Peru

WHY STUDY ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION IN PERU?

Nearly half of all people in Peru identify as members of an indigenous community. Here, you will witness the impacts of globalization on indigenous peoples and be challenged to scrutinize the complexities of identity, transformation, and marginalization. With your homestay in urban Cuzco, you will experience different Peruvian lifestyles, perspectives, and identities. During a three-day excursion to the Peruvian Amazon, you’ll see how communities define conservation, development, environment and cultural preservation.  

The Experiment strives to center diversity, equity, and inclusion in program design and delivery and the internship program is a unique opportunity to work in partnership with local communities. Therefore, the internship tasks and responsibilities are determined by the needs identified by the local communities. This may involve a lot of manual and physical labor to support the indigenous communities, such as participating in reforestation projects, tree-planting, and landscape work.

You will earn college credit and build skills to apply in college and your career with a 95–hour internship with an NGO. Work on a group project with support from an internship coordinator and advisor. 

Explore the sample course syllabus to learn about teaching modules, learning outcomes, and program expectations.

Upon successful completion of this program, students will earn three college credits through The Experiment’s accredited partner institution, School for International Training. 

LEARN BY DOING

The Experiment’s programs are designed to build skills that will help you succeed. In Peru, you will learn: 

TECHNICAL SKILLS

• Spanish language 
• Research 
• Project management 
• Email communication 
• College prep  

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

• Resourcefulness 
• Intercultural communication and understanding 
• Problem-solving 
• Adaptability 
• Relationship-building 
• Critical thinking 

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

• Be prepared to be intellectually challenged by the course content and your learning community. Participants will be expected to complete required readings, assignments, exercises, and actively participate in course discussions.
• Rugged travel may include bus rides and/or other extended travel on bumpy roads or other rugged conditions during the excursion outside Cuzco. 
• Due to Peru’s geography, be prepared for altitude sickness, which may take a few days to adjust upon arrival.
• Outdoor activities include hiking and trekking. 
• Be prepared for unpredictable and varied weather. In Cuzco, at an altitude of 11,000 feet, they say that one experiences all the seasons of the year each day.  
• Activities with your homestay family may include playing soccer in the neighborhood park, learning cooking, and joining in celebrations and religious holidays. 
• The local diet in Peru is based on meat, chicken, fish, rice, a large variety of potatoes, beans, corn, and limited vegetables and fruits. Cuzco is a cosmopolitan city with a large variety of food options and restaurants. Vegetarians can be accommodated with advance notice of dietary preferences. 
• Access to the internet is limited and internet speeds and connectivity vary.   
• The diverse personal and social identities of participants may, in part, shape their experience abroad. In-country partners will discuss cultural norms and the local context during orientation. Please read Our approach to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for further information.  All students will have a safe space within the program spaces and with the local staff and group leaders.