Heythere,welcometoyourhomeawayfromhome.
Best Buddy UP! pairs exchange students with Peruvian buddies and fills the gaps between classes with real culture — food trips, weekend getaways, and friendships that outlast the semester.
Who we are
A student org built by people who were once the new kid.
We started Best Buddy UP! because arriving in a new country without a single familiar face is hard — even when the city is beautiful. Every buddy on our team was once an exchange student too, or spent a semester showing one around Lima.
No applications, just events
Show up to an event, meet people, decide if you want in — that's the whole onboarding.
Every event, a mix of both
We never run a Peruvians-only or students-only event. That's the entire point.
Monthly meetups
Rooftop hangouts, trivia nights, and language exchanges — always open.
A few trips a year
Huacachina is the big one, plus getaways to the sierra and the selva throughout the year.
The numbers
A community that keeps growing.
Exchange students welcomed
Events run since 2019
Countries represented
Peruvian buddies active
In their words
It's the people, every time.
“I landed in Lima knowing nobody. Three weeks later I had a Peruvian family away from home.”
Lena Hoffmann
Exchange student, Germany
“Being a buddy taught me more about my own country than four years of university did.”
Rodrigo Peña
Buddy, Lima
“The Cusco trip alone was worth joining for. But the friendships were the real prize.”
Amara Okafor
Exchange student, Nigeria
Don’t miss the next one.
One email a month with the next event. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.