10
Location: Ollantaytambo
Hi everyone back home!
Time is flying by so fast, and we are all having so much fun.
Today we went to a school nestled in picture-perfect mountains to make 80 students pancakes. When we arrived at the school, we had to drag all of our ingredients up to the hill to our tiny kitchen. We were separated into three groups, two of which made the batter and the other made a banana and apple topping. After trying thousands of combinations of ingredients, we finally got the approval to start cooking, and before we knew it, we knocked out the first batch and brought it to the kids. Some of us were cooking, some were plating, and the others cleaning. When we entered the classroom, it was amazing seeing a smile light up on the kid’s faces when they saw us holding the pancakes. They all ate them so fast and were so thankful, and one even read us a poem. When it was time to leave they sang us a song and then hugged all of us so hard and wouldn’t let go! They continued waving and smiling at us as we left the school.
We then made our way to Donnato’s to help him make adobe bricks for his house, which oversaw the most amazing river and mountain view no camera can do justice. We had one group stomping and shoveling the rocky and cold mud, while the other made the bricks. We made the bricks by throwing the mud into a mold and then smoothing it out with water. What was a super fast and easy process for Donnato was a long and hard process for us (starting mud fights didn’t exactly help). By the end, we were completely covered head to toe in mud.
After we made several bricks, it was time to move previously made bricks into the house. We all spread out and made an assembly line. We were super efficient and knocked it out in no time with the rain threatening us. It gave us a whole new perspective on life seeing how these people live in mud houses they make themselves. It also made us realize how many things we take for granted (especially hot showers!).
Overall today was an amazing day, and it was so inspiring seeing the children’s faces light up when we brought them the food, and learning the technique which so many Peruvians use to build their homes.