Staying with a host family in Cusco
At Amauta Spanish school we offer the choice of staying with a host family in Cusco while studying Spanish in Cusco. This experience benefits your Spanish and also helps you immerse yourself in Peruvian culture. Plus, for your first couple of days here you feel homesick so staying with an abuela makes you feel right at home. Sitting around the breakfast table with your host mum, eating Peruvian bread and drinking quinoa is the best way to start your morning. You can practice your Spanish before your lessons start!
My experience with my host family was great! I lived in the Wanchaq District. When I arrived I was met in the plaza by my host brother on Sunday morning. I made my own way to my host family as I had arrived in Cusco 3 days earlier. The school can arrange for a taxi to pick you up at the airport and drop you off at the host family. He talked to me in a mixture of Spanish and English, we talked about how this was my first time in Sur America. He then made me lunch and showed me to my room.
In the evening I had Muña tea (good to avoid altitude sickness) with my host mum. She explained how the water pressure in Cusco is very temperamental. A tip she had was to turn on the pressure low to get the hottest temperature for the shower.
On the Monday morning before my Spanish classes started my host mum made me a traditional quinoa drink, which was similar to porridge. She had also cut up fruit for me. She bought bread and queso for me so I could make a snack for the break between classes. It definitely felt like home from home. As I lived outside of the San Blas area in the morning my host mum took me to the bus stop and told me the cost of the bus was 1 sol and to get the “San Jeronimo Bus” to Limacpampa from where it is a quick walk to the Spanish School. Her knowledge of the buses was needed as the bus system in Cusco felt chaotic in my first week.
The host mum worked but came home at lunch to eat with me. We would have traditional Peruvian dishes such as Lomo Saltado and Pollo con arroz. The host father would teach me the names of the cutlery and the food in Spanish. He even taught me how Chicha Morada is made. My Spanish was very basic but it was super helpful to have a supportive environment in which to make mistakes. Dinner is not included when you stay with a host family; this is because your main meal is served at lunch here in Peru. But after lunch during your free time you can go out and explore Cusco with friends and find great places to eat (read: restaurants in Cusco).
On the weekends sometimes your host family will plan a day out for you, such as joining them at the market or a cycle around the neighborhood. My host family was great at recommending fun activities to fill up my weekend. In the evening you can watch movies in Spanish together. On Sundays I would go over my Spanish lessons from the previous week whilst sitting on the sofa with the two host family cats. If you go out in the evening make sure you message your host mum to let her know what time you will be home, so she knows you are safe.
Almost all Spanish students at Amauta are happy and always tell how great their host families are and how they have helped them during their stay; from making special dishes of lemon and burnt toast if you get sick to taking you to your first football game in Peru! My host mum introduced me to the fruit ‘granadilla’ which is still my favorite fruit. I now go buy granadilla in the San Blas Mercado before my Spanish classes!
Read more: 10 tips for living with a host family in Peru
