High School Language Immersion Programs in Peru

The greatest benefits of my daughter's program in Peru were learning about another culture and gaining independence traveling abroad. Pay attention to documents sent to you from Arcos prior to the program as you will find them helpful for preparing. Amazing trip!

Saying I loved my GLA experience is an understatement. I would say it has been my most life-changing, impactful and unique experience to date, and I find myself reminiscing and reflecting on it often. I was reluctant to go at first, I’d never travelled alone or been to South America, I wasn’t a sleepaway camp kid either, so this was very out of my comfort zone. From the very first dinner we had together, my leaders were welcoming, supportive, and authentic, they made me feel so included and comfortable with a new and unfamiliar environment. My local leader was knowledgeable about the area, and answered all the questions I had which allowed me to have a new perspective on my environment. Throughout the 2 weeks I was on the program, we spent 4 days in clinics, shadowing medical professionals, visited Machu Picchu, went whitewater rafting, and explored Cusco. My favourite part was the clinic days, although I wish we could’ve done more than just 4 days. This was where I could do my most hands-on work, and see the impact I was making in real time. Connecting with patients I was treating - despite our linguistic and cultural differences – was so special, it truly changed my life. While I was initially worried about the language barrier, I was quickly shocked at how easy it became to collaborate with others despite linguistic barriers. The doctors and patients were flexible and patient with me, and tried their best to help me when I was confused. At the end of the 2 weeks, I was shocked at the amount of spanish I had learned, including complex medical related phrases too! When I got home I was able to show off my skills to my whole family who were all pleasantly shocked at how much I’d learned. I also had the wonderful opportunity to spend lots of time with the children of the villages, who were so funny and kind. They welcomed us into their homes so graciously, played games with us, and gave me the most loving goodbye hug I’ve ever received. Talk about amazing, Machu Picchu was breathtaking. We had a knowledgeable guide to share his insight with us, which made the experience so unique and special. On our journey to Machu Picchu, we got to explore the towns of Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes. On top of all the amazing planned experiences, we also had plenty of time to explore Cusco and all it has to offer. Some evenings, if we weren’t too tired from the day’s activities, we would go on a walk around the city. We wandered the streets, markets, and town square. These activities gave me time to bond with others in my group, and build friendships. Some of my favourite memories come from these impromptu outings. In 2 short weeks, I made some of the best friends I’ve ever had, and to this day I wear a matching bracelet bought at San Pedro, Cusco’s famous market, with my best friend from the program. I am endlessly grateful for the learning, growth, and experience I had with GLA, it was truly life-changing in the best way possible.

This was my daughter's first trip out of the country by herself. I was nervous. GLA staff was patient and helpful. We read all the materials and spoke to alumnae. On faith, we sent her on her way. The experience was eye-opening, character-building, fun, busy, productive, impactful and powerful! At the end of her trip, we picked her up at the airport and one of the first things she said is, "I want to go again." She made lasting connections with peers and mentors and had experiences that could not be replicated here. I am grateful to GLA staff for their dedication to safety, quality of programming, focus on culture and leadership and personal development. I highly recommend this program.

Mentors were awesome. Always super helpful and supportive through the entire trip. There were a few days that I was unwell. They were all amazing when helping me out. Cesar was amazing and a great guide through this amazing country. Fernanda was exceptional, she was always there for us for moral support or just to have a great meaningful conversation with.

I learned how to work better in a team, i strengthened my endurance, gained a more open mind and was more grateful for what I have. The Home Base was perfect and beautiful, and the staff were so positive and really made the experience!

All the staff were great. My mentor was always very comforting, and I always felt safe going to her with any problems. Staff were some of the kindest most pure and caring people I have ever met, and I will really miss them all. I felt such a good authentic connection with all the staff. I realized how lucky I am and how much of an impact can be made my the smallest acts.

Hi, do you like experience was absolutely eye-opening. I gained such a new perspective of the world and will go about my life differently from now on. My mentor in mentor groups lead it so well. He is the perfect mix of being an authority figure and still someone who represents the campers and doesn’t put themselves on a pedestal. I learned a lot from him learning about his life. Through the service work, I felt more connected to the world and felt like I was really making a difference

I loved all the mentors and felt they all treated me with respect and kindness. I really enjoyed the debate activity, it made me think on my feet and I thought about things differently after. I got to experience how other people live and a new perspective

GLA is a great way for students to make lifelong friends, grow in their leadership journey, serve something that is greater than them, and explore the world. I saw a new perspective on life, and saw the difference that I can make by just interacting with the locals.

I learned a lot about a different culture and how they live and because of that I can compare it to things in my life and see the changes/differences. I also think it opened my eyes to a lot of things.

My experience at the "Perú: Foundations of Global Health" trip has been surreal. I've made friends that have given me life-changing advice and learned about how people in Perú live, and their cultures/tradition. This trip has definitely put me outside my comfort zone by surrounding myself with strangers on my first international trip. The clinics have taught me that Healthcare is a right which everyone deserves and it has cemented my interest in medicine. I learned problem solving and leadership skills that will help me in the long term, as well as in these crucial upcoming highschool years. Thank you for this opportunity.

