Student-Teacher blog

Please visit http://casady-school-peru08.blogspot.com/ to see student/teacher entries in the World Leadership School blog of this trip. The choice of pictures and final reflections in the WLS blog will be posted by student participants.

I look forward to our PERUREUNION!!!

Lima-OKC: Reflections on board of plane

After a difficult flight back to Lima because students were tired and one battled motion sickness, we arrived in Lima where we met our tour guide, Ivan and our bus driver Don Eduardo. Next year, I must remember to let students know that they need to wear motion sickness patches and have handy motion sickness medicine.

Ivan, our tour guide, was a freelance photographer by trade and kept the tour at very low key. We were thankful because we were exhausted.

I had a bad cold complicated with stomach virus which the paramedics at Mambo's restaurant told me would go away within 24 hours if I drank Gatorade and rested. Thank you to this beautiful restaurant for providing this service free of charge. I was not that bad, but it was nice to have that service as needed.

Ivan took care of the tour and the kids enjoyed mostly Larco Mar and Miraflores after a short trip to Barranco and the headquaters of the "Tierra de Ninos" where we received gifts and a CD to take home.

Now back at home, I realized how rewarding this trip has been.

Student responses to what they like the most were:
1. Bonding and playing games with my group and when the playground went up.



2. Getting to know the kids at the school and when our group got together at night and played games.



3. Seeing the children’s faces, when the playground was going up. I enjoyed the rafting and soccer.



4. The actual days dedicated to the project. I enjoyed the work as well as the company of the children who were helpful in fully immersing myself into the Peruvian culture.




5. Playing with the kids and climbing Wayna Picchu.




6. When I was teaching and when we finished the play ground.







7. Getting to experience a foreign third world country. All too often we choose to travel to the “best” places in the world, and we forgo the invaluable experience of getting to know people and places in a country as awesome as Peru.







What they liked the least:
1. Three students stated: Museum tours.
2. Meetings and conversations that were forced upon us. Not only did I feel uncomfortable, I felt they were not benefitial to the group at all.
3. The museums and the afthermath of Wayna Picchu.
4. I got sick in Macchu Picchu.
5. I did not enjoy not having any friends or other people my age on the trip.

Their impressions of the community
1. The community was very close and affectionate. It seem to be a care free life style and kindness was in abundance.
2. I loved the community of Ollantaytambo! Not so much Cusco though. Our accomodations worked. El Albergue was fantastic, but I would not recommend Las Orquideas.
3. Ollantaytambo was a beautiful town. The scenary was beautiful and the community was friendly. However, I did not stay with a host family.
4. The simplest way to describe the community of Ollantaytambo is to simply call it amazing. I absolutely felt in love with the people and the richnest of their culture. I want to go back as many times as possible because I absolutlely loved it.
5. I loved Ollantaytambo. It is one of my favorite towns. The children were amazing! The community touched my heart and someday I want to teach English here.
6. The community of Ollantaytambo was great. The kids were really enthusiastic about helping us. The town really feels like home now.
7. The community of Ollantaytambo was great. It was quaint, small, and comfortable. I really felt like I got to know some different members of the community, both kids and adults.

Their impressions of the country instructors and faculty leaders:
1. Our instructor Paul was very nice,and very knowledgable. He was very funny, and kind to everyone and still made sure our best interests were at heart.
2. Our instructor Paul was the best. He really became close with our whole group and seem to really care about us. His knowledge about Peru was also very impressive, and he is a great dancer!! Mrs. Clay was the best faculty leader I could ever wished for.
3. Joaquin Randall was a fun instructor. He took us to good restaurants and helped motivate us on the playground. Paul was also an awsome leader. He took us to explore the town, played games with us, and kept us interested.
4. Joaquin, Paul, and Mrs. Clay were all excellent leaders and instructors. They were all very responsible and helpful the whole time and each added their own individual spark of fun spradically. Mrs. Clay was basically our mom and Joaquin and Paul were very extremely knowledgeable about everything and very humorous at the same time.
5. Joaquin was a little scary at first, but after a few days, he became really great and understanding. He was very responsible. Paul was really fun. He loves his culture. Mrs. Clay was great as well.
6. Mrs. Clay was really great at getting us all pumped up and excited for the work. She also told great stories from her childhood in Peru.
7. Joaquin and Paul were amazing. They were knowledable and fun, as well as entertaining and personable.Mrs. Clay was a great asset to the trip; she made me feel extremely comfortable knowing I had a friend/translator/mom the whole time.

