Children's Land Vision

From: Ross Wehner [mailto:ross@worldleadershipschool.com]
Sent: Wed 11/19/2008 9:36 AM
To: Clay, Carmen; 'Cindy Beams'; 'Fred Beams'
Cc: 'Aima Molinari'
Subject: Children's Land Vision


Carmen, Cindy and Fred

See note below from Aima and the revised vision of the Children's Land. I'll
be sending along a slideshow shortly that has photos of the children's land
that you can send to your Peru service learning students, both past and
present. You can see considerable progress is being made!

The rains have come so things are starting to turn green. Aima mentioned
some good and bad news -- workers took away the hill to make adobe bricks,
but left a lot of stones in its place. The good news though is the hill is
basically gone.

Fred and Cindy, I've translated Aima's text below.

Ross

VISION
Translation: This is the first draft, we still have to add a few things here
and there . . . but I would like you to send me any suggestion or question
you have. The little house in the middle is a store and an information
center, the house with the steps is an ampitheater, there is a house in the
tree (to the left). The little tables next to the wall are made of
eco-brickes and are for playing table games, talking, socializing, eating,
etc. On the side where the palm tree there are actually more trees, about
20. The half moon (not by the palm but on the left side) is the "corner of
peace" also made of ecobricks and beneath trees to have shade. The boxes
that can be seen on the right back side are part of the recycling center
that does not appear very clearly in this drawing, but basically it si where
we separate the trash and we store what can be re-used. In the corners there
are boxes for storage and also for composting. I think we need a bit more
greenery, although as we have spoken, it's probably that they give us a
rectangular piece of land that is near the entrance of the schools, so that
it be a children's garden and it would be divided into sections. We still
have to draw the "living fence" (editors note: this is a fence made of
living, normally prickly, plants). Another element that is not here, and
appears in some drawings, is the forms of the farms and little homes.

This drawing has come out of the drawings of the kids themselves and some
ideas taken from the school professors.

Este es el primer borrador, falta agregar unas cosillas aquí y allá...pero
me gustaría que envíen cualquier sugerencia o pregunta. La casita del medio
es tienda y centro de informacion, la casita con gradas es un anfiteatro,
la casita pegada a la pared es un lugar para hacer arte y manualidades, hay
una casita en el árbol, ( a la izquierda). Las mesitas pegadas a la pared
están hechas de ecoladrillos y son para juegos de mesa, conversar,
socializar, comer, etc. El lado donde está la palmera en realidad hay más
árboles, son como 20. La media luna (no la de la palmera, la del lado
izquierdo) es el rincon de la paz también hecho con ecoladrillos y debajo de
los árboles, para la sombra. Las cajas que se ven en el lado derecho
posterior es parte del centro de reciclaje que no aparece muy claro en el
dibujo, pero básicamente es donde se separa la basura, y se guarda lo que se
puede reutilizar. En las esquinas hay cajas para depósito y me parece
también que son composteras. A mi me parece que falta un poco más de area
verde, aunque como ya lo hemos hablado, es probable que nos den un terreno
rectangular mediano que hay a la entrada de la escuela, para que sea el
huerto de los niños y estaría dividido por secciones. Faltó dibujar el cerco
vivo. Otro elemento que no hay y que aparece en algunos dibujos es la forma
de las chacras o de las casitas.

Este dibujo ha salida principalmente del dibujo de los niños y algunas ideas
de los profesores de la escuela.

Ollantaytambo Children's Land Progress Report

As the Ollantaytambo 2009 prepares to return to Manco Inca School under the supervision of Spanish teacher, Kari Bornhoft and Dean of Students, Matt Pena,the news from Ollantaytambo are great regarding progress on their tierra de ninos. World Leadership School is maitaining contact and collecting funding for their needs as stated in the following e-mails.

From Ross: World Leadership School is using leftover donations from Groton to finance after-school activities, which is what she is talking about below.

From Aima: Me imagino que sabrás que tuvimos que viajar inesperadamente a Seattle a la ceremonia de la abuela de Joaquín. Recién me estoy poniendo al día, pero te mando fotos pronto. La visión se ha ido demorando porque sempre llegan nuevas ideas y cambios pero se está viendo bien y es la guía para el próximo año. Nuestras plantas están creciendo día a dia, con algunos bajones por ahí pero en general muy sanas. Ya hemos puesto los letreros y ahora cada niño va a poner su nombre. Hemos pintado los juegos de los niños y adornado con dibujos, hemos hecho los dos letreros principales de zona de plantas y zona de juegos, ambos en quechua, hemos contruido regaderas y este fin de semana hacemos pequeños cercos para la zona de plantas.

Estoy conversando con una amiga que es profesora y además sabe mucho de arte y fotografía para que trabajemos todo el año próximo juntas. Sería un gran plus al proyecto y creo que aportaría muchísimo. Pero para esto tengo que hacer números y asegurar su sueldo. Ya te estaré mandando más información acerca de esto.

