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James Hetfield
Joined: 24 Feb 2007 Posts: 99 Location: Los Angeles
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Posted: Tue Nov 11, 2008 10:40 pm Post subject: Lima urgent final questions? |
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Commissioner Gordon: Light the BatBeacon for Naturegirl! Finally decided I will try Lima. Thought I was done with questions but I'm buying ticket this week! Landlord just told me I cannot move mid-month. So I will arrive first week of FEB 2009. Wanted to wait closer to March to land good TEFL job. But I need to practice my beginner Spanish and get to know Lima Public Transit, so I'll have plenty to do in Feb:
1. Does Lima celebrate CARNIVAL like Brazil? My hostel in Buenos Aires was booked solid with Brazilians mid-Feb 2008. Several Europeans denied lodging and they practically had to sleep on sidewalk. Will February Carnival fill Lima hostels that bad? What dates worst?
2. Think Lima hostels will let me stay for months as they do in Buenos Aires? Don't want to be homeless before I land a March job!
3. Got TEFL, Bachelors plus 2 years exp. Could I start teaching in Feb, temp until I land a better job in March? What kind of school might hire in early Feb, easy come, easy go? Could I let them know it is only until I land a Real Teaching Job in March?
4. VISA BORDER RUNS: From Lima what is cheapest way to visa run? To what city/nation? I prefer buses so I don't have to pay that awful $130 Airport Entry Fee. How much might I spend on visa run?
5. MIRAFLORES TOO EXPENSIVE as you admit. Miraflores adverts on your English newspaper blog are almost SAME $600 rooms as Seattle now! Total Expat Price-gouging by greedy agents! Ridiculous! For renting room you recommend Trujillo? Sorry I didn't have time to memorize Lima suburbs. Could you describe them by Northside, Southside, Eastside, Westside? What side has dangerous favela? Where is Trujillo? In general is there a SIDE (N,S,E,W) I should be shopping for, cheap but nice, safe, not too long bus commute to downtown?
6. Any old drifter hotel rooms downtown easy to rent? Easy to find cheap 10x10 room rental in suburbs? Dread signing lease on big expensive one-bedroom apartment I don't want or need.
7. City Bus versus Combis: If I rent room in suburb, would I be taking a metro bus or private combi? Any Metro Train Line open yet? Fear to ask: How long my bus commute each day if I live in suburb and teach downtown?
8. If inmigracion tries to give me 3 month can I demand the new 6 month tourist visa? Makes huge difference in money and hassle and teaching schedule!
Naturegirl thanks so much!!! Your superb info was big factor in choosing Lima. You recommend Cusco or village, but you also admit I can make more money in Lima, so it gotta be Lima this year. I know about the dreary cold wet fog. Can't be worse than my wet gray winter in Seattle! Can it?
Naturegirl: Joker perhaps this time you'll learn crime never pays. To the Batmobile! etc etc.... |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home
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Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 1:51 am Post subject: |
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WEll, if you do come in Feb, let's meet up for a coffee.
1. No, not really. They just through water balloons and if you're lucky theyr'e only filled with water. You should have no probs.
2. Yes! Ask for discounts.
3. No. Basically, you can't just teach for a month. I'll email you a list of good places, so you can start working for a good place in Feb, and don't have to change schools. Honestly, you won't get into schools or unis, just institutes. MIght as well start at a good one and stay.
4. It's smack in the middle, so go north or south. By bus, about 25 bours, either way. If you go by plane, to CHila and are AMerican, you have to pay a one time fee, that I beleive is 100 or 120 USD. Visa run, about 60 to 80 for bus tickets there and back. 20 for a hostal, another 20 to eat. BUt you can stay up to 183 days. BE SURE TO ASK for the 183 days upon arrive.
5. 600 usd, that's cheap I've seen 2500 usd. But , you're right, they're for expats. Trujillo is another city, 8 hours north. So you can't rent there. Try San Borja, Surco, Surquillo ( a bit dangerous). BUt you can find cheap places even in Miraflores and La Molina. East is Callao, dangerous, west is La Molina, expensive. In general, the further west, the more enpensive. Downtown, you mean MIraflores? Then try the places I mentioned above.
6. The Flying DOg Hostal is popular with travellers, bt back packer though.
For flats, you'll have to pay at least two months up front.
7. There are only combis, no private buses, unless your company pays for them. And it won't. Train, it's been in progress for 25 years, It'll never happen in my lifetime. There are no suburbs or downtown. YOu're going to live in LIma, just in different distrcits. Takes me 30 minutes in the morning, up to an hour at night. I spend about 3 hours a day on the combis, but I have private classes.
