Culture tips - Peru Video Transcripts
Video 1 Transcript
So the culture in Peru is pretty easy to get used to. Everyone's super nice, so like, that's easy, like being in a culture where everyone's nice, it's pretty easy to deal with. But everyone will like, will shake your hand when they meet you. It's like really important that you'll shake people's hand. It's really important like if people give you food that you eat all of it. You know, that's like a big thing if someone gets you food or it's like a gesture. You don't want to turn that down. You want to always eat it. Eat as much as you can, as much as they give you. It's just their culture. That's a respectful thing to do. So that's probably the biggest culture difference. Hard to get used to because in America you'd be like, nah, I don't want that. But in Peru you got to eat. And it's just, it's just how they operate. And the food's really good, so normally it's not a hard thing to do.
Video 2 Transcript
I think the biggest tip I can give everyone about the culture is that Peruvians, their love language is food. That's how they express their love. When they really care about you or anything, they would just offer you food, especially in Pura. So one thing you have to get accustomed is eating things that you maybe never eaten or like eating in a way that you probably never in your life. And it's always saying yes, not because you like the food sometimes, but because you want to be respectful of their culture and what they're offering you. Many of these homes don't have a lot to offer, like they don't have a lot of money. So what they do offer you with all their hearts, you have to accept it. It's part of their love languages. So I think it's getting used to saying yes, like yes, and I'll eat that and everything. I'll survive even if I get a stomach pain.
Video 3 Transcript
People in Lima, they really have a strong family bond to each other. They have a strong family tradition. They always live in big families in a single house. They're always involved in each other's lives, and they're always looking out for each other.
Video 4 Transcript
Americans don't like it when people come in and talk about our country for about any negative aspect whatsoever and that's how Peruvians are. It's the exact same thing. So it's definitely important to show respect and demonstrate love towards them and their culture and everything they stand for. Even if we don't necessarily agree with certain aspects of it, it shows that you care and you'll definitely get people's respect a lot faster.
Video 5 Transcript
Kind of a culture shock, getting to the rainforest. It's extremely hot, extremely humid, so no one likes to wear clothes. They'll wear clothes, obviously, it's just they'll wear as little as possible. That goes for men and women. So yeah, you're going to see a lot of guys who are only wearing basketball shorts or just boxers. You're going to see a lot of girls who are in very short shorts and very revealing tops. And that's just the culture there, they're pretty normal about it.
Video 6 Transcript
You should probably try and finish your food, no matter what. Like, you don't have to get seconds, but whatever they give you, you should probably finish it, because or else they'll get pretty offended if you don't.
Video 7 Transcript
I'd say the big thing in general with Spanish cultures or Hispanic cultures is greeting and saying goodbye. So when you walk into a room you make sure that you greet everyone and you make sure that when you leave you say goodbye. That's just a sign of respect and it really helps the people feel loved and important. So that's something super important. Also just, you know, just really love the people and embrace them. They really respond to that. They respond to smiles and just warmth in general.
Video 8 Transcript
Peruvians, we love to party. So if you go to a party, just prepare to dance everything from like salsa, cumbia, merengue, bachata or some things from Peru, originally from Peru, like dances from the jungle, marinara, huayno, just everything. We just love to party a lot and just be ready for it and parties will literally start like 10 p.m and they will go until like 2 a.m or maybe more, depends. But yeah, we love to party so get ready if you go to a party in Peru.
Video 9 Transcript
Just them as a people, they're very brutally honest and it's not offensive. Like, they'll just come up to you and be like, you're looking really fat. You're like, cool, thanks. Or, you're really ugly or your hair's super damaged, you should cut it. And you're just like, thanks. Anyways, that's them as a people and they're awesome, but sometimes it hurts a little.
Video 10 Transcript
Try not to be extremely, extremely proper. The people of Peuta love it when you learn their phrases and their catch phrases. And if you can get on their level and understand some of their slang, appropriate slang, and if you're really down to earth and you speak to them like they speak to you, you're going to be able to have more success there. And the people get a little bit intimidated when you're very proper with your Spanish and very proper with your mannerisms. So just be nice and friendly and they're kind of touchy. So just be able to accept their touches and not freak out. So I would just say, just be genuine, try and relate to them by using the same mannerisms they have and you'll do fine.
Video 11 Transcript
When people greet you, they'll give you a kiss on the cheek. Male, female, whatever. They'll give you a hug and then they'll kiss your cheek. If you gain weight, they'll tell you. They mean it in a nice way. So, you don't have to point out to them that it's not nice to you. They do mean it in a loving way because for them, when you gain weight, it means that you're not poor because it means that you have food. So, it is a compliment. It's like saying you're beautiful or something or handsome if you're a dude.
Video 12 Transcript
You'll encounter a lot of Venezuelans, not all Peruvians have the same feelings towards them, but just show them love and kindness because they really do, they do need it.
Video 13 Transcript
Okay, the biggest culture tip I can give you is Peruvians love their food, and they love when you love their food, and if you don't, then you're not going to survive. So just no matter what you say, just tell them you love their food. Even if you're like, oh, I can't eat this anymore, oh, I'm sick of this, oh my gosh, why do you guys have so much rice? No, you just tell them it's delicious, and they will love you forever. Also, to all my girls out there that can't eat a lot, I would tell you, you need to learn how to be very kind and polite, but to tell them you can't eat enough, that's why I did, that's why I didn't gain like 500 pounds. But you just tell them, oh my gosh, your food's so good, unfortunately, I cannot eat all of it, could you give me a little less? Learn how to say that in Spanish, like right when you get out there, and it'll save you a lot of grief.
Video 14 Transcript
As far as like houses and things like that, they were definitely different than they are here. But what really stood out to me most about culture is realizing that people are people no matter where you're at and personalities were the same. I was more surprised to find the similarities than major differences, which was really great for me to be able to realize that we're all God's children and very similar in personalities.
Video 15 Transcript
Peruvians love to stay up late. Lots of parties. At church, when I was serving a mission there, like members would show up at 9 30 when church was supposed to start at 9 and that was like totally normal. So they're just a little bit more flexible when it comes to time, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's just different there.
Video 16 Transcript
When you're visiting a family in Peru, for a Peruvian mom, it is healthy, well, it's polite, and it is great if you can eat the whole food that the mom has prepared. For Peruvians, or for mom, Peruvian moms, being like a little bit fat, it's healthy. So, yeah, receive all the food that they are giving you. And that's a really good tip, because if you eat everything and you ask for more, what they are giving to you, they are going to love you.
Video 17 Transcript
I recommend this not only for Peru, but honestly any other country that you find yourself in. You just got to embrace it. You just got to embrace the culture, embrace the weird, embrace the different, and just try to have a good time. I spent a month in Peru with some teenagers as a part of HEFY, and the thing that... I traveled a little bit in my life, but a lot of these kids hadn't. And so when we got there, and people would find themselves thinking something was gross, or the food was weird, or just different, you just be like, hey man, this is how it is here. You just got to embrace it. You got to love it. And by the end of our trip, and by the time that we were getting ready to go home, everybody was so sad to leave, and they're so sad to leave the culture, and so sad to leave the people. So you just got to embrace it. You got to enjoy the different, because once you get home, and you're not in Peru, or you're not in another country anymore, you're going to miss it.
Video 18 Transcript
Culture Tips. Just embrace the culture. The people are so kind and so loving and they are just willing to embrace you like they see you and they just instantly love you and want to talk to you. They're very inviting. I don't think I've ever met anyone rude or just straight-up mean because they're just kind.
