Kindergarten Experience in Peru, Cajamarca
Get up close and personal with the local pre-schoolers of rural Peru and help out with daily activities around their kindergarten! Aside from helping out in the day-to-day operations you will also be asked to teach the children English through fun activities and make their learning experience enjoyable and beneficial. The children are between 2-4 years old and are eager to learn and interact with you!
Please note this is currently on hold. Please look for other trips in South America.
To book an activity with us we require you to participate for a minimum of two weeks. Therefore, you would need to book a quantity of two for this activity, unless you choose a separate activity to go with it. See the ‘Related trips…’ section for more options
Kindergarten Experience in Cajamarca, Peru
Our main area of work will be in Kindergartens around Cajamarca, all are government run with limited funds in Baños del Inca and one of seven in total in the Cajamarca area targeting low-income families who cannot afford childcare. You can expect your school to have around 10-15 children. Depending on the community’s needs, you may be assigned to the other kindergartens in the area that need your assistance. Your role will involve looking after the children, managing classes, assisting local staff with caretaking, playing games, guiding activities whilst teaching them basic English along the way. All participants must have a sense of initiative and understand that teachers at the project might not speak the same language.
CRB/DBS (Criminal Records Bureau) Check
It is required that participants complete a CRB/DBS (Criminal Records Bureau) check in order to take part in this project. We can provide this service for you at an additional cost because some people may already have one that is valid (please get in touch for more details).
Start dates are every week of the year with your activities starting on a Monday. We therefore request you arrive anytime on the Saturday or the Sunday. Participants arriving on Saturday will need to book an extra night in our accommodation.
Your trip will finish on the Saturday morning when you will need to vacate the accommodation.
Min duration (weeks): 1
- Engage with the local children and teach them basic English
- Give you practical experience in teaching children
- Assist and support the local kindergarten staff in their daily operations
Additional Equipment
No specific equipment required for this program, but you are more than welcome to bring teaching materials for your class!
Location
You will be staying in the district of Puyllucana which is a small village found in the east-northern part of Cajamarca.It is a beautiful location with great weather and friendly locals. Located only a short distance away from Cajamarca city (Capital and largest city of Peru’s Cajamarca Region, enriched in culture and history), this quiet location provides a relaxing atmosphere after a day out. The accommodation has a beautiful view of the Andes Mountain Range and is close to the Amazon Rainforest, it will bring you back to South American nature!
Accommodation & Food
You will be staying in our accommodation centre in Puyllucana, Rural Cajamarca countryside. The house is made with traditional materials such as adobe and stone, it also has a large garden. Wi-Fi will be available only in common areas. We recommend also using 3G data if staying connected is important to you. All participants are expected to be environmentally aware and to use all resources with restraint, especially water, paper and electricity. Although rooms will be cleaned daily by staff, you will be expected to clean up after yourself, and to play your part to keep accommodation neat and organised.
Available Room Types
|
|
Standard Room |
|
All meals included |
Yes * |
|
Free beverages |
Yes ** |
|
Persons per room |
3-5 |
|
Wifi in public areas |
Yes |
|
Laundry facilities |
Yes *** |
|
Safety box |
No |
|
Lockable rooms |
No |
|
Hot shower |
Yes |
|
Private bathroom |
No |
|
Bed linen |
Yes |
|
Towels |
No |
|
Heating |
No |
* 3 meals on weekdays, 2 on weekends
** Tea, Coffee, drinking water
*** For a small fee
Food Arrangements
The food will be typically Peruvian meaning lots of corn, beans, rice, chili peppers, potatoes, wheat, and other grains, all very vegetarian friendly. Keep in mind that some local dishes may be spicy!
Facilities
Eateries
Although there are many restaurants around this small town, “Menu centres” are a cheaper popular local choice. Known as a “Menu”, here you are offered soup and entrees before digging into your main meal and are usually accompanied by a drink, usually made from barley or tropical fruit. Menus have a smaller range of food, but are cheaper and more convenient. They act as the ‘fast food’ for the locals, who tend to dislike western fast food outlets.
