During the last five weeks here in Pisaq, the interns have constructed a routine of: volunteer, train, eat, sleep, and repeat. While we have enjoyed the relaxation and comfort of a consistent routine, we were excited for all of the changes to come. For starters, on Thursday night, Melanie arrived in Pisaq after spending a semester studying abroad in Santiago de Chile. While the addition of another intern was quite exciting, all of us had anxiously waited all summer for the arrival of the high school students. On Sunday, the interns who participated in the Spanish Immersion Program returned as well, and hours later everyone was reunited for the first time this summer. The interns assumed responsibility for performing orientation for the high school students, giving them an opportunity to put into practice what knowledge was instilled on them upon their arrival. To conclude the night, all of us – including interns, high school students, and leaders – ate dinner at one of our favorite locales, El Sabor.
Monday was the first day that the high-schoolers were able to observe the interns performing service work. In the STRIVE Center, high schoolers partnered with one of the intern teams, to provide hands on experience as they ease into a regular teaching routine. Today, Tuesday, several interns (Alie, Sarah, and Paul) led a service learning discussion in the morning, followed by a question and answer session about classroom experience in the afternoon. These discussions centered around how to make the most effective impact in the community and classroom through our volunteer efforts. Thanks to student participation, we were able to have some incredible eye-opening discussions about a variety of topics. After these discussions, we headed to the STRIVE Center, where the high-school students were able to jump right in to teaching. This was the first of many days of teamwork successfully contributing to community service.
The interns who have been in Pisac for five weeks have fully acclimatized and are reaching their maximum training loads. Those who just arrived are reminding us of how we felt during our first few days at 9,600 feet above sea level. It’s a joint effort to make sure no one does too much too quickly, even though everyone is eager to train at altitude. Tyler makes everyone wait twenty-four hours to do their first run at altitude, so yesterday afternoon we all ran a twenty minute group shakeout. It’s fun having more people to run with, as it means a variety of running paces and workout groups. Those who are in the process of acclimating are improving by leaps and bounds each day. We’ll all be enjoying the maximum benefits of training at altitude in no time!
Saludos desde Pisaq!
Lindsay and Melanie
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