In & Around Lima, Peru: Five Fun Day Visits

When in Peru, there are several destinations that are worth visiting, but there are certain areas that can get overlooked. Lima’s history, art and gastronomy is hidden throughout its neighborhoods and smaller cities surrounding the Peruvian capital. Each of these places will expose you to the diversity of Peru and you will without a doubt enjoy your time at these fun and multicultural destinations.

Here are five valuable trips in and around Lima that are worth looking as you look to immerse yourself in Peruvian culture:

1. El Centro (Lima)

When you are in some neighborhoods of Lima, such as Miraflores or San Isidro, they have a very modern and new feeling to them.  In order to gauge and witness the age of Lima, a trip to “El Centro” (the city center of Lima) will give you a sense of the rich history of Lima.

Home to colonial Spain-inspired architecture and the political center of Lima, this area is also constantly buzzing with street performances, parades, and festivals.  Whether you want to eat traditional Peruvian cuisine or Chifa (a mixture of Chinese and Peruvian food) in El Centro’s Chinatown, you will definitely eat well. I have also eaten the best churro in my life in El Centro!

2. Barranco (Lima)

Barranco is Lima’s most artistic neighborhood.  You will be able to visit local art shops, art museums, and exhibitions.  It is super accessible from Miraflores, being only a fifteen to twenty minute car ride.  Barranco’s must-visit spot is El Puente de Suspiros. “Un suspiro” is a sigh or a gasp so you can imagine that this bridge is breath taking!

When you visit for the first time, you must hold your breath for the entire time it takes you to cross the bridge while making a wish.  This site is both romantic and breathtaking, not to mention the awesome views of the Pacific. There are many restaurant options in the area, as well as one of the best ice cream and dessert places in all of Lima called Blu Gelateria right near Plaza Barranco.  Barranco is great for some down-time and you can easily access the beach and take a leisurely walk.

3. Churillos (Lima)

Churillos is known for having many beaches that you can easily get to in Lima without having to travel for hours.  While they are not the most amazing beaches in the world, I found them to be the best that Lima itself has to offer.  

You can do a beach day in Churillos or travel to one of the highest points in Churrillos to take in an amazing panoramic view of all of Lima.  This highest point also has one of the world’s largest statues of Jesus.

4. Callao (Lima)

Want to swim with sea lions? Callao, more specifically El Punto de Callao?  This is the place to visit if you are looking for some adventure locally.  

You can take a boat ride as a part of a tour to have a scenic day out on the water, and also swim with some sea lions if you feeling adventurous!  After a couple hours out at sea, you can treat yourself to some delicious and freshly made chicharron or ceviche that tastes even better by the coast!

5. Ica

A day trip to the city of Ica is a must when in Peru. Unlike Lima, Ica is sunny and warm year-round so you can visit any time of the year!  This trip should be more than one day, as it takes four hours by bus to get to Ica from Lima.  

Once in Ica, you can go sand-boarding while riding in a dune-buggy through the desert. When I was in Ica, I witnessed the most beautiful sunset while in the desert.  Ica is also home to one of South America’s only oasis. Ica is one of Peru’s most beautiful and warm-spirited places, so you will not regret a little trip here!

By traveling to these different destinations in Peru, you can obtain a wider view of what Peru truly has to offer. Even while abroad, it is great to get outside of the neighborhood that you may live in and frequent often. If you do not see these areas you are missing out on absorbing Peru’s regional cultural diversity.  If you find yourself in Lima for most of your time, it is refreshing to expose yourself to different scenery and more nature places. If you find yourself abroad, you must see more than the tourist spots and explore to fully take in all of Peru!  

If you’re interested in learning more about Lima, and Peru in general, definitely read Why Study in Peru! And you can learn more about studying abroad in Peru with EdOdyssey.

Five Myths Surrounding Study Abroad

Whether you’re completely sure that you want to do a study abroad semester during your college career, or you’re thinking about taking a semester abroad, you’ve probably read and heard about the study abroad experience. As you go into this important decision-making process, or if you’re already in it, we want to help you explore this perspective experience.

Although we know it can be life-changing, it can seem scary or uncertain based on myths surrounding study abroad so it’s important to address them.  We encourage you speak with your parents about the idea of going abroad, and in the meantime, we want to share our responses to some myths and opinions surrounding the study abroad experience.

