One of the best weeks I have had abroad during this experience is when my group and I went to Peru. We visited Cusco, Peru for the first couple of days, and went on tours exploring the city along with its history. Our next stop was Ollantaytambo, a village in the Sacred Valley of south Peru; where we climbed the “Ollantaytambo Sanctuary,” the ruins of an ancient Incan city and fort. Here we learned about the history of the ruins that included how it was built, and how the fort coincided with the nature around it.

My favorite experience in Peru was by far, Machu Picchu. This experience was so much different from anything I could have ever learned in class. I have learned a little bit about Machu Picchu in past classes, but actually being there and taking everything in is so much more different. Seeing the structure of the ruins, the terraces that were used for farming, and how everything that was built in a certain way to correspond with nature is something that cannot be justified in pictures. To climb the mountain all the way up to the famous settlement that we see in pictures, really gives you an idea of what these people might have been like, and how intelligent they were to build such an amazing establishment.

The most important thing I have learned while here in South America is that all Latin countries are very different. Even though Chile and Peru are bordering countries, the people, culture, food, and history are completely different and unique. In regards to myself, I have learned that I can adapt to different cultures and ways of life pretty quickly. I hope that I am able to return to Peru in the future, as well as explore the rest of South America.