Level of Spanish Required
Since you will be volunteering in Bolivia, we recommend that you have basic Spanish when you arrive and intermediate if you are planning on doing a special project. Many of our volunteers take Spanish lessons while volunteering which greatly improves their experience and effectiveness within the community. There are 2 teachers that have worked with volunteers in the past that we can recommend.
Accommodation
Our volunteers live in the city of Cochabamba, Bolivia and commute to the Proyecto Horizonte community each day (public transport: 30-45 minutes). Volunteers are required to cover their own living (room & board) costs, but we are able to provide guidance in finding short or long-term accommodation.
Living in Bolivia
Cochabamba, Bolivia is city of about 1 million people. It has experienced rapid growth in the last several decades and is now a bustling small city. You can find basically all of the comforts of home in Cochabamba but will still be treated to a different way of life and a distinct South American culture. Food is not a problem in the city as there are a wide variety of small shops, larger grocery stores, many outdoor markets and of course the largest open air market in all of South America: the Cancha. Vegetarians should have no problem finding suitable food to cook at home and there are even several restaurants serving vegetarian meals in the city. General medical care is easily found and for the most part is quality care.
People are quite laid back and levels of crime are fairly low in the city. It is always recommended to observe caution when walking by yourself at night or in places like the Cancha, but if you abide by general safety standards you shouldn’t have problems. While the city is growing, it is still very manageable by foot. If you don’t fancy walking everywhere, a wide variety of public transportation in the way of buses and taxis are available.
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