Virtual Study Abroad with EdOdyssey: A Cultural Adventure Both In and Out of Classes

Studying abroad is something that thousands of students consider doing in college. Learning new things from a different country provides you with new knowledge and perspectives that you might not find in the United States.

It’s no wonder that so many students choose to spend at least one semester of their college career in a different country!

As you look ahead to the rest of your college career, and beyond, these following questions will be important:

• What kinds of new experiences do you want to have, and what kinds of new skills do you want to gain before you graduate?

• Millions of students graduate from school every year - how will you stand out from everyone else?  

You have an opportunity to taste the immersion of study abroad without leaving your home country. Dive into global learning and develop a deeper understanding of the diversity of the world through EdOdyssey’s virtual study abroad program!

Explore the ins and outs of another country through our cultural modules and online courses taught by our expert partners at Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP), a top institution in Peru!

WEEKLY CULTURAL MODULES 

Anyone who has gone abroad can tell you that adventure waits at every corner. Every day brings something new to explore. As travelers ourselves, we can say that this is the most exciting part of any global experience! 

Outside of class, you can continue to learn about Peru and the Peruvian experience through our weekly modules! Join your classmates for a new discussion and cultural activity session. These two hour sessions occur twice a week and build sociocultural context to complement your course! 

Explore Peruvian culture through movies, sports, and cooking! Our Peruvian-led sessions will bring an authentic Peruvian experience to you!

PERUVIAN HISTORY AND CULTURE COURSE

When you hear the word “Peru,” what do you imagine? A lot of people picture Machu Picchu high up in the mountains. However, Peru is not just the Andes, the Incas, and Machu Picchu. Peru was the center of South American civilization for millennia, and its long history is rich with political, social, and cultural shifts.

You can still see remnants of Peru’s ancient past today, and just as history impacts the present, what you learn about the country in the present will be the good predictors of what might happen in the future. Through Peruvian History and Culture, you can learn about what has happened in the past and how it affects the present.

Most importantly, you will also examine how factors such as societal conflict and personal identity can affect Peruvians for generations ahead!

You can dive deeper into Peru’s history and culture through our weekly modules. Learn more about the intersections of the past and present and explore how the topics you learn in class play a role in the country’s current issues. Our colleagues in Peru, who live and breathe the Peruvian experience, will bring learning to life next semester!

INDIGENOUS RIGHTS & LEGAL PLURALISM COURSE

Peru is one of the most diverse countries in the world. A vast majority of Peruvians are either mixed-race or descendants of the ancient indigenous peoples in the area. With over 50 ethnic groups and centuries of cultural shifts and tensions, Peru is the perfect case study if you’re interested in anthropology, race relations, global human rights, or anything relating to the state of the world!

You won’t be taught by any college professor: you’ll learn directly from a Peruvian lawyer who specializes in defending indigenous rights and working with indigenous peoples firsthand! With pressing topics such as land distribution, environmental conservation, and equal access affecting millions of Peruvians, now is the time to learn about the legal histories and policies affecting people in another part of the world!

PANDEMICS, GLOBAL HISTORY, AND PERUVIAN SOCIETY COURSE

As the world becomes more globalized, it will push people and cultures to interact with and understand each other as an important part of our future. Knowledge of the past vitally shapes how we address global issues in the present. 

This course focuses on how Peru has handled worldwide pandemics in the past and challenges students to think about the implications that the country’s history has on people today. Your professors at PUCP won’t just give lectures on history; they will also walk with you through complex social implications of a widespread pandemic and help you navigate the shifting relationships between science and politics in Peruvian society. 

You can further investigate the effect of these factors through one of our weekly modules about Peru in 2020 - we will be discussing how Peru has handled the COVID-19 pandemic, so don’t let this chance to learn something this relevant pass you by! 

YOUR PERUVIAN EXPERIENCE

A virtual course “abroad” will show your curiosity for world affairs, and it’ll teach you lessons beyond the classroom. EdOdyssey’s virtual study abroad program opens a virtual door for you to immerse yourself in the Peruvian experience by learning directly from Peruvian experts and EdOdyssey’s Peruvian team members. 

EdOdyssey’s cultural modules take the lessons from Peru’s culture history, indigenous rights and global pandemics to make them come alive and build on the a strong academic foundation from your classes. You’ll walk away with global competencies that colleges admit from prospective undergrad and grad students. Beyond your degree, you’ll find that employers seek professionals that embrace diversity and new experiences so don’t miss out! 

Want to learn about virtual study abroad?

