The period of working in service assignments in cities across Peru came to an end, and the students caught night buses back to Lima, and then taxis to Casa Goshen. They arrived early in the morning on November 28 – Thanksgiving Day back in the United States, but just an ordinary workday in Peru. The students were tired but happy to be reunited as a group and excited to share stories about their service experiences.
Landon, who had just arrived from Tarma, catches up with other students.
After hugs and greetings, students enjoyed the traditional welcome breakfast of pancakes, eggs, bacon, coffee, tea – and lots of catching up. Then, after a few tasks such as preparing a backpack for the weekend retreat and leaving behind books they had read, the students left one by one to visit with their Lima host families, do some final shopping and check into Miraflores House, a hostel, for the night. Some students returned in the evening to Casa Goshen for a meal of turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans and pumpkin pie.
Lauren takes her oral examination with her Spanish teacher, Moises Arce Zavala.
The next morning, we met at the Anglican Cathedral of the Good Shepherd (Buen Pastor) for some final academic work. Students had a Spanish oral examination and quiz on their readings. While waiting, students snacked on leftover pumpkin pie with whipped cream. Some students played a game in which they placed a dollop of whipped cream on a hand, and then raised it quickly, sending the white sweetness into the air. Sometimes the whipped cream landed in their mouths and other times on their faces. After two hours of work and play, students boarded a bus for the retreat. Our destination was a Christian retreat center called Kawai, located on the beach about an hour and a half south of Lima. The retreat center consists of a wonderful collection of buildings amid well-landscaped grounds, just a few hundred yards from the Pacific Ocean.
Students walk back to their bungalow at Kawai, a Christian vacation campground on the beach south of Lima.
We spent two days at Kawai. The retreat is an important step toward helping the students return to their lives in the United States. Students had a chance to reflect on their experiences abroad before the emotional roller coaster of jumping from sad good byes in Peru to joyous family reunions back home. The students presented their final projects, which ranged from presentations about natural remedies, food and the education system in Peru to television viewing habits of children and soccer team allegiances. Students shared stories from their service experiences, reviewed their challenges and best experiences in Peru, learned about “re-entry shock” and played a rigged Monopoly game to help them consider inequities of wealth and poverty as they prepared to return to a wealthier nation.
Jacob shares his infectious laughter with Rudy and Joshua.
Students also had time to walk on the beach, play, chase down crabs, sit around a bonfire and participate in a worship service. There was a lot of laughter combined with the bittersweet feelings of being together as a group for the last time and excitement about returning home. SST Peru Co-Directors Richard Aguirre and Judy Weaver felt very proud of Alan, Becca, Jacob, Joshua, Landon, Lauren and Rudy for successfully completing their Study-Service Terms in Peru.
Lauren, Becca, Landon, Rudy, Jacob, Joshua and Alan pause for a final group photo at Kawai before boarding the bus to return to Casa Goshen and their last evening in Peru.
After his arrival on an overnight bus from Tarma, Jacob completes some paperwork at Casa Goshen.Alan, who had just returned from San Ramon, reviews a checklist.Lauren checks her smart phone.Becca pauses to listen to another student at Casa Goshen.Rudy shows off his new sweater, a gift from his host family in Ayacucho.Moises Arce Zavala assesses Becca’s Spanish language proficiency.Joshua takes his Spanish oral examination.Jacob and Alan take their Spanish oral examination with Ana Bracamonte Bardalez.Ana Bracamonte Bardalez reacts to comments by Alan and Jacob during their Spanish language oral examination. Landon makes a point during his Spanish oral examination.Jacob tries a trick: making a dollop of whipped cream fly upward and land in his mouth.Jacob reacts to his failed effort at having a falling dollop of whipped cream land in his mouth.The result of Alan’s failed effort to get a dollop of whipped cream to land in his mouth.The result of Rudy’s failed effort to get a dollop of whipped cream to land in his mouth.Landon was unable to get a dollop of whipped cream to land cleanly in his mouth, but didn’t seem bothered by that.Judy pauses in front of the Villa Margarita housing unit at Kawai, a Christian