The Young Leader

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PERU – Service in the Sacred Valley – June 29 – July 12, 2017

June 29, 2017

Written by Nico CoutoHello friends and family of our session 2 adventurers!

We had a long day of arrivals starting at 5:30 a.m into the afternoon and 24 students are now here and settling in well. To the two who missed their flights, we can’t wait to meet you tomorrow! After a filling lunch and some get-to-know-you games and country orientation I am happy to say that this group is already bonding really well and I have a good feeling about the days to come. Tomorrow we will be jumping right into our service projects in the morning and relaxing at the home base in the afternoon and evening with a guest speaker scheduled to come and talk about culture and social issues in Peru. Stay tuned!

Day 2

Written by Catherine Carpenter & Breckenridge Hesselman

Hi from Cusco Peru!! It’s Breck and Cat, reporting out on day 2 and 3. Yesterday we began our service at a small village located right outside of Cusco. Childhood malnutrition is a huge issue Cusco is experiencing so we will be building Cuy(guinea pig) farms for families with young children. Nobody has gotten seriously sick yet from altitude, so don’t worry parents. Ping-pong, card games, and soccer with the locals (lots of broken ankles) have been a common occurrence, and everyone is having an awesome time. Today we travelled 45 minutes above mountain level to peel beans and sort potatoes in another local village. The views were absolutely breathtaking, and we spent a good amount of time taking pictures and playing soccer. Highlights include Ariel falling face first into cow poop, dogs mating in the middle of our soccer game, trust falls, and the ball rolling down the mountainside (special shoutout to Conner for getting those strays 99% of the time). We’ll be back with more, Cat and Breck signing OUT.

 

July 3, 2017

Written by Nathan Lee

Yesterday we split up into two groups and went on a city tour of Cusco.  What an amazing city full of culture and history! My group departed home base and went to an Inca archeological area called Saqsaywaman, or as my tour guide told us to pronounce it, “SEXY WOMAN!”  After visiting a few areas like a water temple and a watchtower, we departed the archeological sight and left to met the other group for a great lunch with live, authentic Peruvian music, and a scenic view.

After lunch, we hopped on the bus and went to the cathedral in Cusco.  As we walked through the cathedral, we saw awe-inspiring art and statues.  After we exited the cathedral, we walked to the Temple of the Sun.  The temple had great stone masonry, and I was very impressed.  That’s all of the eventful that happened yesterday.

This morning, we woke up at around 6:15 in order to go to our service sight called Mayrasco, where we split into our service groups and started our work for today. My group, which consists of Bailey, Hannah, Ariel, Ashley, and Jackson, had to make mud in order to put the adobe bricks on the foundation for the cuy (guinea pig) house. Unfortunately, my group did not have enough adobe bricks at our service sight so we had to team together with Tami’s group in order to transport bricks from their sight to ours, which was about fifty yards away from one another. The bricks were quite large and heavy so we formed an assembly line in order to efficiently transport the bricks. It took forever. During our break, we got to play soccer with the local children of the community, which is always a rewarding experience after all of our hard work.  After our break, we continued to do service until it was time to leave.

Shortly after returning to home base, we left to see a music workshop that was hosted by a local Peruvian man. He showed us how to play certain instruments and allowed us to try using them at the end. It was a great experience!

 

 

 

July 4, 2017

Happy Fourth of July everyone! We did not have the best start, with service being cancelled due to the teachers strike. Which led to us being stuck on a bus for an hour and a half.  However, the mentors saved the day by making an awesome picture scavenger hunt in Cusco! Unfortunately, none of the groups finished because there was ice cream to be eaten, coffee to be had, and shopping to be done. (sorry!!) After an eventful morning, we went to see a Shaman. A Shaman is an important figure in a Peruvian community; providing advice, and telling the future. The shaman and the son gave us coca leaves and performed a service. Soon after, many of us received a telling of our fate. We then headed back to have dinner, and it was not complete without cake for Alex’s birthday! (HAPPY 16TH BIRTHDAY ALEX!) After dinner, we had a very eventful night, starting by learning how to salsa with Nico, and ending with a great talent show. Shout out to all the talented performers. Following such a great celebration it was time to rest up for the next day of service.

-Written by Delaney S, Erica S and Clara S

 

July 5, 2017

 

It was a very early start for all of us, but we managed to make up for the lost service time. We headed off to the service site and put in all of our effort. Then, after hours of mud making, pick axing, sifting, shoveling dirt, and brick laying… we trod back to the bus to the hotel. After a delicious lunch, we received 60 minutes of well-deserved WIFI. Then we were painfully cut off from the WIFI and we did some activities such as basketball, yoga, and going to the market. We had a guest speaker, nurse Lina, who gave us an enlightening talk about poverty and malnutrition in Peru. We still have a lot planned for us tonight. We will be home soon, see you soon!

 

July 8-10, 2017

Written by Kyle Dane and Conner Henderson

Saturday:
The last few days have been a grind for the crew, but the hard work has been well worth it. After packing plenty of warm clothes, a plethora of snacks and other essentials, we prepared for the 5 O’clock wake up call. We ate a quick breakfast courtesy of our dinning staff and headed on our way to the Inca Trail. A few pit stops later we arrived to the trail. With a long day ahead of us, we set off on our way. About 30 minutes into the hike we stopped to have a quick lunch accompanied with an amazing view. After taking in the awe-inspiring view, we started the long hike to our campsite. The road was long, with lots of ups and downs, and the super high altitude definitely didn’t help either. We took plenty of water and picture breaks, toured a fish farm, and even befriended a wild bull. After finally arriving to our campsite at around 5 p.m. we were ready to go to bed. However, teenagers need their food, so we managed to stay awake just long enough to eat dinner and celebrate Kayla’s 18th birthday with cake and a piñata. With our bellies full and our muscles fatigued, we all went into our tents and rested well.

