Signing off from Cusco

It’s been an amazing three months! It is with a heavy heart and excitement for the future that we bid farewell to our 10 terrific students, each who brought something unique and valued to our little nomadic group.

From the humid coasts of Ecuador to the high and chilly mountains of Peru, this semester was truly filled with adventure, laughs, and challenges for all of us. Talking about permaculture, practicing our Spanish, and navigating our way through complex topics like culture and politics, the learning was high, the fun was plentiful, and the memories will last a lifetime.

While the moments were too numerous to truly do justice to a summary, we would be amiss not to mention the final and culminating week that we had been looking forward to all semester: the hike to Machu Picchu. We laughed, we struggled, we overcame, in the end all of us made it through the grueling 4 day Salkantay trek and were rewarded with the amazingly rich history that surrounds one of the most iconic ruins in the world. With our terrific guide we explored Machu Picchu learning about the ancient Incan traditions and what became of this mighty empire. We all welcomed a warm shower and a nice meal afterwards, as we made our way back to Cusco for our final few days together!

In the end, we wish our students nothing but the best as they move forward with college, with traveling, with wherever there path takes them. We encourage everyone to remember the times spent with friends, the times they surprised themselves, the hard times and the amazing ones. We end this semester with a reminder to our students: to continue to step out of their comfort zones and continue to question themselves and their surroundings with a critical eye.

Hasta pronto!

Adam and Suzannah

First Day in Quito
Last Day in Cusco