Food & Clothing:

One of the world's great cuisines, Peruvian gastronomy combines the flavors of four continents thanks to its pre-Incan and Incan heritage and later immigration by Africans, Asians, and Europeans. Peruvian cuisine changes as often as the terrain, varying from the fresh seafood of coastal Lima to the firewood oven-cooked meats of the Andes. Don't miss cebiche, with its chunks of fresh white fish marinated in lime or lemon juice mixed with chilis. Be sure to try pachamanca, made from a variety of meats, herbs and vegetables slowly cooked underground on a bed of heated stones. The more adventurous might even opt for cuy chactado, a meal of fried guinea pig popular in the Andean highlands. Satisfy your sweet tooth with some picarones, sweet, ring-shaped fritters with a pumpkin base drizzled in molasses.

You may be surprised to learn that the Chinese, in their 150 year presence in Peru, have in fact revolutionized Peruvian cuisine. Chifa, the Andean term for Chinese food, has gained international recognition from the many that have savored their experience of it while visiting Peru.

Peru boasts several good lagers and some surprisingly tasty dessert wines. Popular soft drinks include Chicha Morada, a beverage prepared from a base of boiled purple maize combined with chunks of pineapple, sugar, and ice. Pisco, a popular brandy, is considered by many the national drink of Peru (much to the dismay of neighboring Chileans, who claim it as their own) and is popularly consumed as a pisco sour with sugar, lemon juice, and egg whites.

Cuzco breakfasts tend to be small and simple: a cup of coffee or tea and freshly baked bread with butter or jam.

Lunch (almuerzo) is the biggest meal of the day and restaurants often have an inexpensive fixed menu consisting of a soup, entrée, and dessert with coffee or tea. A regular menu is also available from which you can choose, but it's more expensive.

Peruvians eat dinner (cena) rather late, with restaurants only beginning to fill up around 8:30 or 9 o'clock.

Look for propina or servicio at the bottom of your bill. A gratuity of around 5-10% may have already been added. If the service was of good quality, feel free to add another 5 or 10%. Be sure to ask for the bill when you are ready to pay, as it is considered rude for the wait staff to bring the check prior to being asked.

Avoid unboiled tap water and any foods that may have been washed in it. It's best to stick with bottled water and as an extra precaution to ask for drinks without ice (sin hielo). Fruits and vegetables with a skin or rind to peel off are generally OK to eat.

Participants are generally responsible for their own meals, though during home stays it is not uncommon for some meals to be provided by the families.

Sunny yet cool during the day and somewhat chilly at night, a light jacket would certainly come in handy, as would a dependable umbrella during the rainy season. You might consider picking up a traditional alpaca wool sweater, sold throughout the country, to combat those nippy Andean evenings.

Dress code for teachers throughout South America is business casual. South Americans expect teachers to look professional, so it's not advised to wear casual clothing while teaching. This means dress shoes; nice slacks or skirts; collared shirts, sweaters, or nice blouses. While it is rare for Teachers to wear suits, some of your students will, and certainly many language schools have dress codes that don't permit jeans or athletic shoes. Males will find that having a few ties with them can be an advantage.