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02/06/2024 | 5 MINUTES READ

Dos and Don’ts of Packing for Peru

Sara Y.

University of Pittsburgh | Cusco

Do: Pack sunscreen. Oh, you never use sunscreen? Oh, you’ll just buy it there? One day in the Peruvian sun and blancas become rojas. By the time you make it to the farmacia, it’s too late. You’re already peeling. Your host family will affectionately call you sun kissed, but you are not sun kissed. You and the sun are several bases past kissing.

Don’t: Bring your athleisure. Peruvian dress is modest and professional. Despite the heat, it’s rare to see a pair of legs out and about. Lightweight long sleeves are the way to go. Regardless of your personal opinions regarding clothing and appearances, you’re here to appreciate the culture, not to challenge it.

Do: Budget. Frankly, I love to spend. And you, too, will love to spend once you lay eyes on all the wonderful textiles and trinkets Peru has to offer. Every store is stocked with the coziest clothes you’ve ever pet on the rack. Innumerable local artists will offer you their handmade work. Every window holds a thousand of those baby alpaca dolls made with real alpaca wool—and you need a baby alpaca doll. If you leave Cusco without a baby alpaca doll, did you even go? Point is, save up! No amount of takeout at your home university will bring you as much joy as an ultra-soft guanaco sweater. Or a tiny hand-carved chess set with every piece depicting a different Inca god.

Close-up of a colorful floral embroidery

Hand-embroidered fabric available for purchase in Cusco. I spent entirely too many soles in this store, but I also bought a coin purse to house my future riches. So it’s like an investment. 

Close-up of a colorful floral embroidery

Don’t: Bring more than one suitcase and one carry-on. I know! The idea of 100 days on one suitcase filled me with fear, but your homestay in Peru is probably in a second- or third-floor apartment. And there are no elevators. Who’s lugging your luggage up three flights of stairs? You are! Plus, storage space in your corner is limited. Where are you stashing all that baggage? Nowhere!

Do: Speak Spanish. You’re a guest! Many Peruvians are relentlessly kindhearted and supportive, but you should never take advantage of their generosity. Do not force them to accommodate you. If you’ve booked your flight and you still sabes nada, it’s not too late! Duolingo is free. Listen to Latin music and read the lyrics. Re-watch your favorite show with Spanish subtitles. The best way to learn is live practice. Once you’re on the ground, talk! Mistakes will happen. The Spanish words for soap and ham are very similar. I learned this the hard way.

Don’t: Walk too fast. If you’ve given Cusco a Google, you’ve probably heard of soroche, or acute mountain sickness: the bane of every tourist who suddenly finds themselves 10,000 feet higher. “No te preocupes,” advised our coordinator. “Your brain is just starved of oxygen.” Soroche will affect your first couple days in Cusco, but don’t worry—your host mom comes armed with remedies. Camina más despacio. Descansa. Quieres té de coca? She’s a professional. After a few days of huffing and puffing, you’ll be breathing like a local!

A white mug with a tea bag sits on a floral tablecloth. Various boxes of herbal tea from Del Valle, Cusco line the shelf behind it.

An assortment of teas my classmates and I frequent at the Study Center. Tea is one of many local remedies for aches and illness. 

A white mug with a tea bag sits on a floral tablecloth. Various boxes of herbal tea from Del Valle, Cusco line the shelf behind it.

Do: Get excited. I know you don’t need another newly cultured study abroad student telling you how this is going to be the best 100 days of your life, but I’m doing it anyway. Peru is the way to go. Your daily walk to class is framed by the Andes mountains. Everywhere you go is a pivotal site in Incan history. Peru has incredible craftsmanship, deeply moving spirituality, and cuisine like nothing you’ve tasted before. But don’t: just take my word for it.

Sara Y.

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  • Packing
  • Planning
  • Tips