From January 5 to 15, eleven students from the Cedar House School in Cape Town, South Africa visited Blake and spent time in Minnesota. The Cedar House students visited in the winter as it aligned best with their break.

Natasha Reyes ‘15 and seven other Blake students visited the Cape Town school over the summer. Reyes hosted Isabel Karpierz, who is a current senior at Cedar House.

According to Reyes, Karpierz absolutely loved her visit, and was amazed by the cultural and the climatic differences. The numerous stores, restaurants, and the ability to shop online without having to worry about customs surprised her. Also, Karpierz enjoyed visiting the Minnesota Zoo during her stay.

Reyes says, “They were also in shock from the weather since only two  students had seen snow.”

Dion Crushshon continues, “Even though it’s not ideal to host visitors in January… [the Cedar House students] seemed to really appreciate the unique experience.”