LGBTQ+ Experience in Peru: Johanna's Alum Perspective

Guest Author: Johanna M., one of our alumni from that spent a semester studying abroad with EdOdyssey shares her experience and insights from her time living and studying in Lima, Peru.

A few weeks into my Spanish Immersion program, taking classes during the day and going on local tourist outings in the afternoon, my friend asked our Spanish professor what the word for “gay” was in Spanish. In Texas, where I’m from, I’d been taught the word “homosexual,” which I volunteered as an answer when he asked.

JOHANNA’S PERUVIAN EXPERIENCE ABROAD

One of the teachers from the language school during my orientation corrected me and said that in Perú, the word “gay” is much more commonly used. I remember smiling and thinking, “wow, that’s so much more normal”. Later, she said something that struck me to my core: “El matrimonio de los gays no es legal en este país,” or “Gay marriage is not legal in this country."

While obviously, I was not planning on getting married during my study abroad semester, I was immediately reminded of the day I celebrated the legalization of gay marriage in the United States. In 2015, while I was a Junior in high school, the Supreme Court ruled that it would be the law of the land. I had become so comfortable already with my right to be seen as an equal under the law that I was crushed to realize I wouldn’t be viewed or treated in the same way in my new host country.

Public displays of affection, especially for young people, are very commonplace in Perú for straight couples. I would see literally hundreds of young couples at my college during the day, but later, I’d always ask my Peruvian friends and host family, “Donde están los gays?”, or “Where are the gay people?”.

THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY & MY PERUVIAN EXPERIENCE

I didn’t realize before I lived in a country without a very visible queer population, how important it was to really see LGBTQ+ people in public spaces. 

The first time I went to a gay club in Perú, and realized I could find the same love and acceptance there, I felt for the first time in a long time that I could be open about who I was. Talking to my friends, to other young Peruvians who are more progressive seeking out queer spaces gave me islands of safety. I felt excitement to actually embrace my LGBTQ+ identity and meet other queer people like me.

What I learned about visibility, in these spaces, wasn’t just how important it was to see other LGBTQ+ people. I also learned how important it was to me that I take on that challenge and be more visible in normalizing being gay everywhere I went.

MY EXPERIENCE & WHO I AM TODAY

As weird as this may sound, without my experience in Perú, I don’t know if I’d be as connected to that part of my identity. I’m truly grateful for all of the opportunities and experiences I had in Perú to learn about all of the cultures that were new to me, and not just the ones we read about in travel guidebooks.

From everyone at EdOdyssey, we hope that Johanna’s story provides insights into how her impactful experience abroad has helped her discover and connect with her identity. Our team continues to help foster understanding with students and their peers through engaging them throughout the process of admissions, pre-departure and especially during the study abroad experience.

To see how we support all of our program participants from the LGBTQ+ community, please see our blog Study Abroad & Supporting The LGBTQ+ Community for more information.

Want more information about study abroad?

April Feature - Julia P.: How Study Abroad Builds Perspective

In this month’s feature you’ll meet Julia “GG” P., an EdOdyssey alumnae and current senior at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA. She spoke with us about how travel has changed her, and you’ll see how her past experiences abroad continue to shape her and her future plans.

GG’s START IN TRAVEL

Originally from New Hampshire, she relocated to central Massachusetts to attend Worcester Academy, a prep school in Worcester. As a student, she played hockey and jumped at any opportunity to travel.

Reflecting on her upbringing, she credits her grandma for her endless curiosity about the world. Born in Ecuador, GG’s grandmother attended college in the US, where she met her husband, GG’s grandfather, in Missouri. 

In high school, GG participated in two international adventures that remain close to her heart today. The first was to the Dominican Republic where she spent a week teaching English to students in an elementary and middle school (grades 1- 8). The second brought her to Peru with EdOdyssey.

Her time in Peru, as she recalls, was “a 10 wild days” of on-the-go adventure during her Spring Break in March 2017. The itinerary included Lima, Cusco and Machu Picchu and left her feeling “renewed.” 

