Céline Genoud
I wished I would have stayed longer than 4 weeks! This stay was amazing and... read moreI wished I would have stayed longer than 4 weeks! This stay was amazing and the dog shelters are full of love. I enjoyed my stay here and can recommand PV to anybody who would like to know Peru at its best. I loved Cusco and the surroundings. The service you get from Marcelo is almost 24/7 which is very helpful, because you never now when you run out of gas 🙂 read less - 25 Feb 2020
Sam Schrikkema
om voor de eerste keer op reis te gaan, was het heel chill om eerst... read moreom voor de eerste keer op reis te gaan, was het heel chill om eerst voor een lange tijd op een plek te zijn. Ik heb 6 weken vrijwilligerswerk gedaan bij Peru volunteer en heb in die 6 weken veel geleerd en veel plezier gehad. Dus een perfecte start voor nieuwe avonturen in zuid-Amerika. read less - 22 Feb 2020
Alice Von Hoyos
Even though I had problems with my project before I even started, they were able... read moreEven though I had problems with my project before I even started, they were able to help me quite quickly, when I was finally there everyone was really nice and the other volunteers were really cool as well. The projects (especially the afternoon caretaking project( club Corason) ) are sooo nice and the kids were very very sweet and welcoming read less - 22 Feb 2020
otis ravenstein
I really enjoyed my stay in Cusco. Living in the PV residence one has the... read moreI really enjoyed my stay in Cusco. Living in the PV residence one has the opportunity to meet other people which are mostly friendly and open.Peru Volunteer gives you not only the chance to work on well-organized projects, but also gives you the possibility to know the country Peru in a lot of aspects (culturally and socially) by traveling or visiting interesting places. read less - 05 Feb 2020
Mara Holbach
I started travelling through South America after I had stayed at the Peru volunteer apartment... read moreI started travelling through South America after I had stayed at the Peru volunteer apartment for three months and it really helped me to get along. Not only because I improved my Spanish but also because I learned how to behave in South America. When you arrive, the coordinator explains you everything about the Peruvian live style and gives you all information about travelling around this beautiful country.I taught English in a public school where I learned more about the culture and the traditions. During the afternoon I helped to train kids of a local volleyball team. I really liked their trainer. She was one of the nicest persons I have met in Peru. All these people were so thankful for me volunteering and this made me even happier. All in all I can say, it was one of the greatest exeperiences I have ever made in life and I am really grateful for the memories. read less - 05 Jan 2020
jakob merkens
My time in Cusco with Peru Volunteer was amazing! I've been teaching English and helping... read moreMy time in Cusco with Peru Volunteer was amazing! I've been teaching English and helping in the sports lessons in a public school as well as helping in the basketball project in the afternoon for two and a half months. I had a great time and so much fun with the lovely kids while really making a difference in their lives by teaching English. It was a great feeling to see the kids making progress and how thankful they were. I also really liked helping out in the basketball project and participating myself from time to time. Marcelo, the local coordinator, is a huge help to get used to the life in Cusco. He showed us the neighborhood around the apartment and the center and gave us advice on where to get food, buy groceries or book tours to the many attractions around Cusco. He always was a big help if I had any questions problems. Living in the shared apartment with the other volunteers I made many good friends and had a comfortable place to come home to after work or trips on the weekends. I would definitely recommend you this organisation and would love to come back myself!Thank you, Marcelo and Thomas read less - 02 Jan 2020
Michel Mittelstädt-Deterding
The Peru Volunteering in Cusco was an amazing experience and I am more than thankful... read moreThe Peru Volunteering in Cusco was an amazing experience and I am more than thankful to experience such an amazing organization. It was always fun to work with the students and also the host. Also was the organisation very helpful. Marcelo showed us the city and tried to help us with the Peruvian culture. I loved to life in the apartment and think it's an amazing possibility to learn a bit more about oneself, Peru and other people. read less - 02 Jan 2020
Amy Grimberg
