Machu Picchu: Biodiversity & Climate Change in Peru ON-SITE GUIDE 2012

THE AMERICAS STUDY ABROAD

Important Names and Addresses To assist you with your study abroad planning, the Learning Abroad Center provides a full range of services from preliminary program advising to assistance with re-entry. As you read through this handbook, do not hesitate to contact the Learning Abroad Center with any questions.

In the United States Learning Abroad Center University of Minnesota 230 Heller Hall 271 19th Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55455-0430 Tel: 612.624.1537 Toll Free: 1.888.700.UOFM Fax: 612.626.8009 Email: [email protected] www.UMabroad.umn.edu Molly Micheels, Associate Program Director* Christine Anderson, Program Director *Molly is the primary student contact person, and participants who have questions should contact her. Her email and telephone number are listed above. In case of emergency, you or your friends and family members should feel free to contact the Learning Abroad Center at 612.626.9000. After business hours, there will be a recording giving a pager number to call for emergencies. The Learning Abroad Center has someone on-call 24 hours per day to deal with emergencies. This person will contact the on-site staff as needed. Jim Perry, Program Leader Department of Fisheries, Wildlife & Conservation Biology Phone: 612.625.4717 Email: [email protected] We encourage you to make a copy of this page to give to your friends and family members.

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Know Before You Go Before you leave the country, make sure that you have read and understood the information in your Confirmation Checklist, Online Orientation, and the Learning Abroad Center’s policies (www.UMabroad.umn.edu/policies). These materials will guide you on a safe and successful learning abroad experience.

Friends and Family Resources Valuable resources for your friends and family members can be found at www.UMabroad.umn.edu/parents. Topics such as health and safety, program prices, logistics, and travel are discussed.

Table of Contents

Appendix ...........................................................13 Packing....................................................................................13 Packing List.............................................................................13

Important Names and Addresses..........................2

Resource List...........................................................................13 Guidebooks..............................................................................13

Introduction..........................................................4 About This Guide........................................................................4

About Global Seminars..........................................5 Preparation and Planning......................................5 Documents................................................................................5 Money Matters...........................................................................5

Health and Safety..................................................6 Health Insurance........................................................................6 Immunizations and Vaccinations................................................6 Safety Precautions.....................................................................6

Arrival Logistics....................................................7 Practical and Program Information........................7 Group Dynamics........................................................................7 On-Site Support..........................................................................7 Housing and Meals....................................................................7 Communications........................................................................7

Academics............................................................8 Program Leader.........................................................................8 Program Structure.....................................................................8 Course.......................................................................................8 Books and Materials...................................................................8

Life in Peru...........................................................8 Geography and Climate..............................................................8 The Culture................................................................................9

Life in Cuzco.........................................................9 The People...............................................................................10 Language.................................................................................10 Solutions for Common Communication Difficulties...................10 Entertainment..........................................................................10 Activities..................................................................................10 Food and Meals....................................................................... 11 Electricity................................................................................. 11

Cultural Adjustment ...........................................11 Cultural Adjustment Curve..................................12 The On-Site Experience............................................................12

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Introduction By Professor Jim Perry, Faculty Leader Welcome to the Global Seminar in Peru. I am excited that you have chosen to join me. We will be exploring together one of the most magnificent areas of the world and addressing one of human society’s greatest challenges: protecting the resources we value while continuing to have the quality of life we demand. Climate change will affect every plant, animal and human on earth. I will ask you to think in advance of the trip, to think and interact during the trip, and to think and act when you come home. We will travel and talk, eat, walk, , sample biodiversity and reflect on how society demands and influences what we get from ecosystems. We will laugh, and get tired and dirty, share ideas, and learn a lot. During the whole experience, you will be thinking about and leading to one final product: an outreach experience in which you share Peru with some audience back in the US. That sharing might be a newspaper editorial or story, a guest lecture in a university or high school class, a web posting to a defined audience, or some other outlet that you define precisely. The experience in Peru will be very diverse; that product you choose to develop becomes the “So What?” that ties it all together. We will visit Cusco, a high altitude, World Heritage city in south central Peru that served as the capital of the Inca world. Cusco is a beautiful, architecturally complex city full of museums, steep hills, churches, and unusual foods. We will stay in a beautiful hotel near the main square and the central market. If you are not familiar with the concept of a central market in a Latin American city, you are in for a treat (well, you’re in for a treat anyway). Climate change will influence the ways people in this complex landscape grow crops, raise their families, and influence the ecosystem. The Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu is a World Heritage site and one of the world’s greatest architectural wonders. The city is small, compact, and sits atop a magnificent mountain. We will climb mountains, visit shrines, and talk about the Inca views of cosmology. With luck, we will use remote cameras to capture images of rare wildlife inside the Sanctuary. We reach Machu Picchu by traveling through the Sacred Valley, a river valley full of Inca ruins and architectural splendor. Climate change will affect biodiversity, hydrology, erosion, and human behavior in the Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu. We will reflect on that and talk about possible futures. Manu National Park is a World Heritage Site that contains some of the highest biodiversity on earth. Manu sits at the headwaters of the Amazon, a giant river basin that contains a huge diversity of plant, animal and human communities. We will focus our time in the Amazon Basin at the Villa Carmen field station, a facility operated by the Amazon Conservation Association. Villa Carmen is on the edge of Manu National park and is situated at the headwaters of the Madre de Dios River, a central tributary of the Amazon. Here at Villa

