By: Claire Caldwell ‘27
Around lunchtime on January 16th, Ursuline Dallas had the honor of welcoming our sister school Colegio Santa Ursula from Lima, Peru. Delegates from Ursuline were able to visit the school in Lima this past July.
The Peruvian delegates have only been here for less than a week, but that did not stop them from staying busy! The first full day they were in Dallas, the delegates took a tour of downtown Dallas and were able to go explore on a trolley. For a lunch break, the group went to El Fenix for lunch and loved the food there. “The Peru delegates had the best time at El Fenix! They absolutely loved the food there and they spoke Spanish with the waiters. The waiters were so interested and asked a lot about Peru,” Ms. Ross said. The delegation also visited Reunion Tower, one of Dallas’ most popular landmarks. The next day, they traveled to the Bush library.
A culture shock that the delegation shared was that in the United States, we don’t greet people with kisses on the cheek, and instead we do hugs if its someone we know and if not, we do handshakes. Another culture shock they shared was that everyone seemed quieter and calmer here.
The Peru delegation fell into Global Week, one of Ursuline’s most busy and exciting week, so they got to join in on all the fun! Part of Global Week is celebrating Lunar New Year, so the Peru delegates made snakes out of beads and pipe cleaners because this year is the year of the snake. Every delegation that visits Dallas gives a performance, and the Peru delegation did not disappoint. They performed a traditional Peruvian dance and did a spectacular job!
“It was a magnificent and fantastic moment that I will remember forever,” Micaela Mendoza, a Peruvian delegate said.
During Global Week, the delegation gave a presentation talking about their school, traditional Peruvian foods, culture and famous tourist sites in Peru. One of the tourist sites they talked about was Machu Picchu. It is a 15th-century Inca Citadel located in the Eastern Cordillera of southern Peru on a mountain ridge at 2,430 meters. A popular Peruvian dish they talked about was ceviche. Ceviche is typically served as an appetizer and it’s made from raw fresh fish or shrimp that is then marinated in lemon and/or lime citrus juice.
On January 24, The Peru Delegation did service at Shared Ministries where they helped put food in boxes and then load the boxes in cars to be ready to give to people in need.
On Monday, January 27, the delegation will go to the Dallas World Aquarium. Not long after, they will go visit Christ the King to give a presentation to the third and fourth graders. The next day on Tuesday, The delegation will get to go see the Perot Museum of Nature and Science! “I hope the delegation likes the Perot Museum, it’s one of my favorite places! I really like it there because I would always go to the racing exhibit. When I was five, I always thought I would be as fast as the cheetahs. I really think it’s awesome their taking the Peruvians to the museum and I think their going to like it just as much as I do,” Emily Zeigfinger, an Ursuline Junior said.
Sadly, the Peruvians will have to leave on Thursday the 30th. “We will miss them so much! They have been a lovely delegation and such a pleasure to host,” Ms. Ross said.
THE BEAR FACTS 