While there can be multiple concerns about studying abroad, the experience is entirely positive and beneficial to one’s academic life and life experience itself.  

Here are 5 myths about study abroad:

1. Safety

Whenever going abroad, one concern you and perhaps your parents may have is the safety of the region in which you will be studying abroad.  However, you must consider that your university would not have a program in place if it was not safe for students.

EdOdyssey makes safety a priority, as safety issues and rules are reviewed on the first day.  There is also a handbook that has been created with tips, advice, and suggestions that is reviewed with study abroad students. Additionally, most students are already away from home to study at their university, so they are accustomed to keeping themselves safe in an environment other than their own home.  

You may have felt nervous or excited about going to college, and this experience is an extension of your college experience. Starting something new can always be scary, but the benefits are endless!

2. Food Concerns

Are you concerned about trying new foods or breaking your routine?  Some students may be picky eaters and not even consider areas to study abroad due to the food.  Prior to travelling abroad to China and Peru, I was not very adventurous with trying new foods.

I quickly overcame this while abroad by trying as many new foods as possible and I was able to expand my tastes in this way.  If one is strongly concerned about food, it can be very limiting to one’s experiences, as one of the most important aspects of studying abroad is try new things and widen one’s view of the world, and this includes trying new foods.  

Food is a gateway to new cultures and customs, as you will get the experience to see and feel how people go about their meals. Additionally, if one has food allergies or special diets, EdOdyssey will work with them to take into account with homestays and restaurants.  

Chances are that you will find foods that you like! You just have to take the leap and try them!

3. Not Adding Value

One negative perception of studying abroad may be that it will not add value to one’s academic experience in college.  One may really enjoy their university and being on campus, but can only view themselves staying on campus for all four years.  

Through studying abroad, not only will you receive an academic experience outside of one’s campus, but also invaluable life experience.  The result of being abroad is personal growth that one may not obtain by staying on campus.

Study abroad has the power to adjust the focus, or the direction, of your studies and even shift your mindset.

4. Not Overcoming Homesickness

One of the largest fears when being abroad is feeling homesick.  When I was in Peru, within the first two weeks, I felt a sense of disconnect from what I was doing.  I loved my classes and everyone I met, but I found myself questioning why I was there but you’ll get past it.

I overcame this by contacting my family and friends more and reflecting on my experience.  I realized that my experience had been nothing but positive, and I solely needed to cherish my time in Peru more. This is a natural feeling that is not bad in any way at all.

Nevertheless, fear of homesickness should not discourage one from going abroad to study.  When studying abroad, you create your own routine abroad, thereby creating a home away from home. You will always have a place to come and visit again, including your homestay family and friends you make abroad!

It is great to go outside of your comfort zone, outside of the bubble in which you may have lived your entire life.

5. FOMO

FOMO or “The Fear of Missing Out” is something that is very relatable for anyone on campus.  The idea of studying abroad may trigger this fear of missing out on any activities at school, opportunities, or losing friendships.  

Although this is a reasonable fear, but you must remember that one of the goals of study abroad is to take time to take a step out to see and appreciate the value in what you have as well as to benefit yourself.  This is a case where it is okay to be selfish because you don’t want to regret not having done it later when you get a full-time job, have more bills to pay, and you’re out in the real world.

It can be harder to make these leaps abroad as we get older so you should do it now while you have the time, energy and mobility to do it. Studying abroad is a personal experience, one that becomes shaped by yourself.

If you are considering studying abroad, it is a great idea for you to take the first step.  This entails talking to someone such as an advisor or study abroad coordinator at your school and coming up with a game plan. When I was considering studying abroad during my gap year, I contacted Peter with EdOdyssey and after talking about the benefits of traveling abroad, it led me to decide to travel to Peru and China.  I did not regret my decision, and if you study abroad, you won’t either!

Please Submit Your Study Abroad Inquiry to start the conversation about studying abroad!

Four Reasons To Visit Spain

Spain is arguably one of the most popular countries to visit in Europe and ranks as one of the top European countries in terms of student visitors. Why do so many students go to western Europe to visit the Iberian Peninsula and why is it a great place for schools to visit?

We believe that their rich traditions, great weather, one of the world’s most spoken languages, and access to other countries with different cultures are the general reasons why young people consider Spain as their destination. The truth is that there is so much more beyond their tasty tapas, history bull fighting, delicious paella and siestas that make it a wonderful country to visit.