After graduating from Worcester Academy, she chose to continue her education just a few miles away at College of the Holy Cross. As a freshman, she walked onto the hockey team and this year, as a senior, was named captain. She is currently a Senior majoring in physics with a minor in Latinx & Caribbean Studies. 

A LOOK BACK AT PERU

Sasaywoman, the ancient Incan ruins just outside of downtown Cusco, remains a favorite. She was in awe of the architecture and still remembers the humbling feeling of exploring the ruins:

“I never felt so small.”

Four years after her time in Peru, she still vividly recalls the dew and the clouds covering the landscape and the surrounding Andes mountains in the distance. Almost all people think of Peru and Machu Picchu, but she says that these ancient ruins continue to stand out to her.

ADVICE FOR HER YOUNGER SELF

If given the chance, she was asked about what she would say to the high school version of herself.

Her advice to other younger students? Totally immerse yourself in the experience, build relationships with the rest of the group, and live in the moment.

After her trip to Peru, they had a unique common bond and she wishes that she had longer lasting friendships. 

LOOKING AHEAD IN HER CAREER

Her ambitions go beyond working in a lab, and she plans to get more involved with project & program management.

“I love physics, and I like the challenge of being a part of a major that is mostly represented by men.”

Her aspirations include traveling the world as a project manager because, as she shared:

"I want more of a world view for the rest of my life."

In preparation for graduation, some thoughts and advice came to mind that she shared with her fellow college athletes.

STUDY ABROAD & TRAVEL TIPS FOR STUDENT ATHLETES

GG provided us some great tips and insights for students involved in sports:

• Have the conversation with your coach: If you’re not in season, take some time and show that it means a lot to you. She feels lucky to have a supportive coach who understands her passion for travel. 

• Use your time management skills: Manage your time, plan ahead, and look at your courses!

• Go solo: Coming from a college team and teammates, sometimes it can feel different to break out and go off on your own, and as GG says:

“Don’t be afraid to travel on your own.”

The pandemic disrupted her plans to study abroad and do a May-mester in Spain, but she has plans to travel after she graduates to continue learning more abroad. 

STAYING CONNECTED TO EXPERIENCES ABROAD

Her friends and family have kept the conversations alive, and their chats have fueled her future plans.

• Friends: Sarah, a friend on campus, studied abroad in Peru and GG feels like they have stayed close because both of them connected to the Peruvian culture and experience.

• Family: She has family in Ecuador, and her grandma came from Ecuador, so it allows her to stay connected with those experiences.

• Future Planning: Her conversations have helped her keep travel high on her list and not lose sight of it. 

“It’s important to give travel a shot!”

LESSONS LEARNED FROM PAST EXPERIENCES

When looking back at previous travel experiences, GG offers her insights and perspective:

“Travel is something that everyone can enjoy if they are presented an opportunity.”

On her past travel experiences, including EdOdyssey experience, she noticed a lot of students from different interests and backgrounds come together and really bonded throughout the experience. When asked about EdOdyssey’s reflections, she shared the following:

“I learned a lot from Peter [McGovern, President of EdOdyssey] and the way he sees the world. He was always excited.”

She learned a lot from her younger brother, Mitchell, who reminded her to take photos with her. Their experiences together were a surprise when he opened up more than she had expected.

“My relationship with my brother grew incredible amounts in such a short period of time.”

FUTURE PLANS & ADVICE FOR HER PEERS

Experiences provide us insights into other people and their careers, and GG encourages her peers to not feel pressure for a rigid career path.

“It's important to learn from people and their experiences, but it also takes time to do that.”

She wants her peers to focus on the end goal and reflect on the fact that there won’t be one path to get there. For her, project management doesn’t exactly connect with her physics major, but she sees her past experiences as a great stepping stone for her career.

As our team and our world builds back to student travel, we hope that her experiences show that the power of travel and how it unites different parts of our lives!

Interested in being a monthly feature later this year? Fill out our monthly feature form for a chance to share your story with us and our travel community!

Did you miss our first monthly feature?

Want to study abroad with us?

