Do you want to develop your teaching skills where it will be most appreciated?

Lima houses roughly a third of Peru’s entire population so it’s no wonder it cuts a somewhat untidy figure as it bursts at the seams. Such a big city in such a small country, Lima has experienced the predictable invasion of people from the countryside in search of a better life. As a result, parts of the city have become very overcrowded and resources can’t stretch to meet the needs of everyone. The schools we work with need volunteers to teach English to their students, as they have very limited budgets. Though underfunded, these schools still offer the children their best hope of an education and a better future, and your efforts make that more likely.

Trip Highlights:

What our projects say

Itinerary & Details

Day 1 (Friday) - Welcome to Lima (Airport code LIM)

Today you’ll fly into Lima airport and be collected by our local i-to-i team who will be waiting in the arrivals hall holding our logo!

You’ll be transferred to a friendly home stay for your first night in Peru, who will welcome you into their home and help you settle in! Our feedback shows that this is one of the highlights of the trip and a great opportunity to learn more Spanish! Depending on what time you arrive into Lima, you’ll have time to unpack and see the sights of Lima.

Tonight though, you’ll most likely be needing a good night’s sleep, so relax and we’ll check in with you in the morning.

If you aren’t able to arrange a flight to get you into Peru on the designated arrival day then we’d recommend you fly in a day early. We can arrange an early airport pick-up for you including one night’s accommodation for an additional fee. Please call us for more information.

Day 2 (Saturday) – Orientation time!

Good morning! Welcome along to your first day in Peru and an orientation to get you started.

The orientation will take place at your in country team’s residence and will take you through what it’s going to be like at your project, do’s and don’ts, how to stay safe and it’s your prime opportunity to ask any burning questions that you haven’t yet had answered. After the orientation you’ll have some time to relax and explore the local sights.

Day 3 (Sunday) – Free time

You have a free day today before starting at your project tomorrow, so make the most of it! Attend church, take a bicycle tour around Lima, browse around the shops and don’t forget to call home to let them know you’ve arrived safely!

Day 4 (Monday) – First day of your project

Well here it is! The day you’ve been waiting for! You’ll be accompanied to the project by one of our team in the morning, and introduced to the staff and children at the project. Take time to get to know everyone talk with the staff about recent findings and what is expected during your time here, it’s your fastest route to getting settled in and getting the most out of your time.

By the end of today you’ll have made new friends and have learnt several new things and skills to take away with you; and it’s still only your first day here!

Following days (Tuesday to Friday) – Carry on at your project

Don’t put too much pressure on yourself for the first few days; everything will fall in to place naturally over the time you are here and you’ll soon feel part of the furniture. The first few days are purely set out to get to know everyone and find your way around. You’ll fall very quickly in love with the place though!

Days 9 and 10 (Saturday to Sunday) – The weekend is here!

Yippee it’s the weekend! Time to get out and explore more of Lima! There’s obviously only a certain radius that you will be able to cover in two days but we recommend heading to Plaza Mayor - the center of Lima's historical area with a cathedral, palace, restaurants and lots more – just don’t forget your camera.

Miraflores is also well worth a visit - the neighbourhood that’s home to Lima’s wealthier residents and is a popular location for its beach, restaurants and clubs to dance the night away!

Make sure you also visit some of Lima’s museums as with such a rich history there is a lot to see and learn!

Following weeks

However long you are booked to stay here, the following weeks will pass by in a blur, so make the most of every day, every opportunity, and every person you meet and make lots of memories to keep with you, long after your trip has finished.

You’ll fall in love with the children and establish a routine with them over the weeks of your stay. You’ll find your way around Lima, haggle over purchases and start to feel like a local!

Your Last Day (Friday)

Your last day has come around already! We told you it would whizz by! We hope you’ve had the time of your life with us and wish you a safe onward journey from here, wherever you are heading.

Please note that the return airport transfer is not included but is easily arranged by taxi. A taxi to the airport costs around US$15 and will take around thirty minutes so please budget for this.

Project

What does the project do?

We work with several schools in Lima, Peru's capital. One school is a mixed public school that was founded in 1964, at the primary level there are 12 teachers and 24 classrooms, each class having approximately 30 children. An English teaching programme has been introduced at this level and the school needs help for this to continue.

