Groton & Emily Carey School-- Peru Andes Education Program 2009

Transport from JFK

2009-07-28T08:03:00.000-07:00

Good Morning!

We apologize for any confusion - please follow your original plan arranged with the Groton School for transportation from JFK. Thank you!

~Erin Lasky
Program Director

Groton and Emily Carey School students are coming home!

2009-07-27T18:48:00.000-07:00

Message to Parents:
The group is returning tomorrow to JFK Airport. Below you will find the return flight information for your convenience.

AA 918 Lima to Miami 11:30PM - 6:10AM
AA 1510 Miami to JFK 11:30AM - 2:30PM

Parents are asked to meet their sons and daughters at the airport. Please call the office at 303-679-3412 or e-mail Erin at erin@worldleadershipschool.com with any questions.

2009-07-25T07:48:00.000-07:00

It is time for our departure from Ollantaytambo, and this will be the last blog of our trip. There are many stories and pictures which have not yet been told, but I trust on Tuesday they will steadily flow from the kids to you. It has been a fabulous trip and we have accomplished a great deal in the community. Today we are putting the final touches on our project before we dapart for Cuszco this afternoon. FB

The vibrant energy between Groton and Emily N. Carey school students has caused the project at Tierra del Niño’s to work extremely well, considering the differences in social and economic backgrounds of the two groups, the students have proven that when individuals work toward a common goal anything is possible. I am proud to have been a part of this special endeavor working with such exceptional and passionate students, that I look forward to continuing my relationship with the World Leadership School staff, Groton faculty, students, and everyone involved in this great undertaking.

Don W. Mabrey
Emily N. Carey School faculty

2009-07-22T17:57:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

My boys, Teddy and Jobe, and I arrived in Ollantaytambo on Sunday an hour or so before the hikers returned from their overnight. We greeted a dirty but exhilarated group, and the boys were thrilled to see their bearded dad. After a quick change out of their hiking clothes, Lilah, Chloe, and Julia were kind enough (and energetic enough after hiking!) to take me on a running tour of the town. They instructed me to pick up some small rocks and brace myself for some aggressive dogs. As a pack of four, we happily avoided any nasty encounter, and I was grateful for the girls’ patience as I adjusted to the altitude.

Craig fell in love with Ollantaytambo last year and was eager for me and our boys to experience the great pleasures of this place and its people. He was also so enormously impressed with the Groton students on the trip that the experience, in fact, served to deepen his commitment to the school and its mission. Craig, Fred, Cindy, and I believe wholeheartedly that experiences such as this one—away from the Circle but together—enhance our understanding of community and play a profound role in preparing our students for the “active work of life” in a world that needs individuals to exhibit great understanding, compassion, and ethical leadership. Talking with this year’s students and watching them both labor and play with local community members and each other, I have been remarkably impressed with the fusion of purposefulness and playfulness on display here – and with the genuine drive to connect meaningfully with people whose life experiences are—in so many ways—different from our students’.

As I write today from inside a classroom of the elementary school, our students’ host families are preparing a Pachamanca—a feast of pork, beef, and chicken mixed with a variety of vegetables and cooked together over heated stones in a hole in the ground—to celebrate the near completion of the building project. Next to me in this classroom, three local girls, Veronica, Celeste, and Guadalupe are making thank-you cards for all of the volunteers. The students have worked incredibly hard and made remarkably swift progress. The pictures will tell you much of the story. I have been blown away by the vision and efficiency of the mural artists. And in this country of the expert Incan stoneworkers, our students have proven themselves to be very able terrace and wall builders. More important than their talent, however, have been their spirit and commitment to this work. Today, they worked almost non-stop from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Never a complaint was heard; rather, they reveled in their dirtiness and their progress. Groton kids know how to work hard. How great it is to see them so proud of their efforts and having such fun along the way!

