If you're in one of the big cities: Piura, Chiclayo, Trujillo, Lima, Cusco, or Arequipa, you can probably find everything you need. Clothing is cheap here as are shoes. Bring clothes for all weather as it does in fact get very cold here. Some things that may be difficult to find are: English books and some medicines.

Don't overpack, but also remember to bring things that you can't live without, such as pictures of your family or music. If you're planning on working legally, you will need your university degree and birth certificate. Get them legalized by the Peruvian embassy/consulate before you arrive. For shipping pets, check with your airline. You will have to go to your vet and get the necessary forms in order for your pet to travel with you. Sunblock and contact solution are expensive here, so you might want to bring your own. Here are some websites that will tell you what you can and cannot bring into Peru.

Weather

Peru has three parts: the coast, the mountains and the jungle. Here in the southern hemisphere, summer is from November to February and winter runs from June to August. Although in the north, summer can start in September and end in May, in the south it may start in December and end in February. Contrary to fact, it's not always hot here. Peru is, however, at risk for earthquakes, you can find out more from the Instituto Geofisico del Peru by clicking on the "ultimo sismo" (latest earthquake) link.

However, in the mountains the seasons are the same as in the northern hemisphere. The climate is hotter in the north than the south, cool in the mountains, and hot and humid in the jungle. Lima is usually very cloudy and wet. See Weather or Semahi for the weather at the moment. There are 12 hours of sunlight year-round, so it does get cold at night even though it's close to the Equator.

El Niño hit Peru pretty badly in 1982 and then in 1997, but it wasn't as severe as in 1982. Earthquakes are common, they are usually mild, however, in 1971 there was a 7.7 one in the north.

Beating the Humidity

If you live in Lima, especially in Miraflores, you'll be battling with humidity in the winter. Some tips are to buy potpourri bags or "bola seca" and put these in your closets and dressers to help absorb the moisture and smell. Other people have uses peppercorns or rice. Be sure to change them often. Also try to keep the closet doors and dresser drawers open for air to circulate. Try airing out your flat everyday as well. If you live close to the sea, you'll have to take more dramatic measures. There are three possibilities: buy metal tubes that you plug in (put these in your closet), buy a dehumidifier, or buy a heater. All of these can be found at Hiraoka, Ace Hardware, or Sodimac. They may cost between 100 and 600 soles, but it's worth it.

Sharon de Hinojosa (naturegirl321) has lived and worked (mainly teaching English) in the US, Scotland, Spain, the Czech Republic, China, Korea, and Peru. As well as teaching short-term in Venezuela and Taiwan.

She has created The LA Job List http://www.thelajoblist.blogspot.com which lists schools, institutes and universities in 19 Latin American countries which offer English teaching positions.

Since living in Peru since August 2006, she wrote The Ultimate Peru List http://www.theultimateperulist.blogspot.com With 60 pages it's a comprehensive guide for those living in or moving to Peru.