Sunday:
Even though the group was given a 6:30 wake up time, the entire camp was aroused by excited screams of “everyone come out, its so pretty!!!” from Delaney. I personally emerged my tent with a gigantic, glacier-capped mountain staring me in the face. In fact, we found ourselves surrounding on all sides by imposing mountains, which had been masked by the clouds the night before. Once 6:30 rolled around Conner and myself awoke the camp military style by banging a pot and shouting a call for reville. We ate breakfast, packed up camp, and then hiked out to the buses. After a 3 hour bus ride our team hiked along the railroad tracks all the way up to Aguas Calientes. Aguas Calientes is a one of a kind town, split in two by a roaring river, which sits perpendicular to rail road tracks. We settled down in the hotel and everyone took a long awaited shower. Then we went out to dinner and did some site seeing in town. While getting ice cream the entire town lost power. Eventually we found our way back to the hotel with the help of our guide Richard and everyone went to bed.

Monday:
Machu Picchu! The hike started early and was filled with lots of steps. Actually, the entire hike up was steps. Our group sustained the morale with singing. After around 2 hours of hiking/climbing we finally reached the top and entered Machu Picchu. Immediately we were taken aback by the view. Our day was filled with hours of exploring, information from the tour guide, and plenty of pictures. By the way, it turns out the Tami is a model and shines though the lens. Once we got through the park and attempted to play with the llamas we took the bus down to the bottom and went to a nice dinner before boarding the train. It turns out that the teacher strike had also been impeding the railroads. Somewhere in the confusion everyone in our group got a free upgrade to an upper-class car except Nico, Richard and Jill who missed the train and had to catch the later train. Finally the group was reunited after waiting for the mentors at our destination. We got on the buses and drove thorough the night to our hotel, arriving around 1 am.

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PERU – Service in the Sacred Valley – June 22 – July 12, 2017

June 22, 2017

 Today was the day! We were so excited to meet everyone and have an amazing day. We started out our day with a couple airport visits, lots of breakfast and had a good time getting to know everyone.

 We finished out our day with a birthday celebration, dinner, and orientation.

 All of us are looking forward to meeting our last two students tomorrow morning. So excited for the opportunities this program offers and all the fun, adventure, and service that lies in the weeks ahead.

 Written By: Sierra & Raquel

June 23, 2017 
Day 2 had lots in store for us. We had our final 2 student arrivals: Rachel and Ben! We finished up our orientation with some fun games such as Screaming Toes. Then we had our Local Director, Don Mario speak to the group about the service work we would be doing. We’ll be working on a foundation for a green house as well as the completion of a bathroom. Don Mario opened up a school in town to provide quality education to those who did not have access to it.
Before lunch, we were able to shoot some hoops and have a soccer scrimmage at a nearby field. After lunch, we walked over to our service site to see the school and the space where we would be building the green house.  Don Mario was able to share a lot of information about the school he started and the impact it will have in the community, as well as a bit more about what it is like to go to school in Peru.
Tomorrow is the start of our service work and we are all excited to get to work!
Written By: Yensi & Matt

Day Three Blog

This morning, we had to wake up at around 7 because breakfast was now at7:15 instead of 8, which is what we were expecting since that was the time for breakfast the day before. We had a delicious variety of foods like eggs, sweet bread, and sausages with freshly squeezed orange juice, which was really refreshing. Later in the day for lunch, we had a delicious quinoa soup and potato bites with guacamole. When dinner came around, we had some chorizo, which is thinly sliced beef in a savory broth with rice and also potatoes.

Today in Cusco, Peru, our #squad did our first day of service and our last day of double service. Double service is working at two different times during the day and since today was the hardest we needed more time. Today during service we mostly transported materials like bricks, dirt, and cement up flights of stairs for hours. We also did other things like help break up dirt and mix cement, which was very tiring very fast. Even though service was really tiring and strenuous, everyone maintained a positive attitude and really put in the work. We were working on multiple flights of stairs passing up materials to one another in an assembly line, which worked out great.

There are so, so many dogs all in different sizes and shapes. You can’t go two seconds on the streets of Cusco without seeing dogs. They are literally in all locations and sometimes follow you. Most of the dogs are friendly but there are some that are defensive. At service, we worked near two dogs named Olivia and Negra. Negra was very chill most of the time and really liked getting pet. Olivia was the feisty one and at times it would seem like her constant barking would be pointed at nothing.

Written By: Emily & Paul

DAY 4: June 25, 2017

The day started at 7:15 with a breakfast consisting of crepes, oatmeal, sweet potato chips and assorted fruit. Our first stop was at Moray in which we saw the Sacred Valley. Here the Incas created an agricultural advancement that showed which microclimate produced the best and most efficient growing crop. We then bused to the local salt farm known as Maras, where acres of pure salt is cultivated. Shortly thereafter, the group made their way to a wonderful buffet where they could feast on glorious food. We were able to try the delicacy of Peru: Cuy. This dish includes roasted guinea pig that tastes similar to pig. We were also served fresh cold beverages which seem to be quite rare in the Sacred Valley. We hopped back onto the buses and drove to Chincheros. Along the way, we witnessed a variety of diverse sights, such as stray dogs, llamas, alpacas, pigs, sheep, and cows. Once we arrived to Chincheros, we were greeted by multiple merchants, some of which were children who asked you to purchase local merchandise. We walked up the curvy trail to the ceremonial site for Incas which was later modernized by colonization. Our tour guide retold the long history of the land and guided us down into the ancient ruins. Here the Incas performed astrological tasks that foretold their future. After such a long day exploring, we drove back home, unfortunately getting delayed by traffic. About 2 hours later, we divulged the chicken and vegetables provided by our amazing staff. Finally, the day came to a close and we all snuggled up in our cozy beds.