Here are four reasons why you should consider visiting Spain:

1. Worldwide Sports Influence 

Spain won the World Cup in 2010 and “La Liga”, the Spanish soccer league, has two of the world’s top five sports franchises in terms of total revenue with both powerhouses Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. Many people don’t realize the power and influence that these franchises have worldwide.

Photo courtesy of Christopher Hennessy

Both FC Barcelona and Real Madrid are in the ten top of the world’s biggest franchises in terms of total revenue. Not to mention, FC Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi is one of the twenty most followed famous people on social media around the world. Additionally, former FC Barcelona star Neymar and former Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo won some of their most prestigious trophies and biggest tournaments while they played in Spain. In the past, we’ve done a visit to the Real Madrid stadium to see first hand their history of winning that goes back almost a century.

A unique piece of Spain’s sports culture is that they have produced some of the NBA’s biggest basketball superstars, such as Ricky Rubio, the Gasol brothers, and Nikola Mirotic.

Photo courtesy of Christopher Hennessy

2. Art and Music Influence

Simply put, the art that hangs on their walls has survived wars and some classic pieces are older than the United States itself. Students can get easy, and sometimes even free, access to see some of the world’s most famous art collections and experience some of the world’s most recognized music. Famous artists, such as Dalí and Picasso, have left their mark on history and their art continues to be shown around the world.

We embrace the Spanish guitar, and flamenco, but in the past we haven’t just shown you what they look like and how it sounds - we want you to experience it. We’ve had a professional come and show some basic steps and give a look what makes it so special in southern Spain.

Photo courtesy of Christopher Hennessy

Along those same lines, the different regions around Spain embrace their own music. In each major city, they bring bits and pieces of all these regions together so you can see and feel so many different vibes.

Photo courtesy of Christopher Hennessy

3. Pintxos - The Godfather of Tapas

Restaurants and bars around Spain allow people of all ages to enjoy a slice of heaven, or in this case, a slice of fresh bread with a topping of meat, fish, or vegetables similar to a tapa but bigger. Typically known in the Basque Country in Northeastern Spain, these pintxos to take a tapa to another level.

In the past, we’ve done a pintxos tour coupled with an olive oil tasting that allows both teachers and students to try some of the Spain’s freshest ingredients and some of the world’s best olives.

Fun Fact: When Italy had a drought years ago, they didn’t have a big enough of a supply of their olives to meet demand so they imported oils from Spain. Your Italian olive oil from Italy might have used olives from Spain!

Photo courtesy of Christopher Hennessy

4. Food Quality

Some of the best chefs in the world are Spanish, such as Jose Andres, and other top chefs from around the world have come to Spain to learn their traditional techniques and style.  

Do you love seafood? In Spain, the coast is no more than a 7-hour drive from the coast in any part of the country! The food comes in fresh and the quality of the food is noticeable.

Are you ready to take the first step toward making a trip to Spain a reality for your school? Send us your trip preferences and we can start planning to make it happen!

Five Tips For Proper Etiquette with Chopsticks in China

During your first meal in China, you will realize that the main utensil used during meals is chopsticks. When I first moved to China, it was the first time I ever used chopsticks in my life.

The use of chopsticks requires proper etiquette, and when you pick up your chopsticks, you join in a cultural experience. It’s important to go into your dining experiences in China with some knowledge about to have good manners the chopsticks.

Here are five tips for using chopsticks in China:

1. One important piece of etiquette when using chopsticks is to never knock any dishes such as plates and bowls with your chopsticks.  In Chinese culture, the meaning of hitting your dishes with chopsticks traces to beggars and homeless. This is viewed as negative and rude at the dinner table.  If Chinese children do this, they will be scolded by their parents or not allowed to eat.

2. When you are eating food with chopsticks, especially with rice, do not stick your chopsticks into your food or rice. This is seen as a curse in Chinese culture. This is taboo and said to bring bad luck because it reminds people of the incense used a funeral. Out of respect, you especially do not want to do this as a guest in someone else’s home. Instead, simply lie your chopsticks together and flat across your plate or bowl.

3. Whenever you are out to a meal with family or friends, and you want to hand someone else chopsticks, you want to double check the chopsticks: make sure the two chopsticks are equal in length, same colors, and same materials.  This is a sign of respect and table manners at the dinner table.

