Cusco – A Different Perspective (posted by Kie)

One can experience the same city in many different ways. Though I travelled to Cusco four years ago, my experience this time stands in stark contrast to when I was last here. This time around I am living with a host family a little bit away from the city centre and have been making a conscious effort to come “home” for most meals so that I can converse with the host family. Secondly, living away from the city centre and my Spanish school means that I have experimented with various modes of getting myself around the city such as walking, taking the combis (overcrowded mini-vans which are mostly meant for locals rather than tourists) and taxis. The combis are definitely an interesting experience as you get to interact with the locals a bit (even if it is just sitting really squished next to them) and sitting by the door can give you a bit of an adrenaline rush since the combis often start driving before the door is even closed (bear in mind the fact that the drivers in Cusco don’t really follow any rules and pedestrians never have right-of-way).

After my arrival in Cusco early Monday morning, I dived into my Spanish classes at FairPlay right away. I have been taking 2 hours of grammar and 2 hours of practical Spanish every day. The grammar and practical Spanish classes complement each other as the grammar lessons gives you the basic tools to construct sentences and the practical classes allow you to practice what you’ve learned. The practical classes are also a great way to experience the city. For example, my practical Spanish teacher has taken me to El Mercado San Pedro where we looked at and discussed the many fruits and vegetables and she has also taken me to her daughter’s school recital where I was able to watch various traditional dances performed by children ranging from the ages of 3 to 11. FairPlay, the school where I am taking my Spanish classes, is quite unique as all of the teachers are single mothers who were struggling economically and socially but after enduring eight months of rigorous training, completing 30 exams and monthly evaluations, they are now excellent teachers. Moreover, FairPlay is not only a Spanish school but they organize for volunteer work and run cooking and Spanish classes (I participated in their cooking class on Tuesday night where we made a traditional Peruvian dish called lomo saltado which consists of beef, fried potatoes, red peppers and rice).

For those who have yet to visit Cusco, it’s a very beautiful city full of cobblestone streets and one can definitely feel the mixture of the Spanish and Incan influences – the Spanish built the city on top of Incan ruins. Because of the high influx of tourists, there are now many travel agencies, restaurants, cafes and bars geared towards tourists. However, the local Andean culture is still very visible and poverty is still a pressing problem. Nevertheless, I have noticed that people here really look out for each other (even the children).

Signing off, I leave you with some pictures of Cusco:

Mi Casa, Cuzco (posted by Lindsay)

Having just spent two weeks taking in the warm-weathered beaches of Brazil, I was immediately struck by the cold and unsympathetic weather in Cuzco, Peru. My first breath in Cuzco was a difficult one; at an altitude of 3300 metres, I feel my lungs working twice as hard on inhalation. Though, I am happy to report that I have not succumbed to altitude sickness – I credit steady consumption of mate de coca (coca tea).

Countless travel guides (mine included) paint Cuzco as the gem of the Peruvian Andes – is it ever! I often find myself lost in the culture and landscape that, together, make Cuzco such a beautiful and unique city. The surrounding mountains are decorated with ruins, beckoning tourists to venture off trail…

Over the next three weeks, I will be taking Spanish classes at an organization called FairPlay in Cuzco. FairPlay took root in 2006 and has since trained 32 single mothers in Cuzco to become Spanish teachers. I spend a welcomed four hours a day in Spanish class, my time divided equally into grammar and practical lessons. Walking to and from classes at FairPlay has become a new pastime of mine. Although I could easily and affordably take a taxi or ‘colectivo’ (read: overcrowded mini-bus) to FairPlay, the 45-minute walk (each way) allows me time to absorb and reflect on my new environment.

Learning a new language is equally rewarding as it is trying...I do appreciate the small steps of learning, however, it is highly frustrating when your contributions at the dinner table are limited to the day, month and season (I concede that even my Brazilian Portuguese is better than my Spanish). At times, I struggle with pronunciation – my Spanish teacher sure gets a laugh when I confuse “Hombre” (man) and “Hambre” (the verb for hunger). She explained that confusing the two words could land me in a rather awkward predicament. I recognize that my learning curve is steep; however, I am confident that, in time, my Spanish will improve.

Despite only having been in Cuzco for three days, I feel welcomed and settled in my family’s home. I am grateful for their generosity and hospitality and for their continued patience while I transition into a new language and culture. The perception that Peruvian families showcase hospitality on a plate has never been more true – I have been indulging in many traditional/homemade Peruvian dishes. (It is not an overstatement to say that I have eaten better in Cuzco in one day than I have two weeks in Brazil).