Written By: Spencer and Brooke

DAY 5: June 26, 2017

We started the day early with a breakfast of sugar cane, kiwi, bread, and plantains. We put our hiking boots on and drove to Tambomachay. We visited the Inca ruins and watched sheep graze. Then we continued on to Pupa Paucara, Kenko, and Sacsayhuaman, which are all more ruins. Along the way, we stopped at an alpaca clothing store where we learned about how Peruvian people dye alpaca clothing. We walked from place to place in preparation for our hike. We will all come home super fit. Each view continued to get better and better. We looked down at Cusco and snapped a lot of pictures. We stopped for lunch at an Indian restaurant in buffet style and stuffed our faces until we were full. We spent some time after lunch at a Peruvian grocery store and were able to buy some fun snacks. We explored Cusco as we made our way to a market. Within the market, vendors lined the walls making way for the food being sold in the center. We grabbed some souvenirs to bring back to the United States. As we hurried out of the market, we grabbed delicious juices and got on the bus to go back to home base. There we had breaded chicken, rice, cucumbers, tomatoes, and starfruit juice. We all met to plan the next day of service with the kids. After some free time, we all crashed after a long day.

Written By: Martha and Jake L.

Day 6: June 27, 2017

Today we learned the value of serving the community by working with a few of the children in Peru. In the school we worked with the kids by doing an art project with each child, teaching them english, and playing soccer. The highlight of working with the kids was the smiles on their faces as soon as we entered the room. The language barrier was a setback at first, but once we began to teach, the language barrier become more of a learning experience. In the afternoon, we got the chance to learn about the music and dance culture of Cusco. We learned a basic song on the pan flute and we learned a traditional Peruvian dance that we will later perform at the end of the trip.

Written By: Ari & Ben

Day 7: June 28, 2017

Today we spent the day continuing the work on Mario’s greenhouse. We made a lot of progress today, making a concrete walkway into the greenhouse, painting murals inside of Mario’s school and tiling the bathroom. The work today was very difficult but it felt great to see some of the progress we have made over the last couple of days. After we got done working, Mario talked to us about what to expect on the three day trip to Machu Picchu. After dinner, we watched The Danger of a Single Story and had a good conversation about the dangers of stereotyping. Finally, we did a group activity that allowed us to share our experiences with the rest of the group.

Written By: Nathan Hellstedt and Rachel Doan

Day 8: June 29, 2017

So, we started our day at 7:15 with a breakfast consisting of eggs, potatoes, watermelon, bread, and hot chocolate. After breakfast we walked to the local field to play soccer with some people from the community. We played many intense games which took some getting used to because of the high altitude. We felt as if we had a disadvantage compared to the people who live here, which may explain why we were beaten so badly. However, we had a great time interacting with them and getting a good workout. We took the bus back to home base for lunch, which was made up of some super delicious chicken alfredo pasta. After lunch we prepared for the three day trip to Machu Picchu, and bussed to the school to try Peruvian food. Our local director, Mario, and his wife prepared six different Peruvian dishes for us to try. The catch was we didn’t know what we were eating until after. The boys and girls were pitted against each other in a race to see who could eat each food the fastest. The six unique foods we had to try were Chicken feet, Dried pig blood, chicken gizzard, chicken heart, lamb intestine, and Bull testicle salad. There was some controversy after finding out what the foods were, but some students were eager to have more. We then went back to home base to eat dinner and celebrated Brooke’s birthday with some delicious cake. Then we went into our mentor groups and talked about the meaning of service. We have a long three days ahead of us (going up to Machu Picchu!!), but we are excited for what’s to come.

Written By: Jackson and Ananya

PS We may not be blogging until we return from Machu Picchu (on Sunday). Stay tuned!

Day 9, 10 & 11: June 30, July 1st & July 2nd
Machu Picchu Weekend

On Day 9, we woke up EARLY, VERY EARLY. We took a long and bumpy bus ride. It was all worth it because we went to an alpaca farm, there were a variety of alpaca’s. All of us, including the mentors, fed these alpacas and they were so greedy when we were feeding them greens. Some people got spat at but everyone had an amazing time. We learned all about their history and evolution. They also had the nicest bathrooms there.
On Day 10, we woke up fairly early and ate an amazing breakfast!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then we got to swim in the local hot springs where most of us got eaten alive by mosquitoes but the gorgeous view and warm water made it worth it. Later that day we hiked 5 hours by the train tracks. The view was amazing. We went off trail to the waterfalls but ended up going to the wrong one… it was a really small fall.. But then we found the right waterfall. Eventually we started back on the hike by the tracks and it started to pour rain. Everybody’s bags and clothing got wet (our clothes were soaked for days). We eventually arrived at the town and saw this beautiful hotel which we THOUGHT we were staying in but, no, we stayed somewhere else and still ended up having a fun time. We were all elated to get to the hotel because we were all so tired from our 5 hour hike through the amazon jungle, which was gorgeous. We all probably would’ve slept a little easier if we had dry clothes to sleep in but unfortunately the majority of us did not.
The next morning, Day 11, we got up around 5:45 to pack up our stuff for the trek up to Machu Picchu then we headed up to the 4th floor for a filling breakfast. After that we checked out of our hotel and left for the scenic hike up to Machu Picchu. The hike was pretty intense but it was the most amazing feeling when we reached the top. We split into two groups and went on a tour of the archaeological site. There were llamas roaming around and the whole place felt magical. After the tour, most of us hung out at the little town by the entrance but a few daredevils went on an extra 45 minute, complete uphill, hike to the Sun Gate. It was cloudy at first but it cleared up eventually and the view was absolutely incomparable. After waiting in a very long line, we took a bus back down Aguas Calientes for lunch and did a little souvenir shopping after. Then we took the train back and were fed free corn nuts and cinnamon buns on it. After that we got dinner and took another bus and finally arrived home around 11:00pm. Everyone unpacked and hung their wet clothes and then crashed.

