Tim’s host mom, Eliana, is an artisan who specializes in creating jewelry from natural materials. She came to talk with us a little about her work, and then she introduced us to some of the types of seeds from the Peruvian jungle she uses to create items, including pona, wawa,…
preparing cebiche We were able to enjoy two uniquely Peruvian cultural delights this week: the cajón and cebiche. Drummer extraordinaire Camilo Ballumbrosio introduced us to the cajón during a very loud, hands-on workshop. The cajón, or Peruvian box drum, has its roots in…
Experiencing traditional medicine "first-foot" We spent our second day in the Cono Sur visiting a biohuerto (community garden), where the SSTers helped clear a few plots and marveled at the resident gardeners’ ability to cultivate 18 types of fruits and vegetables in soil that–in its natural state–is…
After a long day of painting, SSTers took to the field for a friendly game of soccer with young futbalistas from Villa María del Triunfo, the district in the Southern Cone where Alicia lives and where she and her family hosted us for the night. We enjoyed the chance…
As the students entered their second week in Peru, we traveled to the part of Lima known as the Cono Sur (“Southern Cone”), just a 50-minute bus ride from our class location in Miraflores but a world apart in many ways. The Cono Sur includes about a dozen districts,…
Alicia explains the health benefits of each herb One of the highlights of the study portion of SST is the chance to hear from guest speakers who really help provide a sense of the country. Jim Plunkett, a U.S. expat who’s been living and doing business in…
Moises, Anita, y Irene: profesores excelentes This semester our meeting place is the Anglican Cathedral of the Good Shepherd in the Miraflores district of Lima. In a city with so much noise, we are fortunate be in a quiet place for language classes, workshops, and lectures…
On Friday afternoon the SSTers were buzzing with excited, nervous energy. They had just gotten information about their host families and were preparing to meet them at 6 p.m., when they would depart for their Lima homes. Host family members—moms and dads, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles—started arriving right…
In the Plaza de Armas Lima was founded in 1535, and today the metro area has a population of close to 8.4 million. We spent our second day getting to know the historical center of the city, as well as getting a sense of the vastness of…
Outside Home Peru, home for the first two nights in Lima The students started their first full day in Lima with a stroll through the neighborhoods of Miraflores and San Isidro. On the way to Goshen Tambo—the name of SST headquarters and Gary household—they visited their first…
