provides healthcare to rural communities that don’t typically have access. We are each assigned to two health stations for the day that we rotated through this week. In a community of 400, we were able to help loca doctors treat 115 people of all ages and encourage 90 children to brush their teeth. Because we were just coming back from our Lares trek, we had a lax afternoon, followed by a movie night where we watch Emperor’s New Groove.

On Tuesday, worked with MEDLIFE for our second day, and were able to help another community. After our service, we came back to the hostel and had a relaxing afternoon. Some people did yoga, while others rested and prepared for the next day.

On Wednesday, we worked with MED LIFE again in the Chumpe community, serving about 100 people and encouraging 60 kids how to brush their teeth. After service, the community gifted us potatoes with salad and cheese. We ended the night with a group leadership activity in which we saved our “bucket of dreams” from “a volcano covered in lava” and with an incredible demonstration of light painting with our visitor, GLA photographer Matt.

-by Jasmine Gates, Teodora Nitu, Camila Goldszmidt, Justin Lebeau, Maddie Buisch, Christina West-Lucchesi, Roshan Desai

Thursday July 4 through Saturday July 6, 2019

Happy 4th of July from Peru! Today was our final day working with Med Life. We finished our week in our home base city of Lamay. It was extremely special serving in the community that we have been living in for the past two weeks! After a half-day of rotations with the dentist, pharmacy, ob-gyn, and other doctors, we were given great news that we had helped Med-Life see 400 patients from villages all over the Sacred Valley. After heading back to home base, we spent the afternoon playing volleyball and taking some much-needed siestas. Then we had a Global Health Charla in the beautiful Maloka where we discussed how cultural biases impact health care. We finished the night with some more late night light photography with our guest for the week, “Mentor” Matt, before he left to take some more spectacular photos of other GLA programs across Peru the next day. This is by far one of the most memorable US Independence Days many of us have ever spent!

On Friday, we finally had a “later” morning as breakfast didn’t start until 8:30, which was significantly later than the previous days. We had our second day working with the bathroom project, digging the hole for the septic tank of the second bathroom of the trip and moving bricks to construct the walls of another bathroom. We returned to Villa Magica to a bit of a break, followed by a group Salsa dancing lesson that we all loved.

On Saturday, we continued to work digging a septic tank and transporting materials for the construction of various bathrooms in the community. Our local director, Yuri, then taught us how to make traditional Adobe bricks and how to use them to create a house. After our work, we walked into Lamay to explore the local town. We finished the night with an activity about voluntourism and had a conversation about the sustainability of GLA.

-by Anna Brown, Eli Cowan, Maddie Buisch, Teodora Nitu, Camila Goldszmidt

Sunday July 7 through Wednesday July 10, 2019

After a Sunday spent rafting a section of the Urubamba River and ziplining across it, we stayed in the riverside lodge and had the earliest morning of the trip. We made it to Rainbow Mountain by sunrise, and climbed to 17,000 feet by 8am. It was spectacularly beautiful.Then, we had a relaxing afternoon as we prepared for the last few days.

On Tuesday, we had our final day of service at the bathroom project where we gave 100% to make another dent in digging the septic tank. Then Yuri led our final group reflection that led to us making a goal for the entire group for the next year. Later, we discussed reverse culture shock and how it will apply to us when we get home.

We began our final day in Peru with a late morning (we got to sleep in until 9 am!!), followed by the somewhat tedious chore of packing all of our clothes, souvenirs, and, for some of us, very large llamas into our suitcases. After packing was completed, we took one final hike into the center of Lamay and ate baked goods from a local panadería. Then we built earth ovens, “Watyas” with the local kids from Aldea Yanapay (Yuri’s school) to cook potatoes in the traditional Andean fashion.

While they cooked, we played a few rounds of volleyball, then went to the Maloka to eat our potatoes and sweet potatoes with cheese, salt, and tea. As we sat in a tight circle of Villa Magica staff, GLA students, and kids from the community, it hit many of us that this was our final night in beautiful Peru. We finished the night with an emotional appreciation circle, and a super special dinner that included much anticipated cuy (guinea pig!!). Yesterday was a wonderful ending to an amazing trip! We are now en route to the airport, sad to leave and excited to return home at the same time.

by Justin Lebeau, Maddie Buisch, Roshan Desai, Rigel Brown

Time Capsule Letter

We can’t believe it has already been so long since our time in Peru ended! We can still remember the amazing train ride through the mountains to Aguas Calientes, singing 99 bottles of milk on the wall on the way to rafting, and passing oranges hand over hand on the bus on the reality tour.

Often times, it seems like yesterday that we were singing at home base, exploring the cobblestone streets of Cusco, and wandering around the pathways of San Pedro Market. You’re probably back in school (or starting college!) but we wanted you to know that here in Peru we are still thinking of you and the impact we made this summer together.

Our time spent together here truly did make an impact. You should all know you left the communities outside of Cusco better places than when you came. The community members of Secsencalla will continue to use the corn dryers you helped construct for them for many years to come. The bright and colorful rooms and exteriors you painted will exist long after our time here is just a memory, making the environment of those sites more comfortable and healthy for the people that live there.

And of course, the MEDLIFE staff and the individuals in the communities that we served will never forget the unwavering dedication and hard work that you put into to your service days with the mobile clinic. Perhaps most importantly, the knowledge you gained on this trip we hope will serve you and the communities you go on to be in for the rest of your life! We know the value of quality medicine, education, and development and how access to these services can dramatically shape the life trajectories of individuals everywhere.