Written By: Tyler, Natalia, Keala, and Will

Day 12: July 3rd, 2017

 This morning we were able to sleep in a bit and had breakfast at 8:20. After breakfast we made our way up to the school and spent the morning with our kids. We divided into 2 groups of those working with 4 year olds and 5 year olds. In groups we played sports with the children, taught an English class and facilitated an art class. The children made pictures of insects using pipe cleaners, cotton balls and stickers on their construction paper. After spending the morning with the kids we took a bus to home base and ate lunch. We then took a bus back to the school to have a traditional music and dance class. We practiced playing our Peruvian flutes, the zampona, and then practiced our dance routines with our partners. We walked back to the home base to enjoy dinner at 6pm and following that we had our instructors for white water rafting come and explain our day tomorrow. We all were surprised to find out we are also going to be zip lining as well tomorrow. After our big surprise we worked on our capstone projects in the common areas and enjoyed free time before lights out for the night.

 

Written By: Madison F and Walker V

 

DAY 13: JULY 4TH, 2017

In celebration of July 4th, we spent the day rafting and ziplining. We woke up earlier this morning due to the two hour drive to the rafting base camp. Due to the roadblock of the teachers’ protest, we were forced to take another route which delayed us half an hour. When we arrived at the base camp, we were suited up in rafting gear including wetsuits, life jackets, booties and helmets. After, we took a fifteen minute drive down the Urubamba river to start our two hour rafting expedition. After rafting, we all crammed ourselves into the hot saunas to relax after the rigorous rafting. Then we ate a warm delicious meal of soup, chicken and rice before ziplining across the Urubamba river. We left the base camp around 3:30 to make it back to HomeBase for a 6:00 dinner which reflected the spirit of fourth of July. After dinner, we all took a bus to various coffee shops for Wi-Fi time and shopping at the supermarket to stock up on snacks for the upcoming Lares Trek.

Written By: John and Esme

DAY 14: JULY 5TH, 2017

Today was an extraordinary day. We went to service around 8am and then split up into groups for different construction projects. One of the groups worked on painting a mural of the alphabet for the kids in the school. Another group mixed cement and put down a walkway inside of the greenhouse. Another group leveled a hill to make room for a garden just outside of the school. The last group helped to tile a new bathroom and plaster an outside wall of the greenhouse.


The second part of our day we took part in a Pachamama ceremony held by a Shaman. He explained a specific way to give respect to Mother Earth by using different materials like grains, herbs, candy and sweets and putting them all together in an offering. After we finished the offering we had an opportunity to experience fortune telling by the Shaman. When we finished with the ceremony we walked back to home base and had a little free time to go and play sports and walk around before dinner. Then, around 7pm, we discussed our Lares Trek with Max and finished after about an hour.

Written By: Thira and Mason

DAY 15: JULY 6TH, 2017


This morning we woke

It was a very nice sleep

Breakfast was tasty

-A haiku by Devon and Molly


Like every other day of service, the amount of work we accomplished was very productive. There were no people who slacked off. Everyone was working hard to make a bathroom, another wall, a sidewalk, and a garden. After the hard satisfying work, we got to watch Despicable Me 3 with the children from Mario’s school. Afterwards we got to grab a quick snack and play some arcade games with los ninos. After the movie we came home and had lots of free time to pack for our 3 day “Lares Trek”. We then got to enjoy yet another delicious meal specially prepared for us by our kitchen staff.

Today was a very enjoyable and productive day. We are glad that we have been slowly preparing ourselves for the long hike to come.

Written By:

Devon & Molly

PS. During our 3-day Lares Trek we will be unable to update the blog. Stay tuned for our next post on Monday!

DAY 16, 17 & 18: JULY 7, 8, & 9, 2017 ~ Lares Trek

First day of Lares began early Friday morning. We began the hike in Urumbamba around 8:30. Everyone was healthy. To carry our bags were 25 mules, llamas, and horses. Thirty minutes in we stopped for a snack. Continued hiking and saw Incan archaeological sites that were used to train women in textile as well as other arts. Around 11:30 we stopped in a small village where we were able to clean up outside and see how the people in the village lived. And if you were lucky you may have been able to pet a chick or duck. We had lunch in tents and were served hot soup and tea. Something we all appreciated as it began to get cold. After lunch the trek began to get more difficult and a few people began to get sick. Most of the trek was uphill and everyone went at their own pace. There were many beautiful views along the way. We stopped at 13000 feet the first night. The night was cold and everyone was bundled up in many layers. After staying by the fire for a while everyone was happy to get to bed. A challenging but scenic first day.

