Hey /trv/, first time poster. For my senior year in highschool,

Ah, you're heading to Peru! Wonderful place, nice views. Especially from the top of Machu Picchu. For some cultural do's and don't's:

DO NOT carry around valuables or wear expensive jewelry.
DO NOT walk around shirtless. Dress informally.
DO NOT use "indio" or "indios" to refer to the natives. Those are considered derogatory to them.
DO NOT DRINK TAP WATER. Buy the bottled variant instead.
Here's a big one.
DO NOT, AND I MEAN DO NOT be offended by the word "Gringo" (foreigner; white person)

For more, I'd advise checking out these links. http://www.traveltaboo.com/peru-travel-tips-dos-and-donts/
http://www.lan.com/onlyinsouthamerica/machu-picchu-etiquette-dos-donts-visiting-inca-city-peru/
http://www.culturalcrossroads.com/cross/info/PeruDosAndDonts.html
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/peru/686145
http://www.thisboundlessworld.com/the-dos-and-donts-of-peru-a-cultural-guide-to-south-america
http://goperu.about.com/od/perutraveltips/tp/12-Things-Not-To-Do-In-Peru.htm

I hope those links help you, and good luck on your travels! :D

>>1127840
Reading for pleasure before going can enhance the fun of being in the place where those books were set. Go the library and order a few of these to peruse them properly before reading or buying one.
https://www.goodreads.com/places/4491-peru
I suggest Lost City of the Incas, since it's the travel document of the guy who discovered the ruins in the 50s. Three Letters from the Andes is also interesting. Sometimes seeing a country after someone else is enlightening, as travelers explore for different reasons and it might open your eyes to experience one aspect more.

Might want to read up on foodie things and festivals. One of the more interesting I've discovered is the fighting holiday that settles neighborly disputes, Takanakuy. This video is some dumbass-irritating hipster traveler that filmed it for VICE part 1 and 2, but enjoy the faux-lonely planet kind of commentary as he fully participates at a remote village that was a 10 hour drive. By the end of it, you get a full education though and appreciate local life. I'm sure you'll end up sharing with your classmates. It's that good!
https://www.vice.com/video/takanakuy-part-1
Filmwise, one of the best films made this year that was screened at Sundance is a documentary on Peru called When Two Worlds Collide. It can be hard to get a copy of a film that is currently in the early phases of the festival circuit, but keeps your eyes open locally, for when released in August.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5278932/awards?ref_=tt_awd

Foodwise, if you can get away from your fellow youngster travelers and drink underage at some point, you might enjoy some pisco sour if made the right way with egg white. :P For nonalcoholic the corn drink Chicha morada is a must-try, even found at mcdonalds. Of course eat lots of ceviche. Go to a market and hopefully find some sellers of fresh fruit that you've never had, such as camu camu. Guinea pig, alpaca jerky. Papas Huancaina has amazing aji sauce as does pollo.