EdOdyssey's Epic Six Day Finale For Fall Study Abroad 2018

Every semester our study abroad program includes three excursions to make sure students return home with the most holistic glimpse of Peru. As one of the most ecologically diverse countries in the world, it has 84 of the 108 ecosystems and 28 of 32 possible climates. Wouldn’t you want to see and experience as many as possible?

We always save Cusco for the end because it’s a special way for our local staff at EdOdyssey to wrap up an emotional semester abroad with our students. As a final touch, this past semester our study abroad students took an amazing trip to Cusco and Machu Picchu with Patty Valencia, our Peruvian Program Coordinator.

We want to give you all a quick look back at what our end of semester trip with our students looked like this past fall semester because we wanted to leave our students with a fantastic send off with the most authentic look at life in Peru.

Day 1 - The Arrival: Mental & Physical Preparation  

During the first day in Cusco, the students and our team took it easy and stayed in the city of Cusco. At an altitude of around 11,000 feet, they got adjusted to the local feel. This first day, they acclimated to the local climate. The next five days involve an emotional roller coaster packed with visiting more than five cities, two trains, countless hours of hiking, an experience with a shaman and a meal that they’ll never forget.

Day 2 - Hospitality & Haggling: The Local Experience

They visited one of the nearby local Amaru communities and saw what it’s like to live like a location. They saw a presentation in Quechua - the local language in the village - and the community members had the students dress in the local attire. During their day in the community, they learned how to harvest beans and how the locals add their bright colors and designs to the typical clothing.

It wouldn’t have been a trip to the local community without some local hospitality. The locals had them try some of their famous local potatoes, natural teas, and quinoa to later show them some local goods in case they wanted to buy anything.

After the students learned how to live like the locals, they put a semester’s worth of Spanish to the ultimate language test: bargaining and buying at the local artisanal market. Patty told us that it was the first time that she saw such a big group of visiting students haggle over prices, and her reaction was priceless:  

“Incredible! It was the Spanish immersion talking!”

— Patty Valencia, EdOdyssey's Program Coordinator

After they bought an assortment of goods that ranged from fun pants to Peruvian-style sweaters the group visited a farm with alpacas and llamas where they got to feed them! As they took the road to Machu Picchu, they made a few stops along the way. Now, if you go by yourself or with an agency, you would probably go straight to the town where Machu Picchu is, but you’d miss a wild ride!

Day 3: Four Cities, Marching Toward Machu Picchu

On the third day, the group went to see the famous salt pools in Maras that are world-known Peruvian pink salt, as seen above. Later, they had lunch in Urubamba and saw the ancient ruins in Ollantaytambo before catching the train to Aguas Calientes. While on the train, everyone started to look over their pictures taken during their jam-packed trip, but one of the students stopped Patty to ask:

“How can you look at photos right now and miss one of the most beautiful train rides ever?”

Needless to say, everyone put their cameras away as they began to leave the mountainous region of Cusco and approached the wilderness and jungle on the way to Machu Picchu.   

Day 4 - Finally Arrived: Machu Picchu

Some students woke up earlier and took another route up to Machu Picchu known as “La puerta del sol”, or sun gate. They communicated with Patty through WhatsApp as they took an alternative route with marked signs that lead up to “The Old Peak”, which is the translated name of Machu Picchu from Quechua to English.

After they arrived to the peak, they learned about the ancient history behind the ancient Incan civilization and how it was rediscovered. After hiking all day, they took their market haggling to the next level to get some local souvenirs before taking the ride from Aguas Calientes to Cusco where they slept.

Day 5 - An Evening With A Shaman & Guinea Pig dinner

In the morning, some rested while others others enjoyed going to the seven-colored mountain. In the afternoon, the farewell was a special event with a local shaman that performed a ritual that read into their respective futures in private that left them as happy as well as fascinated.

After they enjoyed partaking in ritual, they went to try one of the local delicacies - guinea pig. They tried it but we think that one time was enough!

