The Countdown Begins!

3 months till the plane takes off!

In just a few months time, I will be on a plane to Lima, Peru for the trip of a lifetime! When I began thinking about Study Abroad programs, never would I have imagined I’d get the opportunity to spend 2 weeks in Peru! The fun has already begun with my pre-departure classes, but I’m so excited to see what’s in store!

What am I nervous about?

I’m really more excited than anything! I’ve never been to South America, but it has always been an area of interest to me. I feel really comfortable with my classmates, so the social aspect of this trip is solid. The only thing I am slightly nervous about is the language barrier! My past attempts at learning a language have not been very successful. I’ve been told I have a strong “southern bell” accent, so I guess I’m more scared of looking/sounding like a dumb American tourist. I swear I’m not! I’m educated!!

Personal goals I want to achieve:

For my junior year of college, my main goal has been to step out of my comfort zone. I’ve been a lot more social on campus and interactive within my classes. I’d like to say I have achieved a little bit of growth! But this trip is something I really felt was important to do. I’ve been continuously inspired by friends and family that have done stuff like this, and thought it was about time I had a go at it!

My main goal is to soak up all the experiences and adventures I can while in Peru! There are so many exciting things to see, and so much to learn about the history and culture. I don’t want to miss anything. But I guess I have to leave some reasons to come back one day!

I’m also excited to learn about the country’s business climate and their sustainability efforts. Prior to this program, I hadn’t ever really considered sustainability in regards to the business world. But if it’s something I don’t know, I definitely need to learn!

Places I’m excited to visit!

Can’t I just say all of them?! But I guess if I had to pick, it’d be Puerto Maldonado as that is where we get to see the Amazon for the first time! The Amazon rainforest and Madre de Dios river have been in my mind for a while. I love getting to experience the natural, untouched, and wild characteristics of mother nature. The Amazon is rich with life, and I just find it so fascinating and enchanting. It’s hard to describe, but that feeling of knowing you’re in the presence of another world that functions in ways you can’t even imagine is exhilarating. You could leave me in the rainforest the entire trip and I wouldn’t complain. It’s just an environment that you can’t experience anywhere else, and to me, that makes it extra special.

Highlights from my pre-departure classes:

My favorite thing about class so far has been getting to know my group! Everyone has such interesting stories about what drew them to this program, and I can tell we’re all going to have a good time. I’ve really enjoyed getting to discuss the culture and history of all the places we’re going to visit. Last night, each student presented on a business or corporate leader from a different sector, and each one brought new perspectives and insights to the country as a whole!

Macey highlighted the entertainment business, and how Peru loves to party! She told us about the different festivals that express each individual culture, and how Peruvian’s love their music. Maeve told us all about the alpaca wool industry, and how 80% of the world’s alpaca fiber comes from Peru!

Karley gave us a really cool insight to the beverage industry with Peru’s national drink: Inca Cola. She even brought some for us to try! Funny enough, the company was started by British immigrants, but has grown to represent the entire country. They have also been a leading force in sustainability by being powered by 96% renewable energy sources.

Watson gave us a little insight to the agribusiness sector, which is one I am personally very interested in! He talked about the farming techniques used in different regions, and how unique some practices are to the culture. Definitely something I am looking forward to seeing while on the trip!

Mercury Negotiation Exercise:

Last night, we also role-played as a United Nations council trying to come to an agreement on what to do about the recent mercury assessment. I have never done anything like that before, so it was a little hard to understand what was going on and how to respond, but after a bit I found my footing (sort of lol).

I did enjoy it though! It was cool to see how the different countries responded, but also how extensive those types of negotiations can be. God bless the people who do that on the regular, because I don’t think I’d have the patience to bargain for weeks straight on one tiny aspect of one huge topic. It was a great way to provide some insight into that realm, and how world leaders and representatives have to come together for the betterment of each other, even when it’s against their own interests. But my head was spinning a little bit after we were done.