Program Reviews

There are a lot of gap year travel volunteer programs out there, and I remember what it was like sifting through all of them to find the right fit for me. Therefore, I hope this review will be helpful in giving you an honest picture of what it is like volunteering with Amigos!

There were several reasons why I decided to go with Amigos over other programs:

1. I was looking for something that would allow me to be as independent as possible, because originally I had wanted to go backpacking on my own. Well, it didn't really go over so well with the mom and the worried grandparents, so I sought out a program that would allow me time to explore and decide my own schedule (I did not want the type of program where you constantly travel around with a group) while reassuring my family that I was still alive and well.

Amigos fulfilled these two areas! You are left to your own devices most of the time and can decide to spend your free time the way you want to. There is a 20 hour/week minimum for your internship work (it can be a lot more than that, depending upon your agency, how much time your project needs/you are willing to dedicate, and the agreement you set with your supervisor/how well you communicate your schedule). For me, I worked from 8am-12pm, walked home for lunch (my work was a 10 minute walk from home, which was really nice), and went back to work from 2pm-5pm. This comes out to about 35 hours/week, not counting the hours I spent working on some weekends, especially when my project began to heat up with extra events and workshops. However, it varies depending on your internship agency, with some requiring much less time than others.

Even so, I had a lot of free time in the evenings, on weekends, and on holidays/days when work was cancelled. This gave me the opportunity to come across an art school in my neighborhood, where I ended up spending almost all of my free time volunteering at because I loved it so much. I would help with an English class, learn how to paint, accompanied the rock band on the keyboard, learned to play piccolo, and most of all, made some incredible friends with all the teachers.

In addition, we were able to travel on our own, so long as we let our Amigos supervisors know the details. Day trips to the beach were fun and easy. You also have the option of longer trips, but there's a form you have to fill out detailing where you'll stay, contact info, etc. for safety.

You get together with the other volunteers and the Amigos supervisors for workshops about once a month, your supervisor meets with you about every two weeks to see how you are doing (there is paperwork to be filled out for these meetings, but it's nothing complicated, just questions about your needs being met and how your project is doing), and the group goes on two excursions per semester, each one being about 3 days long. Therefore, most of your time is spent living in your community on your own, with your host family and any other friends you make on your own. I thought this was fantastic - it was a good balance, not too much of volunteer program-y things, but just enough so that you had support. The excursions are really fun too, and a great way to see other parts of the country with the comfort of not having to plan the itinerary (the schedule usually wasn't too rigid though - our supervisor changed things up as we went and always asked what we wanted to do.)

2. This program is really great for improving your Spanish. Since you are working at a local non-profit agency, you are forced to learn how to communicate effectively with your coworkers in another language. Also, staying with a host family and living in a community allows you to form deeper relationships with locals, which is invaluable when it comes to becoming fluent in another language - the desire to express yourself, to crack jokes, and to simply communicate with your friends and family serves as an incredible motivator.

3. I wanted to stay in one place and get to know that place really well, to form close friends and feel the rhythm of day to day life.... versus seeing glamorous snapshots of a million different cities on a whirlwind tour or doing very short term volunteer work that feels more like an attraction and less like a long term relationship with the community you are working with.

The Amigos program stresses cultural immersion from the standpoint of living and working with the community. Part of their philosophy is that the volunteer should act as a catalyst for community initiative, the end goal being that the community can sustain and grow the project even when the volunteer is gone.

Overall, I would say that my experience living and volunteering in Nicaragua with Amigos was one of the best things I've ever done, and I can tell you with utmost honestly, those three months presented some of the most beautiful, challenging, and spontaneous moments in my life. I really had no idea what I was in for back when I first applied for this program and packed my bags to go to another country for three months, because the interesting thing about traveling is that you think you are preparing for the changes in environment, like new foods, strange sounds, different culture...when really, what changes is something you cannot prepare for - yourself. You learn things about yourself that you were never aware of before, usually through the difficulties you face, things such as how you react to stress, the ways in which you choose to spend your time, your self-awareness of your own cultural background, your tolerance for ambiguity, your adaptability, to name a few. And to me, this heightened sense of self-awareness, and the knowledge you gain about yourself, are some of the most valuable outcomes of an experience like this.

I think these are things you can gain from any kind of experience living abroad, whether it is with a volunteer program or not. However, what is different about doing this with Amigos is that you are given the the tools and the framework for integrating into the community, and unlike traveling on your own or with a group-tour type program, by being a part of this program, you already have a relationship with the community. The supervisors for Nicaragua, Mateo and Vanessa, both live in the communities they work in and know people that can help you with your project or local youth that you can hang out with. The family you are placed with has a relationship with Amigos, so there is an element of trust and understanding that is established from day one.

So if you're thinking about doing it....

DO IT!

It will be one of the biggest adventures of your life, and it will very likely be the catalyst that sparks something inside of you that you didn't know existed before....

