The students, all of whom are Spanish majors or minors, spent June traveling throughout the South American country, including living for three weeks with host families in Lima.
Students earned six college credits in Spanish language and culture classes during the trip, but some rewards may have been even more valuable.
“It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Ubaldo Campa, a senior political science major and Spanish minor from Amarillo. “I’ve lived in Amarillo my whole life and every summer it’s been pretty much the same thing, so I wanted to do something different.”
Huaytán-Martínez, a Peruvian native himself, said students were able to learn about the country’s history from the precolonial period to contemporary times. They spent time in Lima, Miraflores, Cusco and Ica, and visited such cultural landmarks as the Machu Picchu ruins and the Larco Museum.
“Peru is varied in its history and its culture, but also in nature,” Huaytán-Martínez said. “We explored the highlands, a portion of the Amazon and the desert area near the Pacific coast. The food is delicious and varied as well.”
Most of the participating students are Mexican American, Huaytán-Martínez said.
“But most of them have never been in any Latin American country, not even Mexico,” he said. “Those countries aren’t the same, but they have many things in common. And most of our students are fully bilingual, and they showed here how proficient they are.”
“Peru felt like Mexico at first, but after two days, I could tell the difference,” said Campa, who traveled to Chihuahua, Mexico, last year for the first time. “My favorite parts were out in the rural areas. I’d rather be out there for the whole experience than in the city.”
In addition to Campa, participating students included Jocyln Carrasco, a senior applied arts and sciences major from Amarillo; Daphne Favela, a junior education major from Hereford; Michaela Kramer, a senior communication studies major from San Antonio; Aylin Navarrete, a senior accounting major from Perryton; and Daisy Pando, a senior Spanish major from Borger.