If you’re a college professor, faculty advisor, or student leader planning an international trip for your group, you’re probably looking for more than just a traditional travel experience. You may be wondering how to choose a destination that is educational, meaningful, culturally immersive, and impactful for your students, while also aligning with your academic goals and values. That’s where MEDLIFE’s Service Learning Trips can make a difference.
On MEDLIFE's Service Learning Trips abroad, college groups get to have a cultural experience while also making a lasting impact by participating in meaningful work. These trips combine healthcare, poverty alleviation projects, and cultural immersion, providing a holistic experience in the destination of your choosing.
Here’s a look at the top MEDLIFE destinations and what they can offer you in terms of experience and insight.
Cusco, Peru:
An Ancient City Full of Cultural Heritage
- Inca heritage: Interact with Indigenous communities and witness their cultural practices.
- What can be learned from this location: Cultural humility and understanding local values. Cusco is a prime location in Peru for anyone interested in the ancient Incan society and its preservation within modern cultural practices. Students will work directly with patients who uphold traditional practices and beliefs, especially surrounding medicine.
Discussion Topics & Learning Outcomes
- Limited resources: Rural communities struggle with access to medical care due to lack of access to transportation, funds, and education.
- Historical and social inequalities: Many rural and Andean communities in Peru continue to experience disparities in healthcare, education, and economic opportunity shaped by historical and social factors.
- Connection between poverty and education: Students will visit a local primary school and witness the limits of their educational resources and how they can directly affect student success.
Who Should Choose This Destination?
- Academic credit: This location is perfect for anyone studying the effects of colonization, traditional Andean practices (particularly Incan), South American history, global cultures, public health, education, or poverty reduction.
- Travel logistics: Peru is a very affordable country to travel to for North American students. It should be noted that Cusco's elevation level is at 11,200 ft, and altitude sickness is very common among foreign travelers. Preparation is key when planning to visit Cusco.
San José, Costa Rica:
Experience the Unique Culture of Costa Rica
- Pura vida: Experience both urban and rural Costa Rican communities. Learn about the culture of the "pura vida" lifestyle and Costa Rica's dedication to environmental conservation.
- What can be learned from this location: Adapting to diverse community structures & the importance of environmental conservation. San José is the capital city of Costa Rica and the most densely populated urban area. Staying in an urban centre and traveling to rural communities every day can help drive home the stark divide in income equality in this country.
Discussion Topics & Learning Outcomes
- Access gaps: Rural areas lack easy access to health services and vital education, which aid in prevention.
- Environmental conservation & integration: Costa Rica is a global leader in environmental conservation, and this is deeply reflected in everyday culture. Many Costa Ricans uphold a holistic approach to medicine that treats environmental health as inseparable from human health. A strong emphasis can be tied to herbal remedies and sustainable living.
- Respectful community development: Students will participate in a community development project that improves access. The purpose of these projects is not to "fix" these rural communities but rather to remove barriers such as unpaved roads or insufficient infrastructure that leave community members vulnerable to injury or illness.
Who Should Choose This Destination?
- Academic credit: This location is perfect for anyone studying healthcare, education, urban development, traditional healing, environmental conservation, poverty reduction, or public infrastructure.
- Travel logistics: Costa Rica is ideal for American and Canadian students because flights are affordable and the American dollar is widely accepted across the entire country. It is also ideal for students traveling from Puerto Rico as it is one of the closest destinations we offer and flights can also be very affordable.
Tena, Ecuador:
Work With Indigenous Communities Within A Rainforest Environment
- Andean traditions: Learn from rural communities and their lifestyles about different approaches to medicine outside of Western contexts.
- What can be learned from this location: Rural healthcare challenges and cultural integration/respect for ancient medicinal practices.
Discussion Topics & Learning Outcomes
- Under-resourced clinics: Lack of access to essential health services in rural areas.
- Traditional medicine: Some local communities may have different perspectives on healthcare and healing practices than those commonly seen in Western medicine.
- Education systems: Students will visit a local school and discuss challenges to educational resources and the integration of traditional beliefs within education.
- Amazonian rainforest culture: A visit to a women's co-op will also be a part of the experience. Students will get to witness a traditional dance, make chocolate from locally grown cacao, and learn about Andean culture directly from local community members.
Who Should Choose This Destination?
- Academic credit: This service-learning trip abroad is perfect for anyone studying Andean traditions, medicine, global Indigenous cultures, traditional healing, rainforest/environmental conservation, education, or poverty reduction.
- Travel logistics: Ecuador is a very affordable country to travel to for American and Canadian students. Because this destination is a rainforest, rainfall can be expected and should be prepared for.
Lima, Peru:
Urban Settlements & Low-Income Community Development
- Urban diversity: Experience the contrast between Lima’s affluent and underserved districts.
- What can be learned from this location: Urban health challenges and migration. Lima is the capitol city of Peru and a sprawling urban centre; however, mass migration has taken place on the outskirts of the city due to income inequality.
Discussion Topics & Learning Outcomes
- Strained system: High demand for healthcare, education, and infrastructure services in underserved areas.
- Urban settlements: Students will learn the realities of the populations forced to create human settlements on the outskirts of this urban capital and what barriers are part of their everyday lives.
- Land title struggles: Context as to why these areas are so highly underserved can be attributed to the difficulty in obtaining land title.
Who Should Choose This Destination?
- Academic credit: This location is ideal for public health, sociology, urban development, poverty reduction, education, urban infrastructure, or international studies students.
- Travel logistics: Peru is a very affordable country to travel to for North American students. Lima in particular might be a better option for anyone who is concerned about altitude sickness in Cusco.
Why Choose MEDLIFE's Service Learning Trips?
Planning an international trip for a college group can feel like a big responsibility. Finding a program that balances cultural immersion, experiential learning, and community impact can make all the difference in creating a trip students will carry with them long after they return home.
Each Service Learning Trip abroad offers:
- Cultural immersion: Deepen understanding of global health challenges.
- Hands-on experience: Work in poverty alleviation projects like mobile clinics and health education.
- Academic credit: Connect fieldwork with classroom lessons, enhancing your academic journey.
To learn how you can join a Service Learning Trip with MEDLIFE that gives back to low-income communities across Latin America and Africa, fill out the interest form below or download our free brochure today!