****
At the close of the Pachumanca, a host parent, Ana, stood up to thank not only the students but also their parents, whom Ana realizes have sacrificed much to allow the students to be in Ollantaytambo this summer. Like Ana, I appreciate how difficult separation between parents and children can be, particularly in the precious months of summer; thus, I am also particularly grateful to be able to share this experience with Craig and our boys this summer. I am grateful also for the warm embrace the children of Ollantaytambo and the students on the trip have given Teddy and Jobe. There is no better education than experience. We are all lucky in so many ways!

Tomorrow morning we will all be gathering in the town plaza at 4:45 a.m. and heading down to the train station in town to travel to Machu Picchu. The trip will take about an hour and a half. It should be yet another remarkable day. We will write again on Friday.

Viva Peru! -- Nancy

2009-07-22T09:32:00.000-07:00

Many days have passed now since we began working on the site at the school. Our “Tierra de los Ninos” project is coming along wonderfully. We have been working on the two terraces on plants and raised beds. Our stone walls are omnipresent across the worksite. I think I speak for more than one when I say that stone walls are a lot harder to make than they look! The recycling center is a brilliant purple from hours of painting and the mural is looking fantastic. We might even be able to add another section to it! All in all the work around the site is rumbling on and spirits remain high. Although nearing our last day, it seems as though we just arrived. Ciao!

-Jack Cohen

Last night, Cullen, Josh, Miguel and I made chicken parmesan for our host family, except we didn’t have chicken breasts, or mozzarella or parmesan cheese. So instead we used chicken thighs and legs and generic cheese. Miguel dubbed the dish Tomato Chicken Drum Generico, Peruvian Style. It actually turned out to be incredible. Our host mother thought it was hilarious that four boys were making dinner for the family. Our host family really liked the dish and it was a great experience for all. Today, our host mother promised to teach us how to make Chicha Morada soup, a great dish of deep purple gelatin-like soup with bananas in it. It was interesting to see how cooking unites people from around the world. I just wish we had more time to cook more foods for our family!

-Zach Baharozian

Tierra de Ninos has made so much progress in the past couple of weeks. The terraces are finally completely built, and the fence is almost complete. On one of the more interesting days, Abby and I broke up manure by hand for fertilizer. The mural and recycling center look great and are almost done being painted. All that is left is to mix cement for the last fence posts, level the terraces, and plant. It’s been so rewarding to see this place go up as a result of our hard work. It will be very hard to leave it.

Molly Belsky

2009-07-20T11:18:00.000-07:00

Overnight Hike

The hike began bright and early Saturday morning at roughly 7:30 a.m. We walked about a mile to the mules where we unloaded our sleeping bags and heavy backpacks. Then we proceeded onwards with our light backpacks up until about 10 o’ clock where we stopped for a light snack near Incan ruins. After snacking we waited for lunch. Some of the group napped and others played bananagrams or engaged in conversation. Then we had a light lunch of cheese sandwiches with onions, mushrooms and tomatoes. Then we rested for a little while and continued up the mountain generally staying together until we reached the top. We reached the campsite at about 3 in the afternoon.
Once we got to the campsite, we unloaded the mules and set up our tents. Then we relaxed by playing card games like Uno or Bridge or by playing charades. We played for a while and the games got really intense and competitive. Then we had an afternoon tea which consisted of popcorn, crackers and of course, tea that the guides provided in our food tent. After tea we played some more card games / charades and put on more layers as the sun set and the temperature plummeted rapidly. Then when it got dark a few of us stargazed and identified the Southern Cross, the Milky Way, a few planets, satellites and shooting stars. We even renamed some unidentified constellations. The sky was beautiful and it was amazing to see the stars so clearly at 12,500 feet.
Then we had dinner which was soup followed by rice and chicken. After dinner some people turned in early while others stargazed more and hung around by the campfire. Since it had been a long day everyone turned in by about 10.
The next day not many people got up to watch the sunrise. However quite a few people were up by seven and were waiting for breakfast in the food tent. When most of the group was awake we began breakfast. There was really good coffee, tea or hot chocolate followed by bread and pancakes with orange and a bit of caramel sauce on the top.
After breakfast we packed everything up and began hiking down the mountain. It warmed up quickly in the morning and we hiked at a good pace. We stopped for a snack at gorgeous ancient Incan ruins. We had oranges and Choko Sodas and rested for a little while. We continued hiking down to the place where we would stop for lunch. The group was pretty good at staying together and everyone helped each other get past fears of heights / slippery parts of the climb down.
We stopped for lunch close to 12. Our group sat in the food tent for shade and played Uno / Bananagrams until lunch was served. First we had a squash soup and then spaghetti with meat sauce. Immediately after lunch a small group went down immediately to the town and the rest of us relaxed for a while longer. When we continued down we made it to the bottom quickly without much stopping. Then we waited for the mules to bring down our bags for about half an hour and then we all walked our separate ways back to our home stays.
The hike was a good chance for us to experience many firsts – from camping at 12,500 feet to seeing the Milky Way. Everyone was safe and had a really good time. The group stuck together and showed determination and a positive attitude throughout the whole thing.
Eriche Sarvey

