High up in the Andes Mountains in Peru, the air is thin, but the hearts are huge. We visited some very poor areas where the school buildings are just simple bricks and metal roofs. There is no central heating and no fancy technology, but the energy inside those walls is incredible.
In these classrooms, we didn’t just stick to the textbooks. We spent time playing card games, solving puzzles, and even painting faces. The students were so curious and friendly that they were practically joined at the hip with the volunteers, always wanting to smile or hold a hand.
The best part of the day? The “Andean Hug.” These kids might be the best huggers in the world. As soon as a lesson ended, they would climb right onto the wooden tables just to reach the teachers for a giant group hug.
Life is very hard in these mountain villages, but the students showed us so much love. We went there to help them, but they were the ones who taught us how to be happy with the simple things.
