Lima: Customizable, Community-Based Study Abroad in Peru

Five days before the Peru trip departed, our Director of Activities called to say that two of the original chaperones had to bow out and asked if I would be willing to go because, 1) I speak Spanish, 2) I've traveled internationally with students before, and 3) I take a lot of pictures. Of course I said yes!

I was not involved with the original planning but from what I could see, EdOdyssey did a very thorough job in providing all the necessary information and materials to our travelers. Mr. Peter McGovern made several visits to our school and met with the students and their parents to ensure that they would be well prepared to travel.

What is your favorite travel memory?

Looking back, one of my favorite memories is going to Madrid for the first time after graduating from college. I moved to Spain to start working as an English teacher. Those initial few months were filled with so many different experiences and emotions, ranging from wonderful to difficult. In general, it was an exciting and humbling period of discovery as I navigated living in a different country, made friends, and built a sense of home in a new city.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

Working for EdOdyssey has made me think more dynamically. We are a small team, so it’s important for each of us to be aware of our overall goals and mission, while still concentrating on our individual work areas.

EdOdyssey has a high standard for professionalism and efficiency; it’s own specific rhythm for getting things done well and with momentum.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

I've read a lot of awesome reviews from students after they have returned from our programs. I have seen that students have really enjoyed opportunities to authentically connect with their study abroad location whether that be by visiting a local school, participating in a service project, or other interesting experiences.

It's great to know that students have such impactful moments while on our programs and that they appreciate being able to have a warm connection with our staff on site like Stefano in Italy and Luis in Peru.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

Such a touch choice! We have new program destinations and I would definitely love to experience a custom program in either Ireland, Chile or Japan. Any of those would be amazing!

From the pictures I've seen and how my colleagues talk about the country- I would also sign up for our semester in Peru program in a heartbeat.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

I think as a study abroad team EdOdyssey is incredibly thoughtful and detail oriented. We really take pride in providing quality and genuine experiences for students, as well as exceptional service to the educational institutions that we partner with.

Recently EdOdyssey co-coordinated Trek Days- a dynamic 2 day experiential learning event for over 800+ freshman students. These students were able to visit multiple to businesses, startups and non-profits in the Bay Area. I was very proud to see how well the EdOdyssey Team organized such a large event with many moving parts! Sarah, Maddie, and Peter were all rockstars from planning to day of execution of the events.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

There are a lot factors that go into being a successful study abroad company, but I think what sets EdOdyssey apart as a standout study abroad provider is our focus on being thoughtful of both the student experiences we want to foster and the impact we have on program destinations.

We really do believe in our motto- "Travel changes people and people change the world." We strongly value making study abroad experiences as educational and authentic as possible. We want both students and the locations they visit to build positive and beyond the surface connections to one another.