Building a Kindergarten in Cusco

I spent 3 months with Maximo Nivel building a kindergarten in an impoverished area of Cusco. Starting upon arrival to the airport, it was all a wonderful experience. They were waiting for me at the airport as soon as my flight arrived with a packet of information. They drove me to the Maximo Nivel office where I saw the space and met some of the staff, and then took me to the lodging they had arranged for me. I was staying in a great modern house with other volunteers, and a delicious breakfast and dinner was provided every day! I am a vegetarian and they always made sure to prepare me something special that still filled me up (something that doesn't always happen, especially in South America where being a vegetarian isn't all that common). My second day in town I had an orientation where they gave me useful information on the city, and prepared me to start at my project the next day.

The project itself was very well organized, and run by Maximo Nivel's foreman Marco, a local Cusquenan. Marco doesn't speak much English, but he is very friendly and able to communicate what is needed- and I learned a lot of Spanish from him! I got the opportunity to be involved in all types of the construction, from laying bricks to mixing cement to making the ceiling, and got to see the differentkinds of building techniques that they have in Cusco. We also had the opportunity to visit some of Maximo Nivel's other volunteer sites to help with repairs (such as fixing the roof of a school) and upkeep (such as painting the bedrooms at an orphanage).

In addition to volunteering with Maximo, I also took spanish classes, and participated in their free weekly salsa classes. All the classes were well organized, and taught me a lot!

Through my participation with Maximo Nivel I have had an unforgettable experience, made life long friends, and created a second home for myself in Cusco. I cannot recommend their programs enough!