PROGRAM PHOTO ALBUM
TIME CAPSULE LETTER
Written by David & the Peru Team
Hi, how are you?
Hola, como estás?
Allinllachu, imanalla?
Time has gone by like a blink of an eye, we’re all hoping that your experience was meaningful and that you might remember every minute we had the opportunity to be together. Now Cusco feels far away from our homes, the weather might be different, and the streets don’t look the same anymore; but we know that every stone, every corner, every smell and the bright sun still lives with us every time we see a mountain or probably when we find something related to our clinic work.
Can you remember the first day you were at the airport? The first time you got to see the shinning blue sky. The first time you got into your room and thought “this will be my home for the next two weeks” Maybe the first time you felt the cold in the mornings or how the sun warmed you like a gentle hug coming from our beloved “Tayta Inti”.
Can you guys believe how long it’s been since we were all together eating dinner at randomized tables, getting winded walking around Cusco, and playing Mafia in Peru? We hope you guys enjoyed the rest of your summers and have started off the new school year strong (and as leaders!)
We wanted to reminisce with you all about our incredible 14 days together. We laughed, learned, sang, TikTok-ed, and danced our way into so many new friendships. From Cusco to each clinic community to Aguas Calientes and back, we got to see such unique and special places of Peru while learning about its culture and people.
We’re also so proud of how hard you all worked every day of service! From the reality tour, all 4 communities we did clinics in, to the round table, you guys paid close attention, focused on the work in front of you, and took time to learn new Spanish or Quechua words and to learn about healthcare in that region. Just in case you guys have forgotten your impact, you helped see more than 440 patients in Huambutio, Chaquepay, Quillahuata, and Huacarpay— amazing job!
We know that some of you guys found out that you really liked (or really didn’t like!) certain specialties, and we hope that that knowledge helps you as you make decisions about your futures. From taking blood pressure, height, and weight to holding dental tools to writing prescriptions to playing “arriba / abajo” to putting the right medicines in the right places, we hope you guys truly know and remember what an impact you guys made!
We also got to learn so much about Peruvian and Quechuan cultures. We watched the Shaman perform the “Pago a la Tierra” ceremony, had dance class, got to try our hands at Peruvian instruments (shout out to Sahana for being a natural!) and even got to practice our wok skills at cooking class. (Dinner at Jaben’s restaurant soon? Just tell us the time and place.) So many of you guys bought llama and alpaca clothing as well, and we hope that not only does it keep you warm, but that it reminds you of your time together in Peru.
There were so many highlights of this program that it’s hard to even start listing them out! The whitewater rafting day was a group favorite, and for such good reason. (P.S. we hope you’re better by now, Jack.) We paddled so hard through the class 2 and 3 rapids that our bodies were sore the next day, but it was so worth it for the experience and the views on the river. I think we also all enjoyed the mini zip line adventure too.
We also got to experience the beautiful Maras salt mines, where we not only got amazing photos, but everyone stocked up on salt and chocolate. It was so neat to learn that each of those pools belonged to a specific family and that you had to be part of the community to own one! That day we also visited Andean Colors, where we pet llamas and alpacas, got to watch the wool making and dying process, and then shop to our heart’s content while knowing we were supporting a great business.
And no one could forget perhaps the most beautiful place we visited— Machu Picchu! It’s no surprise that it’s one of the 7 Wonders of the World. Y’all had great attitudes while waiting at the bus stop as early as 7am, and I think we can all agree it was worth the early wake up call. It’s incredible to experience the tour of the ancient Inca city and to see that view, and “I fear” it was made even more special by experiencing it together.
We were also proud of the ways that you stretched your leadership skills during mentor groups, as Leaders of the Day, with daily debriefs and appreciation circle, during the Social Sync, our amazing debate, “Challenging Assumptions,” “Cool as a Cucumber,” and of course our OMG. Each of you stepped up to be a leader in different ways, and we hope that you continue to grow as leaders and life-long learners. Don’t forget our OMG: being consistently more empathetic and less judgmental. We hope that each of you have taken things that you learned during this experience home with you to grow yourselves, better your communities, and help our world.