Day 6 - The Final City Tour, The Predestined Farewell

They did a quick tour of Cusco before heading home to the United States. As fate would have it, their flights got delayed. They took that time with Patty to recount their orientation, their trips, and to reflect on everything that they learned during their time in Peru. One of the students reflected in their excursion to Ica where the students spent the nights in tents in the dessert and under the stars as one of their favorite moments of the semester.

We hope that all of our students come away with moments that make them feel the magic of another culture. Whether they enjoy the more quiet moments or the unsettling moments that challenge their comfort zone, the entire experience has taught us that we have to appreciate the moments with the people around us.

Ready to take the leap to see Peru with us?

Check out our EdOdyssey Study Abroad Page for more information!

Five Ways How I Keep My Study Abroad Experience Alive

Are you thinking about traveling in the future or have already travelled during a study abroad?  Here is my guide on how to keep the vibe of your experiences abroad alive. After studying and traveling abroad, I know how it feels to come home and encounter difficulties keeping this vibe alive on campus.  

However, there are personal ways to hold onto your experiences, like writing about your perspective abroad and having worthwhile conversations with those at home, while continuing the conversation and relationship with those you met abroad.  There are also ways at school to achieve this, through continuing a study of a certain subject or language that enhanced your trip, and discovering programs or groups on campus to study or travel abroad. Experiences abroad are not simply a check on a checklist, they are meant to impact and shape you, through all of the amazing and maybe not so great experiences alike.  

How can you keep the vibe of your study abroad experience alive?

1. Talk to others about my experiences

During my first semester on campus after study abroad, I found that an easy way for me to keep my study abroad experience alive is simply talking to others and sharing my experiences.  I discovered that it was important for me to share the details of my trips and how I was impacted with my family and friends. It was important for them to know that I was not the same person after coming home, as I became more confident in myself and found a new appreciation for traveling.  Initially, I struggled a bit with doing this, as it is difficult sometimes to convey to others an experience that was not shared, besides on social media.

I found myself a little frustrated, as some people asked questions like “They have an airport?” or “What did you eat?!”.  Looking back on this, I should not have felt so upset or puzzled why others had these thoughts. Rather, I should have been more understanding and gone into these conversations with the same mindset that I went into my trips with.  After having full and meaningful conversations about my experiences abroad, those surrounding me knew more about why I was so open-minded when it came to food or why I had such an easy-going attitude. I was happy because they had a better idea of who I am and why I am so passionate about what I do.  

2. Keep in touch with those I met during my experiences abroad

After traveling abroad and meeting new and amazing people, I knew that I wanted to remain in touch.  Nowhere in my imaginary study abroad guide does it state that I must stay in touch with anyone I met, but this was my choice.  Those I met in China and Peru shaped my trips in both countries. Why wouldn’t I want to remain friends and in contact?

I talk to one of my friends from China nearly everyday through WeChat (China’s largest messaging and social media application).  I find that this is important to do after traveling because I was not in China and Peru for solely a week or two, I made connections with people that I see lasting my entire life.  Through this, I still feel connected from the states, in a different way to China and Peru, whether it is social media, phone calls, Facetimes, or texts. I am constantly reminded of my friends in China during my daily Mandarin class, when we discuss Chinese culture and ways to speak Mandarin like a native speaker.  If I have any questions about Mandarin, I sometimes turn to them via WeChat to better understand what I am learning, whether it is making sure my pronunciation is correct or that I am not saying something offensive in Chinese culture in my homework.

3. Get involved with programs that involve travel at school

When I started college after my gap year, I wanted keep the vibe alive from my year off.  I asked myself, how can I accomplish this on campus? After attending several club and activities fairs in the beginning of the school year, I was excited at how many clubs and programs there were available to students that involved aspects of traveling abroad.  

After I applied and got accepted for a board position, I joined a program that hosts a liberal arts camp for students in Vietnam during the summer.  I have met some of my closest friends at school from this program and I am so excited to travel to Vietnam this summer! If you want to get a taste of being abroad but you are not sure that you want to study abroad for an entire semester, research what programs your school offers that are not necessarily a semester long!  You never know what can happen when you get involved in activities and programs!