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Carmen, we will sample biodiversity in many forms (e.g., bats, birds, amphibians, reptiles, fish, insects), and will use remote cameras to capture photos of secretive wildlife. We will climb jungle hills (very steep ones) and walk long trails. We will learn about, reflect on and discuss indigenous communities. Those discussions will focus on how they manage their lands, how climate change will influence Amazonia at a range of spatial and temporal scales. Peru is one of two places on earth where early humans developed the concept of governance. We have long known that governance evolved in “The Garden of Eden” near the Tigris and Euphrates. Only recently did we learn that people on the coast of Peru evolved governance at about the same time. That is relevant to our learning because we will be visiting a place steeped in complex history. For thousands of years, a large number of small societies and communities thrived in Peru, learning to manage the landscape in ways that were tailored to their needs. Relatively recently (about 1400 AD) the Incas evolved as a powerful force that colonized much of western South America. We will visit and learn about places they lived and worked. The Spanish came to Peru in the early 1500s and made a lasting impact. We will visit and learn about places where they too lived and worked. In this Global Seminar, you will join me in experiencing Peru and its biodiversity, reading and discussing, and writing journals. We will go on long walks (some long drives and train rides) to see and experience the Peruvian landscape and try to imagine how future climates will influence it. Expect an intense experience. We will be actively engaged with the questions we are addressing. I’ll expect you to be brave; for example, on one day you will join a group to walk a mile to the village of Pilcopata, stroll through the very small central market (where nobody speaks English), purchase “interesting things”, bring them back to the field station, and cook dinner for everyone else. We will stay in very nice small hotels in Lima, Cusco, Ollantaytambo (at the head of the Sacred Valley), and Aguas Calientes (at the foot of Machu Picchu). We will stay in a dorm setting at Villa Carmen. You will be more successful and have a great time if you speak absolutely no Spanish. You will enjoy it more and have more fun if you (at least try to) speak Spanish. All of our class discussions and all of your writings will be in English. However, if you do speak Spanish and wish to offer your final outreach product to a Spanish speaking audience, that will be wildly applauded. I look forward with great anticipation and great excitement to our adventure. Thanks for joining us in Peru.

About This Guide This handbook provides information about the academics and housing of your Global Seminar. It also begins to familiarize you with some cultural specifics of your host country. The information is intended to begin preparing you for your

upcoming experience. It offers an overview on certain topics, but not comprehensive information. You are encouraged to read other sources of information about your destination city and country in preparation for your stay. You will find a resource list at the end of this handbook. You may also want to check online and at your local library for additional resources. The better prepared you are prior to your departure, the more quickly you will adjust and be able to function effectively in your host country. As you read through this handbook, do not hesitate to contact the Learning Abroad Center at the University of Minnesota with any questions.

About Global Seminars Global Seminars are an amazing way to learn about a subject in another country. You not only learn in the classroom and from a professor, but also from the culture and people around you. All of your senses will be stimulated and this experience can feel overwhelming at times.

US citizens do not need a visa to travel to Peru. If you are not a US citizen, it is your responsibility to check with your own consulate and the host country’s consulate or embassy for special travel document requirements (re-entry permits, etc.). This process may also take time to complete, so it is very important to take care of this immediately. Your passport and other vital travel documents should be kept safe. If your passport is lost or stolen, you should contact the local police and the American Consulate or Embassy immediately. Keep copies of all of the following documents and phone numbers to report them if they are lost or stolen. Store these in a safe place, such as in your carry-on luggage. • Passport • Airline ticket • Insurance policy • ATM card and credit card with emergency number • Phone numbers at home in case of an emergency • Driver’s license

Money Matters

Your classmates, program leader, and on-site partner can all be a source of support as you adjust to your new environment. However, the ultimate success of this unique opportunity depends on your ability and commitment to make the most of the experience and to adjust effectively to the changes you will encounter.

