Wilmington High School Students Travel To Peru

WILMINGTON, MA — Wilmington High School students traveled to Peru over February vacation, touring the cities of Lima and Cuzco as well as the world wonder Machu Picchu, an Incan emperor’s residence located in the Andes Mountains.

Spanish teacher Meghan Burns and Chemistry teacher & Science CTL Julie Kim as well as 14 of their students spent nine days touring Peru and experiencing its vibrant culture. In Lima, they swam in the Pacific Ocean, climbed to the top of a restored pre-Columbian pyramid, toured a convent with catacombs beneath it, and visited the Cathedral of Lima, which contains the remains of conquistador Francisco Pizarro. In Cuzco, located at 11,000 feet above sea level, the students fed llamas and alpacas at a wildlife sanctuary and went whitewater rafting on the Urubamba River.

“The Peru trip opened my eyes to new experiences. I was able to use Spanish in and out of the classroom setting, and most of all was exposed to South American culture,” said WHS Senior Adam Yalcin. “Although I had previously been out of the country, I had never been to South America before. We had fun at the handicrafts market, using Spanish to bargain with vendors, and speaking with the workers at the Alpaca farm, feeding the alpacas. The pinnacle of the trip, Machu Picchu, was a blast, with all of us getting to experience the Incan ruins up close. The Peru trip was a life changing experience that I will remember forever.”