VISITS & E XC H A NG ES
Washington Exchange 2018 Twenty-five Peterites crossed the Atlantic for October half term to meet up with our old friends at Walt Whitman High School, Bethesda and to spend 10 days exploring Washington DC. This was the sixth of our school exchange visits and we were generously hosted once again by Walt Whitman families and enjoyed getting to know the American students hosting us whilst spending some time in a typical US High School. From Bethesda we were an easy Metro ride to the centre of DC with its wealth of political and cultural sites - not to mention the shops and branches of Shake Shack which quickly became this trip’s favourite eatery. This was an opportunity to bring to life the American Politics and History being studied back at St Peter’s. We enjoyed a full tour of Congress, including a rarely seen, behind the scenes ride on Congress’ miniature underground rail road which links its different buildings. Most students’ favourite day was the one where we hired bikes and enjoyed a cycle tour of the National Mall, taking in the national memorials to former Presidents and those lost in battle – ending up at Arlington National Cemetery and the graves of the Unknown Warrior and President Kennedy. We were also able to take in many of the constituent museums of the Smithsonian; including a visit to the newly opened National Museum of African American History and Culture, in a stunning new building. Our day of museums culminated in the gastronomic highlight of the trip: a meal of chicken tendies at Harriet’s Diner, each meal crowned with an Oreo cookie – I suppose that’s what they meant by dessert being inclusive. It was a meal and an experience that will live long in all our memories…
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The Peterite 2018–2019
“This was an opportunity to bring to life American Politics and History.”
