Dieuwke, Author at Proyecto Peru Blog

February 6, 2020February 14, 2020

Learn Spanish in Peru: Clare’s Adventures in Cusco

This is Clare’s story living and learning Spanish in Cusco.

I started my year abroad in Peru knowing three spanish phrases, “El baño?” “no habla espanol” and “gracias”. In hindsight, I now know why nobody understood me- I was saying the first two wrong! Thanks to Google Translate and lots of guessing, I made my way through my first few days in Lima. The next three days were spent taking Peru Hop buses from Lima along the coast, finally arriving in Cusco.

December 11, 2019February 14, 2020

Peruvian Culture: 5 Christmas traditions in Peru

Family gatherings around the Christmas tree, celebrations, recipes for delicious meals and, of course, Christmas lights. Every year, many families around the world do all this before the arrival of Christmas. This is the season to have your tummies and hearts full, and share memories and stories with your loved ones.

Peru, thanks to its diversity, is a country that carries different traditions in every region, even for Christmas. In this country you can see how people pass on their Christmas traditions from generation to generation.

In this post, you will be able to explore Peru’s great Christmas traditions in different regions. And, if you’re in Peru, you will be able to choose what tradition to experience!

November 27, 2019February 14, 2020

Peruvian History: Qoyllur Riti, a religious festival like no other

Peru is a very religious country, especially if you visit the highlands. In Cusco, the heart of the Inca Empire, the Qoyllur Riti has a special place in the locals’ hearts. A mix of Andean mysticism and Western religiosity. This festival gathers more than 10 000 people every year in May or June.

This is a festival you can witness if you travel to Cusco during these months. So discover all the wonders the Qoyllur Riti has to offer!

November 20, 2019February 14, 2020

Peruvian History: The Cusco Flag

The first thing people visiting Cusco will see is the big rainbow flag at the main square and on all buildings of the city centre. Maybe the first thought you had when seeing this was Wow, Cusco is very LGTB friendly! I’m afraid the Cusco flag is not the same as the LGTB one. It has a different story. If you want to know more, then keep reading!

November 13, 2019February 14, 2020

Peruvian History: Tahuantinsuyo, the Inca Empire

As a responsible volunteer looking for opportunities in Peru, it is important to know some of the country’s history. So, when you look up information about Peruvian history on the internet, a lot of time you see the word Tahuantinsuyo or Tawantinsuyo, a term you might have never heard. What exactly is Tahuantinsuyo? How did it start? How big was it?

The first thing you need to know is that when saying Tahuantinsuyo, we are talking about the Inca Empire. If you want to know more about this vast empire, keep reading!

October 30, 2019February 14, 2020

Learn Spanish in Peru

In this article, Laura Graichen shares her experience learning Spanish with Proyecto Peru.

Five years ago, I came to South America with zero knowledge of the Spanish language. I thought that I would get far with hands and footwork, but nothing could be further from the truth. Well, in the end you will get there, but some basic knowledge of Spanish is actually indispensable as it makes traveling a lot easier. In addition, it is nice if you can chat a little with the locals. You immediately get a lot of respect if they only see that you are trying!

October 22, 2019February 14, 2020

Checklist before you travel in Peru

Proyecto Peru helps you with the preparation for your trip to Peru. Below we have listed the most important subjects.

How long does the trip to Peru take?

Peru is a very big country, about 2.5 times bigger than France. So be aware of your travel preparation, and that it takes a lot of time to travel these distances. Between the coast and the inner land lies the Andean chain. There are some peaks between 3,000 and 4,000 meters (if not higher!) That you have to cross.

October 16, 2019February 14, 2020

8 free things to do in Cusco

Chances are that the Inca capital, Cusco, is on the programme during your tour through Peru. From here you can make trips to the surrounding Inca ruins in the Sacred Valley and of course your excursion to the not-so-hidden Inca city of Machu Picchu.

Cusco is well-organised, friendly and you will find many remnants of the resourceful Incas here. It means that many travellers like to stay in the city for a little longer. And even if you’ve just booked an expensive excursion to Machu Picchu or are travelling on a limited budget, these eight tips for free activities in Cusco prove that a few extra days don’t have to cost much at all

October 9, 2019February 14, 2020

4 tips to be a more responsible volunteer

Many companies brag about being socially responsible. They take volunteering very seriously and look for that in all their employees. Even some people are looking to volunteer abroad to get to know these responsible and ethical companies.

Many people decide to take a sabbatical year after finishing high school or university in order to find themselves or have a life-changing experience and opt to volunteer abroad.

How about spending your next holidays in Peru, hiking through the Andes and visiting archaeological ruins while helping the community? Sounds cool, right?

October 1, 2019February 14, 2020

Life in Cusco: The best bars in town

“You can’t buy happiness, but you can prepare a cocktail. And that’s kind of the same thing.”

When googling Cusco to do your volunteer work, I’m sure you are bombarded with cute photos of llamas and alpacas (and, of course, you’re not able to tell which one is which). And you’re also bombarded with beautiful photos of Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain, the Sacred Valley, Lake Humantay, and the list goes on.