My stay in Cusco with Peru Volunteer was an amazing experience where I learned for... read moreMy stay in Cusco with Peru Volunteer was an amazing experience where I learned for my life. I had not only a good time with the other Volunteers in the cozy apartment but also a great time with my students. The kids were thankful and had a lot of fun with all the volunteers. You really feel like changing a little world teaching those wonderful kids. I totally recommend Peru Volunteer and reassure you a great experience where you not only find new friends but also a new home! read less - 31 Dec 2019
Julia Ackermann
If you are looking for authentic volunteering, improving your Spanish, living the Peruvian culture and... read moreIf you are looking for authentic volunteering, improving your Spanish, living the Peruvian culture and making friends from all over, this is probably the best organization you can get. I will never forget and always be grateful for the time I got to spend in Cusco with Perú Volunteer. Cusco is a gorgeous city, full of energy, culture, history and night life. There is an almost infinite amount of things to do in and around the city, from visiting Inca Ruins to exploring the jungle. While the historic city center of Cusco is beautiful, though quite touristy, the Peru Volunteer apartment is located a quick bus ride from the center, in an authentic, but nonetheless completely safe, Peruvian neighborhood. That way, you really see how people here live and get to do your grocery shopping at the nearby Mercado de Ttio, where you can get anything from fresh fruits and veggies, over meat and fish, to toothpaste and toilet paper. I assure you, the apartment will quickly feel like home. It will not only be the place you sleep and eat at, but also where you’ll play card or board games, watch Netflix, pregame and cure your hangovers - all with the amazing people who will be your roomies. Working with this organization feels like becoming part of a family, really. Marcello, one member of this family, is Peruvian, lives in Cusco and will show you around the city on your first couple of days. He also makes sure everything runs smoothly, helps with whatever you need and coordinates the volunteering projects. I taught English at a secondary school in Poroy, a small town about an hour bus ride away from Cusco. Working that far away was my choice though, Perú Volunteer also works with multiple primary and secondary schools in Cusco, which are located a lot closer to the apartment. However, I really enjoyed my work in Poroy and would highly recommend the school. You usually accompany and aid a teacher in his or her classes, but depending on the situation it can also be possible to prepare and hold your own classes. Most of the students in Poroy are actually willing and eager to learn English, and while there are always teenagers who think they are too cool for school, your work is generally highly appreciated by both teachers and students. The level of the English classes is sadly quite low, so your work does really make a difference here. Because of the long transit, I only went to school three times a week. However, it is always possible to assist in more than one project, and I chose to also work in a sports project, helping to teach girls, ages six to eight, volleyball. For them (no matter your volleyball skills, I had for instance never played on a team or in a club before), you are the most fascinating person there is. While they were a ton of work and always kept me running around court, they were also insanely cute and I will miss each and every one of them. Lastly, although I did not take a class, my Spanish improved significantly, simply by working and living in Cusco. To sum it up: both my projects were immensely rewarding, but also the experience as a whole, living in Peru, exploring Cusco and its surrounding area, going out, learning to dance salsa... let’s say, I had the time of my life and made friends I’m sure to stay in touch with 🙂 read less - 31 Dec 2019
Tim Mittelstädt
It was an machtless time, which i will never forget! This project made me feel... read moreIt was an machtless time, which i will never forget! This project made me feel like home. I felt comfortable since i arrived in the nice volunteer-apartment in cusco. Becoming friends with other volunteers, exploring Cusco and the Peruvian-culture together and practicing spanish in a very nice way!Also the experience with the kids while playing football was awesome. We had a great time and learned from each other. This organisation feels more like a family than like a organisation. Marcelo will help you to settle down in Cusco and show you around the city. I could really imagine to stay here even longer. read less - 30 Dec 2019
Yilin Z.
