2016 Rustic Pathways Peru Sacred Valley Service Week 7

What drew me specifically to the Sacred Valley Service was the amount of community service we were able to complete for the local population through the portable water project. The community service on this program was fantastic; it gave us the ability to interact with the culture of the Sacred Valley town of Suqma while also allowing us to see the implications the completion of this water project would bring to the community. The overall trip was amazing; when we got to Cuzco we went on a tour of the city center and were specifically told the history and influence the Incans and Spanish brought to the region and the city specifically. After Cuzco, we left for the first camp site on an amazing hike through the Sacred Valley. Every morning we got to wake up to a beautiful view and we had that same view even while we were working. The work consisted of pick-axing and shoveling on the side of a mountain; it was rigorous but it made you feel extremely good as you went back to your campsite at the end of the day. After four days of service, the program took a break with White Water Rafting on the Urumbamba River and mountain biking. It was a great divider between the times of service because it allowed us to take part in awesome activities and see a new experience of the country. After leaving Ollantaytambo the next day, we went to the second campsite where we carried piping to the project and covered the pipes with dirt. Also, we were able to hike to an Incan temple of Pachamama and a nearby waterfall. We then left for Aguas Calientes, the base town of Macchu Picchu. The experience of seeing Macchu Picchu was one of the coolest and amazing wonders you will ever see. The trip itself was life changing as it allowed yourself to be able to adapt to a new culture and see a different part of the world that is completely different from the one in which we live. The landscape is very different from the United States and the lush green forests and alpine mountains within miles of each other are something that is astounding. The community service work we did taught us to appreciate every little thing we have such as clean and running water that these people have to take for granted. The trip also allowed you to go out of your comfort zone; for example we did bungee jumping from 400 feet in the air, an activity that nearly every single person on my trip had never done. The amount of independence of the trip was perfect because it allowed us to experience certain activities such as hiking through the Sacred Valley and going to marketplaces which allowed us to experience the culture. I even saw an underwater phosphorus cave in the valley on a hike with only 3 other students. The leaders on the trip were extremely relatable and enthusiastic about showing the country of Peru to the students on our trip. A reason of what made the trip so great is how much they loved doing their job which allowed the students to have the most maximized experience possible.