Gringlish Details

gringlishGringlish is part of the Espaanglisch Language School and is a program developed for students who already speak some English. The program is designed to encourage students to improve their speaking ability by interacting with fellow students and English-speaking teachers.

Potential volunteers need not speak any Spanish, and can stay for as little as 15 days (but obviously, the longer the better)

 

Minimum requirements:

  • A minimum commitment of two weeks. Past volunteers have also recommended volunteers considering a longer commitment to get more out of the experience.
  • Fluent English capabilities (Preferably a native speaker)
  • Outgoing Personality: no fear of talking in front of strangers.
  • Enthusiastic and imaginative
  • 2-3 hours teaching per day – Tuesday to Friday
  • selfconfidence
  • Arrival a few days before the star of the term.
  • The ability to Culturally Adapt to a non-Western world.
  • Pre-arrival contact with Espaanglisch Manager David Mercedes. Some basic information is required before you show up. In addition in busy summer months interest in volunteering position often outweighs positions available. Therefore there is a selection process. We need to get to know you a little bit better before we can decide whether this project is suitable for you. All interested parties can always contact us at: davidmercedes@espaanglisch.com

Required Information:

a)Your name, birthdate, home country, and ideal travel dates.
b) Your first language and additional language abilities.
c) Your personal motivation to volunteer at Gringlish conversation class and why this volunteer position suits you.
d) Your personal expectations of the program. How do you imagine a typical day in Huanchaco or Trujillo and in the classroom to be? It is naturally impossible to know this with certainty, but we like to know where you are coming from to be able to take care of any needs you have. This is important for us because we want to avoid disappointments later on.
f) A resume with previous education, volunteer, travel and work experiences. The format can be non traditional.
g) Your availability: when exactly do you want to come and for how long do you want to stay? Please send everything in one go.
davidmercedes@espaanglisch.com

Benefits of this program

  • A greater understanding of the charitable framework.
  • Short time commitment (2 weeks) in comparison with other programs.
  • Free Spanish lessons in Trujillo (1 hour per week with Mercedes).
  • Tea provided during lessons.
  • No Spanish required to volunteer.
  • A unique perspective on tourism, one that allows you to interact with the locals in your own language.
  • Teaching experience is not necessary.
  • Obtain teaching experience in a foreign setting.

What do I get in return?

Of course you get some things in return. All the volunteers working for Gringlish get:

  • An equipped classroom.
  • Volunteer excursions, weekly cookouts with the local teacher and the other volunteers.
  • Free Spanish lessons in Trujillo or Huanchaco (according to your level ) in groups size maximum of 2 or 3. The lessons are 1 hour long and offered once a week.
  • Training and guidance on speaking methods, both on general practices and the normal difficulties that come up in a classroom of native Spanish speaking students. You must be able to work independently, but we are always here to address complaints and concerns that arise in the classroom.
  • Discount on the different service for all volunteers.
  • 10% on Salsa lessons with Elmo Ladero at Salsexy.
  • 20% on Peruvian Cooking Lessons with María or Ana at Ce-beache.
  • 10% on Spanish lessons with David Mercedes at Espaanglisch Spanish School in TRUJILLO or HUANCHACO.
  • 25% on surf lessons and all the equipment with Chicho Huamanchumo at Wistana Surf School, etc.).
  • Cheap long term accomodation in Huanchaco or Trujillo for all volunteers.
  • An introduction to the Trujillo and constant advice on where to go and how to get there.
  • All the tea and coffee during working hours that you can possibly stand.

Espaanglisch provides Free Spanish classes for all our our volunteers volunteers for Gringlish and Espaanglisch School in Trujillo, Chimbote and Huanchaco. Moreover, we give discounts to volunteers who work in other programs.

Volunteer Housing Options

We have different places (family houses, apartaments) where you can stay cheaply with different services and different prices.

Trujillo housing option:

In Trujillo we have cheap but nice accommodation in a family house.

Hola señora Carmen. bedroom(also the espaanglisch School -Trujillo)

 

for one person:

Private room per week s/ 90. soles (35. US$)

Things to use included in the price of the room: a bike, free use of the kitchen, internet access.Not food included.

2 beds 1 room

 

for a couple, friends or siblings:

a room ( 2 beds ) per week s/.175. soles (70. US$)

Things to use included in the price of the room: a bike, free use of the kitchen, internet access. No food included.

 

Huanchaco housing option:

we also have cheap but nice accommodation in a family house.

Hola Señora María.

for one person:

Private room per week s/.105.oo ( $ 35US)

Things to use included in the price of the room: free use of the kitchen, private bathroom. Not food included.

for a couple, friends or siblings:

a room ( 2 beds ) per week s/.203.oo ($ 68US)

Private room (one kingsize bed for a couple) per week s/.182.oo ($ 60US)

Things to use included in the price of the room: free use of the kitchen, private bathroom. Not food included.

 

 

Working Place

 

Gringlish is part of the Espaanglisch Language School and it has two different locations in the two neighboring cities of Trujillo and Huanchaco.

 

 

About Huanchaco.

 

huanchaco de noche

 

Traditional boats called "Caballitos de Totora" being used for so long by fishermen from Huanchaco.

