An unforgettable school visit made these two women proud to be OAT associates
What’s one of the best things about being an OAT associate? Being an OAT traveler, too! That’s what Senior Account Manager Mandy Van Dam and Senior Production Manager Katie Palmer, both from OAT’s Creative Marketing department, discovered when they traveled on Real Affordable Peru in April of 2009. The two chose Peru for its fascinating cultural heritage—including, of course, the incredible ruins of Machu Picchu. But during their adventure, they came away with an unexpected highlight: their visit to the Villa Marcelo Elementary School in Peru’s Sacred Valley—one of three schools in the region supported by Grand Circle Foundation as part of our World Classroom initiative.
As they traveled through the Peruvian highlands en route to the school, little did Katie and Mandy know that they’d be visiting Villa Marcelo on a very special day. For the very first time, the school was unveiling some significant renovations that were made possible by Foundation donations. “We were the first group to see the results,” Katie remembers. “I think we were supposed to spend one hour there, but we stayed for three. It was an amazing day.” Travelers were invited to raise the Peruvian flag and to christen the new kitchen and dining area by breaking a bottle over the door.
The real highlight, however, was the dedication ceremony—a vibrant celebration of Peruvian culture, complete with traditional song, dance, and poetry. “One student performed a theatrical poem,” says Katie. “He really put his heart into it—his eyes were closed and his hands were clenched, and it had so much heart. It was incredible … even though I didn’t know what he was saying.”
Mandy remembers one other student who made an indelible impression: “We met a third-grade boy named Wilson who walked to school every day in sandals for two hours each way,” she says. “He wanted to share his lunch of roasted corn with us.”
Many other unforgettable experiences awaited the women in Peru, from the extraordinary panoramas of Machu Picchu to the almost disturbingly ordinary guinea pigs they were served at a home-hosted dinner. (“They placed them directly in front of us,” says Mandy. “It looked like something you’d see in a pet store.”) But above all, neither will never forget seeing the work of the Foundation firsthand at the Villa Marcelo Elementary School. “It really made us proud to be a part of this company,” says Katie. “We really do change people’s lives.”
During Real Affordable Peru, you’ll visit a school like Villa Marcelo (when in session) as part of your Day in the Life of a Peruvian highland community.