Part of the Peru exchange program that five of AAT’s senior students participated in was the Peruvians coming to Georgia now instead. They spent almost two weeks in Tbilisi and went to different places around Georgia, all of it previously planned and oversaw by faculty and administration involved. The five students, Sebastian, Avril, Luana, Micaela, and Rafa enjoyed Georgian homes, culture, cuisine, and as many things as two weeks of excursions could offer them. We decided to go more in depth into what happened during their stay, interviewing both Georgian and Peruvian students, accompanying volunteers on trips, as well as Mr. Cruz.
Interviews with Anna Partsvania, Anano Kirvalidze, and Giorgi Jakobia:
Q: What was it like to have an exchange student as a roommate? What was the experience like?
Anna: My roommate was Luana, and it was very fun to host her. Even when she was talking to her friends on the phone at night, she would always try to include me in the conversation. She liked Georgian food, especially those that my grandmother cooked. She loved Khachapuri and Ghomi, as well as the vinaigrette salad; I also made her taste fried chicken even though she said she hated it, but it turned out to be delicious for her. She basically enjoyed everything we made at home. I also made her try different kinds of cheese and tkhemali’s juice, which I sent with her back to Peru.
Anano: My roommate was Mikaela, and personally it was great to have her. We bonded very well, we have the same taste and vibes. We’re both even picky eaters, so food wasn’t a problem for us, we ordered what we liked and enjoyed our time together. I’m also a very communicative person, so that’s also helpful with these kinds of things.
Jako: My roommate was Sebastian, 15 years old, and overall more responsibility and attention was needed, since having a guest from so far away and knowing that you have to host them isn’t quite easy. He was very communicative, we just hung out, ate together, went to football games, etc.
Q: What did you guys do in the city? What were the planned activities?
Anna: So every activity or excursion was pre-planned, and we the hosts only went to some of them. But other times when we had nothing else to do, we took them out to different cafes and restaurants in Tbilisi. For example we went to Redisson, Lolita, Honore, and many others, sometimes we just split up and others might’ve gone to other places too. Some of the planned activities were Funicular on Mtatsminda on the first day, where Mikheil Chkuaseli, honorary council of Peru, basically gave them sort of an introduction of Georgia. Since it was also Tbilisoba on the first day, we took them to Orbeliani square, too.
Anano: One of the activities I took part in was going to the Bread House in Old Tbilisi, where we had a Tone baking lesson. Giorgi Jakobia, Anamaria Bayraktar, and I went there. I enjoyed it since I also got to explore a part of the city that I wouldn’t have gone to otherwise. Here they also made Khinkali and got to know Georgian cuisine better, and overall they had a great time themselves, too.
Jako: I went along on the first day to Mtatsminda. I also went on the Kakheti trip, where we toured Bodbe, then went to Vazisubani Estate, and then to Tsinandali for a festival.
Q: What were your favorite days?
Anna: I wasn’t there for many of the activities, but my favorite was probably the day when we went to Kakheti or the day after that when we went to Tabakhmela. We just had a whole free day and went to the restaurant. Not doing anything much and just bonding with each other was really pleasant, too. I also really liked going to Mukhran, where they toured the winery. It was funny how I had already showed Luana wine-related tools at home and she pointed out that she knows what they are already.
Anano: My favorite was going to Vardzia with Levan Ghambashidze, history teacher. Since we were a small group there, he was able to explain things better and more clearly rather than if there were a whole class, like on excursions. Peruvians were also very interested in the place and in what Levan was saying, they were very engaged the whole time, which I was a little surprised by. The best one was when Gvantsa Zhuruli took us to the Georgian National Museum and then to a dance recital by Erisoni. The whole recital was planned for us, where they presented typical Georgian dances and singing live. All of this was very charming and amazing.
Jako: My favorite was the 14th of October, which is a national holiday for us. On that day we took the kids to East Point, which was fun as we got on the games and just had fun. After that we went to the Georgia v Albania football game with their principal, Mr. Requena. This was memorable for me because it’s good to introduce our culture and atmosphere to people from other countries. Even though we lost, I’m still satisfied with taking them there to show what it’s like.
Q: Overall, how did this experience leave you feeling? What were the good and bad parts?
Anna: I would say that us going to Peru was more fun for me. Them coming here was fun too, of course, it’s just that it was very tiring to look after them all the time and try to entertain them the best we could, especially considering that some were shy and younger than us, 14-15 year olds.. Hosting is tiring, I guess. But it was great to have an opportunity to share our culture and home with them, being the ones to introduce them to Georgia. The not-so-good things were that we couldn’t go on all of the activities with them, which I wanted to because all of it was well planned and very interesting. But even though we were limited to activities so that we wouldn’t miss much of school, it was hard to keep up with all the tests and homeworks at that time. I still have two math assignments I haven’t submitted yet.
