What inspired you to work for Amigos de las Americas?
I traveled extensively throughout Latin America, lived with host families, and fell in love with the region. I decided to study international development to focus my career on development in the Americas, but through my studies realized the biggest impact I could have was facilitating travel and exchanges for young people rather than offering advice as someone not born and raised in the region. AMIGOS is an organization that is incredibly conscientious of North-South power dynamics, the legacy of colonialism, and the importance of working alongside community members.
Touring a host community in Mexico with a host mom
What is your favorite part of your job?
My favorite part of my job is traveling! I am lucky to be able to assist with pre-departure trainings and collect photos and videos of our programs in the field.
How do you use your education and international background in your current role?
I speak Spanish and have a lot of experience traveling and living in Latin America. My master's degree informs not only the way we present and talk about our programs, but because our organization is relatively small, I have the opportunity to take part in discussions about program development, training curriculum, and other aspects of our work outside of the marketing realm.
Walking near an AMIGOS host community in Panama
What challenges do you often face and how do you overcome them?
One of our greatest challenges right now is the COVID-19 pandemic. Our program model is rooted in deep immersion: living in a non-touristed community with a host family, working alongside local youth and community members, and becoming part of a community in a new country. We have developed new virtual programming that incorporates exchange and connection during a time when it's not safe to travel. We have gotten a lot of positive feedback from volunteers about the virtual communities they have been a part of.
What makes AMIGOS special?
AMIGOS is special because we have a long history running programs in Latin America (since 1965!) and because we specialize in deep immersion rather than adventure travel or voluntourism.
Why should someone choose your organization over competitors?
AMIGOS programs are designed for people seeking an authentic experience, connection to other cultures, and meaningful service. Volunteers live with one or two other volunteers in a community that is off the tourist trail. They collaborate with community members and local partner agencies that AMIGOS holds long-standing relationships with and that are trusted by people in the communities where we work.
Service projects are developed by the volunteer and the people in their host community; this allows for independence in project design, assurance that the project has community buy-in, and sustainability. AMIGOS has extensive experience, is trusted by local communities and partners, and provides deeply immersive programming.
What hopes do you have for the future for your organization?
We have developed two virtual programs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. I hope that we will be able to reach more young people through these programs and spark their interest in service, civic engagement, and responsibility for their global community.
Visiting an AMIGOS host community in the Dominican Republic
What do you hope participants take away from your programs?
I hope that our volunteers have a greater sense of responsibility for their global community, an understanding of ethical service, a desire to engage with their local community, and a connection to the people they met while taking part in our programs.
How do you help support participants?
While students are in the field, AMIGOS has a safety team on-call 24/7. Medical and mental health professionals are part of that team. Our staff to volunteer ratio is 1:7. Each volunteer receives a personalized emergency plan from AMIGOS, which includes how to contact staff, community members that can help them, and emergency procedures. Staff either live in the same community as the volunteers or they visit and stay overnight once a week. Staff monitor volunteers' physical and mental health as well as help troubleshoot any difficulties with their service project or in their community.
Why is it important for people to travel abroad and experience new cultures?
I think that if we have the means to travel, it is our responsibility as global citizens to go abroad and learn from people all over the world. We have different perspectives, and the connections we make when we travel facilitate understanding and break down barriers. Travel has the power to make us more empathetic and better leaders.
Ordering a juice in Colombia
What advice do you have for individuals thinking about going abroad?
They should go! Decide what you are looking for in a program and find one that matches your needs and interests. There are tons of options for financial assistance and levels of support.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful travel to me is an authentic, immersive experience. I want to learn about the history, culture, and current events of the place I'm visiting and I want to make connections with local community members to hear their ideas and perspectives.
What issues do you see in the world of international education that don’t line up with your values and expectations for mutually beneficial & educational relationships between providers/programs and the communities in which they are located within?
I would like to see more involvement from local communities and more opportunities for immersion.
Education, training, and reflection are critical program components, because traveling abroad does not happen in a vacuum. We have a responsibility to learn about the cultures we are visiting, to understand the power dynamics and our own motivations for choosing to volunteer abroad, and to ask local communities and local organizations how we can support them rather than making assumptions.