Personal spending habits vary too greatly to state exactly how much it will cost to live abroad. The amount depends on your personal spending habits, the amount of traveling you plan to do, and the value of the dollar. Please take these into consideration when planning. You may want to refer to the budget estimate for this program, which can be found at:

Global Seminars are an academic experience. As is expected when you are on campus, on the Global Seminar you are expected to attend classes and fulfill all of the course requirements. Remember, since this is a three-week condensed course, missing one day of class can mean missing a lot of material. You are also encouraged to take advantage of being in such a unique location by experiencing the culture you are visiting. Be prepared to manage your time so you can achieve both academic success and cultural exploration. It is best to plan most independent travel after the program.

www.UMabroad.umn.edu/assets/files/Fees%20Pages/ GlobalSeminars/Peru_May_2012.pdf

Currency The currency of Peru is the Nuevo sol. Paper money comes in 10, 20, 50, 100, and 200 denominations. One Nuevo sol equals 100 centimos. You can check the current exchange rate at http://www.xe.com/ucc/. Check before you travel since the value fluctuates daily.

Preparation and Planning Documents For information on obtaining a passport, contact the Learning Abroad Center. You may also want to purchase an International Student Identity Card (ISIC), which can get you additional discounts if you plan to travel independently after the program. Applications are available online. You can find more information on both documents at www.UMabroad. umn.edu/students/travel/documents.php.

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Debit Card One of the easiest and least expensive means of obtaining money is at an ATM. If you have debit card, it takes money directly out of your account and does not incur interest or a cash advance fee. A debit card works exactly like a credit card but you must have the money available in your account. This is very convenient because you do not have to worry about bank hours or pay the commission for converting your money. The drawback is that if you have a problem with your magnetic strip, as frequently happens, or your card is lost, you will have to wait for another card to be sent to you. This problem can be avoided by having a back-up method. If you chose to get a debit card it should be on the Cirrus or Plus networks and you will need a 4-digit personal identification number (PIN). Contact your bank for information on obtaining a card and to find out if your card can be used internationally.

Health and Safety

Credit Card

Health Insurance

A credit card is also a good resource for emergency situations. Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted, though many smaller establishments like markets and some smaller or more remote shops may take cash only.

Lost or Stolen Debit/Credit Cards Carry phone numbers of the debit/credit card company with you on your Global Seminar (make sure you have numbers that can be accessed from abroad), and keep them separate from your cards. This way you can report the missing cards without delay.

Safeguarding Your Money and Documents Be careful with your money. Pickpockets do exist and generally strike when you are in a crowd. Another common place to lose money to thieves is on trains when traveling at night. A money belt is a good idea to have when traveling. If your money is lost or stolen, your international insurance can assist you in obtaining emergency cash.

Refer to these sites for health and travel information: • Consular Information Sheet http://www.travel.state.gov/ • Health Information for Travelers to Peru http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/peru. htm • AIDS/HIV Prevention http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2010/chapter-5/hiv-aids.aspx • Food & Water Precautions http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/content/safe-food-water. aspx

Every student will be provided with CISI international health insurance while participating on a Global Seminar. Be sure to pay attention to the Online Health & Safety orientation to get more information about your insurance coverage and health and safety issues. You will receive an email from enrollments@culturalinsurance. com prior to your departure. This email will provide information about your insurance plan as well as a card that you can print out and carry with you.

Immunizations and Vaccinations We recommend that you consult with a travel physician or travel nurse prior to departure to discuss your travel plans and what immunizations or vaccinations may be required.

Safety Precautions It is important to consider safety issues and use common sense while traveling. No students should travel alone at night, and you should always keep your personal belongings hidden. Use caution when giving out your address or phone number. You should consult the US State Department Travel advisories for up-to-date information on travel precautions for the country where you will be studying. Travel advisories are available for reference in the Learning Abroad Center or at www.travel.state.gov.

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Arrival Logistics The group will fly together from Minneapolis to Lima the first night, stay in a hotel, and continue on to Cusco the next day. Flights are booked through Village Travel and they will provide an e-ticket and itinerary. To view the flight itinerary, visit: http://www.villageinc.com/Global Seminar Peru 2012. htm Upon arrival in Cusco, the group will be met at the airport by a representative from International Studies Abroad (ISA). ISA will provide you with a comprehensive orientation, tour of Cusco, and transportation to your hotel.

Housing and Meals You will stay at Villa Carmen, a biological field station, in Pilcopata, Peru for approximately 10 days during the beginning of the program. While at the field station, all meals will be provided. For the remainder of the program (approximately 13 days), you will be staying hotels and share a room with another program participant. In most cases, breakfast will be provided at the hotel. You will need to cover the cost of lunches and dinners for the remaining days of the program.

Communications Telephone

Practical and Program Information Group Dynamics Global Seminars are unique within study abroad programs because of the strong emphasis on the group. Studying abroad in a group can be a very rewarding experience. It is common to form strong bonds with people and make life long friends. Working together and relying on each other has led to positive and successful study abroad experiences. Many Global Seminar groups organize reunions long after the program has ended. In order to make the most of the group experience it is important to maintain some basic principles of living and studying together. Respect for each other’s differences is intrinsic to living and studying in a group successfully. Some differences can be obvious such as gender, religion, disabilities, or national origin, while others are less obvious such as learning disabilities or social class. As you are preparing to be open-minded and respectful to the differences of another culture, also prepare to be open-minded and respectful to your fellow classmates. Another characteristic of a successful group can be seen in the interaction of its members. Finding the strength in each person and letting them do what they are good at is useful to the group. Likewise, supporting each other in moments that are difficult is also important. In this way the group can use the different skills of each member to surpass any challenge.

