Last check in from Peru!
July 6, 2024
As the students leave Peru to head back home, we can’t help but reminisce on all the wonderful memories we made these past two weeks. Thank you for trusting us with your children and allowing us to lead them on this unforgettable trip. We learned just as much from them as they learned from us!
Grace showed us the power of patience and perspective. She always found the good in every situation. When Grace didn’t have her luggage for the first four days of the trip, she never once complained and instead turned her focus on what she could control.
Thomas’ intentionality was felt across the entire group. He was always trying to get to know people better and investing himself in every conversation he was part of. He knows how to make people feel loved and appreciated.
Cash showed us authenticity. He was never afraid to be himself and had confidence in who he was. The rest of the group found comfort in his genuine spirit and were inspired by the way he held himself.
Mary brought so much joy to our group. She always had a smile on her face and found happiness in the little things. Mary knows how to brighten any room she enters, and she certainly did that on this trip.
Chip was always there to lend a helping hand. Whether it was unloading the van without being asked or carrying an extra duffel bag, Chip was constantly thinking about and caring for the people around him.
Alex is a tough kid. He battled a difficult sickness during our trip and remained optimistic through it all. He cracked jokes, had fun, and spent time with the group until the end, even when he wasn’t feeling 100%.
Julia is a true friend to all. She never failed to show kindness and treated everyone around her with love and respect. Her sweet character and intentional spirit brought so much joy to our group.
Will taught us the power of connection. He always brought energy and excitement into every conversation. Whenever you talked to him, you felt like you were talking to your best friend.
Stella brought so much positivity to our trip. She constantly reminded us how unique of an experience this was and to appreciate everything around us, big or small.
Chris always had a good attitude. He never once complained, and it was clear that he greatly appreciated his opportunity to be on this trip. He brought joy and gratefulness everywhere he went.
Molly knows how to make the people around her feel loved. From her big, genuine smile to her intentional conversation, Molly always brought great energy and happiness to every situation.
Virginia showed us the power of perseverance. Despite illness throughout trekking, Virginia never gave up and always found a way to reach the finish line. Her resilience was admired by the group around her.
We are so sad to see this session of MPU go, but we are beyond grateful for all the memories we created. Thank you again for letting us lead your wonderful children, and we hope that they are returning home with plenty of stories and 13 new friends! Each of them will hold a special place in our hearts for years to come.
To MPU2, thank you all for the most amazing two weeks. We hope you know how incredibly special each of you is and how much we are going to miss you! Don’t be strangers!
Cheers,
Caroline + John
Celebrating New Heights!
July 4, 2024
Here to report all good things from MPU2!
We’ve been lucky enough to welcome a special Moondance HQ guest on this portion of the trip, Suzanne Hollis! Suzanne works in the Moondance office and has been a great addition to our group. She’s brought loads of energy, tons of fun, and plenty of trail games.
We started trekking on Day 8 and have been getting after it since. After a van ride with gorgeous views and great music (typically requested by Alex), we started on trail. We got to hike up to the most beautiful lake surrounded by huge snowy mountains. The students played trail games and took plenty of pictures, with our personal favorite being the one of Chip and Will hugging! Will and Molly continued their riddle competition on this trek and we’re excited to see who comes out on top at the end of the trip. When we arrived back down at the bottom of the mountain, we had a very special surprise awaiting one of our students, Stella! We got a unique opportunity to celebrate a birthday on this trip and it was such a fun way to end an awesome day. The campsite was decorated with a Happy Birthday sign, balloons, and party hats for each person. After a yummy dinner, our chefs surprised Stella with a delicious birthday cake that read “Feliz Dia Stella.” We added to the fun by gifting Stella some sour patch kids and a card. It was such a great way to start this section of the trip and got all the students excited for our longest, most difficult day of trekking tomorrow!