Shops
Local shops are within walking distance. A short walk from our accommodation site will bring you to convenience local shops, for all your immediate shopping needs
Transportation
Our accommodation is about 3.10 Km from the main square of Baños del Inca. This is roughly 8 km, about 30-40 minutes away from the Cajamarca city center by public transportation. “Moto-taxis” are also available for quick rides around town (up to 3 people round trip cost Banos del Inca 2 – 3 soles)
Internet use
There is Wi-Fi in your rooms as well as public areas at your accommodation, but there is also an internet cafe in the main township where you can access wifi from when you are not at the centre.
Money
There are numerous shops and ATMs in the center of town.
Medical
We will have a basic first aid kit on site, but there is a clinic available in Banos del Inca. A hospital and various clinics are in nearby Cajamarca for any emergencies or health issues that may arise.
Mandatory Orientation Day
On the Monday of your first week at this location, you will join our orientation day, to familiarize you with the surroundings as well as local culture. Your program will continue as usual from Tuesday onward throughout the rest of the week.
Schedule
- Introduction meeting, House rules, Setting Expectations, Health and Safety Advice and handling of documents.
- Peruvian Do’s and Don’ts,Peruvian Culture Lessons and Spanish Language Lessons.
- Tour around the compound and local area; where to find local shops, and arrange a sim-card if necessary.
- Lunch
- Small hike to ‘white crosses hill’ where you can have Thermal Baths in Banos (Optional) and a massage session (Optional) .
Activities & Events
- Cooking Lessons
- Join your cook as they prepare meals for you and other participants. Take notes, learn new recipes, traditional food preservation techniques and more! Try not to spoil your dinner as you learn!
- Farm Animals
- Watch the local farmers near your accommodation, as they tend to their animals in daily rituals like shearing and milking.
Sights & Surroundings
Chiclayo
You can easily reach Chiclayo, Peru’s fourth biggest city, by public transport which is cheap and frequent. Chiclayo offers shopping centers, a cinema and nightlife, but it is also a major traffic hub in northern Peru. This makes it easy to travel on the weekends or after your program.
There are plenty of small restaurants or shops around the area. There is an active surfing community and it is easy to make local friends, we can also point you to our Tandem Skydiving program and some other events.
Huanchaco
Only 12 km outside Trujillo. Once a quiet fishing hamlet, the town is now one of the best places for surfing.
Trujillo
Founded by Francisco Pizarro in 1534, Trujillo has 709,500 inhabitants. It is the home of the beautiful Plaza de Armas and its glamorous colonial. 4 hrs from our accommodation, this city by the ocean is referred to as the everlasting spring, where temperature is usually 32ºC, and where the very important Festival de la Marinera takes place.
Having said that, the main reason why most people pass through this coastal city is to visit one of Peru’s top-attractions: the Chimú adobe city of Chan Chan.
Chan Chan
Built around AD 1300, Chan Chan is the largest pre-Columbian city in the Americas, and the largest adobe city in the world. You can visit it by taking a combi from C/España. The ticket (10 S) includes entrance to the Nik-An temple, the Chan Chan museum, the Huaca la Esmeralda and the Huaca Arco Iris.
A bit further from the city, the Huaca del Sol y la Luna is over 700 years older than Chan Chan and belongs to the Moche culture. The temple is filled with icons representing Ai-Apaec, the god of the mountains, feared for provoking phenomena like El Niño. To stop him from sending heavy rains, the Moches would offer him human sacrifices.
Kuntur Wasi
The ruins of a religious structure in Peru’s northern highlands only 2 hours from our accommodation.
Cajabamba, Huamachuco
Located 5 hours away is a northern Peru town, rich with history, politics, religion, culture and hometown of the international famous muralist Jose Sabogal. Here, you can also visit unspoiled archeology sites and old monuments.
Bambamarca and Chota
Located 3 and 4 hours away, respectively, these towns are known for their festive activities in the months of June/July.
