Hello Peru! GapBreak volunteers settle into their new home

After 36 hours of travelling for some, the descent into Cusco was a sight for weary eyes. An air of excitement and awe could be felt throughout the plane as we cruised over snow capped mountains taller than clouds; proof we had finally made it to Peru. Arlich, our in-country agent, was ready and waiting to take our group of 19 to our comfortable villa styled accommodation in Santa Maria La Rapas. This beautiful area surrounded by South American mountainous countryside was the most perfect place to spend the next week easing into our Antipodeans Adventure. This first week has been all about settling in, getting to know each other and preparing ourselves for the next three months ahead. As we are now situated 3300m above sea level, naturally our bodies have had to adjust to the change in altitude. With only a few headaches and one fainter we have been quite lucky, however the altitude adjustment has become the perfect excuse to cover any of our misfortunes. Can´t make it up the hill without puffing? Altitude. Unfortunate sunburns? Altitude. Mispronounced a word in Spanish class? Altitude. In regards to our general health, our apprehension towards foreign foods and tap water has kept us in the clear...with one exception. Three days into the placement and we had our first admission to the Clinic. Sam H was hit with a trifecta; Salmonella, Giardia and Ameba all in one. The culprits? Chicken wings and a hamburger from the presumed safe airport. We all visited sick Sam at the clinic and are all relieved he is back to good health now. Jane and Arlich have made our first week in Peru very comfortable. For the first few days Arlich was our main tour guide as our confidence grew and we could explore the city independently. We were shown the pushy and cramped Rapido bus service to take us into town, taken on walking tours and treasure hunts around the city. Arlich also showed us the San Pedro Markets; a colourful and very cultural experience with many of us leaving with some very Peruvian collectables. Our introduction to the city has also been coloured by our interactions with persistent street vendors. The phrase ´no gracias¨ has become very useful when surrounded by traditionally dressed Peruvians with baby goats offering photo opportunities, sellers with postcards, finger pupppets, sunglasses and other Peruvian items. What has been most surprising during our initial interaction with the city is the fact that Amanda hasn´t abducted a young child yet, often seen with a young Peruvian in her arms. Language classes at the San Blas Spanish School have framed our days for the past week. Every afternoon after an exploration of the city we have spent four hours with our colourful Spanish Teachers learning the basics. We have all decided to continue with Spanish classes for the next 6 to 12 weeks. Being surrounded by the Spanish language is such an advantage as we attempt to understand those around us. With week two approaching we are all eager to start our construction and teaching projects. Jane´s introduction to the group set us up for the next three months ahead. Aside from information about general health, food, money and other essentials Jane shared with us her experiences in Peru and the establishment of the successful Peru´s Challenge. This inspired us when hearing about our own projects ahead; the construction of a reservoir to finish off Green Houses built by the previous Antips group and also building a security fence around the school. As well as construction we will be teaching English, Sport and Art to the students and with the help of our incredible fundraising successes we will be able to aid families we will meet during home visits with items they most desperately need for their homes and well being. Currently our fund raising has hit over $18 thousand which is the most fantastic result and we are all so overwhelmed by this support from back home and are so thankful. We can´t wait to put this money to good use, Jane has shown us just how easy it is to help the community and how far this money can go. As we have acclimatized to the reality of life in Cusco, we are now ready to meet our host families, start our teaching and get our construction projects underway. Sending all of our love back home, adios!