Fantastic Views, Hikes, and Conversations in Peru Past Review
By Olivia Snyder (Miami University) - abroad from 08/26/2019 to 12/08/2019 with
SIT Study Abroad: Peru - Indigenous Peoples and Globalization
I learned a lot more about Peruvian history and indigenous cultures. I also gained valuable research experience from my Independent Study Project. It took a lot of work and effort, but all of it was worthwhile. I had a great time and would love to go back.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The program did include a rigorous curriculum, but the daily reading assignments were manageable. We also received helpful feedback from our program staff and academic advisors. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Everything related to the program was in close proximity, making it easy to attend classes and get the help we needed. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Although my original host family did not provide the best living arrangements, my second host family (after I switched) gave me very satisfactory living arrangements. |
| * Food: |
Overall, Peruvian food is great, especially when you go out to eat. The meals provided by the program staff were always delicious/incredible. The food provided by host families could be a bit bland at times, since they eat a lot of potatoes, but overall the food was good. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I felt very integrated with the local culture. As my Spanish improved throughout the semester, it became easier to interact with the Cusco locals. I also joined a local dance studio and took some classes there, which was very fun. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Health issues were generally addressed well, but at times the program staff could be a little bit insensitive to the conditions of some of the students (such as not taking them seriously or not excusing them from scheduled program activities due to their illness). I did not personally have any issues with my health, and did not require medical care. Some prevalent health issues in Peru are altitude sickness, malaria, dengue fever, etc. These issues also depend on which region of Peru you are in. I needed a yellow fever vaccine, but I believe that was it. |
| * Safety: |
Cusco was much safer than I expected! You obviously still need to be on your guard at all times, such as protecting your purse and belongings and being careful if you're alone at night. As long as you're always alert and don't do anything foolish, you should be fine. Cat calling from men was my main safety concern, but nothing happened to me in that aspect. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
I absolutely loved this program!! It was an amazing experience and I got to see and do so many cool things. I also made incredible friends through the program. I am so grateful that I had this opportunity to study abroad. |
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) |
Peru is a much cheaper country than the United States. Food in particular is fairly cheap, should you choose to buy your own food (host families already provide you with meals). Touristy day trips and activities are also cheap to do. Since SIT gives you stipends during the excursions, saving the money from those stipends is also helpful to your budget as well. |
| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | $20-$35 (more if I decided to pay for a hiking trip) |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Don't get scammed at the markets! If you're buying clothes or souvenirs, vendors will usually try to raise the price and rip you off because they think you're a tourist that doesn't know any better. You should always barter a little bit to lower the price. Same goes for taxi drivers, too. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
Since all of the classes were taught in Spanish, we were strongly encouraged to always speak in Spanish, no matter where we were. This was very beneficial in improving my Spanish skills. |
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Intermediate |
| How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? | Fluent |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | 300-level Spanish classes at university |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? | |
| Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? | Practice through conversations with your host family, teachers, and locals. Talking is the best teacher; listening to podcasts is also helpful for improving your comprehension. |
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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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? |
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? | I wish I hadn't worried as much as I did before going. Cusco was much safer than I expected, and Peruvian people were very kind and understanding. If I did it over, I would be more confident about going. |
Reasons For Studying Abroad
| To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you. |
The Nearly Native or Trail BlazerCraving the most authentic experience possible, perhaps you lived with a host family or really got in good with the locals. You may have felt confined by your program requirements and group excursions. Instead, you'd have preferred to plan your own trips, even skipping class to conduct your own 'field work.' |