4. Continue studying the languages I learned abroad

Another way while now on campus how I like to keep the vibe alive is continuing to study the languages I studied abroad.  On my first day of college, the first class I shadowed was a Mandarin class. I loved the class and decided to enroll. If this had taken place a year prior, I most likely would not have been studying Mandarin.  This would not have even crossed my mind, but after my experience in China, I wanted to learn more.

By continuing this study, I feel even more connected to China and my friends in China, especially as my Mandarin continues to improve (hopefully).  After taking Spanish classes in Peru, I still practice Spanish by speaking with others and using learning applications on my phone like Duolingo. I am currently focusing on my study of Mandarin, but depending on my future course schedule I really want to take Spanish classes too!

5. By writing about my experiences

I have discovered in my life the power of writing. For me, I like to capture how I feel or relive my experiences through writing.  Today, I enjoy reading my different pieces of writing from my time abroad. It serves as a great reflecting time and also reminds me of events or days that I might have forgotten otherwise.  My writing has empowered me to share unique thoughts and experiences with others.

I constantly remind myself to put my thoughts onto paper, as each piece serves as time capsule of memories.  I do not to forget these memories because anyone can take a picture, but only I can write about my experiences. This is a part of one of my journal entries:

“China is not this mysterious country in a faraway land.  I am happy that I can write this while sitting in a coffee shop 7,796 miles away from home and have no worries at all. I feel a new sense of freedom.”

Traveling abroad is different for everyone, but a commonality is the value that is attained while abroad and then at home.  Your study abroad experience is about you and it is ultimately up to you in what you want to get out of it. It is important to remember that a past trip can have a huge effect on your future, and you never know where that experience may take you!  A trip abroad does not end with your flight back home, it is up to you to keep it alive.

Four Major Benefits Of Customizable Programs

Plan, Prep and Go Abroad With EdOdyssey

Wouldn’t you like to go abroad with other teachers and students without the stress of handling the logistics of the whole journey yourself? Would you like to be able lay the foundation for a unique, fun program but let travel experts and fellow educators work out the logistics work for you?

We’re here to help!

Our customizable group programs abroad allow educators and their administrations to give us the tools to develop enriching, educationally-focused programs. As former teachers with years of classroom experience, our team knows how to involve school leaders from the beginning in develop meaningful, international programs for students. Our team helps define the wide and specific scopes of learning objectives for the program so your program can incorporate your content area(s) and theme(s) are reflected in the itinerary.

Below are our four major reasons why students and teachers should customizing a program abroad!

1. Flexible Planning

From the start, we’re able to create an itinerary that fits the mission of your program within your timeframe. For staters, we ask teachers and administration about the length of their desired program, specific/tentative dates, learning objectives and destination of travel for us to lay a base travel itinerary to start incorporating activities and later work out the logistics. Our extensive knowledge of Peru, China, Spain, and Italy help us plan and prepare individualized programs for schools with academic requirements in mind.

Our programs are designed similarly to a curriculum that allows students to learn across a wide range of activities. In the past, we’ve included cultural experiences involving local communities through homestays and volunteer service days. We also incorporate student-driven, educator-guided experiences abroad that include famous points of interest and scavenger hunts in them to add that special element of experiential learning.

We know how to adjust to your academic needs because we know that you want the best suited activities for the mission of your program, and we know that you’re trying to reach a wide range of students with their various strengths!

2. Differentiated Student Activities

In the classroom, we know that great teachers adjust their instruction to meet the needs of their students, and we want our programs to cater to the students as well. We make sure to differentiate our student activities to match with the scope and mission of the program.

After every program, we receive great feedback from our group programs and we’re luckily able to use it the next year since the high majority of our schools repeat with us. In over our years of providing custom study abroad programs, we’ve travelled with students from all around the US and we’ve all collectively travelled 932,994 miles and counting!

We’ve had hundreds of students go through our past programs and more than 13,450 hours in the classroom with all of our groups combined internationally over the years! Not to mention, we’ve also collaborated with schools from foreign countries and hosted them in Massachusetts!

3. Affordability - Your Program, Your Inclusions

Our core program includes the essentials such as your housing, your transportation, your flights, most of your meals, 24/7 staff, your pre-departure support, and your travel/medical insurance during the duration of your trip with us.

