Almost all students studying Spanish in Cusco, will visit the famous Machu Picchu ruins, either before , during or after their Spanish classes.

Many students participate in the famous Inca Trail, a four day hike to Machu Picchu.  Here is a list of essential items you do not want to forget!

INCA TRAIL PACKING LIST

• Backpack: This might seem obvious, but it is so important to have a good backpack for this trek.
• Passport: You will need this to get into the ruins when you finally reach Machu Picchu. You also need to bring your International Student Identity Card (ISIC) if you have one for the student discount.
• Hiking Shoes and Clothes: We always recommend dressing in layers because the weather is constantly changing.


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Vayamos a Museo de Chocolate!

Only about 7 weeks left at AMAUTA! Time sure is flying while studying Spanish in Cusco! I think I finally became acclimatized, as walking up the hill from Plaza de Armas no longer makes me feel like I’m going to die from lack of oxygen. Of course, this may be helped by the fact that I found a gym in Cusco (wahoo!) and I have been working out three times a week. I’ve been told if I can work out here, I’ll be able to run for miles and miles when I return to Canada!

This past week I visited “el Museo de Chocolate” here in Cusco with my Spanish class. The museum is only about a ten minute walk from the AMAUTA school. (By the way, did you know AMAUTA means teacher in Quechua? Cool, huh?)  The museum is completely free to visit, and it’s full of really fun and interesting facts about Peruvian chocolate. Come on, who doesn’t like chocolate?! They offer you free chocolate tea upon entry as well as the option to try a piece of chocolate (you get to choose from over 15 different typesJ).

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Walking over rickety rope bridges and swimming with caimen sound like a typical day to you? Well, for Elke and Steffen Garden (Germany) it was. Here they describe their final days living and studying Spanish in the rainforest with AMAUTA Spanish School.

In the morning, the rainforest lived up to his name. During class it was stormy and rainy. When we left around 11.30am by boat to another lodge close by, the rain had already stopped. We arrived at the other lodge and a parrot welcomed us. Afterwards, we walked half an hour through the forest and then to a higher canopy floor – we moved 24 meters over the floor by way of a slip-lane and rope bridge – Unforgettable!
After lunch and a few hours of Spanish lessons, we went by boat to the sand bank.  Here we played volleyball and football with the locals, which was really funny! For our way back we could decide if we wanted to go by boat or if we want to swim. Once we were back at the lodge we enjoyed some time in the pool.

At 11.30am, after breakfast and Spanish lessons, we went by boat to the “Native-Peoples“. One man in an Indian dress welcomed us and offered a One-man-show, mostly in Indian language and in the Wild West style.  Afterwards he showed us how to make a fire with natural materials and he showed us different things, like a head of a boar and a bow and arrow.
In the afternoon we walked through the rainforest and walked with the guide over overturned trees and coveys of mosquitoes.
In the evening we went by boat to look for caimen, and with a floodlight we saw a lot – surprisingly. It was the highlight of the day! I have to admit, it was a bit scary thinking that we swam back from the sand bank to the lodge the day before…
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Elke and Steffen Garden (Germany) spent a week studying Spanish with AMAUTA in the Peruvian rainforest. Staying near the Tambopata National Reserve, the two students had a chance to live in one of the most species-rich natural habitats in the world! Here, the two describe their first few days living and studying in the Peruvian rainforest.

Once you have survived the ten-hour bus ride to Puerto Maldonado, you’ll have a great and unforgettable experience studying Spanish in Tambopata with AMAUTA.

At the port, Justo alias Tuto, our guide for the next week, was waiting for us where we went downstream to the Nài-Meci-Lodge by boat. Because of the tropical temperature, we enjoyed the boat’s breeze, which cooled us down. We arrived at the lodge, which consists of two large buildings, a swimming pool, and a lot of small cabanas. The lodge is located right next to the river and is surrounded by jungle vegetation. The first day, we swam in the swimming pool followed by a drink of coconut milk out on the patio. In the afternoon, we had Spanish classes because our teacher, Libia, made an effort to schedule all the Spanish lessons next to the activities.
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Week 3: No money? No problem! Free drinks for all!

Yesterday, my Spanish class went on a field trip with my Spanish class to the Center for Traditional Textiles in Cusco. We had the opportunity to learn how textiles are traditionally woven as well as the complexity of skill it takes to create these masterpieces. I loved that we got out of the classroom to learn about Peruvian textiles, which is a staple of Peruvian culture.

