On the way back from Colegio Valle Sagrado

Hi! We have arrived in Peru and I am so excited! On the first flight, I sat near Sarah Parker. On the second flight, I sat next to Jamie Cornacchia. On the last flight, I sat next to Raquel and Jamie again. We had a long drive into Urubamba and stopped to grab some lunch. It was so good! After that, we drove a little bit more and then arrived in Ollantaytambo, we are surrounded by beautiful tall mountains. I am staying in the Full Moon hostel. So far, the trip has been amazing and SO eye opening! The rafting is definitely a highlight. My host family is so nice, and they have five little puppies! The project is moving slowly but coming along. The kids at the school are so nice! We went to Valle Sagrado (sacred valley school) and I sat in on a religion class. It was so amazing to hear them talk in Spanish about beliefs. The kids are also so nice here! I gave them my email address. I send my love to my parents! Can’t wait to see you!

-Delaney J

HEY!!!!! It is amazingly beautiful here! I’m having the best experience! I wish you were here to enjoy it with me. I think you would like it. I got a poncho made out of alpaca fur!!  I love it so much!! The food here is really interesting. At our host family, they feed us so much. I’m going to be buff when I get back from working so hard. For the service project we are working on making a soccer field, and it’s so much work! But, I’ll probably loose all the weight I’m gaining from my host family’s meals with all the work. My Spanish is getting so good now. I just wanted to tell you that I’m having a GREAT time!! Can’t wait to see you!!! Love you!!

-       Jamie J 

Hello!!!! I miss everyone, but Peru is so beautiful you can’t believe it!! I miss the Rocky Mountains, and will see them soon. I love all of you!!! J

-Jacqueline

I miss everyone, love you mom and dad and really miss you guys. It is amazingly beautiful here, wish you could see these mountains. I haven’t seen any llamas yet but I have seen a lot of SHEEP!!! J           

Sarah C. J


The trip is going by very fast. I can't even begin to describe how beautiful it is here. Everything is so unreal. I love everyone!
Lauren

 Classroom at Valle Sagrado

 Murals at Valle Sagrado

 Basketball game

Attempting to Prioritize Global Issues

Wednesday, March 28

Another full day in Peru: Inka's Gardeners spent the morning at Colegio Valle Sagrado in Urabamba. Students visited classes and I had the privilege to share a cup of coffee with Madre Lucia (the director of the school) and Adela (the WLS coordinator). The challenges she faces and the love and compassion she brings to her work are impressive. Due to the amazing fund-raising efforts of St. Mary's Academy students, Valle Sagrado will be able to improve their ceramics classes with a potter's wheel. The Full Moon group worked to improve the Ollanta school's greenhouse, pulling weeds and bringing order to what seemed like chaos when we arrived. Tomorrow, the two groups will switch activities. In the afternoon, all of us spent time attempting to prioritize 19 global issues. Afterward, students met with teachers to brainstorm ideas for their upcoming presentation at Machu Picchu. Free time was followed by meals with our host families and then time playing in the plaza. A few of the Inka's Gardeners played cards, and now we're all snuggled into bed. And, yes, we had a birthday today. Happy Birthday to Michael.
Mrs. Ashley

 Colegio Valle Sagrado

 With Madre after an exciting basketball game.

 On the bus through Urabamba

Michael's cake (the first one celebrated in the daylight)

Jack's, Ben's and Hector's Blog

Hello Coloradans, this is Ben, Jack, and Hector coming to you from Peru. We have just had our 5^th day in Peru. Today I (Ben) went on a hike to the Incan Grain silos. I (Jack) went basket weaving with me (Hector), I (Ben) did that yesterday while we (Jack and Hector) went to the silos. We (Ben, Jack and Hector) have been working hard at getting the soccer/ basketball field ready to be cemented. I (Hector) have been translating for everyone especially me (Ben) while I (Jack) have been playing charades with all the Peruvians because I speak French and not Spanish!!!


This trio has much more to say and will continue, they promise. :)

Hike, Work and Weave

Hola mis amigos!

Callie and Emma here. We are both in Mrs. Ashley’s group and staying at the Inca Garden. After celebrating Kate’s birthday yesterday, and a shock from Michael, we continued our trip with a scenic hike through the hills and ruins of Ollantaytambo. Slightly tiring, we met with the realization of how unfit we are. Yet the hike was still rewarding due to the stunning views of the small mountain village below us and the vivid ruins opposing us.  After another filling lunch with our welcoming host families, we continued our work on the soccer field at the local school - cleaning out more pebbles and dirt. Cannot wait to see the final project. Having an amazing time and am surprised about how quickly the trip is going by. Currently we are in our hostel’s cozy court yard awaiting tonight’s dinner and a fun filled game-night with both groups.

Adios!

Views high above the village of Ollanta from the amazing Incan silos:

Blessings and View From Inka Garden

MIchael's Adventure

Hello America,

I’m alive and well. In room 303 last night, my life flashed before my eyes (not really, though). I was being stupid and I pushed on the glass window on the bathroom door, because I had go to the bathroom really badly. Unfortunately, I hurt my arm in the process. David cleaned it out and wrapped it for me, and we waited for Kerry to come and look at it. When she came, she said that I was going to need stitches and we walked to the clinic. Now, the clinic in Ollantaytambo is a lot different than in other places. I ended up getting seven stitches, three stitches in one cut and four in the other. Overall it cost 38 soles (about $15) for seven stitches. Experiencing health care in a developing country is a bit scary at first. The worst part was when they were numbing my wounds. They used a needle, and they did not numb my wounds with cream before. I can say that it was the most amount of pain I have been in in a while. After it was done they bandaged me up and we walked back to the Hostel and went to bed.