Day 9: The Salkantay Pass. The day of 8 miles and gaining 3,000 ft in elevation. We knew this day would be challenging but these students took it like champs! From the long uphill stretches to silly trail games and yummy snacks, the students continually impressed us with their determination and hard work. Due to some sickness, Virginia and Mary were unable to trek and instead rode horses to the top of the pass. We were inspired by the way they still wanted to experience as much of the trip as they could, given their circumstances. They even got creative with their situation and named their horses Ambulance and Grey (from Grey’s Anatomy). We were so happy that they got to be on this part of the trek and still experience that rewarding feeling at the top! Given the tough nature of the uphill trek, we knew that talking on trail wouldn’t be as easy at some points. With that said we started a game that lasted the entirety of the hike but involved no talking. The group was tasked with secretly moving a singular purple carabiner around to different peoples backpacks and whoever had the carabiner at the end had the “punishment” of dancing in front of the group. Students were constantly checking their backpacks to see if they were the target, then would sneak up and clip it onto someone else on trail. When we got to camp, Cash was the one with the carabiner on his backpack, with a last minute clip on by Suzanne. However, instead of a dance we had Cash sing one of his favorite middle school rap songs! We completed our long, yet rewarding day with some card games, a yummy dinner, and great Moonup!
On the morning of Day 10, we got a fun game of hacky sack going to get our bodies moving before a day full of trekking. Today was much more downhill so we all had plenty of time (and breath😉) to chat on trail! I never failed to see Thomas talking to a new person and fully investing in conversation. Unfortunately, Virginia wasn’t feeling well so she walked a bit slower pace than the rest of the group. Our wonderful LOD, Chip, kindly stayed back with her, John, and one of our guides to make sure she was okay during the trek. We made it to lunch and indulged into some delicious tacos that really hit the spot. The van transfer to our next campsite was a long drive, but filled with the most beautiful views! Once we arrived we played our fair share of card games before dinner. Prior to every meal we like to ask the group “are we thankful?” as a way to show our gratitude for the food that’s been cooked for us and once we receive a unanimous “yes” we dig into our meal. It’s a tradition we’ve enjoyed carrying on from staff training and we were pleasantly surprised when Julia beat us to asking this question tonight! We enjoyed playing some more card games, with Alex and Chris always finding a group to play their new favorite game, Red King. Moonup was a memorable one for our group. It was led by our LOD’s, Grace and Chip, who prepared a great skit for the nug jug story. This group has shared plenty of laughs and that was a perfect addition!
We wrapped up our trekking section on Day 11 and made it to the town of Aguas Calientes! The students got to explore the markets where Grace finally got a blanket she’d been eyeing and Thomas worked on his haggling skills. We enjoyed a large dinner as a reward for completing our hike, then headed back to the hotel for Moonup!
As we look forward to finally seeing Machu Picchu, we can’t help but appreciate all the smiles, laughter, and memories we’ve created over these past two weeks. We’ve had the most special time and the students will be returning with plenty of stories!
Cheers,
Caroline + John
Stella: Hiya! I am endlessly grateful to have this experience, and am excited to share all the memories I’ve made. About to see one of the seven wonders of the world! Still have yet to learn how to properly pronounce Machu Picchu, but nevertheless I’ve learned a ton of other cool things! Love y’all.
Julia: hey guys I can’t wait to see y’all I miss you guys so much! We are heading to Machu Picchu today! I’m so excited! Again I am so grateful for this trip! Also got y’all a little present. Love y’all see you soon!
Will: Hey guys!!!!!! I just wanted to say thank you so much for sending me on this trip because I have gained an experience that is so unique. Can’t wait to see y’all soon!
Molly: Hey guys! Thank you so so much for sending me on this trip. I am having such a great time. I am excited to go home but definitely very sad to leave this amazing place. Love you guys!
Mary: Hi parents!!! Thank y’all so much for sending me here. It’s been a blast. See y’all soon!
Chip: wazzup parents I’m having an amazing time might “get lost” and stay here thanks for the trip see y’all bros in like 2 days
Cash: Hey parents! We are going to Machu Picchu today! Miss y’all, see y’all in two days!
Thomas- hola parents, I can’t wait to see y’all in a couple days. Thanks for signing me up for this trip because not only have I had lots of fun but I’ve gained experience along the way. Plus I’m about to see one of the 7 wonders of the world so that ain’t bad. See y’all soon!