Speaking of Peruvian culture, on our way to the textile museum, we also caught a glimpse of another interesting tidbit of Peruvian culture – the Caminos del Inca car race!
We saw a crowd of people gathered in front of the Plaza de Armas, and after inquiring our teacher told us that they were waiting for the cars to come through the Plaza in 2 hours!

I am really enjoying my time here at AMAUTA. Not only do we visit museums during Spanish class, but I also have the opportunity to get to know the people that work at the school. For instance, I asked the chef here at the school, Oscar, if I could watch him cook (because I love cooking) and he said “Yes, of course you can help me!” Lunch is served at 1:30PM daily, so I spent an hour and a half helping Oscar in the kitchen, talking about life, work, and food- in Spanish! (What a great opportunity to utilize my conversation skills that I have been learning in class!) We made a vegetable soup, pasta and rice pudding for dessert. ¡Que bueno!
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That is right; I am a Canuck. That’s what people typically call people from Canada. I will be here in Cusco, Peru for three months studying Spanish with AMAUTA Spanish School and I will also be writing about my experiences as an AMAUTA student so you can get a sense of what to expect when you choose to study with AMAUTA. I would love to hear from readers, so please feel free to leave questions or comments on any of my blog posts! Without further ado, the first two weeks…

Week 1: Adjustments and welcome

After almost 24 hours of travelling, I arrived in Cusco from Toronto, Canada, and after not sleeping during the night (this may be a right of passage for Peru-bound tourists) all I wanted to do when I arrived was just that – sleep. Thankfully, I did, and I awoke refreshed. However, after a short jaunt to the main square, the altitude managed to tire me quite quickly. The school is located on a hill (as are most places in Cusco) and not remembering the lack of oxygen at 3400 meters above sea level, I walked at my usual fast pace. NOT a great idea! Some people initially feel sick or dizzy due to the altitude, but luckily I only experienced shortness of breath. I was told coca tea eases the effects of the altitude so I have been drinking it, and it is quite delicious, as well! One of the many medicinal wonders of the Incas!
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On the 23rd of September each year, Perú celebrates Día del Estudiante (Student Day)! It is a day to recognize the hard work of students, to congratulate and support them on their endeavors to be better people and professionals, and to enjoy the art of learning. Since AMAUTA is a Spanish school, and AMAUTA is full of students, and AMAUTA loves its students, AMAUTA organized a day of celebration!

The day started off as usual with a lovely breakfast of eggs, bread, and fresh juice followed by some Spanish language practice. Then, promptly at 10:00 AM, the bus left the school and made its way along the winding road from Cusco to Pisac, which is a picturesque Andean city located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. The jaw dropping views of the fertile lands and historic Incan terraces made this 30-minute bus ride a treat in itself. However, the fun really began once we arrived in Pisac.
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Here in Tambopata, it is definitely possible to easily survive without cellphone and internet! There is so much to do and explore!

One week studying Spanish in Tambopata is full of adventures and great experiences! The boat ride from Puerto Maldonado to the resort is very nice and interesting. On the way to the resort, there is so much to see. You see how the people live and how they uncover gold from the river. Even watching the boat traffic is interesting!

I really liked the AMAUTA Tambopata resort where we stayed. The big swimming pool was definitely refreshing after all the trips we did! The bungalows are lovely furnished, and the AMAUTA staff is so nice! I appreciated the fresh pressed juice we had every day and the food was also very delicious! Every day after class there was something to do, such as a trip to an Indigo village where we could swim in the river and walk through the jungle.
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One of the nicest things of studying Spanish in any country where it’s spoken is the cultural immersion. You do not only improve your Spanish language skills but you learn so much about local culture, habits, fiestas and history. In my case, I spent many others in the kitchen with my Peruvian host mum and she revealed my secrets of Peruvian cuisine to me!

One of the things I loved from the first moment on, when my stomach was still adjusting to the altitude and others, was the Chicha Morada.

Chicha morada is a non-alcoholic drink. It is incredibly refreshing and REALLY easy to make. Don’t let the thought of drinking purple corn turn you off to trying this recipe. It’s actually delicious and you’re not going to eat the corn anyway!

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2011 marks an extremely important occasion for Peru as it celebrates the 100th anniversary of the rediscovery of Machu Picchu. Join us at Amauta and be part of something momentous! Alongside studying Spanish you will experience the Peruvian culture in full flair.

In typical Peruvian style, festivities will be on a grand scale. There are a multitude of events planned to honor this momentous occasion, so if you are visiting Peru you will not be short of exciting activities.
There could be no better time to come and study Spanish in Peru, and especially here in Cusco! Many ongoing events are taking place in honor of the anniversary, including music festivals, school contests and more.
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