Quincy Junior-Senior High School reports that a group of students and accompanying adults — dubbed the Quincy Trojan Travelers — recently returned from a tour of Peru. The group, consisting of 19 students and seven adults, spent ten days during spring break exploring the coastal, mountain and Amazon regions of Peru.
The trip included visits to the archeological sites Machu Picchu, Saqsaywaman and Ollantaytambo, where expert local guides taught the group about the ancient Incas and how they lived during precolonial times. With several destinations located in the Andes, many travelers set personal elevation records at 12,480 feet.
Throughout the trip, partnered with EF Educational Tours, the travelers had many opportunities to experience Peruvian culture, said organizer Karen Hicks. Highlights of the tour included excursions to a weaving community, an artist’s studio, a local home, a school and a theater dance performance.
“Every day had multiple adventures that were fun and educational,” said traveler Teresa Bertocchi.
Students participated in a cooking class, where they learned to prepare causa, a traditional Peruvian dish. And yes, travelers even got to try cuy — guinea pig — and alpaca meat, said Hicks.
Another group of students from New York toured with the Trojan Travelers, and Hicks said friendships were easily formed. During downtime, students enjoyed a pickup soccer game with local teens.
Following the mountain excursions, the group boarded a plane to the Amazon jungle, where motor boats transported the travelers from place to place each day. Visits in the Amazon region included a trip to a native Yagua community where travelers danced with the natives and learned to use a blow-dart shooter.
Travelers also went fishing and caught nine piranhas, which were then cooked and served for dinner that night.
“This is an experience that will forever be remembered, and has opened our students’ eyes to future travel,” said Hicks. “It was the trip of a lifetime!”
Hicks said planning for the trip began over a year ago, and fundraising began and continued nonstop. Local businesses, groups and private donors offered fundraising opportunities for the travelers to earn money and help pay their way, raising community awareness of the huge endeavor. The group offers thanks to everyone that supported the trip.
“Marisa and I want to provide heartfelt thanks to Karen Hicks who did an incredible job organizing and communicating throughout the planning phase and on the trip itself,” said parent Derek Lerch. “We feel lucky that Luke and Karen’s other students were able to have this special opportunity as part of their experience at Quincy High.”