Living in Peru : your everyday companion

By Marie-Louise Sai

This past Thursday, members of Lima Sunrise Rotary Club had the pleasure of listening to Maria De la Lama from the Instituto Pedagógico Nacional where she is presently the director.

Maria De la Lama highlighted the importance of mastering the English language in Lima for the purpose of business. In today’s global economy, where major firms have branches and businesses in most areas of the world, it is beneficial to be fluent in English.

At the Instituto Pedagógico Nacional, the English lessons and objectives correspond with the practical use of language learning. In other words, the students learn from real life situations, whereby the context of the language taught has a function in every day business life. 

Having arrived to Peru at an early age, I found it most difficult to get used to the music. Either you like Latin tunes and you swim in the sheer amount of it offered by any disco, restaurant or bar in the city, or you don’t like them, and you sink. Having listened to it passively for many years, cumbia, vallenato, and salsa never particularly warmed up to me. Then came Cajumba and I could not understand: how did I not enjoy this before?

Marco Romero, singer and author of most songs on Cajumba, mixes traditional Peruvian music with modern tunes and beats. Promising an "Afro-Peruvian fiesta" through and through, Marco Romero makes sure that nobody listening is left without the itch to move his or her hips, shoulders and legs to the music.

Following the model of other international initiatives such as Teach for America, Teach First UK, and Teach For All, EnseñaPeru is recruiting talented, motivated and creative young graduates to commit themselves to a two-year teaching program where they can work on improving the quality of education.

As Alvaro Henzler, CEO of EnseñaPeru demonstrates, participating in the program is a win-win-win situation for everybody.

Society and children benefit from an education of excellence, corps members will learn about leadership and motivation, and companies sponsoring their work at schools will benefit by being able to hire skilled, motivated and talented workers.

By Larry J. Pitman

It does matter and let me tell you why.

Recently I went to a well-known clothing store in Lima because they had a sale on pants. I hate to go to these places because normally the clothes don’t fit me, but my wife strongly urged me to go because of the excellent prices.

In the past few years, my waste size has dropped from a beefy 44 to a size 38. It has remained there for some time. However, a recent trip to California was a definite threat to my circumference.  So I was expecting my size to stay the same or, even, increase.

Therefore, I was very surprised when I tried on the pants in the store, and the 38 didn’t fit. It was much too large, so, without knowing it, I had somehow descended to a size 36. That size now fits me perfectly.

By Jaime Tunstall

Scotsmen were among the first Britons to settle in Peru at the start of the Republic. They played an important role in the building up of foreign trade here and many of the old British business houses in Lima and Callao owed their origins to Scottish pioneers. The Caledonian Society of Peru was founded in Lima by Mr (later Sir) Arthur Grant Duff, at that time the British Minister in Peru.

The society was formed when he called a meeting at the Phoenix Club on the 29th August 1922. Over thirty members were enrolled. The objectives of the Caledonian Society of Peru, according to the Rules and By-Laws drawn up at the first meeting, are: “To foster Scottish National Sentiment, to promote the study of Scottish History, Literature and Music, and objects of interest to Scotsmen, and to render assistance to Scotsmen and women in deserving cases of poverty.”

This listing provides information from insurance agencies in Lima. Those listed were chosen because they are more widely accepted by the local and provincial clinics, and because they offer international health insurance coverage.

The list is not in the order of the most preferred or the most used. However, there was positive feedback received with respect to the service provided by Pacifico. To access this list, please click here.

Opening the 37th Edition of the Japan's Cultural Week, the Japanese-Peruvian Cultural Center hosted a jazz concert by "Ritsuco Endo with Funky Ritsuco's Version!" band (aka FRV), which is currently on a Latin American tour.

The band, whose tour is sponsored by the Japanese Foundation, presented a nice repertoire that included Endo's own compositions.

The concert also  included their rendition of popular songs such as McCartney's "The Long and Winding road" and the widely known Blanco/Manzo's "Moliendo Café."

By
Maarten Warnaars

The daily chaos commuters face in Lima will abate slightly with the new modern public transportation system being constructed by Lima’s mayor, Luis Castañeda.

Over the past few week citizens of Lima have been escorted to the subterranean central bus station, below the Paseo de los Héroes Navales in the center of Lima, as a promotional scheme for Limeños to get to know the new project.

This subterranean bus station is part of the larger ambitious public transportation project, El Metropolitano.

It isn’t a phrase one hears much in Lima. In fact, every time I say it, I get looks of disbelief from locals and foreigners alike. But, I love combis.

There is something charming about dominating the public transportation system in Lima. Mastering the combis and micros is a feat, an accomplishment, a thing of pride.

There is something delightful, and oh so Peruvian, about the transit system of Lima.

This week LivinginPeru.com continues its monthly series featuring articles about life in various Peruvian cities and towns.

This month we are featuring the second largest city in Peru, Arequipa, written by Micah Cantley.

Micah has lived in Arequipa with his wife and children since May of 2005.