Chris: hey parents, can’t wait to see you soon. thanks for sending me on this trip, I definitely have seen so many amazing things. Right now we are about to go up to Machu Picchu to take a tour. see you in a day!
Grace: Hey guys! miss y’all so much and can’t wait to see you so soon. I’m so grateful that I got to go to Peru and am excited to tell y’all all about it when I get back. Today we’re going to see Machu Picchu. Love and miss y’all so much and see you soon!
Virginia: Hey guys!! Miss you mom and dad can’t wait to see y’all but sad to leave!! Tell Nina, Gaggy and Meme I miss them! I had the best time! Can’t wait to see y’all in a few days!!
Soaking up the sun in Peru!
June 30, 2024
Hola from Peru!
This session of our Machu Picchu trip has been off to a great, yet unpredictable start! The students have had such fun, and we are so lucky and happy to lead. Hopefully this update gives you a glimpse of the many fun memories our group has already made!
When we met the students on Day Two in Lima, we grew even more excited about this trip. Despite the long seven hour flight, the students had great attitudes and were eager to get to Cusco to let the trip commence. Upon arrival, we hopped in a van and prepared for a van ride to begin our rafting section…or so we thought. About 1.5 hours into our adventure, we got a flat tire that took us a bit off schedule. However, the students wasted no time getting to know each other. They played card games, sang some music, and thought of unique ways to pass the time, like a game of trivia led by Will. Since the delay took longer than expected, we made some adjustments and got to spend Day 3 paddle boarding on a beautiful lake with gorgeous mountainous views behind us. The lack of cloud cover called for plenty of sunscreen and lots of fun. After a big group picture of everyone balancing on their boards, Stella and Julia spent some time soaking up the sun rays. Back on shore, we ate a yummy lunch overlooking the lake and mountains where Alex took a few moments to himself to admire the view at the end of the dock. Before heading back to Cusco, we ran into some alpacas and Thomas got a great picture with them! We ended the night with a delicious pizza dinner and our first official Moonup. These students came for an adventure and they already had that checked off by Day 3!
On Day 4, we got to raft down the Urubamba River and enjoy, yet again, some awesome views. The Andes Mountains were showing off on this day, and so were the rapids! On Caroline’s raft, Thomas, Molly, and Alex safely cruised down a Class 1 rapid in the water! We also found a watermelon that we would later eat for lunch! John’s raft had some mighty paddlers with Chip and Will leading in the front. They executed a sneak attack, quickly paddling next to the other boats and splashing each other. After rafting and another delicious meal, we headed back to Cusco for some souvenir shopping. Almost all of the students bought ponchos, some bought belts, and others bracelets to remember their time in Peru! Our Moonup was led by our fantastic Leader’s of the Day (LOD), Stella and Chris. They asked the group, “what is your favorite quality about yourself that’s not physical, and why?” It was very sweet to hear the students’ responses and learn more about them.
On Day 5, we traveled to a small town about 45 minutes outside of Cusco to begin the community service section of our trip. We spent the morning at an elementary school near the main square playing with kids and painting games on their playground. The students painted everything from hopscotch to four square to fun drawings to brighten up the school! Given her artistic background, Virginia absolutely loved this activity, and took responsibility of sketching out most of the art for the other students to paint. We headed back to our lodging and got a big game of ultimate frisbee going. Alex was a natural, Cash somehow never got tired from running even at this altitude, and Mary had a legendary catch whilst holding the speaker and her water bottle! During the game, Grace was reunited with her duffel bag after last minute travel changes delayed its arrival. Grace had the best attitude these past few days living without most of her clothes. Her smile walking in with her bag was priceless. We spent the rest of the afternoon doing a cooking class, preparing our meal for dinner. Mary was on potato cutting duty, Cash made the pico de gallo, and Stella, Chip, and Thomas held back tears while cutting onions. The rest of the group chopped some yummy veggies for our delicious vegetable soup! We finally indulged in the food we prepared then had a great Moonup before heading to bed in preparation for day two of community service.