2009-07-17T16:12:00.000-07:00

A wonderful day. Following is a quick comment writen by each student. Enjoy. We are off to the mountains for the next two days. FB

One thing for sure, this trip is definitely the best experience I had so far. I meet incredible people and I love my host family. I hope to come back !!!!!
--Kirsti Aventurin

I love Peru! One and a half weeks down, one and a half to go. The whole village is related to my host family, and it’s amazing how friendly everyone is (much different than back home). Everyday is a new experience….que chevere!!
--Mike Storace

I don’t think I have ever been as dirty as I am right now, or as happy to be dirty. Everyday we are covered in paint, dirt, and plaster and I love it! Everyone has really come together as a group and it’s so rewarding to be helping the community.
--Julia Haney

Ollantaytambo is an incredibly loving and colorful village, and everyone in our group has woven themselves into the working of the village by means of leadership, our host families, and the Tierra de Niños construction project. It has been incredible to not only watch but also to enjoy this process. Nothing here has been anything less than wonderful.
--Chloe Fross

Ollantytambo is absolutely beautiful. Everyday at least one person comments about how the mountains look like something on a post card. All the people, especially the children, are incredibly friendly and always ready to help. Living in the village has shown me not only how lucky we are, but how wasteful we are. Living here has been eye opening.
--Abby Morss

It’s incredible to be back in Ollantaytambo again! Today we had a great day of productive work, and I’m so proud of all the work that we’ve been doing on the Tierra de Niños project. Julia, Jajairy, and I have really bonded with our family too, and they have been so warm to us (especially our mother, Senora Toya, who will literally fight us to do the dishes). Returning to our homestay families after work everyday feels like we are actually going home, and I’m really happy to be here.
--Jane Bang

Coming to Ollantaytambo, Peru, has been one of the best, most life-changing experiences I have ever encountered. I am so happy to have been able to come with this group of wonderful people, and been able to experience the truly loving community, who will extend themselves even to strangers, the children who devotedly support their families, and the pure and awe-filled beauty of the landscape. Thank you to everyone who has made this experience what it is so far – I can’t wait for more!
--Julia Metzger

Ollantaytambo is one the most loving and caring places I’ve ever been. Everyone in the community is willing to help you with anything and you say good morning to everyone on the street. The children are an inspiration. They love helping out on the worksite, and are mature far beyond their age. Half the children I’ve met I want to take home! This place is inspiring.
--Molly Belsky

Hi. We’ve been working pretty hard at the work site and also hiking since we’ve arrived. It’s been fun, yet a lot of hard work. I’m liking it a lot.
--Kayode Dansalami

I really don’t think that words can explain our experience so far. Between the people, the work and the playing, it has been a truly different and exhilarating experience for me. Ollantay is an unforgettable place and I dread the day we need to leave.
---Zach Baharozian

