Peru

I LOVED my experience in Peru! It was really the people in Peru, including my host family and fellow volunteers, that made my experience. We all get along so well its magical! I have had an amazing time exploring Cusco with them and learning about the public services in the city. If I could I would do it all over again and I would do it with ABV. ABVs design allowed me to personalize my experience so that I could go where and when I wanted to go and I could volunteer in a place that was perfect for me. ABV and Peru were truly magical!

I traveled to Peru for 3 weeks last summer with Global Leadership Adventures and was completely blown away by the experience. The programs are really cool and I highly suggest looking at their website for information on the service projects, excursions and other activities. They really focus on leadership, adventure, and cultural immersion, almost as much as they do meaningful service work. But let me try to get at a few other points you might not pick up on from the website. First, you will be completely safe. I hadn't done a trip without knowing anyone going into it, so I came into the experience more than a little nervous and wary, but there wasn't a moment where I didn't feel completely safe and secure, and that was a big deal to me. Secondly, the accommodations were great and I absolutely loved the staff that worked where we stayed. Thirdly, and one of the most important points, the mentors on the trips are absolutely fantastic. Right from the start, I felt welcomed and supported, and as the trip went on I only grew more in awe of how cool they were. My mentors are some of the best role models I've ever had and I'm still in contact with them (one even wrote one of my college recommendations). My last point is really to me what makes GLA stand out among other programs, and that is the other students. Before the trip, my friend who had done GLA Costa Rica told me that GLA attracts really cool people and I was going to make some really great friends, and that proved so true. Somehow I was lucky enough to get to explore Peru with 30 of the coolest, nicest, funniest people I had ever met. Lasting friendships just formed instantly and I'm so grateful for the friends I made on my trip. As I look at my opportunities in the future, I really don't know how anything could top my trip with GLA last summer, and as I look back on my time in Peru now, I wish every day that I could go back and relive it over and over again. I highly recommend any of Global Leadership Adventures' programs, especially Peru because it's absolutely breath-taking and 100% life-changing, and promise you won't regret going!

I went on Global Leadership Adventures' Peru: Service in the Sacred Valley trip over the summer of 2014. I had an amazing time and I believe that the experiences I had there were truly unique. My group was able to see firsthand how hard work and dedication pays off, as our service project focused on building the foundation to a greenhouse that would be used by a village outside of Cusco. The work was definitely challenging, but I feel that it shaped us as people and bettered our work ethic, and I could feel a transformation among my group members as the trip progressed. We also visited the village's school every day to spend time with the schoolchildren there, and at the end of our trip we had the amazing opportunity to watch them preform beautiful traditional Peruvian dances. Along with all the hard work we did, we also learned so much about Peru's history and culture. Global Leadership Adventures organized speakers to come in almost daily to teach us more about Peru and the things that makes it unique. I especially enjoyed taking Quechua classes because it made me feel more connected to the people there. The Peru programs, along with all of the other programs offered by Global Leadership Adventures, are filled with amazing experiences that will inspire and influence students to continue making a change, I definitely recommend this organization, and I encourage finding their Facebook page or visiting their website to learn more about their programs.

I loved the health care program in Cusco, exceeded all my expectations. I enjoyed the experience of staying with a host family, becoming more confident in my Spanish with the private Spanish lessons, and learning so much in an ambulatory care setting at the clinic. It was amazing to enjoy all the culture and history Peru had to offer.
The prior traveling and local support could not have been better. Any questions and concern were Immediately addressed, and the volunteer coordinator Beatriz was able to take me to several historical sites, tours of the city, and assistance with the volunteering at the clinic.