Another school was founded in 1964 and was named in honour of a Peruvian hero who fought at the Pacific war against Chile. There are 14 teachers in the primary level and 22 teachers in the secondary level. Classrooms comprise of about 25 children, primary level and are aged 6 to 12 years and secondary level are aged 13 to 17 years.

What are the projects like?

One of the schools we work with is based in Miraflores, a neighbourhood well known as Lima's most developed areas for entertainment, shopping, sightseeing and restaurants and bars.

The other school is located in Magdalena del Mar, a quiet district, close to Miraflores.

Both of the schools are full to bursting of children desperate to learn English! Very little English is taught in schools, so the more Spanish language you have, the better you’ll settle in.

Why does the project need volunteers?

All children deserve the very best education they can imagine. The local teachers at the project are trying their best to fulfill this by themselves, but they need as much help as they can get. Your pair of hands will definitely be put to work and utilised throughout your stay!

Each of the projects needs help in different areas, but the main reason they love volunteers is because the children have the benefit of interacting with native English speakers from an early age, which increases their chances of gaining better employment as they grow older.

Activities and schedule

The main reason you are needed here is to teach English to children of different ages, from different backgrounds in the community. Your help would be appreciated for around four hours a day, Monday to Friday and the weekends are yours to spend as you please!

Project resources and advice

Our experience has taught us never to enter a classroom without stickers! Children around the world go mad for stickers in their workbooks and will work hard for them too!

Other useful ice-breakers are feathers, balloons, plastercine, flash cards, and also photos of you, your family, house and pets to incorporate in your lesson plans.

You will need to fill out a standardised CV/resume form before starting at your volunteer project which will be sent to you by email from our in-country team. Please make sure you complete and return it promptly to avoid any delays.

What exactly do i-to-i provide?

It may seem like a strange concept to pay for your volunteer experience. You'd be right if you think you shouldn't and the truth is you actually don't! Your placement is free; it's the benefits around it that you pay for. It's important to note that i-to-i is a travel company and not a charity. We provide a professional travel service. We are responsible for finding and assessing worthwhile projects across the world, preparing you for the volunteering experience and supporting you whilst you're there.

Here’s some more information about what your placement fee covers….

Project sourcing and assessment

We work with hundreds of locally run partner projects around the world and are constantly sourcing new opportunities. We visit all projects to check that they are worthwhile and legitimate and we also conduct a thorough safety assessment before we'll send volunteers there. More

Expert help-desk

Almost everyone who works for i-to-i has traveled extensively or worked overseas. This means we're a goldmine of information; we're always available to offer support and guidance before, during and after your trip.

Thorough project briefing materials

Once you book on to a project you'll receive a Welcome Pack that contains loads of general information about volunteering, about your chosen country and how to have fun and stay safe. We'll also give you advice on visas and inoculations.

Airport pickup

It can be pretty daunting arriving in a different country for the first time - especially after a long flight! If you arrive on your project start date, there'll be a welcoming face at the airport to pick you up and take you to your accommodation.

Arrival orientation

Soon after you arrive you will attend a thorough orientation with our in-country team. This is to cover important safety and security information. You'll also get some tips about sight-seeing options for your time off and maybe even learn some of the local lingo!

Accommodation and meals

Accommodation is included with all projects and meals are even included with some. We only use locally-owned and operated accommodation so that part of your placement fee is filtering back into the local economy. Most projects offer homestay, guesthouse or shared volunteer houses as standard accommodation, but some offer the chance to upgrade to a more comfortable living standard. More

Local in-country coordinators

Your in-country team will arrange a pick-up for you at the airport and will conduct your orientation upon arrival. All coordination teams are English speaking and are locals of your destination country. They won't be at your project every day, but will be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week if you need them. More

24/7 emergency support

Aside from the local support from your in-country team you'll be given access to a 24/7 emergency phone line manned by our response team in case any problem should arise while you're overseas. We also hire crisis management professionals to be on hand in case of a situation that requires additional expert support. More

Ongoing training

The safety and security of our volunteers is paramount. For this reason we provide ongoing crisis management and emergency response training to our local teams around the world. We also fly in our in-country coordinators to the UK regularly for thorough training to help them offer the best safety to the thousands of volunteers they support each year. More

Supporting our projects

We don't fund our projects directly from the project fee that you pay us. Instead we choose to support a number of projects every year through a grant scheme for tangible long-term initiatives. In the last 3 years we have distributed over US$250,000 to our most needy projects to help them in the great work they do. 