Another thing we can’t forget is how much fun we had together here! You all were a huge part of making this trip so fun by being a really close-knit, open minded, and enthusiastic group. We experienced Peruvian culture by eating the food, learning Spanish and Quechua, haggling for souvenirs and creating unforgettable Mamitas art. We braved the Vilcanota River rapids and zip-lined across the canyon. And how could we ever forget our magical day at Machu Picchu, one of the seven manmade wonders of the world.

We worked really hard and also had a blast together. Whether it was playing mafia at breakfast, brushing teeth with children in the countryside, buying snacks at the corner store, staying up late to talk or exploring new places together- it was that much fun because we got to share it with all of you— the 2019 GLA Peru Foundations of Global Health group!

Remember our Group’s OMG – “One Meaningful Goal” – that we created at the end of the session? We pledged that through past experience and self reflection we would better ourselves and better others. This could be through journaling, community service, and being open minded. We would love to know how that is going! Have there been any changes in your home or even community?

Remember to share your personal goals with GLA too, they’d love to see how you are BEING the CHANGE back home!

Thanks for helping to make these special memories in an amazing place and good luck with all your OMG projects!! We are sure you are all doing wonderful things in your communities!

Nos Vemos,

Lauren, Carlitos, Brittany, Matt and Bernardo

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Friday August 2, 2019

Hello, everyone! We are so excited to have welcomed all the students to homebase in sunny Cusco and are so happy about all the positive energy and excitement we have already on day one. We are beginning our student blog and photos and hope you enjoy following along on our journey in Peru!

Warmly,

Lauren, International Director

What’s poppin’ parents,

Today we all arrived in Cusco, Peru, and had lots of fun as we adjusted to the homebase and altitude. A lot of us were coming off a hectic and tiring series of flight connections. After arriving at the airport we rode the bus to home base, took a walk through one of the historic streets, and arrived to the rooms with the large kitchen and garden. We took tours of homebase and some of us slept while some just spent time outside enjoying the view to the cool sun.

More and more students came as the day went on and our group turned from 5 kids to 27 kids as we all got to know each other. Lunch was amazing and the crackers with the mystery sauce was great. We played so many name games and met the staff and got to learn about the history of Peru and its culture. We also celebrated Oona’s birthday! Now it is free time as we are waiting for dinner and I am writing this blog, all of us are so excited to visit the San Pedro Market in Old Cusco tomorrow.

Peace out,

Suhas Das

Saturday August 3, 2019

Buenos dias!

We started our day with orientation where we discussed the code of conduct which involved group discussions and a “get to know you” snowball fight. We participated in skits in small groups that helped us understand how we should behave during the trip. We came up with our community guidelines which will help our community grow and thrive during these next 2 weeks. We had a delicious lunch at a Peruvian restaurant in Cusco, where many of us tried alpaca burgers. They were deliciously unique!

Our review of the burger is as follows: We were pleasantly surprised by the gouda and caramelized onions as they complimented the lean and well-cut alpaca patty. (9.5 out of 10)

Then we broke up into small groups and explored Cusco. We went to a Peruvian market where we were challenged to buy three Peruvian foods for only one Sol (33 US cents). After that, we tried lots of new Peruvian fruits and bought some souvenirs (like fuzzy alpacas and alpaca sweaters). We were all challenged to use our Spanish skills in order to communicate with the locals.

Upon returning to home base, we had some free time where we had a quick photo shoot and hung out. We had a delicious dinner of chicken and rice. After dinner, the group participated in a heated game of Jeopardy. Shout out to the winning that is Suhas, Sarah, Annika, Ryan, Jessica, Maya and Abbie. There were questions on health, code of conduct, culture, and security. After the game, everyone was awarded with Peruvian churros. They were so good, and quite different than American churros.

Adios,

Team Vazzy (we ended with 2 points)

Aka Jess, Jenna, Joey, Adam, Julia, Maddie & (feature the extra writing support and editing expertise of Zoe & Kayla)

Sunday August 4 and Monday August 5, 2019

¡Ymaynalla! (Hello in Quechua)

Sunday we went on a reality tour where we explored Cusco and saw the communities where we would be working. Some of the stops included a kindergarten, an elementary school, a hospital, and an animal shelter (with alpacas!). We learned a lot about Peru’s history and culture and their way of life. We learned about the fun traditions as well as the hard lives that Peruvians face. For example, one hospital that was made from an army camp served all 500,000 people of Cusco yet only had 150 beds and two ambulances.

At night we divided into our mentor groups for the first time where we all split off into different cafes and learned more about each other. We also stopped to enjoy lunch with a gorgeous mountain view of the Sacred Valley!

Monday was the first clinic day. We traveled an hour and a half on a bus to a Peruvian community. There, we split up into different groups that each focused on their own tasks. The stations included triage, education, pharmacy, toothbrushing and hygiene for the children, OB/GYN, dentistry, and general medicine.

Each person got a chance to help out at two stations today, but we will get to experience all of the stations during the next few clinic days. The memories we made today with the patients and with each other we will never forget as we are super excited for the upcoming two clinic days in different communities.

By Jess B, Julia, and Suhas

Friday August 9, 2019

Hola Amigos,

We had the last day of clinics! The bus ride was a grand 2+ hours each way, much of which was spent driving along winding roads, always with a scenic view. At the end of the ride, we all agreed our bus driver deserved a multitude of awards for his skillful maneuvering of the huge bus on the small, twisting roads in the Andean mountains.

Once we arrived on site there was already a line of people waiting to be seen! It was a super packed day, patients streaming in nonstop, every station doing their best to keep up. We all worked together with the medical team to efficiently see everyone who came to the clinic and, although chaotic at times, it was a perfect way to spend our last day. At the end, when we were packing up, the community members laid out a snack complete with potatoes and homemade cheese. Describing the food as delicious would be an understatement!

