Luke Volunteer Abroad in Cusco, Peru Volunteers Abroad Reviews and Feedbacks http://feedback.abroaderview.org
My Favorite Memory: The overall love and happiness that the children felt towards each other and me.
I was surprised by….the lack of safety in the playground at the school. The playground was connected to a construction site so the kids were playing with re-bar, old tires and wood with nails in them. This didn’t seem like the best environment for 3, 4, and 5 year olds.
The most difficult thing I experienced was…. Not being fluent enough in Spanish to communicate at a level I would have wished for with the children or the teachers.
My best received lesson… was to take advantage of what you have and even if there are challenges every little bit helps.
Tip for future volunteers… (Clothing, travel, personal items, donations, sightseeing etc) Try to communicate with the local coordinator of your program and see of there are specific items or plans you should bring along or prepare for.
Personal Paragraph (Testimonial): Overall I had a wonderful experience in Cusco. This was my first volunteer opportunity and I plan on doing more in the future. I wish I could have had more time with the students and spoke better Spanish.
How would you rate your experience working with the ABV staff, both in the USA, and in-country? The local coordinator, Maria Elena was absolutely wonderful. She was there to meet us at the airport and was always available to show us around and help us find out information. She was like a mother to me throughout the week making me feel comfortable and at home in a foreign place.
How would you describe your accommodation ( ie: host family, on-site, shared housing etc) My host family was wonderful. They were friendly and supportive. When I needed space they were very understanding but were always open to spend time with me. They even helped me find things in town and showed me parts of the city I would not have seen otherwise. The room was really nice. It was private from the house, separated by a courtyard. The one complaint I had was the shower was very cold unless you just barely turned it on and then there was little to no pressure.
Are you willing to speak to other potential ABV volunteers? Yes.
from Volunteers Abroad Reviews and Feedbacks http://feedback.abroaderview.org/2012/06/19/luke-volunteer-abroad-in-cusco-peru/