Recruiting people like you

We make no secrets of the fact that part of your placement fee is reinvested in to recruiting volunteers just like you! The volunteers recruited in one week will typically deliver over 2000 man-days of service. The difference this makes to projects overseas is immeasurable. Many of our overseas projects rely on assistance from international volunteers, so it's necessary for us to put together brochures and websites to find the people who can support them. This recruitment process is vital to ensure programs have a constant stream of reliable volunteers.

The intangible benefits

Volunteering through a company like i-to-i has a lot of intangible benefits to developing overseas communities and the individual projects that we work with. To find out more about our placements. click here

Next Steps

What we will do after you've booked:

Orientation Information

We aim to provide you with a safe and soft landing into your destination by picking you up from the airport, giving you an orientation that helps to settle you into the country as quickly as possible. It's also the best time to ask any questions you have about your time in Peru. You will arrive on the Arrival Date - Friday (Monday if taking part in the Peruvian Andes Experience) and will be met at the airport on that day (whether it is 12 in the morning or 11:59 at night. You will be taken to your accommodation where you will have the first day/night to recover from your flight.

Note: If you're arriving early we can arrange a meet and greet for you. If you require this please contact us to arrange this service. If you wish to make your own way please contact Fiorella directly for your allocated accommodation in Lima.

Your orientation will take place the next morning and will introduce you to life in Peru as well as important information about staying healthy and safe and information on getting to your project. Over lunch you will have the chance to ask any questions of the team before starting work on Monday.

Flights & Insurance

Insurance

It's important that you get adequate travel insurance for your i-to-i experience and as many of you will be working this often means standard policies won’t work. The good news is that no matter where your coming from we have already found a policy to suit you.

The best time to get your insurance is when you book your project as this means you can get a fully tailored policy exclusive to i-to-i, just ask your consultant for further details at the time of booking.

EU Customers – find out more here >>

Australian customers - find out more here >>

All other customers - find out more here >>

Flights

As with insurance we advise you get these booked as early as possible to avoid high prices and to make sure you arrive on the right day. The i-to-i team is right up to date with the best deals no matter where you’re flying from; their insider knowledge could save you some time and money.

Early Airport Pick-up

If you are arriving before your designated arrival date, we can arrange for an extra meet and greet service for you. For an extra supplement we will be there to meet you at the airport and take you to your orientation accommodation. One additional night a

The cost of this Early Pick-up service is US$ 30.00

Accommodation

What type of accommodation will I be in?

Your accommodation in Lima is based within home stays with a local family. They are all comfortable and well equipped with electricity, running water and hot showers – it’s your home away from home!

Accommodation facilities

You’ll have a shared bedroom with another participant of the same gender as you. If we aren’t able to place two people together, we’ll make sure you’re as close together as you can be. Each bedroom has two single beds and storage space for your luggage. Basic bedding will be provided but you are welcome to bring a sleeping bag if you plan to go travelling at the weekends. We’d recommend that you bring your own padlock to keep your valuables secure.

There is a shared family living space so you might like to take items such as playing cards or books to bring in to the family space. Your new family will be keen to spend time chatting and getting to know you and we’d encourage you to get as involved in family life as much as possible. The bathrooms will be on a shared basis with the family and have running water, shower and Western style toilet.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included; expect traditional (and delicious!) Peruvian meals such as: rice, beans, salad, meat, poultry, pasta, fish, etc.

Things to bring from home

Based on previous volunteer feedback, we’d recommend bringing the following items with you from home:

Where is the accommodation?

You’ll be based in Lima during your stay – the capital city of Peru! There’s so much to explore and see during your stay here that you’ll struggle to see it all.

You are within walking distance of every kind of amenity you’ll need; whether it is banks, shops, internet cafes, restaurants, bars or even hospitals, there’s nothing you’ll miss from home!

Lima itself is a beautiful city and easy to navigate. Don’t forget that you’re living with a local family who will also happily show you around and show you sights that you wouldn’t find in your guidebook, so throw it out the window!

How far is it from my project?

You have the choice between having a nice stroll in the morning or taking the public bus to your project. If you walk it takes about 30 minutes to the project or the bus takes approximately 10 minutes and will cost around US$5 each week so please budget for this cost. You’ll be accompanied on your first day and will find your way around Lima easily!