In Peru, English language skills are absolutely critical for academic and professional advancement. Everyone understands the importance of English for tourism, business, and higher education. Peruvians who do not speak English struggle to keep up with the economic success of their own country, which creates an even bigger gap between the wealthy and the poor.

During the summer of 2016, I volunteered as an English teacher in Cusco, Peru. Normally, volunteers work in local schools, community and rehabilitation centres, however, during my time there the local military base requested English teachers. So, during my three-weeks I taught English classes to about twenty-four adults (most of which were older than me) to communicate. The English project included creating lesson plans, teaching classes, one-on-one tutoring, and organising educational games and activities.

It was an extremely rewarding experience, particularly because teaching gives you instant feedback on the work that you have done. When you teach a new word, correct a sentence or help someone with their pronunciation, you can see the results immediately. There’s no better feeling that seeing a group of students speak English to each other and have fun in class. On top of that, I learnt a few things along the way, such as how to be a more effective communicator, have better time management skills, and be more self-confident.

During weekend’s I had the opportunity to do a number of activities, such as:

• Climb Machu Picchu
• Trek the Rainbow Mountain
• Bungee Jump
• Explore the local Inca museums
• Visit the local salt flats