Peru Tips from Students
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Tips for your Semester in Perú Con cariño, El grupo del año 2013 2 Queridos compañeros, Congratulations! You will soon embark on the adventure of a lifetime. Treat every day as exactly that— an adventure. You will be blessed daily with opportunities to invest in new relationships, immerse in a new culture, and grow closer our powerful, loving, and unchanging God. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7 NLT.) Take this verse to heart as you face each challenge and triumph on the road ahead. Throughout it all, we from the 2013 group have your backs. This is a compilation of tips that we wrote for you while we were there. It is a lot of information, so don’t let it overwhelm you. Know that the individual that wrote any given journal is mostly speaking from his/her own perspective and experience, and that things may differ from person to person. While I hope you will find this helpful throughout the semester, don’t let it keep you from exploring and finding things out on your own, even if it entails a bit of a struggle. Often that’s when you learn the most. Be open to new things. Learn from those around you. Ask questions. Pray. All the best, Lori TABLE OF CONTENTS General How to Integrate Yourself into the University- - - 13 What to Bring - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 Conversation Partners- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 14 Etiquette and Courtesy- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -4 Printing at the University- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 15 Personal Health and what to do if you’re Sick- - - - 5 City Faith Things to do in Arequipa- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -16 Faith and Church in Arequipa- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 6 The Transportation System- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -17 Bible Study- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -7 Shopping- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 18 Sitios para estudio etnográfico y voluntariado- - -19 Family Cosas para hacer por la noche en Arequipa- - - - -21 La familia peruana- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 8 La seguridad- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -22 Integrating into your Peruvian Host Family- - - - - -9 Retrieving a Package from Customs- - - - - - - - - - 23 School Travel Professors and Classes in the UCSP- - - - - - - - - - -10 Viaje independiente a Paracas, Ica y Nazca- - - - - 24 Classes at la San Pablo- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 11 Independent Travel to the Jungle- - - - - - - - - - - - 25 Los talleres- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -12 Volcán Misti- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -26 3 What to Bring Carmen De Boer Here are some suggestions from myself and the group. You might have to pick and choose because you run out of luggage space, but don’t let that stress you out. Remember, most of this stuff CAN be bought in Peru, but in some cases is more expensive or harder to find. NOTE: Be sure to also check out the packing list in the Peru Student Handbook! • Tennis shoes: If you plan to exercise at all, bring them. I used mine a lot when training for Misti. • Hiking boots: I used them to climb Misti, when traveling, and with a lot of the walking I do here. • Stylish jacket and boots/shoes: It was good to have a cuter pair of warm shoes and a nicer jacket when walking around town or going out at night, for something less outdoorsy. • Slippers/flip flops: Nice to have whether you have cold feet because carpet is not common here, or to give your toes a breather on hot days. People do NOT take their shoes off in houses like we’re used to. • Warmer coat/jacket: When we arrived in Peru it felt like fall (actually winter was just ending), so in the mornings and nights I was constantly wishing for a warm fleece, or fall-like jacket. • Warm PJs: It’s colder here at night than you would think. • Capri work-out pants: This is important for any girls wanting to do the volleyball taller (workshop) or other sports. They don’t really wear shorts. • Sweat pants: For lounging, or when going somewhere to work out in shorts. • Some clothes you could leave behind: After 4 months of the same few items, you might be sick of them, wear them out, or want to make more room in your suitcase. Donate them! • Long skirt/dress: Girls don’t really wear them to class, but don’t be afraid to as long as it’s modest. You could wear it for a class presentation, or if you go to a more formal event with your family, or at the goodbye party at the end of the semester. It depends on the situation, but I could have gone the entire semester without wearing mine. • Things to climb Misti: Things like hats, gloves, coats, etc. were included in the price, but boots and hiking backpacks were extra to rent. • Carry on bigger than a school backpack: Even if you have extra luggage space going to Peru, you will use that space to get your stuff back to the U.S. You will also use it for the free week and excursions. I recommend that this carry-on be a backpacking pack because you can then use it for Misti, and during the free week and excursions it can be nicer than a suitcase with wheels. • Bag for around the city: It’s nice to have a purse or drawstring backpack. • Water bottle: A necessity for travel and daily use. Bring one that you love and know won’t leak. • Notebook/journal: Usually more costly in Peru. If you have a favorite journal, definitely bring it. • Playing cards • Flash drive: Necessity to print things . • Poster putty: If you want to hang pictures in your room. • Vaseline or lotion: It is such a dry climate so this comes in handy. • Bug repellent : The university lawn is right by the Chili River, which attracts bugs. If you go to the rainforest, you will definitely want some. • Travel-sized toiletries: Nice to have for the airports, excursions, and the free week. • Band-aids (first aid kit) • Peanut butter (or comfort food): Once I got to Peru and it wasn’t much of an option, then I wanted it all the more, and will eat it by the spoonful when I return to the U.S. • Baking ingredients: Some ingredients such as chocolate chips, M&Ms, pumpkin pie filling (for Thanksgiving!), etc. are hard to find or expensive here 4 Etiquette and Courtesy Christine Lim Adjusting and submerging yourself into the Peruvian culture and society is a gradual process. You will face challenges and most certainly make mistakes along the way. But at the same time, there is honestly nothing that can compare to this beautiful, eye-opening experience. I am writing this based upon my own experiences and those of my fellow Peru ’13 compañeros in the hope that I can provide some useful information when it comes to dealing with rules and social etiquette, mostly unspoken, in Peru and Arequipa. Much of what we learned about developing good manners when we were young applies to life in Arequipa. But it is important to note several cultural differences between Peru and the United States. In Peru, greetings (with both friends and first-time acquaintances) are done with a simple kiss on the right cheek (so it means going to the left!). It is actually more like a light touching of the cheeks, which will probably make a better first impression than giving a full-on smooch on the lips. This is done between females, and female to male, but a firm handshake takes place between males. This custom may seem a little foreign at first, but will become natural over time. To me, this style of greeting simply illustrates the warm, embracing hospitality of the Peruvian culture. It is often polite to acknowledge the owner(s) or worker(s) when you enter a store, coffee shop, etc. with a simple “ Buenos(as) dias/tardes/noches ,” excuse yourself when needed, and to thank a person for their service, whether it be a taxi driver or the cashier at your favorite panadería . If you don’t look Peruvian (which most of you won’t), you will likely receive stares and even comments when you are walking about in the city. It is best not to react, especially one of confrontation or ill manners, but rather to simply tolerate and understand the situation as best as you can. People will come up to you and try to sell items or entice you to enter their establishment. Don’t be afraid to politely decline with a “ no, gracias ” and keep on walking. The level of formality in Peru is higher than in the United States. Note that at the university, when the professor enters the classroom, students stand up until he or she signals everybody to sit back down. At meals it is polite to wait until everybody is served before eating and usually best to wait until everybody has finished if you must excuse yourself early. Peruvian Spanish uses the informal “ tú ” and the formal “ usted .” There is no concrete rule about when to use which. It depends on the situation and your relationship with the person being addressed. “ Tú ” is used between friends and with those younger than you; “ Usted ” should be used with your professors, those you meet for the first time and are clearly older than you, and others in authority positions. It is respectful to address desconocidos and those in public places, such as waiters or taxi drivers, with “ usted ”—after all, they are serving you! If you want to make a good impression on your host parents, use “ usted ” when you are first adjusting and getting to know them. You can switch to the “ tú ” form once you feel that you have developed familiarity and trust in the relationship.