Inca Summer Venture

• Overview & Itinerary
• Phase 1
• Phase 2
• Phase 3
• UK Travel Safety Course
• Skills & Experiences
• Field conditions
• Dates & Prices
• Image Gallery

Summer Ventures > Inca Summer Venture                                                               <<   Page 2 of 9   >>

Phase1:
Spanish Language School,
Homestay & Cultural Orientation

Weeks 1 & 2

“My Spanish improved loads. The more I chatted the more the teaching made sense. Being able to communicate with the locals improved my experiences so much. I didn’t go to South America for the Spanish, but ended up loving it.”

David Apsimon, Inca 05

2 week intensive Spanish language course “Learning Spanish in South America”. An introduction to:

• Peruvian cookery
• Salsa Dancing
• Latin literature and cinema
• Inca culture in the heart of the empire

The Venture begins in Cusco, the naval of the universe, as the Incas called it. We join the Amigos language school to kick-start our Spanish skills. Amigos is a not-for-profit organisation established to teach Spanish to visitors and teach English to local street children. The fees we pay to the school subsidise the local children’s English lessons.

In the mornings we split into small groups each with its own local language teacher, so whether you’re a complete beginner or already fluent there will be ample opportunity to develop your Spanish skills. Lessons are informal, with an emphasis on speaking Spanish as much as possible: just “having a go” all the time is far more important than constructing perfect verb endings! The afternoons are free to join the Amigos street children project. This gives you a great chance to try out your Spanish on the kids, whilst helping them to learn English – a crucial skill if they are to gain employment in the future.

There is also plenty of time to visit Cusco’s museums and galleries, marvel at the town’s remarkable Inca stonework and explore its many cafés, shops and parks. In the evenings it’s time to hit the salsa clubs and bars. You’ll be amazed how much Spanish you can remember when you need to order a beer!

At weekends we explore Cusco’s surrounding regions including the Sacred Valley. The Inca ceremonial site Sacsayhuaman (pronounced “sexy-woman”) with its perfect walls made from 130 tonne stone blocks is a “must-see”. As is the amphitheatre Qenqo with its hollowed-out stone altar and zigzag channels to drain away the sacrificial blood! Nice! And there’s white-water rafting and mountain biking to blow away the cobwebs.

Throughout this phase of the Venture we stay with Spanish-speaking local families. You can choose whether to stay on your own, or with a couple of other Venturers; either way your new family will be eager for you to practice your Spanish on them! Living with a family is also the perfect way to discover more about modern Inca culture.

Note:
For Spanish speakers it is possible to join Inca Summer Venture at the start of week 3, omitting the language school. Please contact VentureCo for further details.

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