Today marked the second day of our stay in the beautiful mountain town of Andahuaylillas. Compared to the extremely humid and hot nights in Lima, we all enjoyed a very cool fifty-degree night of sleep in our hotel/hostel. We got up at 7:30 a.m. and had the typical Peruvian breakfast of bread with jam and butter. Along with the bread, there was a Peruvian coffee that was distinct for its very concentrated property.

After breakfast we went to a presentation given by a member of an organization called "Ccaijo". This organization works with the communities around Andahuaylillas that have started to disappear and been left behind because it's too difficult to live in the areas. The three goals of the organization are to improve living situations, education, and the economic situation of the people in these poor areas. For example, they gave the people better, more efficient ways to farm and preserve water for the non-growing season in Peru. By helping them be more efficient, they can make more money and live better lifestyles while staying in the same area.

Following the presentation, we got in the buses and drove half an hour to a community way up in the mountains. When we finally reached our destination, we were 4,185 meters above sea level, or over 12,000 feet high. At this altitude even walking around is a laborious task, and guys were out of breath by just the slightest uphill walk. In this community we visited a sustainable house, which is one of the projects of the Ccaijo Organization. This house was extremely impressive. It was set up to produce sustainable bio gas to power heaters inside the house to keep the family warm during the cold winter months. As we have already experienced in Peru, the outside temperature is often the temperature inside the houses. In the winter months, the whole family often sleeps in one room, and having a heater to warm and dry the house is very important in keeping the family healthy. The sustainable house also consisted of a cuy coupe. Cuy is guinea pig, and in the mountains of Peru it is considered a delicacy. The guinea pigs are raised and bred in this coupe until they are ready to be taken to Cusco to be sold in the markets.

The second half of the day consisted of playing soccer with the kids of Andahuaylillas. We were in the middle of a typical rainy afternoon standing in the center of a concrete court with no children to be seen. It was a little cold and had been raining for a while, but we continued to kick the ball around in the center of the court. Within a matter of minutes, children started running towards the court from all directions. It is pretty unreal how the sound of laughter and a soccer ball being kicked around attracts these children. It is like a bell goes off in their head and they know that it's time to play. As the afternoon went on, more and more children began to join in. Even with a language barrier it was so easy to communicate with these kids. The language of soccer speaks louder than any other language in the world. By the end of the afternoon, we had the adults of Andahuaylillas spectating or joining in on the game.

The end of last day in the spectacular mountain town of Andahuaylillas was capped off with a beautiful Peruvian rice dish similar to a Chinese fried rice. We finished off dinner and our vanilla pudding and rapped up the night with some reflection on the trip so far. After experiencing the hectic nature of the capital city of Lima, and the rural agricultural nature of the region of Cusco, I can say this trip has been a truly eye opening experience. Peru has shown me that I have a lot to be thankful for, and take a lot of things for granted. From a shower and soap, to finding ways to get water, I can say that we have definitely been taken out of our comfort zone. We have been tested in ways we could never have been back in Chicago. The people of Peru are true survivors and know how to make the most out of what they have. We now move on to a very exciting part of the trip, the tour of the sacred valley and then on to Machu Pichu. I cannot wait to see what the rest of this trip has in store as it has been so enjoyable so far. These past few days may have been some of the most exhausting days I have ever had, but definitely the most rewarding.

Go Ramblers!

- Elliot