Peru: Ancient & Contemporary Exploration

When I was over in Peru for about a month, I always found myself being in shock for being in the place where my roots stem from. Being in the Experiment allowed me to not only gain new friendships among my own group, but new family members among my host family. I appreciated my group because we all came from different backgrounds and we created a group where we were free to embrace our cultural backgrounds. I have alot of favorite memories of my trip, but one of the main ones would have to be when I was homesick and my host family acted so quick to make me feel better. To be specific, I was not able to speak on the phone with my mom for a while because of the time change and right when I heard her voice - the tears started flowing like a river. My host mom and host sister quickly came to the rescue and hugged me. They reassured me everything was going to be okay, my real mom and my host mom even got to speak on the phone. That moment was pivotal for me because it just demonstrated two strong peruvian woman connecting across the world which was unreal to wrap my head around. Overall, shoutout to the Experiment for giving me the opportunity to create and have these unforgettable experiences.

If you are debating traveling to Peru with the Experiment, DO IT! I was a little nervous going into this experience, especially because I'd never traveled internationally before! However, with caring group leaders who made immersion easy, and the amazing activities we did every day, I didn't want to go home! I made the most amazing and lifelong friends on this trip, and made so many connections with people from the country. Even if you are uneasy with your spanish, DO IT, your language skills will improve so much. It truly was the best summer ever.

I knew close to nothing about Peru before this experience. However, I wanted to join the program because I wanted to see how far I can push myself to be out of my comfort zone. I didn't know much Spanish, so the beginning of the program was very tough for me. However, my group leaders and my group members helped me a lot by encourging me and translating for me. I had great homestay experiences, my host family was nice and caring. Even though we communicated basically using Google Translate, I could still feel the love from them. I had many great new experiences, such as eating unusual foods, riding local transportations, and dancing the traditional dances. I made a lot of new friends and I had broaden my network. Because of this program, I am now in love with Peru.

Summer 2016 was full of many new and exciting adventures for me. I was fortunate enough to travel abroad to Peru for four weeks with the program Experiment in International Living. I joined a group of 14 other diverse students and two amazing group leaders from all over the US as we explored, observed, and learned the history and culture of several parts of Peru. During this time, we stayed in numerous hotels and hostels along with spending two weeks with a local homestay family in Trujillo. We saw many ancient ruins, museums, performances of traditional dances, played with children, painted a soup kitchen, hiked Machu Picchu and many many more places and things. I could tell the planning of these activities were quite thought out as everything when smoothly throughout the trip despite the ‘Peruvian time’ our tour guides were on. My group leaders were very open and welcomed each member of our group allowing us to feel very comfortable. Within 3 days of being with my group, I felt like I had known them for a month. From students arriving late to the airport to homesickness they handled each situation with ease and grace. Traveling to Peru meant a lot to me as I love attending summer programs and traveling, so being able to combine them was really awesome. As one of my group leaders would say "there is beauty in everyone and everything" and I was able to really learn and embrace that statement. I was also able to improve my Spanish as well as my confidence in speaking and asking for help when I did not understand something. Overall, I learned a lot about myself and developed an eagerness for new adventures. I learned to go with the flow, work with a new team, and just have fun. Coming back to the US, I have embraced the little things and have been utilizing everything I learned. I have a new perspective and sense of openness. I loved my trip to Peru and would definitely do it again in a heartbeat. I highly recommend Peru and any other Experiment programs!