I came to Peru with no expectations and it happened to be one of the... read moreI came to Peru with no expectations and it happened to be one of the most fulfilling and eyes opening experiences I had. Peru Volunteer will help you with this experience. Since this is not a big organization, it is a lot more flexible on your project choice as well as your individual needs and wishes. Compared to other big organizations where everything feels more distant, with Peru Volunteer you rather feel like being part of a community. After all, everyone is there for a similar reason.The coordinator in Cusco will help you to settle in your first days and is supporting you in all aspects.I was volunteering in a local kindergarten for two months. In those two months I have not only improved my Spanish skills, learned about the Peruvian culture, but also collected countless memories with those adorable children.Thank you Peru Volunteer for making this experience happen! read less - 09 Dec 2019
Alex Born
My experience with Peru Volunteer was amazing !I spent 2 months in Cusco volunteering in... read moreMy experience with Peru Volunteer was amazing !I spent 2 months in Cusco volunteering in the kindergarten. Working with kids, practicing the language and learning everyday something new about the peruvian culture was the best part.In Peru there are many beautiful places to visit like MacchuPicchu, Rainbowmountain, Maras Moray,... on the weekend there is enough time for some trips.All in all I can say that with Peru Volunteer its easy to meet a new culture and new people from all over the world, practicing your spanish skills and supporting facilities.Thanks to Thomas and Marcelo ! read less - 06 Dec 2019
Lenja Wolf
My experience with peru volunteer was amazing. I spent two months in Cusco, living in... read moreMy experience with peru volunteer was amazing. I spent two months in Cusco, living in the comfortable apartment, located near to a really cheap market, grocery store and some restaurants. My project was only 3 minutes away. Working in the school was a great experience, the teacher I was assisting was extreamly nice and really grateful for my help. The kids loved having a volunteer and couldn't stop showing their love through hugging me and giving me little presents. Compared to other organizations (I talked to some other volunteers I met in Cusco) peru volunteer is relativley cheap, having the same or an even better service. Another important point is that the organization is really flexible, changing projects or staying longer is no problem. The local coordinater shows you around and gives you all the information you need to know about the city and the projects. He is also really helpful with your travel plans. After the city tour with him I knew all the good restaurants and places to visit. If anything happens, like getting sick you can always count on him to help you and acompany you to the hospital. Im conclusion I can only recommand this organization to any one who wants to experience the peruvian lifestyle while also doing something really helpful for the community. read less - 06 Dec 2019
Jonas Niksch
My experience in Peru was amazing thanks to Peru Volunteer. I volunteered for 3 months... read moreMy experience in Peru was amazing thanks to Peru Volunteer. I volunteered for 3 months in total in both the Teaching English project as well as the Football project at Projecto Brasil. During my stay I also had 100 hours of Spanish lessons which improved my Spanish massively and also made it a lot easier to communicate with the locals.Also I'd like to say special thanks to Marcelo the local coordinator of Peru Volunteer, who always had a helping hand in any unforeseen events. Marcelo also was a great assistance in getting to know Peruvian habits and the city of Cusco.The communication with Thomas via Skype or Mail also was perfect, giving me a clear overview what to expect and answering all open questions. All in all, I just can recommend volunteering with this organisation if you have the opportunity to do so. Thanks again for everything to Marcelo and Thomas ! read less - 06 Dec 2019
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Reviews
Check out the reviews from former Peru Volunteers. In both video and written reviews, you can see and read experiences. In our video review “Why Volunteer”, you can check out the reasons and motivation to volunteer from various volunteers.
Feel free to contact us with all your questions.
Check out Valerie's video review!
Check out Raphael's video review!
Check out Chiara's video review!
Check out Marcella's video review!
6 volunteers share their reasons why they decided to volunteer in Peru. And what it meant for them.
Q & A with volunteers
Read the Q & A blog post with some of our volunteers!
My volunteer work gave me happiness and love
I stayed three months in Cusco with many other Volunteers and the coordinator, Marcelo, in two apartments in a perfect neighbourhood. I worked in a school as a sport teacher and in the afternoon in a football club. My work, especially in the School with the pupils, gave me so much happiness and love because everyone was thankful and all the pupils wanted to spent time with me. Until now I am in contact with some friends there and another teacher.
