In December 2018 I went on the faculty led trip to Peru through the College of Business. This was my second time studying abroad and my second country. My first was Italy, and Peru was definitely different! We went to Lima and Cusco. I chose to go to Peru because it was a country I knew next to nothing about, I would probably never get another chance to go, and because I knew it would be very different than Italy. Through the course and the trip I learned so much about Peru and South America. I learned that mining, fishing, and agriculture are the most important sectors of the country’s economy. There are over 3000 kinds of potatoes in Peru, 3 out every 5 asparagus we eat in America are from Peru, and that almost ¾ of the country works “under the table” because their taxes are so high.
We had several business visits and excursions and were busy most of the time. I feel like I really got the most out of the experience and tried a lot of things! My favorite activities were swimming with sea lions (and jellyfish!) at the Palomino Islands, the cooking class, visiting a textile place and seeing the locals weave clothing from alpaca wool, Machu Picchu, the Sacred Valley, and another Incan site we visited called Saqsaywaman. So, basically every excursion was great!
A lot of our group (including me) got pretty sick, from the food and the altitude I assume, but it didn’t stop me from enjoying it. The food was actually much better than I was expecting. I love trying new things, and I got to eat guinea pig and alpaca!
The views were also absolutely amazing everywhere. I have never been so close to mountains like we were in Cusco. It was just incredible to see all the nature, the country was so beautiful. It was also strange to see all the Christmas decorations in 75 degree weather!
Overall I actually enjoyed this trip much more than I thought I would. I had incredible experiences and I’m glad I chose to go to a country that wasn’t always at the top of my list. You should always be willing to try new things, especially when it comes to travel. I am already registered for another faculty led trip to the Balkans in May!
Kaylyn (Miette) Craig is double majoring in Management and HR Management. She participated in a College of Business faculty led trip to Peru in December, 2018. Miette had the following to say about her time abroad, “You should always stay open minded when traveling. Never be afraid to do new things, go new places, or do things as locals do. Even if you think you won’t like some place or something, always be open to trying and you will get so much more out of your experience.”
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