Faculty expertise brings unique level of authenticity to Centre alumni trip to Peru

One of the aspects of Centre Term courses abroad that students often mention is the opportunity to bond with others outside their normal social circles. It’s common to have math, sociology and theatre majors all traveling and living together for weeks.
The community-building aspect of going abroad has also been cited by Centre coaches who take their teams on training trips around the world, from swimmers in Italy to baseball in the Dominican Republic or football in Ireland.
Students strengthen their bonds on these trips, break out of their normal social circles and learn more about themselves and one another as they study the cultures they are immersed in.
So how would that work if you made the group traveling abroad Centre alumni of all ages from all walks of life?
According to Marlene and David Grissom Professor of Anthropology Robyn Cutright, the group that she led on a summer alumni trip to Peru experienced the same sort of community-building.

“We had people born from the 50s to the 90s. It was a really cool cross-section of Centre alumni,” she said. “Because of that age diversity, there was a chance for people to hang out with each other and I think relationships formed across the group. They were all in it not just to see Peru, but to participate with the group.”
Organized by the Centre Office of Alumni and Family Engagement, Cutright led 21 members of the Centre alumni community on a 10-day adventure through the land she’s been studying since her undergraduate days.
Cutright was able to use her experience leading archaeological trips to the area and teaching study abroad courses in Peru to line up a series of unforgettable experiences not possible for most tourists.
“Machu Picchu and Peru was a bucket list trip for my wife, Terry, and me,” said Hiram Ely ’73. “To accomplish it on a trip that offered the outstanding Peruvian archeological and culinary knowledge and experience of Centre Professor Robyn Cutright was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up. To do it in the company of 20 other Centre-related people made it all the more delightful.
“Robyn was terrific in every respect, and the agenda was perfect. It was a truly life-changing experience that we'll never forget!”

One highlight was a chef-led dive into the significance of corn in Peruvian culture and cuisine. Not only did the food courses feature corn in inventive and delicious ways, the dinner was hosted on a local farm, offering a glimpse into the local agricultural community.
“Corn was a big part of the Inca empire, and the landscape of the Sacred Valley near Cuzco was transformed through terraces and then you keep going down the valley you get to Machu Picchu,” Cutright said. “They created a menu for us that was a one-of-a-kind experience. It was really astounding. Everything was delicious and it featured different varieties of corn from the appetizers to desserts. It was just really creative.”
Another food-related experience came via the 2023 top-ranked restaurant in the world, Central Restaurante in Lima. The restaurant organized a tasting menu based around the stunning ecological diversity of Peru due to its massive altitude changes from the mountains to the coast. The group had the opportunity to sample the menu at an outpost of the restaurant, located in the Sacred Valley.

“You go from the Pacific Ocean up to Cusco, which is at almost 12,000 feet and that’s in a valley. There are peaks that are higher around it. And then it goes down to the jungle,” Cutright said. “Each plate is a specific altitude with creative ingredients from that place.”
The trip also featured a visit to the majestic Incan citadel of Machu Picchu, located above the Sacred Valley. It’s a must-visit for tourists, but a stop that caused Cutright a measure of anxiety.
“I always get nervous because Machu Picchu is such a big part of why people want to go to Peru, and it’s in the cloud forest and sometimes, it turns out, it’s cloudy in the cloud forest,” Cutright said. “But we had a good experience at Machu Picchu and they got to enjoy the beauty of the surroundings.”
The trip ended with a party organized by the local travel company that organized some of the unique experiences for the group. That moment showed Cutright how much the group had bonded during their adventures.
“There were hors d'oeuvres and wine and music. Eventually, people started to dance, which I thought was a cool closing moment,” she said. “You could see that they had really bonded and enjoyed getting out there and dancing.”
This article appears in the Fall/Winter 2024 edition of Centrepiece.