interview. “I didn’t think I had a chance to get it, but I took a shot
in the dark,” Colin says.
He was a little nervous about the trip because he studied
French in high school instead of Spanish. His parents were also
worried that he might get sick or hurt. But, he got along well with
the other students and learned a lot about interacting with people
from different backgrounds.
The diversity of Peru surprised Colin, since it’s a small
country. He met Peruvians from different traditional cultures
and experienced many environments, from the cold Andes
Mountains to the hot and humid jungles of Peru. Patacancha is
about two hours from the nearest city and sits at an elevation of
14,000 feet. One day, the group went on a 10-mile hike. Several
students suffered from altitude
sickness but Colin felt fine.
The students explored
traditional Peruvian culture and
the environment. Colin learned
how to carve wood figures and
spin Alpaca wool. Potatoes are a
staple of Peruvian food and the
students ate it in some form at
every meal. They also learned
about how shaman use plants in
traditional medicine.
“Even in tourist towns there
is still a culture to that area that
most people don’t seek out,”
Colin notes. “I thought it was very
interesting how the natives in the
region utilized everything they
had.”
The group also visited Machu Pichu, the famous Incan city.
Colin toured the abandoned ruins and hiked up to the Sun Gate,
which overlooks the city. “You could see everything below you,”
he recalls. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
He and the other participants also learned a lot about
environmental sustainability. They saw how some Peruvian
farmers cut down forests to grow more crops in a process known
as slash and burn agriculture.
The trip also highlighted the value of relationships, and Colin
made friends with many of the other students as well as the
Peruvians who hosted them. He stays in touch with many of the
people he met. “When you’re with people almost a month, you
get to know them better than some of your friends back home,”
he explains. “They treated us like family.”
One memorable experience reminded him that material
possessions aren’t important. The group’s baggage was lost for
several days while they were visiting the hot and humid Peruvian
jungles.
“We were miserable, but you have to just go with it because
anything can happen,” Colin says. “Losing our stuff was
unimportant because we were experiencing the culture, and that
didn’t take away from it at all.”
He encourages other students to consider similar
opportunities even if it’s outside their comfort zone. Colin
wants to return to Peru in the future but also wants to visit other
regions that aren’t overrun by tourists. After college, he would
like to become a diplomat.
For more information, visit https://amizade.org. ■
551 Thorn Run Road
Moon Township, PA 15108
Phone: (412) 262-1638
Childcare: [email protected]
Dance / Gymnastics: [email protected]
Child Care
• Care from six-
weeks through
Pre-Kindergarten
• PA Department of
Education licensed
Pre-K Program
• Deployment of the
Creative Curriculum
allows for learning
through exploration
Dance Gymnastics
• Programs that start
with introductory
teaching through
competitive dance
teams. • From Pre-School
through competitive
USA Gymnastics
Teams
• Dance from three-
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school
• Day & Evening
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program
• Mommy & Me
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www.carolleones.com
Upper St. Clair
Fort Couch Rd.
412-265-1883
Crafton/Ingram
2725 Center St.
Karen L Johnson, DDS • Kathy Lopez, DMD • Eric Rackley DMD 412-265-1975
www.SouthHillsDentalArts.com
MOON TOWNSHIP
❘
SP RI NG 2018
13