Peru: A Rewarding and Eye-Opening Pilgrimage Past Review
By Mark W (Environmental Studies, Trinity University) for
SIT Study Abroad: Peru - Indigenous Peoples and Globalization
My experience was certainly worthwhile; it was sublime. I now speak Spanish and am much more aware of the many other cultures of the world. This experience inspired me to continue working toward environmental and social justice.
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload was perfect because it allowed adequate time for travelling within the country. Although the class contained 26 students, it was a very intimate atmosphere. They did not give us much homework which meant that we were not able to see how we were progressing through the coursework. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
The faculty was always accessible and supportive. They are all from Cuzco and therefore gave us key insights into where to go and what to do. The strength of the program was its excursions all about the country: the coast, the jungle, and the high plains. A weakness is that sometimes in the literature advertising the program, the rural homestays were slightly romanticized in their degree of removal from city life and Western culture. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
The program chose my host family in accord with their assessment of my character. The neighborhood was safe and I did not have to buy any items to settle in. I was treated as something between a family member and a guest by my host family. |
| * Food: |
I was often encouraged to eat more food than I physically could. I advise students to outline their dietary restrictions very specifically at the beginning of the program. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
The program took us out to the Amazon jungle near Iquitos and also to Lake Titicaca. It was amazing to see the biological, geological, and cultural diversity of Peru. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I advize that students always be aware and keep their wits about them, especially when taking public transportation or while out after dark. Females need to take extra precautions. The program catered very well to our health issues and was always vigilant on that account. We had to get the yellow fever vaccination and some of the students took anti-malarial medication for our excursion to the jungle. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I spent roughly 50 dollars a week on transportation and eating out with friends. These are very good ways to spend money becuase they both integrate you into the local communities. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Prepare to pay taxi fares daily and the domestic flights in Peru can get expensive depending on your airline. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
I spoke Spanish with my host family and with my professors. Also, I spoke Spanish in all of my everyday interactions on the street. The students (Americans) in my class always spoke English among themselves. |
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Students who want to travel within the country and are good at forging their own itineraries and friendships will very much enjoy this program. The program does factor in for these aspects, but I have found that the travels and friendships that I have instigated have been the most rewarding. |