On-Site Support International Studies Abroad (ISA), a US-organization with a study abroad center in Cusco, provides on-site support. ISA also provides a comprehensive cultural orientation to students upon arrival as well as 24-hour emergency support.

Public pay phones operated by Telefonica-Peru are available on the street even in small towns. Most pay phones work with phonecards which can be purchased at supermarkets and groceries. Often internet cafes have private phone booths with net-to-phone or net-to-net capabilities, where you can talk for pennies or even for free. When calling Peru from abroad, dial the international access code for the country you’re in, then Peru’s country code (51), then the area code without the 0 and finally, the local number. When making international calls from Peru, dial the international access code (00), then the country code of where you’re calling to, then the area code and finally, the local phone number.

Mail The privatized postal system is run by Serpost. Its service is fairly efficient and reliable, but surprisingly expensive. Airmail postales (postcards) and cartas (letters) cost about S6 to the US, S7 to Europe, and S8 to Asia. Most mail will take about two weeks to arrive from Lima; longer from the provinces.

Internet Accessing the internet is easy in Peru. Wi-fi is becoming increasingly common in big cities, where internet cafes are also plentiful. Even tiny towns will usually have at least one internet café. Many McDonald’s fast-food outlets in big cities offer free wi-fi. Rates for high-speed connections at internet cafes average less than S2 per hour, and it’s only in remote places that you will pay more for slower connection speeds. Most internet cafes are open from the early morning till late and also offer cheap phone calls. Hotel business centers are generally overpriced, with some charging up to US$6 per hour. Many top-end establishments now offer wi-fi or high-speed cables in your room.

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Academics

Life in Peru

Program Leader

From the Lonely Planet Guidebook

Jim Perry of the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology is the leader of this Global Seminar. As the program leader, he will be in regular communication with ISA administrative staff and should be your first contact for academic matters. For emergencies and logistical concerns while in Peru, please contact ISA staff.

Program Structure The vast majority of course content for the Peru program will be delivered out in the field -- during excursions, and while traveling, so the majority of learning will take place outside of a traditional classroom. For twelve days, the program will be based at a Biological Field Station near Pilcopata, Peru. Students will be engaged in field research and a variety of experiential learning activities. The program is designed to be academically rigorous, but it is up to each individual student to maintain good study habits and complete assignments on time. It is also mandatory to be on time for group excursions. If you have a personal emergency that requires you to return from the program early, you must speak with the program leader in advance to discuss the possibility of an incomplete.

Course Students who successfully complete the program will receive 3 credits for CFANS 3500. The course has been approved for the following Liberal Education requirements: Environment Grades will be posted in the summer, three to four weeks after returning from the program. You will register yourself for the placeholder credits. The Learning Abroad Center will provide registration instructions via email. See the course syllabus for further details about program’s structure and coursework.

Books and Materials You will be required to purchase textbooks before your departure, unless otherwise indicated by your program leader. You will need a notebook and pens/pencils during class. These can be brought from home or purchased abroad, although they are often more expensive than US products.

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Geography and Climate Few countries have topographies as rugged, as forbidding and as wildly diverse as Peru. The third-largest country in South America—at 1,285,220 sq. km—it is five times larger than the UK, almost twice the size of Texas and one-sixth the size of Australia. It lies in the tropics, south of the equator, straddling three strikingly different geographic zones: the arid Pacific coast, the craggy Andes mountain range and a good portion of the Amazon basin. On the coast, a narrow strip of land, which lies below 1000m in elevation, hugs the country’s 3000km-long shoreline. Consisting primarily of scrubland and desert, it eventually merges in the south with Chile’s Atacama desert, one of the driest places on earth. The coast includes Lima, the capital, and several major cities – oases watered by dozens of rivers that cascade down from the Andes. These settlements emerged as agricultural centers over the centuries when irrigation canals deposited fertile silt all along these desert valleys. They make for strange sights: sandy, rocky desert can give way to bursts of green fields within the course of a few meters. The Andes, the world’s second-greatest mountain chain, form the spine of the country. Rising steeply from the coast, and growing sharply in height and gradient from north to south, they reach spectacular heights of more than 6000m. Peru’s highest peak, Huascaran (6768m), located northeast of Huaraz, is the world’s highest tropical summit and the sixth-tallest mountain in the Americas. Though the portion of the Andes that lies in Peru resides in the tropics, the mountains are laced with a web of glaciers above elevations of 5000m. Between 3000m and 4000m lie the agricultural Andean highlands, which support more than a third of Peru’s population. Overall, it is a landscape that brims with jagged ranges separated by deep valleys and rewards resilient travelers with plenty of spectacular scenery. The eastern Andean slopes receive much more rainfall than the dry western slopes and are draped in lush cloud forests as they descend into the lowland rainforests of the Amazon. In the low-lying Amazon basin, the undulating landscape rarely rises more than 500m above sea level as various tributary systems feed into the mighty Rio Amazonas (Amazon River), the largest river in the world. Weather conditions are hot and humid year-round, with most precipitation falling between December and May. Roads into and within the Peruvian Amazon region are few, and people typically get around by boat or airplane.

