This past summer, a group of students and chaperones traveled to Peru, where they endured various adventures, experienced great culture shock and found a love for traveling. In June, 24 students and teachers set flight to the Floridian city of Miami, where they spent eight hours touring the city before embarking on their ten-day Peruvian adventure. In Peru, they spent time enjoying the renowned wonder of the world, Macchu Picchu, saw the Incan capital of Cuzco and met indigenous families on the islands of Lake Titicaca.
For many of these students, Peru was the first foreign country that they visited. Many people were not sure what to expect of the city, and many were caught off guard by the cultural differences they faced. Things as simple as the pricing of goods and services, to the complex changes in hospitality and food were extremely eye-opening.
Spanish teacher
Mrs. Lindsay Johnson chaperoned the Peru trip, just as she has for many past language trips. She recalled the differences she felt and experienced in comparison to the other trips she had gone on.
“Peru is by far the poorest country I’ve ever visited. You go to Europe, and you know, it’s gorgeous. Are there homeless people on the street? Yes, but it’s not the majority,” she said.
The students saw firsthand how the lives of Peruvians differed vastly from Americans. Coming from North Canton, people will not see homeless people or beggars every foot of a sidewalk, but in Peru, individuals are sitting on the side of the road selling handmade goods, food and tourist souvenirs for some sort of income. It appeared normal that people were lining the streets with their small shops and such, and it also felt normal to walk past without granting any acknowledgment. It was not unusual to see business owners who had their children help in shops or just running around unmonitored.
“It was eye-opening to see how families lived, how children were at places of business until 10-11 p.m. at night. That’s just their way of life,” Johnson said. “I felt bad for them at first, but then I kind of reminded myself that this is all they know. [The kids] are very loved and they’re taken care of in the way that they understand.”
Peru defied many of the students’ expectations of the country. Every city seemed vastly different from the others that they visited, and it made it hard to grasp a true understanding of how the Peruvians lived. Reyna Kelly, a Hoover High School alum, took her first out-of-country trip to Peru with the group. She feels grateful and appreciative to be born into this country, but she is also very thankful for the opportunity she had when she went to Peru.
“It made me realize that although I’m so lucky to live in America, I want to continue to travel throughout my life so I can experience the best of all worlds,” she said.
Growing up in a small American town had an impact on the lives of many students. They are not sure what to expect or how to feel before embarking on a journey, and those emotions can be overwhelming, exciting or scary. The food was incredibly different and the natural landscapes were breathtaking.
“It was amazing trying new foods I’ve never even heard of or even eating a food that seemed to strange in American cultures,” Kelly said. “I was met with surprise by the beauty of Peru! It was unlike anything I’ve ever seen or experienced before, and it never failed to take my breath away.”
Johnson had hoped the students would see this trip as “a new way of life for them.” Traveling allows people to take personal, spiritual and cultural leaps. It is a chance to try new things, face new challenges and understand the struggles of others.
“Taking students on trips just brings me joy to see them step out of their comfort zone, try something new, leave their own circle of familiarity and experience something bigger than North Canton,” she said.
The Peru Spanish trip was an unforgettable experience for all the students who joined. Going to Peru is not something people hear others say very often. There are so many different and memorable aspects of this trip that these students will never take for granted.
“I hope that [the language trips] sparks the love for traveling in them and the love for adventure, and that they continue to live their life with that fearlessness of trying new things and meeting new people and speaking new languages and learning about new cultures,” Johnson said.