8. Yep, you should. Just DON?T tell them you're working. Talk about Machu Picchu, tourist, etc. |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home
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john_n_carolina
Joined: 26 Feb 2006 Posts: 700 Location: n. carolina
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Posted: Wed Nov 12, 2008 5:18 am Post subject: |
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...JH: you'll probably want to start getting your "paperwork" in order. CHRC (Criminal History Records Checks), maybe certified State Police check, College Diploma with apostille, Medical Check?, etc
if you do plan on staying past a tourist visa, i would gather you'll need these if you plan to stay for a few years. especially, if you get offered a "Cultural Exchange" type visa. |
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Gusss
Joined: 08 Nov 2008 Posts: 81
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Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 12:00 am Post subject: |
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I lived in Peru for five years. Hell would have to freeze over before I lived in Lima.
I really think you are making a big mistake, you are going to live in one of the most beautiful countries in the world , yet you have gone to live in its a-hole - Lima is dirty and dangerous. My advice - go to Cuzco, or Iquitos or anywhere but Lima.
I was last in Peru two years ago - you could "extend" the three months to five months for 25 soles or was it dollars I forget. I used to go to the Bolivian border every three months or so.
I have friends in Mirraflores - they like it well enough I guess but its not for me - and you know when people say "oh Peru's not dangerous you just have to know where not to go" - Lima is a place not to go in my book - and I lived in Pucallpa heart of Narco land !
By the way don't worry - once you are in Lima you can go anywhere in Peru, so you haven't wasted your airfare.
Id advise you to head straight for Cusco - you can get one month long contracts there (try Excel http://www.excel-spanishlanguageprograms-peru.org/english/cusco.html ) and its a very interesting place to be - the true capital of Peru some might say......
also try these guys :
http://www.icpnacusco.org/
http://www.icpna.edu.pe/contenido.aspx?cod=9&cod_1=9
Established, American run, theyll love you, they have schools all over the place, they wont rip you off.
You will have a fantastic time in Peru, it changed my life forever for the better, but honestly man - get away from Lima - that's like going to visit Britain and living on the most violent council estate in Manchester..... unless of course you are just there for a well paid TEFL job in which case Peru is not the best place to be. |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home
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Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 2:52 pm Post subject: |
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Lima is horrible. Cusco, is touristy. Too much for my taste, I'd like to go to Arequipa or Trujillo.
There are no more extensions, now you just get 183 max upon arrival and either pay the dollar a day fine, or border hope.
Pucullpa? Why there? |
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Gusss
Joined: 08 Nov 2008 Posts: 81
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Posted: Thu Nov 13, 2008 3:03 pm Post subject: |
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naturegirl321 wrote: |
Lima is horrible. Cusco, is touristy. Too much for my taste, I'd like to go to Arequipa or Trujillo.
There are no more extensions, now you just get 183 max upon arrival and either pay the dollar a day fine, or border hope.
Pucullpa? Why there? |
True, I was just thinking if the guy has no Spanish, he might get on better for a while somewhere like Cusco. Pucallpa - I had friends there. But yeah if you want mountains/coast not jungle Arequipa or Trujillo would be fine choices too, perhaps better, the more you hang around with ex pats the less you see and learn ! I know ex pats in Cusco who have been there for 10 years and hardly speak a word of Spanish, others however become fluent in a year because there is noone to speak English. |
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sistaray
Joined: 25 Apr 2007 Posts: 82 Location: trumpland
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Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 3:48 pm Post subject: don't hate |
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sorry I didn't see this sooner, to come to the rescue of La Ciudad de los Reyes.
I loved Lima. I want to return. Don't let these people get you down on it.
I lived in downtown Lima (el Centro) most of my time there, so PM me if you want any details on where and how to live there. I didn't live in any drifter hotels, per se, but I could direct you towards a few places.
And there are many places you could live, besides downtown, where you wouldn't need to even dream of paying $600 a month.
I found other cities in Peru charming, but they couldn't hold a candle to my Lima.
It really depends what you're looking for. |
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john_n_carolina
Joined: 26 Feb 2006 Posts: 700 Location: n. carolina
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Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 6:14 am Post subject: |
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...wasn't Lima hit with the 8.0 earthquake a few years ago?? |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home
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Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 4:06 pm Post subject: |
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It was in Pisco, Ica around there. And it was last year, 15 Aug. We get lots of little ones though. There was one last night. |
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