Moorestown Friends School Peru

March 21, 2024

First Stop…Lima, Peru
After a 3:30 am departure from MES, it was smooth sailing to Newark airport and then Atlanta, GA, and finally Lima! A group game of Uno  helped us pass the time until we boarded our flight to Lima. We arrived in Lima about 9 pm and finished the evening with some Peruvian snacks, local pizza and a brief orientation from our guide, Fabricio. We are ready for a good night’s sleep after a long day of travel.

By Meredith

March 22, 2024

After a good night sleep we woke and ate breakfast. Then we packed all our bags and got ready to get on bus to take us to the airport. The flight to lima to Cusco was calm and was around 1-2 hours. We arrived and there was beautiful scenery with the mountains all around us. People wanted to take pictures at and we also met our other guide Rebecca. We then went to the main plaza in Cuzco and got a 3 course meal lunch which was amazing and included chicken soup, trout, and chocolate cake for dessert. Our guides, showed us around on the places of some cool places and then took us to feed some alpaca’s which was a very interesting/fun experience. Finally we got settled in our hotel and bonded in a bonfire to settle some rules/ give overview. No we are ready to go to sleep.

By Elijah and Max

March 23, 2024

We started the day by waking up in Calca, a small town in Southern Peru in the region of Cusco at 9,600 feet above sea level. We ate a breakfast of Peruvian avocado, eggs, local cheese and bread (huaro), and fresh orange juice. At 8:30 am we met our bus at the town plaza to see our first Incan ruins. Our bus climbed a long, winding road to the Incan Pisac ruins in the Sacred Valley, where we got to witness surreal views of the farmlands and mountains. We learned about the farming terraces that the Incans constructed centuries ago without any modern equipment. This opportunity was a great way for us to take pictures and be one with nature.
Next we headed off to the town of Pisac. Here we got the chance to bargain with street vendors in the market and purchase souvenirs. After shopping we broke off into groups and tried various cuisines, like empanadas, in the town for lunch. Around 2:00 we headed back home to the hotel where we split off into groups to experience two different authentic Peruvian activities. One group explored the local market near the hotel and ate local ice cream while the other group indulged in silver ring making with a local silversmith. Then we switched activities and finally joined back together for a big game with beach balls in our hotel’s enclosed yard. After participating in these fun activities we had the chance to try a local delicacy: guinea pig. Last, we ended the day by eating Lomito Saltado, a Peruvian dish with beef tenderloin, prepared especially for us by a local chef.

By Brandon and Drew

March 24, 2024

After a breakfast filled with new fruits and foods we embarked on a two-hour bus ride to a remote village, eager to immerse ourselves in its culture. We learned indigenous words, ready to communicate with the locals in Quechua. Upon arrival, we were warmly welcomed with a serenade and promptly divided into groups for service work. Some mixed cement while others painted materials for a water tower. After hours of labor, we were honored with a flower ceremony, symbolizing our acceptance into the community. Living with indigenous families, we embraced their way of life, trying on traditional attire, assisting with chores, and bonding over shared experiences. We spent time seeing our “parents” homes and met their children and pets. We then took a hike to honor Mother Earth preceded by a joyful dance with our new families. Wrapping up the day, we explored an archaeological site before stopping at a market and getting some chocolate. We later headed back to the hotel to enjoy a debrief and to play a game that helped us recognize our opportunities and differences, while we reflected on the day. Finally, we sat by the fire, ate homemade pizzas with s’mores for dessert.

By Jewell & Brielle

March 25, 2024

We woke up and had our final breakfast at the “House Hotel” in Calca where we have been staying for the past four days. After breakfast we packed our backpacks with clothes and more for the next two days as we will not have access to our suitcases. The excitement of our new adventure began to set in.

We got on our bus and drove one hour to the train station in Ollantaytambo. We boarded the train, and embarked on the scenic journey of two hours, which was filled my lively convos, boxed lunch of chicken or beef sandwiches, and a mid-ride performance displaying Inca culture. We arrived in the town of Aguas Calientes around 1pm. We quickly dropped our bags off in the hotel and ventured to the bus station where we took a 25 minute bus ride to the base of the site.

We hiked up very steep and rocky terrain to the top of Machu Picchu. We stopped two times for lots of pictures and to take in the wonderful sites. After we took some pictures we hiked down into the ruins where our tour guide, James, gave us some background on the special place. Machu Picchu was “discovered” almost 100 years ago by Hiram Bingham. In its time Machu Picchu was occupied by about 500 Incas who used the structures for school and training. We walked around the ruins then found a quiet place to circle up for a group Meeting for Worship overlooking an amazing view of the Andes Mountain range. We were able to reflect on this experience and all the opportunities we have been given. This time was really meaningful to us all. After we broke the silence, we finished our tour. Machu Picchu is one of the seven wonders of the world and it was truly an incredible experience.

