Program Reviews

My time spent in Paraguay last Summer was something I will keep with me for the rest of my life. I miss it every day and wish I could go back more than anything. What I miss most about it all is the people I met and the relationships I formed. I made great friends with my host family, the people in my community, and other volunteers on the trip. Of course, it was not always easy. I found days (especially when it rained) where I faced extreme boredom, or when I felt like nothing was going to plan. But that's the beauty of it, you NEVER know what to expect. No two people's experiences will ever be the same. I would reccomend amigos de las americas in a heart beat, it was something that changed my life and I can't thank the organization enough for that.

I volunteered with AMIGOS in 2000 in a small community between Neiba and Barahona. I lived with two other high school volunteers from the USA in a small, rural community. We stayed with host families and volunteered with the school and helped to get a project started that would create a communal park space for children to play. The program was 8 weeks long and very hot and dusty! The best thing was that the people were so nice and loving, like our own families. Even though the power went off frequently, the bachata, merengue, and salsa music never stopped flowing! Since then, I've been inspired to volunteer with the Peace Corps and eventually become a Spanish teacher. I still volunteer with AMIGOS, but as a trainer for volunteers preparing to go abroad, and as a board member with my local chapter. This organization has only gotten better over the years since I was a volunteer. I definitely recommend this program to anybody with the desire to get to know the people and community in which they'll live, and to volunteer their time for the projects.

I lived in a small community situated on the side of a mountain at an elevation of about 11,000 ft. A typical day consisted of milking cows, harvesting corn, working with the local children, playing lots of soccer and basketball and engaging community members in discussions about the importance of youth leadership, community development, government and lighter topics such as sports or life in America. AMIGOS is a supportive program that gives its volunteers the freedom to accomplish the most in their respective communities while offering a strong framework for success. I cannot express my love and gratitude for this program that positively altered my life forever. If you are a student looking for adventures, an unparallelled cultural immersion experience and the opportunity to form life-long bonds with people in another country, AMIGOS is the perfect program.

I went to Paraguari, Paraguay for 8 weeks summer of 2011. I had a great time! I worked in a community of about 230 people and my friend and I built latrines, planted trees, ran well over 100 hours of kids educational camps, encouraged participation in a photography project and made efforts to encourage community members to keep their community clean by organizing clean up days and buying trash cans. I had the opportunity to make new friends both in the U.S.A and in Paraguay, improve my Spanish, learn some Guarani, improve my leadership skills and discover the new culture. I am definately excited to volunteer with AMIGOS in the future!

Amigos is a wonderfully unique program. Most of the volunteers are high schoolers who are looking for overseas service work. Unlike many other service programs, the volunteers do not stay in a large, organized group but rather are split into pairs and sent to live with host families in rural communities. The volunteers have a lot of flexibility in the type of projects they initiate. Several years ago, I spent my sophomore summer of high school with the program in Veraguas, Panama.

My partner and I spent the first few weeks visiting families in the community and talking to them about what sort of project they'd like to see. Eventually we held a town meeting. It was a pretty good turn out- about one hundred people. I was sixteen and all of a sudden I was in front of a classroom of busy community members trying to facilitate a discussion in a foreign language. No doubt, I was very nervous and felt under qualified to be initiating a community wide project. We decided to build a sidewalk around the school so kids would stop slipping in the mud and glass. It took eight weeks but at the end I felt empowered. The community had surprised us with a beautiful despedida. The students coordinated dances and puppet shows. We ended the day with an all night dance festival.

Readjusting to the states was difficult - I missed my host family, my partner, the students. However, I felt more empowered then I had ever been. And that's the point of the program - to empower our generation to get out of the box, build valuable relationships with people and take the initiative to improve our communities. If there was ever a program that built awesome young leaders, Amigos would be it.

This was the most amazing, memorable and kick-ass experience of my life. Living in such primitive conditions, without communication to almost anyone you know, was the hardest thing I have ever done. But the AMIGOS program is without a doubt the best one out there. It doesn't throw a bunch of American teenagers into a foreign country to speak english, nor does it show up at communities, leave money and call it a day. AMIGOS collaborates with real people and gets everyone involved in changing the world. It was by no means easy, but what I personally got out of it is incomparable.

I volunteered with AMIGOS in the DR in '07. I stayed with a host family in a town called Hato Nuevo. My partners and I ran a day camp with the local kids to teach them dental hygene, water purification, played sports etc and we also raised money and supplies to paint and fix up the local school. Our day camp kids also helped us paint a mural at the school. I fell in love with the country and the people and the culture. My host family took great care of us and we felt safe walking around the town. We rarely had electricity and sometimes didn't get our bellies full, but it was such an AMAZING expierence!!! I wouldn't have changed a thing. Our supervisor checked in every week and addressed our concerns and evaluated our progress towards our goals. He always made us feel so comfortable. I did get a nasty chest cold and had to stay a few nights at the supervisors headquarters on a cot, but they got me some medicine and I was fixed up in no time. I feel like our program really made a difference to the people in the town and I cherish the time I spent there. I dream of going back one day. I highly recommend AMIGOS de las Americas.

This program is a great blend of volunteering as well as adventure. Two weeks are spent volunteering in your country of choice and then the next two are spent extensively traveling throughout the country. It was one of the best experiences of my life, so amazing in fact that I did another program with Amigos de las Americas the following year.

Amigos de las Americas provides students with a unique opportunity for full immersion in a Latin American community. Volunteers will live with host families in rural towns, which enables them to learn the language and culture of their host country. By cooking with your host mom, learning a game from local children, playing soccer with other teens, or swimming in the river, volunteers will open their eyes to another way of life.
While leading classes and collaborating on projects with community members, volunteers will also learn valuable skills in empowerment, leadership, and cultural exchange.
This program absolutely changed my life and is so participant driven. Amigos cares about the volunteers' experience and is constantly changing and adapting to better themselves.
When volunteers enter a community, they work with others to determine projects rather than deciding what is best for a community. This community based process ensures cultural sensitivity and mutual respect.
I don't think I've heard of anyone regretting their summer with Amigos and many people return as supervisors, associate directors, and directors.
Whenever I meet someone who has participated in Amigos, I feel an immediate connection because I know that they have participated in something that I love.
I will always remember my time with Amigos and highly encourage anyone interested in traveling, meeting new people, making a difference, and practicing Spanish to apply. It's the best investment you'll ever make.

Amigos in Cocle absolutely changed my life. It gave me so many responsibilities that I never had before. I am a better person now because of it. It gave me the courage to travel around the world now, without other people, because nothing is as frightening as doing survey for the first time. You then realize you had nothing to fear in the first place, the people of Panama are amazing.