Anano: It was kind of tiring to have to go to all these events and then in the evening go out again, since we couldn’t just not do anything at home, they were here for a short time anyways. But I had a lot of fun for sure and bonded very well with Mikaela. And even though Mr. Cruz’s plan was to not take us, the hosts, on too many activities so we’d have to miss too much school. I still went on a lot of them because I was really eager to, so the only time I could study was when they went to sleep. I would do all of these again, for sure, and all five of us hosts really enjoyed everything.
Jako: Even though I was very tired in the end, it was pleasant to show them around our country, culture, kitchen, history, city and its architecture. Everything really, since the tour we planned for them came out to be very diverse and interesting. Showing them part of Georgia was interesting for them and even for us, we either remembered some things we might have forgotten or even learned something. Overall it was good, but the hard thing was to keep up with all these activities; I couldn’t see my friends properly for two weeks, so that was a little disappointing.
Anamaria Bayraktar, a Senior, volunteered to accompany the group for a day. We asked her about the day and how it went: “I spent a day in Old Tbilisi with a group of Peruvians. We explored the area, visiting both churches and sulfur baths. Then we were wandering through the streets taking many pictures. Later, we stopped at a Georgian restaurant, where the Peruvians had the chance to make traditional dishes themselves, including Khinkali, Khachapuri, and Georgian Shotis puri. Afterward, they enjoyed eating the food they had prepared. They also bought many Georgian souvenirs, both for their families and for themselves. Overall both Peruvians and we really enjoyed this small excursion.”
Georgian students also joined Peruvian students on an exciting excursion to the Kakheti Region, led by their teacher, Sandro Mikelashvili. The journey began with a two-hour drive to Bodbe Monastery, named in honor of St. Nino. Here, the Peruvian students were given the chance to see St. Nino’s convent and admire the beautiful setting. The group stopped to take some memorable photos with the Alazani Valley in the background.
Their next stop at Vazisubani Estate. Upon arrival the students from both countries were amazed by the stunning views and the charming facility. They had fun playing billiards, which was enjoyed by everyone. In the evening, they moved on to their final stop, Tsinandali Estate, arriving just minutes before closing. Mr. Sandro guided the Peruvian students through Aleksandre Chavchavadze’s historic palace and the Tsinandali Old Winery, giving them a sight into Georgian culture and history. Before heading back to Tbilisi, they relaxed in the palace garden, playing games and enjoying the peaceful surroundings.
Sebastian Padilla, Giorgi Jakobia’s pair, gave us a bit of his insight when asked what he liked in Georgia and what his overall impression is: “My favorite activity was dancing and singing together with the Georgian gentlemen. Vardzia was another of my favorites. I liked the dancing and the singing because it was very impressive to me, and Vardzia because of its architecture and that it was an underground city. The culture was very beautiful and a pleasant experience from which I was able to learn a lot. The part that may be most memorable for me was seeing the great impact that the Catholic religion had on Georgia and how they acquired it.” When asked if he would’ve liked anything to be different, he answered: “No, the truth is, I felt very happy to have this experience and if you asked me if I would do it again, I would definitely say yes.” Gladly, it seems that he left Georgia in good and high spirits.
Lastly, director of GZAAT, Andres Cruz, provided deep insights into the newly launched Peru exchange program, describing it as a successful pilot initiative that engaged five students this year. This marked the first time the school had carried out an exchange program with a country in South America. He explained that starting with a small group was a careful decision because new programs can be unpredictable.
One notable aspect of the program is the seasonal contrast. Peru is situated in South America, which means it has different seasons compared to Georgia. When it is summer in Tbilisi, it is winter in Peru. This seasonal timing works well for both groups: the Georgian students can travel to Peru right after finishing their school year, while the Peruvian students can visit Tbilisi at the beginning of the Georgian school year. This arrangement has proven to be ideal for everyone involved.The director of their school Mr. Luis Requena accompanied the Peruvian students. He was also involved because there were uncertainties about how the exchange program would go, especially since it was the first time this initiative had been organized in Georgia. Mr. Cruz said that the students showed a strong interest in learning about the country, and surprisingly, they expressed a desire to spend more time at the school. After several days of outings, both the director and the visiting students requested to cancel some scheduled trips in order to spend more time attending classes and experiencing the daily life of Georgian students.
He also noted that the continuation of the program depends on student interest. Since the trip is long and can be uncomfortable and expensive, it will only proceed if there are enough students willing to participate. The advantage of staying with host families helps to reduce costs, as students do not have to pay for hotels. While it is not yet clear whether the exchange will occur every year or every two years, If enough students express a desire to take part, the school is eager to continue this valuable opportunity.
Mr. Cruz explained that the exchange program offers a unique experience. While traditional travel allows participants to see interesting sites, the real value comes from spending time with a host family. This arrangement encourages students to engage with people from different cultures, helping them to understand and appreciate diverse customs and lifestyles. Although Peru has European influences due to its history as part of the Spanish Empire, it also has a rich cultural identity that is distinct from European countries. This experience provides students with a deeper understanding of a way of life that is very different from their own in Georgia, making the program even more impactful.
Edited by: Keto Kapianidze
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