Western Michigan University Study Abroad Coordinator Gabriela “Gaby” Peschiera-Carl was issued her first passport well before she was out of diapers to take a trip to her paternal homeland, Peru, when she was just two months old.

Gaby and her husband, Joe, at Machu Picchu  

Her parents immigrated to the United States in the late 1970s, but maintained close ties to their ancestral roots through annual trips to Peru to visit family. Born in Kalamazoo, Gaby hasn’t always lived in the area, but she returned to attend Kalamazoo College to earn a bachelor’s in 2003 in psychology, Spanish and Latin American Studies. During her junior year in college, Gaby studied abroad in Valparaiso, Chile, which, she says, “absolutely transformed my life” and sparked her interest in international education. 

Gaby stepped into a full-time study abroad coordinator position at the Haenicke Institute in September 2006, following three years of service at the Center for International Programs at Kalamazoo College. Her bi-cultural background and overseas experience made her a near-perfect candidate to become a coordinator and assist college students in gaining a first-hand international perspective by studying abroad.

“I have always considered myself Hispanic,” Gaby said. “Although I never lived in Peru for more than a month at a time, the Latin American culture infused my childhood.  One example revolves around meals.  My mother would cook with typical ingredients from the Peruvian cuisine, such as aji (Peruvian yellow pepper), cilantro, and manjar blanco (also known as dulce de leche). Dinner was always a family affair; my siblings and I were almost always present at mealtimes, and we could not leave the dinner table until every person seated was finished.  Now that I have my own family I try very hard to continue this tradition, as I still believe mealtimes are the most important time in the day to spend with family.”

Gaby's Chilean host family: Gaby, Roxana,
Claudio, & Romina Moreno and Ipa, the dog.

Gaby is currently working on a master’s degree at WMU in socio-cultural studies and educational thought. She said traveling overseas as a child and her Spanish-language skills made her eager to study abroad in college and prompted her decision to seek a career in international education. 

“Before I studied abroad, I had no idea what I wanted to do after I graduated from Kalamazoo College,” she said. “Although I have always been interested in the Latin American culture, I did not realize the extent of my interest until I studied in Chile.  The food, music, and people were all fascinating to me, and I found that I wanted to see other students experience this same fascination with another culture. Studying abroad is like a roller coaster ride; the students’ emotions range from anticipation/excitement to fear/nervousness throughout the entire process.  I love to witness the emotional challenges students encounter when abroad, and how much they have grown as individuals upon their return.  There is nothing more rewarding in this job than seeing a student who has returned to campus and hearing their life-changing stories.”

For more information about the more than 60 study abroad programs offered by WMU through the Haenicke Institute, visit the Study Abroad Web site at:  www.wmich.edu/studyabroad