High School Study Abroad in Urubamba, Peru

TFT gave me such an incredible opportunity to experience personal growth, meet inspiring people, challenge my comfort zone, and form long lasting bonds with families and students that live across the globe from me. It was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity that I wouldn’t trade for anything. I went on the Peru, Ecuador, and Galapagos service trip that I can honestly say changed my life. From working with local preschoolers, living with host families, and picking up trash from sustainable farms to exploring Machu Picchu and swimming off the shores of beautiful white sand beaches in the Galapagos, I had an unforgettable experience. All the people I had met, both in my travel group and locals, have become dear friends and people I will forever share a special bond with. TFT is one of the most amazing programs I have ever been a part of, and I am sure you will discover the same.

I cannot recommend this trip or this company enough. Peru had been on my to do list forever and I was fortunate enough to go on this trip and do everything I wanted to do! We learned about the history of Peru in various archeological sites, took a chocolate class, helped a local community with service projects, and of course, visited Machu Picchu. The service aspect of the trip was incredible. The group stayed with a village in Misminay, up in the mountains, assisting with house repair, tree planting, and whatever else they needed. TFT has a long history with the people of this traditional Peruvian village and the people were so welcoming and kind, showing us pictures of previous TFT groups! The city of Cuzco was full of exciting restaurants, shops, and places to explore. There was never a dull moment! Machu Picchu was a truly magical day which exceeded even my wildest dreams. If you're looking to learn about Peruvian culture, eat amazing food, and make great memories, this is the trip for you.

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.