I kept a detailed blog during my experience, so please check it out if you would like to see photos and read stories about our Amigos excursions, my experience living with my host family, my CBI (community based initiative) project focused upon fighting street harassment and promoting respect for women, and a surprising incident with an iguana.

thestinkygirltravels.blogspot.com

As a member of project staff in San Pedro, Paraguay, in 2011, I got to know several beautiful communities and work with young people from throughout the United States and Paraguay to achieve concrete results. This organization challenges you to do what you never imagined, but supports you so that you can succeed. For example, I spent six weeks traveling among four different communities; addressing the health, safety, and mental health needs of eight teenagers; supervising them as they ran educational activities and worked with community leaders; coordinating implementation of community-led projects through material selection and purchase; working with the rest of project staff to review participant issues, organize collective events, and write a weekly newsletter; and hiking the cheerful hills of the San Pedro countryside. While this was very difficult and demanding work, I never felt that I was not able to fulfill my duties because of the support structure of the organization. Constant communication among community members, participants, and senior staff meant that my summer as a supervisor with AMIGOS was the most fulfilling one I've had - and it's been four years already.

Note: Paraguayans speak Guarani as their first language, and Spanish as their second. This makes their Spanish much easier to understand, as they don't talk as quickly as people from other countries.

I was an AMIGOS participant in the Paraguari region of Paraguay in the summer of 2000. My two partners and I were responsible for overseeing the distribution of pre-made latrine floors (think a slab of cement with a hole in the middle) to families in our host community of Ybyryty so that they could build sanitary latrines with walls and a roof and a floor cover. We also gave talks at the local schools about health and hygiene and constructed fuel-efficient stoves for a handful of families.

But what has stayed with me since then is not the work we did, its the relationships we formed and all of the things I learned about myself in the process. To this day, I am still in some sort of touch (albeit mostly on social media) with my partners and with several members of that community. I still consider them to be my family, even though I spent only 6 weeks with them more than a decade ago. The bonding that happens naturally with AMIGOS is something that I don't think can be understood by people who haven't gone through it. You can make lifelong friends in a matter of days or weeks. It also strengthened my relationships with my parents and sister. I lived with people who didn't have much in the way of materials goods, but they had the most loving, wonderful family. It made me appreciate my own family in a way I hadn't considered before that summer.

Before that summer, it was really hard for me to step out of my comfort zone. If I faced a challenging situation, I was more likely to run away from it than to face it head on. But then something clicked that first time I had to approach someone's house and explain, in Spanish, that we were North Americans in their community to give them toilets. I thought they would think we were crazy. Instead they asked us how big to build the hole for the latrine and would we like something to eat. And in repeating this process with dozens of families, my self confidence grew and I have never doubted my own capabilities since then. When I am faced with something new or unexpected, I know that I can get through it.

I also learned how to deal with ambiguity. It's common to say in AMIGOS that the only expectation you can really have about your summer experience is that things will not happen according to your expectations. Things will go wrong, supplies won't arrive, people will show up to your community meeting 2 hours late. It happens. So what you learn through AMIGOS is how to deal with it. That's a skill that takes most people years to develop.

Most importantly, I learned that I could be a leader. I could take charge of a project and deliver results. I didn't know it 15 years ago, but that summer in Paraguay would set the stage for what is now my career. I'm a project manager, and I was able to talk myself into my first project management job by telling my interviewer that if I could oversee the construction of 45 sanitary latrines in rural Paraguay at the age of 16, I could handle anything.

My participation with AMIGOS didn't stop when I returned home after that summer experience. I spent the following summer in Guanajuato, Mexico helping fund the septic tank for a local health clinic, and spent the summer after that as a project supervisor, responsible for the health and safety of 9 volunteers. I am currently in my 7th year serving on the Board of Directors of my local AMIGOS chapter.

My AMIGOS project staff experience in Costa Rica was one of the most life changing, touching adventures of my life. The uniqueness of this project had me nervous at first- yet it was what made the summer so special for both the volunteers and staff.
AMIGOS has an amazing relationship our partner agency in Costa Rica, Casa de la Juventud. In fact, project staff lives on their grounds in Pérez making the relationship that much stronger. Youth from both Casa and AMIGOS work hand in hand throughout the summer, making this project extremely sustainable after the volunteers leave the country.

I participated as a volunteer in Oaxaca during the summer of 2014, and found it to be a thoroughly rewarding and memorable experience. Although I cannot say that I enjoyed every aspect of my summer, I have no regrets. My experience with AMIGOS has given me a unique perspective on another culture and improved my confidence in areas such as public speaking. I made many friends this summer, not only in my community, but among the diverse group of volunteers as well.

Additionally, safety and health protocols are top-notch. Weekly visits from a project supervisor allow the staff to monitor the health and welfare of each volunteer while still giving the volunteers a great amount of independence and responsibility while in community. Host families tend to be caring and supportive of volunteers.

I would highly recommend this program. While my summer was far from perfect, I can hardly imagine having spent it any other way.