 

botes de huanchaco

 

The school is situated in the tranquil fishing village of Huanchaco, 12 kilometers away from Trujillo, Peru’s second city. In the summer time (December till March) Huanchaco is a lot busier due to many people from Trujillo coming to the beach. Huanchaco lies in the small desert strip between the ocean and the Andes Mountain ridge. The village itself is very clean, safe and friendly. The climate is dry, hot and sunny during the day and a bit cooler at night. One classroom has space for 9 students. To be more precise the school is located 10 min. from the beach in a place called Las Lomas de Huanchaco.

 

Las Lomas de Huanchaco.

gringlish

 

About Trujillo:

 

trujillo centro

 

Hermelinda Market, the second biggest market in Perú is located in Trujillo, you will find all you need here.

(Foto taken by Maaike Van Hoye in one of our shopping day)

 

hermelinda

 

The language school is situated in David's aunt's house in Trujillo, where there are two more classrooms. This area is generally safe and it is close to the centre of the city (10 min.). In trujillo there are so many people who already speak English and the need for a conversation class is high. One of the reason why we have conversation classes is: First we use the money from gringlish to teach kids for free in Trujillo. Secondly, because we want to give an oportunity to people to practice their English with native speakers to a low price compare to different schools where is offered the same convesational classes for higher prices.We only charge 30 soles ($10 US) per month. Volunteer housing is available in Trujillo. See above. The language school in Trujillo also has long term housing, and with this money we can pay the rent of the school.

 

Please send us your application from above to volunteer with us. davidmercedes@espaanglisch.com

 

Do you want to support our school click here

 

Click here to volunteer as a sports and art teacher with kids

 

 

Some things that you must be wondering.

 

 

Do I need to be a native English speaker?

Well, to be really honest, we would prefer to have native speaking teachers for our conversation club. However, if your conversational skills in English are just fantastic, you are more than welcome to our class.

Do I need to know Spanish?

No. Because the program is only to talk to students in English. In fact, what will happen is that the students will be happy to help you teaching you some words in Spanish. Great, isn’t it?!

Do I have to pay?

No, you don’t have to pay any money for volunteering at Gringlish conversation club. In fact, we give you Spanish lessons for free in Trujillo or Huanchaco and some discounts on different services. Do I get anything paid?

No, you don’t get any money for teaching or for anything else. You do it for free.

Why do we have to write first, and can we not just read these web pages and go?

 

We must know who is coming and when, so that we can make the schools schedules up front to be able to promote classes to students.

 

What documents do I need to get to Peru?

That depends on where you are from. Generally you only need a passport and some money to survive. If you are from a country that is required from Peru to have a visa, you must have it of course. This is your own responsibility to check and prepare. Please check the conditions of your nationality regarding a visit to Peru as a tourist.

How much approximately would be my life expenses staying in Trujillo or Huanchaco, teaching?

It depends on your life style. There are many restaurants near the volunteering location (meal $1-3), and a market with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and small groceries. If you cook for yourself, all you have to spend is about $1,5 a day for food. Internet is about $0,3 hour and a half hour journey to a bigger city with hospital is $0.40. Espaanglisch can help you to find cheap long term housing in Trujillo and Huanchaco ranging between $4 and $7 per day, some with all your meals included or you can also stay in the school, a family house and with that you will be helping us to pay the rent of the school in Trujillo.

Espaanglisch School Pictures

Experience of past volunteers.

Laura Cronin, USA laura.a.cronin@gmail.com

lauraA part from our "clases de niños", we also greatly enjoyed our evening conversation class. It was the largest of our classes, but definitely the easiest to conduct. The atmosphere in the class was extremely laid back, but the easy going nature of the class gave us a chance to get to know our students. We talked about everything from family to food, from entertainment to holidays, fears and dreams. Often times I felt a bit guilty, feeling that I was gaining far more from our students than My twin sister and I could ever teach them. Sure we were able to correct their English and introduce our students to new expressions, but for an hour every night they allowed us to experience Peru through the eyes and ears of a "peruano" and that was incredible. They told family stories, explained different traditions, gave travel tips, and offered a million and one food recommendations. The class was just a perfect introduction to our time Peru.

Looking back I couldn´t have asked for a better way to spend my initial months in South America. David and Carmen thank you so much for opening your house to us. Some of my greatest memories of my time in Trujillo/Huanchaco outside of teaching took place there. Loved our lunches, miss the music, our errand runs around Trujillo and fruit trials were great, and of course our late night snacks and talks at the kitchen table. It was all so awesome! (photo taken by Amy Cronin)

Paul Ryan, Ireland piggotscross@hotmail.com

PaulBefore my experience with Espaanglisch I had never taught classes before, so I was'nt very sure what to expect. I had a mixture of feelings, from slightly worried to very excited. It was the latter that would bear fruit so to speak.I was teaching in Huanchaco,Trujillo for two months. In my first month I taught two classes, I taught a class of kids, which I taught along with Jackie Brady in Las Lomas in Huanchaco. It was good fun and a lot of the kids were eager to learn. I also taught a conversation class for students that already had a good level English and wanted to practice in real conversation. This turned out to be a great way to find out a lot about Trujillo from locals as the class is all about talking, in English of course. In February I taught a basic 2 class,which I enjoyed tremendously. The students were great, it was like teaching friends and it gave me a good experience of teaching students at that level. Overall I'd say the experience from Espaanglisch is great along with the people of Huanchaco and Trujillo, the fogatas (bonfires) the food and the (attempted) salsa and much more it was a great recipe. If anyone is thinking of joining Espaanglisch I'd say go for it!
Feel free to email me on piggotscross@hotmail.com.