Developing Your Study Abroad Personal Project: 3 Steps for Student Success

Guest Post By Narda Antón - EdOdyssey’s Academic Advisor (Peru)

As a part of EdOdyssey’s semester study abroad, each student has the opportunity to create a meaningful personal project. Studying a semester abroad can be one of the most important experiences of your life, and you’ll want to have a piece for your professional portfolio that differentiates you from other study abroad students and young professionals.

When you walk away from this experience, you’ll come away with a unique project that showcases your passions and skills. With EdOdyssey, you have the opportunity to learn more about the local culture and improve your Spanish and show your academic knowledge.

I’m at the front of the classroom walking students through Personal Project process!

At Pontificia Católica del Perú (PUCP), you’ll gain local knowledge from your classes and experiences outside of the classroom. Most importantly, you will also be able to develop a personal project that you can bring home and share with your professional prospects in the future. 

Your unique project will create engagement with the local community as you research a topic that interests you during your semester in Lima. Each student develops each project during a semester and I, as the academic coordinator, will guide them through the whole process.

Below are three main steps that I recommend to my exchange students to accomplish an excellent personal project:

STEP 1: Choosing Your Personal Project Topic

For you to choose the topic of your personal project, you should keep these three key questions in mind:

What topic would I like to explore during my student exchange abroad?

In the initial stages, you will have three topics that you like and you have worked on at your university. Then, you will identify which topic best  fits the reality of the country where you will study and if it is possible to consider it for your personal project.

The topic you will choose will be developed during your semester abroad. You will have to write at least a 10 page essay and make a final presentation for your exchange peers at the end of the semester.

For this reason, it is important that you take into account how accessible and easy it will be to obtain information about the topic you are going to research. For example, some former exchange students chose an interesting topic that they developed in their classes at PUCP and even had the chance to talk to their professors and receive recommendations about their project.

How will my personal project contribute to my exchange experience?

One of our study abroad alums loves dogs and studied Sociology. Her personal project analyzed dogs in different neighborhoods in Lima!

During your exchange, you will have the opportunity to do different activities such as playing sports, taking dance classes, going on excursions to different parts of Peru and even doing volunteer work.

To develop a good personal project, I recommend that the topic you choose is linked to some extracurricular activity you decide to do, so this way you can match your project with your personal experience.

 Here are some examples of past projects:

• A former exchange student, Joe, who was part of the swimming team of his home university, decided to choose “Peruvian university swimming competitions” as a topic for his personal project. He even joined the PUCP swimming team in order to make his exchange experience better. He did some research on university swimming competitions in Peru and did some interviews and surveys to his teammates and coaches in order to write his project essay. In addition, for his final presentation, he showed photos and videos of his training and competitions he participated in during his exchange. His major was International Studies.

• Erin, another former student, was interested in applying to medical school at her home university, chose 'Amazonian natural medicine' as the main topic for her personal project. She had the opportunity to participate in an excursion to the Peruvian jungle, which was organized by EdOdyssey and visited some treatment and rehabilitation centers. At the centers, she had some interviews with medical specialists and collected important information on the topic in order to write her essay and make her final presentation. Her major at her home university was Anthropology.

What impact will my Personal Project have on my career?

Identify how your personal project will add value to your career. For example, when you graduate or when you get a job in the future, how will your Personal Project help you? Are you potentially thinking about a Masters program? 

Don’t forget about your big picture goals and ambitions, and how this project can help serve you to accomplish those goals!

STEP 2: Investigation & Research

Your personal project will have a significant impact on your exchange, so it is important that you dedicate time and effort in order to succeed. Please keep in mind that I’m here to help all students succeed, but please take note of the following tips so you can have the most fun possible with this project!

Be organized: When you start researching your topic, you need to get yourself organized. I recommend that you create a monthly schedule that includes the tasks you must do and the amount of time you will spend on those tasks. 

This will help you to focus on the project and you won’t miss out on your other academic activities.

Step by step: The development of the personal project happens throughout the semester so it will take you a few months to complete it. It is important that you identify the parts of the project and set weekly assignments and goals.

