Wang CenterStudent Opportunities

We will study pre-Inca, Inca, Colonial, and modern Andean history by focusing on the lives of the Quechua and Aymara Indigenous South Americans in their relations with Europeans and later in their roles as members of the nation.  We will investigate the culture of the area by focusing on the textile art (weaving) and chicha (maize-beer) making, both of which continue to be central to the indigenous culture today.  We will learn about the environment by examining the multiple uses of the land, such as mining, agriculture, and finally coca production, and the results of these land-use practices.  We will also pay particular attention to gender and ethnic relations, as well as political structure, and international relations. Students will write short pieces on readings assigned ahead of time and we will discuss them before we leave.  Then as we travel, students will keep a journal throughout the program.  Some of the many experiences we will have include learning the indigenous language, Quechua, staying in a surviving hacienda, performing community service to a Quechua village, learning to weave indigenous textiles, hiking part of the Inca trail, cruising on the highest lake in the world, and traveling through the amazing center of Inca culture, Macchu Picchu.

Course Highlights:

• Visit Macchu Picchu.
• Visit Cusco, Peru, center of Inca and Spanish colonial culture.
• Visit El Solar, largest salt-flat on earth and stay in the "salt hotel."
• Visit Jesuit Missions designated as World Heritage UNESCO sites.
• Visit the EcoLodge in Madidi National Park, hike through trails to see monkeys, parrots, and other wildlife up close.
• See the historic Potosi silver mines.
• Take Quechua language lessons and
• Indigenous Dance lessons.
• Learn to weave indigenous textiles.
• Have a private lecture from one of Bolivia's most well known artists, Mamani Manami.

Course Objectives:

• Students will learn the historical context for current development issues in Bolivia as well as modern agricultural and cultural complexities.
• Students will come away from the course having a very strong background in Imperial (Inca) history, Colonial (Spanish) history of the Bolivian/Peruvian highlands.
• Students will learn the differences among the multiple cultures of Quechua and  Aymara speaking groups.
• Students will experience first-hand the daily lives of villages whose second language is Spanish and who subsist on meager agricultural production.

Course Credit:

HIST 344 (4 credits).  Cross-cultural perspectives credit (GUR/GenEd); Department credit; Other (Global Studies, Environmental Studies, International Honors, and Women's Studies with approval).

Program Fee:

$5,970. Includes airfare, home stay, supplemental study abroad insurance, and program related transportation and entrance fees. PLU reserves the right to add a surcharge in response to unanticipated price increase.

These estimated additional costs indicated below are intended to assist students and parents in budgeting for those additional living and discretionary expenses not included in the program fee.  Actual expenses may vary according to student interests, individual needs, and spending habits:

• Passport (new) = $110 / Passport (renewal) = $135
• Visa fees (required for some non-US passport holders) = varies
• Pre-travel evaluation at the PLU Health Center = $45 *All students are required to visit either the PLU Health Center or a personal healthcare provider to achieve the proper medical clearance.  Be aware that other medical providers may charge additional fees that may result in a higher cost than the PLU Health Center.
• Immunizations = $0 to several hundred dollars **Vaccination needs vary on destination and individual medical history, and may be costly.
• Airline baggage fees = approximately $25 for each checked bag
• Books, supplies, course materials = varies
• Cell phone and cell usage = varies

• Personal Expenses = approximately $600. Check with your faculty leader for an accurate estimate for your destination.

Application Deadline: 

April 13, 2012. A non-refundable deposit of $50 is required with the application. A $250 non-refundable program payment to confirm participation in the course is due within 10 days of notification of acceptance. Maximum of 18 students.

Travel Immunizations recommended.  Please see PLU Health Services' website for additional information.