Through Their Eyes: The Everyday Life of a Peruvian High Schooler

She also has a chakra (small farm) where she works in the fields about 3 times per week.

What time does school start, and what time do you go home?:

School starts at 7:30 a.m. and ends at 2:00 p.m. There are two different 15-minute recreos (recesses) built into the day.

How do you get to school? Are you allowed to go to school by yourself?:

All the students in my town walk to school, including Connie and Sonia. Most students walk alone - even the elementary school students! It's about a 5-minute walk to school, and I live on the opposite side of town from the school.

Where do you eat lunch? What is your favorite food?:

Students eat lunch after they are released from school at 2 p.m. Most students go to their homes and eat lunch directly after school. Connie's favorite food is cuy frita con papas, or fried guinea pig with potatos. Sonia likes ceviche de trucha, or raw trout marinated in lime juice, salt, and hot peppers.

What language do you speak at school? How do you say "Hello" in your language?:

Everyone in town speaks Spanish, including the school students. Some people also speak Quechua, which was the language of the Incas before the Spanish arrived from Europe. Quechua doesn't have a way to say "hello," so you typically greet people by saying "allianchu," which translates to "How are you?"

What are some common kids' names at your school?:

There are only about 65 students in all 11 grades of the school, so most people have unique names here. However, there are a couple of girls named "Arasely" and a couple of girls named "Alison."

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