Location: Ollantaytambo

Author: Ben P. Location: Ollantaytambo We finally got back to work! Our first night in a new hostel was followed by working in the hot sun. After a buffet-style breakfast with eggs and tea, we left to start our new project of building a greenhouse at a local school. A ten-minute bumpy ride on the bus took us to a school which none of us could have predicted when we saw roosters in the road and sheep in the soccer field! When we first arrived, we played with the few children at school on a Saturday. After a quick game of soccer and frisbee, we were told to unload freshly cut trees from the back of a truck. Most of us were shocked to see this when we just assumed we would be using pre-cut lumber, and the others were surprised how many of us it took to unload them! Our next job was no easy task either: We were told to cut all the bark off of every tree. To our surprise, it took no time at all with the help of eight-year-old school kids and elderly women. It was clear to us that our idea of a greenhouse and theirs was very different when we started digging the holes for the fence and placing logs in order. Then, we returned to our hostel after a quick egg and cauliflower lunch and siesta. We were allowed to explore the town and shop for a while before our nice Peruvian dinner on the side of a river. Today was very eventful and tiring, and I am excited to return to the school tomorrow for more work!