VISIONS: Peru High School Service Program

I visited Peru for the two week program with Visions the summer after my freshman year of high school, and despite being one of the youngest there it was an incredible experience. All counselors are welcoming and supportive, and the program has longstanding ties with the community. It balances service work with fun recreational activities and adventures letting you build a strong connection with the foreign country. I learned a ton and I would recommend it to anyone who wants an authentic and impactful cultural immersion program!

Honestly, going into Visions trip was really scary for me because I’d be away from family and without a phone, but once I met the people, I saw the great opportunity of friendship and guidance from the counselors. My growth stemmed from being able to see the outdoors and appreciate it for one of the first times in my life. The friendships that I made were everlasting until this day I still speak to them. We grew together and bonded as a family. I am so grateful for this experience. I would 100% do it again without a doubt!

Amazing experience for our teenager! He did the one week Peru service program and enjoyed the community engagement, his peers from all over the country, and the touristy parts too! The tech free was not easy for us as parents or him, but he said it was worth it and ended up taking great fotos with a real camera. His home base was comfortable with great food. They definitely work, so be prepared for that. Our son said that the mentors and other counselors were wonderful. He felt safe, supported, and had a lot of fun!

It's difficult to put into words the remarkable impact the Peru trip has had on my life. I've had the privilege of embarking on several service trips through my high school, and although each have been special, formative experiences, my Visions trip stands out as a truly transformative and life-altering journey. I cannot recommend Visions-Peru highly enough.

The staff, the community immersion, the group I was with... something felt different about this program. I can say with certainty that it changed my life in an amazing way.

Attended VISION’s Dominican Republic trip in the summer of 2021 as a rising junior in high school. Now, three years later, and as a sophomore in college, it is with great certainty that I would not be even close to the person I am today without that trip.

The Dominican Republic was my first time leaving the United States and flying alone! This taught me so much about navigating traveling alone and learning about international travel… Something that I have a great intention of filling my life with to this day.

VISIONS does a wonderful job of keeping kids in the loop while traveling– travel agents keep in direct touch with their participants and family members, and even connect them with other kids who may be on the same flight! This helps ease the nervousness of international travel at a younger age.

One of the most important things that VISIONS offers is a technology-free summer. Your phone is taken away after connecting with the VISIONS employees at the arrival airport, and after a call home assuring everyone made it there safely. The phones are given out at the departing airport at the end of the trip. This completely changes the way I view my well-being and how I gain a sense of place when traveling– being present. Inconsequentially, always being around fellow participants gives a greater sense of community and intentionality. Learning how to live closely with people, make meals, clean, and work together for times closer to a month, brought me an immeasurable amount of joy.

The worksites are a very authentic experience of working without large machinery and get you in touch with your body and what you’re creating. In the DR, it is very hot, humid, and sunny. This is what gives your kids a chance to challenge themselves physically and to learn how to work alongside others. Depending on the duration of the trip (and I always recommend going on the longest trip!) most work days will be Monday-Friday and usually 5 or 6 hours (also depending on allocated volunteer hours).

VISIONS makes sure that every day is jam-packed with work, good food, good sleep, activities, and community-bonding opportunities. In the Dominican Republic, every morning we would eat breakfast together, go to the worksite shortly thereafter, eat lunch at the worksite, and come back to “home base”. From there on, we would have an early afternoon activity that is usually paired with language immersion with the vecinos (neighbors). While dinner was getting ready, we usually had a later afternoon activity that also included community involvement like arts and crafts with the local kids! After dinner, we would have circle, which provided a center for discussion and group growth.

Overall, I couldn’t recommend this experience more!

I could not have asked for a better summer in Peru. The trip was life changing such that it exposed me to meaningful service and introduced me to new ways of life. Visions is a great balance between working, exploring, socializing, and stepping outside of one's comfort zone. I could not have asked for a better experience. I strongly recommend Visions to anyone who loves the outdoors and is looking for a down-to-earth experience. Also... the food in Peru is amazing... but warning: guinea pig may or may not be on the menu! It was so fun getting to try out my Spanish.

I had an incredible time spending 2.5 weeks in Peru with VISIONS. Not only did I get to visit ancient ruins(like Machu Picchu and The Pisac Ruins), but I got to hang out with the locals every day! These people are so kind and generous.it was amazing that I was able to get to know them. I got to contribute to their community by building schools and improving their water ways. Without us coming out to help these communities, they wouldn’t be able to get the materials needed to build. Going to a place where the language is primarily Spanish, I got to practice with the locals. It was fun and challenging, but my Spanish did improve. Long days and freezing showers, it was so worth it. Thank you VISIONS for this amazing experience that I will never forget. I hope to do another VISIONS trip next summer.

Visions was an absolutely amazing experience for me! I met the most wonderful people. The immersion into the Peruvian culture was incredible, my world has been opened in so many ways because of it. I think about my 2 week trip every day. I got to travel to various places in Peru, and also help out the small town of Urubamba. The connections Visions has with the community are so deep. I finally felt like my true authentic self. I got the chance to meet people I never would have otherwise. We became quite close and still keep in touch. I always felt safe and the leaders made a great effort to check in with how everyone was feeling. If you are considering doing a program with Visions I highly recommend. I have memories that will last a lifetime