Understanding the Importance of Indigenous Rights and Legal Pluralism: A Virtual Study Abroad Experience

People of drastically different cultures are connected globally in numerous ways. In this globalized world, cultural knowledge related to human rights, interculturality, history and traditions is important to building context around these topics and understanding their sociocultural impacts on the present. Through cultural modules and coursework, you’ll gain a global perspective with a specific focus on Peru, about indigenous rights and how cultural diversity and ethnic identity play a crucial role in construction of government policies. 

You’ll have an opportunity to learn from professors in Lima, Peru through the virtual course in collaboration with Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP) and you’ll extend that knowledge into your discussions, presentations, and more during your cultural module sessions.

In addition to your two-credit PUCP course, you’ll gain cultural insight through the virtual classroom experience that will be a fun and exciting opportunity to learn more about Peru, its culture, and society. Discussions with the EdOdyssey team members, and guest speakers, will bring topics learned in the PUCP courses to life and will provide additional room for discussion.

Additionally, this will be a great chance for students to better get to know each other, and create community together and with the EdOdyssey local team based in Peru. 

COURSE PREVALENCE TO THE GLOBALIZED WORLD

Earth is home to over 300 million indigenous people. According to the United Nations, “indigenous peoples are the holders of unique languages, knowledge systems and beliefs and possess invaluable knowledge of practices for the sustainable management of natural resources” (UN). On every continent, indigenous people must navigate their place within society and their, often complicated, relationship with the national government. 

This course will use human rights and interculturality approaches to analyze problems of indigenous populations and their relations with the state. Moreover, students will learn how historical events influence laws related to the rights of indigenous peoples, and what the practical applications of legal pluralism are. Focusing specifically on Peru, the Peruvian professors will draw on their education, experience, and research in order to teach these intriguing and important topics. 

How This Course Connects To Your Future

Cultural competency is key in any profession that you pursue. Moreover, indigenous people and groups live all over the world. In the U.S., for example, Native Americans face similar challenges to other global indigenous peoples, despite having certain legal statuses or protections as indigenous people, or as people living on state-protected reservations. 

The discussion of Indigenous Rights also gives us the opportunity to reconcile the contemporary idea of progress with how Indigenous people view the use of their land. Contemporary views of progress associate this word with the construction of cities and the creation of industry in lands previously occupied by nature. On the other hand, many indigenous peoples share a culture in which progress is understood as an ever increasing connection with the natural resources available to them and their conservation through sustainable use and balance. Understanding this observable fact is key when answering the question of what rights is a person or people entitled to.

More broadly, understanding human rights issues promotes an equitable world for all people, and for progress toward a better future for all. Understanding and valuing the diversity of future colleagues, roommates, friends, or family creates a safe environment for learning and supports successful relationship building. 

Students will leave this experience having learned from highly knowledgeable Peruvian professors and EdOdyssey team members. Knowledge and demonstrated interest in subjects that are “off the beaten path” will make students stand out in the future, as well as be able to provide new and important perspectives to conversations with peers and fellow academics. The contacts that students make during this virtual experience, both with fellow classmates and with educators, will be useful tools in the future. 

Combining the 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 be more than willing to answer questions!

Beyond Academics: A Peruvian Experience

A key aspect of this virtual study abroad experience will be that students engage with the EdOdyssey team from Lima, Peru. We asked Luis Garcia, a PUCP graduate and EdOdyssey’s Cultural Advisor in Lima, about what he’s most excited about in regards to this course and here’s what he had to say: 

“Historically, indigenous people in Peru have been relegated to a position of subordination and their needs have rarely been taken into account when it comes to Government Policy.

I am excited for this course because it is an opportunity to explore the culture of Indigenous People in Peru and vindicate their importance as the first people who shared their land with nature on Peruvian soil. I am also excited about this course because it discusses important matters related to the property of our Indigenous Communities and their inclusion into the Peruvian legal system. 

It’s also great that we will have the opportunity to discuss this with other students because many countries around the world share their territories with Indigenous Communities and this can lead to discussions that result in the future creation of policy to recognize Universal Indigenous Rights.”

MAKE THE MOST OF THE UNIQUE TIMES

As COVID-19 continues to affect the world, educational opportunities continue to shift with the times. The EdOdyssey team is excited to join you on this virtual journey and support your cultural and academic growth along the way.

Use this semester to create a new network of students and diverse professionals, and to expand both your global knowledge and cultural competencies. If you still have a few years left in high school or college, or you’ve graduated, you’ll have a chance to get a sense of what it may be like to study abroad and travel in Peru. 

The world is full of exciting new information and opportunities and this is a wonderful way to expand your knowledge without going an inch beyond your computer. Well, except when you join in on the cultural module’s cooking class!

Want to learn more about virtual study abroad?