'
Hey everyone! It’s Sophie and Amanda here J We had our first full
day in beautiful Ollantaytambo, Peru. First, we woke up early and had a
delicious breakfast which consisted of traditional ham, cheese, fruit, bread,
and our personal favorites, panqueques (aka pancakes). After breakfast, we
traveled to our first NGO of the day, Kuska School. The school is surrounded by
mountains, sustainable gardens and crops, and animals such as sheep, chickens,
pigs, turkeys, and ducks. We interacted with the kids, toured the school and facilities,
and observed how they learned in experiential ways such as tending to their own
gardens, cooking their own food, and using geometry to design and build their
own greenhouses. Next, we went to a weaving co-op, Awamaki, or “Loom Hands.”
The founder, Kennedy, is a WLS alum and shared with us how she came to be so
passionate about empowering women helping them to make their businesses
sustainable. Then we went back to the lodge for a break and snacks. However,
instead of resting, Amanda chose to work out with the encouragement and support
of Sophie, Lily, and Lian. Sophie even finished out with an ab workout! (Don’t
worry, Mom, I am actually working out and it’s pretty challenging with the
altitude change.) Next, we went to lunch and had some amazing chicken and cream
of squash soup! After lunch, we did two learning sessions, Fears and Goals and Why
Are We Here? We really bonded as a group during these sessions mostly through
laughter and our group’s sense of humor. Next, we played a fun charades game in
order to prepare for our homestays and the language barrier that may come up.
And finally, we went to dinner to eat AGAIN! We had chicken stuffed with
spinach and ham with some rice. May I just say that the presentation skills
were equivalent to that of a nice steakhouse in Dallas. While we were eating, a
beautiful Peruvian musician serenaded us with traditional Quechan music. After
dinner, Sophie and I closed the day with ANCHOR and then most of us stayed up
and watched the unfortunate demise of the Peruvian soccer team. Well, that’s it
for today! Tomorrow we get to visit our last NGO, Sacred Valley Health Clinic,
and meet our homestays! We miss everyone back home but are super excited to be
in Peru! Thanks for reading and stay tuned for tomorrow’s blog! Adios!