The second day of our trek was quite intense, as we had to hike up to the highest point yet. It was all uphill and we traveled this a bit slower than before. Again, the beautiful views were stunning. A few times we saw ponds that had a thin layer of frozen ice and we say bits of snow along the way. Yes, it was quite chilly!!! Once we reached the top we stopped to enjoy the view but we couldn’t stay still for too long, as it was very cold. We continued on our way to reach our camping grounds for the night. We arrived at around 630pm. We were well rewarded with some time in the hot springs and had a surprise dessert- a yummy peach in a sweet cinnamon sauce. Everyone was exhausted so we went to bed quite quickly.

On our third day we were able to sleep in until 830am! We had a yummy breakfast of oatmeal and pancakes with honey and dulce de leche. Then we had some time to pack, take another dip in the hot springs, go on an optional 45-minute hike, and relax around our beautiful camping grounds. Around 1130, we started loading the bus to head back to homebase. After our 3 hour bus ride home, we unpacked and many of us took naps. Then we had a dinner consisting of a delicious homemade mustard sauce, chicken, rice and salad. After dinner we played running pictionary, in which we had to draw out various things that had happened so far and it was a blast!

Written By:
Jake H and Lizzy

Day 19: July 10, 2017

Today was the final day at the service site for our three week program. Mario, the regulator of the project, gave us tasks to conclude our work on the greenhouse project. A group worked inside the school near the children in which they painted a beautiful mural of a train set with numbers. They were able to paint all the boxcars blue and began splashing yellow on as a secondary color. Another group worked in the bathroom where they painted the walls above the tiles as well as the door and window frames. The bathroom really seemed to open up with the nice light color schemes. A strong group of boys were able to level a large plot of land that will be used later as a side garden for Mario’s school; the land used to be a steep hill but with a few pickaxes and shovels all the dirt was removed and leveled. A final group cleaned up the remainder of the work site such as dusting out the bathroom, removing extraneous cement, and bagging up leftover dirt. While at the school we also worked on our music and dance performance that we will all present tomorrow. We were able to finally play our flutes in sync with the instructor and the drummers. Can’t wait to see our performance tomorrow!

At midday, we came back to homebase and ate a savory lunch made by our kitchen staff. We then took a bus out to the market where we could purchase a collection of souvenirs with the remainder of our soles (peruvian currency). Sweaters, bracelets, blankets, hats, anything that one desired was available. We happily bought all that we wanted to remember our trip here in Peru. Shortly thereafter, the group split into thirds and found local cafes for wifi time. With delicious treats and meals, the students connected with parents and friends with smiles slapped on their faces. After returning home for dinner, we all huddled in the kitchen for a surprise movie night. Wrapped in blankets and munching on snacks, everyone was intrigued by the movie Point Blank, an action movie about extreme sports. We then went off to bed after another long day in Cusco, Peru.

Written By: Brooke and Ari

Day 20: July 11, 2017

Today was a very sad but very eventful day. We woke up for our last breakfast together and headed to the theatre for our service celebration. We had been practicing both a dance and a musical song played on our flutes to perform for the kids and the teachers. Although we were a little rusty, it was a good way to say goodbye to Mario and the kids. After the service celebration we headed back to homebase for lunch and packing. We also had student evaluations to reflect on how well the mentors did and how the program is in the students’ opinion. Later in the evening we commenced our last mentor group which was sad because our mentors were great role models for us. After that we took our stools to the terrace where all the students talked and laughed. We all enjoyed a nice dinner together made by our chefs. Pati purchased a piñata which many students smacked really hard except for the time one student who almost accidentally hit another. We later enjoyed some carrot cake which was amazing. After dinner we all went downstairs for our talent show where Mason and I were the MC’s and, might I add, we did an amazing job. There was an immense amount of talent in the room, ranging from singers to comedians and our mentors had quite the talent too. We ended our night with a slideshow of pictures of all the moments the students shared together including the mentors. Until next year, peace out Peru, it’s been real (Next stop Fiji).

Written By: Tyler and Mason

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PERU – Service in the Sacred Valley – June 13 – June 26, 2017

Written by Jill Swanson, Mentor
June 13, 2017
Hi Friends and Family!

All the students have arrived safely and most are about ready for bed! Our first students started arriving at 5:00 this morning, and we had everyone together by lunchtime. After exchanging money some students spent the afternoon resting and others went for a quick walk through the neighborhood. One of our students, Tayah, celebrated her birthday today and the kitchen staff baked her a delicious cake. We are ready to tour the service site tomorrow and get to know each other better in the next few days.

 

Written by Sophia Indelicato
June 15, 2017

Today, we continued working on advancing the cuy (guinea pig) farms in the Mayrasco community.  It was only our second day of work but it’s already so rewarding to see the progress we’ve made on building the farms and the impact that it will make on the families living in the community. It’s so interesting to experience such a different culture and definitely makes me/the group appreciate the opportunities we have back home a lot more.

In the afternoon, we went to an Andean music workshop and were able to learn more about the history of traditional Peruvian music while surrounded by the breath-taking mountains. Listening to the man teach us about the music, it was made evident how proud these people are of their heritage and how excited they are to share it with us. Their way of living differs greatly from what we consider the ‘norm’ but its humbling how happy Peruvians are with the things that they have.

Yesterday we also had the opportunity to celebrate Chloe’s birthday and the chef made another delicious cake for all of us.

