Archives for Summer 2010 Category

Departure

Last group photo in Peru We accompanied the students to the airport several hours ago and they are headed back to North America. Good bye, Southern Cross.  Hello, Summer!…

Retreat

Mandy presents a Yanesha legend We finished the semester with a retreat in Chosica, a town nestled in the foothills at the edge of Lima known for its sunny climate.  We spent time getting reacquainted and learning about each student’s research project.  Topics included: Peruvian Business:  The…

Service on the Coast

Friends of Our Lady of Perpetual Relief Parish Three students — Ellie, David and Taylor — are serving in the city of Chimbote on Peru’s north coast.  All three are working with Los Amigos, the volunteer organization established by Father Jack and Sister Peggy to help address…

Service in Cusco

With a grateful resident of Lucre Three students — Allen, Seth and Simon — are serving in the Cusco area.  Four days of constant rain last January caused unprecedented flooding in the river valleys near the ancient capital of the Inca empire.  Countless homes and businesses were…

Service in the Sierra

Huascaran is Peru's highest peak at 6,768 meters (22,205 feet) Five students are serving in the foothills of the Cordillera Blanca, or White Mountains, home to the tallest peaks in Peru. Aaron spends each day helping children at the Bread of Life dining room in Huaraz finish…

Service in the Rain Forest

This is peak season for travel to the rain forest — relatively dry and sunny with luscious green everywhere to be seen.  Nearly half of our group is serving in the selva this semester, working on assignments both new and old. INABIF is a day center for children whose…

Last Days in Lima

Last day together as a group before service The students finished their six-week stay in Lima with a visit to artist Victor Delfin's studio in Barranco.  Then we prepared for the culminating event of the first half of Peru SST -- the Despedida -- a farewell party / talent show to thank our host families, language instructors and coordinators for all the time, energy and love they have shared with us these past weeks.

Workshops, Words, Water

Sounds good This semester we organized three workshops:  Traditional Dancing, Cajon Drumming and Jewelry Making.  We invited Peruvian artists -- Pedro Farias, Camilo Ballumbrosio and Ricardo and Eliana Mauriola Carrasco --  to introduce their topics in a series of two-hour sessions for our entire group.  Then we gave each student a chance to choose one topic and go into more depth as we prepared for the Despedida, or farewell party, at the end of their time here in Lima. 

Journey to Machu Picchu

The sun emerges from the clouds as we explore the city We began our week-long trip to the epic Inca city with a visit to Sacsayhuaman, home to a collection of huge stones fitted together with incredible precision more than five centuries ago.  Then we embarked on a three-day service project in nearby Huacarpay, working with families whose homes were flooded during four days of unprecedented rainfall in January. 

Sing, Dance, Paint and Play

At the base of a cliff We began the week with a lecture on race and ethnicity, then enjoyed workshops on contemporary praise songs and dances from the rain forest, highlands and coast.  We headed south several days later, traveling to the Lurin Valley to spend a…