Although I don’t pretend that this has all the information you will need to know about Peru, it’s
pretty comprehensive. I have decided not to thoroughly address some issues, such as Tourism
and History, because of the abundant information available for these topics. However, in these
cases, I have given some basic information and websites which should help you get more
information.
The internet has plenty of information that it can almost be overwhelming. Here are some
websites I recommend as they have present their information in an organized fashion and
contain lots of useful information about Peru. From bus schedules, to hotels to legal advise,
history, and tourist attractions, these websites will be able to help you out.
http://lanic.utexas.edu/la/peru/ , www.peru.info , www.perutourist.info www.expatperu.com,
www.livinginperu.com, www.perulinks.com, www.saexplorers.org . In addition, the Yellow Pages
can help you find contact information for business, hotels, travel agents among other things
www.paginasamarillas.com.pe. Check the General Tourism Section 7A for more websites.
I will be updating this list often, so be sure to bookmark it. The next time I will be updating will be
in mid-January and I will be adding more information Food/ Drink/Recipes and Prices of Goods
so if you have any links or information about these topics, would like to add to the current topics,
or know of any other topics you would like to see added, please PM
me or email me at
naturegirl321@yahoo.com
Hope you enjoy your stay in Perú!
Sharon
Last updated: 04 January 2007
Av. Javier Prado Oeste 1586 - Dp.402- San Isidro Tel: +511 442 6986
Index
1. Work
1A.Website / Volunteering
1B. Best time to look for work
1C. Hours / What to wear
1D. Pay / Benefits
1E. Training / Professional Organisations
1F. CV / Cover Letter
1G. Paying Income Tax
2. Immigration Issues
2A. All Visas / Onward Ticket
2B. Tourist / Visa Extensions / Expired Visa
2C. Permission to Sign a Contract
2D. Resident-Work
2E. Resident-Family/Marriage
2F. Carné de Extranjería (Foreign Resident Card)
2G.Residents- Leaving Peru and Tax Forms
2H. Leaving with Peruvian Children
2I. Naturalisation
3.Getting ready
3A. General Info / Map
3B. History / Peruvian people
3C. Things to Bring
3D. Safety
3E. Medical
3F. Transport (getting here)
3G. Weather
3H. Holidays
3I. Terrorism
Av. Javier Prado Oeste 1586 - Dp.402- San Isidro Tel: +511 442 6986
4. Settling in
4A. Housing
4B. Food / Drinks / Recipes
4C. Banking / Transferring money / Exchanging money
4D. Communication
4E. Transport (getting around)
4F. Education
4G. Household help
5. Free Time
5A. General
5B. Dating / Advice for Women
5C.. English Books
5D. Shopping
5E. Studying Spanish
6. Legal Issues
6A. Lawyer
6B. Official Translations / Notarisation / Legalisation
6C. Marriage
7. Tourism
7A. General Information
7B. Culture (music, crafts, architecture, actors, books)[/
7C. Upcoming Events / Things to Do
7D. Hotels
8. Miscellaneous
8A. Sample Prices:
Food and Drink
Toiletries
Going out
Shopping. Market prices - Shop prices
Appliances
Housing / Hotels
Transport
Av. Javier Prado Oeste 1586 - Dp.402- San Isidro Tel: +511 442 6986
1. Work
1A. Website /List of places to work at
See http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=4556 for a list of places that usually hire
foreigners. Also at the end of the list there is a list of job search websites. If you're interested in
volunteering check out www.volunteerabroad.com Kent has created a list with TEFL job searches that you
can find here. www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=12862.
If you are interested in placement services, one of the posters, Guy Courchesne offers a placement
service for teachers. There’s a small fee involved, for more information contact: Innovative English
Placement Service. teachers@innovative-english.com, http://www.innovative-english.com/
1B. Best time to look for work
The school year goes from March/April until November/December. International schools and schools may
start looking for teachers at early as September or October. Universities may wait until the beginning of the
year (January or February) to start hiring. Many institutes hire year-round.
In general it is difficult to secure a job before you arrive here. Many employers want to meet you before
having you sign a contract. Some may say that you will be hired, and to contact them when you are in the
country so that they can meet you face-to-face.
1C. Hours / What to wear
Many institutes and universities will have you work split shifts, four hours in the morning, a break
between two and four hours and then four more hours in the evening. Sometimes classes finish
at 9pm, or even as late as 10pm. Although at first it seems difficult, you will get used to it and
can use the time in the afternoon to take a nap or run errands.
Smart casual is usually the rule here. Some places require you to wear a uniform, other say that
men have to wear ties and women appropriate clothing. For men, you should wear dress pants
and a dress shirt and for women, nice pants or a skirt with a blouse. Jeans are usually not
accepted and piercings and tattoos should be hidden. Depending on where you are, you may
be allowed to wear sandals, especially in the north.
1D. Pay / Benefits
The average pay is 5 USD an hour, which is about 500 USD a month. Is 500 USD a month
enough for you to live on? Of course, as long as you don’t expect to take taxis everywhere and
eat out all the time. This is the average, and this being said, the more experience and
qualifications that you have, the better the pay.
International schools pay around 20,000 USD plus benefits, but you usually need a teaching
certificate from your country plus two years experience teaching in a school and you may have
to sign a two-year contract. Also, if you have a legal working visa, you will be more likely to be
paid more, because the school knows that you will stay for a while rather than only teach in
order to get money to travel.
The average Peruvian salary is around 250 USD a month. However, you have to remember
most of them live with their family, so they are not paying rent or food. Also, they will take public
transport rather than taxis, so this allows them to save money.
Benefits may include transport, insurance, lunch, a housing stipend, and paid vacations. Make
sure you clarify everything with your employer and sign a contract.
Av. Javier Prado Oeste 1586 - Dp.402- San Isidro Tel: +511 442 6986
You will usually have one month of vacation unless you work at a school, in that case you will
probably get more than a month of vacations.
Some places may have you sign two contracts, one for the Ministry of Work, which will be in
Spanish and another private one in English. The Spanish one will likely say that they are paying
you less and you don’t receive benefits. This is done so that the school doesn’t have to pay lots
of taxes. The private one should state all the benefits and the correct pay that you are going to
receive.
Retirement plans in Peru are called AFP. Your employer should set up the fund for you. Some of the most
common ones are Union Vida www.unionvida.com.pe , ProFuturo www.profuturo.com.pe , Integra
www.integra.com.pe , and Horizonte www.afphorizonte.com.pe
1E. Training and Professional Affiliations
If you are in Lima, there are many congresses and conferences for you to attend. If you are in
the provinces, there are opportunities to go to conferences, just not as many as in Lima. You
could also attend short courses in Lima offered by Camelot Training Centre or Británico.
Peruvians stress training sessions, so your school may offer these free to their employees. If
not, try to attend a conference, as it allows you to do some networking. Try to have a section on
your CV that lists a few of the recent conferences that you have attended.
There are quite a number of professional affiliations that you can join. Some offer discounts for
conferences and others publish newsletters.
Training links
Month-long intensive certification courses
Trujillo, UK El Britanico
http://www.ukplanet.net/tefl/fee.htm
Cusco, Maximo Nivel
www.maximonivel.net
Cusco, English Abroad
http://www.englishabroad.com/countries/cusco.html
Cusco, Cactus TEFL
http://www.cactustefl.com/tefl/course.php?course_id=2099
Cusco, Bridge Linguatec
www.bridgelinguatec.com
Cusco. INTESOL International
www.intesoltesoltraining.com
Cusco. Language Corps
www.languagecorps.com
Arequipa, Peru Pass (3 months)
www.perupass.com
TEFL certification search for places outside of Peru
www.teflcertificationabroad.com
Av. Javier Prado Oeste 1586 - Dp.402- San Isidro Tel: +511 442 6986
Distance certificates, diploma and MA programmes in TEFL
The University of Piura, through FUNIBER
http://www.funiber.org/esp/areas-de-conocimiento/formacion-profesorado/
Places that offer conferences and training
Varies
Universidad de Cesar Vallejo www.ucv.edu.pe
APPI www.appiperu.net
Macmillan www.macmillan.com.pe
Longman http://www.longman.com/longman_peru/events/
Británico www.britanico.edu.pe
Camelot www.camelot-lang.org
March
Pontifica Universidad Católica del Perú www.pucp.edu.pe
Camelot Training Centre www.camelot-lang.org
June
Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola http://www.sil.edu.pe/usil/
July
ICPNA http://www.icpna.edu.pe/
August
TESOL-Perú http://perutesol.homestead.com/peru.html
Camelot Training Centre www.camelot-lang.org
October
Pontifica Universidad Católica del Perú www.pucp.edu.pe
November
ANPI anpiperu@gmail.com
Professional Affiliations links
IATEFL www.iatefl.com
Peru Teacher Network www.camelot-lang.org
API-Piura email Sara Fiestas, sarahmary21@hotmail.com
APPI www.appiperu.net
The British Council’s ELTeCS http://www.britishcouncil.org/eltecs.htm
Perú-TESOL http://perutesol.homestead.com/peru.html
SPIP www.spipnet.org
Asociacion Nacional de Profesores de Idiomas (ANPI) anpiperu@gmail.com
The British Council’s ELTeCS yahoo
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ELTeCS_PERU/
1F. CV and cover letter
Here are a few websites that has information for teachers on how to write a CV and cover letter.