From Ross: My parece muy bien – gracias por mandar informacion tan detallada. Me pudes hacer un presupuesto muy sencillo para pasarselo a Cindy? Ella estaba pensando un usar algunos fondos para terminar un libro sobre la experiencia – no se cuanto costara. Tengo $575 de donaciones en los EE.UU. (algunos cheques que fueron escritos a WLS por los estudiantes) y te voy a mandar los fondos por Joaquin y mandarselos a Cindy lo que ella quiere hacer.

Lo que nos ayudaria much es ver fotos de la TiNi actual y como se ha mantenio y avanzado, incluyendo todas las areas en que han trabajado los estudiantes.

From Aima: Cómo estás? Este es el plan de trabajo para las siguientes semanas. Algunas cosas se modificarán en el proceso pues siempre salen nuevas ideas, de los niños o profesores, pero es básicamente nuestra meta para el fin del año escolar.

Los niños que desean participar se han inscrito en uno o a veces dos de los cuatro equipos: "Plantitas felices", "Mi Tierra Limpia", "Organizados trabajamos mejor" y "Arte y Magia para mi Tini". Quizas Cindy le interese saber que Luis Fernando y Alex vienen a las reuniones de arte y también de plantas.

TiNi = Tierra de Niños

Aún no he sacado costos pero es el próximo paso. Si les parece bien se gastaría lo que dejó el colegio Groton en estas actividades. Más adelante les enviaría el reporte de cómo se gastó el dinero.

Chapel Speech: Nina, Mac, and Louisa

In mid September, Nina, Mac and Louisa refined and presented the PP the Ollantaytambo 2008 group made in Peru at the end of the trip. The goal was to inform about their summer experience and begin the recruitment of a new group which must be in place by the end of November.

The trip will be different in 2009 because we will not stay in hostals; we will live with host families. The host families have had experience with US teens in the past because they have hosted students from Lakeside Academyof Seattle or Groton of Boston.

Another difference is the language component and the required readings and graded assignments. This year students are getting service and summer school Spanish credit.

The trip will be sponsored by Spanish teacher, Kari Bornhoft, our Dean of Students and Spanish Teacher, Matt Pena, and Spanish Teacher and Director of Service-Learning Carmen Clay. Mr. Pena and Ms. Bornholf will take care of students with previous Spanish experience and Mrs. Clay will be responsible for an introduction to Spanish for students who have not taken Spanish classes before.

Update of Ollantaytambo Children's work

Estas fotos son de Katia, una chica limeña que vino a enseñarnos un poco de como utilizar el papel y reciclarlo en el mes de Agosto. http://picasaweb.google.com/katia.nakamura/Ollantaytambo?authkey=dqxku8pvPQg
Aima

Juan Leguia's biography
Joaquín F. Leguía Orezzoli is the Executive Director and founder of the Association for Children and their Environment (Asociación para la Niñez y su Ambiente), a non-profit organization founded in Lima, Peru in 1995. The association's mission is to promote and to develop values and practices of social and environmental responsibility in children. Joaquín encourages stewardship of the land, through a program called Children’s Lands with the goal that 1% of Peru’s territory is sustainable managed with the involvement of children who represent 40% of the country’s population. By nurturing life and biodiversity in an area of one square meter or more, children are recognized for their contribution to the wellbeing of society. According to the extension and ecosystem where the children’s land is implemented it can become a “children’s forest”, “children’s lake”, “children’s mountain”, “children’s desert”, “children’s garden”, etc. The ultimate goal is that Children’s lands become an indicator of Sustainable Development. During the time he founded the association, he worked as a consultant, helping to secure the first Latin American Conservation Concession in the Amazon, with the aim of conserving the rainforest and benefiting the local population. He also is an Ashoka Fellow, an AVINA social leader, and a member of the World Youth Spiritual Council. Joaquín was named one of the top young leaders in Latin America by Business Week magazine. In 2007 was nominated as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. He earned his BA from Cornell University in Natural Sciences his MA in Environmental Management from Yale. He also studied Non-Profit Management in Washington, D.C.

News about the book:
Carmen,

Queria comunicarte que hace muy poco estuve reunida con 3 chicos, dos de Lima y uno de Colombia, todos muy conocedores en el tema de la fotografía, el arte y la narración literaria. Tienen muchas habilidades para el proyecto del libro así que he pensado que serían un perfecto equipo y que junto a mi podremos empezar a trabajar el proyecto del libro con los niños. Ellos proponen algo más que fotografía digital. Por ejemplo si un niño dibuja una escena del mercado cuando su mamá vende verduras, lo que vendría es guiarlo a que escribiera porqué dibujó esa escena y que narre un poco lo que sucedía en ese momento...finalmente tenemos la imagen digital de tal momento. Todo esto junto a dinámicas divertidas y mucho juego.

Ellos vienen este sábado a conocer la escuela, el pueblo y algunos de los niños. Esta propuesta se la voy a mandar a Cindy, una de las profesoras de Groton que estaba interesada en pagarle una profesora de inglés y arte a los niños con los que se quedó (se enamoró de ellos). Si le interesa el tema ella podría costearnos el trabajo y materiales de estos chicos. Empezaríamos con una vez por semana, los días sábados, como de 9am a 1pm.

