Full days, full hearts
Posted by Kathryn Schmidt, Peru SST Co-leader
Photos by Sadie G.Z. and Lena C.
The Peru SST Unit has had a full few days. We have been surprised to have rain, here in this city that is nearly as dry as Cairo, Egypt. (Some students joked that they brought it, but we disagree. If that were true it would have been snow!)
Thursday morning, we picked up the 16 students at their hostel right after breakfast and took them on a walk to Casa Goshen. They were still chipper, even after their short night (arriving at the hostel around 2 a.m. the night before.) We then had a full day that included much orientation/syllabus information, several walks, some delicious food, and many introductions. Already by mid-day they were all joking and laughing like old friends. A highlight was a climb from the Malecon (ocean walk) down the steep cliff steps to the Pacific Ocean. Jonah and Zachary joined in. Alicia, a long-time friend of the program, child-care giver and chef offered a lovely tasting of local fruits.
Friday was a walking tour of Centro de Lima, the historical district. We all marveled at the Colonial architecture of the Plaza de Armas, and amazing people-watching. Clearly, people gather in this famous region from all over the world. We watched the changing of the guard and listened to the band; some recognized the famous theme from ‘Carmina Burana’, as many of them sang it with GC choirs! We had a tour of the magnificent El Catedral and marveled at the contrast between the opulent gilded displays (not an inch is missed) and the gloomy catacombs below. Then, lunch at La Merced where all got to practice ordering 2 courses in Spanish! There was much giggling and gesturing. One final tour of Iglesia de Santo Domingo was a peaceful respite after a full day; the monastery’s peaceful chapel, rose garden and gregorian chant allowed the whole group to exhale. In unison, almost. Then, a steep climb up 150 meters to the top of the clock tower, the tallest in Lima! The panoramic views helped us all to understand a little more the herculean scope of this city.
By 5:15 we were back at Buen Pastor, the church where the students will take their classes, in order to meet the host families. Any nervousness was quickly dispelled with warm greetings by these wonderful Peruvian families: a big smile, a kiss on the cheek, a hug, a photo and they were off! Ready to start 6 weeks of behaving like locals, somewhat.