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=4571, www.purdue.placementmanual.com/resume
www.free-resume-tips.com/resumetips/curriclm.html, www.resumetemplates.org/templates/teacher.asp
Av. Javier Prado Oeste 1586 - Dp.402- San Isidro Tel: +511 442 6986
1G. Paying Income Tax
http://expatperu.com/detalle.php?topic_id=242
If you’re a resident, please see section 2G Residents-Leaving Peru and Tax Forms.
If you are in Peru, these rules apply to you. You must pay taxes on your income, which includes a large
amount of type of revenues ranging from incomes generated by real estate located in Peru, commercial or
civil activities developed in Peru, to Internet services provided abroad to clients who use such services in
Peru. If you are working, you’re work should help you with the forms.
If you are "domiciled" in Peru you will have to pay a certain percentage of your income in taxes, see below
for exact rates. In addition, if the expatriate is "domiciled in Peru", he or she must not only pay for incomes
from Peruvian source, but also for income created anywhere in the world. For instance, an American
citizen considered by the Peruvian Tax Authority (SUNAT) to be domiciled in Peru, will have to pay income
tax even for incomes produced by real estate properties located in the US.
If you live here, but are NOT "domiciled", you have to pay 30% in taxes.
To be considered as "domiciled" in Peru you must filfill one of three conditions.
(i) Expatriates who have lived in Peru for 2 years without being abroad during each calendar year for a
total period of more than 90 days.
(ii) Expatriates who have lived in Peru for 6 month and are registered in the Registry of Taxpayers (RUC).
(iii) Expatriates who have lived in Peru for 6 months and have asked their employer in Peru to be
considered as being domiciled in Peru.
Note that the effects of "domiciliation" begin to apply the year after the above mentioned requirements
have been fulfilled. For example, if you arrive in February 2007 and ask to be put in the RUC, then you will
start paying taxes in January 2008. However, if you arrive in November 2007 and ask to be put in the
RUC, you will start paying taxes in January 2009.
Furthermore, when an expatriate carries out work in Peru for a company registered off-shore, he or she
must pay income tax in Peru.
Categories and Rates
According to Peruvian legislation, revenues are divided into the following categories:
1st category revenues: e.g. income produced by rental lease agreements.
2nd category revenues: e.g. capital gains such as interest from loans and royalties.
3rd category revenues: e.g. income produced by commercial and industrial activities.
4th category: e.g. income produced by independent professionals.
5th category: e.g. income produced by employees.
Generally speaking, 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th of the categories refer to income produced by individuals who do
not act as entrepreneurs. The 3rd category refers to income produced by companies and individuals acting
as entrepreneurs.
In the 3rd category, a 30% income tax is applied to net revenues. For the other categories of revenues,
there will be different rates that are progressively applied in proportion to the amount of the global net
revenue during a calendar year:
Net revenue to 27 UIT (about USD 27,000): 15%
More than 27 UIT but less than 54 UIT (about USD 54,000): 21%
More than 54 UIT: 30%
("UIT". stands for "Unidad Impositiva Tributaria". This is a subjective amount fixed by the government in
order to handle payments made to the government.)
Av. Javier Prado Oeste 1586 - Dp.402- San Isidro Tel: +511 442 6986
2. Immigration Issues
2A. All Visas / Onward Ticket
All visas (except tourist visas given upon entry) require you to fill out Form F-007, which is free, then pay
26 soles at the Banco de la Nación, and give them a photocopy of your passport. If there is a bilateral
agreement between your country and Peru for cost-free visas, you have to pay a fee in order not to pay for
the visa. For more information, please see http://www.digemin.gob.pe/tramite_detalle.asp?cpd=341 for
visa requirements and http://www.digemin.gob.pe/formularios.asp for the necessary forms.
Here a website that has info about visa requirements in English www.expatperu.com/vrequirements.php
Here's a list of Immigration Offices www.expatperu.com/ioffices.php
Here's info about extending tourist visas www.expatperu.com/etourist.php
If you need a visa in order to enter Peru, you may be asked to show an onward ticket. Any ticket, whether
it be bus or air will do. You could also buy an MCO (Miscellanous Charge Order) from the IATA
(International Air Transport Association) which will allow you to fly on any IATA airline with seats available
or give you a refund. See Customer Services at www.iata.org for more details.
2B. Tourist / Visa Extensions / Expired Visa
Many nationalities receive 30-90 days upon entry of Peru. There is no paperwork beforehand and it’s free.
Depending on the immigration officer, you may or may not be asked to show a ticket out of the country or
sufficient funds. To see if you need to apply for a tourist visa beforehand, check with the Peruvian
embassy or consulate in your country.
Tourist extensions. http://www.expatperu.com/etourist.php
Can be done 3 times each time for one month at a time, although sometimes they will give you one
extension for three months and then you have to leave the country when the extension is up. Visa
extensions cost $20 (USD) per month, plus 25 soles for processing fees. You can go to migraciones in
Lima, Cusco, Puno, Puerto Maldonado and Iquitos to extend your visa. Hours are 9 am to 1:30 pm
Monday to Friday. You could also border hop and will be given up to 90 days upon entry.
If you go to the migraciones office in Lima you will have to show your passport to enter the building. Pick
up the Visa Extension form at the information desk on the first floor (or download it from
www.digemin.gob.pe, "Visa Temporal, Visa Residente"). Go to the third floor and to the window that says
"Prorrogas Residencia" and present your passport and tourist visa card. The official will give you a ticket
for $20. Go downstairs to the Banco de la Nacion to pay the fee. Make copies of the form, ticket, visa and
passport. Return to the same third floor window and hand in your documents. After this you will be asked
to wait for your passport and extended visa.
Expired Visa http://www.expatperu.com/etourist.php
Expired visas are subject to a $20 fine upon departure or extension. It will cost another $20 to renew your
expired visa, and you will only be given one month from THE DAY THAT YOUR VISA EXPIRED, not from
the day you pay the fine.
When crossing borders on expired visas, be wary of officials over charging you (it should only be $20), but
be aware that if you are planning on re-entering on the same border, you will be dealing with the same
officials. In other words, the nicer you are the more likely they are to give you the maximum number of
days upon re-entry.
2C. Permission to sign a contract
http://www.digemin.gob.pe/tramite_detalle.asp?cpd=352#OTROS5
If you want to work in Peru, you can get permission from Migracion to sign contracts. You need form F004,
to pay 26 soles to process the form, your passport, your Andean Card, (embarkment card) and to pay 50
USD for them to change your migratory status. You have to pay the fees in el Banco de la Nacion. Then
you can be legal to sign contracts and then your work can start your work visa papers.
Av. Javier Prado Oeste 1586 - Dp.402- San Isidro Tel: +511 442 6986
2D. Resident-Work
Be sure you ask at Immigrations about your visa as rules seem to change often. For example, if you work
in Cusco, you should go to La Paz in Bolivia to get your work visa, then go back to Cusco and wait until
Immigrations tell you to go to INTERPOL, which can take anywhere from 4 days to 2 weeks. Bribing does
work here, just do it with caution and at your own risk.
In order to get this visa your employer will have to request it for you. Many places are not willing to do this
simply because of the high cost and time involved. You will also have to leave the country in order to get
your visa. It usually takes around three months and can cost up to 500 USD. They are good for one year
and you will get both a work visa in your passport and also a carné de extranjería (foreign resident card).
After two years of residency, you can become a Peruvian citizen.
In addition to the requirements needed for all visas, you will also need a copy of your contract notarized by
DIGEMIN and you may need your university degree legalized by your embassy. You have to also go to
INTERPOL and get fingerprinted and bring 2 passport photos. You then take these documents to
Immigrations. When your visa is ready, you will have to leave the country to pick it up. In order to leave the
country, you have to go to Immigrations with a copy of your passport, your Tarjeta Andina, a copy of your
last entry in your passport in Peru, a bus or plane ticket and Form F-007. You have to do all of this to get
special permission to leave the country. After you get your visa, you will then have to get your carné de
extranjería (see below).
