July in Peru

The Peru 109 community service projects are developing and are beginning to take action in the community. The group teaching English in the community has their first class this morning after weeks of planning and searching for cooperative schools. The group teaching about safe sex and health will be helping local hospitals form solid programs that teach about these subjects in local schools where sex education isn´t taught indepth. Finally, the third group is helping an organization for the disabled sell cookies in local schools so that this organization can begin creating a means of raising funds for themselves.
All this has been done in San Sebastian, Peru!
These groups had to overcome cultural taboos, language barriers, and so much more!
We have been here for more than 3 weeks, and these groups have accomplished more than we thought was possible. After making the right contacts, and receiving help from the community, these projects are finally grounded and going somewhere. Despite all this, we will also be volunteering at WaWaWasis and making games for children.

First week

Today was the first day of our actual full volunteer week. Right now, we are just brainstorming about projects we would like to do and places to volunteer. We just visited a daycare for the extremely poor working mothers. These daycares are called ´´WawaWasis´´, or HuyhuyWasis, which is Quechua for ¨children´s houses´´. They have government funding and cost maybe 1 sole, or not even, for the mothers to drop their children off all day. These daycares need help help with supervision for the children, tutors, and fun games to keep the children occupied and learning.
These places are only a few of the possible programs that need help from the community and volunteers.

San Sebastian

Hello!
This is my first post from San Sebastian! Everybody arrived last Tuesday and adjusted very well to the food, the culture, and their host families. San Sebastian is really high above sea level, at about 10,000-11,000 ft. The altitude isn`t really affecting me anymore. Now, I am just enjoying the stay and beauty of the Andes. San Sebastian is very different from down-town touristy Cusco. There are more dirt roads and below freezing temperatures in June, but it is beginning to feel like a home.

Peru 109 Summer 2008

Peru 109 Cusco volunteer group lands in Peru! This summer, we are proud to boast a group of 11 college students that represent 3 first-class quality universities: Bard College at Simon's Rock, Williams College, and Bard College. Upon arrival in our host community of San Sebastian (Cusco), volunteers will separate into Project Teams that will each choose and design a project that will both involve the members of the San Sebastian community and address a community need. This is no small challenge! Stay tuned to find out what our Project Teams are up to.