After a breakfast filled with new fruits and foods we embarked on a two-hour bus ride to Kajllarakay, a remote village at 12,000 feet, eager to immerse ourselves in its culture. We learned Quichua words and felt ready to communicate with the locals in their language.
Upon arrival, we were warmly welcomed with a serenade and promptly divided into groups for service work. Some mixed cement while others painted materials for water containers for individual homes. The homes currently receive water for one hour a day only, and the water containers will allow them to store it in a sanitary way for use during the day.
After hours of labor, we were honored with a flower ceremony, symbolizing our acceptance into the community. Split into pairs, we spent an hour with indigenous families in their homes, embracing their way of life, trying on traditional attire, assisting with chores, cooking, and bonding over shared experiences. We spent time seeing our “parents’” homes and met their children and pets.
We then took a hike 15 minutes higher to a mountain top, to honor Mother Earth. We joined our families in a joyful dance and ate a traditional meal of potatoes they had grown, cheese and a spicy green sauce called uchucuta.
Wrapping up the day, we explored an Incan archaeological site that was an experimentation “lab” for growing produce at different temperatures and altitudes. We then stopped in a town famous for their salt, went to a market and bought some salt and chocolate. We later headed back to the hotel to enjoy a debrief and to play a game that helped us recognize our opportunities and differences, while we reflected on the day. Finally, we sat by the bonfire, ate homemade pizzas made in an outdoor clay pizza oven, with s’mores for dessert.
By Jewell and Brielle
