Ryan
Hurray, I get to talk about shopping! Today was really the first day that I got to go and shop in the true market. When I say the true market I mean the market with all the stalls that sell locally made things. This year I had a mental list about what I wanted to buy but instantly I forgot that list when we got there. There were so many things that were new or I didn't see last year. To Jack while I'm talking about this, do not think for a second that I have forgotten about your birthday presents! I am bringing you back a "Peruvian Spoils Bag," most of which (except for a few things that I need to buy on my last day) I bought today, but no spoilers. Will, I have not forgotten about you either, nor Mom. However, it's a little hard to find things for Dad but I know I'll find something.
Best wishes to whoever is reading this!
Ryan
Maddie
Today we went to the school in Urubamba. It was like a shadow day, except it was much harder because everything was in Spanish. I really enjoyed spending time at this school. While we were at the school, we did an activity to help us understand ourselves and our classmates better. There were yellow, green, blue, and red cards. Each color represented a different personality type. Each card had a word on it which described that personality. We had the find the words/colors that fit us the best. We could only have three cards in our hand which made it difficult to choose, because I felt like most of the words described me. It was interesting to see who fit into each group. I learned more about myself and my friends. I'm having the best time in Peru and I can't wait for more to come. I have a feeling that I am not going to want to leave.
Miss you all,
Maddie
Hannah
After our long day of visiting schools and playing games, we always come back to the hostel to do our ANCHOR. We do it every night after dinner. Once everyone has returned from their dinners with their host families, the leaders of the day lead the ANCHOR. The ANCHOR is a really great way to close a fun day outside. As you've probably guessed, ANCHOR stands for something more. It means Appreciations, News, Concerns, Hopes, Obscurities, and Readings. During Appreciations, the leaders share what they've appreciated about the trip so far, or something from that day specifically. News is when we find out what we're doing the next day. Concerns is when they share something they're worried about, and Hopes is what they're hoping for for the rest of the trip. Obscurities is something they're confused or unsure of, and Readings is when a quote or comic is shared and explained. It's really nice to end with ANCHOR before we go to bed, especially when we have to be up early the next morning. ANCHOR is new this year, and I'm really glad we're doing it because it almost makes the trip seem longer. I am so glad to be here in Peru.
Zachariah
Hello everyone! Today we went to Valle Sagrado (Sacred Valley) secondary school. The principal of the school invited us to sit in on their classes, which is a little like shadowing a school. This was a little confusing but very interesting to listen to. It was confusing because I did not understand what anyone, students or teachers, were saying. This also was interesting because I got to witness a different way of teaching in a different country and different language. I sat next to a boy named Axel, which I found ironic. The first class I attended was Math, in which they were studying exponents. Next came health class, which I understood almost none of because the teacher spoke very fast Spanish. After health, we had recess where I played futbol with the other boys. The boys at the school were very good and beat us every time. Overall, the school was very nice and the students were very welcoming.
Andersen
Helping teach English was everything I thought it would be and more. I taught them how to say letters, clothing, body parts, and food. I also had to go over the basic English words and I spoke a little Spanish too and I didn't think I would. The pronunciation part was hard because I tried to teach them how to pronounce everything so they wouldn't sound like they were saying another word. Overall, teaching English was actually really fun and I enjoyed it a lot.