We took the bus back down to the town of Machu Picchu where we were given free time for the next hour and a half to visit the busy market. Plenty of souvenirs and gifts were bought despite the rain that downpoured while we shopped.

At 7:30 we walked to dinner nearby where we had an amazing three course meal with live music from the street players. Then, we headed back to the hotel where we were briefed on the plan for tomorrow and did an activity called “Shooting Stars”. We “sent stars” to people who have positively impacted us and made the trip the special experience it has been!

By: Julia, Ava & Zaydan

March 26, 2024

Today was a busy day. We woke up and got breakfast at 8:30 with a beautiful view from the 5th floor of our hotel in Aguas Calientes. After breakfast, we did a scavenger hunt around the city, interacting with locals and practicing our Spanish. The winner of the hunt got some ice cream! Unfortunately, our train got delayed a few hours, however that gave us a little bit of time to get some more pastries in Aguas Calientes. Finally, around 11:30 we boarded the train and we had some delay on the train as well due to train congestion, but we arrived around 2:00 pm in Ollantaytambo. In Ollantaytambo, we visited ruins that were once occupied by the Incas and we saw parts of a temple! We had to walk up the stairs to make it up to the ruins so many of got hungry and hangry. Luckily, we were accompanied by pizza at a local pizzeria in Ollantaytambo and it was muy bien; the average slices ate were 6! After the mouthwatering pizza our travels weren’t over because we had a 2 hour bus ride to Cusco. When we finally arrived in Cusco we settled down and got ready for our salsa lessons. In these lessons, we learned 4 different steps of salsa and eventually we partnered up and tore up the dance floor. It turned out to be a very fun experience and learned a major part of Peruvian culture. After that, we returned to La Plaza to have a delicious dinner at the same spot we had our amazing lunch on our first day. We got a variety of Peruvian dishes and enjoyed.

By: Bodhi & Justin

Wednesday, March 27

We started our last day in Peru with breakfast at 8:00 which was fruits and juice and soon after the chefs came out with homemade bread with jam and butter and eggs. We finished packing our bags and left Niños House at 10:00 to go to Saqsay Waman, an archeological site. Before we could go into the archeological site, we were captivated by the wild llamas and dogs in a territorial battle. The tassel was drawn out for almost 10 minutes when the dogs ran into an area that the llamas couldn’t reach. After that we learned that Saqsay Waman was one of the most powerful fortresses in the Incan empire. In the Incan capital of Cusco, it was a place for administration, social, political and religious power. The fortress was created with 80 ton rocks that some believe were there before the Incas ever arrived. Saqsay Waman was said to be built in 1438, roughly a hundred years before the fall of the empire, but that is still argued between academics. A notable event during this period was a significant battle behind the mountains, led by the eighth emperor’s son against the Chanca people, with the formidable Bachakudai doing a significant challenge. A century later, the arrival of the Spanish marked a turning point, as they ventured to Machu Picchu and thereafter, the empire never removed. After we learned this information we moved further into the fortress to reflect on our trip. We shared something that we would take away from the trip and also shared our appreciation for each other through 2 unique activities. First, we sat together and were given a ring we each made on day 3, that was one of our peer’s. We, then, said one thing that we appreciate about them before giving them their ring. Next, we stood a circle and faced the other way with our eyes closed. We were all given a number by Rebecca and when called were tasked with tapping our friends on the shoulder and to tell them how we felt about them and what we appreciated about them after this time together. After the reflection, we went back into town to go to a museum. Inside the museum there were ancient Incan textiles, paintings, weapons and we even got to see the Incan mummies. The picture on the wall shows a special Incan wall with designs sticking out from it and a part that shows how high the water is. Then, we went into town square to do a little last minute shopping before we fly home. When the short shopping spree finished, we went back to the Niños House to have our last delicious meal before getting on our 3 flights home. We ate spaghetti for lunch with many different sauces and additions of trout, chicken or vegetables. When our delicious meal ended, we packed up our bags into a bus and drove to the Cusco airport. In the airport, we said goodbye to Rebecca and waited to board our flight, which seemed like forever. We’re sad that the trip is coming to a close, but can’t wait to get back to New Jersey. It was such an eventful last day!

By: Dean and Vincent