In this short interview episode, A.C. talks with his good friend Bobby Wasileski who, at the time, had just returned from a 4 month long Study Abroad semester in Lima, Peru. Bobby recently graduated as an Energy Business and Finance major from Penn State and was able to earn a host of credits while studying abroad. He shares a cornucopia of great insider tips for anyone considering a semester abroad, as well as some crazy stories about his extra-curricular experiences outside of class. Catch these two Dirty Gringos for a quick afternoon conversation. As always, thanks for listening, and stay wild! A.C.
Show Notes and Quotes from Bobby Wasileski
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"... and I finally popped out. My arms and legs were completely
covered in scratches, I don't know how I didn't contract some sort of
Peruvian Poisonous Ivy. But I made it out without any dog bites. I
just got out to the road and stuck the thumb up and waited till a van
drove by." - Bobby Wasileski
0:00 - 2:15 Intro by A.C.
3:10 - 4:30 Learn how Bobby heard about the Study Abroad options and why he ended up choosing Peru in the first place. He found out that Penn State offered a program that was tailored specifically to his major; Energy Business and Finance.
5:15 - 5:17
"Lago Titikaka" - Bobby Wasileski
5:35 - 5:50 Bobby Describes the "Gringo Trail" and why it is so popular. He traveled as a nomad backpacker for 3.5 weeks in South Eastern Peru before beginning class in March.
5:55 - 7:05 Bobby describes his living situation while studying in Peru. He was the only American student at the entire university (ESAN University) and one of 3-4 Caucasians in his neighborhood where he lived with a native Peruvian family.
10:10 - 11:00 How much did it cost? Bobby spent $200 less for rent than he was at Penn State. It is considerably cheaper for almost all expenses. Except the tuition, which was the same as Penn State.
11:10 - 11:45 What was Bobby's housing situation? He lived with a family in an Apartment; they had a maid who cooked lunch and did their laundry. "It was nice getting pampered in that way"
12:15 - 12:30 The classes were smaller than they are at Penn State. Usually there were no more than 15-20 students per class.
14:30 - 15:15 Bobby talks about how much freedom you get to explore as a student, and shares some possible excursion ideas outside of the city. $20 max will get you pretty much anywhere in the country by bus, and they are always running.
15:30 - 17:30 Bobby shares a story about a time he felt unsafe while on a backpacking excursion. It is really hilarious, and told well - definitely worth a listen.
"... and I finally popped out. My arms and legs were completely
covered in scratches, I don't know how I didn't contract some sort of
Peruvian Poisonous Ivy. But I made it out without any dog bites. I
just got out to the road and stuck the thumb up and waited till a van
drove by."
Thanks for listening to THE NOMAD THEORY, and stay wild folks!
A.C. Ridenour