DO this for you! Past Review

By (University of Oregon) - abroad from 12/29/2016 to 01/14/2017 with

Linguistic Horizons: Nutrition & Natural Medicine in Peru

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I was looking for a program that focused on herbalism and a natural, holistic look at life and medicine. I was also hoping to find something that would get me back into a spanish speaking country to practice my fading language skills and support my love of cultural exploration. Nicole's program (and it really is her grown-up brain child) did this for me and provided so much more than I had ever hoped. Nicole is an amazing person and has connected herself to an incredibly welcoming and insightful community. The cost of the program covers delicious cuisine for most of your meals, multiple excursions to incredible sights often featured in National Geographic, and an introduction and entrance into the culture on so many levels. You meet local artist communities, have contact with shamans who live several days worth of hiking up in the mountains, meet Max--our fabulous local tour guide and source of endless stories accessible to people of all spanish speaking levels--explore phenomenal nature and learn the secret local knowledge of how to barter at the markets and who sells the best fruit. Oh my Goodness the fruit. It's worth it if all you do is eat the fruit, but you do so much more as well. We hiked the mountains that create a backdrop to Urubamba and collected native medicinal plants for a local healer. We gave ceremonial thanks to Pacha Mama in return for letting us collect what we needed from her mountain and used what we gathered to heal people. I summated Machu Pichu and Huayna Pichu in the glorious jungle rain and sat in meditation in the temple of the moon half way down the back side of the mountain. We went to the Salt flats at Maras and spent days just sitting around loving life. We met with Vedic healers who taught us nutritional information and made the best snacks. Make the decision to go on the trip for yourself, because you will grow so much and learn about yourself and the world in ways you are not expecting.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

The fruit....

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* 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)

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

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? Intermediate
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? Spanish 4 in highschool
How many hours per day did you use the language?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Host Family
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Other
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?
  • The food
  • How well Nicole has connected to the community that welcomes you
* What could be improved?
  • I wish my university accepted this trip for credit
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Don't forget your sunglasses

Reasons For Studying Abroad

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The Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.