During Thanksgiving break, Harry F. Byrd, Jr. Business School student Danielle Stryker showed the true spirit of giving as she traveled to Peru with her sister to volunteer through the international charity A Broader View.
During their weeklong stay they lived with a local family in Cusco, Peru, and experienced traditional Peruvian culture. Work and memorable life experiences filled their days spent in the country. Each morning they volunteered at a nursery with children ages two to five while afternoons were spent at a local orphanage for girls ages 10 to 18.
At the nursery, they taught English by singing songs about “fruits, colors, and the ever favorite, ‘Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes,’” says Danielle. Meanwhile at the orphanage, they helped with supplementary classes where they taught English, helped the students with homework, and assisted with daily chores. They also enjoyed spending time playing volleyball with the girls during their free time.
“We had a wonderful time working with the children at both places,” says Danielle. “The young kids were friendly and excited to learn English from native speakers.”
The trip produced a number of firsts for Danielle and her sister. Danielle experienced the joy of a playground see-saw for the first time in her life. They also had the good fortune of visiting Machu Picchu, which was, in Danielle’s view, “absolutely breathtaking.” She loved learning about Peruvian culture and customs, such as heavy lunches and light dinners, Aztec and Spanish influenced architecture and design, as well as the religious rituals of Catholicism. On their last day they were able to experience the very special tradition of a Quinceanera for the girls in the orphanage.
“My sister and I had a wonderful time and we would go back to Cusco anytime,” says Danielle. “The children had so much enthusiasm, and really enjoyed having us around. We are keeping in contact with some of the staff we worked with at the orphanage and I look forward to hearing about how the girls are doing. I had a fantastic experience in Peru and I hope that in the future I can continue to have these experiences.”