Foreign Student in Peru: Best Experience of my Life Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I took 3 classes in English and one class for the Spanish Language. The classes in English were VERY easy. I guess I never really considered that the classes were in English but geared for the Peruvian students, so they were pretty slow for us English speakers. In hindsight, I should have taken 2 classes in Spanish and 2 classes in English. The teachers were very kind and ver welcoming to us exchange students. They were knowledgable of the subjects and were will to work with us. The schedule of the classes during the week were very different. Instead of having 50 min classes 3 times a week, or 75 min classes every tues and thurs, the classes were just kinda crazy. 3 of my classes were 3 hours long on one day and one of my classes was 2 hours each tues and thurs. They do a lot of group projects and getting into groups to discuss things. I wasn't very used to that, and sometimes it was difficult because most of the Peruvian students weren't really engaged in the classes (we were told by some that they'll take classes in English because they were supposed to be easier.) However, I did make some good friends through my classes.

On-site administration of your program

I thought ISA went above and beyond. They were excellent, and the people that worked for the program were amazing and very friendly. I could not have chosen a better program to study abroad with. The excursions were amazing and well-planned as was everything in the program. There was always something to do with the group and it was the perfect size for interacting and making friends.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

My host family was AMAZING. ISA placed me with the family that I never had but ALWAYS wanted. They were perfect for me. I absolutely loved them! They treated me like I was a son and had always been part of the family. The kids in the house (ages: 25, 20, 15) were so friendly and were always taking me out with their friends to hang out. It was a bit away from my host university (about a 40min-1hr bus ride) but I would travel longer distances just to stay with them again. It was not far from some of the popular places to see in Lima. Also, it was about 20 min away from the ocean. They provided me with everything that I needed. I never had to buy anything to help accommodate myself. And they were eager to stick to my food allergy needs. Just a great family that I miss very much!

The food was great down in Lima. I ate a good majority of my food at my host family, who made the best food out of all the restaurants I went to. I do have to say that it is very difficult to be a vegetarian down in Lima. A lot of what they cook is meat and they cook with a lot of meat byproducts. But if you just have a couple food allergies like me, it isn't a problem at all. The food portions are very large down there, but the food is so delicious that you won't even mind. I think some of the best food places were some of the smaller hole-in-the-wall places in town. I would avoid going to any restaurants down there that they have in America for two reasons: You're down there to experience the culture and food, and It just won't be the same, so don't expect it.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

We went to many places within the country. Machu Picchu, Iquitos, Cusco, The Amazon Jungle, Junin, among other places. All of the excursions were so informative of the culture of the country, and it was great getting to experience different parts of the country and visit all the different climates.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I never had an health or safety problems down in Lima. I can't always say that I followed all the rules to the T, like taking taxis alone, or walking somewhat alone late at night, but I never felt very unsafe in Lima. I knew the parts to avoid, and I knew where to keep my valuables so they wouldn't get stolen or pick-pocketed. I did have to get some vaccines prior like Yellow Fever and they recommended that we have malaria pills (it isn't a shot, but a pill that you take for a certain period of time prior to potential exposure). I didn't do the malaria pills and I never got sick. Some of the other kids in my program did have some medical issues that required medical attention, but they were very well taken care of and ISA has a great health insurance policy while you're in the country.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

I spoke Spanish completely with my host family. When we would go out, we would speak Spanish with the locals. Our peruvian friends would alternate between Spanish and English with us so we could both get practice in the other language. Among my fellow exchange students, we spoke English, of course.

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