We spent our free time with doing sport, cooking, BBQs, taking some drinks in the city or just watching movies together. One great experience was the qualification of Peru for the world cup 2018. We watched the game with several thousand Peruvians at the Plaza de Armas and everyone was shouting “esta noche fuimos a mundial”.
All in all it was an awesome experience to discover a new country, learn Spanish, volunteer and develop close new friendships. Furthermore, it is possible to travel and see the great nature of Peru. Like the Rainbow mountains or to do a trip to Machu Picchu. Thanks to Thomas and Marcelo, who really cared about their volunteers and helped in every situation.
Great and unique experience
A big thank you to Thomas, Libi and Marcelo and all the other volunteers, who made my time with Peru Volunteer to such a great and unique experience of my life. I had a lot of fun and was really happy with my projects, the organisation and living with the other volunteers 🙂 Cusco became like a second home for us and it was incredibly hard to say goodbye!
An incredible experience!
I came to Peru last year having already lived in South America for some time so I did not expect to be wowed. However, the six months I spent in Cusco with Peru Volunteer ended up being an incredible experience.
Living together with the other volunteers created a basis for a lot of fun and actual friendships to be developed. Marcelo as our coordinator was always a lot of fun to spend time with! We also were lucky enough to meet Thomas who gave us a sense of how dear Peru Volunteer is to him all the people involved.
Working in the projects was one of the best times I've had in my life until this point, the feeling of walking into a classroom full of children who come running towards you to hug you and to play with you every single day is something that I had not come across before and an indescribable feeling.
Needless to say that Cusco on its own offers you a lot of culture to experience with Machu Picchu being the absolute peak of tourist attractions in all of South America. I am sad to have already left.
My time in Peru was awesome!
The accommodation was nice and perfectly situated. Besides the landscape is phenomenal. You can enjoy it by going for a run or just sitting on the roof terrace and reading a book.
I quite enjoyed my time in the school project. I was teaching English and participating in the sport classes. The kids were super cute and excited to meet new people. We had a lot of fun together and I got a first idea of how it is to teach a class. Another positive aspect is the flexibility for the volunteers. If you have any problems with your project or there is something you don’t like you can talk with your coordinator about it and together you will try to find a solution and improve your situations as best as possible.
The Spanish course in Cusco helped me a lot. I knew a bit of Spanish but I was definitely not confident in speaking to native speakers. With only two or three people and the Spanish teacher you could focus on your deficits and everybody had enough opportunities to improve their language skills. After a while you had gotten used to the language and you had no problems having everyday conversations with Peruvians.
To sum it up, I can say that my time in Peru and in the project helped me grow as a person. I am more confident in meeting new people and talking to them in a foreign language.
Learn Spanish in Cusco and volunteer in Peru
Already two weeks back home now after I’ve left Peru, where I got to learn Spanish and work with a lot of amazing children. I miss it and would love to go back sometime.
It took me a long time to find a good organization which provides volunteering work, because I guess that for a lot of those organizations’ the reason to exist is to make money, so it’s more like a company. Which doesn’t make any sense to me. But luckily someone told me about Peru Volunteer, I got in contact with Thomas and got to know something about the projects he is running in Peru, and immediately I got very excited to start there.
I wanted to come to South America in the first place, but talked myself out of it because I didn’t know how to speak any Spanish. I was and still am really surprised about the amount of Spanish you can learn in only one month! And it will only improve while you are working in your project, because outside of the volunteer house there are not too many possibilities to speak English, which doesn’t leave you a choice but to practice a lot of Spanish.
You can really make a big difference for the teacher you help, and of course for the kids. I loved working there and it was very hard for me to leave. In the weekends you will have enough time to visit other towns or to have a nice walk in the mountain.
Really enjoyed my stay!
