Twenty-three students, four chaperones, and one trip to Peru. The North Atlanta Hiking Club traveled approximately 3,209 miles from Atlanta to Lima, Peru, over fall break. Through the EF Tours program they used, they experienced one of the Seven Wonders of the world, Machu Picchu. Dubs tried guinea pig and alpaca, experienced Peruvian dance, and visited a community through the non-profit organization, CooperarPeru. Not only that, they went on a number of hikes, witnessing incredible views as high schoolers. Even a special hike overlooking Machu Picchu.
Juniors Adelaide Middleton and Rowenna Dawson brought the hiking club to NAHS last year with Erin Turner. Turner, one of North’s Literature teachers, agreed to sponsor the club, and as they planned the big trip, Turner’s experience as a chaperone for field trips came in handy, as well as her love for traveling. “Why not use this as an excuse to plan a trip?” Turner thought. She looked into trips through EF tours that would connect to the hiking club and decided on Peru. They spent nine days total on the trip, including travel days, visiting Lima, Cuzco, and Aguas Calientes, the closest city to Machu Picchu.
One of the highlights of the trip was a visit to an afterschool program through CooperarPeru’s organization. Students were able to play soccer with locals, meet Peruvian children of all ages, and connect with the local community in various ways. Turner witnessed the excitement of many Dubs socializing with those around them. She noted this was the highlight of the trip for many of the students. One student who experienced this closeness with a kid was a sophomore, Charlotte Nichols. “I got close to this one girl, she opened up to me very easily. We played tag a lot, and when I left, she started crying,” she said.
The hiking club was able to embrace the culture of Peru in a variety of ways. Some students were brave enough to taste alpaca and guinea pigs. Adelaide Middleton spoke on the food she tasted, commenting that alpaca tasted similar to steak, while guinea pig tasted similar to chicken. However, it was more than the food. It was visiting the iconic site of Peru: Machu Picchu. “We were able to go on a private trail up a mountain, well, half of us did it,” she said. “We were able to overlook Machu Picchu from even higher than before. It was just us up there, and it was beautiful.”
This trip to Peru allowed students to engage with a different culture in ways that they might not get to experience in their everyday lives. Whether that is by tasting the local food, engaging with the community, or enjoying the historical wonders. Memories were made, alpaca tasted, and Machu Picchu seen. The students and chaperones who switched it up this fall break, to go to Peru, came back with lots of stories to tell. Middleton reflected that this trip wasn’t just a trip. “It was seriously one of the best weeks of my life, and I think everyone who went on a trip can attest to that,” she said. “Not to be corny, but it was life changing.”