Saying goodbye and thanking the medical staff was bittersweet. As we were all standing in a cluster, reflecting on what the staff had taught us, as well as the impact we were able to have on some of the rural communities in Perú, it hit us; this part of our journey was over. The three days of clinic allowed us all experiences we never would have dreamed of. Connecting with community members, gaining insight into the medical field, and learning things about ourselves that were just waiting for the right moment to be uncovered. Next, with much enthusiasm, we will be moving to the Healthy Homes project after a “relaxing” day of white water rafting.

P.S. There may have been a dance party that night 🙂

For rafting, we woke up early and took a 2 hour bus ride to Cusipata. The bus ride went by quickly as we listened to throwback songs. When we got to Cusipata we had the opportunity to go zip-lining. Most of us took that opportunity to get our adrenaline pumping. Afterward, we got split into groups and headed down the stream with our instructors. We passed through rapids of class 2 and 3 and we even got an opportunity to go cliff jumping. The water was freezing cold but it was an amazing experience. After rafting, we headed to the sauna to warm ourselves up and had lunch. We then headed back to home base for dinner. After dinner, we all huddled up for a movie and celebrated Ryan’s birthday with music and cake!

Yesterday was the day! Healthy Homes project time! We traveled far out to a house owned by a woman named Antonia in the community of Secsencalla. We arrived and she greeted us warmly. The group was split into different teams. We had people painting (interior and exterior), making furniture from fruit crates, and setting up the corn dryer. All the home improvements were health related, in the wholistic sense, and help to improve the quality of life, as well as preventing long term illnesses. Everyone worked together, people even helping out other teams once they finished their own task to make sure everything got done on time. After a long day of work we celebrated with more potatoes and cheese, plus some homemade chili sauce, provided by Antonia’s family! (It was just as delicious as on the last of clinics). Feeling accomplished we headed back to Cusco for a short history lesson by our very own mentor Matt.

Today is just as exciting as we are heading to Machu Picchu! We also have a lot of activities planned out. One of them includes a hot spring! We are so excited and of course we are listening to music. Ber is currently playing Un Poco Loco from Coco.

-by Anaka and Jess M

Monday August 12, 2019

Hola Parents!!

Our group just got back from our two-day Machu Picchu excursion where we explored both the towns around the wonder, as well as Machu Picchu itself. To start, we took a bus ride to a local artist’s house. The artist specialized in creating art based on the mamitas, local women, in his village. Here, we learned printmaking, stop-motion, watercolor, and pottery. The group especially loved the artist’s dogs (Casa and his puppies). After, we took a 1.5 hour train ride to the city of Aguas Calientes, which is at the base of Machu Picchu.

We arrived at our hostel and quickly changed into bathing suits to go to the town’s namesake: a natural hot spring. Many people enjoyed this and some even made Peruvian friends! Following the hot springs, lots of us went to play soccer at a local field in the mountains. There, we met some little kids and were able to work on our team skills and sharing abilities. That night, we went to a buffet dinner at a local Peruvian restaurant. The food was delicious. We returned to the hostel for a restful night of sleep to woke up bright and early to explore Machu Picchu.

After a 30 minute bus ride that zig-zagged up the mountain, we finally made it to Machu Picchu! Upon arrival, we met our guide Freddie who joined our other guide, Patricia. We were blown away by the amazing views and architecture of the city, which we were able to enjoy during a silent 20 minute meditation session. We learned lots about the ancient city, such as the fact that many of the buildings were left unfinished as a result of the Spanish invading and the Incas evacuating. We stayed at Machu Picchu for about 3 hours (plenty of time for all of our touristy pictures).

After, we returned to Aguas Calientes for a delicious Italian lunch where many of us finished entire pizzas. We then split into groups for some shopping and gelato. After shopping, the group boarded another 2 hour train ride back to where we met our bus for a long ride back to home base in Cusco. We returned tired, but ready for our next adventure!

Adios,

Maddy and Zoë

Tuesday August 13, 2019

On Monday we started the second day of the Healthy Homes project. We spent the day painting, making corn dryers, and building food crates. We were able to see the effect our work had in this one family. In the afternoon, many of us were entertained by a concert performed by paint room 2. After service we arrived back home and we took an excursion to a local chocolate museum. There we part took in trying “guinea pig milk”, a pretend blood sacrifice, and making our own chocolate. We were able to go shopping in the chocolate museum gift shop where many of us bought chocolate scented items. We ended the day in our mentor groups recapping the events of the day.

On Tuesday we started the last day of our Healthy Homes project and the last day of it service. During the service, many of us had experiences with many different farm animals including puppies, kittens, cats, chickens, goats, cows, and turkeys. After we arrived home, everyone was given time to prepare the for GLA Peru Talent Show. There were many notable talents such as whistling the national anthem, origami, Dutch tongue twisters, extreme athletics, a drum show, a rap, a comedy show, an amazing synchronized swimming dance, and a fiesta from the boys room. We ended the day with having our own free time and spending it with each other.

Wednesday August 14, 2019

What is cracka lackin parents,

Today is our final day in the country as we all head back home on our flights. We all really enjoyed this trip as it has made us all grow as people and many lives were impacted by our work and presence. Over these last two weeks we have all grown closer together and formed strong bonds between each other and we have made lifelong friends. Two days ago we had our last day of service, the healthy homes project finished up as both Medlife and GLA completed their last project in Secsencalla after two years of work in that community. Yesterday was program wrap up day and we did many appreciation activities including an anonymous appreciation circle as well as compliment sheets filled with notes from each other.