Support: During the semester, you will have my advice and support in the development of your project. We will have weekly meetings that will allow you to present updates and advances with me soI can provide you with feedback  to guide you and improve your project.

Stay calm: Doing your personal project is not an easy task, so it is okay if you feel a little overwhelmed during the process. Remember to stay calm, take a deep breath and reach out to me if you have questions. If you’re proactive during the semester, and keep an open line of communication with me, you’ll enjoy the process and create a better project!

STEP 3: Final Presentation

At the end of the semester, you should present your personal project with your exchange colleagues in order to share your experience and receive feedback. For the final presentation, I recommend that you and all students studying abroad with EdOdyssey complete following:

Style Points: Present your project in a creative and eye-catching way so your fellow students pay attention and get curious about your topic. You’re encouraged to  include photos or videos from the beginning and final stages of your project.

Final Presentation Duration: Your presentation should last approximately 10 minutes. You will include the objective, development and conclusions of your project.

Demeanor: Feel comfortable and relaxed so you can give a confident image to your audience.

Your personal project will bring together your passions, academic skills and knowledge in order to have the best exchange experience abroad. Remember to focus on the three steps described: the choice of topic, the  research and the final presentation, taking into account the time and effort that each one will take.

With proper organization, strong motivation and a good guidance,  you will be able to develop an excellent project that will have a valuable contribution to your professional career!

Ready to get started?

Blending Academics and Culture: The Uniqueness Behind EdOdyssey's Virtual Study Abroad Program

Expand your academic experience this semester with courses that go beyond traditional online classes. Take part in EdOdyssey’s virtual study abroad program that uniquely combines a cultural learning module with a selection of academic courses at the top university in Peru.

This is an incredible opportunity for eager learners excited about taking their education to gain cultural and academic knowledge from a local perspective. 

Growing your global understanding is integral to being an impactful society member wherever you live. Throughout the virtual study abroad program, you will connect with Peruvian professors to learn about either Indigenous Rights, Peruvian History, Global Pandemics, Spanish language, or Traditional Medicine in the Andres.

While students receive academic coursework, our Peruvian team based in Peru will engage in an open dialogue and support students while they learn about aspects of Peruvian culture.

As a Virtual Study Abroad student, you’ll gain knowledge about Peru from local perspectives, gain cultural competencies and even prepare yourself for future study abroad and travel!

LOCAL PERSPECTIVE

These courses, taught by PUCP professors who are highly knowledgeable in their fields, will create an opportunity for students to connect with other students throughout the U.S., while also engaging in dialogue with the Peruvian professors. 

Class photo with one of the awesome professors at PUCP from our in-person semester program

How often do you get the chance to take a course about “Indigenous Rights and Legal Pluralism” with a Peruvian professor who has extensive knowledge and experience related with indigenous rights? This could be a once in a lifetime opportunity! 

The five exceptional course options challenge students to build cultural competencies beyond the classroom. By learning directly from Peruvian professors with lived experience in Latin America, students will be able to ask questions, engage in fruitful dialogue and greatly expand their knowledge. 

CULTURAL MODULE: BECOMING A GLOBAL CITIZEN

In an increasingly globalized world, these courses provide you with an opportunity to gain crucial skills of cultural competence and a wider global perspective through interacting with citizens from another country and covering important sociocultural topics. The cultural module of the Virtual Study Abroad program will include a series of guest speakers who will share their perspectives and experiences on numerous topics related to accomplishments and challenges in Peru. 

Various presentations will inspire you to reflect and gain perspective on your personal identity, experiences, and capital through discussions and conversations in the cultural modules. While specific aspects of Peruvian society may not resonate with a student, there are numerous takeaways which students can use to reflect on social justice issues and questions such as:

How can I make a difference in the world and community in which I am a part of? 

In what ways can I focus my community engagement where I live? 

In what ways do my individual actions impact global economies, societies, and peoples? 

What values do people have in different regions such as rural areas and cities? 

A TASTE BEFORE STUDYING ABROAD

For high school upperclassmen and college students, this program may also be helpful for those debating studying abroad or future travel. Knowledge gained will help students build cultural confidence and possibly reduce the intensity of culture shock upon arriving to study abroad in Lima in the future.

