Basics - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 33

Every country in South America has a take on
Carnival (known in Spanish and Portuguese as
Carnaval ); the exact time varies, but o cial celebrations
usually take place on the days before Ash Wednesday
and Lent. There are national variations, of course: in
Ecuador, for instance, the festivities are most visibly
represented by the water fights throughout the
country. There are a couple of locations where Carnaval
has become famous internationally, such as Oruro in
Bolivia and Encarnación in Paraguay. The most famous
Carnaval of all, however, is in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
This variegated event lasts for weeks before and after
the “o cial” Carnaval time and is an extravagant mix of
dance, sweat, drink, laughter and colour.
South America remains a devoutly Catholic conti-
nent, although Argentina and Uruguay are the most
secular nations - expect lots of festivals around Semana
Santa (Holy Week in Easter). Show respect and dress
modestly when entering a church or religious site.

or Guaraní in Paraguay. Typically, three types of course
are on offer: a classroom-based course, a more active
learning course through activities and excursions, or
the live-in option with a host family.

LANGUAGE SCHOOLS
Academía Latinoamericana de Español T 1 801 268 2468 (US),
W www.latinoschools.com. Spanish classes in Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia.
Amerispan T 1 800 511 0179 (US), W amerispan.com. Spanish
courses and volunteer opportunities.
Apple Languages T 703 835 9762 (US), T 01509 211612 (UK),
W applelanguages.com. High-quality Spanish schools throughout
South America.
Bridge Linguatec W bridge.edu. Spanish and Portuguese classes
in Argentina, Chile and Brazil.
Don Quijote W donquijote.org. High-quality, internationally
recognized courses offered in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and Peru.
Escuela Runawasi T 04 424 8923 (Bolivia), W runawasi.org.
Quechua, Aymara and Spanish-language and literature lessons in
Cochabamba, Bolivia.
Latin Immersion W latinimmersion.com. Spanish immersion
courses throughout the continent.
Simón Bolívar Spanish School T 07 284 4555 (Ecuador),
W bolivar2.com. Based in Cuenca, Ecuador, with courses based on
a study of the country.
Spanish Study Holidays T 01509 211612 (UK), W www
.spanishstudyholidays.com. Courses from one week to nine months.

Work and study
Opportunities for volunteer and non-
profit work abound, but be prepared to
pay something towards your upkeep. Paid
opportunities are few and far between,
and some are likely to be illegal.

Volunteering

Teaching English
Qualified English teachers with a CELTA, TEFL or
TESOL should be able to find work, but you are
strongly advised to arrange a placement before
you travel. Qualified schoolteachers from English-
speaking countries can also find teaching opportuni-
ties, and if you have a Master's degree, you can teach
at university. However, turning up and looking for
work is likely to leave you frustrated and/or violating
local laws - o cially you will require a work permit.
The British Council ( W britishcouncil.org) and the
TEFL website ( W tefl.com) each has a list of English-
teaching vacancies. Most jobs are in the larger cities.

Volunteer opportunities are available in social,
environmental and conservation work in many South
American countries, though you will be expected to
pay for the privilege. Working alongside local people
on a worthwhile project that captures your interest
can be an unforgettable experience.

VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATIONS
While many positions are organized prior to arrival, it's also possible
to pick something up on the ground through word of mouth.
Noticeboards in the more popular backpacker hostels are always
good sources of information.
Earthwatch Institute O ces worldwide, W earthwatch.org.
Long-established research company offering environmental and
social volunteer programmes throughout the continent.
Global Volunteer Network T 0800 032 5035 (UK),
W globalvolunteernetwork.org. Volunteer opportunities in eight
different community projects in Peru.
i to i Volunteering T 0800 011 1156 (UK), W i-to-i.com. Offers
everything from conservation work in the Galápagos Islands to
archeology work in Lima, Peru.
Projects Abroad T 01903 708 300 (UK), W projects-abroad.co.uk.
Teaching, conservation and community projects throughout South
America.

Language study

South America has long been a hugely popular
destination for people wishing to brush up on their
Spanish : Cusco, Peru; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Sucre,
Bolivia; and Quito, Ecuador are the most popular
destinations and a huge variety of courses and levels
is available. In Brazil, most of the large cities are great
locations for learning Portuguese . You can also learn
indigenous languages such as Quechua in Bolivia