Was the trip changing or inspiriring to them?
1. The trip did not drastically change you. It made me realize how lucky I am and helped me appreciate it. It inspired me to help my community.
2. This trip really humbled me. I think I will return home much more greatful for everything I have including my friends and family. It inspire me to want to help more underpriviledge children.
3. This trip definetly changed me. I figured out that when I get older, I want to with children. Seeing how happy they were to learn English, made me feel wanted.
4. Yes, I think this trip has changed and inspired me in more than one way. I feel as if I have matured in my behavior and this trip really tested my maturity level. I feel like I am also more aware of Peruvian culture and that is the base of what inspired me. They people there that have so little always seem to be so happy and that helps me realize that I should be thankful for every single thing I have.
5. Of course it change me! It made me realize how much I want to help these kids and give them the love they deserve. The kids helped me stay positive, especially when I found out about a death of a dear friend.
6. The trip showed me just how much other kids love learning and how much they desire to learn. That has led me to be more hungry to help them.
7. I would not say it changed or inspired me as much as it did inform me. It is obvious there are problems in our world, and the best thing the trip did for me was remind me that outside of my sheltered existence in the USA, there are actual problems affecting real people.

Adios Cusco- Hello Lima

Friday: Every one was tired, but in good health. We had a tour of the cathedral and the Inka Museum. After lunch the kids rested while Joaquin and I took care of travel confirmations. Our plane from Cusco to Lima was changed to an earlier flight. There was a problem with the date of the flight and changing it took a long time. Thank you to Joaquin and his contacts for making the change possible. We left Cusco at 7:45 Lan Peru flight 24 instead of at noon. Our plane tickets in Delta were confirmed without difficulty.

The earlier flight from Cuzco allowed us a few more hours in Lima. Aima had contacted the headquarters of our project´s foundation, La Tierra de Ninos and we hoped to meet its founder, but it did not happen.


Joaquin provided a beautiful closing exercise at the end of the day. It was heartbreaking to see how much the group has grown together and how much they enjoyed the service project, the highlight of their stay. I am thankful to Mac for not giving up on the trip when people did not easily sign-up. We had a transforming 15 days.

Sunday 15-Wednesday 18

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Continuation report of end of project: We finished the project and had a tasty Pachamanca to celebrate.
It served about 45 people who included all the volunteers from Ollantaytambo and Casady, the Manco Inca School children and adults, the carpenters, their families and few dogs.


The kids sanded the playground and when it was partially finished, we saw how happy the children were. We have a great sense of satisfaction for all our hard work.


On Wednesday evening, since I am writing this on Thursday morning, Aima, the Tierra de Ninos coordinator gave a financial report of the total cost of the playground as of $1,200. Our $700 were matched by El Albergue and Tierra de Ninos resources to make the playground a reality.

As we left Ollantaytambo on Monday, the playground was as finished as we could leave it.
On our way to Macchu Picchu we received a report that the children and the carpenter had finished it and the children were playing but sad that we were gone. When told that a new group was coming, they said it would not be the same. Last night, Aima thanked the Casady kids for having made the time with the children unforgettable. She said, "You made them feel special when you played and paid attention to them, something they do not all get at home or at school. "

We were so sorry and sad about David that we concentrated in communicating with Casady and Jared in China. Thank you, Joaquin for understanding and changing schedules.