We woke up on Day 6 ready for another awesome day! We started off the morning by taking a truck ride to surprise the students with a traditional Inca ceremony, thanking the Earth for its beauty and all that it provides. We had a fun car ride filled with smiles, singing, and laughs before arriving in the middle of gorgeous Andes Mountains. The students loved this because it gave them the chance to connect with the culture while also doing a fun activity. Afterwards the students had the opportunity to explore a cave before taking some sunny pictures and hopping back into the truck. Once we returned to our lodge, we ate a quick lunch and headed back down to the school. All the students worked together to finish up painting the games and drawings. They were all so passionate about creating a better school atmosphere for the children and we could tell by the hard work they put into each brush stroke. After dinner we had a great Moonup lead by our LOD’s Will and Molly. They asked about an obstacle each of us have had to overcome. Our group took this Moonup to heart and answered very sincerely. We were appreciative of their vulnerability and willingness to share.
We completed our final community service activity on Day 7 by helping an elderly woman in town peel beans for her farm. Our outfitter told us that our help saved her days of work that she would have completed solo. These first two phases of our trip have been incredible and we are so excited to begin our trekking section, then ultimately see Machu Picchu!
Thank you for sharing your children with us! They have been such a treat to lead and we can’t wait for the whole next week we have with them! More updates to come soon!!
Cheers,
Caroline + John
Virginia: Hey mom and dad!! I’m having such an amazing time so far I’ve loved white water rafting and painting for community service. Everyone here is amazing and tell Nina and Gaggy thank you for sending me on the trip also tell meme hey! Love y’all soooo much!!!
Mary: Hi parents!! I’m really loving this group and having lots of fun. The views are amazing and the people we’ve met are so nice. See y’all soon:)
Chip: thank you for letting me come on this trip the food has been great as you know I pay attention to that, feeling good, love y’all
Alex: Heyy!!! I’m having so much fun so far and even though the trip is very different than other things I have done it is amazing. The culture is so pure and happy and I love it. It is beautiful and everything I expected. We did this ceremony and then went cave climbing like spelunking and it was awesome. Can’t wait to see you soon! Love youuu
Will: Waddup! Peru is honestly nothing like I expected but has exceeded my expectations. I miss y’all so much and the dogs. I’ve tried my best to get in all the photos so you should be happy. See y’all in a week!
Stella: Hey guys! This trip is wonderful in all the ways. This is the best group of people I could have ever asked for. I’m so grateful for all the experiences I have, and am, able to have here. Love y’all.
Julia: hey mama and dada I hope y’all are doing well! I miss y’all so much! I’m having so much fun and my group is amazing! thank you so much for this trip I’m super grateful, and Peru is so pretty I think y’all would love it! Love you guys! -jujee/bug
Molly: hey I miss you guys but I am having so much fun in Peru, my group is great and Peru is a gorgeous country. Thank you for sending me on this trip. I love you guys!
Cash: The trip is awesome! We rafted on river like the Nanahal!. We are starting our hike to Machu Picchu today! Love y’all!!
Grace: Hi mom and dad! I don’t know if they told you but I did get my bag after like 4 days. It wasn’t that bad I was able to borrow stuff and bought some water shoes and hiking pants. Peru is so cool and I’m having a great time! I’ve met a lot of cool people and seen a lot of cool places. So glad I was able to make the trip and so glad y’all let me go. See y’all in about a week! Miss y’all, Ava Jane and Scarlett so much!
Chris: you guys would love peru it’s so fun. miss y’all, see you in new york soon! we are about to start our hike to Machu Picchu to close out the trip. love y’all, thanks for sending me on this trip!
Thomas: hey mom and dad. I’m loving Peru so far and I can’t wait to tell y’all all about it. I’ve been getting lots of pics. Tell Sarah I’ve heard a lot of good reviews about Iceland if she hasn’t left yet. I got the fam some Peru gifts so get excited. Miss yall!
John: Having a BLAST with MPU 2! Thinking of you all and hope all is well in Reho. Send my best to everyone. Talk soon
Caroline: This session has been so awesome and we’re having the best time! Miss y’all so much and hope everyone’s doing great! Talk to y’all in a couple of days…Love you!!