The Peruvian History and Culture course will be particularly useful for students who will eventually study abroad in Lima, as you will be able to discuss historical events and social issues with locals.  As wonderful as study abroad information sessions and slideshows may be, the more you know before you go abroad will help you feel ready and excited about the new experiences to come. 

IS VIRTUAL STUDY ABROAD THE RIGHT FIT FOR ME?

If you are a high school upperclassmen, high school graduate, or undergrad student then YES, this program is PERFECT FOR YOU!  Knowledge about diverse cultures, regions, and societies will help you succeed in any avenue you pursue in life. Additionally, during this unprecedented time of a global pandemic, some may find the course “Pandemics, Global History & Peruvian Society” to be an exciting new perspective on what is happening across the world. 

If you plan to travel somewhere, the lessons you learn in this program about Peru’s culture will apply to various aspects of your life. Learning about Peru’s diverse range of cultures, climates, and languages will help students reflect on their own realities and how they’d like to better engage with them. 

If you’re still working on your Spanish, or haven’t studied a language in awhile, that’s okay! The Peruvian History, Indigenous Rights, and Global Pandemics courses will be offered in English. You will provide you with an opportunity to learn about various aspects of Peruvian culture and society, expand your cultural competency and better align you for a future of impactful societal engagement. 

If you’re looking to improve your intermediate or advanced Spanish language skills, or learn about Traditional Medicine in the Andes, you’ll gain even more perspective and improve your language skills!

Want to learn more about the virtual study abroad program? Learn more about the Curriculum and Experience!

The Peruvian Divide: Race, Ethnicity, Class & Status

The mission and responsibility of EdOdyssey starts with serving our students and the world through experiential learning. As leaders in international education, our organization feels compelled to raise our voice against racial discrimination and violence and to educate on the differences that exist within societies abroad.

As a Peruvian citizen, and a member of the EdOdyssey team, I’m sharing perspective on the Peruvian experience with racial divide that exists so any student that comes for an immersion program or semester has more context and a wider perspective when visiting Peru.

Peru’s History: Roots of Racism & Imperialism

Racism in Peru has its origins as old as the history that led to the formation of its territory. The first meeting of the Spaniards with the last Peruvian Inca, known as Atahualpa,  in 1532 was one based on domination and violence. Narrations of historians at the time tell how the group led by Pizarro presented a Bible to Atahualpa and demanded him to renounce his pagan beliefs. 

Depiction of the encounter between Francisco Pizarro and the Inca Atahualpa by chronicler Guaman Poma de Ayala, circa 1615 Photo Credit: Amautu Diaries

Atahualpa, not knowing what a Bible nor Christianity was, discarded the object, triggering anger in the Spaniards at the sight of such profanity. They then used this as justification to submit the native Peruvians and begin what was known as the Viceroyalty of Peru.

The process was not peaceful. Wars were fought, blood was shed and the indigenous population was reduced to numbers dangerously close to extinction. The start of the Viceroyalty of Peru was one based on the notion that the native Peruvians were a people that lived in ignorance. 

Wars stripped them from their possessions, and they were cast out to the outskirts of the city of Lima to areas that were called The Inca Reductions. Walls were erected to prevent the Inca descendants from mixing with the Spaniards. Some portions of that wall can still be seen in Lima today.

A New Form of Division: Classism

From that point on, there would be a disparity between Spaniards and native Peruvians, both in economy and education. This inequity would continue even throughout the history of Peru as a Republic, as being from an ethnic background different from the European meant you would have fewer opportunities in life, making racism merge with a new form of division: classism.

Links Between Ethnicity & Social Status

And the same way Incan buildings remain in modern-day Peru for everyone to see them, classism and racism are still very present. You will notice, for example, that the city of Lima has some variability of the ethnicity of their population according to where in Lima they reside. The majority of people living in the outskirts of the city are descendants of Native Peruvians, and the people living in the richest, most central parts of the city are of European descent.