Coming to Cusco, I didn't know what to expect. A new country. A New Year. A new experience. What I didn't expect was a new me. Being in this city you are surrounded by culture, fellow travelers, and the most beautiful sights your eyes can see. You leave all your troubles & problems behind. Here you help people and better yourself. If you are in need of an awakening, to appreciate what you have, to realize whats important, to refuel your passion in life and meet people... Cusco is where you need to be. One thing I love about experiencing health care outside the States is how appreciative people can be for your service. And at the end of the day, they inspire you. If you feel a calling, come. Come to the city. Help the people. Rejuvenate your soul...& bring a rain jacket ;)

We just completed a volunteering program proposed by Global Crossroad in Peru.
We subscribed for a 213$ program per person as advertised on their website. after paying the 99$ initial registration fees, we received an invoice that mentions
- 293$ program fees, 28% more than advertised in the brochure
- 25$ per person for the transfer from the airport where it costs locally no more than 3$ to take a cab.
- Spanish classes that we did not ask for (and hopefully we noticed it, where other volunteers did not and where charged)
- mandatory travel insurance we did not ask for and for which we had no details.
- 5% surcharge when paying by credit card

We asked to remove the non-requested Spanish classes and the travel insurance as we had ours anyway. It took us 3 months to remove the travel insurance fees from the invoice.

But we missed noticing the increase in program fees and exaggerated transfer fees. indeed they are to be paid locally and do not appear in the balance due figures.

We actually realized when the local coordinator asked us for the money. We sent emails to GlobalCrossroad to review the invoice and instruct the coordinator to apply the original fees we subscribed for. GlobalCrossroad lost suddenly their reactivity and we had to wait for the very last day before our departure to finally get an answer, and a negative answer on top of that.

It's probably our fault not having noticed all the tricks included the invoice. That is why Iam warning everyone who intends to apply for programs with GlobalCrossroad that they should be very careful price wise. They will certainly pay a bit more than what they thought.

However, luckily, the project itself, managed by the local association was great. No regret about anything but Global Crossroad. Next time we will make sure to deal directly with local association

The most difficult thing I experienced in Peru Cusco was visiting an orphanage for children with special needs. All of them had been abandoned by their parents. The staff was working day and night to make their lives the best possible, but they desperately needed more help. The orphanage was severely understaffed, and they were dependent on volunteers' help. I urge all of you to come here and help these children, they need so much help and love. My local coordinator (Beatriz) in-country support was wonderful!. My coordinator took me on a tour of the city my first day, gave me a telephone, and was available every step of the way after that. Really really excellent! Make SURE you make time to visit Machu Picchu. It was absolutely spectacular and a must see when in Cusco. They won't exchange one dollar US bills, so make sure you have larger bills.

At first it was a bit of a shock to work with the children with special needs. They have such an unfortunate range of disabilities, and this kindergarten/pre-school is very understaffed. Many of them were also orphans. It was however really rewarding to see how much joy they still found in their everyday life, regardless of their circumstances.
My experience was great and working at the two placements I did got the opportunity to really help out with these children. I’m glad I went for as long a period as I did, as it takes time to get to know the children enough to really help them (especially the autistic and mentally challenged kids).
The coordinator was great, and helped me out with whatever I needed. She was really supportive and worked hard with me to help in my efforts to buy Christmas presents (clothes, blankets, toys) to over 400 orphans and disadvantaged children. I appreciate that a lot.

I was pleasantly surprised how nice it was to be without internet access at the national park in Peru. I had such an amazing time getting back into my body's natural rhythm, waking up at 6am with the sun and going to bed around 8pm! :)
You need to bring ALL biodegradable substances: shampoo, toothpaste, and bug spray. However, you can also support the program by buying their products once you arrive. They sell all three of these products there for 40 soles.
I had a truly eye opening 2 weeks and I have A Broader View to thanks. I learned so much from being in the jungle, and it really changed the way I think about the World. I hope I can use this experience to help better my own country!

From the moment we arrived in Cusco, and we met our coordinator Beatriz at the airport, we received ongoing, wonderful support. Beatriz shared her wealth of knowledge about the history and culture of Cusco with us whenever the opportunity arose. She helped us to settle in (banking, telephone services, where to find a laundromat, and the list goes on) Throughout our time in Cusco, we had regular contact with her. She invited the two of us and other volunteers to her home to experience a wonderful Peruvian meal. Beatriz was diligent about asking how things were going at the volunteer sites, at the host family's home, if we felt well, etc. she helped us to shop for donations for different organizations.
I truly enjoyed my time in Cusco. I volunteered at two sites and found the children to be open and loving. The whole experience was very rewarding and I would recommend volunteering abroad as something everyone should consider.