I am officially three weeks into language school and I absolutely love it! Arequipa is a gorgeous city full of history, colonial architecture, and beauty everywhere you look. It has been so fun exploring the city, learning about its history, and beginning to experience everything it has to offer. I am currently living just two blocks away from the main plaza (pictured above) which means I’m surrounded by good food, cafes, ice cream, museums, artisanal markets, and so much more. Being able to walk just 5 minutes up the street and be in the center of this beautiful plaza is something I will never grow tired of. I stand in awe of its beauty each and every time I am there.
Here are some fun facts about my new home – Arequipa, Peru:
- Elevation: 7,660 feet (it’s hard to walk and talk at the same time!)
- Population: 850,000 making it the second largest city in Peru
- Nickname: La Ciudad Blanca (The White City) as many buildings are made of white volcanic stone from the nearby volcano Misti
- UV index: 18 (I had no idea the scale even went that high!)
- A UV index of 11 or higher can cause skin damage in less than 10 minutes. At 18 I’m thinking this is more like 5 minutes. I never leave the house without sunscreen on!
- Average rain fall: 4 inches per year
- Arequipa is in the middle of a desert. Drive 30 minutes outside of the city and all you will find are mountains covered by rock and sand. The only vegetation is the occasional cactus. It truly feels like you are on another planet.
- Days of sunshine per year: 300+
- The cathedral located in La Plaza de Armas in the center of Arequipa (pictured above) is the only cathedral in the world made of white volcanic stone.
- In 2001, a powerful 8.4 earthquake struck the city causing the bell tower on top the cathedral to fall through the roof destroying the 1000+ pipe organ below it. Luckily, the 5-ton bell, held up by wood, did not fall.
- The historical center of Arequipa (where I live) is filled with colonial architecture making it feel a little bit like you are in Europe.
- Most of the buildings are built with arched doorways and arch support as this type of architecture is more resistant to earthquakes.
- Arequipa is located in an area known as the Ring of Fire – a fault line prone to a high frequency of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions which runs up the western coast of South America and North America, across the Pacific Ocean and down the coast of Asia and Australia.
- A quick lesson in earthquake preparedness:
- Take earthquakes very seriously. You never know when they are coming. Always be prepared.
- Go to the first floor of the building. Depending on the strength of the quake, you may need to go outside, the safest place to be.
- At night: sleep with your shoes next to your bed where they can be put on fast. Glasses, phone, and a jacket should be within easy reach. When you wake up in a daze, you have to have a system to get out fast.
- NEVER leave your room without shoes on. If a strong earthquake happens and buildings fall, windows break, or lightbulbs shatter you won’t be able to walk anywhere, or run, without your shoes.
- On the street: This is particularly important where I am living because the streets are one-way and narrow. If you can, find a one-story building, as two stories or higher are more likely to fall. If you can’t, stand in a doorway. If there is a parked car in the street, kneel next to it. If a building falls, it will fall on the car and hopefully over you and onto the street.
- Three beautiful, snow-capped volcanos are visible from the city: Misti (19,150 feet), Chachani (19,960 feet), and Pichupichu (18,400 feet). Many more volcanos lie within 60 miles of Arequipa.
- Arequipa was a key city during the Incan Empire, connecting their capital city of Cusco (home of Machu Picchu) with the coast.
- In 1998, during an excavation near the crater of volcano Misti, 6 Incan mummies were found along with rare Incan artifacts.
- The volcano Chachani was believed to have the power to choose the gender of newborn children according the Incans who had a temple at its summit (which is at nearly 20,000 feet. Imagine climbing that to worship in the temple!).
- If you are a fan of spicy food, Arequipa is the place to come! Rocoto, a pepper grown locally, is one of the hottest things I have ever eaten. Dab the back of your spoon in the sauce, add it to your rice and chicken, and your nose will be running and your eyes watering. It’s one of my favorite Peruvian foods!
- Your parents probably taught you to always cross the street at a cross walk. Here in Arequipa, it is actually safer to cross the street in the middle of the block, where there is no crosswalk. Corners are dangerous because there are no stop signs and you never know which way cars are going to turn. The streets are one-way, so crossing in the middle of a block means you only need to watch one direction for crazy drivers. Safety first!
- Queso helado (the typical Arequipan vanilla ice cream sprinkled with cinnamon) is sold on practically every corner. It’s SO good and at only 90 cents a cup, it’s hard to walk by and not buy any.
I hope this gives you a little better picture of the city I will be calling home for the next 5 months. I truly love it here and enjoy being in language school. If you know me well, you know that I absolutely love school, no matter the subject. Being back in the classroom, and yes, even having homework, is something I am truly enjoying. It’s tough. Having class completely in Spanish and talking about topics I have never tried to talk about in another language (or in English sometimes) can be frustrating as I fumble for words, but it is pushing me to grow and learn, which is exactly what I need. I am looking forward to the coming months and all I will learn, the ways I will grow, and all I will experience in Arequipa!