Standing on a cliff that overlooked the city of PampasThere was a reason I decided to do my travel study program in Peru and our visit to Pampas reaffirmed my decision. Visiting pampas was a very humbling experience and also a reminder of my privilege just living in the U.S. where my basic needs are not a worry. In Pampas, people invaded the land after immigrating from distant places where terrorism inflicted tremendous fear and pain. Pampas is a representation of hope where communities use everything they can find to build a shelter that becomes their home. Pampas wrestles with structural barriers that prevent access to basic healthcare needs. Pampas is a reminder of where I came from - un pueblo (un pueblo) very small where streets are also unpaved and running water was only available some days at certain hours. There was only one person that provided medical assistance for minor illnesses but other than that, people needed to visit a hospital in the city miles away without available transportation. Although I have entered a top institution of higher education, I remember that the work I do is bigger than myself. I take classes thinking, 'how can this class give me the knowledge, the tools, and preparation to return to my community and create sustainable interventions that meet the needs of the people?' I realize that navigating higher Ed. is difficult coming from a working class family, with my parents only having finished a primary education, but when you have a responsibility to uplift you community - to use your education as a vehicle for structural change - your drive and passion only grows.
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As an emblematic institute of national culture, The Brisas del Titicaca Cultural Association (ACBT), bases their success on the diffusion of artistic wealth of Puno dances and the uniqueness of its music. The MC mentioned that all this is made possible thanks to artistic ensembles like dance groups, the Estudiantina, Native Instruments Ensemble and Choral Ensemble. This group aims to represent the different native groups from regions across Peru to showcase the multiciplicity of diverse musical pieces and dance choreographies. I was amazed by the bright and colorful outfits each group wore. The liveliness of the atmosphere filled people with happiness and excitement. At one point the MC asked the audience to join him at the dance floor to dance. I love dancing so I immediately felt propelled to get up and dance. I grabbed my friend, Denise, by her hand and asked her to come with me. Once on the dance floor, I found myself shaking my hips and moving my feet to the rhythm of the music. Soon, one by one, my peers from the program began joining us as we formed a circle close to the stage. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the music, dancing and spinning as we watch people around smile and move their feet swiftly like if all this came so natural to them. After each performance, the MC would ask the audience to come dance. I found this to be effective in getting the audience engaged in the show. This cultural activity made me realized for the first time that I was, in fact, in another country, absorbing the culture and appreciating the values and passion by which Peruvians embraced their traditions. Lima, Peru. Thursday, June 23, 2016.
Today, my friends and I were excited to visit the Basilica Cathedral of Lima hoping to see the religious-cultural side of Lima. We decided to take an Uber from the Ibis Hotel in LarcoMar, Miraflores to the the Plaza de Armas which was about a 35 min drive. As a Catholic-raised Latino, I have been in touched with my religion because it is very interconnected with my culture. Even when growing up in Mexico, religion played a huge role in the traditions and celebrations in which my extended families participated in. My hope was to see the beautiful architecture, as it is one of my interests, and buy something for my mother. Lima, Perú. Wednesday, June 22, 2016.
Our lecture today focused on non-communicable disease (NCD) burden in global health. Our topics of discussion addressed how, and under what optimal conditions, many infectious diseases are largely preventable. However, NCDs are much harder to prevent because they are more related to the individual-level preventative risks and their duration can vary based on treatment. Lima, Perú. Monday, June 20, 2016.
It was Monday morning. My first day of class for the Global Health Program at the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, the hosting university where we were going to have lectures while in Lima. The campus was 10 minutes walking from our hotel. Throughout the program, it became a ritual to meet everyone downstairs in the dining hall where we had the same food available to us everyday, but somehow we managed to enjoy it on the daily. Since it was the first day, we decided to walk to the campus in big groups to avoid getting lost and in effort to there on time. Lima, Perú. Saturday, June 19, 2016.
Our plane landed around 10:30am and a gloomy gray sky welcomed us to Lima, Peru. Although fresh, the weather was not as cold as I thought it would be. We were given forms by Peruvian immigration officials to fill out, specifically asking for the items and amount of money we were bringing into the country. I was not too concern with the process since I was with other program participants. I felt comfortable to know that we were all going through this new experience together. However, I recognized the every one of us came with different levels of experience traveling abroad which is important as we supported each other through this learning process. Los Angeles, CA. Monday June 18, 2016. “You have to catch a flight, so let me know when you have to go," mentioned my mentor for Riordan Programs College to Career at around 12:30pm as we talked over lunch. That night too, I was flying to Peru for my Travel Study Global Health Program in Lima, Peru. I had not thought about it much. It was rather other people asking me what I was doing after I completed College to Careers — if I was taking summer classes, had an internship or was going home for the summer. But really, it was this travel study program. Matter of fact, 6 months ago, it never crossed my mind to go abroad, especially in Peru. |