I have really had the time of my life, between working at the school, playing soccer with the locals, and interacting with my host family. I have learnt so much thus far, and am looking forward to the next one and a half weeks. Leaving will be a sad experience.
--William Goodenough

Writing this I realized that the trip is half-way over, yet I feel like it has only been a few days. I have really liked working at the school and I am really excited for the overnight hike. I also had a wonderful 15th birthday that I will never forget.
--Cullen Coleman

I am not a native speaker of Spanish; however, I am learning a lot. For example, the 8 year old boy in my home stay reminded me that “pero” (but) is not the same word as “perro” (dog), so for a while I was saying the word “dog” every time I tried to make a compound sentence … a little bit awkward. I love Spanish now, and I keep mixing up English and Spanish. Yay. I love this trip, and I’m having a lot of fun.
-- Zoe Silverman

Despite airplane layovers, multiple stomach aches and interesting encounters with “toros fuertes” (strong bulls) in the streets, the entire group has remained in good spirits. Without hesitation I will say that my experience here in Peru has encompassed every meaning to the words “community service!”
--Jack (Rusty) Cohen

It’s been amazing so far and I love Ollanta. This group has come together really well and it has been awesome!
--Eriche Sarvay

I am loving the way everybody is working together as a team and giving different ideas.
--Rosanna Rodriguez

I love every single thing that happens every day, and the experience is just amazing.
--Jajairy Fong

The group is coming together well, and so is our service project. The food is better than I thought, and I can’t wait for the rest of the trip to unfold.
--Kyle Ortiz

Doing well, working hard. I saw a shooting star, and I’m getting a great workout.
--Jeremy Santiago

Having a great time, doing a good job working. A very different experience for me.
--Joshua Santiago

Getting to know my host family. We have become really close over the past week; I can’t imagine leaving right now.
--Michael Corkrum

I’m having a great time and I’m feeling much better from being sick. I’m really happy that the service project we are doing is showing a lot of progress.
--Jenny Min

I’m having an amazing time! My homestay family is very nice. The day hike was very beautiful and a great experience. It’s great to get to know everyone in the group! The time has flown by, and I’m having so much fun!
--Michelle Murphy

2009-07-17T07:02:00.000-07:00

The group continues to make strong progress on our Project. Moments away from the work site have been spent in basket weaving, and today in a pottery work shop. Attached are more pictures of the group at work and play. Tomorrow we are off on our overnight hike so there may not be a blog until our return on Sunday. I will try to post one more if possible this evening. All are well, but have sore muscles yet continue to laugh and support each other. FB

Vamos a escalar las montanas

The Incans were able to accomplish so much in so little time. It is a marvel to see what they have done with their resources and without the wheel. They were able to move stones that weighed many tons and required one hundred or more men to move. They moved these stones from three large quarries, high up in the mountains. These are our destinations. To reach these quarries requires a full day hike, at an exhausting pace.
In the beginning of the hike everyone was excited, cameras were out and people were talking. Our fearless leader, Adolfo, led us through the cactus infested mountains. We knew we were going to have a long hike ahead of us but we were unprepared for what lay ahead. We walked out of town and across a bridge built by the Incans. As we started up the mountain danger struck when a group member had a spiky cactus barb stuck in her shoe. Chloe attempted to help but instead got the cactus stuck in her thumb. An hour later most talking had stopped, as most people began to feel the effects of the altitude and the grueling hike. However, not once did anyone complain or whine. As a group we were able to reach the end of the mountain.
What lay before us was the quarries, on another mountain. Instead of cursing or complaining about not knowing that we still had an hour and a half hike uphill left, people were actually happy that they hadn’t reached the end. With an extra push everyone was able to directly or indirectly motivate each other. When we finally got to the lunch site many people were dead tired. We had just hiked for three hours in an unfamiliar altitude.
Some people where more affected by the hike than others. Everyone understood this and shared their foods accordingly. This camaraderie allowed some people who wouldn’t have been able to finish the hike to continue.
Throughout the hike teamwork was shown. The group showed that we would be able to work together without being prodded. Many were ridiculously tired but they were the same people who motivated others to move on with them. People used each others strength to walk many miles up hill on a mountain.

