Page 4 - Dec 01

of date, numbers were slightly down, however the "Clear Waters" Cafe was buzzing
with happy conversation.

Kawana Waters State College hosted the event and the delicious lunch was prepared and
served by students undertaking the hospitality program at the college. College musicians and
the Primary Choir provided the musical entertainment. Upon leaving, the choir gave each
attendee a handmade Christmas gift, adding to the smiles. A big "thank you" to Deputy
Principal Anne Allen and her great team for playing such a big part in making so many happy
memories for our guests.

Some guest comments heard during the lunch:

"Thank you so much for organising today for us!", "This is the highlight of my week.", "This
is the only gift I'll receive - I appreciate it!", "We feel so lucky.", "Wow. This is wonderful !!"
No Christmas party would be complete without Santa. He arrived and continued spreading
the Christmas cheer, including a gift for all, carefully chosen and wrapped by his busy Elves.
A joyous occasion where youth and seniors were able to celebrate the Peace and Goodwill of
the Christmas season.

Our Exchange Students

Last month, I had the opportunity to travel through different parts of Peru. It was one of the
most unique experiences I've had all year and it really opened my eyes up to traveling and
exploring the world. I went with a group of 4 other exchange students and a couple of Rotary
members as well. We all spent 2 weeks travelling in completely different areas. The locations
ranged from staying 3 nights in the middle of Lake Titicaca on a floating island to hiking all
the way up Machu Picchu.
What an experience and what a journey. In contrast to Brazil, Peru was always freezing.
Alongside of Titicaca and Machu Picchu, we ended up staying in other cities like Lima,
Paracas, Nazca, Ollantaytambo and Cusco as well.

One of the strangest things that I have done in my life was when we ate Guinea Pig in Peru.
Surprisingly it tasted like chicken, however I would never eat it again. I had a really fun
experience with the local culture and was able to learn more about the history of Peru and the
Incas that inhabited the surrounding areas.

We visited many archaeological sites and were able to see different artefacts that were
recovered from the ruins of temples and ancient civilizations there. While being in Peru I was
also able to improve my language skills and found that Portuguese and Spanish are extremely
similar to each other.

Overall, this trip was a once in a lifetime experience and I am so grateful that I was able to go
and enjoy everything it had to offer.