Across continents: One student’s journey from SIT to the Peace Corps
August 31st, 2026 | IHP, Peace Corps, SIT Study Abroad
From the Sahara to the Himalayas to the Amazon, a semester studying abroad with SIT’s International Honors Program (IHP) took recent University of Vermont (UVM) graduate Aidan Holmes across four continents—and helped shape what comes next. His experiences while studying abroad motivated him to join the Peace Corps in El Salvador after graduation.
“Throughout my college experience, I found an interest in the overlap between our economy, food systems, and environment, examining current events through the lens of sustainability. While a lot of my college years were spent finding my niche, I always knew I wanted to explore the world, which is what drew me to SIT and then the Peace Corps,” says Holmes, a community economic development major and environmental studies minor.
During SIT's IHP Climate Change: The Politics of Land, Water, and Energy Justice program, students meet in Miami, Florida, before traveling together to Ecuador, Morocco, and Nepal to witness the causes of climate change and its social-ecological impacts in hotspots across four continents.
Here, Holmes reflects on the experiences that made SIT a once-in-a-lifetime journey and explains how studying abroad helped turn a desire to explore the world into a path toward community-focused work.
What made you choose to study abroad with SIT's IHP Climate Change: The Politics of Land, Water, and Energy Justice program?
I found IHP Climate Change: The Politics of Land, Water, and Energy Justice while perusing an interactive map on the UVM GoAbroad website. I was eager to use the two semesters of Spanish I had just taken, and I ended up exploring programs in Ecuador. When I found IHP Climate Change, I initially didn't believe it was real. Not only did it span four continents, but it was focused on my minor in environmental studies. The biggest appeal of studying abroad for me is to challenge oneself, and experience a new lifestyle. The International Honors Program is the epitome of this idea, getting to experience multiple vastly different lifestyles in one semester, and I could not pass on such an opportunity.
What was your favorite part about studying abroad with SIT?
My favorite part about studying abroad with SIT was living in homestays. Being taken in by a community, no matter how long, will always create a richer experience than staying in an isolated accommodation. My homestays gave me a better understanding of each local area, and each country, that I would not have gotten otherwise. My favorite memories all came out of these homestays, whether it was cooking for my family in Morocco, playing cards on my family's rooftop in Kathmandu, or celebrating Las Fiestas de Quito with my family in Ecuador.
You will be a Peace Corps volunteer in El Salvador. Can you tell us more about what you'll be doing?
I’ll be a community economic development facilitator. My new community in El Salvador is looking to increase its economic capacity, and I will be working with businesses who want to grow, entrepreneurs with ideas, and individuals who want to further their personal finances. My specific community has not been selected yet, so it is hard to say more because what I end up doing will be almost entirely based on what the community wants.
How did studying abroad influence your decision to do the Peace Corps and your career trajectory?
I think the biggest influence studying abroad had on my decision to do Peace Corps was affirming my motivation. I have always wanted my work to take me to places I might not otherwise go, but such a thing can be scary, especially a two-year commitment like the Peace Corps. My experience abroad with SIT was my greatest boost in confidence when applying to the Peace Corps because it allowed me to challenge myself and adapt multiple times. I am now more confident than ever in my ability to find a sense of place elsewhere.
I am looking for my Peace Corps experience to grow my professional skill set, while also providing a clearer picture of what professional role I could fit into. With that, I will likely apply for the Peace Corps Coverdell Fellows Program, which helps ex-volunteers further their education. Beyond that, I look forward to taking my Peace Corps experience into whatever field of development I end up in.
Any advice for prospective SIT Study Abroad students?
For any prospective SIT students, outside simply telling them, "Do it," my advice would be to spend every minute of their experience challenging themselves and asking questions. You will get so much out of the courses and experiences prepared for you, but in order to make the most of such a program, you have to explore and connect with each country in your own way. Make new friends, eat what's offered to you, and seek new experiences even when you're tired, because the program you are on is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
I was in the Sahara, the Himalayas, and the Amazon in one semester. How many people can say that?