We just arrived in Cusco after a wonderful stay in Alemeria! We are all very sad to have said goodbye to all our new friends. During our stay we were able to celebrate with the locals during Almeria township's anniversary! While there we made new friends with the local kids and taght them fun games.  We also learned a few new ones from them.  It was a great opportunity to practice our Spanish as well!

Part of our stay in Almeria involved volunteer work! In addition to the school and community areas which have already been built, there are also greenhouses and fields used to grow veggies for the community. Alongside Baltizar, we spent  2 full days tillng the field with picks,  preparing the soil for crops and finally planting rows of  lettuce and radishes. It was difficult work but we found a way to make it fun and we were rewarded  by a star gazing session and a new moon!  

Yesterday was a rest day and we decided to hike to the top of the highest mountain we could see.  So much for a rest!    It took us 3 hours to get to the top and it was worth it. We were able to see far and wide, and even had a close encounter with a hawk and some big vultures! 

One of the best parts of Almeria was the food.  Reuben, who is from Spain, is an aspiring chef who wants to open a restaurant in Cusco some day. We were spoiled with fresh pastries, wood oven pizza, and incredible soups and salads. Even the vegetarians were  in love with the cooking! Our last night we enjoyed the opportunity to hear Reuben sing some traditional Rumba tunes from Spain. Again, we were all very sad to leave this special place!  But more adventures and memories lay ahead as tomorrow early we head to Macchu Picchu!      

Cusco Comes to an End

The past few days have been packed with amazing Cusco sights and sounds. On Sunday we exchanged our money and tackled the enormous Mercado Artesenal. After a few hours of searching and haggling we came out victorious with our purchases!  After the market we relaxed while watching a live performance of traditional Peruvian dances. The costumes were very unique and the traditional huaymo music was flawless!

Today is our last day of Spanish class! We will miss our great instructors who have helped us refresh our Spanish and prepare us for the rest of our trip. They have planned a special trip to a local kindergarden today where we can put our Spanish to the test. There well be a lot of games and songs and plenty of pictures!

Yesterday was our first Magical Mystery Tour (MMT) in the beautiful area of San Blas.  We were divided into two groups and given a list of interesting facts and objects we had to find. We met many helpful and funny locals who were more than happy to help out, despite the language barriers!  After a long day we came home to a delicious meal prepared by our host mother Luchi and spent some good quality time playing ridiculous games with the group and Luchi´´s youngest son Luis. We are sad to say goodbye to Cusco and our host family tomorrow but excited for the adventure to come in Almeria!!! 

Here are some photos from yesterday.  We were up bright and early to help our host mom shop at the market before Spanish Class.  In the evening we checked out the Plaza de Armas and enjoyed a local concert!  Click on the link to the right for more photos!

Student Messages

Here are some messages from the students for their friends and family back home! Looking forward to another memorable week in Peru!




Natalie

Hi everyone! I am having so much fun on this trip so far. We´ve hiked beautiful mountains, seen great ruins and learned a lot about the Incas. I am getting a lot better at my Spanish. Can't wait to see how good I am by the end of the trip. I am eating very well here, the food is delicious. So glad I came on this trip, miss and love you!

Tia

Dear Mom and dad,  I am really enjoying my time in Peru. My Spanish has improved and I have been eating a lot of great foods. Love you and miss you, Tia.

Zachary

This place is absolutely amazing, I am always surrounded by mountains and immersed in the Peruvian culture. It seems everyday I am seeing more breathtaking ruins, and my Spanish is constantly improving. I can´t wait to see more of this beautiful country.

Grant

Peru is truly awesome. Everyday I get to try interesting new foods. Here is very fun and interesting and I get to practice and improve my Spanish while learning about the Incan culture.

Audrey

Hello everyone! I have been having a great time in Peru, we have been seeing so many fascinating ruins and that doesn't even include Machhu Pichhu. We are also learning a ton of Spanish. See you all in 2 weeks. 

Zoe

I am having a great time in Peru. I am learning lots of Spanish and eating great foods. The tamales are my favorite, see you in two weeks.

Sophie

Hi mom and dad! Peru has been unbelievable so far. It feels awesome to be speaking and around so much Spanish again and even better sharing the experience with such an outstanding group of people. See you in two weeks!

Here are a few pictures from the last few days:

You can see more photos by clicking on the link in the column to the right!

We're happy to have arrived safely in Peru!

Here are some student updates from the last couple days:


Sophie was our head chef today and supervised a delicious meal cooked with local ingredients. Healthy too.... mmmmmmm quinoa.

Grant showed his Spanish skills today. He helped the group with some tricky verb conjugations, watch out subjunctive!

Tia is in great spirits despite not yet having her luggage. (we have confirmation it is in Cusco en route to us). This gave her the opportunity to buy some sweet Peruvian pants.

Audrey hiked up the ruins like a champion today, and was rewarded with a breathtaking view of the mountains and the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

Zachary has quickly become the group photographer, snapping enough to fill his first memory card.

Natalie enjoyed an afternoon of  challenging team building initiatives after a long hike in the ruins.

Zoe was a high powered blast of energy during our hike and kept spirits up all the way through evening meeting.

The breathtaking Sacred Valley of the Incas, which we visited yesterday.  Tomorrow begins our Peruvian homestay, Spanish classes, and service project!  Stay tuned for more!