Afternoon Sabbatical at Goshen College brings a taste of Perú to Michiana on April 11; Register for meal by March 31

GOSHEN, Ind. – From the dry coastal desert to the majestic height of the Perúvian Andes Mountains to the tropical zone of the jungle, Perú is widely known as a land of contrasts. As part of the Goshen College Afternoon Sabbatical series, on April 11 an international luncheon will be offered in the Church Fellowship Hall at noon focusing on this interesting country. The deadline for registration is March 31.

Participants in this luncheon will enjoy a traditional Peruvian meal of “Papas a la Huancaína” – a sort of Peruvian potato salad, “Locro” – a pumpkin-based stew, “Ají de Gallina” – spicy chicken over rice, and “Tres Leches” cake. Associate Professor of Spanish Dean Rhodes, leader of the 2005 SST group to Perú, and Janette Yoder, host of the Adult Education trip to Perú in 2004, will then help participants to experience bustling Lima, the Amazon Jungle, historic Cuzco, amazing Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley of the Incas and the Andean Mountains.

“The program will include the very interesting history of this land and the Inca peoples. Dean will give background on the economic, political and social climate of Peru,” said Yoder. Participants in this luncheon will also have the opportunity to view an abbreviated photo journal from the 2004 trip. “We hope that they get a ‘feel’ of what it was like to travel there,” said Yoder.

According to Rhodes, the history of this land of contrasts can be traced back to the name the Incas first gave to the country, “Tahuantinsuyo,” which means “land of the four quarters.” These four geographical quarters feature the jungle, the high sierra, the dry coastal desert and the rich island off the coast. The fifth section added – in modern Lima – is, said Rhodes, “a world all to its own.”

He said, “You can travel east from the Pacific Ocean across the arid coastal desert and in a few hours be high in the Andes Mountains, and then drop back down to the jungle on the eastern side of the mountains. There is such contrast in a small geographical area.”

Cost for the luncheon is $20 before March 31 and $25 after. To register, contact the Goshen College Welcome Center by calling (574) 535-7566 or e-mailing welcomecenter@goshen.edu.

Future programs in the Afternoon Sabbatical series:

·    May 9 – Bus tour to Meijer Gardens and Ford Museum. Cost: $45.

– By Jen Rupp

Editors: For more information about this release, to arrange an interview or request a photo, contact Goshen College News Bureau Director Jodi H. Beyeler at (574) 535-7572 or jodihb@goshen.edu.

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Goshen College, established in 1894, is a four-year residential Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. The college’s Christ-centered core values – passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant-leadership – prepare students as leaders for the church and world. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program, Goshen has earned citations of excellence in Barron’s Best Buys in Education, “Colleges of Distinction,” “Making a Difference College Guide” and U.S.News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” edition, which named Goshen a “least debt college.” Visit www.goshen.edu.