Taking special leave from my job in order to realize my everlasting dream of a stay abroad in South America was definitely the best decision of my life so far. Apart from broadening my mind and gaining new points of view I got to know new cultures, learnt speaking another world language (that has a fascinating sound to my ears by the way). The experience during my 3-month English teaching project at a public secondary school in Cusco was incredibly enhancing for me and I could also learn to handle difficult situations - like the high level of noise - with calm. With the preceding one-month language course in Spanish I felt very comfortable to start teaching in my project. Moreover I appreciated the living side-by-side with the other volunteers. Making real new friends and exploring the interesting surrounding of Cusco with the historical grounds of the Incas is only a bit that is worth to mention. Summing up, even for me as a person who already has had more than 8 years of working experience, I benefited that much regarding my personal development and my future lifetime. I REALLY REALLY REALLY enjoyed my stay, honestly it can be labelled as the best stage of my life to the present! THANKS to Peru Volunteer and the other guys during my time there !!!!!
A really nice experience
Hi, I am Karen! I’m from Holland and I am living and working in Peru for 2 months. I have been working in one of the public schools in Cusco, together with my husband, and we gave English classes to all three 5th grades and 6th grades. We also worked as a class assistant in other classes.
I experienced that it is really important to speak Spanish well, because if you work together it’s all about communication. Because I am a nurse I also worked in a health care project together with two volunteers and a nurse of the local hospital, a really nice experience.
Besides volunteering we have also time for traveling and we saw a lot of Lima, the south of Peru and Bolivia too. Thanks to the coordinators of Peru-Volunteer, they really make an afford for everyone to have a good time!
My awesome experience with Peru Volunteer
I spent 6 months in Peru, teaching English, doing sports classes, working with disabled children and organizing vacation classes. If you want to get involved and take responsibility, the organization will give you the freedom you want, as long as your idea follows the organization's do good spirit. This doesn't just help you make experiences for a lifetime, but also progress with yourself. Work in Peru is not always easy and it is demanding at times. Peru Volunteer focuses on every person specifically, to meet their expectations of your trip as good as possible. The Spanish classes are given by lovely people, who prepare you for the volunteer work in an interactive and fun way. From a personal point of view the volunteer coordinators are great people, who try to make your stay as comfortable and close to home as possible. Also, you can always integrate amazing travels in your stay in Cusco. If you're trying to meet amazing people, be creative and make tons of good traveling experiences, you should definitely check Peru Volunteer out! Overall, I had a super good time with the organization and this amazing country! 🙂
Once-in-a-lifetime-experience
Review on 'Peru Volunteer' Felix, 21 years old, German. Well, than here we go, the big adventure PERU. After a lot of thinking I finally decided to sign up for Peru Volunteer to go with that organisation to Peru for 3 months. That was absolutely the right thing to do. Before your trip to Peru, the organisation will help you with any questions. It is for sure a good idea to arrive one or two days early in Cusco to get used to the altitude and the new time zone. You will feel the altitude in the first couple of days. You live in a cosy apartment in Cusco. Together with other volunteers you share the flat, which has dorms for girls and boys and a kitchen with everything you need. Spanish classes are great fun! You are free to decide what you do after the classes. Mostly you do something with the other volunteers, for example sports, hiking, visiting some historical places of the Incas or discovering Cusco's nightlife. I can highly recommend to go with Peru Volunteer. I lived for three months in another world which is more dirty, more complicated and more confusing than I thought. But because of that and because of the people I met and got to know, I will surely never forget my once-in-a-lifetime-experience with Peru Volunteer!
Such a good time
I had such a good time in Cusco with Peru Volunteer. I never felt uncomfortable or like nobody is there for me. Thomas answered all my questions whenever I had one and Marcelo was always very friendly, gave us many tips what we should visit here or where we should be very careful. In addition in case of illness they will take care about that. I have been here for two month and I wish I could have stayed longer. Very recommendable organisation with good projects.
I really enjoyed my time!
