VISIONS Peru
Location
Peru: Urubamba
Description
Visions offers teenagers opportunities for ambitious service work and cross-cultural immersion in the United States and abroad. We work with and for intercultural communities that lack financial and other development resources. Through service, authentic experience, and active exploration, we encourage new perspectives and dynamic learning.
In South America Peru is noted for geographic and cultural diversity. Stretching along its Pacific Coast is one continuous coastal desert at whose southern end begins the Atacama, one of the world's harshest deserts, while the eastern boundary lies within the lush Amazon Basin. The Andean peaks rise to their most majestic height in the heart of Peru's southern interior.
Visions' primary home base is Urubamba (pop. 15,000), roughly 600 miles south of Lima in the Sacred Valley. At an altitude of 2,280 meters, Urubamba is about one hour from Cusco, the old Inca capital and un centro de turismo. Evidence of the formidable Inca Empire is everywhere in the highlands where Quechua, the ancient Inca language, continues to be widely spoken. Just over the tops of the highland peaks some 100 km northeast of Urubamba lies Visions newest program site in development. The Manu Biosphere Reserve is among the world's richest jungle environments, boasting over 200 kinds of mammals and 1,000 species of birds. Nestled along the southern edge of the cultural zone of the Reserve is the native community of Huacaria. Here visions may work with local community members building a medicinal plant center and teaching English to local youngsters.
Highlights
Historically, the sierra region has been home to Peru's poorest. Our projects respond to pressing local needs: construction of schools, community centers, irrigation canals, water septic systems. We collaborate closely with community members, maestros who teach us adobe building techniques among other skills. We undertake internships with small sustainable business initiatives and learn sandal making, bread baking, pottery crafting, and bee keeping. And we volunteer in elementary school classrooms whose students are in the midst of their winter school year.
When not working, we are immersed in surroundings ideal for exploration. We tour the world famous Pisaq market where merchants have sold their wares for over four centuries. We visit artisans' studios and spend evenings with local musicians such as Amazonas Urubamba who teach us about Andean instruments including the panpipe, huangara, the bombo and congas. In Cusco, we explore gilded art adorning Spanish Cathedrals, the historic Plaza de Armas, and the immense fortress of Saqsaywaman whose walls boast 125-ton stones.
From our Urubamba home base, we hike to the Maras salt mines-an ancient sprawling complex of shallow pools dug into the hillside filled with naturally saline waters. We journey to the massive snow-capped peaks of Chicon Mountain. A highlight for many is the two-day Inca Trail hike to Machu Picchu, passing centuries-old aqueducts, tombs and terraces on the way. We camp at Huinay Huayna, rising in time to see dawn's first light over the Iti Punku, Machu Picchu's magical Sun Gate.
VISIONS Peru is a unique immersion experience embracing the people and culture of the Peruvian highlands.
Participants must have a minimum of two years of high school Spanish or equivalent proficiency.