Then a Shaman from an UNESCO protected native community came to our homebase and we participated in a religious ceremony. After that we had more free time where we chilled out before going to our mentor groups where we talked in different parts of Cusco. Dinner was at a restaurant in Plaza D’armais where we ate a buffet and took part in lots of dancing to the music of the live performers. We then came home and had a fiesta before hitting the hay. Today is mostly saying our goodbyes and having fun before we depart back to our homes. Thank you guys for following this blog and our adventures.

Signed,

Suhas, Tu-Trinh, and Ryan

Time Capsule Letter

We can’t believe it has already been so long since our time in Peru ended! We can still remember the amazing train ride through the mountains to Aguas Calientes. Often times, it seems like yesterday that we were singing at home base, exploring the cobblestone streets of Cusco, and wandering around the labyrinthian pathways of San Pedro Market. You’re probably back in school (or starting college!) but we wanted you to know that here in Peru we are still thinking of you and the impact we made this summer together.

Our time spent together here truly did make an impact. You should all know you left the communities outside of Cusco better places than when you came. The community members of Secsencalla will continue to use the corn dryers you helped construct for them for many years to come. The bright and colorful rooms you painted will exist long after our time here is just a memory, making the environment of those sites more comfortable for the people that live there.

And of course, the MEDLIFE staff and the individuals in the communities that we served, will never forget the unwavering dedication and hard work that you put into to your service days with the mobile clinic. Perhaps most importantly, the knowledge you gained on this trip we hope will serve you and the communities you go on to be in for the rest of your life! We know the value of quality medicine, education, and development and how access to these services can dramatically shape the life trajectories of individuals everywhere.

Another thing we can’t forget is how much fun we had together here! You all were a huge part of making this trip so fun by being a really close-knit, open minded, and enthusiastic group. We experienced Peruvian culture by eating the food, learning Spanish, haggling for souvenirs and creating unforgettable art. We braved the Vilcanota River rapids and ziplined across the canyon. And how could we ever forget our magical day at Machu Picchu, one of the seven manmade wonders of the world.

We worked really hard and also had a blast together. Whether it was playing mafia at night, brushing teeth with children in the countryside, buying chicken chips at the corner store, staying up late to talk or exploring new places together- it was that much fun because we got to share it with all of you— the 2019 GLA Peru Foundations of Global Health group!

Remember our Group’s OMG – “One Meaningful Goal” – that we created at the end of the session? We pledged to use the passion and knowledge gained in our experiences to return to our communities and take initiative to make a positive change. We would love to know how that is going! Have there been any changes in your home or even community?

Remember to share your personal goals with GLA too, they’d love to see how you are BEING the CHANGE back home!

Thanks for helping to make these special memories in an amazing place and good luck with all your OMG projects!!

Cheers from your equipo,

Lauren, Carlitos, Patrick, Tamera and Deivis

 

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Saturday June 22, 2019

It’s day one in Cusco and everyone has arrived safely with only a few flight delays! We are so happy to welcome everyone to our sunny home base and begin get-to-know-you games, part of orientation, and of course have some relaxation time after long journeys! We tasted our first Peruvian food made by our house chefs and learned some fun facts about the country to get us acclimated to our program!

Tomorrow will include the rest of orientation and a walking tour of the local area, markets, and city plaza before we dive into service work this week! We can’t wait for the fun, adventure, and learning to continue! More posts from students coming soon!

-Lauren Schloss, International Director

Monday June 24, 2019

Yesterday we went into the San Pedro Market in Cusco during their local festival for the sun god. Everyone had lots of fun and returned to the home base with lots of souvenirs. It was really interesting to see the local people celebrate together.

Today we went on our reality tour with Medlife, our service provider. The first stop was an overlook of the whole city of Cusco, we were able to see how much the city has recently expanded and learned about the current state of the city. Next, we went to the hospital, which put into perspective the major differences between our healthcare system and our own.

Our third stop was a local primary school in a rural area outside of the city. We were able to see how difficult it is to access education from rural areas and the disadvantage this causes for the children. Our fourth stop was for lunch at a beautiful overlook where we were able to view the entire valley down below. Our final stop was the animal sanctuary, here we got to learn about different types of animals in the area and interact with them.

All in all, these last few days have been filled with eye opening experiences that prepared us to begin service with Healthy Homes tomorrow.

From your leaders of the day,

Madison and Lily

Wednesday June 26, 2019

For our first two service days here in sunny Cuzco, Peru, students visited the small community of course Secsencalla to start our Healthy Homes Project. Over the course of two days, students worked to provide for two families within the community. Upon arrival, students were split into different assignments including: painting rooms, repurposing fruit boxes, and building corn dryers. All of these assignments improved the general health of the lives of these families.

Painting rooms will help remove mold and harmful bacteria that builds up over time, as well as brightening the homes. Reconstructing fruit boxes provided another alternative for storage in the homes, instead of storing items on the dirty floor. Corn dryers are a sustainable solution to drying corn in the kitchens, which will reduce the possibility of developing respiratory issues.

On day one, Rosa and her granddaughter, Sarah, welcomed us into their home with exceeding gratitude. After a long day of service, full of new experiences, Rosa offered the students home cooked potatoes, corn and cheese. In addition, she requested the names of all those who participated to hang on her wall. Day two offered another opportunity for students to benefit a local family. The family was experiencing health related hardships, making this work more vital to their wellbeing. Challenges were overcome with dancing and singing creating positive atmosphere among the students and the family.

These past two days of service have been an eye-opening experience for students to learn about the reality of the conditions people live in as well as taking actions to improve people’s lives. While each student experienced their ups and downs completing difficult work, they were able to make a personal connection with both the families and the culture.

