By Olivia Snyder | International Studies | Class of 2020
Education Abroad Program: SIT World Learning- Indigenous Peoples and Globalization, Fall 2019
I suppose I wouldn’t be the first student to say, “studying abroad in _________ changed my life!” “It completely turned my worldview around!” or “this place is so different from back home!” In fact, such phrases have become so cliche that they are now often used in mockery of others. As study abroad has become much more popular and common among college students, it’s difficult to make each travel abroad experience appear unique. But we as individuals are inherently unique; we have different mindsets, beliefs, and prejudices about the world. This individuality is what I believe makes every study abroad experience special for every student.
I am spending this fall semester studying abroad in Cusco, Peru. Cusco is one of the largest cities in the country, sitting at an altitude of 3,400 meters above sea level and bustling with tourists every day. I must admit that I’m not used to city life; I have grown up in the suburbs of Dayton, Ohio my entire life, and Oxford isn’t exactly a busy city either (we are in the middle of a corn field, after all). Here in Cusco there are cars with crazy drivers that don’t obey traffic rules, stray dogs that bark and fight during all hours of the night, and discoteca dance clubs that blare music until early morning. At the very least, it has been an adjustment for me. At first I was terrified of getting lost in my small neighborhood, and being mugged was one of my biggest fears; but over time I have become more comfortable with this city, and have grown to love it. I had to let go of the familiarity of home and the Miami campus, and learn to adjust to a new city in a foreign and unfamiliar country.
My study abroad program is titled “Indigenous Peoples and Globalization.” Our coursework includes Peruvian history, like Spanish colonization and discrimination against indigenous communities, as well as modern studies of how indigenous cultures are changing in an increasingly globalized and Westernized world. Thanks to my International Studies classes at Miami, I wasn’t a stranger to the whole idea of how modernization and Western hegemony are changing the world piece by piece to fit their ideas of “proper” society. However, despite my previous knowledge on the matter, the classes I have taken through this program have been eye-opening.
Coming from a Western country, you never really stop and think seriously about how much the West has influenced the rest of the non-Western world. Here in Peru, the effects are obvious; the Spanish colonizers worked to destroy indigenous religions and promoted Catholicism, and now almost all of Peru is Catholic. Even the indigenous people we’ve met, who celebrate Pacha Mama (their version of Mother Earth), have integrated Catholic elements into their religion. It’s disheartening to see how oppression and discrimination have forced indigenous peoples to assimilate into the “higher” society, observed both in the classroom and out in the field during our academic excursions.
But whenever I feel guilt about these changes, I have to remind myself that I am not here to feel pity for these people and their culture. I am here to learn, to educate myself on these matters, and to give back to the community in any way I can to thank them for this learning experience. As my professor always says, “we are not tourists; we are students.” I have been incredibly lucky to be able to visit indigenous communities throughout my time in this program. Our direct immersion in the culture and the communities we are learning about beats any lecture held in a classroom. In Peru, everywhere is a classroom; every place and person that we encounter is a learning opportunity for me.
I have visited the impressive stone city of Machu Picchu, way up high in the mountains; the women of Huilloc that are extremely talented at weaving; the island of Taquile, in the middle of Lake Titicaca, where the stars shine brighter and clearer than any place I have ever seen; the massive condor birds of Colca; the burning hot city of Puerto Maldonado; the wild animals and birds in the Amazon jungle. So far, my time in Peru has truly been life changing. I have seen places and interacted with people that I would never have the chance to know otherwise. I still have a month and a half left of this program, and I can’t wait to see where it takes me next.