Team Condor (team 2nd) began its trip on July 26th, when the student leaders met with Team 1st and Team 2nd leaders to debrief their trip and go through leadership skills and orientation activities. On July 27th, all but one team member arrived in Cusco with our final member joining us on the morning of Aug 28th. That day, we began a cultural and team building portion of the trip: heading to Calca to experience Apulaya – a cultural immersion in the music and art of the Andes. Students were treated to a wonderful traditionally prepared lunch, learned to play the pan flute, and heard a lecture on Andean art. After a relaxed evening at Yunza hostel, which included some lemon-spotting (risk management activities), the group headed to the Via Ferrata the next day. Cheering each other on, and having a ball on the Ziplines helped the team to bond.
Following a restful and game filled afternoon and evening at Yunza hotel, Team Condor headed to Kanacchimpa to begin the work phase of the trip. Our first full day in the village involved a hike up to the top of the mountain above the village (~3800m), planting barley and playing soccer with the children. During their project phase, Team 1st had built a foundation and while the students were away from the village, the workers had completed most of the walls and windows. Team 2nd spent their days on the worksite moving bricks, building rafters, and hauling wood. Students also helped to get the bricks to the roof, digging dirt to make more mud for the walls and roof, and spent time in their rubber boots mixing mud. Prior to departure, Team Condor was able to add their stamp to the building – leaving hand prints and RSIS 2016 on the wall in many colours. Our student leaders departed in the middle of this week after doing a fantastic job of leading a variety of team bonding and work activities. Of course, for all of Team Condor, a highlight of living in the village was how close they became with each of their families. Nights around the table playing Uno and other card games, learning Spanish and Quechua, and shucking corn or dicing vegetables allowed the team to significantly bond with their families. There was certainly many tears on departure day and all of the team feels like they have a whole new family in Peru!
After 7 days in the village, the final cultural phase of the trip began with a train ride through the Sacred Valley to arrive at Aguas Calientes. In preparation for a big day at Macchu Picchu, the team had a great pizza dinner together and much shopping was had by all. Of course, the full day at Macchu Picchu was another significant highlight. After a guided tour of the complex and a lunch with the llamas, the students walked to the Inca bridge and then ascended the final part of the Inca trail to reach the Sun Gate for a stunning view of the entire complex. Beautiful! An early train ride the next morning, followed by a bus ride, returned the team to Cusco just in time for Salsa lessons; an extremely hilarious final bonding experience which prepared us for the final event later that evening: Don Antonio’s. There is no way to describe this cultural spectacle except to say that all of Team Condor ate too much, sang too much, and laughed all evening. This was an incredible final activity. Our final day, August 10, saw team members departing as early as 7:00am and as late as 8:00pm, with two members departing early in the morning on August 11.
Team Condor was an amazing group of students and leaders to work with; all of us now have friends around the world. All of the members commented on how life-changing this experience has been.
“This RSIS Project (Team Condor) was a 15th day trip to Peru that involved both service and cultural activities. Cultural activities included learning about Andean art and learning to play Andean music, completing a Via Ferrata climbing activity and descending using ziplines, a celebratory cultural performance including dress, music and dancing, and learning to salsa dance. The trip concluded with a full day at Macchu Picchu, exploring Incan culture, practices and architecture and some shopping in Cusco. In addition, during the service project, students lived with families in the community and were exposed to local foods, farming practice (including cuy (guinea pig) farming, planting barley and corn), and both Spanish and Quechua languages. Students on the project also got to play games and cards with the children and families of the village. During the service project, students were helping to build a school using techniques like making, smoothing, carrying, stacking and transporting mud bricks, helping to carry and haul wood for rafters, building rafters, digging dirt to make mud, and stomping, mixing, hauling and shovelling mud. It was hard physical labour on the project site.”
Freddy Tejedor
Director of Student Activities