Some fun additions that groups have enjoyed with past groups have been language classes, museum visits, cooking classes, volunteer/service and so much more. We try to include as many culturally-enriching activities to give you the best idea of what we provide you with during your trip!

You’ll want to bring some spending money for souvenirs and snacks! Otherwise, we try to include as much as possible with our school trips!

If you have something that you would like us to consider during your trip, we want to hear it because ultimately we want what is best for our groups. We go through and create a step-by-step guide for each group that communicates a clear roadmap of how we are preparing you for your trip abroad.

4. Increasing Student Participation & Satisfaction

Based on our past travel experiences, we know how to create a holistic, cultural experience abroad that makes you realize how much you’ve learned in such a short amount of time. We understand the beauty of teachable moments and we coach the students as they go on their journey.

For example, at the end of each day, we lead a group reflection to help students share, process and understand the takeaways from each day’s activities. Through the duration of the trip, students receive cultural coaching from us because we know that it’s important for them to have social context from experts who know the nuances and pitfalls of experiencing a new culture.

As we’ve collaborated with a variety of schools from around the world, we understand that each school and all students have their respective needs, budgets and objectives. Our ultimate goal is that we want to make it work for you because we believe that travel changes people and people change the world .

Are you ready to take that first step and start planning your next trip? Not sure about your financial plan for the trip yet?

For more information about our financing opportunities, check out money matters page so we can help help your students get on their way!

READY TO GET STARTED?

How To Make Travel A Lifelong Investment

Sitting Down With Brendan Hughes

Why should anyone invest in study abroad and travel?

We sat down with Brendan Hughes - a globe-trotting Chartered Financial Analyst in the Washington DC area - to hear about what's inspired him to combine his background and passion for finance with his love for travel. As educators and fellow travel enthusiasts, we want you to hear how Brendan went from a curious study abroad student to becoming a savvy world traveler and well-rounded investor. Collectively, we believe that these experiences abroad are a worthwhile investment that can change and continue as a priority beyond college, which is why we want to share Brendan’s story and his work with you.

Q: Tell us about your background.

A: My lifelong love for travel spawned when I was in college attending James Madison University. While I didn’t realize it at the time, my Study Abroad experience in Antwerp, Belgium (if you have the means to do it make sure you Study Abroad while still in school!) where I was fortunate enough to visit about 10 European countries along the way changed my life forever. I firmly believe that travel is the single best way to learn, as you get real firsthand knowledge of how the world really works in other cultures. I currently work as an Investment Advisor for Lafayette Investments and have 6.5 years of professional experience in the Finance field. I have made it a priority to go on at least 1-2 international trips a year, as it keeps me well grounded in developments going on around the world in addition to the enjoyment factor I get from the experience.

Q: How have you more specifically married your passion for travel with your Finance profession?

A:  For starters, I take detailed notes on every trip I go on. My notes will document things such as what smartphone applications people are using in that particular country to the work ethic apparent in the city or location. I have tied all of this into a book I have been working on for several years that covers experiences of destinations from around the world and reads like an adventure thriller but includes commentary in regards to local economic developments and observations. I have positioned myself as both an expert in Finance and adventure travel.

Q: Tell me about your recent travels.

A: I have most recently traveled to Colombia. While many still view Colombia as being a country ruled by Pablo Escobar that is completely unsafe, this is far from present day reality in the country. What I found was a stunningly beautiful country that is still dirt cheap because of the misguided beliefs around what Colombia is like in 2018. Yes, there are plenty of areas within the country that would still be off limits to many travelers due to safety, but locations such as Medellin, Bogota, and Cartagena are open for business.  Prospective investors looking at the Colombian Peso, the tourism industry within the country, and Medellin real estate may find something to like.

I document my travels on my Instagram account @the_wandering_investor. I would consider myself a “destination expert” for Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, New Zealand, Peru, Morocco, Iceland, Belize, Chile, Canada, Australia, Colombia, and Western Europe.

Q: How do you usually get around countries while you are traveling?