We miss eating yummy food, playing games as a big group, seeing unique places, even the long bus rides, and helping to create a more beautiful world with each and every one of you!
Kindly,
David Flor
Mateo Coello
AC Rowland
Until we see each other again, Thanks!
Hasta que nos volvamos a ver, Gracias!
Yapamanta Tupananchikama, Yupaychany!
Thanks for the checking out the blog for this Global Leadership Adventures program!
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Thank you for your patience and understanding, and we hope you enjoy following along on these unforgettable adventures.
For frequently asked questions about the blogs, please visit our Program Blog FAQ page.
-The Global Leadership Adventures HQ Team
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BLOG POST FOR JULY 19
Buenas Noches from Peru! 🇵🇪
This morning we all arrived in Cusco within just a few hours of each other, and were all able to be at the homebase by lunchtime. (With the exception of the final member of our group, who we can’t wait to meet tomorrow!) We ate a pasta lunch before settling into our afternoon activities of orientation, health checks, and our first walk into the city to see Cusco. This was also our first chance to shop a bit! Our group is already getting to know one another, and we’re really excited to see more of Cusco and dive into our service in the next few days too.
Hasta mañana!
BLOG POST FOR JULY 20
Hi friends and family!
Today, we started our day with a later breakfast. We then did our first leadership activity, the Social Sync, where we talked about social media and technology. We then walked around Cusco and went to the San Pedro Market, where there were many vendors selling various things from clothes to spices to sweets.
After this, we went back to home base and we had lunch of rice, pasta, beef, and veggies. Soon after, we took a bus up a mountain and experienced a Quechua ritual called “Pago a La Tierra” to pay respect to “pacha mama” (Mother Earth). After this experience, we walked down the mountain and we had some delicious ice cream.
We then returned to home base and we had our daily debrief and then we had dinner. Right after, we had mentor groups and got to know more about one another. Tomorrow is our first service day and we can’t wait to get started!
—Jack and Jaben
BLOG POST FOR JULY 21
Hi friends and family,
This morning we had an early breakfast before heading off to our Reality Tour. This was led by our MedLife representative, Natalie, who showed us several rural communities around the region of Cusco that lack access to education, healthcare, electricity, and water. We also had lunch with a view at an overlook! We also had a presentation by Natalie at the homebase about what we’ll be doing over the next few days.
After that we had some free time, where some of us played cards, and then we had the opportunity to the square for Starbucks and food. We then had a group discussion about SMART goals— specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound. We had time to journal some goals and then share with the group. Then we split into mentor groups where we further debriefed the journaling exercise.
We also had birthday cake at dinner tonight, celebrating Aoife’s 16th birthday! Now we’re enjoying some free time before heading to bed to prepare to for an early start for tomorrow’s clinics.
—Erich (Lennon and Mckenna crashed before we could write the blog— watch out for a different one by them next week!)
BLOG POST FOR JULY 22
Hola!
It’s day 4 in Peru, and today we woke up at 6:45, with breakfast at 7. (Lots of us LOVED the avocado toast today!) We left at 7:45 to take a bus to our first community of the medical clinics. Once we arrived we got put in our stations and began to set up for the day of treating patients. The stations included triage, dental, pharmacy, general practice, and tooth brushing (for kids.) We switched stations halfway through the day, so we got to do more things. In these stations we got to interact with patients one-on-one, practice our spanish, and implement medical skills.
Following the first successful day in the clinic we had a fun bus ride on our way back to the hotel. In the evening we played group games like mafia and learned stories about the loca Quechua culture. We ate a yummy Peruivan dinner and closed the night off with more group games.
We’re excited to visit a different community for tomorrow’s clinics!
BLOG POST FOR JULY 23
Written by: Clara & Sam
After our trip to Machu Picchu, we were all exhausted. So today, we enjoyed a LOVELY DELICIOUS CLASSIC GLA LATE BREAKFAST after sleeping in until 9. Our fantastic leader of the day encouraged the group to have a yoga class led by our amazing mentor, Martha! (Thanks Martha) many people let go of their negative energy and stretched/exercised their bodies. Our breakfast consisted of bagels, avocados, fruits and veggies, banana pancakes, and potato cakes.
