For the past 2 weeks of being in S. America I’ve been contemplating the name of this program, Spirt of The Andes. From the get-go in Ollantaytambo it was clear ritual was extremely important. I experienced ritual in Paru Paru with Coca by offering......Read More

Dear friends and family, We made it to Urubamba!! We are thrilled to be able to settle in for the next five weeks. On Friday students started Spanish classes and their Regional Seminar with Sara Diamond. They discussed definitions of identity,......Read More

Here are some belated pictures from our time in Paru Paru. The whole group was dressed up in traditional clothing after our workshop on textiles, and each student poses with their host parents....Read More

“Finding the comfort in the discomfort” This quote has resonated with me the most as I have started this wild journey. I have been thrown into a group of students where 5 of 7 come from the same university that I am not a part of. Have had no......Read More

We spent this past week in a village called Paru Paru way up in the mountains. Paru Paru is one of multiple communities in its region dedicated to the sacred farming of potatoes. During this experience we were exposed to farming traditions as well......Read More

Dear family and friends, We spent the past week truly surrounded by the spirit of the Andes in the community of Paru Paru at Parque de la Papa (Potato Park). We spent four nights sleeping under heavy wool blankets in handbuilt adobe homes. We helped......Read More

This experience in Paru Paru has been eye and heart opening. to open up a semester abroad with a week of learning from, observing and becoming family with some of the sweetest most generous people i have ever met was amazing. There are so many......Read More