As a volunteer English teacher you will work in public or private schools teaching basic English for 2-3 hours a day [six days a week] to students between six and thirteen years old. You can expect to have large classes and you may be asked to assist in other school activities. Working in the orphanage offers the opportunities to share your time, love, and passion for those children who have rarely experienced love in their life.

Most schools in Peru follow a trimester schedule.

The first trimester: the last week of March to the last week of June;
The second trimester: the first week of July to the last week of September;
The third trimester: the last week of September to the middle of December.
Remarks: Schools are closed for summer break from mid-December to mid-March.

There are no specific qualifications needed to join Rustic Volunteer Travel's volunteer teaching English project in Peru . However, volunteers must be able to act as good role models for the children. While Spanish is preferred it is not required.

Rustic Volunteer Travel arranges volunteer meals, accommodations and strong field supervision for the duration of projects and optional travel packages. In Peru, most volunteers stay in our homebase, a permanent home established for our international volunteers . Our home base in Peru is located in a pretty community, in a very safe and clean neighborhood. There are internet cafés, restaurants, local bus stations, a police station and supermarkets near our homebase. The homebase provides is a comfortable place to relax after a long day. There are several bedrooms (which may be shared with a same-gender volunteer) and community areas. There is a shared kitchen, television and shared bathrooms, which have running water and “western-style” toilets.

Depending on the influx of volunteers, accommodations could be with a host family. Host family accommodations are simple and clean homes in safe neighborhoods. Volunteers usually have a private bedroom, but occasionally rooms will be shared with a same-gender volunteer. Our host families are well screened and are respected members of their communities who live in affluent neighborhoods. Most of our host families have experience with hosting international volunteers. Host family stays are a great chance for cultural immersion and exchange.

Volunteers receive three local meals per day (breakfast, lunch and dinner). We can provide vegetarian meal options, but needs must be detailed in a volunteer's application. Snacks and beverages outside of mealtimes are not provided; however, there are local restaurants and grocery stores near the residences in which we place volunteers.

Rustic offers unparalleled field support to volunteers to ensure a safe and rewarding experience. There are many layers of support for you. The most important support comes from our country coordinator/field staff. The secondary support comes from the host project staff and members of host families and/or a homebase staff. Volunteers will have access to our country coordinator's mobile number and they are available 24/7. Throughout the volunteer project, our local staff stays in contact with volunteers either with face-to-face visits or via email/telephone. Our field staff will visit regularly (every 2-4 weeks) to make sure things are going well and as planned. However, if placement is far from our local offices, staff members will stay in touch via email/ phone. Volunteers are also welcome to stop in the offices at any time.

Specific details regarding accommodations, food and contact details for our local coordinator will be provided in personalized volunteer placement documentation prior to arrival.

Teaching English projects are available in Cusco (Peru 's most enigmatic city and capital of Inca empire), Urubamba (The “ Pearl of the Vilcanota”, located in Peru 's lush Sacred Valley), Trujillo (home to the Floral Spring Festival, Chimu mud city of Chan Chan), Arequipa (The “ White City ”; Peru 's second largest city and home to the Misti volcano), Lima (Peru 's capital city, Lomas de Lachay, Plaza de Armas) and Huancayo (A busy commercial and tourist city in the Mantaro Valley). Known for being creative and also hard-working people, most Peruvians are great nationalists and love their country with pride (largely stemming from Peru's history as the center of both the Inca Empire and Spain's South American Empire). They are however ggenerally very friendly, peaceful and helpful. Peru is full of contrasts: from traditional culture and history to modern urban infrastructure and much of the amenities you would expect from a city.

Volunteers can organize different possible excursions during and after the project to visit places of interest. There is a tourist infrastructure already in place the volunteer can use during weekends. For example: natural reserves, whitewater rafting, museums, historical mansions, famous ruins, volcanoes, canyons (larger than the Grand Canyon) markets, and many more.