Mike and Mike

2009-07-15T16:34:00.000-07:00

Since the beginning of the trip, the idea of Cullen’s birthday and how we would celebrate it has been a topic of much discussion. Cullen insisted that he did not want any type of party, but he had very little say in it. On the 12th, Jason asked us all to gather in the plaza at 5:30 in order to “check up on how everyone was doing.” Most of the group knew we would be celebrating Cullen’s birthday, but Cullen had no idea. We arrived at the plaza, distracting him with talk about paddle tennis, and started walking towards the bakery, where Chloe and Mr. Gemmell had teamed up to order a large birthday cake. As we neared it, we all started to sing Happy Birthday as the cake was brought out of the bakery. Cullen was taken by surprise, the cake was delicious, and it all was lots of fun.

William Goodenough

After our third day of work, we’re ready to eat lunch with our home-stay families. Julia, Jane and I, covered with dirt from “Tierra De Los Niños”, walked back from the school to our home which is right across the street from “El Mercado”. Rumors say that our mother, Sra. Toya, is the best cook in Ollantaytambo and they were true! At the JFK Airport on the first day of our trip, I was extremely scared and panicked because it was my first time away from home. But Jane told me that once I got to Ollantaytambo it was all going to be okay. And now that I’m here, it does feel great and I never want to leave. Going home for lunch everyday feels like I’m really going home to my family.

Jajairy Fong

2009-07-15T16:23:00.000-07:00

Attached are picture of the host families, work project and our rafting trip. I still struggle with Spanish, Technology, and blogs, but I am hoping to improve. The group is terrific and there are already to many great moments to tell. Cindy, Craig and I are thorough enjoying our time, and feel blessed to be with this group.

2009-07-13T18:13:00.000-07:00

July 13, 2009
Hola, como estan? For the last couple days, we have been extremely busy. On the 11th, we all went white-water rafting on the Urubamba. It was a great way to get to know our fellow members of the trip. We even made a couple good local friends and brought them along too. Luis and Alex Fernando have become inseparable to our group. They even help us at the Tierra De Ninos. At the Tierra De Ninos, we have made great progress. With a task-force of about 30, we have accomplished a lot in a short amount of time. However, there is still a ton of work to do. It will take a lot of hard work, but we can achieve all of our goals for the park. Students have also been visiting Pancho’s house to weave really cool baskets. All of our host families are extremely nice and hospitable. The last few days have flown by with all the work and play. We still haven’t beaten the locals in soccer, and it doesn’t look well for us ever winning, but it is still a blast. Ollantaytambo is incredibly beautiful and equally charming. It is an incredible experience to play soccer while being surrounded by mountains on all sides. To Baha and Tucker, Pancho says hi and is wondering how you are doing.

Ciao, Zack

2009-07-12T15:04:00.000-07:00

In case parents are concerned, this message is to confirm that we in Ollantaytambo were not affected by the earthquake in Lima. We did not even feel any tremors. We are hoping that the damage in Lima is minimal, but have recieved no news of the quake yet here.

The students had their first service day today and this afternoon are off to their various activities - basket weaving, service activities with Tierra de Ninos participants, and some even jogging, at 9,000 ft altitude! Very impressive.

Thanks for checking in!

2009-07-10T18:37:00.000-07:00

2009-07-10T18:25:00.000-07:00

Thursday July 9th

Having left Groton 48 hours ago, we safely arrived in Lima, Peru. Twenty of us stayed overnight at One Hostel and seven others spent the night at Backpacker’s Hostel. We are leaving Lima at three for Cusco, and headed to Ollantaytambo. Everyone is very excited to finally make it to our destination despite many unexpected changes in our plans.