I have always wanted to travel to Latin America and Peru has always been a bucket list item for me as I want to become fluent in Spanish and so getting to practice it and speak it with the local people and even our mentors and GLA staff was a good experience for me. I learned so much about the lack of education in Peru and it makes me feel very grateful about the education that I have. I grew as a listener and a team player as most of what we did took team work and working together to accomplish tasks. I also believe that my mindset shifted I now feel more appreciative of the life that I live and the experiences that I have been able to have including this one and I will cherish each life experience since I have now realized that the life I live is not possible for a lot of people around the world.

Think that the friends I made and the people I met made the biggest impact on me. I met so many people from different walks of life that opened my eyes up to what I am not usually used to. It was fun and interesting to hear different perspectives and live in someone else shoes. I’ll never forget the friends I made on this trip and hope to stay in contact with them.

Being able to participate in activities in areas not bogged by tourists and commercialized towards tourists was the most interesting part of the experience, it gave a better perspective on the true culture. The trip to machu picchu was extremely interesting, our tour guides were amazing.

I really enjoyed the debate that we did. I felt like it was something that was meaningful to the world. It’s something that’s actually happening in the world and it was nice to hear everyone’s opinions on the topic. I also enjoyed the community service as we were helping the girls. The sites, like Machu Picchu, were great also as we learned so much more about their culture. It’s something you could never get out of a history classroom.

This past summer I had the amazing opportunity to spend a month in Urubamba Peru. This month not only let me learn the skills to help those around me, but it also shaped me into the person who I am today. The Visions program could not of been better planned and I could not recommend it more for anyone looking to go outside their comfort zone while making an impact on another community.

Visions Service Adventures is truly a once in a lifetime experience. I was able to make new friends, be culturally immersed and learn new things- all while doing community service! My trip was indescribable, to say the least. I have never experienced something so incredible before. Coming back to America, i now feel so much more aware about what is happening in the world around me. I am forever grateful to Visions for giving me such an unforgettable journey.

Over the summer, I spent 4 weeks in Urubamba, Peru to help build canals and construct a dining hall for a local elementary school. We overall had I think around 12-13 work days where we would choose to either go to the canals or the school. We would work from 9 to around 1:30 with a thirty minute lunch break. At the worksites, we would be directly involved with Urubamba's loving and appreciative community and they would be right by us helping and guiding us. Although they were much more skilled at the work, they were very appreciative and they showed it on their faces. After the long work days, we would come back to the house and debrief by showering or doing "talleres" or workshops. These workshops were either carpentry, jewelry making, pottery, or bee keeping. These workshops were one of a kind, and nothing like what you would expect in the US. In Peru, we also got to visit salt mines and ancient Incan ruins. These ruins have been in Peru since the Incas were there and the pictures you can take are breath taking. On special occasions, we would also have salsa classes where we would learn how to salsa with each other; it was special in they us participants also got to show our instructor some of our dance moves as well! The true highlight of the excursion, however, was going to Machu Picchu. Our process of going there was incredible. We spent one day going to Aguas Calientes-- the town where Machu Picchu is located. There, we went to local hot springs that had temperatures in the high 90s. The morning of the hike we woke up at around 4-4:30 AM to begin the hike. The rationality behind this is that as we hike, you can actually see the sun rise over a mountain in the distance-- the pictures were incredible. Machu Picchu itself was more incredible; the rock formation, the "temples", the alpacas. It's insane. At Machu Picchu, there are also optional hikes to where you can see Machu Picchu from a distance and see either above it or from a side view where you can see the hike up. One thing I haven't brought up, however, is "ayllu". Ayllu occurs every other day at night after dinner. During ayllu, we got to express our feelings about he last 2 days and say anything that's on our mind. Normally, heavy topics got brought up. And while this may sound bad, it was actually a good thing because it allowed for us participants to move on from our conflicts and overall live more harmoniously and peacefully. My experience in Peru was life chznging and has allowed myself to live more care free and aware.

My daughter spent two weeks in Peru on Rustic Pathways. The pre-trip preparation with RP was amazing - hands down the most sophisticated and thoughtful online application process I have ever encountered. The information given was thorough and practical. My daughter was well prepared. They also provided pre-trip suggestions for her to interview people in her local community about issues related to her program. Once in country, I was never worried about her. RP kept me informed as needed and upon her return, the experience is her own - sharing pictures and anecdotes, but internalizing her experience and planning her next adventure with service and purpose. She loved this critical issues program - the emphasis on learning and helping was a grounding part of her experience. She loved being more than a tourist and Rustic Pathways certainly made this possible in a professional and exciting way.

Rustic Pathways responded to this reviewSeptember 12, 2017

Hi Mary! Thanks for sharing your experience and helping our global community to continue to grow. Be sure to check out our alumni opportunities (https://rusticpathways.com/alumni-association/), and do not hesitate to reach out to me at alumni@rusticpathways with any additional comments or questions! Hope to see you on a program in 2018. Best, Rachel Levin | RP Alumni Association Director

Overall a really memorable adventure during which I made great new friends and experienced Peru in a way not many other people have. Rustic Pathways enabled me to interact with the people of Peru in a way that no tourism company can provide because the Sacred Valley Service program is so much more than tourism.