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
June 12, 2026
“Ebért! Jack!” We were jolted awake by the cries of our adoptive sisters, Dana and Michaela. “Ebért! Jack! Baja!” Called downstairs once more, we shuffled sluggishly outside and headed to the kitchen. There, we were greeted by the heavenly aroma of freshly made pancakes. Still wearing our pajamas, and rubbing sleep out of our eyes, we must have cut pretty ridiculous figures. This hypothesis was supported by the giggles emanating from our sisters. Pushing past the slight embarrassment we hastily finished our pancakes, got dressed, brushed our teeth, and headed to the plaza, not necessarily in that order.
Once we got to the plaza, we were glad to see that only two groups were there, despite us being late. After everyone trickled in, we started to walk to the school for our community service of the day. Before we could get to the school, we first had to run an errand. Fabricio called for six volunteers for an unknown task and up our hands went. He led us to an apartment complex and up we climbed. As we moved upwards, it began to feel as if we had been sucked inside an M.C. Escher painting. We finally got to our prize at the top, a massive mattress. The enormous proportions of the mattress were juxtaposed against the cramped, winding corridors of the apartment complex. It seemed like it would be impossible to get down, no matter the amount of people. Luckily, a solution presented itself. We brought the mattress to the side of the building and, once making sure the area below was clear, heaved it over the side. With that, we continued on our way to the school. The mattress was eventually for the floor of the physical therapy room at the school.
The school we were going to was located right next to a soccer stadium we had explored earlier. The building was tucked away in a corner and was for kids aged zero to three. We were split into several groups to work on different projects. Our group was assigned to paint finish painting the last wall of the school blue. After working for an hour and a half, we had completed almost all of the wall, with only a small – minuscule even – little bit at the top that we couldn’t reach left. We also installed ladders for the children and reorganized the space to used therapy devices donated by previous Global Works groups. After finishing our work we played soccer for around an hour. One of the games we played was called “cule,” where one person was in goal and the rest had to juggle a ball between them and score without it touching the ground. We left after eating a dish that was very reminiscent of apple pie, and having a juice made from purple corn.
After returning to our houses for lunch and rest, we reconvened in the plaza to get ready for our ceramics session with Luciano, the Master. Following a short bus ride, we entered the ceramics studio. Half of us were ushered to the wheels, and the other half to a painting studio. As soon as we arrived at the wheels, they started at a breakneck speed. No instruction or guidance was given, save for Luciano periodically coming over and reminding us why he was considered a Master. While one of us may have struggled for the last 10 minutes in order to shape a small bowl, Luciano was able to, with only a few movements of his fingers, to whip up a bowl superior in every aspect. Often times, when one of us called him over to assist in cutting a finished bowl off the wheel, he would silently take a few seconds to drastically improve our handiwork. When we done with the wheel, we instead moved to the painting section, where we were able to sketch and color on any one of his flawless already made vases or mugs. After a couple hours, we had used every artistic bone in our bodies and were ready to head home. We took and long and (thankfully) straight walk back to the plaza, before heading home to prepare for the celebration.
The celebration began with a lesson in dancing from a parent of one of the homestay families. To say the dancing was difficult would be putting it lightly. Just like the clay, there was almost no warm-up. We launched straight into dancing. The beats were at breakneck speed, and we were taught to dance while the songs were already playing. After the dancing we all sat with our families for delicious beef and chicken skewers with potatoes. Dinner was followed by photos with our families and delicious marshmallows roasted over a campfire, before we headed back to rest for the next day.
By Everret and Jack
June 13, 2026
After spending three days with our lovely host families we sadly had to say goodbye today. Parting ways was bittersweet, but we were looking forward to exploring a new place. After leaving Calca, we hopped on a bus to Ollantaytambo, a historic Incan town. There, we met our tour guide James, who showed us around his hometown.
Before eating lunch in Ollantaytambo, we had time to check out a small market located in an Incan home. Our delicious lunch gave us just enough fuel to happily board the Inca Rail towards Machu Picchu.
The train ride to Aguas Calientes was scenic and memorable to say the least. The views of mountain tops and flowing streams created a serene atmosphere perfect for quiet card games and trying Peruvian snacks. About halfway through the ride, a peaceful sound began to play throughout the train car. Traditional Incan melodies were produced by a passionate flute player in the back of the train car. This interlude swiftly transitioned into the sounds of “Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran, and a sing-a-long took over the train almost instantly. At the end of the performance, one of our group members was offered the opportunity to play a charango, an Andean instrument. He plucked some Andean tunes with the flautist, making for an impressionable moment on our trip. After getting off the train, we checked into our hotel and got ready for a hefty dinner, excited for the day ahead.
By Serena, Izzi and Landon
June 14, 2026
At 6:30 AM we woke up. We were super hype because today we are going to Machu Pichu! We had a great breakfast in the hotel as we discuss the World Cup games. As soon as we were done with breakfast we left for the bus stop. The bus ride up was incredibly beautiful. The mountains, the mist and the lush green forests being kissed by the sun. The bus stops, we get out, and we enter the ancient city. We had an amazing guide that taught us about the history and religion of the Incas. We also had Fabri (one of the goated chaperones on this trip) to show us the most interesting parts of the city. On the top of Machu Pichu, Serena and I reflect on the view and this amazing experience. It was one of the most remarkable experiences of my entire life. It was a shame we couldn’t stay longer and learn more about these ancient people. We went back down the mountain to the small town below. There we had an amazing lunch buffet. After we ate we had an hour to explore the town. After we went back at the hotel and picked our stuff and board the train in which some people went into the party wagon and started dancing with the music and looked outside of the windows. We arrived at James home town where we took two buses and spent two hours in a very shaky bus. We arrived at Cusco where we finally had dinner at the hotel and went to our rooms to sleep.
By Miguel and Mateo
June 15, 2026
After our long bus ride to Cusco we stayed overnight at the Niño hotel. We woke up and came down to a beautiful breakfast provided by the hotel. We were all tired after our long journey through Machu Picchu and slept in as much as possible. As we ate we discussed our past blog posts and reminisced on the great times we had. We were preparing not only our suitcases, but also our minds for the long day of travel that lay ahead. As we were waiting to depart we received our ceramics projects that we had worked on a few days prior. We soon left to head to the center of Cuzco. We went to a large market where we looked for food to give to unhoused people. We split into groups of threes and were surprised when we found out how much food we could buy for only 50 soles. We ended up giving out the bags on the street leaving us with a sense of accomplishment. Shortly after, we returned to the hotel and had our closing ceremony of the trip. The ceremony consisted of reflection on ourselves and our favorite moments of the trip. We also discussed what Peru gave to us and what we gave to Peru in return. We ended the ceremony and got on the buses to go to the airport in Cuzco. After getting to the airport in Cuzco, we boarded our flight to Lima and had dinner once we arrived. We then waited for our flight to Miami to be ready and boarded. We landed in Miami at 5 in the morning and were all exhausted, but also looking forward to going home.
By Merrick
