Friday, June 17, 2016

Peru, Day 2







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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!