The Culture National identity is a tricky thing in Peru, which is less a nation than an agglomeration of cultures thrown together by historical circumstances. There is the culture of the coast: a boisterous blend of Spanish tradition infused with African and indigenous ways. There is the culture of the Andes, more timid its aspect, where Catholic belief is honored with indigenous rite. There is the culture of the Amazon basin—not a single culture, but an only-in-the-jungle mix of enterprising frontier settlers and an abundance of local ethnicities, from Ashaninkas to Shipibos. Each of these regional identities is as unique as the singular geographies they emerge from, yet each is also dynamic and elastic, continually digesting a bounty of influences from outside. Dance bands from Chiclayo play cumbias (salsa-like music) imported from Colombia. Lima’s designers incorporate traditional alpaca weaving styles into avant-garde fashion. And Cuzco restaurants serve Andean specialties prepared using Mediterranean techniques. So what is Peruvian? And what does it mean to be Peruvian? The answer all depends on who you ask—and when. Peru is still trying to figure it out. This bubbling social tension has produced a rich legacy of art, literature, music and cuisine – but it hasn’t come without conflict. In the Andes, the are surrounding the department of Ayacucho is still recovering from hostilities in the 1980s and ‘90s that left almost 70,000 dead and hundreds of thousands of civilians trapped in a spin cycle of violence between Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path) guerillas and the Peruvian military. In 2009, in the northern province of Bagua, various indigenous groups clashed with police over the development of Amazonian lands without their consent. The confrontation left roads blocked, cities cut off and almost three dozen dead. Moreover, Peru continues to struggle with issues of race and class. Long dominated by a fair-skinned oligarchy in Lima, the country has, over the years, begun to embrace its indigenous roots. Since the 1970s Quechua has been listed as an official language. In 2001, Alejandro Toledo became the first indigenous Peruvian to be elected to the presidency. And, more recently, a culinary renaissance has popularized dishes that incorporate traditionally indigenous foodstuffs such as cuy (guinea pig) and quinoa (a native grain). Despite the gains, racism persists—and while official acts of discrimination are prohibited, they are not uncommon. Also significant are the economic issues. While the boom of recent years has helped reduce the poverty rate by about 15%, there is still an extraordinary disparity between the wealthy few and everyone else, with about half of Peru living under the poverty line. In some segments of society, highly traditional notions of gender roles—men at work, women at home – remain firmly in place (though there is a burgeoning generation of professional women). Attitudes towards homosexuality remain retrograde. But even as the meaning of ‘Peruvian’ varies from one individual to another, from one region to the next, there are

unifying elements. Peruvians share a fervor for robust cuisine, soulful music and the thrill of a neck-and-neck soccer match. At any time, a small gathering can turn into an impromptu party. Peru is a country that takes family and friendship seriously, treating its guests with warmth and consideration. It is a culture, ultimately, that faces its setbacks with stoicism and plenty of dark humor – and also lots of hope.

Life in Cuzco Legend tells that in the 12th century, the sun god Inti looked down upon the earth and decided that the people needed organizing, so he created the first Inca, MAnco Capac, and his sister-wife, Mama Ocllo. They came to life on Isla del Sol (Sun Island), way over in Lake Titicaca, with a long walk ahead of them. Inti gave Manco Capac a golden rod and told him to settle in the spot where he could plunge it into the ground until it disappeared: this would be the navel of the earth. And so Cuzco got its name. Locals can point out the place where the rod allegedly went in—it’s on a hill overlooking the bus terminal. When Manco discovered the place, he quickly subdues the natives and founded the city that was to become the center of one of Americas’ greatest empires. And people have been here ever since: Cuzco is the oldest continuously inhabited city in South America, and the continent’s undisputed archeological capital. Despite its wealth of ruins, museums and churches, Cuzco is aptly described by the belly-button analogy: a bit dirty and daunting sometimes, but engagingly, un-self-consciously bursting with life. It’s a place that inspires strong feelings. There’s a lot of mystical talk in Cuzco, about energy lines and cosmic confluences, and even the most hardened skeptics notice a certain something about the place. Most South American cities have a merry, hectic street energy; in Cuzco it’s overwhelming. Walk through the Plaza de Armas and you’ll see people hawking massages, finger puppets, paintings, CDs and tattoos—it’s not for the fainthearted. This is one of the most relentlessly tourism-dominated towns on the face of the earth, and unless you make the effort to get a few blocks away from the madness of the Plaza, you may find yourself feeling like a walking ATM. That’s about the only downside. Despite the tidal wave of tourism and massive immigration from the provinces over the last couple of decades, and the years of terrorism before that, Cuzco is a relatively safe place with decent infrastructure and a lovable population of dauntless entrepreneurs ranging from singing shoeshine boys to flamboyant nightclub magnates. Hushed museums and churches. Animal organs on skewers and high-art haute cuisine. Sex, drugs and rock and roll spill out from colonial palaces decked out as nightclubs into