Blog written by: Noelle, Casey, Mackenzie, and Christopher

Friday June 28, 2019

For our sixth day in Peru, we took a break from service work to go on a rafting excursion on the Vilcanota river. Students split into different rafts, each with an instructor, to learn the different commands used when rafting. Along the Vilcanota, students were able to look up and see the beautiful mountains while going through the class three rapids.

Although three students fell out of the rafts, everyone had a great time. After rafting, we had a great lunch at the lodge and were able to relax in the sauna. Afterwards, students were surprised with yet another fun activity at the lodge- ziplining across the river! Students were all very tired on the bus ride home and were treated to some much-needed free time once arriving back at home base. To round out the day, the group all came together to watch an animated movie about Incan culture that takes place in Cusco: Pachamama and enjoyed popcorn and hot tea to warm up after a busy day.

For our seventh day in Peru, we continued with our Healthy Homes Project in Secsencalla. Working with local community member Eva, students again built corn dryers, repainted rooms, and built fruit crates. Students also wrote cards for Victor, our Medlife representative, and Jenny, a community member. After dinner, we celebrated Kareena’s 16th birthday with a cake from a local bakery. Students ended the day with mentor groups, some taking a walk into the city. After mentor groups, students went to bed early to get some needed rest for the exciting trip to Machu Picchu!

By Ava and Camille

 

Saturday June 29 and Sunday June 30, 2019

We started off our day with a two hour bus ride to reach our first destination, El Jardin de Las Mamitas. This is a local art residency, and the owner Alberto gave us a tour of all his creative projects. Every student was also able to participate in an art form of their choice, and were able to bring home souvenirs from paintings to sculptures to even animation videos! After our creative adventure, we boarded the train to head to the town of Aguas Calientes, at the base of Machu Picchu. The train ride was filled with gorgeous views, lots of card games, and plenty of alpaca sandwiches. We ended our long day of travel with a relaxing soak in the mineral hot springs and a delicious buffet.

Sunday was the big day! We got up bright and early to make our venture to Machu Picchu, riding a bus for 45 minutes to reach the peak. Our wonderful guides, Patricia and Edder, led us up the many, many, many steps to reach our viewpoints. After a fascinating history of the magical structure, we were actually able to go and walk through the ruins. Many photo ops later, we finally departed from the mountain with wonderful memories and (for many of us) our first New Seven Wonders experience. We then headed for another alpaca-filled lunch and hit the markets to round out the excursion experience in Aguas Calientes. A four hour train ride later, we arrived back at home base with plenty of excitement to start our week of medical campaigns!

By Emma B, Daisy and Natalie

Friday July 5, 2019

Hello families! This blog didn’t go through over the weekend, so we’re posting it now!

We began our 3-day medical campaign with Medlife at a different community every day. The students were stationed at 2 of 8 different stations each day: triage, education, toothbrushing, hygiene, general medicine, dental health, OBGYN, and pharmacy.

At the triage station, students were able to take the blood pressure, height, and weight of incoming patients. Students at the education station helped guide patients to their next station, fill out paperwork, and assist the nurse with glucose tests. Students stationed at the toothbrushing station taught local children about proper toothbrushing techniques and the importance of maintaining their oral health.

At the hygiene station, students showed children the proper way to wash their hands and how to apply lotion to their hands and face. Since the air in Cusco is very harsh, the children’s skin is often dry. At the general medicine station, students were able to shadow two doctors, where they observed patient consultations and wrote down the prescriptions for the patients. The patients presented similar health issues, many adults had arthritis from carrying heavy loads on their backs, and bronchitis from inhaling the smoke in their kitchens. Students at the dental health station assisted the dentist with suction, cleaning and handing the dentist tools, and holding a flashlight. Students were able to observe teeth extractions, cavity fillings, and general cleaning.

The OBGYN station involved only female volunteers, where students handed the doctor the tools for pap smears. Students at the pharmacy station read the prescriptions and found the proper medications for each patient. Ultimately, we all enjoyed and learned from our experiences at the medical clinics.

On the last full day of the trip, the students had an OMG activity where one goal was decided upon as a group to take back home. They also created individual goals for themselves. Next, we did an appreciation circle where students were able to anonymously appreciate their peers. Afterwards, students participated in a “Pass the Paper” activity, where they wrote down their favorite memories with each of their peers. After lunch, we went into the San Pedro Market and explored the plaza. We then split into our Mentor Groups, where we went to local cafes to have a final reflection on our trip. After that, we had dinner in town at a buffet-style restaurant where we danced along with the performers and lively music.

We’re sad that it’s time to say goodbye to Peru and excited to take our new adventures back into our lives at home!

Written by: Kareena & Vivian

Time Capsule Letter

I will never forget our incredible time together in India. I have missed the fresh Roti in the mornings and midday chai tea. It seems not long ago that we were playing badminton and Indian games in the grass fields of Pushkar. We miss taking yoga and dance classes from Pooja and being teased daily by Mahesh. It was fun to have such a close knit group, with a great sense of humor.

Remember all of the adventures and amazing sights we got to see. During our trip, Jaipur, ‘the Pink City,’ was named a UNESCO world heritage sight. We marveled in awe at the sundials in Jantar Mantar, the courtyards in city palace, and the grand white temple in Birla Mindar.

I will never forget our incredible camel ride under the sunset and dancing around the campfire in the Pushkar desert. We then ended our trip with the breathtaking views of the Taj Mahal. These memories will last us a lifetime.

The work you did at all three service sights have left a lasting impact. The garden you planted and the murals you painted at the orphanage has created a healthier environment for the boy’s home. At the orphanage the children continue to meditate and do yoga under the logo, be the change.

In just a few short days we transformed the walls of Pushkar and Jaipur schools into an inviting space for the children. The murals you painted will spark their imaginations and remind them of important lessons such as caring for the earth and each other (murals included: trees and flowers, save earth, and caterpillars).