I am happy to be able to call Peru home, at least for a little while…

Lindsay

Gone South (posted by Lindsay)

Travel has taught me some of life’s most important lessons. Travel has taught me independence, humility, spontaneity and adaptability. I have learned to seize the good, absorb the unexpected and stand resilient to the challenges. In many ways, travel has shaped my character and will indefinitely drive the person I want to become.

Knowing this, it is no surprise that I jumped at the opportunity to participate in the Education Generation Fellowship in the Scared Valley region of Peru. The annual Fellowship program sends volunteer fellows overseas to enhance relationships with, and support education partners on the ground.

This summer, I will be partnering with Education Generation’s partner Mosqoy: Sacred Valley Youth Fund in Peru. Mosqoy is dedicated to providing education opportunities for youth and helping communities in the Sacred Valley region of Peru to achieve sustainable development. The objectives are realized by providing young leaders with scholarships enabling them to continue their studies and help their families break the cycle of poverty.

Mosqoy is further committed to the preservation of traditional Quechua values, and works in collaboration with the Q’ente Textile Revitalization Society to maintain and foster cultural and historical integrity through the Quechua weaving tradition. Q’ente works directly with weavers from the Sacred Valley region to provide them a fair trade outlet to sell textiles in North America.

During the Fellowship experience, I will work on the Base Program as well as a Focus Project (Kallpa K’oj Program).

Base Program

As part of the Base Program, I will be working directly with students to provide a communication liaison and document the work of the Peruvian students by completing progress updates for donors. In addition, I will assist with the transition of students, including organizing the graduation ceremony for existing Mosqoy students, and integrating new students into the program. Other activities will include, student mentorship, program evaluation, visits with the families of the students, English language training; and participation in student selection and other initiatives, such as income generation projects.

Focus Project – Kallpa K’oj Program

Kallpa K’oj is Quechua for “giving back energy” and is a Mosqoy student volunteer service program designed to support traditional weaving communities in the Sacred Valley region. As a condition of their scholarships, Mosqoy students are required to give back 30 hours of community service for every academic year.

The Program are goals are to: 1) maintain cultural ties with weaving communities; 2) support Q’ente weaving communities; 3) give back to the Q’ente Textile Revitalization Society; 4) instill leadership qualities in Mosqoy students; and 5) teach students the value of giving and reciprocity. The Program entails four phases:

Phase 1: Foster community awareness and buy-in of the Program

Phase 2: Initiate community needs assessment and co-development of volunteer service projects with each weaving community

Phase 3: Finalize the Program, including volunteer service projects, timeline and implementation strategy

Phase 4: Implement volunteer projects, including student selection and training

Phase 1 of the Kallpa K’oj Program is complete. I will focus on Phases 2 and 3 which will involve traveling on foot or by cattle truck/bus to a number of traditional weaving communities in the Sacred Valley region of Peru (Q’enqo, Pisac, Huaran, Calca, Cancha Cancha, Bombon, Parobamba, Pitukiska, Amparaes, Amaru, Pachar). I will meet with weavers and leaders in the communities and co-develop volunteer service projects which may include, literacy training, cooking classes, and Spanish language training. The Kallpa K’oj Program is based on reciprocity and knowledge exchange, and with that in mind, I will also work with each weaving community to establish reciprocity initiatives, such that the community craftspeople will teach Mosqoy students traditional weaving and dying methods.

Between Fellowship activities, I will backpack through Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, and, time permitting, Venezuela.

Regular blog updates will begin the week of June 27th.

Hasta Luego!

Lindsay

New Beginnings (posted by Kie)

Welcome everyone to my first entry on Education Generation's blog!

My name is Kie and I will be traveling to Peru this summer to embark on a unique experience: that of volunteering with youth in the Sacred Valley. I will be working with Education Generation and their partner Mosqoy in Peru, both of which are organizations that provide merit-based scholarships to students who want the opportunity to attend post-secondary education but do not have the financial means to do so.

I have outlined a few of my fellowship goals below:

1) Monitor, document and evaluate the progress and development of the Mosqoy students and alumni.

2) Assist in planning a graduation ceremony, student daytrip and community-wide event in Ollantaytambo.

3) Facilitate teambuilding and leadership sessions for the Mosqoy leaders (four alumni who have been handpicked to lead other students based on their skills and achievements).

Another exciting project that I will get to be a part of is creating a library in Q’enqo, a weaving community in the Sacred Valley, for which a grade three class in Calgary fundraised over $400. This is a project I am really thrilled about because the kids in Calgary as well as their teachers are so excited that their funds raised will actually make a concrete difference. It’s also a great example of youth helping youth.