6/17/17

Today we visited the community of Patabamba, where we divided into small groups. Each group visited a different family and helped them with household chores. Most (if not all) groups helped to separate beans from the pods. Then, each group ate freshly boiled potatoes, cheese, and quinoa soup that was made by the families. They also gave us a sweet tea. In our group, we held the guinea pigs and learned about how useful they are to the community. Later, we walked to a small hill where you could see many Andean mountains. It was one of the most beautiful sites that most of us have ever seen! Then, some of us played football (soccer) with the women and children of the families. Overall, it was such a beautiful day and such a life-altering experience!

By Chloe Newton

Written by Clara Kohl
June 19, 2017
Yesterday we went on our city tour and saw four archaeological sites. Our tour guide was really funny and the views were astounding.

Today we went back to the service site to continue working on building the foundation for the cuy houses. Our group started mixing mud today to cover the first layer of rock, for the base of the structure. After a few hours of working we took a break and went up to the soccer field and played with the kids at the school. We played soccer and pato ,pato ,ganso (duck,duck, goose).

 Then later in the day we drove to Yohan, the Shaman’s house. We met him and his son. We learned about their culture and their gifts to Mother Nature and the Sun. It was very interesting and cool to watch. He made a gift offering of incense, sugar, gold, candies, leaves, anis, and a lot more, then it was all burned. It was amazing to see another culture and to respect their way of life.

Written by Gabriela Perez
June 21, 2017
Today was our last full day at the service site. After finishing up the foundation by mixing mud and laying stones, we sifted a lot of dirt for the next GLA group to use to make mud. It was very rewarding to see the finished foundation of the cuy house as a result of our hard work. We played with the kids of Mayrasco and are sad that Sunday will be our goodbye. After a delicious lunch we went to a girls orphanage down the street from home base where we played with the girls. We made some last minute SuperSol grocery store runs for final preparations for tomorrow’s trek, packed our bags, and are going to get to sleep early because of our 5 AM wake up call. We are all so excited for the trek!
Yesterday we also had the opportunity to see a llama and alpaca farm, and after we went to the Cathedral which was gorgeous.
Written by Sophia Indelicato
June 25, 2017

Today was our last full day here in Peru and it is extremely bittersweet. While I’m excited to go home and share my pictures, stories and memories with friends and family, I will also miss all the friends I made here and the constant activities and opportunities that we were presented with. It’s crazy how much I learned about myself, how to work with others, and the Peruvian culture in just two weeks and I’m extremely grateful for all the valuable lessons I learned and all the great friends I made.

            Personally, my favorite part of the whole trip was the three-day trek (and seeing Machu Picchu) that we got back from last night. The first day of hiking was extremely grueling but incredibly rewarding once we all reached the campsite and got to look down over the mountain that we had just climbed up. At night, we got the chance to star gaze without the night sky being intruded by city lights and it was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. Being surrounded by huge mountains and an ever bigger sky made me feel so small and humbled but also reminded me that despite being in such a big world, trips such as ones with GLA equip me (and others) with tools to make a big difference in a big world. The next day we continued on our trek to the town of Aguas Calientes and the day after, we hiked up to Machu Picchu. It was also extremely humbling and thought provoking to think that the Incans that built the city, one day abandoned it- but hundreds of years later its considered a “wonder of the world”. This reminded me the things I do now and think to be almost insignificant when I don’t get instant gratification, are possibly more impactful and important than I think.

 I’m beyond thankful for this trip, my mentors, and the friends that I made. I definitely will be going on another trip with GLA in the future and encourage other teens to, as well.

We finished the trip by going to a farewell dinner with live music and dancing. Some of us got pulled up on stage and the whole restaurant sang to Alana for her birthday.

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PERU – Amazon Service Adventure – July 2 – July 15, 2017

July 2, 2017 by Amanda Colón, International Director

¡Bienvenidos a Iquitos! Our first group of the summer arrived today, a bit jet-lagged, but excited. After a short drive through the city, students enjoyed some Peruvian Chinese food, a culinary fusion typical to the country. Students laughed and chatted over Inca Kola before taking a stroll to the Amazon flood plain, near our hotel. Local and international staff look forward to sharing this beautiful country and culture with these amazing students!

July 3rd– by Veda Surapaneni

Our second day in Iquitos started off with a brief visit to a local museum that had once been the governers house. Half an hour later, we were walking through the Belen market, trying to take in the busy atmosphere around us. Everywhere we looked there were colours, noises, smells and street vendors shouting about their goods. The amount of variety was amazing. Just south of the market, was a poor area built on stilts on top of the river. Beneath the village, was a mass of rubbish polluting the lake, to the point where the ground and water could not be seen. This sight showed us that the locals where not aware of how to manage waste, and of the danger that the ecosystem was in.
Next up was the Manatee Rescue centre, where we saw sick and injured animals from the jungle in rehabilition. After seeing the adorable manatees, otters, osalots, monkeys and alligator babies we headed off to lunch.
In the afternoon we were given free time to do some shopping along the main boulevard. Our first full day in Iquitos was jam packed and gave us a massive insight into the local culture.

 

July 4th– by Savie

Yesterday was the first day heading to the amazon and it was riveting because we first started off the day by seeing all the various life forms around us then took a beautiful boat ride to Don’s home and our base. We swam through the estanque as well as hiked through the jungle for the first time and it was magical.

 

July 5th– by Hannah

Our first full day being on the Santa Cruz Reserve was an exiciting one. We walked and took a short boat ride to the local school. The language barrier between us and the students was tough, but we connected with them through scoccer. When we made it back to the base camp, we had our daily swim in the river to cool off from the jungle heat. We also explored new trails to prepare us for our over night hike. I am excited to see what the rest of our trip has in store for us.

