Alan Llavore | Office of Marketing and Communications | (909) 537-5007 | allavore@csusb.edu
In the spring of 2024, a group of 18 CSUSB students, alumni, faculty and staff immersed themselves in the rich culture and history of Peru and the Incan Empire, focusing on theater workshops with a world-renowned theater collective and experiencing the beauty of Machu Picchu, the ancient archeological wonder nestled in the Sacred Valley high atop the Andes Mountains.
Led by Bibiana Diaz, associate professor of Spanish, and Johanna Smith, professor of theatre arts, the visit marked CSUSB’s first study abroad program to Peru offered through the Theatre Arts and World Languages and Literatures departments.
It was not Diaz’s first time leading a study abroad group, though. Since joining CSUSB in 2012, she has led three academic tours to Colombia and one to Cuba. “I am a big advocate of study abroad because the effect that these places have on the students is priceless,” she said. “It is like an entire regular semester of classes because there is so much information that students are absorbing every single moment. It’s not only about historical information, archaeology, culture. It’s everything. It's a whole immersion experience, and that is the part I am enchanted by.”
Diaz has also been a strong advocate for cultural and theatrical education and is the faculty advisor for Acto Latino Teatro Universitario, a CSUSB student theater collective. "Acto Latino is open to everyone on campus," Diaz explained. "We use the method of collective creation. Students interview their relatives, other students, and share their own experiences to create plays that reflect cultural and immigration experiences."
During her 24-year teaching career at CSUSB, Smith, too, has led students on a number of study abroad experiences. “In 2007, we did a production of Homer's Odyssey for children with puppets and 10 students went to a puppetry festival in Sofia, Bulgaria. While we were there performing, an ambassador from China was in the audience and invited us to tour China,” she said. “So, in 2008, the same group went and toured five major cities in China. It was the trip of a lifetime. All of these students are now in their thirties, but all of them are still working in theater or in the arts. All of them learned so much. It was an unbelievable experience.”
The theatre experience took center stage during the trip to Peru, as well. The first four days of the program were dedicated to intensive theater workshops in Lima with Grupo Cultural Yuyachkani (Yuyachkani), known for its powerful performances that combine theater with social activism, Diaz said. The workshops focused on body movement, voice and theatrical improvisation.
“The participation in the workshop with Grupo Cultural Yuyachkani was absolutely the highlight for me,” said Smith. “It was really incredible to be able not just to see the theater, but to actually participate under the direction of these incredible artists. It was really an amazing experience.”
Smith’s own background is with a very similar theater, the Bread and Puppet Theater, which was founded on the East Coast in the 1960s in pursuit of a social justice mission.
“The work of Yuyachkani influences other artists all over the world,” Smith said. “They are truly world-class. They're part of the larger conversation of artists all over the world.”
Study abroad participant and alumna, Melissa Osorio, B.A. ’17, Spanish, is a middle-school Spanish teacher in Moreno Valley and was a member of Acto Latino when she was a student at CSUSB. “Because of this, I gained a profound interest for theater. It’s a safe space and serves as a platform for advocacy, creativity and collaboration. So, the study abroad trip was the best of both worlds: travel and theater.
“I saw Yuyachkani perform in Los Angeles a few years ago, and I never thought I would be able to meet the director, Miguel Rubio, and his performers in their country or visit their space and participate in their workshops. It was an honor to learn about their collective creations as both artists and activists of Peru,” Osorio said. She has participated in several study abroad programs led by Diaz.
Maria Valencia, who graduated in May, earning B.A. degrees in both Hispanic language, literature and civilization and Hispanic studies, said working with the Yuyachkani theater group was “an extraordinary experience. Their performances combine theater with social activism, focusing on Peruvian history and identity. Participating in their workshops allowed me to understand the role of performing arts in addressing social issues and preserving cultural memory,” she continued. “The professors and members of Yuyachkani inspired me with their passion and dedication to their art. I learned a lot about how theater can be a medium for change and reflection.”
Smith noted that the opportunity to work with such a renowned group is rare. “This trip was possible all because of Professor Bibiana Diaz,” Smith said. “All of it, every bit of it. She has the most incredible professional reputation and contacts that I've ever seen in the arts. She can just make a phone call and have some of the most famous playwrights and figures in Hispanic theater right at her door. Yuyachkani never opened their doors to other people, but because it was her, they were unbelievably accommodating.”
In addition to the workshops, the group explored Lima and the surrounding area’s rich history, touring historical sites from San Isidro and the Larco Museum to the Huaca Pucllana archaeological site and Pachacamac Oracle, gaining insights into Peru’s pre-Columbian cultures.
"Visiting the archaeological zones was extraordinary. It sparked a deeper interest in Incan history and their contributions to the world heritage," Valencia said.
After completing the workshops and tours in Lima, the group flew to Cusco where they explored the Sacred Valley and learned about the history of the Inca Empire. The highlight was a full-day visit to one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu, the famous archaeological complex.
"The natural and architectural beauty is incredible,” said Lady Caterine Guillén, a Spanish major who is pursuing teaching credentials in multiple subjects and Spanish. “The energy of the place transports you to that time and makes you imagine the construction of this wonder."
Valencia agreed, noting the profound impact of the site. "Standing among the ancient ruins, surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty, gave me a profound sense of connection to history. The ingenuity of the Inca civilization and the sheer scale of their architectural achievements left me in awe."
Guillén said she plans to use the experiences and knowledge gained from the trip in her future career as a teacher, particularly “remembering the importance of diversity and cultural acceptance. In classrooms, diversity is real, and this makes it very important that we recognize differences in customs. This experience also leaves me motivated to share different places in the world and their history with my future students,” she said.
According to Smith, “I'm very passionate about providing those opportunities for students. I would like our students to understand better than they currently do how much they have — how many resources, how much opportunity, how much potential they have. That's what happened with my first group of students when they came back from Bulgaria. Their thought process became, ‘Oh, of course I can start a theater company,’ and that’s what they did. They came back so confident.”
Diaz credited Ryan Griffith, associate dean, College of Extended and Global Education, Amy Chien, study abroad coordinator, Rika Dawson, administrative analyst/specialist in the College of Extended and Global Education, and the entire study abroad team for their efforts. “It was with their help and diligence that this study abroad program was possible,” she said.
For those considering a study abroad program, whether a student, alumnus, faculty or staff member, Osorio advised, "Give yourself the opportunity to travel. It’s life-changing. Don’t worry if you’ve never traveled or if perhaps you don’t know anyone, you will be surrounded by kindhearted and friendly people. We all help each other out.”
Visit CSUSB’s Study Abroad programs for more information about credit and non-credit opportunities.