Study Abroad in Peru
Living with a host family and attending a local school in Peru will give you the opportunity to immerse yourself in a rich blend of ancient traditions, world-renowned music, and culinary heritage. Peru is located on the West Coast of South America, south of the Equator. The country’s landscapes and climate vary with each ecological zone, creating a unique mosaic of different cultures, influences, and histories. Peru has roughly three natural regions: the Coast, the Mountains (“La Sierra”) and the Jungle (“La Selva.”) Peru contains 80 of the 120 world ecological habitats, from deserts to tropical rainforests and tundra, from steep mountains to the deepest canyon and “Caribbean” beaches.
Things to Know About Peru
During your time in Peru, you’ll meet new people and learn lots of new things, and in your spare time you’ll hang out with your host family. The Peruvian communication style tends to be very subtle and indirect, and Peruvians are known to be hard workers who are very family-oriented. There is a tremendous amount of multiculturalism in Peru, with sizable populations of Europeans, Indigenous peoples, Peruvians of African descent, and people of Asian heritage. Because Peruvians come from many backgrounds – due to ethnic composition, geography, climate, and socio-economic status – there are many ways of doing things. By watching and asking questions, you will quickly learn about your own host family’s habits. In many cities and villages, there are traditional Inca celebrations as well as a wide variety of Christian holidays, and you’re bound to see lots of festivals and carnivals throughout the year. You’ll likely see people dressed in colorful woven clothing walking through towns, often with a child on their back. There are also many opportunities to see the llamas and alpacas that provide most of the wool for Peruvian clothing in the wintertime!