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To be archived after Sept. 15, 2006
Traveling to a different country requires people to leave behind the way of life they know and the culture they love. However, for 21-year-old Romina Biancato of Peru, coming to West Virginia has provided an opportunity she relishes—a chance to introduce West Virginians to the Peruvian way of life.
Biancato will be visiting (name of town) to describe and discuss Peru at (time, day, date) at (place, street address, town).
Biancato is the 2005-2006 recipient of the International Student Scholarship funded by the West Virginia Community Educational Outreach Service (WVCEOS). CEOS is a statewide network of clubs supported by West Virginia University Extension Service.
The WVU student’s appearance here is sponsored by (name) County’s CEOS clubs.
The CEOS scholarship is awarded to a WVU international student for one year (two semesters). The recipient is required to develop educational materials and a presentation about his or her country. Then, the recipient must give the presentation throughout the state for different CEOS clubs and other Extension programs during a 2 ½ -month summer tour.
Biancato is looking forward to her tour. Before she discovered WVU, she fell in love with West Virginia.
She first arrived in West Virginia as part of a student international exchange program that has resorts around the United States.
“I love traveling,” Biancato said. “It is my biggest passion ever.”
Given the option to go to New Mexico or to West Virginia, Biancato decided she wanted to experience something a little more different and less familiar. So, she chose to work at Snowshoe Mountain in West Virginia.
Returning to Peru after completing her working vacation at Snowshoe, Biancato realized she wanted to study abroad. West Virginia, she said, was just the place.
In the informational newsletter she created for CEOS members, Biancato said of West Virginia, “I fell in love with the mountains and the people.”
As the scholarship recipient, Biancato will have the opportunity to pursue her passion this summer as she travels to different West Virginia counties to give her presentation about her home.
Born in Lima, the capital of Peru, Biancato found it was an adjustment to go from such a big city to the smaller towns of West Virginia. Lima, in fact, is “a city that never sleeps,” similar to New York City.
Although a person can find similarities between any two countries, the young traveler said there are key differences between American culture and Peruvian culture.
For example, Americans, as she said she has observed, are much more independent and active; whereas in Peru, the family unit is very important. Biancato said immediate and extended families all help to raise each other’s children and are very close.
Biancato’s presentation will address a variety of topics, including history, geography and, most of all, culture.
“I want to take an approach to the culture itself,” Biancato said. “[It may] make people want to learn more and take an interest in my country. If my talking around the state brings many people to visit Peru, it will be good.”
Biancato said she is very proud of Peru—its people and way of life. Being away from home has helped Biancato realize just how much Peru means to her.
“I appreciate it more now that I’m not there,” she said. “The people of Peru are very patriotic, very happy, but we have our problems just like any other country.”
For more information about Biancato’s visit or details about CEOS, contact (agent’s name) , WVU Extension agent, at the (name) County office of the WVU Extension Service at (street address and town) or call (telephone number).
—WVU-ES—
cjc/rb/fsm—6/12/06
Last modified
June 13, 2006
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