Issue date: 11/1/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Andrew Benning Moderator, Professor Carlos Parodi, department of politics and government at Illinois State University, and his panel of students he took to Perú spoke at International Studies Seminar Series on Wednesday.

Carlos Parodi, professor of politics and government, moderated a panel of five students who shared their experiences from a recent study abroad program to Lima, Perú.

The panelists were a part of 15 students Parodi took to Lima for one month in May.

"Racial discrimination in Perú is between the indigenous people and the whites," Nadejda Sledneva, panelist and politics and government graduate student, said.

Parodi said the billboards and mannequins are one obvious sign of the racism in Perú. "The models on the billboards look like they should be in Denmark. But, actually what you see in Perú are brown, Chinese and black people," Parodi said.

Parodi said the people of Perú are aware of the gap between "who we are and what we see," and are trying to change things.

Another area of discrimination in Perú concerns social class.

"If you have money, you are fine, if not, you are not treated the same," Sledneva said.

The students also talked about another powerful experience they shared.

We went to "The Eye That Cries" monument, Vanda Rajcan, panelist and politics and government graduate student, said.

"The Eye That Cries" monument is dedicated to the 70,000 people who were killed between 1982 through 2000 in clashes between the government and the Shining Path guerillas, according to Parodi.

"Some of the people in our group were upset that others of the group were not moved by the monument," Parodi said.

The feelings that some group members had also reflect the division Peruvians have about the monument, Parodi said.

"Some Peruvian people want the monument, while others do not want the monument because it has names of some of the guerillas," Parodi explained. "Our own experiences helped us to understand what the people in Lima are going through," Parodi added.

Parodi said one of the goals of the study abroad program in Perú is to try and build bridges between the U.S. and Perú.

"Today a free trade agreement between Perú and the U.S. will be approved. This program will help connect the two cultures," Parodi said.

Parodi is planning the next study abroad trip to Perú.

"The next trip will occur May 17 through June 14, 2008," Parodi said.

Parodi said to contact him or the International Studies office for more information.

Jaclyn Pociask, a junior communication studies major, said she was surprised that no one on the panel spoke Spanish.

Sledneva said Spanish is not required to attend the classes at the university, but she recommends students learn at least some basic Spanish before going on the trip.

"That way you will be able to at least interact with others outside of the university," Sledneva, said.

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