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cobbled streets built for llama traffic. History forces itself on your attention at every corner. Cuzco is a diverse, gritty, greedy, irresistibly vital madhouse. However long you plan to spend here, it won’t be enough.

in most areas, except around Lake Titicaca, where Aymara is spoken. Outside Peru’s very remote areas, where indigenous languages may be the only tongue, it’s unlikely that travelers will encounter indigenous people with no Spanish at all.

The People

Solutions for Common Communication Difficulties

Peru is essentially a bicultural society, comprised of two roughly same-sized parts: indigenous people and criollos. It’s a division that breaks out roughly along class lines. The more affluent urban class is made up of whites and fair-skinned mestizos (people of mixed indigenous and Spanish decent)— all of whom generally refer to themselves as criollos (natives of Peru). Within this segment, a wealthy upper class has historically taken the top roles in politics and business, while the middle class has filled midlevel white-collar positions, such as clerks, teachers and entrepreneurs. The other half of the population is made up primarily of indigenous campesinos (peasants). About 45% of Peru’s population is pure indigena (people of indigenous decent), making it one of three countries in Latin America to have such high indigenous representation. Most indigenas are Quechua-speaking and live in the highlands, while a smaller percentage around the Lake Titicaca region speak Aymara. In the Amazon, which contains about 6% of the country’s total population, various indigenous ethnic groups speak a plethora of other languages. Afro-Peruvians, Asians and other immigrant groups are also represented, but cumulatively make up only 3% of the population. Among the elite, retrograde ideas about race exist. Nonwhite people are often discriminated against, especially in Lima’s upmarket bars, nightclubs and discos. More than a quarter of all Peruvians—mostly indigenas— live in rural settings, surviving from subsistence farming or working as laborers. This statistic represents a shift from the 1960s, when more than half of the population lived in the countryside. The turmoil of the 1980s helped fuel an exodus from the highlands to the cities, which taxed overburdened municipal infrastructures, particularly in the capital. Issues of effective sanitation and electrification remain challenges for some informal squatter settlements known as pueblos jovenes (young towns). Moreover, life doesn’t always get better for people who move to the cities. Though the national unemployment rate is officially 8.4%, underemployment is rampant—especially in Lima, with some experts estimating that more than half of the city’s residents are underemployed.

Language Spanish is the main language the traveler will need in Peru. Even though English is understood in the best hotels, airline offices and tourist agencies, it’s of little use elsewhere. In the highlands, most indigenous people are bilingual, with Spanish as a second tongue. Quechua is the main indigenous language

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You can hear and decipher language better in context. If you know the subject matter, you will better anticipate what you will hear: For example, if you ask how much something costs, you will hear numbers. If you ask where the supermarket is, you will hear directions and distances. Practice Spanish pronunciation. When you learn a new phrase or expression, use it as frequently as possible, to reinforce it in your memory. Carry a small notepad and pen with you. If you are having trouble hearing names, prices, addresses, etc., ask the person to write them down for you.

Entertainment Clubs open early, but crank up a few notches after about 1:00 pm. Happy Hour is ubiquitous and generally entails two-forone on beer or certain drinks. In popular discotecas (beware the word ‘nightclub’ – it is often used in Peru to indicate a brothel), especially right on the Plaza de Armas, both sexes should beware of drinks being spiked. Cross Keys, Norton Rats and Paddy Flaherty’s are good places to track down those all-important soccer matches, with satellite TVs more or less permanently tuned into sports. The tried-and-true stops on the big night out in Cuzco are discotecas Mythology, Inka Team, Roots, Ukuku’s and Mama Africa.

Activities Enjoying the outdoors is one of the main reasons to come to Cuzco, and there are no shortage of activities to fill you days. Along with extensive walking and hiking trails, some of the other popular options are river rafting, mountain biking, horseback riding, bird watching, and stargazing.

Sights Tourists can’t easily buy individual entrance tickets to many of Cuzco’s sights. Instead, you are forced to buy a boleto touristico (tourist ticket). Only a few museums, churches and colonial buildings in and around the city can be visited for free or for a modest admission charge. Almost all have local guides who persistently offer their services. Some speak a varying amount of English or other foreign languages. For more extensive tours at major aites, such as Qorikancha or the

cathedral, you should always agree to a fair price in advance. Otherwise, a respectable minimum tip for a short tour is S5 per person in a small group, and a little more for individuals.