Jenny Min

Friday July 10th

We arrived in Cusco at 3:30pm and immediately met our other instructors, who had a bus ready to transport us to Ollantaytambo. The ride from Cusco was beautiful, and we descended into Ollantaytambo as darkness fell. Our Hostel, Las Portadas, was a sight for our group of tired travelers, and, after dropping our bags off, we headed to a restaurant in town for a delicious meal of quinoa soup, trout and rice. We ambled back to Las Portadas and fell asleep early.

This morning, we awoke and were able to see the stunning context of Ollantaytambo – surrounded by ruin-covered mountains, this village still feels Incan despite the Spanish conquest 600 years ago. After breakfast and a health/safety lecture by Kennedy, our local liason, students headed out on a scavenger hunt. After chicken burritos for lunch and a talk about the history of Ollantaytambo, some students went running, others went for a hike up to ruins of an Incan granary, and the remaining students rested.

The start of this trip has been truly amazing. Given the positive attitudes students manifested during flight delays, cramped hotel stays, and bumpy, nausea-induced bus rides, the stage is set for an edifying and useful time in the high Andes.

Craig Gemmell

Friday, July 10th

In Ollanta!

2009-07-09T17:05:00.000-07:00

Students, faculty and instructors have happily arrived in Ollanta. They are settled in at Las Portadas Hostal and are minutes away from a dinner of quinoa vegetable soup, fresh river trout, and coca tea. More soon!

Leaving Miami

2009-07-08T12:26:00.000-07:00

Hello Parents,

As many of you probably know, the Groton flight from JFK was delayed last night because of an air traffic control issue and the group missed its ongoing connection to Lima. The group spent last night at a Regency Hotel in Miami and had a wonderful breakfast. Then the covered the health and safety, and group expectations, which are part of our standard orientation program. As I write, the group is back in the Miami airport getting on a 5:15 EST flight to Lima. They will arrive in Lima tonight, where they will overnight before heading onto Cusco. Fred, Cindy, Craig and Don Mabrey (faculty with the Harbor/Emily Carey School) are with the group and report that everyone is safe, smiling and happy. We have insurance to cover trip delay and are used to handling these sorts of schedule hiccups. All is well, but we wanted to keep all parents informed.

Ross Wehner

Hola from Groton

2009-06-30T11:42:00.000-07:00

Dean Beams, Cindy, and I are headed out to hoe the potato patch prior to our departure next week, and we are all so utterly excited to head back to Ollyantaytambo in one short week!
Make sure you rest, relax, eat, take some walks, and gather your gear together thoughtfully.
Call or email with questions.

Hasta Luego!

Craig Gemmell

Peru Countdown

2009-06-30T10:48:00.000-07:00

Greetings to everyone from Groton and the Harbor School who will be joining us in Peru. Because we will gathering at the airport at about this time exactly a week from today, it seems appropriate to officially launch our trip blog!

Fred (Mr. Beams) walked into our house a few minutes ago with a large collection of art supplies donated by the Groton Art Department. Thanks to for Jane Bang for organizing this effort. We will bring the art supplies to NYC and find space for them in assorted Peru-bound suitcases.

Another piece of good news is that Groton student Eriche Sarvay did some legwork which resulted in the donation of an entire carton of medical supplies for us to take to Peru. See the photo at the top of the page. Here is Eriche's email:

Yesterday, one of my aunts introduced me to this doctor who has this
organization "REMEDY" that recovers unused medical supplies from Operating
Rooms in order to reduce waste and help developing countries around the
world. When I told him of my trip to Peru, he filled a large blue
container (picture attached) with 34lbs. of medical supplies....it contains lots of helpful items like cotton balls, burn dressings, latex gloves and baby bottle nipples. ....It might also be interesting to note that this doctor started this organization after a trip he took to Peru.

I hope you all will continue the conversation, and I'll see you next Tuesday.

Adios,
Cindy Beams