Further Information
Volunteer to Teach Indigenous Children in Ecuador - PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS PROGRAM IS NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE

About Otavalo

Otavalo has been one of the most important textile markets and trading posts in the Andes since 500BC. It is situated at the foot of the Imbabura volcano, next to the San Pablo Lake, with the Cotacachi volcano looming in the distance. Today, with a population of under 50,000, Otavalo’s paved streets are teeming with colour, especially as the indigenous people descend to sell their wares in the Plaza de Ponchos. There are several internet cafes, bars and restaurants to relax in, and beautiful parks to sit and watch the world go by, listening to local folkloric pipe music and marvelling at the traditional dress still worn today by the majority of the population.

The Spanish Classes

Spanish classes are ESSENTIAL for those Volunteers with no previous Spanish experience and highly recommended for those who want to brush up on their Spanish language. For those taking Spanish classes, you have forty hours of one-on-one Spanish classes, which are flexible to your level and start from basic to advanced. The lessons take place in an excellent Spanish school in the centre of Otavalo. The classes are structured to give you everyday conversation and grammar, and also an insight into the type of Spanish you will need to teach the lessons. You will be taking 4-6 hours of Spanish lessons per day from Monday to Friday for your two weeks. Volunteers will then complete their hours as 2-hour classes to be taken during the course of their stay, after school has finished in their community