Monday, March 19, 2012

Peru is on the Horizon





As the final weeks of Term 2 are drawing near, and as more studying is done outside than inside, I am getting impatient for Term 3 to begin! This past Saturday was St. Patrick's Day, and there were students outside in their shorts and bathing suits soaking in the sun! Countless games of frisbee, softball, and Kan Jam were being played across the grassy fields on campus.

I am now counting down the weeks until Term 3....not only because I'll be ready to spend more time outside and have a new change of pace, but also because I will be spending two weeks in Peru! Every Term 3 Elmira College offers a plethora of courses that travel worldwide over the 6 week Term 3 duration. My roomate is traveling to the "Outback" aka: Australia this term 3 and many of my other friends will be going to the United Kingdom, India, Peru, Poland, Prague, The Bahamas, and various other countries. Each trip has it own unique itinerary and seems to attract a different type of traveler.

I am ecstatic to be traveling with 7 other Elmira College students and Spanish Professor, Dr. Lauren Shaw to Peru to hike through Machu Picchu and explore the Incan civilization! When I went to the initial meeting about this trip, I knew there would be copious amounts of backpacking, hiking, outdoors exploration, history, service projects, and Spanish! When I told one of my friends about the trip, she said that I could not choose any other option for Term 3...I had to go to Peru!

The first few days that we arrive in Peru, we will be working at an orphanage or local school. Since the elevation of Peru is so high, this will be a good opportunity for our group to acclimate to the high elevation. This service project component of the trip instantly attracted me since I am so passionate about mission trips and have been crazy about them since my freshman year of high school when I visited the Gulf Coast post Hurricane Katrina. There is such an amazing and invigorating feeling about mission trips that is so life-giving. Often people go into these trips thinking that they will be such a help to others and that they will be able to make a huge impact on those they serve. However, many times there is an opposite effect. Those who are served are the ones who give back more to those who are serving. It's an incredibly humbling experience.

After we do our service project, we will hike up through Machu Picchu! This is an intense hike and it will be an ultimate test of physical and emotional stamina. Each day we will hike between 7.5 miles and 9.5 miles at an unfamiliar and foreign altitude. I guess it's time for me to hit the gym! All I can say is Zumba, weight lifting, running, and basketball will be my best friends in the next coming weeks! More later!

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