March 16, 2026
Contact: Sara Diedrich, diedrichs@missouri.edu
Photos courtesy of Emma Letzig
As Emma Letzig climbed toward Machu Picchu, the magical citadel high in the Andes, the University of Missouri student felt both awe at the ancient site and a deep connection to her parents, who had completed the same trek 20 years earlier.
The ascent became the highlight of Letzig’s Global Service and Health Science Internship in Peru through Mizzou Study Abroad. It served as a fitting culmination to a two-week journey that expanded the Arlington Heights, Illinois, native’s view of the world — and of herself.
“Mizzou’s study abroad program gives students the chance to gain new perspectives and experience other cultures firsthand,” Letzig said. “I realized how much we all have in common, and the trip deepened my understanding of Peruvian and Incan culture in a way I couldn’t have learned in a classroom.”
Finding a universal language
Letzig, a senior in the College of Health Sciences who will begin the doctor of occupational therapy program at Mizzou this summer, was among 24 students who traveled to Cusco, Peru, to either complete a health science internship requirement or earn service-learning credit. In the city — considered one of the most beautiful in Latin America — students spent mornings at service sites including nursing homes and schools. Letzig assisted staff at a home for adults with developmental disabilities and provided basic physical therapy support.
Though translators were available to the students, Letzig found a universal way to communicate with her patients, most of whom spoke Spanish and Quechua.
“I learned that in health care, it doesn’t matter what country you’re in or what language you speak, empathy is one of the most important qualities you can have,” she said. “I was reminded that regardless of circumstances or background, people want love and care. It’s human nature. It was a privilege to offer that, and the connections we formed were incredibly meaningful.”
After their morning service work, the students met for lunch and spent their weekday afternoons exploring Cusco, once the capital of the Inca Empire and now renowned for its archaeological remains and Spanish colonial architecture. They visited museums, historical sites and even enjoyed a cooking class. Weekends were reserved for larger excursions, including a trek to the iconic Machu Picchu.
The daylong journey to the ancient site began with a bus ride to Urubamba, located in the Sacred Valley of southeastern Peru. From there, they boarded the Voyager Train to Aguas Calientes, the town nearest to Machu Picchu. Early the next morning, the students hiked to the ancient citadel, perched at 7,972 feet. After exploring the 15th-century city, they ascended neighboring Huayna Picchu, which rises to 8,923 feet, making a final climb that cemented the strong bond they had developed with each other during the program.
Connecting past with present
Before the group left, the tour guide asked everyone to pause. Acknowledging their fatigue after a long day, the guide encouraged them to take a moment to appreciate the scenery and the mountain they had just climbed, asking them to put their phones away and simply enjoy the experience.
“It was so powerful,” Letzig said. “We stood there taking in a view we might never see again. He reminded us that many people had come before us and many would come after, but what mattered was appreciating the moment we were in right then.”
That pause of reflection reminded Letzig of her parents’ journey two decades earlier and how she was now carrying on their curiosity and sense of adventure. She had literally walked in her mother’s footsteps, making the final trek in the same hiking boots her mother wore to climb Machu Picchu.
“Growing up, I had heard countless stories of my parents’ amazing adventure in Peru,” Letzig said. “Through them, I learned about the perseverance, grit and determination it takes to get to Machu Picchu. Now, I’ve experienced it for myself. It was an emotional trip, taking in the exact same view that my parents had seen together 20 years earlier. This was an incredible trip, and I learned so much about myself, Peru and global health.”
Interested in a life-changing journey? Learn more about study abroad opportunities at Mizzou.