I really enjoyed my time in Cusco! When I arrived, Marcelo made me feel very welcome as well as all the other volunteers. The apartment is quite big and I felt comfortable there. I first did a month of Spanish classes in Libia‘s school because I wasn’t able to speak any before. I learned so much and so fast and the classes always were a lot of fun. They’re all very friendly there and help you out all the time. After my classes I had my project in the kindergarten. I enjoyed my time there a lot, the kids were all very funny and I was able to assist the teachers. For example, just generally helping the kids with any exercises they had to work on or I just played with them.
All the volunteers as well were really friendly and we had a great time together, also Marcelo was always very nice and helpful all the time!
I really recommend Peru Volunteer
I worked with Peru Volunteer for six months. My time in Peru started with a Spanish language course, where I was taught by very kind and capable teachers. At that time, I already got to know some other volunteers. I became good friends with some people of the organization and I am still in contact with them in Germany.
After the first month, I started with the volunteer projects. Besides working in the kindergarten, I also gave English classes and supported the sport teachers occasionally. That is also a point I really liked about the organization. Everything was very flexible and the coordinators were interested in what you wanted to do and how your projects worked. The coolest thing at the project in the kindergarten was the openness of the children towards the volunteers. In a short period you build close relationships with the children and they really enjoy playing with you.
During your work, you will get to difficult and challenging moments not only once. Due to language barriers and cultural differences you possibly bump into some misunderstandings. But if you are having an open attitude and you are willing to learn from these difficult situations, then you can develop yourself so much in six months with Peru Volunteer.
Personally, I can really recommend Peru Volunteer (and Cusco which is a city with a great historical atmosphere)!
Great and unforgettable time with Peru Volunteer
I stayed with "Peru Volunteer" for half a year in 2015. It was a great time because I met a lot of nice people and I got to know an amazing country with its beautiful landscape and its interesting culture. Among others, I organized English classes for children, adolescents and adults who wanted to learn the language. It was so much fun standing in front of the class and having the feeling to help these people and to enable them a better future by teaching English. The coordinators of "Peru Volunteer" were always very nice and helpful. They always tried to find a solution if there were any troubles and I never had the feeling to be left alone. Everything was well organized, as far as it is possible in Peru. Of course, you have to get used to many things in Peru which do not work as you might know it from home, but especially that makes your stay a great and unique experience! I'm glad that I decided to do my voluntary work with "Peru Volunteer". I can highly recommend this organization.
Awesome time in Cusco
Had an awesome time with Peru Volunteer in Cusco! Coming to Peru not speaking Spanish was actually not a problem, because I learned a lot in the Spanish course. Getting the opportunity to see Machu Picchu was also among my favorite moments along with the multiple hours I spent at Colegio de Fatima, the school I helped at. An awesome school with great students and a delicious cafeteria.
Thanks so much to Thomas and Marcelo especially, who made it very easy to get accustomed to life in Cusco!
Hope to come back at some point!
Exploring Peru
To go to Peru was one of the best decision I have made so far and to go with Peru volunteer made my stay in this amazing country even better. This organization showed me Peru from a completely different side, than you can experience it when you are a tourist there. I really enjoyed working with the kids, it was a new situation for me standing in front of a class, but they gave me all the help I needed and made me feel comfortable. What I really appreciate about Peru Volunteer is, that everything is so personal there. They support you in the projects, give you help and tips when you need some and you really recognize that they care about you and are trying to make your time in Peru unforgettable. I am so thankful that I had the chance to make all this experience and to meet all this amazing people.
Would love to go back sometime
Already two weeks back home now after I’ve left Calca and Cusco where I got to learn Spanish and work with a lot of amazing children. I miss it and would love to go back sometime. I worked for Peru Volunteer as an English teacher and assisted in Sports and English classes in Calca for two months from May to June in 2015.
