Program Reviews

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.

I was a supervisor for the Matagalpa project in 2014 and I had an amazing time. The community members and host agency members i had a chance to work with were lovely and genuinely wanted to work and experience the AMIGOS experience. I had amazing volunteers they overcame a plethora of challenges but also learned and lived a colorful experience. The staff and the host agency made it so easy for my position to succeed. I had a challenging time but I never felt any negative stimulus. I loved every second of being a supervisor in Nicaragua. GREAT PROJECT.

I volunteered with AMIGOS starting back in 2003 and 2004 and spent subsequent summers working on staff. I know it's been a few years, but my AMIGOS experiences still have profound, enriching, and lasting impacts on my life---to this day, a lot of my career choices and lifestyle are influenced by my AMIGOS summers. Specifically, I am indebted to AMIGOS for helping me build leadership/management skills, Spanish fluency, a passion for community development, and introducing me to some of the most fantastic people I have ever met. It's also cool to have program planning, management, and evaluation experience by age 20! Fellow AMIGOS, partnering agencies, and host communities are immensely inspiring, genuine, and kind; a fantastic group of people to immerse yourself in for a few months (or years! I STILL regularly talk to friends I made in Paraguay 9 years ago!) AMIGOS is undoubtedly a large undertaking; it's incredibly challenging at times (e.g. language barriers, getting sick, slow project progress) but AMIGOS has a strong network, support system, and health/safety protocol set up in country; you're never at it alone and always supported. Do it, it's awesome!