“At school, I spent many evenings with books about the Inca Empire and dreamed of living there – on the other side of the Earth. Nevertheless, the dream was destined to come true,” said Dina, who moved from Russia to Peru with her Peruvian husband. Dina shared in an interview about what life is like in Peru, in another part of the Earth.
– Tell us a little about yourself.
– My name is Dina. I come from Krasnodar. And now I live in Peru in the city of Chiclayo. I work remotely, I create jewelry for Russia.
— Why Peru?
— My family moved to Peru because of my husband’s work, and he is a Peruvian.
— What were the difficulties when moving to this country?
— There were no difficulties. We easily sold our property in Russia and moved to Peru. Of course, life in Peru is different. I guess I was lucky, and I immediately joined the rhythm of this country, as well as a new family. The way of our life, the upbringing of a child — everything is in the Peruvian traditions. Even we only eat Peruvian dishes, which I learned to cook while living here.
– Do you miss your homeland?
– More likely no than yes. If I miss you, I’ll go 🙂
– Tell us interesting facts about this country.
– This is the birthplace of potatoes 🙂 But seriously, Peru is a very religious country. Catholic. Infanticide is absolutely not supported, abortions are prohibited here for religious reasons.
— How to move to permanent residence in Peru?
– You don’t need a visa to Peru to move. You can safely stay in the country for 3 months without a visa. Working, starting a business or marrying a Peruvian gives you a residence permit in Peru. Marry a Peruvian, go through an Interpol check and get a residence permit in 2 months — carne. And after 2 years you get citizenship.
– Your life hacks about Peru.
– Safety! Copy the life of the locals. Hide your income.
— What was it difficult to get used to in Peru?
— In Peru, it is difficult to get used to the mentality, to the easy acceptance of poverty.
– Tell us about Peruvians, traditions and culture of the country.
– Peruvians, at first glance, seem simple, but they often look for benefits. They are also very slow, this can be seen even by the work of state bodies. If they promise tomorrow, then it will be in a month.
— What are they – Peruvian men?
– Peruvians have been marrying for years. They often get married already having children. Usually this is a period of 5-8 years of “meetings”. They almost never have divorces. Families are strong (which cannot be said about Russia). Love is visible not only among newlyweds. It is often possible to meet elderly people walking by the handle. What’s the secret? I think in love. The husband claims that in patience and mentality. A woman is not put into the background. A man, though a breadwinner, but his wife is above all for him.
– Expensive life in Peru? Name the prices in Peru.
– Life in Peru is very expensive.
- Housing in Peru in the province costs from 3-5 million rubles. Housing in relation to Russia is 2 times more expensive (if we compare the infrastructure of the city, the districts in it). There are no one-room apartments, studios and other economy housing options. Mortgage – 13-14% per year.
- Education in Peru is private, prices are 2 times higher than Russian state universities.
- Food prices in Peru are 1.5 times higher than in Russia. Prices in Peru for products: white bread — 200₽, eggs (10 PCs) — 130₽, chicken (1 kg) — 170₽, pork and beef (1 kg) — 400₽, cheese (Edam) – 400 ₽/kg, pineapple — 50₽/piece mango — 20₽/piece grenades — 20₽/piece tangerines — 40₽/kg.
The standard of living of many Peruvians is far from the middle class in Russia.
– Work in Peru.
– The average salary in Peru is 20,000rubles. It is difficult to find a job, so people take on any job. In order for foreigners to get a good job in Peru, you need to know Spanish and other foreign languages, have a higher education and work experience in your specialty. Popular specialties in Peru: teaching, IT technologies, marketing specialist, engineer, medicine, translator from foreign languages. I recommend finding a job first before moving to Peru.
— How developed is tourism in Peru?
– Tourism is developed, but only in a few cities: Lima, Cuzco, Arequipa, Iquitos, Huaras.
— When is it better to go on vacation to Peru?
– The time of the year is not important, you can come to Peru at any time of the year. There is no winter and summer here as in the middle zone of Russia. For example, in the city of Chiclayo, where I live, the temperature in winter is +23-27 degrees.
— What is a must-see in Peru?
– The famous Machu Picchu is a city of ancient America, located in the thickets of the jungle at the top of a mountain range. These are incredibly beautiful views, there is a powerful force and magical energy. The vast territory of Peru is covered with jungles with mysterious places and colorful landscapes. The next attraction of Peru is one of the largest freshwater reservoirs in America — Lake Titicaca. It is also impossible to ignore the unusual creation of nature – Rainbow Mountains. It was as if they were painted in different colors. An amazing sight.
— What dishes of local cuisine would you recommend to try?
– Ceviche is a dish that is prepared from fish or seafood. Try the guinea pig. In many regions of South America, it is considered a delicacy.
– Tell us about the local shamans in Peru who perform the Ayahuasca ritual? How to take part in this ceremony?
– There are a lot of scammers in this area now. There are stories of robberies and raped women. Therefore, you need to go to a proven place. Well, the ceremony is complicated, you need to trust this shaman.
— Have you communicated with shamans?
– yes. One day I came to the mountains, where I met a shaman. I asked him a question: “Why do the Incas love feathers so much?” The shaman replied: “A person takes off, falls and rises again. The bird is stable. Soars smoothly. A mistake will be her death. But people allow themselves to make mistakes.”
– Your advice and wishes to travelers going to Peru.
— My main advice: remember, you are not in Russia. The main thing is safety.
Olga Avrakh was talking
Photo of Dina
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