A very special semester in Cusco January 15, 2025
By Gillian F (Anthropology, Kenyon College) - abroad from 08/28/2024 to 12/10/2024 with
SIT Study Abroad: Peru - Indigenous Peoples and Globalization
I would choose to do this program again because I improved my language skills a lot, got to see many beautiful parts of Peru, eat delicious food, and had the unique opportunity to learn about relevant social issues from indigenous leaders and communities that have broadened my worldview and shaped my future interests. It was absolutely worthwhile!
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
While it was less academically rigorous than a semester at my home institution, I still felt interested in the academics and had some great professors through the program. My only complaint is that the Quechua class could have been developed to better aid our learning; we attempted to learn a lot in a little time, and instruction was sometimes too fast to retain what we were taught. However, the professor was kind and invested in our learning. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
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| * Food: |
Food at one of the hotels we stayed at lacked flavor/variation, but the food in most other places, including in my host family, was very good. It can be difficult to find many options if you have a special diet/dietary restriction. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
I wish we had the opportunity through the program to meet local Peruvian students but beyond that, I felt we were well-integrated. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
Health issues were addressed well during the program, and the healthcare system functioned well compared to the US system. There is a bit of a language barrier when discussing medical terms, but it was possible to work around. There is a risk for food and contamination-related sicknesses, but the program has experience supporting students through them. |
| * Safety: |
The host city, Cusco, felt quite safe. We were advised on how to manage safety issues with taxis, nightlife, and health, for example, and it was easy to follow those guidelines. The only safety-related issue that came up was during our time in the Amazon rainforest where two women were scamming people by pretending to read their palm; always better to err on the safe side and say no to those kinds of requests! |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* 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) |
We were given stipends by the program that were sufficient to live off of during the allotted time that they were for. |
Language
| * Did your program have a foreign language component? | Yes |
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How much did the program encourage you to use the language?
0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language |
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| 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? | Advanced |
| What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? | Advanced college language courses |
| How many hours per day did you use the language? |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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| About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? | 0 |
A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | A very wide range of interests/majors can apply to this program and get something out of it, though it is based in anthropology/the humanities. |
