Recently, I had my spring break here in Cusco, Peru. It was the first time since I arrived that I got to choose everything I wanted to do, every moment of every day, for an entire week. That felt strange, considering how much structure I’ve relied on since my very first day (structure I’m incredibly grateful for, because I’m not sure I would have made it otherwise). But this week was a refreshing change of pace.
My break was split into two parts. The first was spent with my people here. It was one of our first bigger trips outside of Cusco. We traveled to Miraflores in Lima and explored the city, stayed in hostels, and met incredible travelers and locals who showed us even more beautiful sides of their home.
Me and my friends near the coast of Lima
A few days later, we made our way to the desert oasis of Huacachina, a place unlike anything I’ve ever seen. It felt almost otherworldly. Between ATV rides, sandboarding, and relaxing by the pool, it truly felt like a true vacation.
Then came part two with my brother, a visitor from back home. His time in Cusco was brief but just as meaningful. It was his first time in Latin America and in Cusco. For me, it's become hard to count how many times I’ve been to places like Plaza de Armas. However, this time, I stepped into a different role: the guide.
Me and my brother at a local store with llamas and alpacas
I shared everything I could: stories, little details, and experiences I’ve gathered over the past two months. It felt strange to be in that position, but also special. We explored parts of the city I had noticed but never fully appreciated, and even places I had grown so used to that I stopped seeing them altogether.
We also experienced new things together, like a fascinating (and, yes, a bit touristy) chocolate-making class, Lake Humantay, and even a soccer game. I know it was a spring break he’ll never forget.
Lake Humantay during our hike
But more than anything, this week made me reflect.
Both parts of my break – traveling with friends and hosting someone from home – felt like glimpses into two different versions of this experience. One where everything is new and spontaneous, and one where I begin to understand it well enough to share it. And somewhere between those two is where I am now.
As much as this still feels like an adventure, I’m starting to realize that soon, it won’t just be something I’m living, it will be something I carry with me.
Huacachina during sunset
There will come a point where I have to return home with all of this: the stories, the lessons, the small details that changed the way I see things, and I’ll have to figure out what it means to live with them in a place that hasn’t experienced them the same way I have. That transition feels strange, and a little hard to imagine, but also really meaningful.
In a way, studying abroad doesn’t just make you a traveler. It makes you a bridge. Someone who gets to translate experiences, share perspectives, and carry pieces of one place into another. And maybe that’s one of the most important parts of all of this.
Plaza de Armas during a dancing event downtown
So, while I know that chapter is coming, I’m not there yet.
There are still more places to explore, more people to meet, and more stories waiting for me here. And I want to be fully in that, fully present for whatever comes next.
Because the truth is, the adventure isn’t ending.
It’s still unfolding.