-Michael Cromie

With typing help from Patrick, Emma, and Kate

Weaving with Pancho

Service day 2

Kate's Birthday Today

Hello Anderson family! Tell Nana I say happy birthday. Peru is great, I woke up to Emma and Callie singing to me. My home stay is so much fun and Spanish is really improving. I miss and love you all.

-Kate 

Sunday, March 25 Service Day 1

After exploring the amazing Incan ruins above Ollantaytambo, we worked at the school, loading rock and preparing the surface for a soccer 'field.' Students enjoyed lunch and dinner with their families today.

Morning hike to the Ollanta ruins!

 Birthday Girl - Samantha

After Rafting

Jeremy's Blog After Rafting

Hello outer world!

            Yesterday we arrived in Peru and went to a delicious lunch, and don’t worry everybody, I tried everything! We then went to our hostel. I am staying at the Full Moon with the rest of my group, the Full-mooners. After we got settled, we made a new friend. His name is Pierro, and we played soccer with him. Today we woke up and drove to a spot on the Urubama river and went rafting! My group, El Diablo, were the winners, Duh!! Now we are all sitting around talking after a delicious lunch, looking at the beautiful views of the mountains and the Urubamba. We are all having a great time and I will see you all when I get back!

Jeremy Duncan

Raquel's and Annie's Blogs After Rafting

HEY!!!!!! I was shocked how much the city Cuzco resembled Medijn. I just wanted to say hey and the Peru is great. Love you soo much!!!!

Raquel

Hi!! The plane flights here were frightening, yet fun. I sat next to a stranger on the first flight, Patrick on the second, and Sarah C. on the third. I was very scared, but once we arrived I realized that there was nothing to be afraid of.  The first night I was worried about running into spiders. As I was getting ready for bed, I saw a huge spider. I was sooo scared I had to sleep next to someone.  For the second night I am still afraid! I’m having a great time and hope to blog you soon! Miss you! Love you Emily, Mom, Dad, and Gracie!

Love, Annie T

Annie's and Allison's Blogs Before Rafting

We are in Peru! Last night was our first night in Ollantaytambo, and it is amazing here. There are ruins on the mountain overlooking the town, and there is a perfect view of them from the hotel. The hotel we are staying in, Inka’s Garden, coincidentally has a garden, and there a lot of plants here that looks like ones my family grows in Denver (Mom & Dad it looks practically just like our garden, except with a wall). We went to a restaurant in the plaza of the town and had a fantastic dinner, and on the drive up we stopped at the coolest restaurant in Urubamba. There was a full buffet with Peruvian food. In one of the soups there was a huge chunk of mystery vegetable; it was just a really big potato. There was a lot of potato everything. It was very good, but it’s a good thing I love potatoes! In the restaurant in Urubamba there were three macaws in a big cage and they were beautiful. We all had fun talking to them. Cusco was amazing too. The houses just went up the sides of the hills with little paths leading down to the main road, and they all had red tile roofs. It was so pretty, especially when we first flew in. You would just see the whole city surrounded by the mountains and your first thought wads, “WHOAH!!” because it was that amazing. The mountains are even bigger than the Rockies and that was definitely a shock. Peru is even more amazing than I thought it would be. Mom, I haven’t found you any alpaca yarn yet, but I’ll find some. Matt, hope you have a great time in Arizona! Hope everyone in Denver is great!

From,

Annie! Hess

We arrived in Peru yesterday afternoon and it is amazing! The mountains are beautiful and surround this little village. Yesterday, we went to this restaurant for lunch and it was completely outside. It was so pretty with all the plants everywhere, and there was a Peruvian musician. The food was amazing! They had this cake that was really good and these really interesting foods. Our hostel, Inca’s Garden is amazing, and really is a garden. The town square is not far from our hostel and it is really cool. There are all these little shops with hats and gloves and little Peruvian dolls. The dinner last night was really good! Today we are going rafting, and I am so excited!!! I love you, Mom, Dad, Michael, and Jon!

From,

 Allison

Wow! I know how awesome SMA students are, and this marathon air travel to Ollantataytambo is one more proof. We checked in three times for three flights, bags and all. :) Not once did I hear a student complain! We are now tucked away in our rooms, reclining for the first time in almost 48 hours. The ride from Cusco to Ollanta was breathtaking, with towering snow-topped mountains, flowers, patchwork-green cultivations.... We stopped for lunch in Urabamba, settled into our hotels (really nice compared to last year's) and spent some time in introductory activities. Both groups met in the plaza for dinner. Afterward, there were several hacky-sacks flying. The weather is perfect. It's time to sleep. Ahhh, I'm so looking forward to that. We may be a bit late posting tomorrow, as we will be rafting the first half of the day.

Martha

Students are here!

Hello parents and friends! The group is happy and healthy in Ollantaytambo, Peru. They are exploring their new home and getting ready for dinner. They will update the blog tomorrow.

Erin Lasky
Director of Operations.

8th Grade Travelers

7th Grade Travelers

Well, it's Wednesday, March 21 and we're almost packed and ready to go! Here we come, Peru.