2E. Resident-Family/Marriage
For those of you married to a Peruvian, you can get a resident visa that allows you to work in Peru. It’s
good for a year and in theory takes about two months to get. However, you have to leave the country in
order to get it. You will also get a carné de extranjería (foreign resident card) and a resident visa in your
passport. There are two ways to get the visa, depending on where you got married. After two years of
residency, you can become a Peruvian citizen.
If you got married in Peru, you need either your Partida de Matrimonio or your Acta de Matrimonio, which
must be legalized by RENIEC. In order to legalise your document, first you need to go to the Banco de la
Nación and pay 16 soles. You will need to also fill out Form F-004 and pay the appropriate fee in the
Banco de la Nación. Then your spouse will have to sign a document saying that they will financially
support you while you are in Peru and give you a photocopy of their DNI (National ID Document). You then
take these to Immigrations.
You have to also go to INTERPOL and get fingerprinted and bring 2 passport photos. When your visa is
ready, you will have to leave the country to pick it up. In order to leave the country, you have to go to
Immigrations with a copy of your passport, your Tarjeta Andina, a copy of your last entry in your passport
in Peru, a bus or plane ticket and Form F-007. You have to do all of this to get special permission to leave
the country. You will also need an introduction letter from your spouse to get the visa and to be put in the
Registro Central de Extranjeria.
Be sure to call or email the consulate/embassy before you pick up your visa. They might want you to go to
a bank first and deposit the fee for the visa. You'll also need a carné photo when you pick up the visa. After
you get your visa, you will then have to get your carné de extranjería (see below).
If you got married outside of Peru, you will first have to register your marriage in RENIEC and then get
your marriage certificate notarized by the Peruvian Embassy or Consulate in the country where the
marriage took place. It will also have to be legally translated by a certified translator (see www.rree.gob.pe
and do a search for traductores oficiales ) and then legalised by the Ministerio de Relacciones Exteriores,
RREE, see www.rree.gob.pe and do a search for legalisacion) before you can do this, you have to go to
the Banco de la Nación and pay a fee. Bring the receipt when you go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Then you have to do everything above that people who got married in Peru have to do.
Av. Javier Prado Oeste 1586 - Dp.402- San Isidro Tel: +511 442 6986
2F. Carné de Extranjería (Foreign Resident Card)
Once you have your resident visa, you will need to get your carné de extranjería, which you have 30 days
to get once you re-enter Peru after you get your resident visa. I would suggest that while you are waiting
for your visa, go to INTERPOL and start the process because it will take a few weeks. That way when you
get your visa, you will already have the INTERPOL documents that you need and you can go straight to
Immigrations.
In order to do this, you have to go to Immigrations with your certificate from INTERPOL, Form F-007A, and
pay for Form F-007A at the Banco de la Nación, and 2 passport photos. You will also need an introduction
letter from your spouse or work. (If you are married to a Peruvian, you have to pay a fee so that you don’t
have to pay the fee for the foreigners)
Extending Carnet de Extranjeria (for being married to a Peruvian)
Formulario F007 (you can download it from www.digemin.gob.pe)
Legalised letter from your spouse that requests the prorroga. Make a fancy letter with your spouse’s data
(and DNI) and mentioning your name and Carnet (go to a notary - about 5-10 soles)
Wedding certificate legalised by RENIEC (If you got married out of Peru, it has to be legalised by the
Peruvian embassy where you got married, then legally translated by an official translator and legalised by
the Foreign Affairs Ministry) see 6B for more information.
Copy of your spouse's DNI, Copy of your Carnet, Pay S./26 at Banco de Nacion. Hand over form F007
when you pay.
Make a copy of F007 with the ticket of your payment attached. Leave the documents at the Mesa de
Partes (ground floor) at Migraciones. Keep the copy you made. The counter employee will tell you the date
when you should return.
Return to migraciones and go to the 3rd floor. Go to the counter: Prorroga de Residencia Hand over the
copy of F007. Wait a bit and then you will get your carne with its new sticker.
Now you will also have to pay Exoneracion for La Taza Anual de Extranjeria. Follow all the steps above,
with the difference that you will have to go to counter 18 for the sticker and that F007 has Exoneración
checked.
2G. Residents-Leaving Peru and Tax Forms
http://www.expatperu.com/detalle.php?topic_id=371
Please also see section 1G-Paying Income Tax.
If you are on a work, marriage, artist, religion, independent or immigrant visa you have to file tax form.
Foreigners who obtained any kind of income during their stay in Peru are obliged to file certain tax forms
before leaving Peru, see numbers one and two.
Those who have NOT obtained any type of income must see number 3. You must present these at the
border before they let you out of the country. You can either file these forms online, or print out a copy. If
you file them online, print a copy for your records. If you work for an employer, they should file the forms,
but it’s your responsibility to make sure you have the forms when you leave.
These form must include the income you have received EITHER over the last 12 months OR from the last
time you filed the form (left the country). If you have worked for more than one employer, each of them
must fill out a form.
http://www.sunat.gob.pe/orientacion/salidaExtranjeros/
1) Formulario virtual 1692. You must ask your employers for a certificado de rentas y retenciones, this
says that the employer has paid all your taxes. This is when your employer has paid your taxes on-line.
They must also print and sign the form N°1692 from SUNAT. It expires 30 days after it's signed.
2) Formulario 1492. Ask for the certificado de rentas y rentenciones. And then your employer must sign
certificate form N° 1492. The form expires 30 days after it's signed.
3) If you work independently, you need a 1494, which says that you paid your taxes AND you need to
attach a proof of payment.
Av. Javier Prado Oeste 1586 - Dp.402- San Isidro Tel: +511 442 6986
4) Formulario 1495. Foreigners who entered Peru with the following visas: artista, religioso, estudiante,
trabajador, independent or imigrante and did NOT get any income during their stay in Peru must declare
this on form N° 1495 provided by SUNAT.
2H. Leaving Peru with a Peruvian child
Parents traveling alone need a notarized letter signed by the other parent. This requires a quick and
inexpensive visit to any notary public. This goes when the couple is married or if the other parent has
officially recognised the child as being his/hers. If the father/mother is not married to the woman/man and
has not officially recognised his/herchild, then the mother/father does not need permission.
2I. Naturalisation
Direccion General de Migraciones in Lima. Av. España esquina con Huaraz (cuadra 7) Breña, 330-4020.
www.digemin.gob.pe/tramite_detalle.asp?cpd=325
After being here on a resident visa you can become Peruvian. Here is what you need if you are married to
a Peruvian. If you are here because of work, see the above website for more information.
4 passport size photos.
Your original and a notorised copy of your carnet extranjeria that showed two years residency.
An original copy of your spouse's birth certifcate.
A simple copy of your spouse's DNI showing casada status.
A letter to the Director of Immigration asking for your application to be considered. This has to be an exact
wording, which is available from DIGEMIN.
A statutory declaration that you are healthy and have no criminal convictions. Again the exact wording has
to be followed and is available from DIGEMIN.
The Formulario F6 needs to be completed and a fee paid for this at el Banco de la Nacion. I think it was 39
soles. The F6 can be downloaded from the DIGEMIN website.
The last thing is an orginal copy of your marriage certificate showing 2 years of marriage.
WIth all these documents go to DIGEMIN in Av. Espana. There is a Naturalisation Office on the third floor,
which opens at 8:15am and closes at 1pm. The normal processing time is 15 working days. The register is
two parts. One part stays in the register and the other part is given to you as your certificate of citzenship.
When you sign the register you have to pay 34 soles and hand in your carnet. WIth the certificate you can
get a DNI and a passport.
FYI: You need notorized copies of your titulo to get a DNI and a Peruvian passport and also for many other
tramities. By filling in a form F002, paying 13 soles and giving them 5 copies of the titulo, they will notorize
the 5 copies.
3. Getting Ready
3A. General Info / Maps
In theory, you should care your passport with you wherever you go. I would recommend caring
photocopies instead. It’s unlikely that you will get stopped, but ID checks may happen on buses. If you do
get stopped and don’t have ID, you have a few choices: speak to them in English, play dumb and say that
you didn’t know, lie and say that your school, embassy, etc has it, or bribe them. I’ve never been stopped,
but other people I know how are obviously foreigners have been, they’ve never given bribes and have just
explained the situation and the police move on to the next person.
Some general statistics and information can be found at the CIA
https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html and US State Department, See Countries and
Regions at http://www.state.gov/travelandbusiness/
There is no Daylight Savings Time. Electricity is 220v and 50/60 cycles. Sockets are fitted to accept both
flat and round plugs. The metric system is used except for gasoline, which is measured in gallons.
Av. Javier Prado Oeste 1586 - Dp.402- San Isidro Tel: +511 442 6986
The library of the University of Austin Texas has a great online map collection,
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ . The Peruvian Instituto Geografico Nacional http://www.ignperu.gob.pe/
also has a variety of maps, including maps for driving.
