After landing in Lima the day before, our group of 14 EGLs had an early wake up call on Monday at 6am. We had a delicious breakfast of eggs, ham, and bread - and an amazing fruit called granadilla. Once full and happy, our very first day of volunteering began with an initial orientation and project assignments. Splitting into groups, we would tackle two unique projects in Pachacutec, a neighborhood an hour and a half outside of Lima, Peru. We would be assisting in the reconstruction of a school building and of a local community center. 

From the hours of 7-2pm (including travel) we got to work shoveling, painting, and sanding. By the time we finished with the day, we came back with dust in our hair and a smile on our faces. After a quick lunch and some delicious fried dough balls (bombitas) for dessert, the crew was rejuvenated enough to head to the mall for some much needed snacks (and breaking of large bills). 

With our wallets full of change and our minds optimistic we proceeded to plan dinner. Dinner today would be in the Barranco neighborhood, near the famous beaches of Miraflores. The drive there was gorgeous. A misty and busy city gave way to miles of crashing waves, colorful lights and slightly better roads. We were very excited to check out the beach later during the trip.

And now, for the highlight of the day: dinner. The table was piled high with yuca, octopus, fish, and a variety of unique Peruvian dishes like ceviche, piqueos, and causa rellena. Flavors were bold, conversation was flowing, and the group bonded closer together. As one of the food capitals of the world, Lima’s food scene did not disappoint. We knew then that we weren’t going out to just eat, but out for a culinary experience. 

As we made our way back to the volunteer housing, spirits were high. We ended the night with some amazing guitar singalongs and some classic euchre before heading off to bed with full stomachs and excitement for the rest of the week.

Day 2 started with a barrage of alarm clocks ringing around the home-stay’s thin walls at 6am. Fueled up again following a meal of fresh bread from the local panadería (bakery), scrambled eggs, and assorted fruits (and some café of course), we were ready to make the trek up to Pachacutec on a bumpy bus. 

The first project group, with the goal of overhauling of the school house, started the morning by continuing to sand down the wood and chip off paint, inside and out. We received paint primer concentrate and were tasked with mixing it with water until the right consistency was reached. There was a lot of stirring done until finally it was ready to go and we began priming the wall for a fresh layer of paint and a new mural that would go up this week. 

The second project group was tasked with the renovation of a local community center. We began our second day by using our creative minds to brainstorm mural ideas for the four sections of wall that hadn’t been painted on yet. After leveling the dirt the day before, we also prepared the area to lay cement. Attached are pictures of the progress we have made on our murals!

On the way back from volunteering on the bus, we were met with a live performance from two locals—a classical guitarist played a song called “Llora Guitarra”, a moving piece which translated to “my weeping guitar”. Following that work, the other performer freestyle rapped tales of his upbringing in Peru and inspiration from his mother. It has been impromptu cultural experiences like this that have made our trip so fulfilling already in just a short few days. 

Following the long day, we returned to our home-stay to be met with a traditional Peruvian meal: causa rellena con atún—a style of mashed potatoes filled with tuna, onion, and a little Mayo. It was delicious, as with all the cooking our hosts have been so grateful to prepare for us. 

We then split up and one group went surfing while the other went to explore Miraflores, a coastal neighborhood of Lima. 

Though the brisk temperatures and cool air at around 60F made the task seem daunting, the first group suited up in wet suits and rode the waves. Our amazing surf instructors Pepe, Santos, and Ronnie taught us how to ride the gnarly olas (waves). They had an absolute blast. 

The second group walked around Miraflores and stumbled upon a Japanese restaurant with a Peruvian flare, a very typical blending of culinary styles in the region as a result of the high East Asian influence in Peru. After a few appetizers, they took a stroll along the coast, eventually reaching Parque del Amor, a beautiful park with sensational views of the Pacific. 

We ended the day by meeting in the middle at Pardo’s Chicken, where we tried pollo a la brasa—a traditional Peruvian-style rotisserie chicken over coals that was easily the juiciest chicken we had ever had before. We reflected on the day and the work that we had coming up for the next. A few more games of euchre later, and we were off to bed to await our blaring alarms once more.

Day three of volunteering is upon us and we woke up ready to seize the day. A nice 6:20 wake up call for a 7 departure. We had a classic Peruvian breakfast of an omelet with ham cheese and bread with yogurt. After washing that down with some coffee and putting on my jeans I was ready for the day. We walked over to the bus at 7:03, slightly behind schedule. We got on our bus, Consorcio Roma. At about 8:45 we arrived in Patachutec. We split into our two groups. My group walked over to the community center while the other group stayed at the school. 

