Teaching English in Peru

Peru has been an independent country since 1821, when it gained its independence from the Spanish.  Peru is home to some of the most ancient civilizations of Andean history; namely the Incas. The ancient city, Machu Picchu, is one of the archaeological highlights of Peru and South America, taking visitors back to the era of the Incas.

Peru is home to the mysterious and enormous images, preserved in the ground, and only truly seen from the skies, known as the Nazca Lines.

Peru has a great climate, culture and amazingly friendly people. The colours of its past, present and the landscape are reflected in its textiles. It is also perfect for those who love outdoor adventure, offering rafting, paragliding, hiking and so on.  However, there is still unrest in certain parts of the country. The Foreign Office has declared emergency areas in some parts of Peru.

Peru is a wonderful place to sample its cuisine. It seems that the whole country is obsessed with food. From chilli-rich dishes to stews cooked slowly in beer, from Peruvian chocolate to dishes infused with Spanish, African and Asian influences, the food here is an adventure all of its own. The grilled anticuchos (beef skewers) also come highly recommended, as do other delights found at street stalls and open air markets. The language of Peru is Spanish.

Lima, the capital, is the centre of Peruvian business and economics. It has a population of 7 million people. Peru has also experienced a turbulent economy in the past, but in the past few years this has stabilised, creating a more stable market for EFL.

It may come as a surprise to some but the Peruvian people are quite fond of guinea pigs, so much so that they eat around 65 million per year. The tradition dates back to Incan times when local folk would use the skin as part of soups and stews. In a form of sacrifice, 1,000 guinea pigs and 11 llamas would be slain to guard against floods and drought.

Machu Picchu is a world renowned ancient city that many see as a bucket list place to see and it is said that 1.5 million tourists visit every year. It was discovered in 1911 by Hiram Bingham.

Some say that the great Ernest Hemingway based the novel The Old Man and the Sea around Peru’s Cabo Blanc. However, factually he got the idea from Cuba. He did spend some time in the country though, passing the time drinking whiskey and pisco sours.

You can find the tallest sand dune on earth in Peru, called Cerro Blanco. It is to be found in the Sechura Desert close to the Nazca Lines. There are even more wonders of nature to be found in Peru like the Cotahuasi Canyon. This is said to be the deepest canyon in the world. It is twice as deep as the U.S’s Grand Canyon.