Trendy eclectic eateries abound in San Blas and towards Limacpampa down the hill, and more and more excellent vegetarian options are emerging.

Opening hours are erratic and can change for any reason— rom Catholic feast days to the caretaker slipping off for some beers with his friends. A good time to visit Cuzco’s wellpreserved colonial churches is in the early morning (from 6-8am), when they are open for Mass. Officially, they are closed to tourists at these times, but if you go in quietly and respectfully as a member of the congregation, you can see the church as it should be seen: a place of worship, not just a tourist attraction.

Tipping

Shopping

You should avoid taking electric appliances such as hair dryers, curling irons, shavers, etc., with you, as these types of appliances will not operate without adapters. Electrical current is 220V, 60Hz. Standard outlets accept round prongs, but many places will have dual-voltage outlets which take flat prongs. Even so, you may need an adaptor with a built in surge protector.

San Blas—the plaza itself, Cuesta San Blas, Carmen Alto, and Tandapata east of the plaza – offers Cuzco’s best shopping. It’s the artisan quarter, packed with the workshops and showrooms of local craftspeople. Some offer the chance to watch artisans at work and see the interiors of colonial buildings while hunting down the perfect souvenir. Prices and quality vary greatly, so shop around and expect to bargain, except in the most expensive stores, where prices are often fixed. The same area is also home to an ever evolving sprinkling of jewelry stores and quirky one-off designer clothing stores – a refreshing reminder that the local aesthetic is not confined to stridently colored ponchos and sheepskin rug depictions of Machu Picchu. These and other massproduced tourist tat from textiles to teapots are sold from pretty much every hole-in-the-wall in the historic center, and at the vast Centro Artesenal Cuzco.

Food and Meals Cuzco’s location, nearly dropping off the eastern edge of the Andes, gives it access to an unbelievable range of produce. The Incas had it figured out, working the precipitous altitude changes for all they were worth, to create terraces where stodgy highlanders such as potatoes and quinoa grew practically on top of colorful jungle delicacies such as coca, avocado and aji picante (hot chile). Few food stores in the world offer the variety on offer in Cuzco’s humblest street market. The local food scene has taken off over the last decade and as incoming influences from all over the world have seen local products, many of them not available outside Peru, combined in ever-fresher ways. Cuzco explodes with taste sensations, from dirt-cheap street snacks to the world-class quality (and prices!) of its top restaurants. If you like to eat and are prepared to try something new, you’ll need to loosen your belt a notch after a few days in Cuzco. Don’t waste stomach space on the over-priced, cookie-cutter tourist traps in the Plaza de Armas. The first block of Plateros, just off the plaza, is also touristy, but with good possibilities for lounging around drinking coffee and surfing the internet.

A few restaurants charge combined taxes of more than 19%, plus a service charge of 10%. At restaurants that don’t do this, you may tip 10% for good service. Taxi drivers do not generally expect tips (unless they’ve assisted with heavy luggage), but porters and tour guides

Electricity

Cultural Adjustment Global Seminars are group oriented in nature. The group aspect and the length of the program together provide some interesting challenges to cultural integration. While you will be forming bonds with people in the Global Seminar group it is important to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the program and by being in another country to interact with the host people and culture. Here is a list of some ways that you could take advantage of these opportunities: • Frequent places like markets, local restaurants, or a bakery. • Do what the locals do. Don’t spend a lot of time in touristy hangouts. • Ask your hotel concierge about his/her favorite restaurant/shop/activity • Participate in activities your program may offer that includes host country nationals. • Strike up conversations when possible with host-country nationals (such as with your restaurant server, shop owner) • Venture out in smaller groups to make it easier to meet people. • Make an effort to speak the language (if applicable). You can minimize the stress involved in adjusting to life in your host community and get maximum benefit from your experience abroad by preparing adequately. The cultural differences you encounter can enrich your life by presenting you with a different worldview and new approaches to solving problems.

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Cultural Adjustment

A sense of isolation sets in. Boredom and a lack of motivation often follow. Unresolved personal issues often surface during this stage.

The On-Site Experience What happens when you suddenly lose clues and symbols that orient you to situations in everyday life? What happens when facial expressions, gestures, and words are unfamiliar? The psychological discomfort and adjustment period in a foreign country is commonly known as culture shock or cultural adjustment. You will almost certainly experience some form of culture shock. It might hit you after two days, two weeks or two months—timing varies widely for different people. Six common phases of cultural adjustment are listed below. These may be out of order for you, one phase may last longer than another or you may skip a step entirely. Initial Fascination: On arrival your surroundings seem glamorous and exotic, you feel like the focus of attention and activity. Initial Culture Shock: The initial fascination and euphoria fade as you settle in and you enter an emotional decline. Surface Adjustment: After the initial “down” (a few days to a few weeks for most), you begin to truly adjust and settle into your surroundings. Language skills begin to improve, and you’ll feel less fatigued. Often you’ll be forming a small group of friends at this stage as well. Feelings of Isolation: Difficulties in your new culture seem to stubbornly remain and you grow frustrated with the process.