Today was the day! After prepping the ground for the last two days we were finally ready to start laying down concrete. The first thing we did was bring in wheelbarrows of dirt. After that was finished, we had to bring in a large amount of water from around the block. After about 15-20 trips with 5 people we had finally filled the bucket with enough water. Now, with enough dirt and water, we mixed in the concrete formula. After mixing the formula we scooped the heavy mix back into wheelbarrows and laid them onto the flat ground surface. Our friend with Tarpuy Sonqo, Freddie, helped flatten the concrete as we laid it. 

After completing half the flooring it was time to leave! It was about 14:00. We got on the bus and got home around 15:30 and had chicken sandwiches for lunch. After lunch we all showered and rested up, but we weren't about to waste the day! We headed over to the mall nearby to exchange money and get some groceries. I purchased a mug and a comfy pair of sweatpants!

For dinner we had La Lucha Sanguchería, a famous Peruvian sandwich shop. After this we were all very tired and headed home to rest up for another big day. We finished off the night with some Euchre and relaxation. 

Today some of us went horseback riding in a city south of Lima.  The drive there took us an hour and a half.  We traveled over rolling hills made of sand, and the sky was overcast with poor visibility.  Poor visibility seems to be the normal condition of the coast near Lima.  

The ride started off slow, with our group being led and staying in more or less a single file line.  As the ride went on, the guide dropped back and some of us began to pull ahead from the group now and then. At one point, Paulina pulled up next to me with the most disturbed look on her face, and she was staring at my horse’s head.  Turns out, he had an empty eye socket because he had cancer in the past, but was fully recovered by this point. It didn’t slow him down, and I eventually ended up cantering on a horse for the first time! It was especially fun because we were riding Peruvian horses, which have a different, smoother, bouncier gait than the horses I have ridden in the past. 

Everyone was able to go at their own pace, and if the guides had let us, Nick and I would have taken off from the group real quick.  The guides only really spoke Spanish, so they had to tell us to slow down with indiscernible shouting from behind. When we rode back into the ranch, everyone was smiling.  We were greeted by a few very friendly barn dogs.  I would have ridden for longer, but it was time to head back to Lima to meet up with the people who had decided not to go riding. 

We piled into the minivan and prepared for the 1.5 hour ride home, except we hit traffic and the ride ended up taking three entire hours one way.  When we finally pulled up in front of the volunteer homestay, none of us could spend another minute in that van and we stayed in the house for the rest of the night.

As the sun rose over San Miguel, excitement and anticipation was brewing in the volunteer house. Murmurs at breakfast added to the uncertainty. How much could we accomplish in our final hours? What would our final contribution to the Pachacutec community look like?

On the way to the volunteer site, we encountered some particularly heavy traffic, as cars, tricycles, and mopeds weaved in and around buses like ours. One of those tricycles miscalculated and gave our bus, how do you say, a little bit of a nudge. Our bus ground to a halt and I started becoming anxious about whether we would have enough time to finish our murals and how long we would remain stopped. In a matter of minutes, the bus driver walked over to the tricycle, talked it out, and got us back on the road. 

After making it to the Pachacutec bus stop, we hurriedly walked over to the Centro Comunal. On the to do list for today:

-Completing the Central Comunal decal on the exterior of the building

-Finishing details on the mountains, roads, sky, and palm trees of the patch acoustic mural. 

-Adding our handprints and names to one of the panels inside the building

Paint brushes, tape rolls, and water buckets shuffled around as we swung into action, eager to prepare a beautifully decorated space for the local community. Lizzie, Paulina, and Isa worked on the Centro Comunal decal… 

As I painted the final details on our mural showcasing pachacutec beautifully perched in the mountains, I stepped back to reflect on how this artwork came together. It was a culmination of ideas, experiences, and emotions spread out on the canvas, and each person who contributed to the mural made it better in their own unique way. It was really exciting to see how the mural evolved, and became better, more colorful as my peers added their ideas of what made Pachacutec beautiful. Much like the space we were working in, or the space we hoped it would become, this mural sparked community-driven interactions. 

During my final hours in the volunteer house, I reflected on how peaceful my week in Peru had felt. Rather than reaching for my phone every couple minutes, I found myself focusing more on what was happening right in front of me. I found it much easier to build connections with others, and I had gotten to know some really cool people on this trip! I also felt really grateful to Claudia, whose house she made so welcoming, and to the Pachacutec community who invited us into their space and helped us broaden our perspective on the world. 

And I reflected on the handprints we’d left behind in Pachacutec. What did the local community think of our work? What would I say if I got to chat with them?