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6/15/26

This moment feels surreal; I will be traveling abroad for the first time. I caught myself getting sort of emotional earlier today, because I didn’t think this opportunity would be possible for me when I first began college.

I was extremely nervous and maybe I still am, but all the people I have talked to at the airport thus far love Peru. So, I’m excited! When I started talking to one woman about it, she started speaking Spanish. But, I no habla espanol. Thankfully, I did take take Spanish, so I do understand it a bit.

Now, I am patiently waiting to board my flight. I have about 3 hours until I finally board my flight (this is because of my mama, she believes in getting to the airport with plenty of spare time).

This truly feels like a once in a lifetime experience, so I want to enjoy every minute of it. I believe that’s where most of my nerves about this experience were stemming from. I don’t want to regret a single thing. I want to soak this experience in and enjoy every bit of this moment. There is a great mix of activities we will be participating in during this trip, from corporate visits, tours, a festival, and even a cooking class. I hope to learn something from each experience. For example, Peru is known for its biodiversity. But, are there any precautions set in place to protect and maintain its biodiversity for years to come, especially with factors like climate change that continue to change the environment. Something else I think about is collaboration within Peru, which is usually a cross-sector between small businesses and indigenous cooperatives to create circular economy solutions (ex. Peru Sostenible). I wonder how does a system where large firms empower small enterprises help facilitate inclusive growth, especially in Peru where around 70% of the economy is informal. What exactly are the benefits to this system and what does it intel. This ties into my next point, which is leadership. A leader is not a singular or solo job, especially in business. Peru is the perfect place to examine how community drives success within the region.

On a personal level, my goals are to continuously learn, embrace new experiences even when they push me out of my comfort zone, and truly enjoy the journey. These are the elements that will make this opportunity unforgettable for me. Because Peru is filled with a deep history and vibrant culture, this is the perfect place for that growth.

6/16/26

Once I began to leave the airport, there were people everywhere. The flight I was on had people who were either traveling to Peru or traveling to Peru to then get on a flight to Brazil. Everyone was extremely sweet and kind, but the most shocking thing about traveling to the hotel was the traffic. I have zero clue how everyone knows how to bob and weave through traffic. It’s like an unspoken rule. But I noticed in comparison to home, there aren’t as many stop signs, traffic lights, and sometimes even lanes. As I rode on the bus, I saw advertisement and signs everywhere. They are big and bold. Some advertisements signs are in Spanish and others are in English. The graphics on some look similar to the United States, so it was easy to tell what it was (ex. the Ice House machines). However, Lima is a lot different from home. For example, today I learned Lima is basically a desert and only really has two seasons (summer and winter). Also, restaurants look different as well. Even fast food restaurants like Pizza Hut and KFC look bigger in size and based on pictures they offer a different variety of food in comparison to home.

In all, I am excited for the rest of this experience and seeing how this trip will impact me. What I will learn about myself, others, Peru, and corporate sustainability/leadership.