These are some of the questions Scott and I frequently answered before our trip to Peru in 2009.

Why are you moving to Peru?

Scott and I have always loved to travel together. We’ve been on many 1 to 2 week trips in the last five years. On our trip to Botswana earlier this year, we were inspired by my sister and brother-in-law, Heather and Brian, who were there as Peace Corp volunteers. Seeing the way they lived and hearing their stories made us want our own foreign adventure. My little sister has also lived over seas for years. So, we decided to kick it up a notch and move somewhere. Since I’m going back to school next Fall, the timing was right for us to go this year.

How did you decide on Peru?

We wanted a country that was Spanish speaking. We also took the time zone into account for Scott’s work… So that eliminated Spain and put us on the West Coast of South America. I wanted somewhere that would not be cold, so any farther south was out. We also didn’t want anywhere that would be too hot, so that eliminated Central America for the most part.

It wasn’t until after deciding on Peru that I realized it’s the center of the Incan culture. This fits well into other trips we’ve taken to see ancient ruins.

Where are you going to stay?

We’re going to spend the majority of our time in Arequipa, which is a city in the southern part of the country. It’s located next to a huge volcano (Mount Misty), which I’m looking forward to scaling at least once.

I don’t know exactly where we’re staying in terms of an apartment. The first few weeks we’ll be staying in a hostel, looking for a more permanent spot. We’d like something that lets us mingle with the community, so we’re hoping to avoid anything that is gated. Security is a concern though, so that is going to be a fine balance.

When/if we tire of Arequipa, we’ll probably spend some time up north in Trujillo. The northern region of Peru is described as the “Egypt of South America”, so I’m looking forward to checking out all of the ancient ruins they have to offer.

What are you going to do down there?

Scott is very, super duper lucky and is able to work remotely. So, he’ll be doing that.

I’m going to be playing social instructor and tour guide, for us and everyone who comes down to visit. I’m also looking forward to working on my photography, print making, and painting. I’m sending a whole bunch of books down to keep my mind fresh for going back to get my MBA. And I may throw in some volunteering… we’ll see. Peru is my oyster.

What do they eat/drink in Peru?

To name a few things…

• Ceviche (raw fish tossed with lime juice)
• Potatoes (Peru has 3,000 different varieties)
• Ayahuasca (a hallucinagenic concoction made by shamans in the jungle. Ok, this probably won’t be on my regular menu.)
• Piranas (fished out of their jungle rivers)
• An alcoholic beverage made from some kind of plant that has been chewed and regurgitated (I’m not sure of the name)
• Cuy (aka guinea pig)
• Alpaca
• Pisco sours (pisco is their national drink)

Is Peru safe?

We took the political stability of Peru into account when deciding to move here. It’s as stable as any country in South America can be… I’d say it’s more stable than Columbia, less stable than Brazil. There were some riots earlier this year over mining rights, and apparently there are lots of strikes that shut down transportation.

As for our personal safety, we’re as prepared as possible. We’ll both have money pouches. We bought this awesome door stop alarm. I took a self defense course and will carry around a whistle. I’m not that concerned over it, and will have to take whatever comes in stride.

What will the weather be like?

This depends on where you are in the country. The coastal area is pretty moderate/warm. The Andes are colder the higher up you go. The jungle is rainy and warm.

Arequipa, for example, has been pretty consistently in the 60’s and 70’s since I started tracking a few months ago. Rain seems to come and go… I know they have a rainy season, I just haven’t seen the pattern yet.

What are you taking with you?

This short answer is whatever we can fit into two large backpacking packs, our personal backpacks and one large duffle.

Clothes, some choice camping gear, our computers, the Wii and a few handheld gaming devices, art supplies, Peru travel books and a med kit. Yeah, that sounds so simple.

Do you speak Spanish?

We both speak enough Spanish to get by down there. I have a minor in Spanish, and Scott has been taking some classes at the Seattle Language Academy. We also both listen to Spanish podcasts, including Coffee Break Spanish and Showtime Spanish. We’re looking forward to being fully immersed so we can practice. We may even take some language classes once we’re settled.

When are you leaving? Getting back?

We leave next Thursday (January 22nd)! Agh! Ocho dias. Agh!

Our return date is TBD. We’ll probably be back by Scott’s birthday on August 15th. I’d like to have some time to readjust before jumping into the MBA program, which starts in September. We’re going to come back via Brazil (after floating down the Amazon) or Patagonia (after cruising on a cargo ship)…

Do you think you’ll like it so much down there that you won’t come back?

Yes.

I mean, nah. I think we’re going to love it down there, but we have work and school to bring us back to Seattle in the Fall.