More importantly, the lessons we learned from the school’s leaders will forever leave an impact on our hearts and change our perception of leadership. Sushila taught us that all people have the right to lead a dignified life, regardless of the circumstances in which they were born into.

She wanted to end the stigma about children born with HIV/Aids. Mr. Kamal fought for all students to access an equal education by giving them the same knowledge and resources that wealthier schools have.

Remember our discussion about ‘the danger of a single story?’ As a group we promised to be conscientious about the assumptions we make towards other people and communities. From the experiences we’ve shared, there is no doubt that you have a multifaceted perspective of India. We heard stories of love and compassion in the face of obstacles.

The Jaipur foot organization provided free prosthetics to people with physical disabilities. Shereos is a restaurant with the mission to promote awareness about acid attacks and create a strong community amongst survivors. All of these examples show the ability that individuals have to make an impact in their communities.

As our end of the summer goal, we agreed to become involved in helping others in our local communities whether that is cleaning the neighborhood or providing meals to the homeless. Remember to share your stories with GLA, we would love to hear the ways in which you have become a leader in your community.

Remember ‘All is Well’

With Much Love

Tyler and Vaila

 

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Monday July 1, 2019

Namaste!

We have all landed safely here in the magical pink city of Jaipur. We had an unorthodox start to due to one airline going bust but we are together now and ready to start our Indian adventure!

Students trickled in during arrival day and settled in to our homely Sun Deck Hostel, and there really is a pristine white sun deck overlooking a rare lush green park across the street. Yes, the beep beep beeping of a large Indian city is there, but the street below is lined with neem trees. We will be taking advantage of the garden for yoga and other outdoor activities.

After our first Indian breakfast together, we embarked on a full day of orientation led by local and international staff. Our students are inquisitive, eager and full of excitement for the journey ahead, both the outward and inward. We are thankful to be here together and in celebration of our first day, we had dinner at Jawahar Kala Kendra which is a centre for art, culture & theatre in Jaipur.

What more can I say? We are all full of anticipation to start service work at the orphanage tomorrow. Words and reflections from tomorrow will be brought to you by Anna and Andrew, our very first Leaders of the Day.

Best wishes from your GLA international staff Vaila, Tyler & Jenica

Missing from photo due to late arrival: Julien and Emile Filion

Tuesday July 3, 2019

Today we woke up nice and early to go to Delhi Public School. At the school we learned how to play cricket with the coach. Not all of us were very good at cricket because it took a lot of coordination. We then took a tour of the school where we saw classrooms and learned about their various electives like music and dance. After that we tried on turbans and Saris and got henna tattoos.

After visiting the school, we went to an orphanage for young boys. At the orphanage we learned how HIV and AIDS is a stigma and causes discrimination. We then ate lunch at the orphanage and took a tour around the places we would be working on the next few days. We decided to paint one large mural and work on the garden. After a very busy day we came back to home base and had spicy chicken, rice, and chapati.Then we had mentor groups and wrapped up the day. We are excited for tomorrow!!

– Written by Andrew and Anna

Thursday July 4, 2019

Day 3 started with a 6 am wake up call for morning yoga on the balcony. After this session and a filling breakfast at the Aashray orphanage, we began our long day of service, which included gardening as well as designing and painting a mural. After a productive (and hot) day of work, we got to spend some time with the kids, which was one of the highlights of our day as a group. We had another delicious meal at the service site (which included rice pudding- a fan favourite) before heading back to home base for a second Hindi lesson from Pooja.

Afterwards, our hostel hosts provided us with a filling (and spicy!) dinner. Later in the evening, we went out to a local market to grab some snacks for the upcoming week. We are excited to continue our mural and spend more time with the kids at the orphanage in the next few days of service in Jaipur. Overall, it was a cooler day for India, but we were still tired and sweaty after service. We’ve come to realize how important hospitality is to the people of India, as everywhere we go we are met with smiling faces and endless amounts of roti bread 🙂

-By Elizabeth Schmitz and Hadley Goodin

Friday July 5, 2019

July 5th : We went to the orphanage to work on school beautification. I got the opportunity to sand, plaster, and paint the walls. I’ve never done these things before and so it was really neat both expanding my skillset and doing it for a good cause. As leader of the day I also got the opportunity to lead a group activity for both the boys of the orphanage and my fellow GLA companions. I decided to bring a little tang from home and introduce the most American thing I could think of. The Cha Cha Slide came alive within the orphanage walls and everyone had a blast. Bringing joy and seeing smiles all around the room made the day feel so productive and further fueled my passion for doing and becoming something bigger than myself. ~ Emilene Citone

At the orphanage I helped plaster and paint. The group got a lot done as our teamwork is strong. Later in the day everyone chatted about their experiences within the orphanage and what their favorite parts were. We also played two truths and a lie which helped us bond. My favorite part of the day was gathering around the sundeck with my peers and watching the sunset.

~ Viktoriya Angelova

Saturday July 6, 2019

Today was our last day at the orphanage. We finished up planting in the garden and painting our murals upstairs. After we were done, we had some time with the kids. We taught them some games like Duck Duck Goose and Sharks and Minnows and then played rock paper scissors and other hand games. Spending time with the kids and working at the orphanage has been an great experience. The kids and (workers or volunteers) are some of the most incredible people I’ve ever met, and it’s been amazing working with and getting to know them over these past few days.

Today we had free time with the kids at the orphanage and we played little easy games and it made them so elated and us to. then we went to chokhi dhani. which is a recreation of traditional rajasthani villages. we had dinner there and it was so good. we saw elephants and camels there and magicians. also dancers that were beautiful and colorful. overall the days was full of loving characters.

