Volunteers Abroad Reviews and Feedbacks

My Favorite Memory:
Meeting so many great people:  The other volunteers staying at Laura Hinosa’s – Teagan Wilkie and Jen McCoy; Rosana – the Director(?) of Pyscologia at the orphanage; ALL the orphans; the owner of the hardware store were we bought paint and brushes and glue; etc

I was surprised that….
Cuzco is such a ‘thriving’ metropolis.  Not ‘rich’ by any means, but the people seemed happy and actively working or studying.

The most difficult thing I experienced was…. Not enough time to really get to know the orphanage or to feel like I really made an impact.

My best received lesson… (??)  What I learned: Giving of yourself makes you realize how much you have that you don’t need.

2) Kids don’t need a lot of stuff.  They need to know they are valued.

Tip for future volunteers… (Clothing, travel, personal items, donations, sightseeing etc)

Food is heavy on the starches.  We brought granola bars to supplement our diet.  Cuzco is cool/cold at night in late October/November.  A heavy fleece with hood is ideal. Although we had little rain, when it did rain, a rain jacket was definitely necessary.

Plan to do a fair amount of walking.  Cabs are everywhere and cheap, but you get a much better sense of the town by walking. We took a bunch of stuff to donate: Two large suitcases of crayons, craft supplies, tooth brushes and tooth paste.  All were well received and we then had plenty of room for souvenirs on the way home!

When you go to your volunteer site, listen carefully and ask a lot of questions.  Get to know the routine and figure out how you can fit in and make a contribution but not be disruptive or be frustrated by the pace or flow of the organization.

Take time to go to Machu Pichu!!

Personal Paragraph (Testimonial)
It was a great experience.  Staying at a host family was awesome to get to know a little more about the local culture.  Karim (in-country coordinator) and the other volunteers provide a ‘home-away-from home’.

Cuzco is city rich in culture with many lovely people. It is easy to get around and the souvenirs are inexpensive and beautiful!

Are you willing to speak to other potential ABV volunteers?
Absolutely!