Location

Multiple Locations +2

Peru
Bolivia

Term

Fall, Spring

Subject Areas

Anthropology Arts Communications Conservation and Preservation Cultural Studies Education Environmental Studies Global Studies History Indigenous Cultures Latin American Studies Linguistics Philosophy Service Learning Sustainable Development +5

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Program Details

Program Type

Provider

Degree Level

Bachelors

Housing

Host Family

University

Naropa University

Language

Spanish

Pricing

Starting Price

$16,100

Price Details

The land cost for Study Abroad South America: the Spirit of the Andes is $16,100 for three months. Flight costs for are estimated at $1,095. Need-based scholarships are available. There is an additional tuition cost based on the number of credits a student chooses to enroll in.

What's Included

Accommodation Activities Classes Meals

What's Not Included

Airfare Some Meals SIM cards Transportation Travel Insurance Visa

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South America: The Spirit of the Andes College Study Abroad Semester

Name: South America: The Spirit of the Andes College Study Abroad Semester
Brand: Where There Be Dragons
SKU: 127587
Rating: 10 (2 reviews)

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Study Abroad South America: The Spirit of the Andes

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About

Take your college education to the mountains and jungles of Bolivia and Peru.

Hike to the edge of receding glaciers at 17,000 feet. Get your hands dirty with traditional agricultural practices on the sparkling shores of Lake Titicaca. Witness first-hand the dizzying shades of green deep within the folds of the Amazon rainforest. Meet with indigenous leaders in the Peruvian Andes, working to preserve their linguistic and cultural diversity. These are just a few of the many classrooms you encounter on this College Study Abroad program in Bolivia and Peru. Through academic courses, the program explores the diversity of the Central Andes and Upper Amazon while delving first-hand into themes of social justice, indigenous rights and identity, environmental conservation, and political leadership in an intercultural context.

Eligible participants should have completed at least one semester of post-secondary study and have a minimum GPA of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale).

We offer comprehensive, personal home visits so that we can answer your questions in person. One of our expert staff members will present on our program options and share stories from their own formative Where There Be Dragons program. To request a home visit in less than 2 minutes, fill out this form.

Highlights

Engage in three to four weeks of personalized language instruction with local teachers for 16-20 hours a week, in addition to opportunities for language immersion throughout. Quechua lessons also available.
Examine land use and relationships, social and political activism, and indigenous identity and representation. The accredited curriculum also delves into pre-Incan and Incan history and culture, the coca leaf, sustainable agriculture, and the arts.
Enjoy a three to four-week home-stay outside of Cochabamba, with two possible shorter home-stays in the Amazon and remote mountain communities.
Participate in multi-day treks moving from the high Andes to the Amazon basin in Bolivia. Wilderness exploration also includes travel through remote rain-forests of Bolivia and Peru, and a challenging trek in the Ausangate range in Peru.
Gain insight into Andean cultural and religious worldview, Amazonian traditions and practices, and the spiritual syncretism between pre-colonial belief systems and Christianity.

Questions & Answers

Reviews

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Study

Academics 9
Support 10
Fun 9.5
Housing 9.5
Safety 9.5

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I participated in the Andes and Amazon semester for where there be dragons last fall and could not have asked for a better experience. Through the program I made friends that I will stay in touch with forever and instructors who inspired me daily. I was able to increase my spanish speaking and communication skills, learn how to do traditional Bolivian dance, and live with some amazing host families. Although some of my days in the Andes and Amazon were the hardest of my life- trekking at 17 thousand feet is never easy!- I would not trade that experience for anything in the world. Truly, cannot recommend this program highly enough! It will stretch your comfort zone and leave you more prepared for your future life ahead!

Where There Be Dragons is an unbelievable, life changing Gap Year program that allows you to become fully immersed into a culture. After spending 3 months in Bolivia and Peru, I felt like a true global citizen. Through home stays, language classes, volunteer work, trekking, and independent study projects, I grew as a person and made some unforgettable memories. I HIGHLY recommend Dragons.

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Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Why did you decide to join the Where There Be Dragons gap year program in South America?

Natalie: I decided to volunteer with Where There Be Dragons because I heard it was a safe, well known and experienced program. I also really wanted to go to South America and travel off the beaten path -- Where There Be Dragons allowed me to do just that. I wasn't a tourist but a member of the community in all the places we traveled. It was also a great mix of service work, language classes, home stays, trekking and an independent study project.

Describe your day to day activities as a volunteer.

Natalie: Activities really varied. One week would be staying with a host family and taking classes while working on independent study projects (I worked in schools) or we would be in the mountains camping and trekking.

Natalie with some local Bolivians in traditional dress

How has this experience helped you grow personally and professionally?

Natalie: My experienced with Dragons forever changed me. It greatly impacted my life and love for travel and truly allowed me to become a global citizen. Thanks to my trip with Where There Be Dragons, I am now studying nursing and global health at the University of Pennsylvania. Before this trip, I had know idea my true passion in life was healthcare.

About Where There Be Dragons

Dragons has been facilitating authentic cultural immersion in Asia, Africa, and Latin America for over 25-years. Our Summer Abroad, Gap Year, and College Study Abroad programs take small student groups to remote communities with the best educators in the industry to ensure personalized mentorship and meaningful engagement. Each program is custom...

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