A: On many occasions I have worked with niche local tour operators that have been able to customize the experience to fit my high and precise expectations in addition to handling the undesirable logistics. Much like my recent trip to Colombia where I took a private tour with one company for five days, I came out of the trip with a much better feel for the present day business landscape and history of the country than I would have if I had just booked the trip on my own. I believe that EdOdyssey's approach lends credence to this philosophy. I have found that it is less likely that you will miss out on learning about the local culture, experiencing a high quality activity, or understanding the business landscape if you combine independent research with help from a local tour company or a Study Abroad program such as what EdOdyssey offers.

Q: If someone wanted to learn more about your travels or get in touch with you how could they do that?

A: Please follow me on Instagram and TripAdvisor using the links at the bottom of the page. On TripAdvisor, I have written detailed reviews of various tours/attractions, restaurants, and hotels around the world. Feel free to follow or connect with me on LinkedIn as well. I post a good amount of business-related content on that forum.

Contact Information:

Email: Hughes2525@gmail.com

My Instagram Account

My TripAdvisor Account

My LinkedIn Account

The Sweet Truth Behind Peru's Dessert Culture

Peru’s Rich Holidays & Traditions

When we hear the word “tradition”, we tend to think of gatherings of friends and family with some special type of food for the occasion. In Peru, a key part of embracing traditions like holidays and birthdays involve the food itself as well as what comes after the meal: Dessert! These special moments with loved ones wouldn’t be a celebration without some sweet treats!

Nonetheless, the desserts aren’t an afterthought in Peru, rather a vital part of the country’s many holidays and traditions. These confectioneries include chocolate, cake, candy and other delicious creations. If you’re reading this piece in the northern hemisphere, you probably associate at least some of these sweets with winter weather, but do you think that you eat them during the summer?

Regardless of the warm weather in Peru in December and January, due to its location in the southern hemisphere, the Peruvian holidays and traditions wouldn’t be the same without their emphasis on these delicious desserts, especially around Christmas time.  These post-meal staples show their love and passion for chocolate which has a unique history and continues to play a major role in Peruvian culture.

Chocolate in Peru

When you think of chocolate, you might think of the European countries, such as Belgium and Switzerland. However, have you thought about where the Europeans would get the cacao beans that make chocolate? Have you wondered how chocolate eventually become one of the most popular treats in the world?

When Christopher Columbus returned from South America to Europe in the early 16th century, he brought bitter cacao beans. These beans wouldn’t become popular until after the Europeans added sugar to make the sweeter flavor of the chocolate that we have today, according to NPR.

As chocolate has become popular worldwide, it has become an important piece of Peru’s culture. Most recently, in the early 2010’s, a discovery of over three hundred types of cacao beans have been discovered in Peru.   

Not to mention, a few years ago, a new strand of white cacao bean was discovered in Peru that’s extremely rare and expensive. This bean grew at a high altitude of over 4,000 feet so these special beans are less acidic, and therefore less bitter, and make some of the world’s purest chocolate because the beans don’t require additional flavoring to make them sweeter, such as vanilla, according to the NY Times.

Hot Chocolate in the South American Summer

Yes, you’ve read the heading correctly! If you’re in the northern hemisphere, you’re probably experiencing some form of colder, winter weather and enjoying some hot beverages! However, in Peru, they still like to enjoy their summertime despite temperatures over 80º F (26.6ºC) because they love chocolate!

Peruvians love their chocolate in all forms and still drink hot chocolate around Christmas time and New Years. Although they enjoy hot chocolate during the holiday season, they enjoy birthdays any time of year and the cake that comes with it!  

Peruvians Have Their Cake & Eat It Too!

Cake has the center piece behind big Peruvian celebrations and none bigger than the birthdays parties. When I taught at a primary school in Lima, I saw how Peru takes birthdays so serious that the school made restrictions for anything beyond the birthday cake.

At the beginning of my semester of teaching in Lima, in addition to the birthday cake, the parents of the students brought in a lot of food, treats, and birthday accessories (hats, noise makers, etc) on their child’s special day. After a few chaotic birthdays with too many sweets and toys, we collectively decided that birthday accessories became distractions that were no longer allowed. We had a lot of parental support since the parents too felt the pressure of the birthday madness. Nevertheless, the cake kept its special place at the table.

