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Why did you decide to do Duke in Peru?
I first was introduced to the program during Duke’s Latinx Student Recruitment Weekend (LSRW), where I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Liliana Paredes and Dr. Ernesto Ortiz at a student-faculty mixer. They spoke about their plans to bridge together global health and linguistic rights principles in an immersive way with Duke in Peru. I was sold as they talked about the collaboration with the community in both urban and rural Peru. I was especially interested in learning more about the healthcare context of another Latin American country, as I only had familiarity with that of Mexico and Honduras at the time.
What was your most memorable class activity?
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I enjoyed being able to practice our semester’s worth of Quechua learning in the market at Urubamba. It was a great way of engaging with the community that respected them and their acceptance of outsiders into their way of life.
It also was an invaluable memory to recall the smiles of the older women’s faces when we spoke to them and bought from them in their mother tongue. You could tell they were appreciative of this with the way they tuned into the caring, affectionate way of speaking in Quechua for us, indicating a level of appreciation. It was a nice taste of everyday life in rural Peru, specifically Urubamba, Cusco.
Where were your favorite places to go in Peru?
Lima: Larco Mar
Biolodge: Walking any of the trails either day or night
Urubamba: Migas coffee shop, Monkey Coffee, the salt mines in Maras
We toured the Centro de Salud Matermo Infantil
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Professor Ernesto and some of us went on an early-morning sight-seeing hike with Michael from Manu Biolodge
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As our time in Peru was coming to a close, we participated in one last workshop where we made our own ceramic coasters.
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From chilly days to warm ones, we arrived at the Manu Biolodge in Madre de Dios
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What was your favorite memory from Duke in Peru?
My favorite memory from Duke in Peru was being able to participate in an indigenous tradition regarded as el agradecimiento a la tierra, or Pachamama. At this point in my life, I have never felt such a sense of interconnectedness and tranquility with the Earth and nature like that before. I was in tune with the world as whole, going beyond my own understanding and comfort zone.
I enjoyed every moment, from climbing up the mountain to giving thanks to a particular component of the universe that allows us to be alive today (I dedicated my gratitude to the stars). I was able to grasp what it meant to be outside of my own body and share such a sacred, moving moment surrounded by new friends I made from my peers in the program.
Participating in Pachamama made me feel an unprecedented sense of interconnectedness and tranquility with the Earth.
Elizabeth Escobar Gomez, Duke in Peru (Summer 2025)
What was your greatest takeaway from the program?
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It is essential to encourage and exercise the right of individuals to receive healthcare treatment in their mother, indigenous tongue. I was exposed to the injustices that arise because of this during my time in Urubamba, where if the one available translator between Spanish and Quechua was unavailable, patients would have to wait hours or not even be attended because the physician was unable to understand their needs. I learned that it is important to be an advocate for these patients, both on the local and national levels.
How will this program play into the rest of your undergraduate experience?
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This program compelled me to look into adding a co-major in global health, as I enjoy expanding my perspective on how healthcare should be based on the current structures seen around the world. It allows me to compare, to understand both the effectiveness and need of change parts of healthcare around the world to work toward a universal healthcare system that puts patients first with their best interests at mind while practicing cultural humility and understanding.
What advice do you have for students considering this program?
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Come into this environment with an open mind—Peru is a beautiful, vast, and diverse country with various cultures impacted within and expanding its borders. Always engage with the community that welcomes you, as it is rather hurtful for them to see a group of students who seek to learn from them and not maintain consistent communication or interest. Also, do not be afraid to practice your Spanish or even Quechua in markets, artisan stores, or restaurants! It would not be truly an immersive experience if you do not engage with and participate in the culture. People love to relay their stories, opinions, and advice when ever you are willing to listen!