Conversions www.worldwidemetric.com/metcal.htm
3B. Basic Info about Peruvian people/history
Peru is very diverse. You will find many people of Chinese and European descent. And contrary to facts,
some Peruvians, especially those from the mountains, are blonde-haired and blue-eyed. In bigger cities,
many people will have studied English, so they might be able to help you. However, you should still try to
learn some Spanish so that you can get by. In the inner part of Peru, the mountains and the jungle, you
can find people who speak Quechua and Aymara.
Many Peruvians are short compared to North American and European standards, however, they are much
thinner than a typical American. Be aware that if you’re tall you will probably stand out.
Peruvians are very open people who enjoy socializing. Family plays an important part in their lives. Some
people still work 10 hours a day and may work half a day on Saturday, but this doesn’t mean that they
don’t have time to relax. Personal space is much closer here, so don’t move back if people stand close to
you. When meeting men with hug or shake hands with other men. Women will give an air kiss on the right
cheek when meeting men or women. Time here is flexible. For example, if you meet a friend, they will
show up 15-30 minutes late. And when going to parties, people will show up about 2 hours late. If you go
out with friends that they saw “te invito”, it means that they will pay for you. Don’t try to split the bill, simply
pay for them the next time you go out.
In general, Peruvians are more formal and will more often than not say buenos dias if they enter a shop or
a room with people. This means that shorts and halter tops aren’t common here. You may see Peruvians
wearing these types of clothes, but they will get looks and women especially will be whistled or catcalled
at, so if you’re a foreigner and look like one, be aware that you’ll get extra attention.
People here tend to get married young, and unfortunately some first get pregnant which then causes them
to get married. So this means that many married couples have children after only being married for a short
time. If you’re in your mid-twenties or above and single, you’ll will probably be asked when you plan on
getting married. If you’re married with no children, you’ll be asked when you plan on having children.
Most people know that the Incas lived in Peru and left behind many cultural artifacts, such as Machu
Picchu, later the Spanish came and conquered them. They finally won independence because of San José
de San Martín. Alan Garcia caused the economy to plummet in the 1980s and has just won re-election.
Alberto Fujimori held control of the country for 10 years in the 1980s-1990s, making Peru a dictatorship.
Recently they’ve had border problems with Chile and Ecuador. Some sites that have history are
www.municallao.gob.pe , www.regioncallao.gob.pe , www.islaspalomino.com , www.munilapunta.gob.pe
You can find more information at www.wikipedia.org
3C. What to bring
If you’re in one of the big cities: Piura, Chiclayo, Trujillo, Lima, Cusco, or Arequipa, you can probably find
everything you need. Clothing is cheap here as are shoes. Bring clothes for all weather as it does in fact
get very cold here. Some things that may be difficult to find are: books and some medicines.
Don’t overpack, but also remember to bring things that you can’t live without, such as pictures of your
family or music. If you’re planning on working legally, you will need your university degree and birth
certificate.
Sunblock and contact solution are expensive here, so you might want to bring your own. Here are some
websites that will tell you what you can and cannot bring into Peru.
Baggage exempt from duty www.expatperu.com/cregulations.php
www.aduanet.gob.pe/aduanas/version_ingles/informca/TR01EANA.htm
Customs Regulations www.aduanet.gob.pe/aduanas/version_ingles/
Av. Javier Prado Oeste 1586 - Dp.402- San Isidro Tel: +511 442 6986
Goods entering on a temporary basis
www.aduanet.gob.pe/aduanas/version_ingles/informca/TR01ITPV.htm
Household Goods www.aduanet.gob.pe/aduanas/version_ingles/informca/TR01DEME.htm
3D. Safety
Your opinion of the safety in Peru depends on your experiences and also your physical appearance and
the way you act. In general, if you look and act like a gringo, you are probably at a higher risk to be robbed
than those of you who don’t. Don’t carry your passport or lots of money with you. Same goes for credit
cards or important documents. Also, don’t flaunt expensive items, such as fancy cameras. Make a copy of
your passport and carry that with you if you like, though it’s not necessary.
Emergency Phone Numbers
Fire 115
Police 105
Alcohol Anonymous 442-9412
Family Planning 442-7440
Family Violence 261-1556
Child Labor 261-8562.
It’s also helpful to know the number of your local police station and you can find this information in
www.paginasamarillas.com.pe by looking under Comisaria. Your neighborhood may also have a
neighborhood watch, or Serenazgo that you can also call in case of emergency.
3E. Medical
You are not required to have any vaccinations unless you go to the jungle, where Yellow Fever is required.
However, some countries require you to have vaccinations to enter their country if you are coming from
Peru, for example, Australia requires you to have Yellow Fever even if you haven’t visited the jungle.
Many medicines, including birth control, are cheaply available over-the-counter. Medical insurance is
around 200 soles a month. Pacífico (www.pacificoseguros.com) is one of the best.
Condoms are readily available here, so please use them. Good brands are Durex and Piel. As far as pills
go, Yasmin is an international brand.
People might also try to convince you to have sex without condoms because it “feels” better, don’t listen to
them. AIDS, HIV and STD are big problems here. Abortions are illegally, however, you can get them
illegally. The morning after pill is available is some pharmacies as are pregnancy tests.
Some recommended vaccinations to have are Hepatitis, Tetanus-Diptheria, and Typhoid. Malaria can be
contracted in the jungle, however, the medicine take to prevent it can produce similar symptoms as the
actual disease.
3F. Transport /Getting here
The majority of international flights will arrive in Lima, Jorge Chavez International Airport, LIM,
www.lap.com.pe Then to get to where you want to go you can fly (if your destination is a big city) or take
the bus, see 4F for more information. Airport taxes (TUAA) are 5 USD for national flights and 28 USD for
international flights. You can pay in USD or soles.
Av. Javier Prado Oeste 1586 - Dp.402- San Isidro Tel: +511 442 6986
For example from Lima to Piura, 14 hours in bus costs about 60 soles, or about 20 dollars. Flying is about
90 dollars plus airport taxes.
There are a few airpasses available. Check out http://www.airtimetable.com/airpass_south_America.htm
and for more information.
Flight links
www.intratours.com
www.tiss.com
www.etn.nl/discount.htm
www.flyaow.com
www.airtrek.com
www.lowestairprice.com
www.airlineconsolidator.com
www.travelhub.com
http://www.gatewaylax.com
www.airdeals.com
www.asaptickets.com
www.cheaptickets.com
www.orbitz.com
www.expedia.com
www.sidestep.com
www.statravel.com
http://www.getonetrip.com
http://www.justtheflight.com
www.opodo.co.uk
http://www.airbrokers.com
www.bt-store.com
Certain Start
www.discountflights.com (USA)
www.4thetravel.com (USA, HK, OZ)
www.spiritair.com
www.suncountry.com (Mexico and USA)
http://www.airline-network.co.uk/ (UK)
Other
www.smilinjack.com/airlines.htm (list of air carriers)
www.airtech.com (standby)
http://www.martinair.com (few flights)
Latin America
http://www.exitotravel.com
http://www.traveland.com
http://www.flylatinamerica.com
www.lan.com
Av. Javier Prado Oeste 1586 - Dp.402- San Isidro Tel: +511 442 6986
3G. Weather
Peru has three parts: the coast, the mountains and the jungle. Here in the southern hemisphere, summer
is from usually from November to February and winter runs from June to August. Contrary to fact, it’s not
always hot here. Although in the north, summer can start in September and end in May, in the south it may
start in December and end in February.
However, in the mountains, the seasons are the same as in the northern hemisphere. The climate is hotter
in the north than the south, cool in the mountains, and hot and humid in the jungle. Lima is usually very
cloudy and wet. See www.weather.com, www.senamhi.gob.pe for the weather at the moment. There are
12 hours of sunlight year-round, so it does get cold at night even though it’s close to the Equator.
El Niño hit Peru pretty bad in 1982 and then in 1997, but it wasn’t as severe as in 1982. Earthquakes are
common, but they usually are mild, however, in 1971 there was a 7.7 one in the north.
3H. Holidays
January 1- New Year’s
February 2-Candlemas
February- Carnival
March/April- Holy Week
May 1- Labour Day
June- Corpus Christi
June- St. John the Baptist Day
June 29- St. Peter and St. Paul Day
July 16-Virgen of Carmen
July 28/29- Independence Days
August 30- St. Rosa of Lima
October 8- Battle of Angamos
October 18- Lord of Miracles
November 1- All Saint’s Day
November 2- All Soul’s Day
November 5- Puno Day
December 8- Immaculate Conception
December 25- Christmas
Here is a website that explains more about Peruvian holidays
www.amautaspanish.com/amautaspanish/english/peru/fiestas.asp
3I. Terrorism
Terrorist attacks on the USA and UK have shown use that in this day in age, terrorism can happen
anywhere. Peru has a bad rapt because of some problems with The Shining Path or Sendero Luminoso
and MRTA Movimiento Revolucionario Tupac Amaru which did terrorist attacks in the 80s and 90s.
