Over spring break, 16 Upper School Spanish students traveled through Perú, exploring the country’s rich history, culture, and traditions while visiting Lima, Cusco, and Puno from March 19-28. 

Accompanied by World Languages Department Co-Chair Corey Henderson, Spanish teacher Lilian Pérez-Rezazadeh, and Upper School counselor Leslie Piccioni, students immersed themselves in Peruvian life through cultural experiences, historical site visits, and meaningful exchanges with local communities.

Highlights of the trip included visiting Machu Picchu, exploring Lake Titicaca and the floating Uros Islands, participating in a Peruvian cooking class, and connecting with students at a local school through friendly soccer and volleyball games. Students also visited the indigenous community of Misminay, where they learned about ancestral weaving, farming traditions, and participated in a ceremony honoring Mama Pacha (Mother Earth).

“One of my favorite memories from the trip was the culinary class we took where we cooked lomo saltado,” shared Pearl Ford ’29. “I enjoyed this experience because the dish we cooked is very popular in Perú and I got to learn about Peruvian cuisine. Additionally, this was a great group bonding exercise and was fun.”

Throughout the trip, students embraced the challenges and rewards of traveling at high elevation while experiencing Perú’s architecture, cuisine, languages, geography, and indigenous traditions firsthand.

“Our students truly had strong growth mindsets,” said Henderson. “Students adapted well to new foods, new schedules, and new rhythms of life. These are the types of experiences that allow students to grow and become successful world citizens.”

Students also reflected on the similarities they discovered while connecting with local teenagers during the trip.

“Over this trip, I learned how similar teens in Perú and teens in California are,” said Ford. “No matter how many miles away we are or what language we speak, we are all teenagers with similar humor and interests.”

For Pérez-Rezazadeh, one of the most meaningful moments came during the group’s visit to the Misminay community.

“As a Peruvian, this experience was especially meaningful to me, as it allowed me to reconnect with my roots and share such an emotional moment with my students and colleagues,” she said.

The trip is part of the World Languages Department’s ongoing commitment to supporting Viewpoint’s World Ready Promise by giving students opportunities to engage with language and culture beyond the classroom through immersive global experiences.

“We pride ourselves on being a school that produces World Ready graduates,” Henderson said. “What better way to prepare our students than having them learn first-hand about people and cultures through the lens of travel?”