We can go as far as to describe that oftentimes houses in the richest parts of the city of Lima have a housekeeper of sorts called “la empleada”. This at-home worker will mainly come from one of the outskirts of the city and their ethnicity will almost always be Native Peruvian. The name of empleada has been recently changed to trabajadora del hogar. 

The reason for this change is very revealing: to say empleada implies meaning of someone being used, employed for something, in an example that critics have called modern-day slavery. To say trabajadora del hogar roughly translates to house worker, and it is a clear effort to move away from the utilitarian view of the less fortunate citizens.

Indeed, language is power.

Hand-In-Hand Connection: Race & Social Status in Peru

We can also see this in modern-day Peru. Part of our Study Abroad Program involves experiences that show the enormous economic and racial divide especially in the Lima area. With service day-trips to the less fortunate areas in the capital, like the Sagrado Corazon de Jesus School or the District of Ventanilla, students can experience firsthand the difficulties and challenges that people in these areas face day to day, and how this is highly tied to racial divide.

Ramon Castilla, three-term president of Peru. He abolished slavery in the year 1854. Photo Credit: La Biografía de Ramón Castilla.

One of the biggest challenges is the lack of presence of the government in these areas, which results in lack of public investment. This means no running water, no public schools, and poor security as opposed to the richer areas of the city. In these areas people make the most out of what they have, and schools like Sagrado Corazon de Jesus survive from donations and the goodwill of citizens and volunteers like you and me.

Indeed, one of the first things you notice once you get acquainted with the city of Lima is how quickly its appearance changes depending on where in the city you are. Just a thirty-minute drive can mean moving from the richest, most luxurious parts of Lima, to the poorest developing areas where people earn a day’s pay in order to survive.

Lima, The City of Kings, is not immune to great social distancing in the shape of expressions that cause division. With all its history and cultural legacy, there’s still much to be worked out. We are not immune to racism.

How Can We Help?

We can start by having experiences and conversations that help us to fully understand the challenges that our people have in our communities, to know that we are no different to one another, and that equal opportunity is essential for a society to grow in harmony. 

As human beings, we feel drawn to those things we know and things to which we can relate. We build bridges and relationships when we take the first step, we board that plane to a country we’ve never been to before. We live their reality, we suffer the pains of daily life, we go through thick and thin.

And that’s what we aim for when we build, offer and host a Study Abroad program. It is not just a social visit. It is a soul-building, mind-changing experience. To spend a semester in Peru means we have opportunities to guide our students, be with them, to show them the beauty of the country, but also to explain the things we need to work on as a people and why that is important.

“Many people can hear about places where poverty impacts the communities everyday, but actually being there in person demonstrates a much larger picture of how each community overcomes the obstacles thrown in their way.” Grace, 2019 Study Abroad Alum

For those who visit us short term there is still an opportunity to learn, as we remain with our groups for the entirety of their visit, monitoring and guiding our experiences to make their short stay as thorough as possible in terms of culture and social issues. At the end of each day we conduct a group reflection, to exchange ideas and build on our experiences.

And in that journey, we grow.

Peru is a wonderfully diverse country, in every dimension we can think of. My fellow Peruvians and I have been blessed to have such a rich and deep history, and as we have much room for social improvement, we dedicate our lives to building cultural and digital bridges to take that first step and reach out, clear the mist of difference, and heal.

Want to learn more about more of Peru’s more recent history? Check out Peru's Recent History: A Story of Struggles and Growth!

Pandemics: Gain Cultural Competencies, Global Perspective on Peruvian Society With EdOdyssey

Pandemics cause widespread grief and destruction of human life. In addition to COVID-19, various forms of disease and their consequences in health persist in societies around the world and continue to affect large, often particularly vulnerable, populations. 

Through the virtual study abroad experience, students will have the opportunity to supplement learning from experienced professors at the top university in Peru with conversations with the EdOdyssey team surrounding various Peruvian cultural topics. Students will be enrolled in a virtual two-credit course at the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, a prestigious university in Lima. 