Integration/Acceptance: After continued effort you find yourself more at ease with language, friends, professional, and academic interests. The culture you are living in is more easily examined. Differences between yourself and the society you live in become understandable and you come to accept both the situation and yourself in it, allowing you to relax and feel at home. Return Anxiety: Just when you feel at home in the new country it’s time to go. Thoughts of leaving new friends raise anxiety similar to those felt before departure. You sense that you’ve changed as a person and apprehension grows when you think about people at home that may not understand your new feelings and insights, yet you may feel guilty for wanting to stay. When in any of the above phases you may experience: changes in sleeping habits, feelings of helplessness or hopelessness, loneliness, depression, unexplainable crying, placing blame for difficulties on the program or host culture, homesickness, getting angry easily, increase in physical ailments or pain, compulsive eating or lack of appetite. Other symptoms may manifest themselves as well. It is important to understand these are part of a normal process of adjustment, however, if uncomfortable feelings persist for extended periods or seem unbearable, seek assistance from your programs onsite support staff.

Low Comfort and Satisfaction High

Departure

Return

Initial Fascination

Anticipating Departure

Surface Adjustment

Integration/ Acceptance

Re-entry Adjustment Return Anxiety

Initial Culture Shock

Home Culture

Feelings of Isolation

Host Culture

Cultural Adjustment Curve Adjusted from Oberg (1960) and Gallahorn (1963)

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Home Culture

Appendix

❐❐ Watch

Packing

❐❐ Photocopies of your passport

It is extremely important that you pack light, as this program has you moving from place to place quite a bit. Remember that you will be responsible for carrying your luggage yourself during the program. So, take only as much as you can carry easily by yourself. One way to measure what is “easily carried” is to pack everything you would like to take, pick it all up, and walk around the block. If you are not comfortable doing so, you may want to re-evaluate what you have packed.

Other necessary items may include: toothpaste, toothbrush, shaving kit, deodorant, comb, washcloth and towel, a temporary supply of soap, shampoo (in unbreakable container), small packet of detergent, aspirin, supply of necessary prescription medicine, extra pair of eyeglasses or contact lenses, safety pins, and small flashlight. Most of the above personal items can be found abroad; however you may want to bring enough of your favorite brands to last you during your stay.

Important: Take clothing that needs a minimal amount of care. This is especially important if you plan to do any independent traveling. Rolling your garments reduces wrinkling and saves space. You might also want to pack your clothing in plastic bags inside your suitcase to prevent rainwater from leaking into your clothing.

❐❐ Course materials, textbooks, this student handbook

Resource List Centers for Disease Control travel information www.cdc.gov/travel

The following is a suggested, basic packing list. Remember to bring only what you think you will really need.

US State Department Travel Advisories and Consular Information http://travel.state.gov

Packing List

Travel/study abroad information for GLBT students http://www.indiana.edu/~overseas/lesbigay/

You should adjust according to your own personal tastes and style!

Peru Travel http://www.lonelyplanet.com/peru http://wikitravel.org/en/Peru http://www.visitperu.com/

❐❐ 1 sweater, fleece or jacket for chilly days ❐❐ 1 lightweight rain jacket or windbreaker ❐❐ 3 pair jeans or pants (lightweight preferred) ❐❐ 1 nice outfit (for evening wear) ❐❐ 3-4 shirts (at least two long-sleeve)

Peruvian News Sources http://www.peruviantimes.com/ http://elcomercio.pe/ http://www.larepublica.pe/ http://diariocorreo.pe/

❐❐ 2 t-shirts ❐❐ 2 pair shorts or capris ❐❐ 1 pair comfortable walking shoes/sandals ❐❐ 1 pair hiking shoes ❐❐ 1 pair pajamas ❐❐ 1 swimsuit ❐❐ 7 or more sets underwear ❐❐ 7 or more pair socks

Guidebooks It is recommended that you purchase a travel guidebook before you leave. Guidebooks explore regions, countries, and cities and offer invaluable information such as maps, recommendations, background information, and travel tips. Some of the more popular guidebooks that are geared towards students include Lonely Planet, Let’s Go, Footprints, and Rough Guides. You can browse through guides in the travel library at the Learning Abroad Center in 230 Heller Hall. Lonely Planet Guides can be purchased there as well.

❐❐ Sunglasses & sunscreen ❐❐ Hat or visor ❐❐ Reusable water bottle ❐❐ Small flashlight (headlamp preferred) ❐❐ Small backpack/daypack

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