By Jennifer Kohlhepp, Managing Editor
It would be difficult to live in or visit Cranbury and not meet Amir Moon.
Amir has worked up and down Main Street. Before waiting at Food Sing Asian Cuisine, he served customers at Teddy’s Restaurant and Cranbury Pizza. Always with a smile, he helps at the library, shovels snow and is often involved in a good conversation or making strangers feel at home.
That’s why locals call the 17-year-old “the mayor of Cranbury.” Now, after a summer experience that took him to Peru, some are calling him “Cranbury’s ambassador.”
His pleasant demeanor grabbed the attention of a teacher at Princeton High School, where he’s a junior. Amir’s not in Marty Hayden’s class but his personality shined when she saw him in the hallway. Ms. Hayden, a Spanish teacher, also operates Creating Ties, a Peruvian-American travel organization offering unique service learning opportunities in Peru for students.
When Amir expressed interest in going on one of her trips, Ms. Hayden wanted to help make it happen for him. She helped him start a GoFundMe campaign called “Support Amir Moon’s Trip to Peru.” He also worked extra hours, sold candy and did odd jobs. As a result, the community came together to help him raise more than $6,000 to embark on the learning experience.
“I’ve been organizing these trips the last 12 years and I’m so appreciative of how he embraced everything,” Ms. Hayden said.
She noted that Amir did not speak Spanish prior to traveling to Peru but that “he caught up with it and always spoke Spanish” throughout the trip.
“He put so much effort into immersing himself,” Ms. Hayden said. “He’s all heart.”
Ms. Hayden appeared with Amir at the Cranbury Public Library last Friday for Amir’s presentation, “Creating Ties in Peru,” during which they both talked about the trip and thanked all of those who helped fund Amir’s excursion.
“Thank you for helping make his dream come true and for helping me get to know him more than in the hallway,” Ms. Hayden said.
“We did it,” Amir said. “Thank you!”
He traveled to Lima where he experienced the rich colonial heritage of the capital of Peru. He toured the Sacred Valley of the Incas where he saw the Pre-Columbian salt mines of Mara. Amir also visited Cusco, capital of the Inca Empire, as well as a women’s weaving cooperative where he learned to weave.
During the community service portion of the trip, he taught Peruvian students ages 8-12 how to speak English.
“We’re pretty fortunate when you compare schools,” he said, adding that he taught the children how to say numbers and fruits in English.
He also helped the village restore its greenhouse.
Amir also took part in culinary traditions, getting to cook and sample various meals. The alpaca tasted like steak, he said. The popcorn was dried corn fried with butter that he didn’t really care for. He also made scallion pancakes and helped harvest quinoa.
In his spare time, he played soccer with the village kids.
“I’m not really good at it but I’m always trying,” he said. “I blamed it on the altitude.”
The final part of his trip included exploring Machu Picchu, which is considered one of the new seven wonders of the world and the spiritual center of the Inca Empire.
“It was amazing,” he said. “I was very fortunate to see it right up in front of me.”
Amir said his goals have changed as a result of his Peruvian experience. He wants to become fluent in Spanish, return to and hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, and to visit other Spanish-speaking countries.
“It’s a big world,” he said.
For more information about Creating Ties, visit http://creatingties.com.
