Day 10 Morning - Conservation Work with ConScientia

The morning of our second to last day brought us the promise of doing some conservation work. After breakfast, we got on the bus to drive to the work site. Daniela explained to us what ConSciencia is: a team of young adults who work in different fields to try and bring environmental change to Peru. She made a point to mention all the different ways in which we can help with the environment; it’s not just a matter of going to plant trees or recycle. Other facets of the movement exist, too, like raising awareness through photography and social media.

  

Their major goal is to try and teach young people, like us, about how we can help to keep the environment green for years to come. The worksite looked very barren when we had arrived. There was a lot of sand and trash, and very little was left to hint at what sort of greenery used to exist there. That was the motivation behind the project we were visiting, started by ConSciencia. They started a small plantation with about 500 trees of trees native to Peru, in the hope that they could restore the plantation’s natural beauty.

 We played a few team building games at first!  Christian and Tracy did a great job in leading us in this first one!  We had to flip the tarp we were standing on without anyone stepping off the tarp!!

We learned how to identify the four main types of trees that ConSciencia grew, with characteristics ranging from thorny branches to red bulbs used as spices. Then, we recorded the age and condition of each tree.

We might have tested our balance a bit as well!

This is what happens when Dmitry places soccer - well when he chases the ball into the bushes!

Day 10 Afternoon - Some lessons and some fun!

After lunch and spending some time relaxing at the work site, everyone headed back to the hotel, where we got to listen to some really cool PowerPoint presentations from the ConCiencia crew. One of the members talked about her scientific work and research with sharks, and we learned about many of the species's endangerment due to commercial and recreational fishing (In some countries where shark fin soup is a delicacy, sharks are caught just to have their fins cut off, and then they're sent back to die off in the sea without them. How sad is that!?).

Fun Fact: Contrary to popular belief, only very few species of sharks actually attack humans, and even these sharks only attack because humans don't know how to deal with them. If you encounter a shark, DON'T MOVE! Look them in the eye, stare them down, and it'll probably just swim away!

When the presentations were over, we still had some time before dinner to walk around and explore a little of the Ancon District. Many of us hitched a bike ride around town, and we got to try some really weird flavors of ice cream like lucuma (a tropical fruit found in Peru). 

We then returned to the hotel for some homemade food served by the hotel owners themselves. And once we had treated ourselves to a really tasty meringue tart for dessert, we spent the rest of the evening playing cards before sleeping away our final night in Peru...

Day 11 - OUR LAST DAY!!!

                It was the day that we dreaded the most. The last day. The moments we shared, the relationships we formed, and the bonds with both nature and humans that we made were hard to leave behind, but it had to be done. The day started off with another satisfying late wake-up at around 8 AM. After a great breakfast of scrambled eggs, bread, and some delicious pinapple juice, everyone quickly boarded the bus for our last day of environmental service with ConCiencia. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

We arrived at there mini "jungle" area and started the day off with some ice breakers as we crowded around on a tiny mat and the rock-paper-scissors posse game. 

               

After that, we split ourselves in our groups of 10 and started a specific analysis on every tree of Conciencia's plantation. 

After collecting all the data, we went to the local boarding school for a mouthwatering lunch of avocado salad and chicken with rice.

After lunch, we did our last activity for our environmental service project where we divided ourselves in groups of 2 and had a weeding contest, where we competed for free Conciencia's t-shirts. The work was long and tiring, but it gave all of us a good sense of satisfaction. The winners: Laolu, Spencer, and Ose, got off with free t-shirts while some of the other students paid for their own t-shirts. 

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We ended the service with a gratitude circle where we all expressed our gratitude for the opportunity Conciencia gave us and the work they did. It was a great experience for all of us participating in this innovative organization.

         We said our good-byes to Conciencia and quickly scrambled onto the bus so we could take our last showers in our hotel in Lima. After the hotel, we boarded the bus and proceeded to the airport. However, it wasn't going to be a quick trip home. There was one last thing that we had to do before leaving. It might have been the hardest thing that we have done all trip. We had to say goodbye to our dear friend and guide, Jorge. Not only was Jorge one of the nicest people around, but he was genuinely interested in helping people adjust to Peruvian culture. If it comforts you, the parents, at all, he acted as a father figure and made sure everyone was healthy and well. It was a tearful and painful goodbye, but a dinner that consisted of greasy American food provided condolences. We are now at the gate ready to come back to New York and continue the journey of life.

Christian's Reflection:

The trip to Peru created a unique environment where a group of thirty students, not many of them friends in the beginning, bonded as a family. It was awkward in the first plane ride. We called each other by the wrong names and usually just sat by people we already knew. However, as I write this blog, I am sitting next to a screaming group of twenty-nine students, tearing up and choking a little, knowing that I will never forget this experiance and cherish every moment of it. From the time we got soaked in Machu Pichu because of the rain, to the time when my friend poured water all over my pants by accident, to the time when I slipped and fell into a pile of cow dung, every moment was a blast. I love every person on this trip: the students, the teachers, the guides, and I will keep a part of this trip forever in my heart and carry the relationships I formed on this trip forever.

Justin: 

This trip to Peru was an eye-opening adventure that helped me expand my view on the different communities of this world. My reflection may not be as long Christian's, but this trip helped me understand more about what really means to "live one's life." The time I spent learning the ways of the Loquina locals and the beliefs of the Incan people has given me a sort of "enlightment" that I will apply to my life forever.