I sat across the table from our host, Mario, as he explained why he returned to the tiny mountain village of Paru Paru from the modern metropolis of Lima. His story of adventure, of travels from the high Andes to the Pacific coast and the Amazon......Read More
Saturday morning after breakfast Ronaldo, our homestay father, led us down the slope behind the house to the river to see the trout their family are raising. Sarah and Elisabeth walked in front of me, each holding one of Flordurique’s small......Read More
Hi friends and family! We are finishing up our time in the beautiful Parque de la Papa beneath the towering Apus (the mountain peaks whose spirits watch over this land). It has been an amazing time here integrating into life as our families know it:......Read More
Hello dear families, We are heading towards our first experience out of the group. We have been together for the last five days greeting ready for our experiences in this really amazing area of the world. We have learned how to keep our selves safe......Read More
I honestly can’t remember the time or place.. but maybe my parent will remember when they read this. On another note, our group is amazing, our instructors like finger puppets and our hackeysack skills will improve. Time is moving slowly and I......Read More
How easy it is to have a Single Story when you’ve never met a participant. Stories are not reality. Chimamanda said we needed more diverse stories, more possibilities, more points of view to see. I think we need more reality. More......Read More
As Jeff would say, it´s become clear that we are all just babies, trying to find our way through all these new spaces and places we´ve encountered in the past week or so. Or at least, I am. I find myself stumbling to do simple things, like asking......Read More
Dear friends and family of Andes & Amazon group A, We have arrived! The group is safe and sound on the ground in Cusco, Peru, ready to begin three months of travel, learning, and growth. This morning, we drive to Pisac, a small community in the......Read More
The Andes & Amazon – Group A has made it through security at MIA and is currently at the departure gate ready to board their flight! Flight to Lima is on time. Safe travels everyone! Parents & Families, please check back......Read More
The time has finally arrived – you’re heading off at the end of the week to South America for an amazing 3 month adventure! We are so excited for you! Please read the following information carefully, as it contains all the details......Read More
Hello dear students, We are so excited to see you in exactly one week from today. We are getting ready to start our course with lots of positive energy. The three of us are in Urubamba, a beautiful town near Cusco, at our instructors orientation. We......Read More
Dear fall Latin America semester students and families, We wanted to let you know that we have been monitoring Hurricane Irma’s development over the past couple of days and considering its potential impact on the departure from Miami next......Read More
New experiences, new people, new cultures and a new language – to jump out of my comfort zone – these are my main reasons to join this program. My name is Luis and I just turned 18. Well, I am German, born and raised in the beautiful......Read More
To answer Carolyn’s questions: Backpacks While a company may try to sell you a gendered pack, you should use whatever works and feels good for your body. Typically, bags marketed to men are taller, skinnier, have longer torso lengths, and have......Read More
I was also curious about the sleeping bag rating. I know you recommended zero-degree sleeping bags or 15 degree bags with a liner; I currently have a 20 degree sleeping bag, will bringing that along with a liner be sufficient or do you recommend......Read More
I was shopping for a backpack last weekend at REI and was wondering how large the backpack needed to be. I know the course preparation manual recommended at least a 75-liter backpack; however my local REI did not carry a women’s pack that......Read More