4. It viewed as very rude in Chinese culture to point at people with chopsticks.  This is similar to the rude action of pointing to a person or something with one finger in China.  To avoid this, keep your chopsticks relatively low to the table when picking up and eating food.

5. When eating a meal and perhaps being indecisive, you cannot use chopsticks to pick up food randomly that you do not intend to eat.  In other words, you cannot pick up a piece of food from a shared plate and then put it back down. If you touch the food, you must follow through with it!

Eating with chopsticks may be something different and out of your comfort zone, but it is not a difficult feat with practice.  As long as you are aware of the etiquette involving chopsticks, you will be ready to properly and politely feast on delicious Chinese food!

Want to learn more about Chinese people and culture? Check out my blog on Five Important Tips When Meeting People in China!

How Chinese Food in China Changed Me Forever

What is one of the best parts of traveling abroad?  It’s the food, of course!  Eating different foods native to a country, authentically prepared by locals is special, as it is not the same here in America.  Trying these native foods will only widen what you know about a country's cuisine. 

I discovered that this is true for Chinese food. Chinese food in China is much more diverse and rich in tastes and spices than I had ever imagined prior to my travels.  

Through trying dozens of new dishes in China, my perspective on Chinese food has changed, but for the better!  I now have a love of Chinese food that I did not have before, and wish that more dishes in the states had as much flavor as those I tried for the first time in China.  

Spring rolls, one of my favorite American Chinese dishes!

Prior to traveling to China, I was a little worried whether I would really enjoy the food or not.  Before my gap year, I had always stuck to certain routines and I was not a very adventurous eater.

I was not sure what types of food I would be trying, but I have always enjoyed eating Chinese food here in Massachusetts ever since I was young.  However, I was only used to the steak teriyakis, vegetable lo meins, egg rolls, spring rolls and pork fried rices of American Chinese cuisine.

Don’t get me wrong, I still love these dishes from my local Chinese restaurants! However, I did not realize how much variety of food there actually was to try in China and the cultural differences that I would learn to appreciate during my time abroad.

Chinese Food in China: My First Impressions

Within the first few days in China, I started to get acclimated to Beijing but I did not enjoy everything that I ate at first.  At first, I mostly disliked how breakfast in China is nothing like a hot American breakfast because there were no donuts, bagels, or egg sandwiches.  

Check out the Peking Duck in the center!

One of the most common breakfast items that I was first introduced to was “baozi”, a steamed bun filled with pork. The first time I ate baozi, I felt strange eating a lot of meat for breakfast.  This was simply an adjustment for me, as I then began to eat delicious lunches and dinners.

In my first few days, I fell in love with one of Beijing’s most famous dishes called Peking duck. Some of my friends had told me that we were going to one of the best Peking duck restaurants in Beijing, and they were not wrong!  

The Peking duck we dined on was amazing, with thin, crisp skin on the outside and delicious duck meat on the inside, and numerous tasty sauces to complement it all. After I traveled to different cities in China, I began to learn that each place was famous for a particular dish and locals were extremely proud of their food.

Load your bowl with side ingredients and then pour in the hot pot!

New Foods, New Beginnings

As I began trying new foods, such as Guilin mifen (rice noodles) and Shanghai “xiao longbao” (soup dumplings), I started to acquire a taste for these foods that I had never tried before in my life.  While I was in Chengdu, in the Sichuan province of China, I learned about the ingredients of an authentic “huo guo” (hot pot), and learned my lesson to wear the apron while doing so! By the end of my trip, I knew that I would miss the diverse range of foods from China once I got home, and realized that there was nothing to be weary about before my trip.

After my time abroad in China,  I realized how much more of an open mind I had when it came to eating and trying new foods.  I also soon realized that the Chinese food here in America is different from that actually in China.  

The Taste of Nostalgia

Attending school in a city, I am fortunate to have a “Chinatown” nearby, which does have some great authentic Chinese food.  I still enjoy eating Chinese food here, but at the same time, I miss the tastes from China.

When it comes to food, to taste the best of the best, you must go directly to the source.  This is yet another benefit of traveling the world and expanding your appetite to new foods that you perhaps have never tried!

Ready to taste the difference for yourself? Start Planning Your Trip so EdOdyssey can help get you on your way!

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!