Si te parece bien te envío también la propuesta y quizás si me falta dinero me puedes ayudar a ver a quién le interesa apoyarnos.

Permission to use Tierra de Ninos in the proposal presentation for Nashville
Carmen,

Ya hablé por teléfono con Joaquín esta mañana. Estuvimos casi una hora conversando sobre la conferencia y sobre su visita a Ollantaytambo. Ha dejado en mis manos todo su itinerario así que le voy a sacar el jugo a su visita e invitar a la mayor cantidad de personas claves para que escuchen su conferencia.

Entonces, lo que me dice es que lo que has escrito está super bien, que luz verde, que nos mandemos y solo que en la parte donde hablas de Ania, la niña, digas “ Ania is a character and hopefully soon to be made an animated movie...” Nos sugiere no mencionar el tema de disney ni decir que es algo confirmado aún.

Me ha dicho que aún no sabe si él podrá ir personalmente y que le parece bien que nosotros...tu sola, yo o juntas las dos presentemos. En caso yo pueda ir, el me ha dicho que me podría capacitar personalmente de tal forma que voy más preparada y con tu ayuda en la traducción podemos hacer un buen papel.

Me preguntó también la cantidad de asistentes a la conferencia central y si el taller que se haría es todo un día. Yo entiendo que nosotras estaríamos en lo del taller no? El quizás podría ir a la conferencia grande. Su única duda es saber si realmente es necesario que vaya, dice que se ha quemado varias veces en conferencias que se pintan como importantes pero al final la gente no es pilas o no se le da la debida importancia al tema central...Debido al poco tiempo que tiene realmente tienen que elegir bien en qué invertirlo. En todo caso, nos avisa eso por Diciembre.

Dime, te ayuda que te envíe su hoja de vida en inglés?

Bueno Carmen, eso es todo por ahora. Dime si necesitas algo más.

Picassa Album of the project

View project pictures from start to finish at http://picasaweb.google.com/Cycloneservicelearners/TierraDeNinosProject. Now students will work on their follow-up project at Casady, Speak Week. They will finalize their chapel presentation, the goal of which is to share what they did. After that, students will work on their Speak Week project. The goal of the week is to promote service and fundraise for next year's trips needs ( help students and teachers go and for the needs of the project in Ollantaytambo). Finally, we are considering presenting at the NYLC conference in Nashville during spring break.

Words from World Leardeship School CEO

I wanted to say how impressed I am with what a group of seven Casady students, plus one (very) determined faculty person, were able to accomplish in Ollantaytambo. I think you all did a wonderful job of overcoming the inevitable hardships of living in rural Peru and persevering to meet your goals. Joaquin and Paull very much enjoyed working with you and felt like you all made tremendous strides in personal awareness and growth during the trip. In the process, you made a tremendous difference in the lives of Ollantaytambo’s children and kicked off what promises to be a very fruitful, long-term project for the community – the Tierra de Niños.

Besides saying thank you, I also wanted to send you an evaluation form for parents to fill out and either print and mail to WLS or email back --- if you want to save paper, just open the document and type in your answer, save the document with a new name (e.g. Parent Evaluation – Liedtke) and send back to me. Each student has also filled out an evaluation form, which Carmen is sending me in the mail. I am going through all the paperwork from the trip andw will hopefully speak with Carmen soon.. We use your thoughts and input in order to keep improving our programs.

A few notes for students:1. We have established a Flickr photo sharing site for Casady School. It is an open group and accessible at http://www.flickr.com/groups/773350@N24/ This is a great way for students to share photos amongst themselves and you can always opt to use some of these for the blog as well. Please upload the photos you want to share – it’s very easy.

2. We have also established a Facebook Groups page for World Leadership School alumni. You can access the page here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/773350@N24/ or search for “World Leadership School” within Facebook. Again it’s an open group so no invitation is required. Please feel free to join the group if you are interested in receiving updates about World Leadership School and want to stay in touch with other alums. Your comments are very much appreciated.

Follow-up from Aima, Tierra de Ninos Coordinator

Querida Carmen,

Perdóname por no contestar inmediatamente. Como imaginarás estamos super ocupados con el grupo de Lakeside, su proyecto en Tierra de NIños y la escuela es introducir el sistema de manejo y reciclaje de toda la basura de la escuela. Gran reto!

Hoy empezamos a difundir en todas las clases al ladrillo ecologico que nos ayudará a construir cercos, bancas, sillas y mesas dentro del terreno de los niños además de ayudar a la limpieza de toda la escuela y pueblo. Hemos organizado un concurso entre salones y todos los niños están entusiasmados por ganar. En fin, muchas cosas, pero todas positivas. Mañana sin falta te envío algunas fotos del playground que con tanto trabajo colocarons tus estudiantes y una foto de antes también para que se note el cambio y el trabajo.
Gracias nuevamente por tu interés en difundir la labor de Tierra de Niños a través de las conferencias o el contacto con otras organizaciones afines. Te pido un poco de paciencia pues necesito un tiempo para sentarme a revisarlo todo.

Un beso grande a todos! Aima

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

<<<<
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.