GEARE Passport 2024: Peru & Ecuador

This spring, we're excited to keep sharing stories from our GEARE students as they return from their adventures abroad! This week, meet Joey Paresky, a senior in Environmental and Ecological Engineering, who spent time in Peru and Ecuador. His journey is packed with research, culture shock, and plenty of travel—all things that make GEARE such an incredible experience.

Joey kicked off his international experience in Peru during the summer of 2023, working in a university lab through a Purdue-led internship. "I spent a lot of time filtering water and sequencing DNA to analyze biodiversity," he said. "But honestly, one of the best parts was just hanging out with my host family—they still send me gifts!" Living with a host family helped Joey experience Peruvian culture firsthand, from home-cooked meals to local festivals.

In the spring of 2024, Joey took things up a notch by spending an entire semester in Ecuador. This time, he didn’t have other Purdue students in his host family, making for an even more immersive experience. Studying in Ecuador came with a few surprises, though. "At Purdue, if you're struggling in a class, there are office hours, study groups, all kinds of resources. In Ecuador? Not so much," Joey explained. "You have to figure things out on your own." He also noted that classes were shorter and more focused, and the university had a four-day school week—giving him three-day weekends to explore!

And explore he did. Joey travelled almost every weekend, climbing mountains, visiting cloud forests, and even summiting the highest peak in Ecuador- the volcano Chimborazo, the closest point on Earth to the sun. He also visited historic towns, checked out waterfalls, and soaked in natural hot springs. Unlike in the U.S., where travel often requires extensive planning, Joey found that hopping on a bus to a new adventure was cheap and easy.

Of course, there were challenges too. He got pickpocketed in Quito, had to deal with rolling power outages, and learned the hard way that eating street food isn’t always a great idea. "I basically had a stomach bug every other week," he joked. "But I was willing to suffer for good juice." He also had to adjust to cultural differences, especially Ecuador’s strong sense of collectivism. "Ecuador is like … the number two most collectivist country in terms of its ideals in the world, and United States is the most individualist country in the world. The expectation was that you're trying to build relationships more than like, get the work done."

Looking back, Joey says GEARE prepared him well for navigating these experiences. "Those cultural classes at Purdue actually helped. I was able to see the differences, adapt, and appreciate them instead of just being confused." His biggest piece of advice for future students? "Be open to everything, embrace the unexpected, and definitely live with a host family. It’s the best way to truly experience another culture. Plus, who doesn’t want homemade food every day?"

Patric Benoy

Mechanical Engineering 

Bahrain