However, the leaders and most terrorists have been caught and in prison since 1992, so there is not much
to worry about
Settling In
4A. Housing
The best thing to do is to ask around and check in the local paper. Usually ads are posted on Saturdays
and Sundays. Call quickly as housing gets taken very quickly. If you’re in Lima, you can check El
Comercio or http://www.expatperu.com/list-rental.php or the Classified in www.livinginperu.com
Prices of apartments vary. They usually are unfurnished, which means the come with nothing, no stove,
fridge, nor water heater. In Lima, expect to pay at least 100 USD for an unfurnished small room with
bathroom. In Miraflores, prices are high; a room may cost 150 USD and a small unfurnished about 250
USD. In the provinces, prices will be slightly lower. If you’re not planning on staying a long time, it would
probably be best to buy your furniture at the market or second-hand.
Av. Javier Prado Oeste 1586 - Dp.402- San Isidro Tel: +511 442 6986
4B. Food / Drinks / Recipes
Peru is world-renown for its cuisine. Meals are usually served late in the day and rice accompanies lunch
and dinner. Lunch is typically eaten around 2-4pm and dinner from 9pm onwards. Breakfast is usually
bread with jam and coffee with milk. Lunch is the biggest meal and Peruvians don’t think that sandwiches
or hamburgers are meals. Many restaurants have “menu” which consist of soup or salad, a main dish with
rice, and a refreshment. Most vegetables are cooked and salads are usually consist of a few of the
following: avocados, tomatoes, beets, grated carrots or lettuce and may use mayonnaise as a dressing.
In big cities you will find tons of Starbucks, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, and Papa Johns, however, the prices
are pretty much the same here as at home.
For information about typical food and drink in Peru, please see
http://users.tkk.fi/~czevallo/EnglishCourse/PeruvianFood.html
http://www.i12cook.com/html/typical_peruvian_dishes_.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Peru
Food/Drink/Recipes www.yanuq.com
For dining out information a good website is Cucharas Bravas http://cucharasbravas.wordpress.com/
Chinese food, or Chifa is also very popular here. Meat is usually served with lunch and dinner and milk is
often drunk in the morning. However, vegetarians will be happy as there is a large variety of beans, fresh
fruits and vegetables which are easily available. If you live alone, you should have no problem and if you
live with a family or friends, tell them specifically what you can and cannot eat. For some Peruvians, being
vegetarian simply means no pork or beef, they don’t consider chicken or fish something that you can’t ear.
They don’t understand that there are different types of vegetarians, and some of them won’t drink milk or
eat honey. If you explain things clearly, you should be fine.
4C. Banking / Transferring Money / Exchanging Money
The currency used here is the Nuevo Sol. Currently 3.28 Nuevo Soles is equal to 1 USD. See
www.xe.com for more exchange rates.
In theory, in order to open a bank account you need either a DNI (National ID Document-this is for
Peruvian citizens) or a carné de extranjería (foreign resident card) plus a copy of your electricity or water
bill. However, some schools have connections and can open a bank account on your behalf.
Be careful of banks, as they usually charge a maintenance fee if you have less than X in your account. It’s
much better to open an account at a “Caja”. Usually there are two types of accounts: Plazo Corriente
(Running) and Plazo Fijo (Fixed). A Plazo Corriente account allows you to withdraw money. A Plazo Fijo
only allows you to deposit money, however, they give you a higher interest rate. You can withdraw money
from a Plazo Fijo, just ask your bank or caja if there are any penalties.
Banks
Banco del Crédito del Perú www.viabcp.com
Interbank www.interbank.com.pe
BBVA Banco Continental www.bbvabancocontinental.com
BWS Banco Weise Sudameris www.bsw.com.pe
Banco de la Nación www.bn.com.pe
Banco Sudamericano www.sudamericano.com
Cajas
Caja de Piura www.cmacpiura.com.pe
Caja de Arequipa www.cmac-arequipa.com.pe
Caja de Cusco www.cmac-cusco.com.pe
Caja de Sullana www.cmac-sullana.com.pe
Caja Metropolitana www.cajametropolitana.com.pe
Av. Javier Prado Oeste 1586 - Dp.402- San Isidro Tel: +511 442 6986
Transferring Money
If you want to transfer money, you could use the Banco de Credito del Peru, Western Union or Jet Peru
www.jetperu.com.pe (has a few offices in certain countries) Other banks or cajas may also transfer money,
so please check with your home bank and bank in Peru.
Exchanging Money
You can exchange money outside of many banks or at “casas de cambio”. If you change it outside of a
bank, only use official money changers who wear vests. You’ll get a better rate than at the bank. Just be
careful of counterfeit bills. Also be sure to double count your money before handing it over and use your
own calculator.
4D. Communication
General
The country code of Peru is 51. All city codes begin with 0, however, we someone wants to call to Peru,
they have to drop the 0. In order to call out of Peru you will have to dial 00 then the country code followed
by the phone number. If you want to make phone calls, the best thing to do is to go to a Locutorio, which is
a place that has phone booths. They charge much less than if you use a public phone.
Land lines
If you want to get a land line, you will have to go to Telefonica and ask for one. Fees vary between 40 and
120 soles a month. You will need your ID and a water or electricity bill. If usually takes between one and
two weeks for the phone to be installed and then you can make a certain amount of free local calls. It’s
free to receive calls.
Cell phones
Cell phones are very common and there are three servers: Telefónica/Movistar, Claro and Nextel.
Telefonica and Claro have similar rates and offers and Nextel tends to be more expensive and is used for
businesses. You can either buy a post-pago or a pre-pago cell phone. Post-pago means that you sign a
contract and Pre-pago means that you buy phone cards and can use your cell phone as long as it has
money on it.
Internet
Internet cafes or cabinas can be found just about everywhere and charge between .50 soles to 2 soles a
half hour depending on where you are. Internet connections tend to be fast and many have USB ports as
well. If you want to get internet at home, you will have to contact Speedy, which is part of Telefonica. Fees
vary, but are around 100 to 200 soles a month.
Fax
Fax services can be found in cabinas and locutorios or photo copy places. Faxes inside the same city are
around 1 or 2 soles. National faxes are around 2 and 3 soles and International are about 3 to 5 soles.
Make sure that the fax feedback form says that the fax was sent and double check the number that they
sent it to.
Post
The national postal service is called Serpost. UPS is also available, but it is more expensive. It is usually
safe, however, be wary of sending money. I ask for my mail to be sent to my school as it’s more likely to
arrive to a business than a home address. Things usually take about one or two weeks to arrive. If you
need to pick up a package, you will need your original ID, a photo copy and have to pay a fee of about 7
soles. When having things sent to you, have your last name written in capital letters.
Av. Javier Prado Oeste 1586 - Dp.402- San Isidro Tel: +511 442 6986
Newspapers/Radio
La Republica, http://www.larepublica.com.pe/
Peru21 http://www.peru21.com/
El Comercio www.elcomercio.com.pe
Ein News www.einnews.com/peru
All you can read www.allyoucanread.com
Peru.com www.peru.com
RPP (Radio Programa Peru) www.rpp.com.pe
News www.editoraperu.com, www.cnnenespanol.com
4E. Transport (Getting Around)
To get around a city you have many options: combis (buses) mototaxis, taxis, and motorcycles. Taxis and
mototaxis do not have meters, so you have to agree on the prices beforehand. If you use combis, ask
other passengers how much the fee is, because what people actually pay and the posted prices is usually
different.
There are a few train connections in Peru. (Lima-La Oroya-Cerro de Pasco / Huancayo, HuancayoHuancavelica, Arequipa-Lake Titicaca-Cusco, Arequipa-Juliaca-Puno, Puno-Cusco, Cusco-Machu
Picchu, Tacna-Arica.) If you would like more information see www.perurail.com
Flights will land at Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima, LIM. Flights usually cost about 5 times as
much as taking the bus. For example from Lima to Piura, 14 hours in bus costs about 60 soles, or about
20 dollars. Flying from Lima to Piura is about 2 hours and around 90 dollars. For flight information see
www.lap.com.pe. Be sure to have enough money to pay the airport tax (TUUA). For national flights, you’ll
have to pay 5 USD and for international flights you’ll have to pay 28 USD. You can pay in soles or USD.