After enjoying our late breakfast, we moved on to the infamous GLA debate. Our debate prompt was whether the government should approve the construction of a new road, and if it would be beneficial or detrimental to the communities in the road, we also had to keep in mind the effect on the environment. We had four groups, each arguing for different things. Our debate was filled with energy, passion, and some awkward moments, but it was all in a respectful manner. After two hours of debating filled with many logical arguments and emotional statements in the end, the government (Your leaders of the day!) came up with a compromise to build the road and also preserve our environment and Incan culture. After a hearty debate, we had lunch! A delicious chicken stew (eggplant stew for vegetarians), rice, bread, yuca, guacamole, and some refreshing passion fruit juice.
After lunch, we headed to the roundtable. Roundtable is where we follow up with formal patients and hear their stories and how their situation is now. The first family visited was an older couple. Due to their poverty and old age, they are unable to make means to live. They live off a small pension the government gives them. They also had a daughter who had physical and mental disabilities. The whole family’s state was very striking and eye-opening. Despite their difficult living situation, their gratefulness was inspiring. After giving them some food and supplies, they continued to smile and give us their blessings.
Then, we headed to a second family. As soon as we walked in, the mother cried as her small children huddled around her. She told us how she was abandoned by her husband, and without a husband, she was struggling to afford food to feed her family. All of us were listening very intently. However, it was a lot to take in. On the bus ride home, we were contemplating what we heard and what we could do to help. Visiting these impoverished families was very uncomfortable and sad, but it gave us all new perspectives and made us much more grateful for our fortunate situation.
After we got home, we had a delicious meal and had a meaningful conversation about what we had seen.
BLOG POST FOR JULY 23
Hola familia! Today was our second day at the clinic and the fifth day overall. Many of us enjoyed the toothbrush station where we were able to play with the kids. The clinic was successful with over 100 patients seen and taken care of! For lunch, we had a very delicious chicken wrap and tried a new fruit called granadilla. After the clinic, we experienced a Peruvian dance class which was definitely a highlight of the trip. We ended our night with mentor groups where we reflected on our experience with GLA so far and how it has impacted us. After that, we played a large group game of among us/mafia! Adios amigos!
-Sahana, Maddee, and Julia
BLOG POST FOR JULY 24
Hi friends and family!
Today was our day 3 at clinic. We woke up early like usual to get ready to head to the clinic. Quillahuata was only 45 minutes away, extremely close compared to the previous clinics. Once we arrived we noticed that the clinics quality was alot nicer than the previous clinics we have been to.
Once everything was ready, patients started to arrive. After an hour and a half, we switched stations. Some rotation switches were made so that everyone was happy with their stations! Because Quillahuata was closer than the other places we went to, we were back earlier to the home base. During this free time, most of us went shopping and to McDonald in Cuzco.
Then, we went back to our home base. We had a music class, where we learned a wide range of instruments from Peru. We also got to try some of the instruments! After our music class, we had our daily debrief and a pulse check, which is an activity where the directors get feedback from us about the program. To end the day off, we ate some delicious Peruvian food and played mafia!
-Andrew, Alice & Gabrielle
BLOG POST FOR JULY 25 & 26
Hola families!
We started out the day yesterday bright and early, as we made our way from Cusco to the salt mines. Our first stop was at Salineras de Maras (a salt mine) where we learned about the process of how salt was created. After buying souvenirs, we headed to Andean Colors. Here we got to eat a delicious lunch, where we got to try Guinea pig, and later got to meet some of the llamas, alpacas, and guinea pigs. We also got to see the process of wool being dyed and had the opportunity to support local community by buying 100% authentic llama wool clothes. Finally, we ended our day by taking the train to Aguas Calientes (after many train delays) to prepare for our trek to Machu Picchu.
