Ask any Waldorf student around the world to describe their favorite thing about their experience and almost unanimoiusly they will say "FIELD TRIPS!"  More than likely they will single out the 8th grade and 11th grade service trips mainly, because they are awesome, and also because parents can't go!  I thought our 8th grade trip was cool because we kayaked down a river on the east coast for 5 days, then worked on a farm with residents who had develpmental challenges, but the 11th grade trip to Peru may have been one of the highlights of my life so far!

Milan with a new friend!

Logistically it may not be as fun for adults to travel but generally students love to travel, from trying to get our 26 suitcases in the 4 cars (we each took an extra suitcase filled with donated clothes, shoes and school supplies!), people watching at the airports, finding out who's sitting next to whom, to landing in a country so different than ours.

From LAX we took a plane to Lima, then another to Cuzco, then a bus ride to our destination, a small village called Andahuaylillas up in the mountains.  The majority of the time we spent in Peru was at the Q'ewar Project, a Waldorf social collective with a small Kindergarten.  It was a beautiful place, with very organic building styles (natural stone, warm woods and white plaster) and a magical place for the little children who go to school there.  Once we met the residents and got settled in, a few students, including myself, got to play with the children (so adorable!) in their beautiful environment, indoor and outdoor.

Once we were acclimated to the high altitude (10,000 ft above sea level) we took a challenging hike up to a valley above the village to harvest grass which we carried down on our backs.  We then used the grass to make adobe type bricks,

Ready to hike.

squishing it in a muddy pool with our feet.  We took trips into Cuzco to visit museums, eat local food (Guinea pig sound good to anyone?!), experiencing their history and culture.  Many of us bought locally made clothing from the locals there.  Colorful Peruvian woven pants were a huge favorite of ours along with alpaca wool sweaters!  The architecture was different and full of detail, the buildings much older than most in the U.S.  We toured sites of archaeological significance and got to learn about the Incan civilization, touching stones and walking pathways hundreds of years old!

We had done a lot of hiking in San Diego in preparation for the hike of a lifetime - the four day hike up the Inka Trail to Machu Picchu.  We had a large group of local porters who helped us set up camp along the way, and it was fun getting to know our hilarious guides, Fran and Willy.  It's hard to describe the beauty of the different terrains and microclimates we experienced each day.  The second day is known as Dead Women's Pass because it's a killer hike.  A favorite day for many of us was the third day because of the mellow mood and beauty that was our surroundings while hiking.  Our campsite that night was on top of a mountain, with a layer of white fluffy clouds below us and an amazing view that can't be forgotten.  It was eerie and beautiful.  When we finally reached the Sun Gate leading into Machu Picchu it felt like a real achievement.  We then spent several hours walking around this magnificent ancient city, known as one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

After 4 days of hiking ....what a view!

These longer, more expensive field trips take a lot of effort and a lot of fundraising!  As a student who was able to participate, I felt so grateful that parents, teachers, family, friends, and other students had helped me get there.  It truly was the experience of a lifetime, and I hope that someday I can go back.