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Academy of English, Lambayeque

 
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rizadoro



Joined: 14 Apr 2009
Posts: 8

PostPosted: Tue Jun 27, 2017 7:46 pm    Post subject: Academy of English, Lambayeque Reply with quote

This is more like volunteer work. You work mornings in an elementary school and teach one class to adults three times a week. You're not paid for the teaching. While here, you're given several hours of Spanish lessons weekly. You're also given a weekly cooking class, dance classes, and taken on excursions. Sounds good. However, you pay to live in the teachers' house which is a filthy, unsafe pit at a very noisy intersection. On several days the hours are 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

There is hot water in one of the two showers, at none of the sinks. One toilet doesn't flush and the owner of the school will not fix it or get the landlord of the house to fix it. There is no doorknob on one bathroom door. The owner of the school gives excuses such as, "My tools are at another house and I don't get there often." There are no keys for the locks on the bedroom doors, thus you can not lock your belongings in your room. The door to the balcony does not close properly and there is the possibility of someone climbing up and getting in. From a back staircase someone can break into an interior window in one of the bedrooms.

The furniture in the house is minimal and uncomfortable. The owner expects you to buy your own fan and lamps if you want them.

The owner cares nothing for the teachers, leaving them in a house without internet, a phone, potable water, all of which he had promised. He lies to the teachers, telling them that until there is internet, they can use the school's, but he won't open the building. Worst of all, the owner is condescending to the teachers, undermines them, and insults them in front of students.
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Henry IX



Joined: 15 May 2016
Posts: 19

PostPosted: Fri Jun 30, 2017 9:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Interesting to know.... by chance, I'd just sent them an e-mail requesting more info.
Who runs the scheme? An american?
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rizadoro



Joined: 14 Apr 2009
Posts: 8

PostPosted: Fri Jun 30, 2017 3:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes, he's a former military man from Utah. Most of the real work is done by his girlfriend, a Peruana, who defers completely to him.
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Mossystone



Joined: 19 Oct 2016
Posts: 1

PostPosted: Sun Aug 06, 2017 12:46 pm    Post subject: Re: Academy of English, Lambayeque Reply with quote

rizadoro wrote:
On several days the hours are 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.


Wait so you taught from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.? Also, are the excursions truely a weekly thing or do they take some weeks off? Finally, how good are the Spanish lessons? I'm looking at the school because I want to learn Spanish, but now I'm not so sure.

Thanks for posting this thread!
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rizadoro



Joined: 14 Apr 2009
Posts: 8

PostPosted: Sun Aug 06, 2017 4:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Four days out of five, teaching begins at 7:30 a.m. at an elementary school.

One day a week after lunch there is an excursion--to a museum, the beach, etc. As far as I know these are weekly.

One day a week there is a cooking class; one day a week a dance class.

The Spanish classes are taught by young Peruanas. They don't seem able to adjust the classes to ability--they just start at the lowest level, following the syllabus exactly. I am a high beginner and have studied Spanish a number of times, but they started with the alphabet. I'm way past that.

Three evenings a week, you will teach a class from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. or from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m.

So, the days are full.

It could be a good situation except the living conditions are so poor and the owner (boss) is cruel and nasty.

I did not stay long when I realized how uncomfortable and unsafe the situation was.

After my experience here, I decided I'm going to find a Spanish language school in a Spanish-speaking country, probably live with a family, and study intensively, not try to mix my language learning with teaching and not help enrich the owner of this academy.
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hrew2345



Joined: 10 May 2018
Posts: 4

PostPosted: Sat May 26, 2018 1:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Confirming rizadoro's description of the school/ living conditions.

There are Spanish classes, breakfasts + lunches, dance classes, cooking classes, excursions. They provide those things in exchange for volunteering.

The living conditions are awful. The owner of the school is exactly cruel and nasty.

Living conditions were worse when I was there. No running water, lots of excuses. (It was NOT the whole city, we found out later. He lied to us.) No window screens, curtains, or fans. You can either let a slight breeze and lots of bugs in, or keep the bugs out and bake. He will not buy any of these things.

The owner shows no respect for volunteers, and is not concerned with their well-being. He will not keep his promises.

He will not call the doctor unless you've been sick for more than a week.

Before volunteering here, be honest with yourself about what you are willing to tolerate for someone who could not care less about you. Are you willing to drop $800 on a plane ticket to live in squalor (worse than your Peruvian neighbors) for no pay.
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hrew2345



Joined: 10 May 2018
Posts: 4

PostPosted: Sat May 26, 2018 1:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ads for this school are posted by:

Academy of English Today's Language
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rizadoro



Joined: 14 Apr 2009
Posts: 8

PostPosted: Sat May 26, 2018 2:02 am    Post subject: Academy of English Reply with quote

Sorry to hear things have not improved in the last year.

The town really needs an English language school. The students are lovely. But as I wrote and as hrew2345 confirmed, Academy of English is run by a selfish, dishonest tyrant and conditions are extremely uncomfortable and dangerous.

If you want to teach in South America or in Peru, in particular, look elsewhere. You can do so much better.
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hrew2345



Joined: 10 May 2018
Posts: 4

PostPosted: Mon May 28, 2018 2:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was actually there before you. Smile Just hadn't figured out these forums.

It sounds to me like they fixed the running water (kinda sorta, after several weeks), but nothing else.

I second rizadoro. There are better places to volunteer, and much better people to work for.
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