4F. Education
There are public and private schools in Peru and the majority of the private ones are religious. As
expected, private schooling is more expensive and may be from 200 to 100 soles a month, depending on
the school. The major English-speaking schools are in Lima, the most famous being Roosevelt
www.roosevelt.edu.pe, Markham www.markham.edu.pe and Colegio Peruano Britanico
www.britishschool.edu.pe. In the provinces, you can find Fleming in Trujillo www.fleming.edu.pe, Prescott
in Arequipa www.prescott.edu.pe and Davy College in Cajamarca www.davycollege.edu.pe
There is Primary and Secondary School. Primary has grades 1-6 and Secondary goes from 1-5. There is
also “Nido” which is Nursery school and usually starts around age 2. Since school is only 11 years,
university is five years. A list of websites for schools in Peru and International Schools (at the bottom) can
be found here
Peru has one of the oldest universities in The Americas, San Marcos. www.sanmarcos.edu.pe. It’s very
difficult to get in, about 60,000 apply but only a couple thousand are actually admitted. University is
considerably harder than in many English-speaking countries. The reason for this is that most grades are
based on the midterm and final exams. Some professors expect students to buy their books, memorise
them and write their exact words on the exams. They may even take off points if they paraphrase, which is
why many students think nothing of copying and pasting and then not giving any credit in the form of a
bibliography. Here is a website that has statistics, such as the admission rate and number of students as
well as other helpful information. www.universitaria.edu.pe. Other websites are
http://www.anr.edu.pe/paginas/privad.htm and www.universidadperu.com
4G. Household help
Many families have maids or nannies. If you are considering hiring one, please ask for references. Salary
is between 300 and 500 soles a month, depending on the workload. Also, if you expect your nanny or maid
to live with you, you will have to provide them with a bed and their salary will be on the higher end.
The majority of nannies are not certified as they would be in other countries.
Av. Javier Prado Oeste 1586 - Dp.402- San Isidro Tel: +511 442 6986
They are simply women who have experience with children or young, single women who are willing to
work with children. Many times they are natives from provinces. Please remember that work in hard to find
in Peru and salaries are low, so be fair to your household help.
5. Free time
5A. General
Many Peruvians like to go to bars, discos, and karaoke bars. A word of advice, a “club” is a strip club so
here you don’t go to “clubs” or “go clubbing”, you go to discos. Also, people usually leave their drinks on
the table when they go dancing. I’ve done and when I’ve been with friends and haven’t had problems.
However, if you’re with people you don’t know, either finish your drink, take it with you, or order another
one after you come back dancing.
Sport clothes are worn by many people as many discos are outside and contrary to what you may think, it
does get cold here especially at night. Remember, the sun goes down around 6pm, even in summer. And
dancing is usually done in pairs and is a bit more innocent that what you may be used to. Salsa, meringue,
bachata, and pop music are popular here. Discos will play both Spanish and English music. If you’re a
women, men will ask you to dance and are usually very respectful.
If you’re in Lima, Friday starts on Thursday and people somehow manage to go out Thursday night and
still go to work on Friday. Beer is most commonly drunk, the most popular being: Pilsen, Cusceña, Cristal
and Brahma (a Brazilian beer). In addition, cities brew their own beer, so some people prefer Pilsen Callao
and others Pilsen from Trujillo. Other than beer, sangria (wine, with Inca Cola (a yellow national soft drink)
and pieces of apple) are also drunk.
When beer is drunk among friends, only one glass is used, and the foam is dumped out after each person
drinks. Rum, Whiskey, and other mixed drinks are available. One national drink is algorrobina, which is a
thick syrup call algorrobina mixed with milk, sugar and either rum or whiskey. According to Peruvian beliefs
if you eat a spoonful of sugar or honey before you go drinking, you won’t get drunk quickly. In theory you
have to be 14, or so I’ve heard, to enter a disco and 18 to drink, although this is rarely enforced.
5B. Dating / Advise for Women
Please be careful here unfortunately, blondes especially, and foreigners may be looked upon as
conquests. Unfortunately, there are also “busca-gringos” and “busca-gringas” which basically means that
they are looking for a ticket and visa out of the country. Please don’t get me wrong, some Peruvians are
like this and others aren’t. Just like some people come here for sex and others don’t. I’m simply saying be
careful.
I’m happily married with a Peruvian, yet we have had to deal with the stereotypes and still do. Basically,
foreigners are with Peruvians for sex and Peruvians are with foreigners to get out of Peru, according to
stereotypes. Not everyone I know has been so luck, I’ve known a few people who got their finance or
fiancée a visa to their country, paid for flights, visas, everything, only to have got divorced a few months
later.
Know this: you will have fights over cultural things, my husband wants me to stay home with the kids when
we have them and insists on a nanny. Whereas I tell him I’ll stay home for a few months and then they’re
going to nursery school so that they have friends and I meet other parents.
However, if you really love each other and are getting married for the correct reasons and not for visas (it
can work both ways, foreigners have been known to marry Peruvians for visas) then things should work
out. You can create a family that will learn about different cultures and customs so that when your children
grow up, they will be more sensitive to issues such as these.
Av. Javier Prado Oeste 1586 - Dp.402- San Isidro Tel: +511 442 6986
As Peru is a bit of a chauvinist country, women are used to sell everything and many women here accept
it. Scantily-clad women are used to sell anything from beer to car parts. Women are also on TV shows.
There is one show in particular that has two men who interview women and somehow the women always
end up taking off almost all their clothes and running while men say sexual things to them. It’s a comedy
and both men and women find it funny.
So it should come to no surprise if men whistle or say things to you on the streets. It’s meant as a
compliment. In fact, when I’m with my husband and people whistle at me, he puffs out he chest and says
“See, they’re jealous because you’re so beautiful.” He takes it as a compliment. Usually you will get more
whistles if you’re alone or with women than if you’re with men.
If you want privacy, most couples go to hotels. There is no stigmatism about this. It's just that most people
live with their extended family and it's considered impolite to stay at home when you're looking for privacy.
5C. English books
As usual, it depends on where you are, if you’re in a big city, you’ll have no problem. Special Book
Services, or SBS is a big English book service (www.sbs.com.pe) I believe that they have offices in Lima,
Cusco, Trujillo, Arequipa and Chiclayo. Cambridge University Press (www.cambridge.org/elt) sells their
books through SBS. Nutesa (www.nutesa.com.pe) has a few book shops in Lima. Crisol, also located in
Lima (www.crisol.com.pe) also has some English material.
Prices are pretty reasonable, listenings (both CDs and cassettes are usually rather expensive. For
example a Practise Exam book for FCE which has 5 exams will run you about 80 soles at SBS, however
the cassettes are 150 soles. If you would like to buy books, I would recommend SBS as it seems to have a
large selection.
As for English reading material, many places where you work will have a library. If not, you can become a
member of the Británico library (www.britanico.edu.pe) for a year. Prices vary and this service is only
available in Lima. Fulbright, in Lima, also has a library and it's free. It's located on Juan Romero Hidalgo
444 in San Borja. Hours are from Monday to Thursday 9am to 12:30, and on Monday and Thursday in the
afternoon from Fridays from 9am to 12:30. ICPNA (www.icpna.edu.pe) has libraries in Lima.
A word of advice, if you attend any conferences, there are usually many stands which sells books at a
discounted price because of the conference. Also, since books can be very expensive, so you may want to
buy them through www.amazon.com and have someone mail them to you.
5D. Shopping
Markets can be found in every town and offer a variety of goods from food, to clothes to furniture. Just
make sure that your money is well hidden and don’t bring anything of value to a market. If you’re in Lima,
you can go to the famous Gamara market, which goes on for blocks as has people coming from Chile and
Ecuador to take advantage of the cheap prices.
Bargaining is done, just don’t expect a huge discount. Usually they will take a few soles off the price,
especially if you are buying more than one.
Other places to shop include Saga Falabella, Ripley, and Ace Home Center. Also check out the Yellow
Pages and the ExpatPeru Garage Sale Forum. http://expatperu.com/expatforums/viewforum.php?f=9
If you want to shop online, a good website is Novica, which sell handicrafts. www.novica.com
www.mercadolibre.com
Av. Javier Prado Oeste 1586 - Dp.402- San Isidro Tel: +511 442 6986
5E. Learning Spanish
Some schools may offer free or discounted Spanish lessons. If not, you should ask around to find a private
teacher, as they don’t charge too much. Expect about 10 soles to 10 USD an hour, depending on where
you are. You could also try to arrange an “intercambio” where you speak Spanish for half the time and they
speak English. That way both of you will get better and won’t have to pay a teacher.