Spend a week in your rural community (with 1 or 2 partners from the U.S., live with a host family, work on a project that the locals have chosen before you arrive, and run activities for the local kids) and then spend a week working in national parks (projects that are already chosen and most likely are to make improvements to the park). Improve your conversational Spanish immensely and make incredible connections with other volunteers from the United States, Ticos (Costa Ricans), and your Tico host family. No summer could compare to the one you could have with Amigos in Costa Rica.

If I could only say one thing about my experience I would say that I met more genuinely good people on this trip in six weeks than in the past five years of my life. Costa Ricans are kind, hospitable, and hard working. The AMIGOs staff was motivated, smart, and energetic. I had so much undeniable fun I will never forget. I love Costa Rica and AMIGOs has such a special place in my heart. I would be very happy to answer any specific questions anyone has about this program, and I'll be as candid as requested.

I have had the fortunate opportunity to serve on the Amigos de las Americas (AMIGOS) staff team for the past two consecutive years. I can genuinely say that the AMIGOS program in Costa Rica is like no other AMIGOS program, or to my knowledge, any other international exchange program available in the region. AMIGOS volunteers split their time between host communities and three different national parks. In 2013 and 2014 we worked in Parque Nacional Volcan Tenorio, Parque Nacional Carara and Reserva Forestal Rio Macho. While in their host communities volunteers collaborate with the local youth groups to design, implement and evaluate a relatively small community based initiative project (CBIP). The CBIPs were incredibly diverse and tailored specifically to the needs of the community and the desires of the youth group. In 2013-2014 we saw projects ranging from recycling and children's rights initiatives to the construction of a school garden and the refurnishing of a salon communal. During the weeks in the national parks, or campamento weeks, the AMIGOS volunteers, alongside their local youth counterparts from their host communities, travel out to the three national parks. While in the national parks both the US American and the local Costa Rican volunteers work on various trail maintenance and restoration projects, participate in various youth leadership trainings and explore the natural beauty of the national parks.

As a staff member one of the most rewarding moments of the summer was seeing how much both my AMIGOS and Costa Rican volunteers grew during the weeks in the national parks. Though the volunteer work in the national parks was physically demanding, volunteers came together in a very unique way as many were gently encouraged to step outside their comfort zones. Volunteers bridged cultural, linguistic and geographic divides and formed beautiful cross-cultural friendships.

The AMIGOS program in Costa Rica works mano en mano, hand in hand, with the local partner agency Casa de la Juventud (CASA) to facilitate a transformative, empowering summer program for youth across the Americas.

The Costa Rica project taught me the meaning of culture and community. You can say whatever you like about voluntourism, assistance abroad, and high schoolers in general, but I assure you that Amigos is not your average volunteer program.

In my school, I see kids discussing past service trips, whether it to Guatamala, Tijuana, or wherever, and they all note the poverty, the food, and their contributions. However, with Amigos, I found myself noting the community in which I lived, the relationships which I built, and the cultural impact on my life.

Anyone can go to a foreign country, dig their feet in the ground, and say "Wow, to think people live without warm water." Through Amigos de las Americas, I learned to embrace the conditions, not gawk at them from a city on a hill. I developed an appreciation for these people's ways of life and learned to work within the community to inspire youth leadership and sustainability, leaving the "poor" people rich with experiences and laughter.

Going into this past summer, I thought I had traveling/living/working in Latin America kind of figured out; I had studied abroad, gone on a mission trip, and been a tourist in three different countries. I found an add for AMIGOS on Facebook and talked to a woman from the International Office and was immediately hooked. The only trip that was open that worked for my availability, was the high school trip in Costa Rica; I was about to be a senior in college. I did not know a soul going, I didn't know anything about the history of the organization, nor did I know any veteran AMIGOS volunteers. But, the feeling in my gut just said I should take a chance, and spend the summer making an impact in a new place while practicing the language I love.

I was an international volunteer, so I had to attend training in Miami a few days before actually traveling to Costa Rica for the in-country training. After about a week of training, it was time to go to our different communities. By that point I had already made life-long friends, been nervous, heard someone from the State Department speak, laughed, danced, been humbled, and been excited. It is funny to remember how naive I was when I signed up; the summer was definitely going to be a unique adventure.

The Costa Rica project is unique in the sense of traditional AMGIOS projects, and every summer a volunteer has with this outstanding organization is unique because of the unexpected. No matter how much training you have, no matter what people tell you, you have to experience the beautiful sights, meaningful interactions with people, and long fulfilling days working on the trails for yourself to understand. I was one of two college students with over 40 other high school aged students on the journey, which showed me the power of youth leadership and inclusion. People come from all over the US and Latin America with different backgrounds, but yet join together with the same mission. Host communities are so welcoming, especially the children, and the park guides you work with teach everyone so much. Seeing your physical work and conversations make impacts is worth every second of your time away from the United States because cultural exchange is a mutual process; you pour into people and people pour into you.

Just to name a few perks: unique experiences for resumes, applications and interviews, a huge AMIGOS network, the Spanish language, and being a part of something bigger than your hometown.

Go.