PERU — Seventeen-year-old Kirsten Uhde loves learning about various cultures, talking to foreign-exchange students who attend Dirigo High School, and reading about exotic places.

Next month, the Peru resident will have a chance to visit one of those places and learn about a new culture. She’ll travel to the country of Peru in western South America to attend school in Huancayo, a city of more than 320,000 people. She’ll return home next January or February.

  Her quest to become a foreign-exchange student started nearly two years ago when she began applying to the services that place such students. Peru wasn’t her first choice, but as a third-year Spanish student, and after researching the country, she’s pleased she’ll be able to use her fledgling language skills.

“Everything worked out. It’s funny that I’m going to Peru and I’m coming from Peru,” she said. “It would be pretty neat to get senior pictures taken there,” she said.

This will be her second trip out of the country; the first was to Quebec.

“I’m really excited. I know it will be a slow start trying to understand and maybe feeling homesick. But I’m most excited about meeting new people and getting to do different things.”

She said she has talked on the telephone with her host mother, who is a teacher
learning English, and has learned that she’ll have younger and older
host sisters. 

She’s taking along a leather-bound journal her mother, Nancy Uhde, gave her for Christmas and her trumpet. She’s leaving behind a laptop and cell phone, because she wants to travel light.

Udhe said she wants to be a writer and believes her Peruvian experience may help her do just that.

“I’ve read about authors and how they get inspiration. I’ve read
fantasy books and books with lots of scenery and landscaping. That’s
impressive. I’ve wanted to travel for a long time,” she said.

An avid reader, she is a member of the school’s book club, captain of the speech club, a member of the Dirigo band and a tennis player.

She is not sure if she’ll be able to graduate with her class at Dirigo High School
when she returns. It all depends on the number of credits she earns in
Peru that can be transferred.

  Becoming a foreign-exchange student from the American Field Service costs $9,250. She received a $1,500 scholarship from the American Field Service, and paid $900 down, but must raise the rest herself.

Her friends and family are holding a potluck spaghetti supper on Feb. 19 at the American Legion Hall in Dixfield to help. Along with the meal, will be raffles on various items donated by local businesses.

Other friends are organizing a bottle drive, and Uhde wants odd jobs to earn money for her trip. Those who want to help may call 562-4820, or contact her at [email protected]

As a fan of the school’s annual Diversity Day each January, she’s
thinking maybe she’ll be asked someday to be a presenter, to tell other
students what it was like to be a student in the country of Peru. 

[email protected]

Kirsten Uhde of Peru, a student at Dirigo High School in Dixfield, will be flying to the country of Peru next month to be a foreign-exchange student for one year.