A Trip to Peru by Catherine Watters March 12, 2007

Out of the 10,000 twirlers that competed at the 2006 National Baton Twirling Championships, there were 8 girls chosen to perform at the Festival de la Primavera in Trujillo, Peru. I felt honored to be one of the 8 girls chosen to travel to South America to serve as a United States delegate and performer at the various events occurring in Lima and Trujillo, Peru this past October. Every October, tens of thousands of South Americans travel to this coastal region of Peru to celebrate the “Festival of Spring” by watching many events, performances and a huge parade, which can best be described as the Rose Parade of South America! My experience began as I exited the plane at midnight in Lima, Peru. The president of the sponsors of our trip, the Trujillo Lions Club, was there to greet us, along with TV cameramen, and members of the press to photograph and interview the visiting baton twirlers, called “bastonares or waripolas”. With just a few hours of sleep, the next morning we were asked to perform on 6 different TV shows and press conferences with interviews. The following day we flew to Trujillo and that night participated in the coronation of the Queen of the festival. Throughout the entire week we performed on several more TV shows, orphanages, hospitals, sporting events, a horse show, and a beautiful parade, where each girl was given her own marching band to lead. Socially, we attended many grand dances/balls, a fashion show, and several parties where many government officials attended. We were truly treated like celebrities. For example, one day while shopping, we actually heard our names on the radio. Personal bodyguards also protected us and police escorts wherever we went. Although this was a stressful week with little sleep, it was an experience of a lifetime and one that I will never forget.