Our Peru Discovery 2024 program has just wrapped up, leaving a lasting mark on the 121 students from Brazil, Ecuador, the US, Mexico, and Spain who participated. Part of our Global Student Exchange series, this year’s journey was designed to immerse students in diverse cultural experiences and foster a deeper understanding of global issues through hands-on volunteer projects. The program combined adventure, education, and meaningful community interactions, culminating in a transformative experience for participants and the local communities they engaged with.
Cultural Immersion and Environmental Action
Throughout their stay, students delved into Peru’s cultural and natural heritage. The itinerary included an exciting market challenge, a visit to the mesmerizing Temple of the Moon, and a hands-on reforestation project. The awe-inspiring Machu Picchu provided an unforgettable glimpse into ancient civilizations, while explorations of Aguas Calientes Market and a train journey through the Sacred Valley offered a taste of the vibrant local life.
A standout feature of the Peru Discovery program was the two-day cultural immersion in a Quechua community. This experience allowed students to escape tourist trails and engage deeply with indigenous traditions, offering an authentic glimpse into Peru’s multifaceted identity.
Insights from Program Director Simon Willis
We spoke with Simon Willis, the Program Director for Peru Discovery, to better understand the program’s success and impact. Simon’s passion for fostering meaningful cultural exchanges and environmental stewardship was evident as he shared his insights and reflections on this year’s program.
The most pleasing aspect of this homestay is the group reflection sessions during which the locals take part and share what they have learned from the visitors, not just the other way around.
“For me, the program connects participants with local cultures in a respectful and authentic manner. I am proud that we can demonstrate the Quechua community traditions through an immersion experience that gives an insight into their day-to-day lives. The most pleasing aspect of this homestay is the group reflection sessions during which the locals take part and share what they have learned from the visitors, not just the other way around. It’s always amazing to see students fully integrating into a completely new culture to their own and even more so when they take the time to learn some Quechua words to communicate in their native language!”
Simon highlighted the program’s key themes, which revolve around cultural heritage and environmental protection. The week-long journey was designed to provide students with an in-depth understanding of the local way of life, avoiding superficial visits in favor of meaningful, extended interactions with different communities.
We try to avoid short visits with little meaning.
“We have a very strong focus on cultural heritage and demonstrate this throughout the entire week. We try to avoid short visits with little meaning; instead, we spend days with different communities, thus giving students the chance to experience the life of local people. We complement each activity, whether it be adobe brick construction or a ceramics workshop, with a strong focus on why we are doing these activities and the role this plays in local lives.
Our tour leaders are key to this experience as they provide the context for each visit, they bridge any culture gap there may be when first visiting a community, and, of course, they spearhead such impactful reflection sessions. When it comes to environmental protection, we always try to show this through the eyes of a local. For example, we demonstrate through our homestay experience that a community can maintain traditional farming methods to sustain themselves without damaging the environment. We also support locals in a couple of environmental projects. One such project focuses on reforesting areas around Cusco while the other project was born out of the need to solve the waste management issues in the city.”
Student Perspectives: Mariam Ibrahim’s Experience
But, of course, it is our student participants who bring these programs to life, and we were delighted to see their enthusiasm, passion, and talents shine through. Mariam Ibrahim, a student from ISC Brazil, shared her reflections on the personal growth and cultural insight she experienced during the Peru Discovery program.
The program certainly exceeded my expectations due to the diverse experiences we were provided during the trip.
It was wonderful seeing you and your fellow students having such a great time in Peru! What were you expecting going into the program and how do you feel now?
Before my teacher proposed the trip, I never had time to stop and think about experiencing a cultural immersion in a different country as part of America Latina, especially Peru. However, as I proceeded with research and became informed about the trip, my interest grew from then on. Ultimately, the program certainly exceeded my expectations due to the diverse experiences we were provided during the trip. Such experiences were crucial for my understanding of the functions and unity of the communities we visited, such as the Ccaccaccollo Women’s Weaving Co-op.