Overall it was a nice experience and especially when teaching English, I got the impression that you can contribute very positively to the education of young Peruvian pupils. However living in a foreign country requires to a certain extent that you adopt local habits. So you have to live with the fact that it is sometimes not easy to coordinate your own lessons. Sometimes the room is not available or there is another project your pupils are involved in, you are not aware of. It seems that things in general are not that organized as they are in Europe. On the other hand this is also a part a volunteer can make a positive contribution, helping the school in organizing things.
The Peruvian people are very friendly and integrate you in their community, if they feel your intention to help them. In class it can be very noisy, but all in all it is a pleasure to work with Peruvian pupils. Besides my role as a teacher, some regard you as a kind of friend.
Wonderful social projects
Ich heiße Martha und war 2014 von Oktober bis Dezember in Peru Teil eines wundervollen sozialen Projektes. Begonnen hat alles mit einem einmonatigen Sprachkurs. Ich hatte Spanischunterricht schon vorher in der Schule, jedoch glaube ich das nichts effektiver ist als von einem Einheimischen im Land selbst eine Sprache zu lernen. Der Spanischkurs hat mir beim Projekt und auch beim alltäglichen Leben in Peru sehr geholfen.
Während dem Projekt habe ich in in dem Dorf Calca mit noch anderen Volontären gelebt. Wir sind dadurch alle sehr zusammengewachsen und es war eine lustige Zeit miteinander. Unterrichtet habe ich an verschiedenen Schulen Sport und Englisch entweder alleine, mit einem Lehrer oder einem anderen Voluntär. Die Arbeit an den Schulen hat viel Spaß gemacht, war manchmal anstrengend und teilweise sehr bewegend. Gut war, das während dem Projekt eigentlich immer auf unsere Probleme und Anregungen zur Gestaltung des Projekts eingegangen wurde und auch meine Zeit und den Unterricht konnte ich selbst gestalten.
Peru ist ein einzigartiges, vielseitiges, buntes Land, welches aber auch einige Schattenseiten hat. Ich kann jedem empfehlen sich von diesem Land und seiner Kultur mitnehmen zu lassen. Vor allem durch das Voluntariat und alles darum habe ich unglaubliche Erfahrungen gemacht, bin selbstständiger geworden und habe viele sehr gute neue Freunde kennengelernt und mich selbst weiter entwickelt.
3 months Cusco
I followed one month of Spanish language course and two months volunteering. The whole project was an experience i definitely would not have liked to miss in my life. I loved the beautiful city Cusco - the lifestyle, the locals, the nature...and I would really recommend the project - Cusco is a perfect place to study Spanish and enjoy life! I will definitely come back again!
Saw a beautiful different culture
My time in Peru was full of new impressions, nice people and a lot of experiences. I learned Spanish in the beginners' course and after 4 weeks I was already able to speak with the native people.
Most I liked my time in Calca, where I worked at the Kindergarten and school. I starts at the first day, when the Kindergarten was opened after the summer break, and could help to get the new children used to the new situation. It was their first time without their moms and so I had to do a lot, to help them feel good. And in the end no children cried anymore. The trust of the children felt very good and I'm glad, that I was a support for the teacher and children.
In school I worked in a first class together with a very nice teacher. We corrected the first letters and started with mathematics. But most of the children started to ask me every time they saw me: “Do you speak English? What's my name in English?” It took a lot of time to calm them down. In the end I was a normal part of the school and could help.
Like everything in Peru it took time to get used to my new learned Spanish, but after a while when I went to the market, I noticed I didn't need to speak English anymore.
Overall I like to remember the time and the people I met, learned a new language and saw a beautiful, different and cordially culture.
Gran tiempo en Cusco
Pasé un gran tiempo en Cusco con un grupo de voluntarios maravillosos. Cusco es una ciudad y region súper bonita y disfruté de cada día allí. Muchas gracias por todo a Marcelo y Thomas. Los proyectos son buenos, la gente es simpática y tenía mucho tiempo para viajar. Mucha suerte para todos que están ahora en perú o que quieren ir por allí!