 

July 6th– by Gillian

We visited the school for teacher day and some of the kids sang and danced for their teacherz. Later, we danced for them and went into a conga line. It was super fun and I was smiling the entire. It rained really hard when we were inside, so when we played soccer it was all muddy and everyone was slipping and it was super entertaining. After lunch we had some free time and chilled. Then before dinner we went on a night hike and searched for some animals. We didn’t see much, but it was super cool to walk in the jungle at night. It was a different perspective. We could see stars which was pretty awesome.

 Thursday, July 6th continued:
Update by Amanda Colon, International Director:
Today our group of adventurous students began our service work at the school. All students participated in a big celebration because it was “Teacher’s Day” at the school. The celebration at the school was well attended by students, teachers, and local community members. GLA students took the lead in teaching students and teachers the “Macarena”, while also learning traditional Amazonian dances.
We have been fortunate in that we have had the ability to do a lot of hiking these past couple days through different riverside communities, stopping along the way to speak with community members. Our group’s guide has been very good at pointing out local flora and fauna.
Back at the home base, all students are settling into their riverside “Ranchitos” and are have been able to keep high spirits despite the recent rains. One feature of the home base which all students have particularly enjoyed is the nearby lake where students have been able to swim alongside the beautiful and calm “Angel Fish”.
This group of students is certainly an adventurous group and have taken very well to their new environment. Spirits are high and we are looking forward to returning back to our service site tomorrow.
Due to low connectivity, pictures are coming later

July 7th– by Eva

Today in the Amazon jungle, we visited a man who is very important in the culture along the river. This shaman, like a medicine man, showed us how to make a potion that is known all around the world as a physical and spiritual cleanser. He showed us plants that they use in their medicines and as food. After spending the day at his house, we hiked back to home base to discuss what we had thought of the experience and played some activities that let us learn about ourselves.

July 8– by Tash

Today we hiked down to Don’s house to do reforeststion. This included filling bags with compost for seedlings, creating holes for trees, sorting out plants and plabting trees. The jobs were a lot of work but they were a fulfilling experience. After a delicious barbeque lunch we arranged into three teams. In our teams we had to make rafts using just wood and rope and race across the river and back. One team floated downstrean, another team got caught in the mangroves and completed the race after a stressful experience and the 3rd team won and was able to complete the race successfully. We left Don’s house later in the day and returned to the smell of fresh laundry at home base.

 

July 9– by Sarah

Today we headed to Don’s for reforestation to do the same things as yesterday. Then we headed back to home base for health checks and lunch. After lunch we had several hours of free time, where we played in the water and played volleyball. After cleaning ourselved up we learned about Peruvian culture from Luis and Diego, members of the local team.
July 10

Incorporating games into English lessons at a local school.

 

July 10-14

We arrived back in Iquitos yesterday after a whirlwind ten days! Santa Cruz seems far away now with all the traffic and bustle of the city.

Over the past week, we taught English in the primary and secondary schools. During recess, the little kids would spill out of their classrooms ready to play soccer with us. In the afternoons, we hiked, swam in the estanque, and played volleyball. Our local guide took us fishing one afternoon and several of us caught piranhas which we ate at dinner that night.

Before leaving Santa Cruz, we did a long hike towards the river and camped overnight in the jungle. Our cook, Felix, showed us how to prepare Juane, a rice dish wrapped in banana leaves, which we carried with us to eat in the evening. It was a beautiful and exhausting night. The next day, we returned to the school to say our goodbyes.

We can’t believe the program has come to an end. We will always remember the hikes to the river, boat trips down the Amazon, kayaking with local kids, laughing and chatting in our cabins at night, delicious Peruvian food, and the wonderful community that welcomed us so warmly.

by

PERU – Amazon Service Adventure – July 19 – August 1, 2017

Bienvenidos a Iquitos! Our group of students arrived today, a bit jet-lagged, but excited. After a necessary nap, students and staff laughed and chatted over lunch at a local bistro. We took a short stroll to the Amazon flood plain, near our hotel, before retiring for another siesta; we want our group well rested for the next couple weeks of exciting activities! Local and international staff look forward to sharing this beautiful country and culture with these amazing students!

After breakfast, our day started with a brief stroll to one of the historical European-style buildings for a tour. Then we headed down the street to the Belen Market, which was referred to as the “black market”. I doubt there were any drugs there though– just a handful of illegal animals such as cayman and tortoises used for their meat, skin, and shells.

Next we hopped on a bus to the much anticipated manatee rescue center. In addition to manatees, there were also many other exotic animals such as cappucin monkeys, sloths, and baby pythons. The day ended with lunch, some free time on the promenade, then dinner.

-Zoe

 

July 21
After packing our luggage, the group took a boat ride down the amazon river. We made a side trip fundo piedrito, consisting of scenic lookouts and playful animals. Watching the paiches splash through the water was definietly a highlight of the trip. We contunued down the river, waving at smiling families on the shore along the way. Once we arrived at Indiana the motocarros drove us across the town. With one last boat ride, we got to home base. The local youth greeted us and we had the chance to work on our Spanish, and them on their English. The hike to our tambos had the students in awe the entire way. Vivid greenery and noises accompanying the rainforest captured our attention. The day ended with us playing volleyball with the kids, exploring trails, and answering questions we pooled as a group. The personal favorite of the group was sharing what all of our best friends are like. Hearing Luis speak so kindly of his best friend Walter enlightened us all and left us with smiles on our faces.
By Madison
July 22, 2017
Today is the second day in the Amazon. After breakfast we went to a school that was built inside of the Amazon. The school is not big, there are only 6 classrooms and many students decide to stay in Iquitos after high school. There are 5 private colleges and 1 public university. After the the introduction of the Peruvian school system we went to the common room for community service. Even though we did not finsh painting the handrail, we still feel satisfied.
By Amy

