This is my first time traveling to Peru as a study abroad student. This journey also counts as my first time traveling to South America by myself, so my primary objective was to fully immerse myself with Peruvian history, culture, and people. In Peru, I was able visit one of Seven Wonders of the New World, Machu Picchu. Also, I visited the dunes of la Huacachina in Ica, the Ballestas Islands in Paracas, and the beautiful city of Lima, Peru.
Being the only student in this program from Tennessee gave me the chance to create more relationships with other participants from all over the United States. As an Afro-Latina immigrant myself, everywhere I went I was surrounded with people that looked and had different experiences to me. Not only was I absorbing the mannerism and different personalities of Peruvian people, but I also learned slang and interesting American phrases I was not familiar with from students in the program. Based on this and much more, I was able to enjoy the wonders of this beautiful country alongside the new friendships I built from this experience.
The two courses that I took at the University of Piura at Lima, Peru were Introduction to Latin American Literature and Peruvian Civilization and Culture. Both courses were taught fully in Spanish lectures with advanced content that was difficult to comprehend even for native Peruvian students, as stated by the professors themselves. Not only did we learn about Peruvian pre-colonial history and traditions, along with multiple well-known Hispanic literature works from as early as the 15th century, but we also learned about the Peruvian educational system and how native students work to succeed during and after their college career. To most, college consumes the vast majority of their time, leaving them little to no time for extracurriculars or side jobs. However, they still make the effort of making connections with international students like me and immerse us even deeper into their customs, habits, and interests.
The key takeaway I left this trip with were all the relationships I built and the strong character of Peruvian people. Thanks to the multiple excursions, activities, classes, and experiences I was able to create strong bonds with the rest of the students in my program. From trauma bonding over studying for exams until midnight, to exploring the nightlife at Miraflores and Barranco along their side. The best part is that these experiences were not done exclusively with American students, but also Peruvian students that studied at the same college. Thanks to these connections, we were able to explore the city like the local people of our same age. Furthermore, while connecting with Peruvian peers and professors I noticed that most of them hold strong personalities. This ranges from genuine acts of service, passionate goal-oriented mindsets, and true risk-takers. Now, my wish is to maintain these connections and make them lifelong relationships, since I have shared them with special people. Overall, the people I was surrounded with made this trip a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Daniela Duran Perez (BS Communication & BA Spanish) spent the Summer 2024 semester studying abroad in Lima, Peru through WorldStrides. Daniela had the following to say about studying abroad, “Never hold back due to fear. Pursue your desires above everything else.”
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