Today, we woke up at 6:00 am to start heading up on a bus to Machu Picchu. We got there at 9:00 am and hiked through the amazing views as we learned about the Inca culture. We walked through this wonder of the world, truly appreciating the amazing experience. After the tour, we headed back down the mountain by bus, getting more chances to see the Andes moutains that keep this amazing city hidden. We came back to the city of Aguas Calientes to stop and get lunch. Then, we headed back to the bus to make the journey back to Cusco. We ended the day with daily debrief and dinner, and are looking forward to our last clinic day tomorrow.
-Isabella and Lilliana
BLOG POST FOR JULY 27 & 28
Hello Family and Friends, as the trip comes to a close so do the activities.
On day 9 of the program, we had our last service day attending to the small rural town of Huacarpay. It was the most challenging day as we received the most patients. Fun Fact: the lake contained within the town is the last remaining water that use to engulf of what is the modern day city of Cuzco, Peru. With all of the service days we saw a total of over 400 patients! As day 9 came to a close we had a leadership activity: challenging assumptions. This activity made the students confront possible biases they had before the trip and how that might change after the trip.
On day 10 we had a later start to the day, waking up at 8. We went to our cooking class, where we learned how to cook local Peruvian foods: Lomo saltado and Picarones. The students not only prepared the dishes but were able to cook their own portion sizes on the stove. Jaben, Andrew, and Lennon stood on top in regard to their cooking skills. Everyone was given a turn to use the wok and make their own food and also make their own “doughnuts”/Picarones. People also were able to make fresh passion fruit juice to share at the table while we ate are dishes we made.
That afternoon, we also had our Roundtable with Medlife. This was an opportunity to see how Medlife follows up with patients that need more medical attention than the clinic can offer. We visited a patient in Pisac, about a 40 minute drive away.
With our last service hours behind us, we’re looking forward to our rafting day next!
-Andrew, Erich, Jaben, Jack, and Lennon
BLOG POST FOR JULY 29
Hola families!
Today was definitely our favorite day so far! We began the day with a long drive to Cusipata where we white water rafted. This was a first time experience for many of us, and the class 3 white water lived up to our expectations. After a delicious lunch of Quinoa soup, chicken, rice, and beets, we climbed a tall tower and zip lined across the river.
Next, we drove back to home base, rested for a few ours, ate a delicious dinner of chicken wings, and ended our day with a leadership activity. This activity taught us what kinds of leaders we are, and it was interesting to see which category each of us fell into.
Adios family!! See you soon!
-Julia, Maddee, and Sahana
BLOG POST FOR JULY 30 & 31
¡Hola familias y amigos!!
As we arrived at the end of our GLA trip we also wrapped up the leadership activities. On Tuesday, after a morning of sleeping in and a nice breakfast, everyone gathered outside in the courtyard for a debate regarding culture, morality, and ethics within Peru. Every student spoke and overall, this was a great learning experience.
Following the debate, we had some free time. During this free time kids tanned, ate snacks and rested up. Next we went to an art musuem focused on historical, religious, and cultural aspects of Peru. Mateo, our tour guide, followed us through the museum with explanations from each exhibit. After the tour, we explored the shops just outside the museum and shopped for ourselves and our families.
We then wrapped up shopping and had a short walk back to homebase. We relaxed until it was time for our next meal, dinner at home base. Dinner was exciting with randomized tables and fun groups. We finished the night up with a trip to the minimart for yummy snacks and lots of laughs.
Then yesterday was our last day 🙁 We spent most of our time shopping around and eating delicious confectionaries from local cafes. We also wrapped up our goals with the OMG activity, where we talked about our goals after this trip and created a goal as a group as well. In addition, we had our last mentor group, discussing what we have learned and gained from this trip. We had our last dinner as a group, all sitting around in one table, reminiscing this one-of-a-kind experience. We all dressed up and took really cute pictures, and then ended the day with the very last activity: appreciation circle. After that, we all played some mafia and card games together.
¡Adios (for the last time ❤️)!
-Aoife, Bella, Gabi, Lauren, Lilli, and Soraya