This unique course offering, Pandemics, Global History & Peruvian Society, forms a part of Virtual Study Abroad and engages students in a range of conversations relevant to global public health. Students interested in health topics, international studies, or learning more about different cultures will gain knowledge surrounding the causes, responses, and results of pandemics throughout modern history. 

To contextualize the knowledge learned during the course, students will engage in a weekly cultural module with the EdOdyssey team in Peru. Learn more about the course and how you’ll also have an opportunity to extend your knowledge beyond the virtual classroom!

A LOCAL PERSPECTIVE ON PANDEMICS IN PERU

A particularly unique aspect of this virtual study abroad experience is the support which students will receive from the EdOdyssey team in Lima, Peru. One of our team members, Luis Garcia, graduated from PUCP and continues to live in Lima. As EdOdyssey’s Cultural Advisor for EdOdyssey’s Study Abroad program, he shares some remarks on why he is excited for this course: 

“This course ties current events with historical records, how countries and governments have reacted to pandemic situations in the past, and what consequences those decisions had in their societies. Outbreaks like the Spanish flu resulted in tremendous loss of lives and there is much to be learned about how we can take on those subjects at a multidisciplinary level. 

Fast forward to now, Peruvian policy and decisions on how to confront the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in negative consequences for the economy. I’m excited about this course because it opens discussions about how developing countries face different challenges when shelter in place is recommended, as their economy relies heavily on day to day activities. 

Much has been said also about how societies comply with health-related recommendations such as mask wearing. In Peruvian culture, why do most Peruvians still go outside despite the virus? Some say they need to do so in order to survive economically. These needs need to be taken into account when shelter in place is recommended. Without considering the peoples’ needs, the Peruvian economy may be irreconcilably damaged.” 

RELEVANCE TO GLOBAL CURRENT EVENTS

Incorporating the cultural module alongside the course offered at PUCP will provide students with an opportunity to use the knowledge learned in class and to discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic and other pandemics have affected both Peruvian society and U.S. society. Moreover, students will discuss how different governments responded to the current pandemic, thinking about ways in which responses could have been improved to best protect the community. 

Discussions about different pandemics throughout history will highlight how different cultures, socioeconomic realities, and geographical regions are disproportionately vulnerable to pandemics and other major health crises. Learning about global inequalities positions students to go forth in the future and combat injustices and find solutions to such inequalities. 

COMBINING (VIRTUAL) CLASSROOM AND CULTURE

During this program, students will learn about Peruvian culture with the EdOdyssey team in order to best put new knowledge from their PUCP course into context. Various presenters and presentations will cover different themes related to Peruvian society, culture, and life, helping students to best understand the course material. 

Additionally, there will be numerous opportunities to ask questions to and hear from people with different perspectives. Professors, study abroad alumni, EdOdyssey founder, team members from Peru, staff, and interns will all be sharing their experiences, insights and knowledge with students, and more than willing to answer questions!

WHO IS THE IDEAL STUDENT FOR THIS COURSE?

Students who have a curiosity and passion for expanding their global knowledge surrounding public health, policy, and history, will thrive in this engaging educational opportunity.

Health topics, such as pandemics, affect all societies and responses require teamwork amongst numerous participants and organizations. Whether you are thinking about or pursuing a career in government, health professions, social services, or international studies, this course will touch on relevant ideas and important topics that you may find important as you navigate your professional career. 

The course will also be instructed in English, providing access to those who are interested in the relevant themes and have English as their dominant language. The course is Peru-centric and taught by Peruvian professors, but NO prior Spanish knowledge is required! 

MAKE THE MOST OF OUR GLOBALIZED WORLD

Education during this Fall semester and headed into 2021 is going to look different than what most of us are used to. New technologies are being integrated into classrooms and virtual teaching in order to progress student learning and ensure safety for all as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. 

EdOdyssey’s new Virtual Study Abroad program, that integrates PUCP courses with a cultural module, is a great way to jump on the bandwagon of new educational experiences and take advantage of the ability to engage with and learn from people on another continent. There is always something new to learn from those who have different life experiences and expertise!

Want to learn more about virtual study abroad?