Volunteer Abroad in Peru - United Planet - 1-12 weeks

I was inspired by after-school programs efforts for disenfranchised children, and the animal sanctuary was very cool. They were exhibiting and inspiring. Machu Picchu was my favorite excursion and the history behind the ruins is incredible.

I am so grateful and extremely happy that this month has worked out so well. We have had the opportunity to see many patients in both Cusco and out in the pueblitos who have been so gracious and full of gratitude for the service. We have all been able to improve our Spanish skills regardless of our level to begin with.

Everyone was very receptive to us and welcomed us with open hearts and arms. I loved salsa. It pushed us to the edge of our comfort zones and what an experience it was. I still can't believe I went to Machu Picchu and saw the Incan ruins.

I loved the animal sanctuary. It ranks as probably one of the best experiences of my life. I enjoyed helping it run and I utterly adored the animals, every one of them. The cultural activities were phenomenal. They truly portrayed the spirit of Cusco, of Peru, and I learned so much on them. I learned about the history, the culture, and the beliefs of the Inca, all of which contribute to the culture of modern Peru. I visited historical sites and was able to witness the sheer brilliance of the Incan people; I was able to glimpse history. The tour guides were very knowledgeable and answered all questions I asked them, and they ensured everyone in the group was there before moving on. I loved getting to know more about Cusco, to spreading my culture by answering questions and gaining a new appreciation for Peruvian culture at the same time. Every country I visit changes me, takes away ignorance and preconceived notion, and gives back understanding, awareness, and empathy.

I loved seeing Machu Picchu and being able to have a guided tour of one of Peru's greatest gems. I also loved the dance lessons with my group. It was one of my favorite experiences that brought many smiles and also a greater appreciation for the culture.

Wow! I am not a big history buff, but I LOVED learning about the Incas! We had wonderful tour guides who took the time to explain things in English in detail and occasionally crack some jokes! Salsa was also a blast-- and I am not much of a dancer!

There were a couple of city tours and archaeological tours which were fascinating to be a part of and allowed me to learn a bit more about Peruvian culture and have different experiences. The Quest made me more aware of problems that people in other places may face, that is a completely different reality from my life .

I loved working at the shelter - the kids are extremely sweet and kind. Although I was crushed in multiple games of futbol, I couldn't say anything bad. They became my friends.

The chance to have our entire family experience a new country, culture and language has been amazing. At the same time being able to offer service has helped us reach beyond ourselves. In so doing, we have seen that whatever we are able to give is easily reciprocated 2 fold. My wife and kids have been able to connect at a personal level at the orphanage and my kids have exceeded my expectations in their willingness to get out of their shells. Language skills came faster than we expected. Working at the clinic was very rewarding with the sincere gratitude of the patients being my greatest reward. Going out to the small communities to connect with people in rural areas with virtually no access to health care was truly remarkable. This experience leaves me wanting more like it--that's what is neat--It makes you want to give more rather than want more for yourself.

It was exciting and new. I never felt unsafe, despite travelling alone, and everyone involved with my Quest was incredibly nice and accommodating. I loved my volunteer location, my host family, my classes, and my experience. It was unlike anything I'd ever imagined, and I truly enjoyed every second of it. During this Quest, I learned how to take initiative, how to solve problems, how to improvise, and how to be flexible. It changed the way I see the world, the way I view my own world and circumstances. It is impossible to replicate, difficult to explain, but I learned more about myself and about my country. It changed me because I became more self-aware; it changed me because it taught me lessons in resilience and perseverance, courtesy of the animals I helped take care of in my three weeks.

I was placed in two volunteer projects in Cusco. I went to an amazing spanish school where teachers offered one on one classes that were tailored to the specific needs of the students. I loved exploring Cusco with fellow volunteers and especially enjoyed going on field trips with the professors who knew the city much better than the students.

My four weeks in Peru was, for a lack of better words, life-changing. I never expected that I would've learned so much in such a short amount of period. I volunteered at a clinic in which I was able to shadow dentists and provide assistance when it was needed. As a pre-dental student, I was not able to provide as much help as I wanted. Nevertheless, the little things I did, whether it be calling the patients into the office or replacing suction tubes, made me realize that curing is not the only thing that matters: caring is just as important in the field of health care. Looking at the dentists interact with the patients with such impassioned hearts proved the enormous power of empathy and compassion in a clinical setting--a vigor that showed that dentistry can mean more than conducting procedures and dispensing medication.

What I enjoyed most about the quest was working with the children. They were always happy to see us and a lot of fun to be around. I think the most challenging part was adjusting to a new culture and different way of life but I learned a lot and have returned home with a different perspective on a lot of things and am more grateful for my own home.

If there is one thing that I have taken away from this experience, it is to be thankful for what I have and the life I live. I worked at an after school program for underprivileged children. It was a reality check. So many of those children are put to work to help provide for their family or are put in charge of their younger siblings when they themselves are too young to be unsupervised. Despite not having a "typical" childhood and having so little, they were some of the happiest children I have ever seen. They melt my heart, and I miss them already!! Oh, and Machu Picchu was pretty cool too!

Anyone will tell you that volunteering will completely change your perspective on life, but once you get out of you comfort zone to do it for yourself you will understand what they are talking about. United Planet has provided the perfect opportunity for me to grow as a person through volunteering. My Quest with the children in Peru is going to be a memory I carry with me for the rest of my life. One of my favorite memories of my Quest is that every day three children would run down the hill to simply give us the world's biggest hug. This is the greatest feeling in the entire world. The children of Peru have so much love to offer to volunteers. Take the leap of faith. Volunteer. It is not a decision that you will every regret.

I was glad I was able to interact with the kids and immerse myself in the beautiful culture of Peru. I was also more than glad to be able to work with some amazing people on the trip.I really enjoyed being able to interact with kids and use knowledge I had already learned in school and apply them while out on the field. Despite this, I found it really hard to communicate with the children sometimes because they spoke Spanish so quickly, and for someone who was not as fluent, it was really difficult for me to comprehend what they were trying to say sometimes.

I really enjoyed the Spanish classes and how welcoming the orphanage was to guests. My Spanish teacher was so friendly and provided me the perfect instruction, and the orphanage placement was lenient and independent. It was something I will never forget.

I enjoyed this quest because it pushed me. It pushed me to practice my Spanish, it pushed me to become more independent, and it pushed me to become the person I am now. I know that I'm a person who needs to be pushed in order to face up to a challenge, and I'm glad that my Quest pushed me. Because of this push, I know that I am capable of anything I set my mind to.

The other girls staying at my host family will be friends that will last a lifetime, my host family was amazing and I made several other amazing friends. Not only did I work with some of the most amazing kids in the world, I also made such great relationships with the other volunteers that I met there.

The most enjoyable part was the time we spent at the orphanage. It was an amazing experience and one where I grew a lot, especially with communication. I was not a Spanish speaker before this trip, but having an awesome Spanish teacher, I was able to learn a lot and communicate better with the kids. It was amazing to me that even without my Spanish skills, I was able to help out and connect with the students so much. I also loved the Salkantay trek and meeting amazing people during this experience. While it was super challenging, I am proud to have completed it. I am going to take back my skills that I learned here into my classroom that I teach in back at home. I have several students who are language learners and now I understand better about what they are going through and how I can better support them.