Edmund Burke School Peru 2026
June 8, 2026
Our day truly did start at 12PM on a flight from Lima to Cusco and the events leading up to that were a tough travel day. We started on the 7th at 9am in DCA, and our flight from there to Peru kept getting delayed and delayed until we finally boarded, but once we did we still didn’t leave for another 2 and half hours. Therefore, we completely missed our flight from Miami to Lima, so we had to spend 5 ish hours in the Miami airport. Then we got on our flight finally at 11:30pm on the 7th and made it to our hotel in Lima at 5:30am on the 8th.
We had breakfast in the hotel lobby where we learned about the Peruvian presidential election and that it was very close. After breakfast we went to the national Lima airport to take another flight to Cuzco. After a flight that was actually on time for once, we got to Cuzco. We went to the city to have lunch which was alpaca steak and maracuya (passionfruit) juice and some yummy chocolate cake. After lunch, we watched some little kids dancing in the streets for the Cuzco Founding Party. Then, we drove to a llama and alpaca farm where we fed the llamas and the alpacas – which was kind of unfortunate after just eating alpaca, but oh well. Finally we arrived at the hotel and played futbol with chairs as goals in the yard of the hotel. Then it was time for bed and some much needed rest.
By Joey and Miguel
June 9, 2026
We woke up well rested for once and ready for the day. Then we met up with two of the host families and took a bus ride to the Pisac market. There they had all the nick knacks, Peruvian clothes and jewelry you could ever ask for. I bought a Cusco soccer jersey, a chess set and a llama duffel bag. Danny bought a glass for his dad and a soccer jersey. One of our chaperones Fabricio taught us a couple words so that we would get the best price. The first was “casero/a” which means like a trusted vendor so that they would trust us. The second was “ya pe” which sort of means come on which we were to use when they gave us a crazy price. After that we went to an empanada place and had empanadas and Inca Cola which was a Peruvian variant of Coca Cola. Then we went back to the hotel and had time to explore the city of Calca. Miguel was very very passionate about finding a soccer field to play on so we went to a really nice one but there was a team practicing there so we couldn’t. Then he took us all the way across the city to an indoor turf soccer field where we played. The team of Joey, Serena, Izzy, Margaret, Miguel, and Emily won 7 to 6. Then we made our way back to the hotel and played cards, Serena won spoons. After that we had a team meeting where we went over what to expect and how to act in the home stays. Then our families came and we got to meet them and talk a lot. After a lot of getting to know them it was time for pizza 🍕. We all got to make our own and then it got made in a pizza oven right in front of us. Me and Danny’s host family was a mom, a dad and 5 kids but all of the kids were gone except one because she had just graduated from college. They also have two nieces that weren’t here today but they’ll be at the house. The dad is a retired police officer and the daughter majored in psychology. After we finished eating they went home and it was time to end our day with a beautiful rendition of hotel California with all of us singing and Merrick on his new 10 string guitar he got at the Pisac market.
By Joey and Danny
June 10, 2026
For one of our days in Peru we visited a school for children with disabilities. As a team we painted the floor and walls of future classrooms, drew a hop scotch with paint, and replaced a broken piece of wood in the floor. We also painted security circles for the students to evacuate safely. When we were done, we all felt a large sense of accomplishment.
After our morning of service at CEBE, we went back to our hotel to meet up again with our homestay families. Señora Bertha was waiting for Shaan and I, and we had a delicious lunch with her and her family. We met up with the group again at one of the other homestay houses and painted t-shirts as souvenirs. It was a very peaceful experience. So imagine our surprise when the family carried out a tray of fried Cuy (Guinea pig) for us to taste. It was a resounding success with our group; we really enjoyed trying the Peruana delicacy. After some of our group breaking out the hackysack imported from the States, and others playing with a futbol, we all returned to our homestays for another delicious home cooked meal. A tiring day, but a fulfilling one overall.
by Benjamin and Shaan
June 11, 2026
Yesterday began with a 90 minute bus ride high into the mountains of Peru. We drove through winding roads by fields and small houses. Soon we arrived at the indigenous community of Kajllarakay. The community members welcomed us with music and handmade bracelets. In the community, long dirt roads were surrounded by small clay houses. Many farm animals, cats, and dogs roamed freely. The community is small with only 82 members. Clean water is hard to come by and there is only running water for one hour a day– between 6 and 7 in the morning. Those without water tanks store water in a open basin in their yard.
Our main job for the day was to build water tanks so the people could store clean water safely and have it running more. We moved heavy metal frames for the water tanks and mixed concrete to stabilize them. It was difficult but 100 percent worth it to have the opportunity to help. The community is agricultural and isolated, which makes it very peaceful but comes with hardship. The closest hospital is faraway, small, and ill equiped. When a woman living in this community recently broke her leg, she was only given Tylenol and Advil. She was the forced to spend money on traveling to a hospital in Cusco to receive proper care. The average income in the area in only 800 soles a month or about 300 USD. This means they earn 3600 USD a year which is not enough. But, despite these hardships, 7000 years of tradition survive in this community. We were able to participate in a ceremony honoring the mountain gods and Pachamama or Mother Earth. We walked up to a view of the Salkantay, Wakaywillka, and Chicon mountains and more. The ceremony started with the leader of the community thanking the mountains and Pachamama. Then the rest of the community members followed in suit by burying coca leaves in the ground. Afterward, we all enjoyed a delicious meal of potatoes baked in the ground with cheese and sauce. We then all danced together in a circle with music played by community members. Finally, we learned the Quechua word for ‘see you later,’ which is ‘Tupananchys Kama,’ because in Quechua, there is no such thing as goodbye. Overall, it was a very impactful and once- in- a-lifetime spiritual and cultural experience.
By Margaret and Emily