Though I’ve been to Peru before, I know that this experience will be like no other and will open my eyes in ways that I can’t even yet imagine. I know there will be times when I will feel amazed and inspired, and other times when I might feel like pulling my hair out. Either way, both types of experiences are necessary to learning. I hope to come out of Peru knowing not only that I have made a tangible difference, but that the projects that I have worked on will be sustainable for local Peruvians to eventually take over the reins.

Life is too short to wait around for something to happen. In order to grow, and live life fully, one has to face challenges and try new things.

Here’s to Peru,

Kie

P.S. I will be updating on here regularly starting the week of June 27th.

Here's a map showing some of the places I'll be:
Cusco (first 3 weeks); Ollantaytambo (most of the subsequent 6 weeks); Q'enqo (1-2 days); various weaving villages not on this map - Parobamba, Bombom and Pitukiska (4 days)

And it’s over….Closing thoughts

Before I had set out on this adventure, I was afraid. Until a few weeks before the trip, it did not really hit me that I would be living for 2.5 months in a completely foreign environment, a completely foreign culture, and speaking a completely different language. Not only that, I had to actually WORK in this very same country, culture and language. I got very nervous…but, nonetheless, decided to challenge myself, suck up the fears, and get the most out of the experience.

Back in April, sitting in my cozy room in Vancouver, I could not even begin to imagine what my experience would be like in Peru. I knew a little bit about the country, and I knew quite a lot about the programs I would be working with- but what I would experience on a daily basis, and how I would feel in those foreign environments…was completely unknown to me. That was probably the very thing that scared me. But, I told myself, that there is no point to mull things over you cannot change or do anything about- and so I sat on that plane- open, willing to learn, embrace, and help. And very, very nervous. More like- extremely nervous.

In retrospective, I am glad that I didn’t let the fear or nervousness take hold of me because the time in that beautiful country, with such exceptional students as my friends, was one of the most memorable experiences of my life.

The more I try to fit my fellowship into a few descriptive words, the more I realize that the experience was indescribable. It was…to sound cliché, amazing. There really are no other words to describe it, honestly! The experience was beautiful, challenging, fun, difficult, sad, inspiring, stunning, tiring, incredible…if I try to find more words! Waking up in the Andean mountains, having breakfast with a Peruvian family, and then working during the day, meeting students and families, learning about the way people live, hearing their stories, their wants, needs, wishes…it was an experience that I will never forget. It was a true immersion into a culture that is so rich and so inviting.

The experience would also be nothing without the immediate friendships that I had made with the Mosqoy students. They are mature, enthusiastic, and friendly students who are eager to take on the world and the new opportunities being presented to them. I felt so fortunate to be working with organizations that are truly making a difference in the Peruvian communities and helping all these wonderful people I had met.

Thinking about the experience, here are a few thoughts that I’ve been having.

Making a difference – One student wrote to me after the trip:

“Thank you for giving me strength to keep going and never give up.”

It really moved me and made me think. My work in Peru did not change the world. What I realized and saw firsthand, however, is how we can all make a difference. There is no impact too small. One, two, or four hundred kind acts…they all help and in turn create a ripple effect. The work that Mosqoy and Education Generation do, helps out, not only the student, but their families, and their communities as well. Act by act; empowering people to make a difference themselves - that’s how you change the world. I saw for the first time, however, to what extent this actually works. Lives are being changed. Families are being changed. Communities are being changed. All because everybody is doing their part in helping. It was incredibly inspiring and moving.

I will always remember how eager the students were when they talked about the program. How incredibly excited and hopeful their parents and families were when they would think of all the opportunities their child’s education would bring to their families. They would always ask if this program would go on for longer because it is so important to them. I will never forget that.

Challenge and growth- One of the remarkable things about the fellowship is that, as I’ve mentioned before, it’s a challenge. It’s a different life- sometimes without showers or comfortable beds. Sometimes with different food or different customs. Sometimes you love it and other times you’re frustrated with it. But I would not trade my fellowship experience for the world. It was incredibly fun, but at the same time I really had to push myself to adapt to the life.

It was really powerful waking up in small villages and not thinking about what I was going to wear or stressing about what people will think if my jeans are a little dirty. Seeing that some families do not have proper kitchens, electricity, or even running water, really shifts one’s priorities. It makes me feel ashamed that I am stressing about getting the new iPhone while my Mosqoy friends live completely simple and basic lives. The thing that got to me the most was, that they were all incredibly happy- while I, who has a ‘higher standard of living’, could list many more problems in my life. I saw that you don’t need much to be happy and sometimes even felt ashamed at how spoiled I was. In Vancouver, I get bogged down by superficial and material things (which ultimately cannot be real sources of happiness), and as such automatically set myself up for failure and unhappiness. It was refreshing to live life with different priorities.

