About Perú SST
Located along the Pacific Ocean on the Western Coast
of South America, with the Andes Mountains running
throughout, the Amazon
rainforest
within, desert blanketing the
coast and a wealthy capital surrounded by shantytowns,
Perú is a country of contrasts.
The Inca named Perú, the land of four quarters, because of
its Amazon jungle, high Andean mountains, coastal deserts,
and islands teaming with bird life. Modern archeologists
added a fifth world - Lima, the capital brimming with
8 million people in the desert.
Study
In the morning you study Spanish with a private language teacher.
In groups of 5-10, language practice challenges you to improve your
speaking ability, while afternoons exploring Lima and evenings with
your host family provide an opportunity to practice.
In the afternoon, seminars explore the vibrant Incan
and pre-Incan history, the 1980s civil war fought against
the revolutionary group, the Shining Path, as well as
lectures on the indigenous movement to Lima, and the
success of the women's movement in Perú.
The classroom expands outward, with visits to Callejon
de Huaylas in the highlands, the shantytowns of Villa
Salvador and Pamplona, and explore the catacombs of the
Catedral de San Francisco in Lima.
Service
During the second six weeks, you will experience new elements of
Perúvian culture, moving in with a new host family and engaging
in daily service.
Service assignments range from volunteering with clinics
and hospitals in the Amazon to working in schools with
children, volunteering at a Quechua women's weaving cooperative,
or working with a nonprofit such as Food for the Hungry,
World Vision, or Habitat for Humanity.