In June 2021, current NDA sophomores will have an opportunity to travel abroad, this time to Peru with NDA teachers Christian and Crystal Dory.

Mr. Dory teaches social studies and his wife Crystal teaches Spanish.

The Dorys travel frequently and have a plethora of stories to tell. 

“I have been to six of the seven continents and 38 countries,” said Mr. Dory. “I have found that the education one gets from travel experiences far exceeds watching or reading about it.” 

Wednesday Mr. Dory said 18 students had already signed up for the trip.  Their maximum would be 30. 

The price will be $4,100 per student. 

The activities will include language classes each day and a “mixture of guided cultural activities and free time to explore on your own” through Lima, Cuzco, Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. 

“It is an educational trip with a service to the local community component. We’ll work closely with area nonprofits and community members to better understand local challenges, while mixing in language lessons to foster authentic interactions with locals,” said Mr. Dory.  

“Past projects,” he added, “have included planting community gardens and building pathways.” 

Will Ernst, senior at NDA, went to Peru in 2016 for two and a half weeks. 

“We hiked the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu for five days,” said Ernst. “We also climbed the Waytapallana Mountain.”

“Machu Picchu was way bigger than anyone would think and was pretty breathtaking. Some of the pictures we took there that I look back on remind me of how incredible it was to see one of the 8th Wonders of the World. My brothers and I thought it was crazy that they could build everything without machinery,” said Ernst.

His favorite part was seeing the wildlife up close, particularly getting up close to the wild llamas.

“They spit on my older brother Hans, part of the  NDA class of 2017, when he tried to pet them.”

The Ernsts started off in the city of Lima and worked their way down to Cusco where they spent the majority of their time.

“The culture there was great, and my brothers and I made many new friends,” said the senior. “It was a life-changing experience, and I would definitely recommend it to NDA students.”

Alum Lexi Brada, who has been student teaching at NDA, echoes the words of Ernst.  She and her family traveled to Peru in August and called their seven-hour hike on the Inca Trail the “highlight of our trip.”

“The hike brought us to a fantastic view above Machu Picchu that most people don’t get to experience,” she said.  “The Rainbow Mountains were also unreal.  All the pictures I’d seen online I always assumed were color adjusted.  But it’s just as vibrant and stunning in real life as it is on computer screens.”

Interested in the trip?  Check out this link submitted by Mr. Dory: Sign up here to go to Peru!