I’m starting to ramble now, but those are a few thoughts I’ve been having.

Overall, it was an incredible experience, in an incredible country, with even more incredible people. I hope that you enjoyed reading this blog and finding out more about the trip. I also hope that it inspired you just a little more to make your small difference that will ripple, and go a long way in communities all around the world.

The Last Few Days

First off, I cannot continue writing without apologizing for the delay in blogging. A fortunate and unfortunate turn of events kept me off the computer for way too long- and I didn’t get a chance to finish blogging about my last little bit of the trip.

At the end of June, I had gotten pretty bad food poisoning that kept me off the internet for a while, but quickly recovered when my sister, Mila (an Education Generation volunteer as well) came to visit Mosqoy and me in Peru for the last part of the trip!

It was so fantastic to have Mila there to see both my work, but also to meet the students and see the program she’s been working with for years. We got to hang out with students, help out, and also hold our big community event. And of course, in between Mosqoy activities we also did some great tourist sightseeing and visited Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca. Stunning!
The big community event that I organized with Mosqoy 3 students was a soccer and volleyball championship. It was a completely different experience organizing an event in Peru as the cultural differences really come to shine during times like that. In the small town of Ollantaytambo, communication and organization methods are much more different and it was a fun (and sometimes very frustrating while learning) challenge adapting to those differences and still making sure everything runs smoothly. Luckily as the event unfolded, all worries quickly disappeared. The students really impressed me with their initiative and leadership keenness. Even things that we never discussed were taken care of, and the Mosqoy 3 students kept on running up and down making sure everything was under control. The strength of the program really came to light during the event, as both Mosqoy 1 and Mosqoy 2 students showed up to help out and compete at the event.

During Mila’s stay in Peru, we also participated and helped out during the recruitment and selection of Mosqoy 4 students. Not only is Mosqoy 3 just starting their studies, but also it is time to think ahead and start the selection process for Mosqoy 4. We were part of Mosqoy 4 meetings with students and their families, as well as the introduction of the Mosqoy program to a new high school in a nearby village, where we hope to recruit students from. It was very interesting to watch the student’s faces as they learn about the program- a mixture of confusion, awe, and disbelief that something like this is happening and is real. I am sure we will be hearing much more about Mosqoy 4 students in the next year.

In between these Mosqoy activities, we also went to Machu Picchu and Lake Titicaca. There are really no words to describe this beautiful country. We are so incredibly lucky to have seen the many sides of Peru.
Check out some of the photos below:

High School seniors at Colegio Ollantay listening to a presentation about Mosqoy 4.

Mila and I in Machu Picchu!

Students competing in the Soccer and Volleyball Community Championship organized by Mosqoy students.

Teaming competing during the community event. This is the Colegio Ollantay- the high school where a lot of the Mosqoy students went to school.

Mila with Mosqoy 1 leaders

With Mosqoy 3 students at the community event.

Mosqoy 3 Day Trip!

Part of my work with Mosqoy 3 is to integrate the new generation of students into the Mosqoy program. In addition, I am working towards creating a cohesive bond between the students and facilitating teambuilding events and exercises.

Today, I went with the students on a day trip to nearby ruins by the name of Pumamarka. We met in Ollantaytambo at 6:30 AM (and then waited until 8:30 for all the students to arrive. This is what they call ‘hora peruana’ or in other words the great tendency for things to be late). We then bought all of our daily supplies, and set out on the hike.

Just like anywhere in Peru, the scenery is stunning. We walked along the rolling mountains, passed small villages, and laughed along the way. Once we have finally arrived to the ruins (they always have to be on top of the mountains! We were exhausted by the time we got there), we immediately opened the food. Sitting in what used to be the room of a general Inca, we ate papaya and got to know each other better. We then played many games (I managed to explain the game ‘I have never’ to them in Spanish), listened to music, and had a meeting regarding our sports championship event on July 3rd.

The students are bright young adults and it’s a pleasure to hang out with them. Regardless of culture, teenagers are still teenagers, and we joked about love, were self-conscious of dancing in front of others, and were quick to tease each other.

Enjoy the photos from the trip below (note: blogger is acting up again and the formating is a bit strange. I apologize):





On the hike up!



Near the top.


Mosqoy 3!