 

 

July 23
We started the day with breakfast at 7:30, preparing ourselves for the following activities and meeting in the common area at 9 for the departure. Luis lead us through a new trail consisting of uphills and narrow walkways aligned with the rugged Amazonian jungle. A path that eventually opened to a medicinal farm, in which we were welcomed by the healer himself, Abram, who gave us a tour throughout the surrounding jungle, giving vocal and occasionally physical examples to the miracles of natural remedies the land offers. From cutting off a vine holding water so heavily purified, locals use it to clean their kidneys to a paste supporting a healthy prostate. Afterwards, we were introduced to a hallucinogenic root that plays a big part in the Amazons history. The process of harvesting and preparing the root in to a beverage for the ritual is simple yet time consuming and requires a vast knowledge of the tree. Ayauasca offers many unconventional, partly spiritual benefits that some travel from across the world to experience. With an exclusion to the drink itself, Abram preformed a basic practice on each of us offering healing, attraction, charm and protection dependent on what he sensed we needed.
The rest of the afternoon was our own, and we each took part in a variety of available activities, it was a somewhat lazy but thoroughly enjoyable afternoon.
The same night we were given the opportunity to explore the jungle at night, spotting whatever nocturnal creatures came within sight. Besides a moth trying to tackle me, it was an incredible experience that gave me a deeper connection to the mystics of the Amazon.
By Kai
Eating sugar cane
July 24 
Today was a full day, but with much less hiking. After an amazing breakfast of french toast, we hiked out to paint more at the school. Although we didn’t finish, we got a lot done. After we went back to Don’s house to eat, followed by the raft building and race. Both rafts were crafted well and stayed together during the race, unlike the 50% of rafts that fell apart, according to Don. We then hiked back in our first rain shower. Free time consisted of reading, cards and social time. After was a dinner of chicken of and fried banana.
By Ian
July 25 
Today we returned to the local school to paint it. Some of the local kids accompanied us and together we finished all of the painting. The room will become their dining hall. While walking through the Amazon jungle we spotted some monkeys, and at the school we saw an anaconda. Later, we went fishing for piranha in the Amazon River. A few of us actually managed to catch some and we ate the biggest two for dinner.
By Max
July 26
Today we woke up an hour earlier to catch the school’s Independence Day parade. We, including Luis, participated in the march as well except we didn’t get to practice beforehand. Nonetheless, it was a great opportunity for embarrassing photos of us and cuter photos of the
pre-K chicitos in their traditional Peruvian costumes.
After trekking back to home base and having lunch, we all gave each other “colorful” tattoos with the ink from a local fruit called huito. Huito is also used by some Amazonian tribes to distinguish themselves from others. The evening ended with dinner at camp and
followed with a dance battle.
By Zoe
July 27
Today we took a day trip to Mazan. Many of us tried a variety of new foods such as dry tapioca, wild grapes and sugar cane. The owner of a local bakery allowed us to tour the room where the cookies are made! The task we had to complete while in Mazan was a scavenger hunt that required us to interact with people who live there and learn about the area. We then took a relaxing boat ride back to Don’s house to work on a reforestation project. About 40 trees were planted and 30 seeds were prepped so they can sprout. Overall the day was very fun and rewarding.
By Madi
July 28
Today we hosted a community barbeque, along with the planning beforehand and lots of rest. Collectively, we expected only a couple of people, but we recieved a pleasant surprise when a much larger crowd showed up. We spent a good amount of time doing outdoor activities with the kids, along with eating and coloring inside. After was rest and clean up, where we spent most of it talking and washing up. Today was a very socially oriented day, where we were able to build relationships with the nearby community.
By Ian
July 29
Today we had a comfortable, easy morning in preparation for the eventual night hike. Raul shared with us a short cooking demostration of traditional Amazon-Peruvian lunch packs, in which locals wrap their later meals tightly in a a leaf similiar to banana leaves (that become flexible underneath fire), a presentaion that would become our dinner for the overnight. Sharing an early lunch at 12, instead of the routine 1 PM, we took off for a slow pace hike on a new trail to the designated camping area. Once we arrived we snuggled in the big tent and traded ghost stories (if you dont believe in ghosts goodbye. Stop reading. Stop.) And went to bed semi early in a fit of exhaustion, voluntarily accepting the future back problems in light of friendship and experience. We left at like 630 the next morning. V cool.
By Kai
July 30 
Today is the last day in the Amazon. This trip has changed me a lot. I remember when I was in the airport I cried because I didn’t want to come to peru, however, I am really thankful to the people around me for changing my perspective on this trip.
By Amy
July 31st
We started the day with a 6:30 am hike to the river, where students were greeted by local kids waiting to say their final goodbyes. Students enjoyed the last boat ride on the river, the last mototaxi ride. We made a quick stop at Isla de Los Monos, playing with some rehabilitated wooly monkeys. A trip to an artisan market was followed by our final goodbye dinner. What an action-packed day in Iquitos to close up our time together!
Staff wants to thank this wonderful group for all they shared with us and the local community. We will miss Ian’s sense of humor; Max’s dancing; Amy’s curiosity; Zoe’s kindness; Kai’s compassion and Madi’s sweetness. We wish you all the best on your journeys. Hasta luego!
By Staff

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