Home, Sweet Home

My arrival to Cusco on Thursday morning was a little bit like playing make-believe. I was picked up at the airport by the other Cusco interns and office worker, Wilson, Trey, and Tim. When we got to the house the other workers of ASCENDER, Julia, Rubén, and Sandro immediately welcomed me to the team. Obviously, everything was different from where I had come, Utah. The roads, the culture, the people, and especially the language are all things I am hoping to become very familiar with before I leave here. My home away from home was as different from home as possible, but it wouldn’t be any fun if it weren’t that way.

Yesterday I finally got the chance to go down into Sacred Valley with Tim, Julia, Rubén and Sandro. We passed pueblos built from mud and stone, dirt roads, and simple architecture with the name of their alcalde/mayor covering the walls. Cusco was different, but this was really something else. I had the opportunity to meet many of the families cooperating in a project being carried out by ASCEND and other agencies. ASCEND and Peru Rail had helped three of these communities start a chicken farm, so they had a source of income while they waited for fruit to grow on the trees that were recently planted. I had traveled around the city of Cusco over the past few days, but meeting the people in Sacred Valley is what made this experience go from make-believe to real life. I had read about the projects while in the office, but seeing it had an effect that reading simply could not give.

Even though everything changed the second I got off the airplane, there are always a few things that remind me that I’m not too far from home.

Sarah Mariko Bartlett, Intern Spring 2011

The Climb to Qquencco

We woke up early, before the dogs could renew their fight for territory in the street. Daylight hadn’t broken, and we winded up through the worn, muddy streets of upper Cusco.

Interspersed between unfinished buildings and passing buses, the view of city lights from above showed tiny distant universes among an urban life still indiscernible. Cusco remained asleep.

Tim and Rubén, due to countless trips to the Sacred Valley, slept in the back of our camioneta, while Wilson drove. I couldn’t miss my first trip to Qquencco, so I sat shotgun and resisted the rest that a 4am wake-up call can steal.

Entering into the Valley is more beautiful than I ever imagined. The snow-capped mountains in the distance are like a welcome banner, and immediately you understand why they call it Sacred. But the single-lane dirt road, with nothing between you and a long fall except gravity, reminds you what you’re risking to be there.

Our mission was recording Encuestas (surveys) of atleast 20 families, not only to get to know the pueblito better, but to gain them potential sponsorship from the United States. The questionnaires go a little something like: Name, Age, How Ascend is involved in their lives, and What they would like for Ascend to do in the future... Say cheese!

After the climb we descended 2,000 feet into the base of Qquencco , and parked our truck in the soccer field so the people would know we were there. It was a cold morning, probably around 40 or 45 degrees. Someone said, “This is summer?” We laughed and threw on our Ascend vests. Braulio, the president of Qquencco, finally came down to meet us. Averting his gaze, he offered us his arm to shake, and led us to our first family for an encuesta/photo.

The first thing that I realized was everyone – everyone – was wearing old, mud-caked sandals. And then it just kind of hit me. I was standing in almost utter poverty. Qquencco is the poorest community in which we work; the curve of culture adjustment was pretty steep that day, especially since it was my second day in Cusco.

We climbed up and up and up, each family a little past the last one, until we reached the top of Qquencco. In the end, we gained 25 new encuestas, a ton of pictures, and a bunch of new acquaintances around the village.

On the way back, the road was pretty crowded with people walking to work, people wanting rides in our truck, cars on the one lane road, and....sheep herders? Yes. People's livestock is their main way to bring home the bacon, so to speak. Anyways, we had to edge around the sheep that clogged up the street and finally started back to Cusco.

Time has been flying by since then! I've been here for around 3 weeks now, I spent the night in the hospital last week (caused by food of course...but it's soo good!), and we've welcomed a new intern, Sarah Bartlett.

Ascender Peru is looking toward some pretty ambitious goals this year. Check back soon to read more about all of our adventures, from Wilson, Sarah and myself!

-Trey, Ascend Alliance Intern, Spring 2011