For traveling to Peru or any country with poor water conditions, there are many vaccines that are needed. Sometimes it is very expensive to receive those shots in the States, and you may even have to travel to another state to receive these vaccines. A simple solution is to locate a clinic or hospital in the country you will be traveling to and find out if you can get vaccinated there. This is sometimes cheaper, and saves you time. Just make sure you do not need these vaccines to enter the country.

When traveling to a place where you do not know the language, it is always wise to carry a small dictionary or have a phone (that has data on the global network) in order to communicate in case of an emergency.

Every day is exciting and thrilling – something new occurs each and every day! It was a bit exhausting to wake up early and explore every day but it was well worth it. It was back to back adventure, food, dancing, hiking, rafting, and zip-lining. Of course there was plenty of time to explore and discover some of the culture on our own.

This was the first time I was traveling alone to a country I had never been to. I knew I was going to be in a group with students just like me but I was worried about arriving on my own. Luckily, I am a native Spanish speaker so even when flights got delayed and got missed, I was able to push through and arrive safely in Peru.

Once I met everyone in the program, I realized it was easy to connect with people who believed in the same things I did. I was able to create connections with people whom I have now and I hope continue to be life-long friends with.

I highly encourage journaling and taking photos. Having a journal entry about everyday you are abroad helps you reflect on your day. It can also help with writing a blog or creating a presentation for someone who may be interested about learning about your trip. This will also help you remember your trip for many more years than a short instagram post.