Bigger cities such as Cusco, Trujillo, Arequipa and Lima have Spanish language centres. Look for places
with small classes and try to talk to current students to get an idea of what their methodology is like. Also
try the following websites: http://www.languageschoolsguide.com/search.cfm , www.languagecourse.net or
www.worldwideclassroom.com
If you’re in Lima, here are some courses. ICPNA http://www.icpna.edu.pe/contenido.aspx?cod=6
Universidad del Pacifico (Look in the “cursos” section). http://idiomas.up.edu.pe, PUCP
http://www.pucp.edu.pe/~cipuc/espanol.htm
http://www.spanishwordoftheday.com
Private Teachers:
Gloria Gross 4472819
Elisa Velasco velascoeslisa@hotmail.com, 4427239
Lilian lilianqy@yahoo.com
Carlos Cueto, 243-0273
Guiliana Myperuspanish@yahoo.com
Ivan Soto traductor007@hotmail.com 92-979-007
Alejandro 271.3370, office is 225.4842
www.conexusinstitute.com 421-5642
www.eec-spanishschool.com, 442-1509
There are some online programmes, such as the one offered by EL Sol.
http://elsol.idiomasperu.com/spanish-online.htm Don Quijote, http://www.donquijote.org
Learn Spanish, http://www.learnspanish.com/ and Study Spanish http://www.studyspanish.com
Free translations can be found online at www.freetranslation.com and http://www.babelfish.altavista.com/
Good Spanish-English dictionaries can be found at www.spandict.com or www.freedict.com
6. Legal Issues
6A. Lawyer
Be sure to get ask around for a recommended lawyer. Here’s a website where you can ask questions to a
Peruvian lawyer and the answers are published online.
http://www.expatperu.com/moderador.php?id_usuario=2
6B. Official Translations / Notarisations / Legalisation
Only official translations are accepted by the Peruvian government and they have to be done in Lima. A list
of official translators can be found at www.rree.gob.pe and do a search for “traductores officials”. Prices
are about 60 soles a page.
Documents may also have to be notarized, which can be done at any public notary and they usually
charge around 5 soles.
Av. Javier Prado Oeste 1586 - Dp.402- San Isidro Tel: +511 442 6986
If you need to get documents legalised, you will have to go to the Ministerio de Relacciones Exteriores
(RREE). Prices vary (but are usually around 20 soles) so go to www.rree.gob.pe and do a search for
“legalisacion”. You will have to go to the Banco de la Nación to pay the fee. Bring the information from the
website that gives the percentage of the UIT that you have to pay.
If you need to get a foreign document legalised that is NOT in Spanish, first you need to get it legalised by
the Peruvian Consulate or Embassy where it was remitted (usually around 30 USD) and then translated by
an official translator and then legalised by the RREE.
6C. Marriage
Getting married in Peru can be a headache. It usually takes between 3-6 months if your documents are not
in Spanish, though I’ve heard it taking as long as 9 months. Obviously if you’re in Lima, it’s much faster. If
you are marrying a foreigner, everything is the same except both of you have to go through the process for
foreigners.
First of all, only civil ceremonies are legal, so if you want to get married in the church, first you have to get
married in the municipality (town hall). Exact requirements vary, so check with your municipality.
You will probably need to following: two witnesses who must be Peruvian or have Peruvian residency, an
AIDS test and have to publish your marriage announcement in a newspaper.
You (foreigners) need: your original birth certificate, legalized by the Peruvian embassy or consulate where
you were born, a certificate saying that you are single (which can be gotten in the country where you have
residency or in your embassy or consulate here in Peru) and a photocopy of your passport. If these
documents are in another language besides Spanish, you will have to get them translated by a certified
translator (see
http://www.rree.gob.pe/portal/aconsular.nsf/ED3AA4C63041657F05256BF4005C5898/CD00D1A271115C
4D05256BFF0075EB08?opendocument) After you get them translated, or if they’re in Spanish, you then
have to get them legalised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministerio de Relacciones Exteriores, RREE)
(see
http://www.rree.gob.pe/portal/aconsular.nsf/ED3AA4C63041657F05256BF4005C5898/27E636C8E6C9D7
4D05256999005E5DA4?opendocument) Before you can do this, you have to go to the Banco de la Nación
and pay a fee. Bring the receipt when you go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Your soon-to-be-spouse
needs their original birth certificate and DNI (National ID Document).
While you are waiting for your documents, you can go to the Municipality and pay a fee in order to get an
AIDS test form. Then you take the form to a certain medical post, pay another fee and take the AIDS test.
The next day you can pick it up.
Bring your legalized birth certificate and legalized certificate saying that you are single, (their translation, if
needed), the photocopy of your passport, the AIDS test, your soon-to-be-spouse’s DNI, their birth
certificate, and photocopies of your witnesses DNIs or carné de extranjería. You will then have to fill out
forms and pay a fee. Then they will tell you that you have to publish your marriage announcement. You
pick the day and then they give you a choice of newspapers you can publish it in. From the time you go to
the municipality, you usually have to wait a certain number of days before you get married. This can range
between 7 and 15 days.
Then you have to buy the newspaper and bring the entire page that has the marriage announcement to
the municipality the day or day after it was published.
Finally, you’re read, bring your receipt from the municipality, your passport, your soon-to-be-spouse’s DNI
and your witnesses DNIs or carné de extranjería. The whole ceremony takes about five minutes and then
everyone has to sign and fingerprint tons of documents. Then you are given your Partida de Matrimonio.
Congrats!
Av. Javier Prado Oeste 1586 - Dp.402- San Isidro Tel: +511 442 6986
7. Tourism
7A. General Travel Information
The most visited tourist attractions include Machu Picchu, Cusco, Puno and Lake Titicaca in the East,
Chiclayo and Trujillo and their ruins, Mancora, Punta Sal and Colan Beaches and Cajamarca in the
Northwest. In the South, you could go to Ica, Nazca, Pisco and Arequipa. Iquitos is in the Jungle in the
Northeast and in Andean Mountains (Cordillera Blanca, near Huaraz) towards that centre you can find
snow. Of course, in the centre, you’ll find Lima the capital.
Peru's official tourist website http://www.peru.info/ has tons information from hotels, to attractions, to
restaurants, to transportation information, to photos, and travel agencies. They also have a list of
embassies and consulates, maps, guides, facts and more.
Here are some more websites you might want to look at.
The Peru Guide www.Theperuguide.com
Enjoy Peru www.enjoyperu.com
Adonde www.adonde.com
Peru Contact www.perucontact.com/
Visit Peru www.visitperu.com
Go2Peru www.go2Peru.com
My World South America www.myworldsouthamerica.com/
South American Explorers Club www.saexplorers.org
Craig’s List http://lima.craigslist.org/
Lonely Planet www.lonelyplanet.com
Footprints www.footprintbooks.com
Frommers www.frommers.com
Rough Guides www.roughguides.com
Let's Go www.letsgo.com
Expat Peru www.expatperu.com
Living in Peru www.livinginperu.com
Reviews from other travelers and photos can be found at Virtual Tourist
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/South_America/Peru/TravelGuide-Peru.html
If you’re travelling with children, check out Travel for Kids at
http://www.travelforkids.com/Funtodo/Peru/peru.htm
If you’re interested in specific cities, a yahoo or goggle search will reveal many results and here as just a
few: Huaraz www.huaraz.com, www.andeanexplorer.com Iquitos www.iquitostimes.com, Larcomar (Lima)
http://www.larcomar.com/
Cuzco http://www.andeantravelweb.com/peru/index.html,
Huancayo: www.incasdelperu.org
If you're in Cusco or Lima, the best place that I've found with travel information and in English is the South
American Explorer. In Lima, it's in Miraflores near the Ovalo on Calle Piura 135. In Cusco, it’s on
Choquechaca 188, buzzer No.4 near Plaza Nazarenas, where the luxurious Monasterio Hotel is situated.
There are rooms chocked full of books. They have tons of info from guidebooks to magazines, flyers,
recommendations from other travelers and even info for volunteering. In fact, many travel writers such as
those from Lonely Planet use the information that the SAE have to put in their guidebooks. Some of the
info is free, and some of it is only for members. For more detailed information about the location of their
clubhouses and how to become a member, see www.saexplorer.org
www.latinamericanlinks.com
American and Canadian Association www.acap-peru.org
Av. Javier Prado Oeste 1586 - Dp.402- San Isidro Tel: +511 442 6986
7B. Culture (music, crafts, architecture, actors, books)
A good website for culture is Inc.perucultural.org.pe and for music www.geocities.com/urbaniaperu See
the Tourism section for more links.