Before going on the trip, I honestly expected a superficial exposure to a culture that was already expected to be contrasting to any other. I didn’t expect to be so impressed by it. Something that caught my attention was the presence of the vibrant colors in all the aspects I could think of, going from clothes to stores in the streets. This aspect made me reflect on its purpose, making me question if it is used to bring life to the citizen’s daily routines, given that the streets’ conditions are considered precarious (sanitation system, infrastructure, etc.).
Can you describe one of the volunteer projects you participated in and how it impacted you personally?
My highlight of the trip was definitely the process of making the bricks to help the community build their houses. The goal was to produce about 100 bricks overall. It was a life-changing experience, especially considering its connection to architecture, which is my topic of interest. I could learn how they developed and organized their community infrastructure based on what they had access to.
Aside from the social interactions between the students from other schools during the activity, I felt connected to the community.
Never in my life had I thought I could build a house with ‘dirt,’ water, and straw. Also, aside from the social interactions between the students from other schools during the activity, I felt connected to the community. The trip leader/guide explained the concept of unity between the citizens and how they were expected to support each other in various ways, one of them being building a house together as a present for a recently married couple without any cost. Therefore, it promoted one of the main life lessons I learned during the trip: at the end of the day, we are all human beings, which made me empathize with the Peruvian people and their way of living. This holds great significance regarding the influence on people’s actions and their capability of feeling empathy towards others.
How did visiting Machu Picchu and other significant sites shape your perspective on Peru’s cultural heritage and environmental conservation?
Before visiting Machu Picchu, I didn’t comprehend the ‘preciousness’ or the reason behind all the conservative measures behind it; however, that completely changed after visiting it. From the first moment we looked at the community, I was completely shocked when I questioned how people could build such a beautiful, efficient, and harmonic community in the ‘middle of nowhere.’ The fact that the whole place was built using one single material was surprisingly admirable.
Through our guide’s knowledge, we could understand different techniques that were used during that time, including the cutting of the rocks and their carving rather than utilizing their natural form to fit their pieces perfectly. This opened my view towards the capability of humans in ancient times and made me reflect on how far we have come these days, considering the city pollution levels and its significant impact on climate change. Finally, this justifies the reasons behind such environmental conservation measures, making me wonder what would have happened to Machu Picchu if those measures weren’t implemented.
That’s a really insightful takeaway. Do you feel more empowered or inspired to contribute to similar causes in the future?
I wish to participate in service actions, no matter how small they are if they all have a positive impact on the world.
I had never experienced such a powerful cultural immersion that contributed to my knowledge of the UNSDGs. I already had previous experiences relating global issues to my home country (Brazil) due to the lack of basic resources in areas of my city. Yet, during the trip, I could connect those same goals to a whole different country, which just added to my knowledge by considering a broader range of places where they are applicable, adding to the overall concept of ‘global.’
The main UNSDGs I was able to identify were No Poverty(1), Gender Equality(5), Clean Water and Sanitation(6), Life on Land(15), and many others. Moreover, my personal feeling of connection to the citizens of Peru made me increase my wish to contribute to the implementation of these global goals, aiming towards my future greater contributions to it; however, until then, I wish to participate in service actions, no matter how small they are if they all have a positive impact on the world.
A Lasting Impact and Looking Ahead
Many thanks to Mariam for sharing her story and all the inspiring individuals who helped make Peru Discovery a reality! Through cultural immersion, hands-on volunteer projects, and reflective learning experiences, students gained valuable insights into Peru’s rich heritage and the importance of sustainable practices. We are so heartened to have provided a platform for students to deepen their understanding of global issues and feel empowered to become more active and conscientious global citizens.
As we continue to offer Global Student Exchange programs, we look forward to more stories of growth, learning, and meaningful contributions to communities around the world. Get all the details about our upcoming offerings here!
