City Department
Neighborhood Resources
Sister City Santiago de Surco, Peru
Spanish Language Class is underway!
9 students and 2 chaperones will travel to Surco, Peru this summer after school lets out for 2 weeks. While in our Sister City of Santiago de Surco, Peru they will also travel to Cusco and explore the ancient fortress city of Macchu Picchu.
Student's Prospective of Peru Trip
Written by: Allison Rodriguez, Forestview High School
The trip to Peru brought life changing experiences to the whole group from the food, music, culture, animals, and most of all the people.
We landed in Lima and spent a few hours in a hotel then were off to Cuzco. After we got off the plane, we drove through the city and went straight to the hotel. As soon as we entered the hotel, we had to drink this tea called “chai.” Chai has a special kind of leaf that helps get rid of altitude sickness. I drank Chai almost the entire time that I was in Peru, not only to prevent me from getting altitude sickness, but also because it gave me energy and it was the best hot tea I have ever drank. EVERYTHING I ate and drank was delicious! The main dishes that we ate had rice, potato, choclo (big, sweet corn), chicken, and for the drink it was always chicha (a drink made from purple corn). Peru’s other most common food is seafood. There is raw fish coated with butter with a zest of lemon (ceviche). The other meals that I ate were quite unusual. My first encounter with a different food was hamburger made from alpaca meat. The next food that I experienced was cow heart (that was my personal favorite). The last food was “Quy,” which is guinea pig; unfortunately I did not get the chance to try the “Quy,” but Mary did, and she loved it! Food was one of the best parts about visiting Peru!
The views were gorgeous in Peru! We saw the beautiful Incan civilization of Machu Picchu. I still can’t believe that I have visited one of the new 7 wonders in the world, and walked on stone that the Incans put together five hundred years ago! Machu Picchu was one of the most beautiful sites we have visited, yet the most difficult as well. Ash, Mary, Corwin and I were the only ones who had the “guts” to climb Machu Picchu Mountain. It took us about two hours hiking up and one hour getting down. We had to take many breaks; four minutes climbing and two minutes resting. “Those four minutes were the longest four minutes in my entire life!” Corwin would say. To see off the top of Machu Picchu is definitely worth the hike.
My favorite part about Peru was the dancing. I love to dance, especially salsa. We would go out some nights to disco tecas and take some salsa lessons. I think everyone’s favorite part about going to Peru was meeting all of the students at the “Colegio de Santa Margarita.” There was not one person that made us feel unwelcomed. I know it sounds weird, but I actually wish they would speak more Spanish to us, their English was phenomenal, and their personalities were even better. It was like a big Peruvian family. I think we all wanted to have three weeks in Peru that is how wonderful it was!
The whole trip was truly breath taking and unforgettable. I am so thankful that I was able to visit Peru. I hope to visit again soon, so I can see my Peruvian familia again!
Students from Surco will continue these exchanges by traveling to Gastonia in January 201
City Santiago de Surco Update 2009
2008-2009 Spanish Exchange
Students representing Gaston Day School and Ashbrook High School participated in a student exchange to Santiago de Surco Peru in June 2007. The students and chaperones visited historical sites, tasted the local dining and learned the Peruvian culture during their 10 day visit.
Information concerning the next Spanish exchange will be available in 2009.
Gastonia Sister Cities
"Peace through People"
Luis Donet, 10 and Maricielo Belén, 9 perform at the Rotary Pavilion Dedication on April 16, 2005. Award winning dancers from Santiago de Surco, Peru, they performed for the day-long celebration, as did the band from Gotha-Germany.
Machu Picchu
Letter to Parents from Dr. Sadler
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