Music
The traditional dance is the marinera. Traditional music is criolla, afro, cumbia, folkloric, and chicha. Some
instruments that you may see include the cajón (wooden box), charango (small guitar) or zampoña
(panpipes). Reggaton, bachata, salsa are modern music styles that you will often hear in discos. Yet, since
the world is getting smaller every day, pop music, rock and even rap can be heard here. If you can’t move
your hips like a Latino, don’t worry, gringos have a reputation for being duros, or stiff. Keep practicing,
you’ll get the hang of it. Gianmarco is probably the most famous Peruvian singer to be international known.
He recently won the Latin Grammy and spends time between Miami and Lima.
Some Black music singers are Susana Baca, Eva Ayllon and Zambo Cavero. Andean singers include
Manuelcha Prado and Raúl García Zarate. Jazz singers include Hijos del Sol, Wayruro and Manuel
Miranola.
Crafts
Alpaca wool is used to make sweater, scarves and other woolen goods. It’s expensive, but some of the
finest quality you will find. Weaving is also an important craft here in Peru. And if you’re a woman, you’ll
find plenty of handmade jewelry sold by street vendors.
Architecture
In many cities around Peru, you’ll find evidence of the Spanish occupation. And colonial architecture can
be found mainly in churches and cathedrals, however, you may also find preserved building in the old
section of towns.
Actors
There are only a handful of Peruvian actors who have made it to the big screen. Most of the movies shown
in cinemas come from Hollywood and are shown in English. Exceptions are movies for children and those
from Spain. Since burned DVD are the norm and much less than a cinema ticket (about 3 soles compared
to 15 soles), many people simply buy DVD on the street and watch them at home.
Authors
The most famous Peruvian author is Mario Vargas Llosa who was born in 1936. His first novel was The
Time of the Hero. Other authors include José María Areguedas (1911-1969) who wrote Deep Rivers and
Yawar Fiesta and Ciro Alegría (1909-1967) who wrote The Golden Serpent. As far as poetry is concerned,
César Vellejo (1892-1938) is famed for his avant-garde poetry.
7C. Hotels
If you’re traveling during the high seasons (Holy Week, Independence Days, or New Year’s), it would be
wise to make reservations a few weeks ahead of time as hotels fill up and prices can double or triple.
However, if you’re traveling during other times, sometimes the best thing to do is ask where good hotels
are once you arrive. If you arrive, ask at the bus station or airport and often the staff can recommend some
hotels that aren’t too expensive, yet are safe and tend not to be overcrowded with tourists so that you can
get the “real Peru” feeling.
One travel tip, be sure to bring toilet paper as many hostels might not provide any and if they do it won’t be
the best quality. Remember, not to flush the toilet paper, but put it in the waste basket.
Hotels can be found on the official website for Peru (see above), in addition, here’s a link for hotels in
general www.peru-hotel.com and in the north www.celendinperu.com
Av. Javier Prado Oeste 1586 - Dp.402- San Isidro Tel: +511 442 6986
There are many things to do both during the day and at night here in Peru. Many cities have a 2night
website where you can find the latest information on events, for example www.trujillo2night.com,
www.piura2night.com, www.arequipa2night.com
If you’re in Lima, these websites might help as well.
Urbania Lima www.urbanialima.com
Living in Peru http://www.livinginperu.com/calendar/
Britanico www.britanico.edu.pe
ICPNA www.icpna.edu.pe
Larcomar http://www.larcomar.com/
Craig’s List http://lima.craigslist.org/
Vento Peru http://www.ventoperu.com/ventoperu/www/
Gay info http://lima.queercity.info/index.html
8. Miscellaneous
8A. Sample Prices
Prices are much cheaper if you know where to shop. Although many people are told markets are
dangerous, as long as you blend in, you’ll be fine. If you learn to be market-wise, you can save a lot of
money and find the same quality goods that you can find in shops. These prices are based on those in
2007. You’ll find most of the prices in soles, however, more expensive goods are usually sold in dollars.
Food and Drink
a small soft drink
a 2 liter bottle of Coke
a small can of coffee
a litre of 100% fruit juice
a litre of milk
bottled water for a water cooler
a large bag of Lays potato chips
a Nestle ice-cream
a small yoghurt (150 grams)
a can of tuna in oil (185 grams)
a kilo of oranges
a 1K bag of rice
: 1 – 1.5 soles
: 3.5 soles
: 2.5 soles
: 2 soles
: 2-3 soles
: 15 – 30 soles
: 3 soles
: 2.5 soles
: 1.5 soles
: 3 soles
: from 1 sol
: 2.5 soles
a 100 gram pack of sandwich
bologna
: 2-4 soles
15 grade-A eggs
a loaf of French bread
a nice bottle of wine
a large bottle of beer
: 3 soles
: 1 – 2 soles
: 20-100 soles
: 3 soles
a bottle of Bailey’s
: 45 soles
Av. Javier Prado Oeste 1586 - Dp.402- San Isidro Tel: +511 442 6986
Toiletries
a haircut
a pack of 20 cigarettes
a El Comercio Newspaper
a 4-pack of Scott toilet paper
a roll-on deodorant (25ml)
a box of 36 sanitary napkins
a bottle of shampoo (400ml)
a bottle of lotion (400ml)
a bar of soap
a 4-pack of Gillette Mach 3 blades
a 10-pack of Tylenol tablets (500mg)
: 5 – 25 soles
: 5 soles or less (depends on the brand)
: 2 Soles (weekdays) , Sunday edition: 3.5 soles in Lima/5 in Provinces
: 2 soles
: from 3 soles
: from 5 soles
: from 8 soles
: 10 soles
: 2 soles
: 25 soles
: 5 soles
a new pair of prescription glasses
including frames and eye-exam
: from 200 soles
a doctor/dentist visit
: 30-100 soles
Going out
a burger on a bun with everything
from a street stall
: 3 soles
a ¼ chicken with fries and a salad
lunch in street café
lunch in a nicer restaurant
lunch set at McDonald's
dinner in a quality restaurant
: 3-8 soles
: 5 – 10 soles
: 15-30 soles
: from 7 soles
: 35 – 75 soles
a large super-deluxe
pizza at Pizza Hut
: 35-45 soles
a pitcher of beer or sangria in a bar: 15 – 20 soles
a ticket to a disco
: 5-20 soles
a ticket to a movie theater
: 5 – 15 soles (Tuesdays have lower prices)
a one month gym membership
: 35-150 soles
1 hour in an internet café
: 1 – 2 soles
Shopping. Market prices - Shop prices
a new pair of trousers
a new long-sleeved
button-down shirt
a leather pair of shoes
a decent pair of earrings
a knit sweater
a watch
a pair of socks
undergarments
a winter coat
a tie
: 40-60 soles
: 25-60 soles
: 40-75 soles
: 2-15 soles
: 20-120 soles
: 50-200 soles
: 1-5 soles
: 5-35 soles
: 75-375 soles
: 15 soles
Av. Javier Prado Oeste 1586 - Dp.402- San Isidro Tel: +511 442 6986
Appliances
a brand new table fan
a brand new rice cooker
a brand new microwave oven
a brand new mini-fridge
a brand new DVD Player
a brand new PC / Compaq
a used PC (in decent condition)
a brand new notebook computer
a brand new mobile phone
: 35 soles
: 25 soles
: 150 USD
: from 250 USD
: from 250 USD
: from 1000 USD
: from 500 USD
: from 1500 USD
: from 250 soles
a used mobile phone in
decent condition
: from 100 soles
a brand new 21" flat screen
stereo TV
: 500 USD
a brand new CD home stereo
: 300 USD
a brand new cassette and
CD portable stereo
: 200 USD
a brand new washing machine
a brand new motorbike
: 300 USD
: from 500 USD
Housing / Hotels
1 month rent
(completely unfurnished)
: 100-300 USD
1 month rent (furnished)
1 apartment security deposit
: 150-350 USD
: two month's rent payable before move-in day
1 month electric bill
(for a small apartment)
: 15-45 soles
1 month home internet (ADSL)
: 120 – 200 soles
1 month of cable TV
: Lima: Premium USD 35.30, Intermediate USD 25.00
(USD 10,00 cheaper in provinces)
1 night in a 5 star hotel
1 night in a 4 star hotel
1 night in a 3 star hotel
1 night in a budget hotel
: from 80 USD (some are 300 USD)
: from 50 USD
: from 30 USD
: from 15 soles
Av. Javier Prado Oeste 1586 - Dp.402- San Isidro Tel: +511 442 6986
Transport
a short motortaxi ride
a short taxi ride
a single fare journey on city bus
: 1-2 soles
: from 3 – 5 soles
: 0.5 – 1.2 soles
a single bus ticket from
Piura to Lima
: 60-90 soles
a single air ticket from Piura
to Lima (not including 15 USD airport tax)
: 90 USD
Av. Javier Prado Oeste 1586 - Dp.402- San Isidro Tel: +511 442 6986