Written by Eleanor and Abby

Sunday July 7, 2019

Hello parents!

Today our group went to site see for the first time, celebrating our hard work from our service at the orphanage. First, we went to the Birla Mandir and climbed a lot of stairs to be greeted by a beautiful sight of the city. On the way there, we saw elephants, a snake charmer, a goat, camels, merchants and many other interesting things that made the journey less tiring. We had a tour guide named Iqbal, who was very knowledgeable about all the temples and every little corner of it.

It was very hot(as usual), so we drank a lot of water, while some of us bought ice cream at the end. Next, we went to the amber fort, which was a floating palace. It was very breathtaking to look at, and the cows were swimming in the water freely, which also added to the view. Though we only saw it for a little bit without actually going inside, it was definitely worth it to make the stop there. Lastly, we went to Asia’s largest roundabout called the Jal Mahal. It was very colorful and involved many pieces of art painted on the walls. It was very large to say the least, and some of us were not aware of the fact that we were inside of the roundabout, not witnessing it from the front.

Once we came back to home base, we packed our bags to get ready to go to Pushkar tomorrow, which we are all excited about(other than the fact that all 13 of the girls have to share a room together!) Today was very tiring but was very interesting to learn more about Jaipur’s rich history.

Adieu!

Salome and Niko 🙂

Monday July 8, 2019

Like yesterday, today was a continuation of sightseeing around Jaipur! We started off at Jantar Mantar, an UNESCO World Heritage site featuring the world’s largest sundial. Our enthusiastic tour guide explained to us how the sundial worked, and we had no idea how interesting clocks could be! After, we visited the City Palace of Jaipur, where we saw traditional Jaipur attire and learned more about the royal family of Jaipur.

For lunch, we ate traditional North Indian cuisine, and began the drive to Pushkar. It was long, and the roads were quite bumpy, but once we got to our new beautiful home base we didn’t mind. The rest of the afternoon was spent playing volleyball and other backyard games before our first delicious meal in Pushkar. We can honestly say that we are so thrilled for the adventures that tomorrow promises!

-by Emile & Chloe

Tuesday July 9, 2019

On behalf of everyone here, first of all, hi mom and dad, I miss you!

Today we began volunteering at a new school and embarked on our second service activity of our India experience. If there was one word to describe the work, I’m sure you would all hope to hear “gratifying” but the truest word is “sweaty”. Even so, much was accomplished (painting doors, plastering walls, being offered a cricket game by some boys on the street) and the feeling of determination to finish the job and do it well was palpable throughout the day.

By the end of it, we were all more tired than we’ve been during this whole program, and the only thing on our minds was cool water, working fans, and mostly working showers. But sometimes the things that make us the most tired are also the things we will feel most proud of all said and done. All in all, today was challenging yes, sweaty yes, but indeed gratifying also, and we can’t wait to continue the work in the coming week while also experiencing the colorful small COW FILLED mountain town of Pushkar.

We ended the night after some rest and a good dinner by learning some traditional Indian dance moves as a nice treat after a long day. We can’t wait to see what other culturally educational, gratifying, and hopefully non sunburn inclusive adventures Puskar has in store for us tomorrow!

Goodnight all!

Piper & Juliette

Wednesday July 10, 2019

First of all, we had a Hindi lesson with Pooja from whom we learned phrases on how to bargain. After that lesson, we participated in a market challenge where we had a hundred rupees to buy as much food as possible ; the key definitely was bargaining. The group with the best quality and quantity won. After lunch, we had service at the girls’ school where we finished plastering the walls its common area. When we came back at the hostel, we had dinner and we played a couple games to get to know each other better.

During another activity, we learned the difference between volunteering and voluntourism. Volunteering is helping the community in a way that is needed while voluntourism is doing it more for yourself than the community. So today was a very educational and fulfilling day.

By Eleanor and Julien

Thursday July 11, 2019

Today we woke up early and began the day with yoga at 6:30. Shout out to Pooja for being such an enthusiastic instructor. This was a pretty early awakening for everybody but stretching aligned our chakras and energized us to start another day of activities. After breakfast, we did a simulation similar to Model UN where we discussed women’s rights issues within Guatemala. The activity was very intense at some points as each group held valid opinions, but in the end, we realized that you must remain open minded and respectful regarding all people’s beliefs and values. Compromise ensures change.

Lunch was a tasty selection of pasta, rice, and roti. In the afternoon we returned to our service project at the local school in Pushkar. On our way, we spotted a wild tourist in her natural habitat (peep Anna)! Today was a very productive day, and it is so rewarding to see the inside of the school transform to be brighter and more colorful. We began drawing and painting quotes, flowers, ABC’s, etc.

Rahul and Pooja our local directors are very artistically talented, and so with their help our paintings flourished. Our secret ingredient to success allowing us the motivation to paint are our insane DJ skills. Everyone busted down to Despacito thus permitting us all to get a good groove in place. With the help of our good music, chai tea, pineapple juice, and lots of laughs, everyone remained lively and motivated. We are all working hard to make a positive change for the students at the school.

It is hard to grasp that tomorrow will be our last day of service at this school, but I think we will all be amazed by the final product. All of us have definitely put our hard work, creativity, and effort into making the school a safer/optimistic learning environment. These kids deserve the best and that is what we wish to accomplish. We wrapped up the day by shouting out affirmations and playing quite an intense game of lock and key (aka Indian tag). We are all anticipating each day ahead of us as a new adventure is soon to begin.

– Renee Dubaich and Emilene Citone

Saturday July 13, 2019

Hello parents!

