February 15, 2018
Peru
Essential Questions:
1. What is the history of the indigenous Andean people, and how have their lives, culture and
economy been influenced—first by the Spanish conquest and more recently, by globalization and
tourism?
2. What are the current educational opportunities available for children and young adults in Peru and
how does their educational system compare to ours?
3. What does it mean to be a “global scholar” vs. a “tourist”?
This ECS travels to Peru to seek cultural and linguistic immersion (Spanish and Quechua) while we study
the lives of the Andean people, past and present. After a short stop in Lima, we begin in the Incan city of
Cusco where we view pre-Columbian architecture and art and examine some of the contemporary
tensions between traditional and “modern” ways in education, markets and tourism. From Cusco we
venture to Amaru to experience village life with host families, learning about the traditional Andean
agricultural system, weaving, music and dance, soccer games, village customs, the Quechua language,
and the lives of the youth in villages. In Amaru we will participate in a community service project. From
there we travel to the Sacred Valley of the Inca and Machu Picchu, where we will scale the ancient
heights and learn about Andean religion. Students must have a desire to live for a few days in
developing-world conditions, stay at high altitude,(13,000 feet maximum), hike (1-2 miles at 8,000ft) and
explore new language and culture.
Instructors: Marta Kunze and Anne Taylor
