GAP YEAR
IN PERU

Small group Spanish classes start every Monday, year round. Class schedules are available in the morning or in the afternoon. Group classes are offered at all levels, Basic through Advanced. Groups are formed based on your results on our free Spanish Placement Exam. We keep our group classes small, ranging in size from 3–8 people, though most groups average only 3–6 people. Small group classes provide a great balance between personalized attention, social interaction, and engagement.

Volunteers work in daycare facilities, community centers, and schools. Depending on your individual skills and interests, your volunteer work may vary, but generally includes supporting local project staff, providing individual attention and care for the kids, organizing games and sports, tutoring, hygiene education, and cleaning. Your love and support are the most important things for these disadvantaged children. Bring your special skills in art, music, dance, and theater—remember a child’s play is a child’s work. We encourage you to use your skills and creativity, be open-minded, and be ready to pitch-in and help out.

Teaching English projects serve underprivileged schools and communities—people who want to learn English, but who do not have the financial means to do so. International volunteers work in a variety of settings including public schools, community centers, after school programs, shelters for street children, and other educational programs for the poor. Work varies at these projects, but generally consists of creating lesson plans, teaching classes, one-on-one tutoring, and organizing educational games and activities.

In the Amazon jungle, international volunteers get involved with various types of work depending on the season and current needs of the project. Your work may be focused on reforestation, organic gardening, wildlife and animal monitoring, trail maintenance, and educational workshops for local communities.

Reforestation efforts include planting trees, shrubs, and orchids, as well as removing non-native and invasive species of bamboo. Wildlife inventories include observing and counting various species of birds, insects, amphibians, and primates.

The Andean Immersion project provides a whole new level of service learning. International volunteers are placed in an indigenous, Quechua-speaking community high in the Andes mountains, approximately 1 hour from Cusco. Volunteers live and work alongside a traditional Andean family and take part in tasks including agriculture such as raising corn and potatoes; herding animals including sheep and cows; light construction; working with kids at the local school; and traditional weaving. Your volunteer work varies based on seasonal needs and weather conditions.