Today we woke up to an amazing view of the Rajasthani desert, where we camped out the night before. For breakfast, we tried rose milk for the first time, which was an interesting experience. For the rest of the morning, we journeyed back to Pushkar, where we were forced to say goodbye to our new single-humped friends (camels) . Once we arrived back at the hostel, we ate our last meal in Pushkar. Afterwards, we meandered through the street market and purchased souvenirs for ourselves and loved ones. After our last adventure in Pushkar, we packed our bags and headed for the hostel back in Jaipur.

While the bus ride was long, we were able to see rural India from a new perspective, and the ice cream break made it even better. By the time we got back to the hostel back at Jaipur, we were welcomed home with a scrumptious meal prepared by our wonderful host family. Since most people were tired, we just hung out for a bit, so that we could have enough energy for our exciting day tomorrow!

Niko & Chloe 😊

Sunday July 14, 2019

Today was exciting, we toured Pushkar. First, we went to the school where we were doing our service project the past few days and met the children. Then we went to Lake Pushkar, where we were blessed and made wishes. After that, we walked through the markets to finish our walk at the Brahma Temple. It is the only temple for Lord Brahma in India. Then, we headed back to our homebase for lunch.

After lunch, we took a cable car to the top of a mountain where we visited Savatri temple and where we could have a great view on the whole city of Pushkar. After that, we departed off onto our camel safari! We took a stop halfway through the ride to watch the beautiful sunset. When we got to our camping site, we were greeted by traditional dancers, a man who ate fire and lots of stars. We all headed to bed early, since some wanted to watch the sunrise.

By Anna and Emile

Monday July 15, 2019

Today was our first day back in Jaipur. We woke up to mild slightly breezy weather. Breakfast was good, some homey cornflakes, papaya and eggs. We then participated in an activity based on the Ted Talk “the Danger of a Single Story” by Chimimanda Adiche (found on YouTube) where we presented a single photo that we had taken on our trip and examined the stereotypes which that photo either presented or broke, and how each of us had preconceived notions of the country we were visiting. It was an eye opening talk that let all of us further explore our roles as westerners on a global stage.

Next, we left for service after lunch. We visited a new school, where we were able to say hello to some of the students as they left for home and begin working on the beautification of the edifice of the building. We hope tomorrow we can get even more good work done, and learn as much about this beautiful country. Till next time,

Julien and Piper 🙂

Tuesday July 16, 2019

Welcome everyone to another blog about a day in India! Today we started with breakfast and right after we got to learn about Indian festivals from Manesh. Then we went straight to the Jaipur Foot Organization where they make/provide prosthetics for anyone who needs them. We got to tour the work space and how the prosthetics are created and used by patients.

Then it was lunch time, we went to a cafe that we ate at before on our trip. We had delicious milkshakes! Finally we got back to our service site and worked on painting the walls of the school. When we were done, we were exhausted as usual, but we are so proud of what we accomplished! Then we went back to the hostel and ate dinner. Then us, being leaders of the day, got to go on a shopping trip to big bazaar with mahesh and rahul to get snacks for the group. We had a blast, we definitely put a dent in rahuls credit card. We jammed to Indian rap in rahuls nice car (Manesh can sing really well).

While we were on our shopping trip, the rest of the group did a leadership activity about our goals of when we return home. Once we got back, everyone was excited to finally get their snacks. Shoutout to Mahesh and rahul for being such cool dudes! Then as usual, we all got a good nights rest, ready to refuel for what the next day brings us.

-by Salome and Renee

Wednesday July 17, 2019

We started the day off by waking up. We got onto the bus and made our way to a handcrafted printing press, where we got to view the process of making hand presses. Afterwards we got a chance to purchase some beautifully magnificent prints that were on bags, books, etc. Then, we went to the factory where they created different types of paper objects. We saw a sneak peak of soon to be released Christmas bags that will be sold in your local Walmarts this upcoming November.

We got back onto the bus and arrived at our service site for the last time. Everyone continued their tasks and worked very hard for many hours straight. Some painted doors, some painted windows, and others started working on murals for the children. We ended our day off by listening to our local directors about India’s caste system. It was very informative. We are excited to have a day full of treats tomorrow. See you soon loving parents!

-Viktoriya and Sonic!! (Wife and husband from the mock-Indian wedding)

Friday July 19, 2019

We started off the day today with breakfast at the hostel. Next, we went back to the school where we have been working the past few days to meet and spend time with the students and staff members. We went out for pizza at dominoes for lunch. Then, we went to the movie theater to see a Bollywood movie called “Super 30.” It is based on a true story about a man who provided free preparation for underprivileged students taking engineering entrance exams; it was very interesting!

Then we made our way to a sari shop! It was very fun, a few people bought some. Others that didn’t go to by saris took a stroll on the pink city streets looking at other souvenirs. We then as a group made our way to a Brahmin family’s home. The Brahmin is the highest caste in the Indian caste system. They fed us a delicious meal, taught us about the Brahmin community and most favorites was they turned music on and we danced! We ended the night late back at the hostel, preparing for our last adventure to Agra.

Abby and Ellie 😄

Saturday July 20, 2019

On our second to last night in India, we had an amazing dinner at a cafe in Agra that employs victims of acid attacks. The story of the organization was beautiful, and we were so grateful to be able to learn about the wonderful things it does to empower its employees and other women.

The next morning, we woke up bright and early, but for a good reason: to see the Taj Mahal! It was an experience like no other, and our well-informed tour guide explained the tragic love story that spawned its creation.

After the drive back to Agra, we watched a slideshow that made us both laugh and cry, and then we dressed up for our last dinner together.

It was hard to say goodbye to all of our friends, but it was wonderful to reminisce over the last few weeks in India. We’re sad to leave, but are so grateful to be able to have these memories for the rest of our lives.

-by Piper & Chloe