How to Teach Abroad in Peru Location and Demographics
Peru sits on the pacific ocean, and is bordered by Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia, and Chile. Geographically, it has three distinct regions: the Pacific Coast, the Andes Mountains, and the Amazon Basin. Farming is a major part of life across the three regions, with modern day farmers building off Inca agricultural innovations in order to plant an abundance of staple foods like corn, potatoes, and quinoa for both local and global markets.
The estimated population of Peru is around 30 million, and with close to 10 million calling Lima home, nearly everyone has a relative living in the capital and largest city in the country. The majority of peruvians have mixed lineages that capture elements of both Spanish and Quechua heritage, though communities outside of the major cities prove to be far less influenced by European culture. There are countless National Parks to explore that preserve the natural beauty of Peru, and provide opportunities for citizens and foreigners alike to visit otherwise difficult to get to areas of the Amazon Rainforest and the Andes Mountains. Peru’s tallest mountain is Huascarán, with a peak that is 22,000 feet above the Andean Altiplano. In the south, Lake Titicaca sits at over 12,000 feet making it the highest navigable lake in the world.
Climate
Peru has one of the most diverse climates in the world, which paves the way for ultra bio-diversity and thriving natural beauty that the nation is known for. Depending on where you are, you will experience a different aspect of Peru’s 28 climate zones. The Andes mountains have a rainy season in the summer (December through March) and very dry winters (June through September) which change the landscape from a lush green to a more barren yellow. The coast is generally arid and experiences little rainfall, which allows for anomalies like sand-boarding and the Nazca lines to exist. The Amazon is warmer and more humid, and experiences heavy rainfalls in the summer that are known to cause flooding. There is an ever-growing list of unique fauna in Peru which include over 1,500 species of birds, Pink River dolphins, and the bizarrely cute spectacled bear.
Language and Currency
Spanish is the national language of Peru, though many rural communities speak little of it and communicate in Quechua or Aymara instead. The spanish spoken in Peru is slower and more standard than the form that it takes in many neighboring countries, making it a great place to become fluent after only a few months of classes and speaking practice. Local slang varies depending on what city you are in, and typically Limeñians speak much faster than the rest of the country.
The present currency system used in Peru was integrated in 1991 after a decade of hyperinflation which caused the Inti to become obsolete. Today Nuevos Soles are the accepted currency and can be obtained through money exchange centers and from ATMs around the country. Beware that US dollars must be in very good condition for an exchange center to accept them.
Food, Culture, and Activities
Peruvian culture is flavored by pride in the past. From Andean flute instruments to alpaca wool craftsmanship, Inca and pre-columbian traditions are still a major sensory aspect of art, food, and music throughout the country. On any given week people have days off of work to make time for traditional festivals and traffic slows so that parades of costumed school children and dancers can pass. Inti Raymi is still the biggest Inca festival in Peru, transforming Cusco back to its former status as center of an empire for a day. Today, this ancient culture blends with modern activity. Huayno music, sung in Quechua, can be heard on taxi radios in Lima and in Chicharias in Cusco where Peruvians go to relax and drink Chicha, the traditional corn-based beer. On the streets outside of stadiums and on concrete courts tucked away in winding neighborhoods, you’ll notice tired soccer players pouring the first sip of a celebratory Coca-Cola on the ground for Pachamama, Quechua for mother earth, and they will ask you to join in for the next game. There are major treks, like the world famous Inca Trail, white water rafting down river valleys, sunrise horseback rides to ancient temple sites, and beachside pisco sours, and fresh juice to wash it all down with at the end of the week.
Teaching Abroad in Peru
Choosing a program begins with deciding the duration of time you want to stay in the country. Visas typically last 90 days, but visa renewal escapes give travelers a good excuse to go and visit a nearby country during their stay. You can teach in rural communities of the sacred valley or in the shanty towns of Lima and earn your teaching certificate with TEFL or TESOL, which will allow you to teach abroad in almost any other country in the world. Certification courses require no former experience and often focus around teaching English as a second language (ESL). Be a teacher’s assistant in a public school or live with a home-stay and teach your family English. Once you have decided that Peru is your ideal teaching destination, there are endless opportunities available to keep you there for anywhere from four weeks to four years. Either way, guaranteed, in choosing to teach abroad in Peru you will be taking the first step to becoming a great teacher and ever-inspired student yourself.