In the teacher meeting when the decision was communicated, as the only American in the teacher group, I jokingly asked if the school was no longer going to allow cakes either. After a short pause, everyone laughed uneasily at the thought of no birthday cake.

At EdOdyssey, we don’t want our students to miss out any cake! In our past programs, we’ve taken our students to the chocolate museum in the center of Lima and they’ve learned about the history of chocolate and even tasted some of the best of Peru’s chocolate.

Are you a chocolate and cake fanatic? Do you not have much of a sweet tooth? In either case, Peru has plenty of bakeries across the country so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to try these one-of-a-kind treats. We don’t want you to miss out on some of the most delicious types of desserts that the world has to offer!

Check us out on social media and see what special foods and desserts that you can find in Peru, and elsewhere!

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Sources:

Fabricant, Florence. “Rare Cacao Beans Discovered in Peru”. January 11, 2011. https://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/12/dining/12chocolate.html

Godoy, Maria. “In Peru, A Hunt for Chocolate Like You’ve Never Tasted It”. October 11, 2011. https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2011/10/10/141153396/in-peru-a-hunt-for-chocolate-like-youve-never-tasted-it

Special Contributor: Kristen Richard

How Study Abroad with EdOdyssey Prepared Me for Harvard

One of the world’s biggest Buddhas behind me!

My name is Jake Leary and I am currently a freshman at Harvard University, but the journey to get on campus has taken me from Massachusetts, around the world, and back home. I do not know my concentration (Havard’s fancy term for a major) yet, but I am very interested in Government and East Asian Studies. I am from Brockton, Massachusetts and attended high school in Boston. I was very involved in our writing club, jazz band, yearbook publication, and running cross-country for four years in high school. In the fall of 2016, as I went into my senior year, I had no idea that I would be taking gap year after graduating and travelling the world to countries like China and Peru. I did not really even know what a gap year was, nor that a gap year was possible for me. However, looking back on it, this became the best possible path for me to take.

During the final month of my senior year in high school, I decided I wanted to take a gap year. After thinking long and hard about it, I knew that I needed to give myself a break. This was not only a break from the routines of school and school work, but a deep breath to slow my life down.

How I learned breathing techniques and how to meditate in China.

As I look back on my senior year of high school, it turned out as the most stressful year of school for me and it didn’t allow me time to consider the next step after college. If I went straight into studying in college, I would have felt the burnout from high school, but luckily, I felt supported when I told my close friends, teachers, and mentors at my high school. However, I kept getting asked the same, repetitive question: “So what are you going to do?”. I had not given much thought to this which I probably should have, but I responded: “I might want to travel, but I will figure it out.” This simple, general response probably scared a bit those who asked, especially my school’s principal and president, when their valedictorian essentially had no clue what he was doing with this year off.

Despite the little worry I had about my future plans, I knew that everything would work out. This self-assured feeling became especially true when I found out about EdOdyssey after graduating. I had an inkling that I wanted to travel, and EdOdyssey’s several travel destinations for students intrigued me. After talking with EdOdyssey about possible plans for my gap year travels, I became very excited to embark on this journey.

Loved the Chinese tea!

Prior to my gap year, I had never travelled outside of the United States and felt something missing from the experiences in my life. With a desire to learn Mandarin for the first time, my first destination that I decided to travel to was China, halfway across the world. At 18, if you told me that I was moving to China, I would have never believed you. After arriving at night in Beijing, I was a little intimidated to say the least, since I could basically only say 你好 (hello) in Mandarin. After arriving in China, my hosts referred me to a breakfast that I later found because I was starving after 19 hours of travel. Now it was time for me to order something to the best of my ability which turned into an unforgettable experience.

Luckily, when I went to the counter of the restaurant, a boy around my age who spoke some English helped me order my soup and baozi--a steamed bun filled with meat-- which felt strange eating meat at 9am. Despite my reservations, I took my food and sat down at a communal table and started a conversation with a woman and her parents, from what I could tell. Although the meat tasted great, they noticed that I did not love my soup so they handed me a warm piece of bread. I told them my story through Google translate and then asked them where I could buy bottled water. After finishing eating, they walked me all the way to the grocery store. Despite a language barrier, it was these complete strangers’ natural instinct to help me. This kind of hospitality and friendliness I later continued to experience and encounter throughout my entire trip in China.

