Will Mize Volunteering at the Clinic

¡Hemanita!

My daily trip to La Casa de Niñas has really opened my heart and reminded me of the expressive nature of Latin Americans. I was instantly welcomed, kissed, and hugged by habitants of the three-story home for girls. Their contagious positive energy and alegria vibrated through the dusty air. As each day passes I become more attached to these strong little women. I feel like mother hen surrounded by little ones.

These girls were mostly left at this home by their struggling parents who are unable to raise them due to financial concerns or to help them escape from an abusive situation. My heart shrunk yesterday when I met a mother in tears, leaving her older daughter behind at the house. Like many other single parents, she expressed how she could not afford to take care her own children and had no choice but to leave her abusive husband behind and ultimately provide her off-spring with a better future by leaving them at the house.

Leaving today was tough. It so easy to look around my surroundings and compare the poverty I see in The Casa with life in the U.S. It makes me feel hopeless and detached knowing I cannot do enough to help improve their living environment. The dirty sheets, the dusty play room, the cold bathing hose, the heads covered in lice, and the three-to-a-bed situation can be quite shocking. But, every time I take a deep breath and truly look around I see so much life and happiness beyond the physical elements. These girls exude nothing but positivity and light. Their little bodies stand tall above these issues and I can see the thankful gleam in their eyes to have each other. It’s hard not to feel inspired and loved.

I will truly miss each little one.

The Little Ones

--Ana Maia

It Is What You Make It

My position coaching basketball to 10-16 year old Peruvians at summer camp has not been easy, but my experience has been extremely positive.

Language barriers, a lack of basketball experience, and physical limitations made my coaching experience difficult at first. Traditional instruction was impossible, because I don't speak much Spanish, and the 80 kids I coach don't speak any English.  Also, the camp is the first basketball experience for many of the children so they weren't ready to play games and didn't know basic drills. Finally, many of the children lacked the strength to throw the ball up to the rim or stamina to run the court. Though I initially felt overwhellmed, alone, and discouraged, I stuck with it.

Each challenge eventually became a positive. The language barrier taught me to teach without speaking. I demonstrate slowly and correct my student's form. My students' inexperience meant that they learned all of the basics, dribbling, shooting, and passing from me, which is a great feeling. My students lack of physical abilities allowed me to be a personal trainer! I had my students doing pushups, squats, and sit ups. The students are learning, enjoying, getting active, and most importantly, learning life long physical fitness skills.

One day that was a metaphor for my coaching experience is my third day when a 10 year old child missed 25 shots in a row because he could not hit the rim. We did not let limitations stop us. I gave the child the ball one more time, picked him up, lifted him to the rim, and watched him slam home the basket to loud cheers!

The experience is what you make it, and I made mine about training kids in healthy physical activities and reaching individual children.

-Tristan

Puma. Condor. Snake.

My alarm goes off at 5:30am. First thing on my mind: Need... More... Sleep...
At 6am we leave to take a bus to the train station at Ollantaytambo. We get off at Km. 104 to start our Incan Trail adventure. We were told that we would be hiking for about 3 hours until we reached our first destination. What we didn't know was the ridiculous amount of stairs made out of rocks waiting for us. Considering it is the rainy season we got really lucky with the weather. The sun came out for us and then the rain sprinkled down on us when it got too hot. The hike was a personal challenge for me because of my asthma. I felt like I was dying after each step I took. Lucky for me, I was able to have a great group of people with me to encourage me and make sure I was okay. After about 3 hours of hiking, we finally reached out first destination point, Chachabamba. It was such a relief  to finally reach this location. My fear of heights definitely got to me cause we were literally on the edge of the mountain; one wrong step and it would be the end of my life. The view made it all worth it. We hiked for another 1.5 hours to see Inti Punku where we got to have our first glimpse of Machu Picchu. The view was one of those "you just have to be there" moments. Although I was exhausted, seeing the view made the excruciating hike worth it in the end.

"Surprise followed surprise until there came the realization that we were in the midst of as wonderful ruins as any ever found in Peru."
- Hiram Bingham ("discoverer" of Machu Picchu)


By: Angela Wu

Not Photoshopped

Breathtaking. Awe-inspiring. Indelible. Although accurate, none can
adequately describe our group´s visit to Machu Picchu.

We began the day with a 4:45 a.m. wake-up call. the excitement of
witnessing the sun peaking through the morning clouds atop the ancient
Inca village coupled with groggy eyes made the day's first few hours
interesting. But when we reached the village around 6:15 a.m. the
early alarm seemed well worth the struggle.

We had crossed our fingers and toes for good weather, and our prayers
were answered. Despite the jungle´s rainy season, we experienced a
clear view with only a few clouds. Other visitors shared our desire
for the early-morning views, but we were able to snap many, many
photos without distraction.

Our tour guide provided a true local history. While he mentioned the
American Hiram Bingham ¨discovered´´ Macchu Picchu, he was quick to
note the ancient village had not been lost among the locals. We
meandered through the ancient temples, living quarters, and open areas
just as the Inca´s may have done. Our guide aptly noted that the more
compactly the ancient stones were laid indicated the level of
superiority and adoration the Inca´s placed on that particular room.
For example, the stone for a temple was laid the most densely, and a
local´s quarter was given looser construction. Nonetheless, to witness
these ancient ruins was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and one which
we´ll always remember.

-Ruth

Daisy's Entry

The forth day in Cusco seems like pretty long since all of us are tired from the tight schedule and heavy workload. However, with time goes by, I'm totally in love with this old city.

The most encouraging thing is about my after-school program.

I'm getting along with the 20 kids in my classroom really well, way much better that my expectation. Although I can only use my broken Spanish and all the body language to interact with them, I really enjoy every morning in the after-school program. I've never been so needed by children before. But here in Cusco, all those innocent children regard me as their older sister or mum. They keep hugging me and holding my hand all the time. And I do really hope that I can do better to deserve their trust. I'm trying to remember all of their complicated spanish names and trying to use my knowledge to teach them useful things. My growth here is not only about the language, but also about what I learned from my group mates, my students and the experience of getting through difficult situations. In general, every day in Cusco for me is challenging, growing and hopeful.

Only one day left for  Machu Picchu, get so excited right now!

My class with 20 amazing children.

They worked really hard on their math problem.

Two cute kids in my class.

Daisy

Pintando Y Grabando II

Another Great Interview From Tristan. The last 2 seconds are very much worth the tilt of your head!