campground on a beach south of Lima.The name of the housing unit Goshen students stayed at during their concluding retreat.The dining hall at the Kawai campground.Students enjoy a meal at Kawai.Joshua discusses highlights of his six weeks of service.Landon discusses highlights of his six weeks of service.Alan discusses highlights of his six weeks of service.Jacob discusses highlights of his six weeks of service.Lauren discusses highlights of her six weeks of service.Becca discusses highlights of her six weeks of service.Rudy discusses highlights of his six weeks of service.Lauren reflects on her preconceptions versus the reality of service.Alan reflects on his preconceptions versus the reality of service.Joshua reflects on his preconceptions versus the reality of service.Landon reflects on his preconceptions versus the reality of service.Becca reflects on her preconceptions versus the reality of service.Rudy reflects on his preconceptions versus the reality of service.Jacob reflects on his preconceptions versus the reality of service.The beach at Kawai, which is about a 90-minute drive south of Lima.Waves crashing at Kawai.A wave-tossed shell on the beach at Kawai.Judy tries to “herd” crabs at Kawai.Crabs move quickly away from people at Kawai and take shelter in holes they have dug in the sand.For her final project, Lauren investigated the television viewing choices of Peruvian children.Lauren discusses the television viewing choices of Peruvian children.Rudy’s final project focused on Peru’s amazing gastronomy.For his final project, Jacob researched the impact of soccer and the allegiances of fans.Jacob makes a point about the impact of soccer in Peru and the allegiances of fans.For his final project, Joshua studied the impact of a government assistance program on children.Joshua discusses the impact of a government assistance program on children.For her final project, Becca studied natural remedies in Peru.Students sample some of the herb-based natural remedies that Becca studied.Becca considers a point during her presentation on natural remedies in Peru.For his final project, Alan compared and contrasted the structure and attitudes of a Peruvian and a U.S. family.For his final project, Landon researched the Peruvian education system and in particular, how mathematics are taught.A flower- and tree-lined road at Kawai.Flowers thrive at Kawai.Yellow beauties at Kawai.Colorful flowers at Kawai.Another sign of spring at Kawai.White and purple flowers at Kawai.More beauty at Kawai.A stunning striped flower at Kawai.Ceramic owls cover light posts at Kawai.Rudy and Joshua start a sand sculpture at Kawai.Joshua and Rudy shape a sand sculpture.Birds at Kawai.Another pretty shell at Kawai.Another find on the beach of Kawai.A lone feather on the beach at Kawai.A seagull takes to the sky at Kawai.Lauren enjoys a few moments of solitude at Kawai.Becca captures some memories at Kawai.It may be snowing in Goshen, but in Kawai it feels like spring, as Alan would attest.Rudy and Joshua apply the finishing touches on their sand sculpture.A lavender sunset at Kawai.A lamp post owl lights the way at Kawai.Students enjoy a bonfire during the retreat at Kawai.Alan, Joshua, Jacob, Rudy and Landon enjoy the bonfire at Kawai.Becca and Lauren enjoy marshmallow treats at Kawai.Landon and SST Peru Co-Director Judy Weaver prepare more treats.Lauren finds a way to keep cool while preparing another marshmallow.Jacob leans in to heat another marshmallow.The bonfire and marshmallows at Kawai.Rudy prepares another treat.Becca and Lauren enjoy the bonfire and fun conversation.Landon fashioned an Olympic-style torch from a stick and a piece of bamboo.Jacob and Alan stroll toward the beach to begin their great hunt for crabs.Alan and Jacob enjoyed some initial success hunting for crabs, but once Rudy joined the effort, they were more effective.Alan, Jacob and Rudy sprint toward a “herd” of crabs.Jacob, Rudy and Alan surround their prey.Alan, Jacob and Rudy hunt down more crabs.Rudy and Jacob surround another crab.Alan searched out the crabs, Jacob kept them off balance by sweeping them with a palm branch and Rudy picked up the crabs and put them in a bucket..Rudy, Jacob and Alan sprint toward more crabs.Scores of crabs scurry away from their pursuers.A scrappy crab holds its ground.Jacob sweeps up crabs, which Rudy hurries to pick up.The triumphant crab hunters head back to Villa Margarita, their bungalow at Kawai.The day’s catch: a bucket full of tiny crabs.Rudy shows off the day’s haul in a “catching” position.Alan demonstrates his crab-spotting stance.Jacob recreates his crab sweeping style.Landon prepares to do battle with a feisty crab.Joshua and Rudy clean crabs.Crabs being boiled for a meal.Resources used for Sunday worship.
