The most common language in Peru’s Junín region is Spanish, otherwise known as Castellano. However, in addition to Spanish, the language of the Incan Empire, Quechua, is also commonly spoken among the older generations in my village and is the dominant language for more remote communities nearby. Aside from Castellano and Quechua, there are 46 other indigenous languages spoken in Peru, which date back to pre-Incan civilizations. This goes to show that Perú has a rich linguistic and cultural diversity.
In Peru, the currency used is the sol, which has an exchange rate of about one US dollar to 3.75 soles. Unlike US currency, often featuring presidents, Peruvian bills feature artists, an Indigenous writer and a historian, as well as culturally significant flora and fauna. For example, you’ll find a jaguar, a vicuña (a relative to a llama), a cantuta flower, an orchid and a cóndor (a majestic Andean bird) all featured on Peruvian currency.
A bottle of water can cost between 2 to 5 soles, or in dollars, about 50 cents to $1.30.