Combination of work and fun
I volunteered for about 3 months with Peru Volunteer after having a really amazing month learning Spanish in Cusco, which is a really nice city with many opportunities for cultural events but also parties and meeting new people. From my first day there I felt home, mostly because of the nice coordinators that always helped to organize and told you about the best places to go, and because of the other volunteers. My time in the projects (volleyball, teaching English) was a lot of fun. A lot of work as well, of course, but I always enjoyed doing it. The children were amazing, as were the teachers who always tried helping us if there were any problems in class. Afterwards, I spent two months traveling through South America and that was really worth it. I would recommend doing that after the projects to everyone of you!
Exploring life
Between February 2016 and July 2016, I volunteered for Peru Volunteer. I had an amazing time in which I got to know a lot of different people. Peru Volunteer gave me the chance to be active in several sport programmes. In the end I organised a Marathon, gave sport classes to first graders and I was responsible for my own football team. It was nice that I could partially decide how I wanted to spend my voluntary period. Peru Volunteer had the contacts and from there on I could decide in which direction I wanted to go with my Voluntary work. I appreciated that they gave me the foundation from which I could explore my own passions and preferences. Peru Volunteers staff takes time for personal contact. They organised one on one conversations with you in order to share expectations and discuss if you are still enjoying your voluntary period. All in all a great organisation if you want to get to know yourself better, meet new people and want to do good for the local communities in Peru.
Teaching English and Football coach
Staying with Peru Volunteer is a great way to have an adventurous experience during your holidays in Peru. We lived together in an apartment in a safe neighborhood near a local market, where you can find lots of exotic and delicious fruits, vegetables and smoothies.
During my stay of two months, I was volunteering as an English teacher at a girls school and as a football coach at a local football club. The culture is a lot different to the European culture but it was one of the greatest experience during my stay, to learn lots of local habits and get completely into the Peruvian culture.
Peru Volunteer is a great organization which is perfectly organized. Our local coordinator introduced us to lots of local restaurants/food, sights and habits and he went out with us as well. He became a real friend who was there for us 24/7. During the stay, we were free, to do sightseeing and trips through Peru. I highly recommend Peru-Volunteer to everyone who wants to learn everything about the typical Peruvian way of life and wants to help at the same time. I would like to come back one day!
3 months full of love
I spent three months with the organization Peru Volunteer. Three months full of sharing love, getting to know amazing people and exploring an incredible city, Cusco. In addition, the time here helped me a lot to improve my Spanish skills.
I volunteered in two projects; The Dog Shelter and Kusi Wasi, an orphanage for children with special needs. At the dog shelter my tasks included to clean everything, give food and water to every dog and then a looot of cuddling and playing with them. As the dogs are so lovely, I would not miss the chance to take some of them for a walk in my free time and enjoy the beautiful landscapes together.
At the orphanage the day usually started with twenty kids and youngsters screaming hola (or just screaming) and hugging me. Afterwards there are several activities we did like painting, going to a park, dancing, learning numbers or playing with some toys in the garden. If you have got your own ideas, everyone is happy when you bring them in! The children get used to your presence very quickly and will share their world with you. Patience is definitely necessary in this project, but way more important is the will to share and receive tons of love! As there are children and youngster with various disabilities and of different ages it is not always easy, but it gets easier as there are more helping hands. Some of the children lived through a terrible past but they don't give up and seeing them laugh was one of the best experiences in my life. If you have the chance to go to Kusiwasi, go there, it is unforgettable.
The apartment the volunteers of Peru Volunteer live at is very cozy and provides everything you need. I really liked its neighborhood as there is a big market where you can get some fresh juice and fruits or legumes all the time. If there are any insecurities, Marcelo the volunteer coordinator is always there to help you. Cusco is the perfect city to do some sightseeing, visiting museums, getting to know the amazing story of the Incas, drinking a coffee at its beautiful Plaza de Armas, doing party and waaay more. Muchas gracias Peru Volunteer!