Edmund Burke Peru 2024

June 9, 2024

Tyler woke us up around 7am in our hotel in Lima. We all got ready and headed down to the lobby for a buffet style breakfast. After breakfast we all packed up and waited to board a bus to the Lima airport for the third flight of the trip. It was an hour long flight to Cuzco with beautiful views of the mountainous landscape. The flight was mostly smooth but we experienced some turbulence towards the end, but nothing too bad. Everyone got their luggage and we boarded a bus to Cuzco Plaza where we had a delicious lunch accompanied by live music. The plaza was bustling with music, people, and food for the winter solstice festival. After lunch we got the chance to exchange our dollars for Peruvian soles, and even purchase some souvenirs. Then we got back on the bus and drove up the mountain to an alpaca and llama farm, where we got to feed them and take some pictures. We boarded the bus for the last drive to our hotel for the night, Qasana Hotel in Calca. In front of the hotel there was a big group of dancers moving to the beat of the drums and chanting. We got to explore a little before dinner and then we gathered in the dining room for dinner and an orientation to the program. Dinner was pumpkin soup with chicken, beef, and veggie skewers.  Profe made a special tea to help with the  altitude. We ended the night with a session about preparing for home-stays. Finally, we headed up to bed and settled in for the night, with excitement for tomorrow’s activities!

– Campbell

June 10, 2024

We woke up later than yesterday, which was a welcome surprise. We ate breakfast in the hotel and then boarded the bus. We first traveled to Pisaq, an Incan archeological site, where we saw ancient ruins and learned about the history of the Inca. We then boated the bus once more to head to the market, where we haggled for gifts and souvenirs. Some of us were better at haggling than others. We split up into groups of three or more and walked to lunch, enjoying dishes such as empanadas, ceviche, and alpaca steak. We boarded the bus and returned to Hotel Qasana, where we dove into making silver rings and exploring Calca. Once we finished, we got ready for dinner by trying cuy (Guinea pig). Most people tried it, but only a few were brave enough to sample the head of the cuy. We then walked to dinner, where we finally met our homestay families and competed in our homestay group to make the best causa limeña, a local delicacy involving potato, avocado, and pepper (Señora Janet’s team was robbed in case you were wondering) . We ate the causa limeña with our homestay families and then walked back to the Hotel Qasana for a night of much needed deep sleep!

-Aaron

June 11, 2024

We woke up for our second day in Calca around 7am, and ate a quick breakfast at the hotel. After eating, we walked as a group to the Señor de la Vara school for students with special needs. While there, we painted flower pots with the students, and ended off with a dance party. Afterwards, we walked to our hotel to quickly grab our things, and then meet up with our homestay families. With our family, we celebrated our host mom’s father’s birthday, where we enjoyed soup, cake, Inca cola, and plenty of socializing. At 3, we met back up as a group and walked to the homestay house of Aaron, Asa, and Ben, for t-shirt making. We picked our designs and then painted them onto our shirts. At 6, we headed back to our homestays for dinner, and to prepare for a big day ahead.

-Ayla, Lana, and Elena V.

June 12, 2024

Our Global Works group went to the indigenous community of Kajilarakay. We were met with a beautiful welcoming ceremony to introduce us to their culture. After that, we helped with mixing and pouring concrete. It was hard but they do it all the time, so I can too. Next, we enjoyed lunch, and we went to help with household chores. The whole time I was distracted by the beauty of the mountains. After that we all joined the community in a ceremony thanking the earth for the crops. The ancient tradition was beautiful and breathtaking. For lunch, we ate potatoes that were baked in the ground and warm with cheese. Then we said our goodbyes with a final dance, it was an unforgettable experience. On the way back we stopped by Moray, which the Incas used as a agricultural laboratory, taking advantage of the natural land. Finally, we headed back to our homestays for dinner and games with our host families.

-Tommy

June 13, 2024

Yesterday we visited a dorm for girls who live in communities who don’t have a high school accessible. We watched a video about how they live, and why they and their families decided to join the Sacred Valley Project. We also got a tour of their dorms. The experience made me realize how lucky I am to have a car, a school, and in general the things that I believed were accessible to everyone. Next, we went back to the Señor de la Vara school and helped with jobs that included painting, coloring, and laminating. We went back home to the homestays for lunch and some down time. After that, we went to a local soccer field and played soccer for awhile. Then we went home to get ready for the despedida at the hotel with our homestay families. At dinner we got to select hamburgers or fried chicken, before ending with s’mores at the fire. Finally, we took photos with our homestay families, before heading back for our final night in Calca.

-Hana, Laila, and Lucas

June 14, 2024

Today we slept in late and arrived at the plaza in Calca at 11:30am. While we packed the bus, we went to a parade in the street that featured some of the kids from our homestays. Then we said goodbye to our homestay families, after exchanging number with them. Next, we went to Ollantaytambo, where we got to hike up an archeological site. We had lunch in town before we hopped on the train to Machu Picchu. After that, we went to our hotels and then went out for dinner in town. Today was pretty chill.

-Ben and Charles

June 15, 2024

We woke up early at 7am for breakfast at the hotel in Aguas Calientes. A bus took us up Machu Picchu where we took a guided tour with James. We took many, many pictures. In a circle, we all got a ring or a piece of a paper with a number that corresponded to another member of the group. We all shared something that we appreciated about each other, and reflected on the trip. We took a bus (with a super passionate bus driver) down from Machu Picchu and had lunch in Aguas Calientes. Then, we took the train back to Ollantaytambo. From there we got on the bus and headed back to our hotel in Cusco. There we enjoyed pizza at the hotel and some games. Today was also pretty chill, and we are excited for the last day of our trip!

-Charles