This October, Westminster alumni embarked on a Westminster Alumni Travel experience to Peru–the second trip of the program following a trip to Greece earlier this year. Alumni were joined by professors Connie Etter and Peggy Cain, along with local program hosts from the International Partnership for Service-Learning and Leadership (IPSL). We asked two alumni participants to share their reflections from the trip.

Reflection from Maddie Hayes (MACOL ’24): Salud to Peru

Monica F. (left) and Maddie Hayes (right) at Machu Picchu

“Why are you interested in attending this trip?” Great question. Humber, from IPSL, asked us before the trip and once again once we landed in the country. My answer waffled. Initially I expressed interest in learning about Inca cosmovision and learning more about the Quechua people who live in Peru today. (So academic, right?) Many folks expressed their bucket list desire to visit Machu Picchu. Upon arriving in Peru, I fessed up to the more accurate reason I wanted to visit Peru: to travel with Dr. Peggy Cain! I graduated from the Master of Arts in Community Organization and Leadership (MACOL) program in Spring 2024, and I relished the opportunity to travel with my program director and continue to learn from her.

This trip was one of my favorite experiences traveling abroad. Of course I was anxious ahead of time. My level 7 Duolingo Spanish score did NOT cut it, and my meat and potatoes upbringing has made me cautious of any food with too much spice or, like, flavor. Luckily the Peruvians I met were patient and kind, and the food was STELLAR. Peru is the land of the potato, and my life is forever changed.

More importantly, this trip embodied my favorite elements of the MACOL program: community and connection, and there were IPSL folks working behind the scenes to make it happen (in addition to Peggy, of course). I was not surprised to encounter these concepts in the pre-trip reading Peggy shared with us.

In those readings and via Teams meetings, we learned about Inca cosmovision–the Inca way of understanding the world and their place in the universe–that focused on community, reciprocity, and complementary opposites. Those concepts were solidified and the values embodied in the people we met–like Ana, Felipa, and Jeremy–who taught us so much in Peru.

Ana

I loved “Anita.” She welcomed us to the Cusco Planetarium wholeheartedly, telling us how the planetarium was a work of love and a family project. In addition to orienting the telescopes for us to observe the stars in the sky (alongside coworker/friend, Johana), Anita presented us with a fantastic presentation. She told us how the Incas relied on the cosmos to guide their agricultural practices with the science of astronomy dictating outer space and cultural astronomy dictating inner space. She told us stories of toads and the condor, how a diverse community is a strong community, and the challenges from climate change, particularly upon the El Niño cycle.

Felipa

When we visited Chinchero, Oscar introduced us to Felipa. He had asked one of the women selling items within the Chinchero gate who should speak with us about the site, and they directed him to Felipa. We learned about the impact of the international airport being built in the center of town and how it has already affected the local community. Felipa discussed being a leader of the local women who advocated to be able to sell their items within the gates of the archaeological site. She expressed concern about what the airport would bring: less agricultural space for farming, more rifraff (my words, not hers). Felipa was very excited that we wanted to learn from her. She told us about her daughter studying to be an anthropologist and was thrilled to hear about an anthropologist in our midst: our own Dr. Connie Etter!

Jeremy

I would be remiss not to mention Jeremy, our guide. He knew so much about each of the archaeological sites, including Machu Picchu. He reflected on Hiram Bingham photos he had seen in the Peabody Museum. He described his own experiences as a devout Catholic who respects Pacha Mama. He identified birds when we asked and answered questions about who can own a salt mine in Maras. And more importantly, he translated for the non-Spanish speakers in the group, ensuring we learned what we needed to know. He is a true “Cuzqueño,” someone from Cusco who went to college with someone who painted a piece at Quorikancha showing the Inca ceque system, who grew up with the chef at a restaurant where we ate, and managed to peripherally know Anita from the planetarium.

My peers!

You can never guarantee that a group is going to “vibe,” but I think we all came to Peru with curiosity and a genuine desire to learn. It was a delightful collision of worlds as I met undergrad alums for the first time, met fellow MACOL grads, and got to know some Westminster coworkers even better. I invited my mentor/dear friend, Monica, along for the trip. It was great to have a debrief buddy every evening–and someone to humor me as I counted the number of dogs I saw everyday (438 by the end of the trip).

I would venture to say the places we saw and the people we met would not have happened had we not connected with the local IPSL staff. A value of the MACOL program is to not make assumptions–to allow yourself to engage in a place and be open to learning, and this was essential on this trip as we maneuvered cultural norms and a language barrier.

My journal is packed with details, all of which I would love to share, but if I had one thing to say about my Peru experience, it’s this: traveling alongside Peggy, Monica, fellow Westminster alumni, and some new friends allowed me to connect with the people and place in a way I would not have experienced had I been by myself. Relying on local experts, we ate some of the best food and immersed ourselves in a truly unique experience. It feels like a fever dream, as I sit in my favorite Salt Lake coffee shop typing up this verbose post.

Big thanks to the IPSL folks who welcomed us to Peru, and big thanks to Peggy, who admitted to cramming a ton of activities into a small amount of time but, in doing so, exposed us to some of my favorite travel abroad experiences. And thanks to Monica, as always, for being up for the adventure.

–Maddie Hayes (MACOL ’24)

To read Maddie’s complete narrative, please visit her blog.

Reflection from Hailee Hernandez (MACOL ’22)

Hailee Hernandez at Machu Picchu

Hailee Hernandez at Machu Picchu

Being a first-generation college student, it has been a dream to be a part of the Westminster alumni family. It was an honor to travel to Peru with other Westminster alumni and staff who are passionate lifelong learners.

The experience began with integral educational material to help us understand the indigenous history and culture within Peru. Receiving that information months prior to the trip really helped set the stage for a scholarly vacation. We explored various parts of Cusco: Qoricancha, Sacsayhuamán, Qenqo, Puca Pucara, and Tambomachay. In addition to breathtaking sites like Sacred Valley, Moray, salt pools at Maras and the Pisac archeological site. We spent half a day enjoying the historic views of Machu Picchu, one of the seven wonders of the world. It was almost energizing to be immersed in the Andes Mountains within an expansive ancient Inca citadel.

Throughout our trip we delved into the rich chronology of many indigenous people by learning from their museums, cathedrals and monasteries. We received a presentation from John at the Parque de Papas about the vast diversity of potatoes and the critical role they play in preserving native communities' way of agricultural reliance. They shared how each month of the year plays a vital role in ensuring the communities have food year around. They rely on centuries old indigenous knowledge to support their methods of food storage and seed preservation. We were invited to break bread or as the Peruvians call it tortillas de papa with delicious homemade cheese and stone ground salsa made from fresh Sachatomate (local tree tomato) with many different communities within Cusco.

The communities and families we had the privilege of meeting made the trip extremely unique. We received a tour of a local three generation family’s home and property where they raise sacred guinea pigs and other animals. We participated in a spiritual offering with a Quechua Priest in Sacred Valley.

As an indigenous person, this trip solidified the beauty and immense knowledge every indigenous culture brings to this world. I am very grateful for this once in a lifetime experience with my fellow indigenous brothers and sisters and Griffin family!

–Hailee Hernandez (MACOL ’22)