One of my favorite experiences in China was when I studied Mandarin for the first time in my life in the small city of Guilin (population of 5 million, a small city for China standards). At the language school recommended by EdOdyssey (Chinese Language Institute), it was extremely valuable to have one-on-one classes with my Chinese teacher, and solely focus on my study of Mandarin. Since I did not take Mandarin classes in high school, it made a tremendous difference studying a new language in its native country. I took what I learned in my classes and practiced persistently when I asked locals questions, went out to eat, and explored the city. My experience with Mandarin challenged me, but I did not feel as intimidated as I first thought. Even though I studied hard, I met tons of new and incredible people and had loads of fun simultaneously.

After teaching high school students in China about culture in the United States!

Reflecting on my experience in China, I now realize how valuable it truly was because of all of the amazing people I met, my newfound interest in Mandarin, and personal growth. If I had not received all of the help and guidance from EdOdyssey for my trip to China, I would never have met such amazing friends that brought me back to China this past summer to visit. I also would not have decided to continue my study of Mandarin here at Harvard. As I entered my first Mandarin class this fall at Harvard, I felt very prepared and confident in my foundation of Mandarin that I had established abroad. Within my first week of Mandarin class, while some of my peers struggled to introduce themselves, I could hold conversations with my teachers. After my travels in China, I thought about improving my Spanish, which I could not speak and hold a conversation a year ago.

Soon after my trip to China, I decided that one country would not suffice for my year off, and through EdOdyssey, I headed south to explore Peru. Initially, I felt worried about traveling to Peru because I thought about how I would essentially start from scratch again in a new country. I wanted a new and fresh experience in Peru, one entirely different from mine in China. This fear quickly disappeared as I fell in love with Peru’s numerous destinations, diverse culture, and delicious cuisine.

Papa a La Huancaína is a must-eat!

My homestay experience shaped my entire time in Peru. Living in Lima, with a central location close to all of the restaurants, shops, and downtown area was very convenient. I was only a walk away from one of Lima’s central parks Parque Kennedy with numerous restaurants and shops and the area that overlooked the Pacific Ocean Malecón de Miraflores where I enjoyed morning runs. My helpful host family got me acclimated to this new environment and showed me around to their favorite spots in Lima several times. In my unique homestay experience I only spoke Spanish in the home, forcing me to significantly improve it. I loved sitting with my host parents during meals while eating some of the best food I’ve ever eaten and learning more about Peru, South America, and my host parents’ lives. A cultural difference that I realized, the affection exuded by everyone I met, I soon came to love, with constant hugs and kisses when greeting someone. This speaks volumes to how much love and passion Peruvians truly have in their lives.

I loved most in Peru when I had the opportunities to give back in the form of volunteer work. Going to the community of Pamplona Alta in Lima exposed me to the hardships of many living in Peru, but also the great sense of perseverance and strong-will that its people possess. I helped in constructing concrete stairs, as the citizens of Pamplona Alta must climb the mountain-sides daily. After my experiences in Peru, I learned that life does not have to be so constantly fast-paced as we sometimes make it. This has helped me in how I go about living my life, in handling any stress and managing my time in the best way possible. I have learned to approach life with a more easy-going attitude that I know will stay with me.

In summary, the opportunities to travel because of EdOdyssey have changed my life in a very positive manner. Before my gap year, with a shy and timid personality, I mainly stuck to routines. Through travel, I have grown to become more independent and adventurous. I have also in the process become a strong advocate for students taking a gap year. An amazing chance to learn more about yourself, outside of the comforts of what you are used to, a gap year is transformative. It is a time to take a risk, but a risk with infinite benefits. Nevertheless, I would give the idea of going abroad with EdOdyssey serious thought and you may find yourself reflecting on it, and maybe even writing a blog about your experiences, in one year’s time!

The day before I left Peru, I enjoyed seeing all the places where I visited during my time in Lima from above!

Learn more about studying abroad in Peru with EdOdyssey.