Seeds of Hope, Huaraz, Peru

This is a fantastic placement. The centre is right in the middle of Huaraz, so that you have everything you might want or need at your finger tips. The accommodation, although not luxurious, is comfortable and again, it provides everything you might need. There is hot water and very good wifi! I volunteered during their long summer holidays, so that we only worked during the mornings with the children. We did also teach English to adults in the evenings, but as this was shared, it meant that you do not work every evening. It is the interaction with the children and the adults that make this placement so rewarding. The children are very responsive and enjoy meeting their new teachers. If you do not speak much Spanish, this does not matter as everyone is quick to help and to understand what you would like to say. It does though, give you a wonderful opportunity to learn Spanish and there is the possibility of having private Spanish lessons if you so wish. I found I was given a chance to be creative in what I did with the classes. We did not have to keep to a strict program but could teach them English, do art work with them and play games in a way that we found useful for them and interesting for us. My time there passed very quickly as we were busy every morning and then there was plenty to do in Huaraz for the rest of the day. At weekends, it is possible to explore the beautiful places around Huaraz which is right in the middle of the Andes. There are lots of opportunities for trekking or for tours high into the mountains. I quickly built up strong friendships with the other volunteers and was made to feel very welcome form day one, even though I was much older than any of the others there. Peru is a wonderful country. It is extremely varied in its geography and it has such a long and rich history, that there is a lot to learn about and to explore. Travelling around the country is very easy and not expensive. I spent time on my own visiting different places after I finished volunteering. I felt safe and wished I could have stayed on longer as there is so much more I want to explore. It was very easy to join tours if you do not want to be on your own. I only booked them the day before. They are a great help as you can get to places that it is difficult to go to on your own.

I would recommend this placement as it is one of the best ways of integrating into Peru.