The Cusco Playbook · Land an internship abroad without the rookie mistakes

What's inside the playbook

Everything I figured out the hard way, so you don't have to.

Built from a real two month placement in Cusco, not a listicle written from a desk back home.

💸

The honest budget

Exact numbers for flights, program fees, food, laundry, and tours. What I wasted money on in week one and how I cut my burn rate to ~$400/month.

🏔️

Machu Picchu, done right

The one mistake that ruins people's trip: showing up to Aguas Calientes without tickets. Buy them the day you decide to come, and here's the system.

🫁

Surviving the altitude

11,150 feet is no joke for the first 48 hours. What actually helps, what to skip, and why you'll be fine by day three.

🗣️

Spanish that works

I went from B1 to C1 in eight weeks living with a host family. How much you really need, and what to do when it falls short.

🎒

Packing for 2 months

Two weeks of clothes + a laundromat rhythm. What I was glad I brought, what I wish I'd left in San Diego.

💵

Cash is king

Soles run Cusco. Where to change money on Av. El Sol, why Yape is everywhere, and how to dodge the commission traps.

No surprises

What two months in Cusco actually cost.

Most "study abroad" pages hide the real number. Here's mine, line by line: the kind of breakdown that lets you (or your parents) plan before you commit.

The Cusco trip, itemized

8 weeks · summer 2026 · host family housing

Round trip flights (SAN to CUZ)$1,691

Program fee + deposit$2,152

1 week of Spanish lessons$137

Food, tours, souvenirs, laundry~$780

All in~$4,760

Housing and most meals covered by the host family. Everyday burn rate landed around $400/month once I stopped living like a tourist.

Who's behind this

"I'm David, an International Business major at San Diego State, and I just did the thing everyone's nervous to do."

I went to Cusco for a marketing & communications internship through my university. I grew up in a border town speaking Spanish, but two months living with a Peruvian host family took me from conversational to genuinely fluent, graded C1 by the time I left.

I made plenty of mistakes: I splurged my first two weeks, almost botched my Machu Picchu tickets, and underestimated what 11,000 feet does to you. The Cusco Playbook is everything I'd tell a friend who's about to do the same thing, so your version goes smoother than mine did.

David

Work with me 1:1

Skip the guesswork. Get a plan built around your trip.

Book a call and we'll map your budget, your Machu Picchu booking, your application, and whatever's keeping you up at night, specific to where you're going and when. I'm in Cusco right now, so you're getting answers from someone living it, not a blog post.

A realistic budget for your dates, not a guess
The exact Machu Picchu booking move that saves people's trips
Application, packing, and altitude questions answered live
A recording and notes so you keep everything

Book your call →

Two lengths to choose from · 1:1 · limited spots while I'm abroad

$2530 minute call

$3545 minute call

Cusco Planning Call

One on one, screen share friendly, and 100% me, live from 11,150 feet. Walk away with a plan you can actually book.

🦙 Now booking 1:1 calls, live from the Andes

Get the free checklist now. Be first in line for the full playbook.

Drop your email and I'll send the Cusco Starter Checklist today, then a heads up the moment the complete guide is ready.

You're in. Talk soon. 🦙

No spam. Just the stuff that'll save you money and stress. Unsubscribe anytime.