Leymebamba and La congona
Six hrs driving up north, with a little more than 4000 souls, Leymebamba is the perfect, quiet place to try visit La Congona, it can be reached on foot by hiking uphill from Leymebamba.
Museum of Leymebamba is just half an hour walking from Leymebamba. Inaugurated in June 2000, the Museo Leymebamba displays more than 200 mummies and their burial offerings recovered in 1997 from the Laguna de los Cóndores by a salvage Project directed by Centro Mallqui. Once at risk from looters and vandals, today this valuable collection is housed in the Museo Leymebamba. An initiative of The Bioanthropology Foundation Peru-Centro Mallqui, construction of the Museo Leymebamba was made possible by a donation from a group of Austrian citizens, as well as by funds from other private donors.
Chachapoyas
Also known as the Warrior of the Clouds, the Chachapoyas were a pre-Incan civilisation who lived in the cloud forests of present-day Peru. Chachapoyas contains intriguing archeological sites to explore, however the drive is 12 hours away from our Center, so good planning will be required.
Kuelap: The second Machu Picchu
Famous fortress of the mystic “cloud warriors”. One of the very few places never conquered by the Incas. Visitors describing Kuelap indicate that it is “as impressive as Machu Picchu” while it is by far not as crowded or expensive.
The government just recently decided to invest heavily into tourist infrastructure around Kuelap. Be one of the last persons discovering it while it is still relatively unknown!
Gocta
The waterfall of Gocta (771m) is amongst the highest in the world. Although methods of measurement are debatable, it got recognized as the world’s third highest waterfall, right after Angel Falls (Venezuela) & Tugela Falls (South Africa). Combine your visit with Kuelap and pick Chachapoyas as your homebase to have an adventurous weekend!
Transportation
From this location we provide free transport to your next program at the following location(s):
- Lambayeque (Chiclayo)
- Huanchaco
- Chiclayo
Accommodation
Volunteer camp with shared rooms (3-5 people per room); Basic but comfortable; You will be staying in our accommodation center in Puyllucana, Rural Cajamarca countryside. The house is made with traditional materials such as adobe and stone, it also has a large garden. Wi-Fi will be available only in common areas. We recommend also using 3G data if staying connected is important to you.
All participants are expected to be environmentally aware and to use all resources with restraint, especially water, paper and electricity. Although rooms will be cleaned daily by staff, you will be expected to clean up after yourself, and to play your part to keep accommodation neat and organised.
Food
3 meals a day are provided on weekdays, and then 2 meals per day on weekends; the food will be typically Peruvian meaning lots of corn, beans, rice, chili peppers, potatoes, wheat, and other grains, all very vegetarian friendly. Keep in mind that some local dishes may be spicy!
Training
A full orientation and project induction takes place. You will also receive full training relevant to your volunteer role.
Support
Pre-departure help and advice; Local in-country team; 24 hour emergency support.
Donation
Part of your fee is used to buy decent equipment for the project and community you work with. If you wish to bring further donation, please make sure that this is in the form of equipment and not monetary donations.
Airport Transfers
Transfers from all airports EXCEPT FOR (LIM) Jorge Chávez International Airport are included.
- Flights
- Travel Insurance
- Visas
- Vaccinations
- Spending money
- In country travel
- Laundry service
- Extra activities not on itinerary
- Departure transfer
Preferred Duration
The Programme is a minimum of one week long. There is no preferred duration but we believe that the longer you can stay the more you will experience and benefit.
Pre-requisites
No prior experience or qualifications are required and it is important that you can speak English. All participants require a CRB/DBS check to take part in the project activities.
Ideal for
- Volunteer Holidays and Placements in Peru
- Community Work and Activity Breaks in Peru
- Volunteer Gap Years and Career Breaks in Peru
- Student Summer Holidays in Peru
- Cultural experience Peru
- TEFL Peru
Suitable for ages 18 to 80
Most participants are between 18 and 25, so please be aware of this. We do welcome older people because of the value and experience they bring to the community. Participants below 18 require parental consent and participants above 65 require medical clearance to take part in the project.
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