Then we continued the Market Place of ideas. The kids divided in groups decided what will be the next steps to keep the momentum going and bring sustainability to the leadership and work we started together in Ollantaytambo and when we go back home.

After suggesting creation of Tierra de ninos at Casady; following-up the book project, which is only at the preliminary stage with Internet penpals, and having a Speak Week; the kids decided that the easy thing to do as a group was a SpeaK Week. A week to focus on volunteering and fundraising for the next trip to Peru needs at Ollantaytambo and to provide funding for interested students who are unable to afford the cost of the trip independently. Students will work in collaboration with Student Council and officers of other clubs. Students discussed the projects and voted for Speak Week.
The Speak Week was tabled until the beginning of the school year.


On Sunday we took a field trip to the weavers' place.
The kids were very tired. The field trip was somewhat dissapointing because we did not get to see the weavers weaving, just working on a lesson on natural techniques. It was very cold and some of the students and I started to get a cold. I bought some local medicine for the group, which worked well.
Nina saw a practical application of Mrs. Zesiger class and everyone was invited to eat the local potatao with local salt and ginea pig. Some also bought weavings

Since it was father´s day, some kids e'mail parents from El Albergue. We did not have Internet at Las Orquideas. I was sick, so I went to sleep after dinner. Thank you Joaquin for allowing us to have a special good-bye dinner in Ollantaytambo.
It has been a memorable experience and you made it possible. Hope you will want us back next year!!! Nina bought chocolate roses for Joaquin and our day ended in a good note,

Monday June 16: We took the backpacker train to Aguas Calientes. The Presidente Hotel was nice.


We had a hike to Mandor Valley and Joaquin tried to have a fair trade talk with the students which I did not think went very well. mostly because everyone is very tired and sad about David.
Then we went to the thermal baths and had dinner at a place that was nice, but the kids did not enjoyed the food that much.

Tuesday June 17: The day started with Jake having something in his eye. We took him to the local medical post and headed to Macchu Picchu. Since his eye continued to bother him, Joaquin stayed behind and saw the doctor on duty at Macchu Picchu who cleaned-up his eye and placed a patch for prevention since he had scratched his eye.
Jake and Joaquin joined us in the hike to Hayna Picchu and Moon Temple.

When we returned to Macchu Picchu we were so tired, it took some time to get the kids to be willing to continue with the tour of the historical santuary.


At the end of the day we boarded the train first and then the bus to pick-up our luggage for our transfer to Las Chulpas where we stayed over night. We were exhausted.

Las Chulpas was a nice rustic, secluded retreat. The choice of meal was not the best. The rooms were very very cold. The water was cold in my bathroom so I could not take a shower that evening, which was fixed early next morning. Although the place was interesting, I do not think I will go back just for a night; too much work loading and unloading luggage in a remote area with hard accessibility to rooms. The owners of this hostel were very nice,

Wednesday June 18: Today is my son´s Brian B-day. We stopped in Pisac for the kids to buy crafts and to have lunch. The menu was nicer than the day before, but had quinua soup once more. It is a delicious soup,but a variety of soups would have been welcomed.
After lunch I found out that Mac had misplaced her camera. After looking around, we concluded that maybe it was stolen, but since we were already on our road to Cusco, there was nothing we could do.

At Saqsayhuaman, the kids tired and I with the heaviest cold, were reluctant to keep hiking, but it was interesting and the goal setting session in the beautiful environment was effective.
Here Rosie told me that she had also misplaced her camera, which was the camera we were to leave with the kids of Ollantaytambo. She thought she had to look at one one place to make sure and that she would do that as soon as we arrived to the hostel.

We had a couple of hours to shop in Cuzco after checking in San Isidro Hostel. Then we had dinner and Nina´s enthusiasm for dancing took the group to some discos.

Today is Thursday June, 19. We will tour Cusco and I will ask the kids to brainstorm their presentation because we cannot get together until August again after we go back, Grayson might not be able to be there and Rosie will go to another high school next year. Every one is a little more rested but with mild colds.