Friends Meeting School: Peru 2026
Sunday, May 17
Day One in Cusco was such an exciting experience, and it already feels so different from home. We woke up at 7:50 a.m. and met downstairs at our hotel in Lima for breakfast before heading to the airport. Everyone was tired, but there was a lot of excitement because we were finally traveling to Cusco. The flight was beautiful because we could see the mountains as we got closer, which made everything feel even more real.
Once we landed, we got on a bus and headed to lunch near the plaza. After eating, we had some free time to walk around, exchange our cash, and shop. It was really cool seeing all the different stores, people, and culture around us. One of the best parts of the day was visiting a farm where we got to pet llamas and alpacas. They were funny, friendly, and definitely something I will remember from this trip.
Later, we visited the Pisac Market, where there were so many colorful handmade items and local goods. It was interesting to see how different the market was compared to stores back home. By the end of the day, everyone was exhausted, but in a good way. We finally arrived at our hotel in Calca, where we ate dinner and got settled into our rooms for the next three nights. Overall, the first day was full of new experiences, excitement, and a lot of unforgettable memories already.
By Matt
May 18, 2026
Buenos dias from Peru! Today we woke up to the beautiful mountains in Calca. It is hard to describe the feeling of seeing something so beautiful. We promptly headed down from our hotel rooms, where we shared a light breakfast, then took off for our service project. We walked to a local school for children with disabilities, where we met the teachers and psychologists who work tirelessly for the community. After a short introduction, we headed down to the site where a new school was being built. Locals stared in disbelief as Gabe and Gavin carried a large mattress down the street! 😂 We painted the walls blue, refurbished therapy devices, and assembled a crib. It was a wonderful experience working closely with these people. After our service, we headed to a restaurant where we had a quick lunch of chicken and pasta with a mushroom sauce. ¡Buen provecho! There were many cute kitties that everyone enjoyed petting.
Then, we headed back to the hotel to rest up before we went on to our next activity: T-shirt painting! There we met Greten, who taught us how to expertly paint shirts with local designs. Some worked quickly, and some spent the entire time on their outline! I painted a llama! 🦙 We also had the opportunity to taste cuy (guinea pig). After that, we shopped for snacks at nearby markets in preparation for our service project with the indigenous community tomorrow. We wrapped up the night with a delicious dinner and warm conversations. Now we will rest up for our big day ahead! Adios and buenas noches from the beautiful Calca!
By Emma
May 19, 2026
¡Allillanchu! ¡Noqan Suti Arno! Today we took a bus to meet the Kajllarakay indigenous community. On the way over we made sure we had all the Quechua words down (the local language in Kajllarakay) that we had practiced in preparation for this trip. Upon arrival, we were greeted by singing and clapping and met Anselmo, the community leader, and the local families we were to spend the day with. Then we were off to work! Some painted a welcome sign to add attraction for the Quechua people, and some constructed water tanks for families who didn’t have proper year round access to water. We painted, mixed concrete, and dug trenches for water pipes. It was hard work but every time we looked up we got to see an incredible view and moral was high throughout. After a short snack break we broke up in groups to visit local families’ homes. We learned the traditional lifestyle in the Andes and the daily house and farm chores. I got to shell corn as we talked about various topics such as how corn is much more colorful here than back at home (all in Spanish of coarse). Finally, we took part in an ancestral Inka ceremony where we honored Pachamama (Mother Earth) and shared a traditional meal. At the end of the day we gathered together and shared what we drew from the experience. We discussed the incredible privilege we all take for granted, we discussed how taking care of Mother Earth is a lot harder to ignore when you’re living in such a beautiful place, we discussed how meaningful our service work is for this community, and we discussed how language is vital in forming connections with these people. All in all, today was a great day! ¡Hasta pronto!
By Arno
May 20, 2026
We woke up early to eat breakfast and finish packing up for going to Machu Picchu. After taking a hour and a half drive to the train station we got on for a hour and half and it was really shaky. After the train we went to an all you can eat buffet where we were able to have interesting food such as alpaca, coco leaf tea, and other Peruvian delicacies.
After we took a short ride up a mountain and arrived at Maccu Pichu! We went up 8 thousand feet in the air and took a lot of turns while climbing stairs up. After doing some sight seeing and taking close to a 100 photos, we split into two groups. Seeing the scenery around us was jaw dropping and awesome, as it was a sunny, warm, bright day.
Seeing these amazing views was a once in a lifetime experience and I am extremely grateful to come here. I loved being able to enjoy the past Incan architecture! After taking a tour where we learned all about Machu Picchu, we took a steep, dark drive down to the bottom where we went to the hotel. After settling in, we went to Mapacho, a Peruvian restaurant and had either Pasta, Alpaca or Fried Rice.
By Oliver
May 21, 2026
Today was the last day of the Peru trip for the high schoolers of friends meeting school, it was a day filled with both joy and sorrow as we looked to the wonders of Peru, while being reminded of our short time left here. The day started in the beautiful city of Machu Picchu, where we rose with the sun and embarked on our small journey to Cuzco City. It was a beautiful experience to drive through the countryside of Peru one last time, just to take in the scenery and truly appreciate the journey. Although the ride had its faults overall it was an experience that meant so little but felt so big. From there we arrived at one of the most beautiful hotels in Cuzco City, that radiated warmth and comfy in every nook and cranny, no matter how big or small. The way I felt like I was able to relax so quickly made it truly felt like a home away from home. After getting settled the group moved on to the beautiful plaza in the city, where everyone was able to have their own unique and different experiences while still being in the same place. It was nice to have a moment of freedom with the people around you while experiencing the culture of Cuzco. The next part of the day, was without a doubt one of my favorites, we visited Museo Inka, a museum dedicated to the history of the great Incan empire. It was truly a cultural experience to be guided through the nations history in a way that felt nothing but sincere and enjoyable. Learning about the Inca and their culture was something that truly brought he whole experience full circle, it was interesting, it was beautiful and it was educational, there is truly nothing more you can want from a museum like that. The leads us to the last leg of the journey, it felt like a goodbye, to the group and to the city. Being together for what will be one of the last times was really amazing in a way words can’t describe. It is definitely hard to summarize one day in only a few paragraphs, especially one that holds importance in so many lives. I believe the only way to summarize this day would be to quote J. R. R. Tolkien in saying: “They were at the end of their journey, but as far as ever, it seemed, from the end of their quest.” Today may have been the last day of our journey to Peru but it was by no means the end of our stories. I look to the future with new mind and new point of view that this trip has given me and I just hope everyone else can do the same.
By Adelle
