Program Reviews

I am writing this review from the parent perspective. My daughter, age 17 at the time, participated in the Alaska program with VISIONS. I was of course a bit nervous to have her go off as she had never done anything similar and went by herself, not with friends. She just really really wanted to do some genuine service work in an exotic (for her) location, with opportunities to see a bit of the world and have outdoor adventures. She had a *fabulous* time, and came back happier than I've ever seen her, excited about new friends, ice climbing on Glacier, her new carpentry skills, and just thrilled with the whole thing, which she called "the best experience of her life". Highly highly recommended! Staff was helpful and personal despite my worries before we signed up about safety, etc, and they always called immediately and did what they said they'd do to reassure. Staff is highly trained and really committed to this program, many veterans. You will not be disappointed!

Visions Peru was a wonderful opportunity for my teenage children and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants their teen to have a real community service experience in Latin America. What appealed to us was the fact that Visions advertised itself as "not a teen tour" and this was definitely true! The kids really worked hard and felt themselves to be part of the Urubamba community and made a real contribution in the form of an addition to a pre-school. In addition to the daily building projects, there were interesting afternoon programs that ran the gamut from pick up soccer to beekeeping to jewelry making and more. There were also lots of amazing trips in the Sacred Valley that gave them a broader sense of Peru. As a parent, I think Visions did a great job of balancing work and fun and safety and independence. The staff was young, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable about Latin America and were great role models of young people making unusual choices in their career and life paths. All in all, I have no complaints and am really glad that my children had the opportunity to participate in this valuable program.

This program is one that has impacted me in a number of ways. First, I had the chance to develop my carpentry skills, which have already begun to bear fruit back home. Second, and more reflectively, I was shown that work is often its own reward. I have, for much of my life, focused simply on the goal-- working until it is done, getting a score on it, and moving on to the next task; at VISIONS, I was made to understand the difference between work, the process, and the goal, the destination. This mentality is one that I will have for the rest of my life, and one that will serve me well. But lastly, and most importantly, I saw an America that looked nothing like the America I know. To see what has happened to Native Americans on reservations is an experience I will never forget. They are some of the most amazing people I have ever met and they welcomed us to Browning despite the numerous struggles that they encounter everyday. Browning is a town that changed my life. I had some serious moments of self-reflection and I walked away a better person. This program is fantastic in more ways than one, and I urge rhe reader of this to consider applying.

This has been an amazing experience for me, and has made me grow in various different aspects of life. I learnt how to make my self useful in everyday life, starting from the tiniest things like making meals and mopping floors, up to restoring houses that were literally fallimg apart. Obviously all of this was just thanks to the help of our staff members who accompanied us throughout our long and hard-working journeys. In addition to all these jobs and hard-working activities I also enjoyed all the other fun stuff that we were offered to do, like canoeing in a nearby river, going into a "wild immersion", which involved us passing through a river in an extremely fun journey, straight into the wild! And last but not least, the awesome journey in New Orleans passed together with all the team and the staff members! It was a really memorable service trip, it really was!

The best part of VISIONS is that it doesn't just benefit the communities it serves, it benefits all who come in contact with the program. Namely, it has a huge impact on its participants.
Before VISIONS, I was living inside a bubble of modern society. It seemed like everyone else in the world was exactly like me, pushing to do well in school to get into a good college, and then rushing around in life to do as much as possible and get a job and hopefully do some good along the way.
This world I'd imagined was too stressful, too competitive, and too alienating.
So I am so so thankful that VISIONS came and smashed down the walls that were starting to close in on me.
Through the physically difficult (but oddly soothing) community service we did, spending time with some of the Reservation's seniors, and participating in Circle with my friends, I realized that the world I'd lived in for the first sixteen years of my life was fake.
What was real was the cold water we'd filtered during our hike, the green plastic tub a friend and I heaved onto its side to dump out its soapy content, and the chocolate fur of an excited "Rez" puppy. What was real was the pink and blue sky of a sunset, the grey chunks of tile we fought every inch to take off the floor of the community college library, and the dust that billowed around us like fog as we drove on a dirt road.
During my trip with VISIONS, nothing else mattered, nothing else existed except those things. That feeling, of knowing a world that is wholly itself, has stayed with me ever since. For that, I am so, so grateful that I chose to participate in this program.

The month I spent with Visions in Peru flew by in a flash. Every day was action packed and we never had nothing to do. Whether it was hiking through ruins, hiking to magnificent sights(Machu Picchu, Puto Cusi), working at los canales(the canals) or el pronoi(the preschool), participating in los talleres(workshops), or simply spending time with the great company I had with be on the trip. This experience would not have been nearly as memorable had I not had such wholesome, and multidimensional people there with me. The group dynamic I shared with the fifteen other students on the trip was incredible and amplified the memorability of my experience. However, the visions leaders on the Peru trip also played an instrumental part in ensuring everyone on the trip had the best experience possible. I remember how in the first couple of weeks following our arrival, a large number of students got sick due to the drastic change in environment. The leaders did an excellent job of quickly healing the sick, and making sure they could still fully experience the fun activities they had worked so painstakingly in the weeks prior to our arrival to organize. Additionally, the time I spent without technology was beautiful. Without technology, more interaction occurred and as a result I got to know everybody fairly quickly and form wonderful lifelong friendships. Another effect of the absence of technology, was the appreciation I was able to obtain for the beauty that surrounded me. I was in the middle of beautiful mountains, touching a sky unblemished by pollution, a sky so clear that one could so clearly see the stars every night, a sky so clear that you could see the edge of the Milky Way Galaxy, a sky so clear that if you stargazed for long enough, you were sure to be greeted by a shooting star. The poignant Peruvian sky is something that I deeply missed upon my return to New Jersey. Overall, this experience has taught me appreciation for my surroundings, the value of teamwork, leadership and has left me with unforgettable memories for me to carry with me and share with others for the rest of my life. I thank Visions from the bottom of my heart for making such an experience possible for me.

The Nicaragua trip was fantastic all around. The people I met and the experiences we had together were unforgettable. I really loved being able to talk to people throughout the trip in Spanish. It is an amazing feeling when you are able to communicate in another language, even if you mess up all the time! The people are so understanding. It was a great learning experience, and I think I gained a lot of confidence in speaking Spanish every day. Another big highlight was living with 15 other people. Of course there were less than fun experiences, but we really became a tight-knit group of teens and leaders. Comunidad [evening Circle meetings] was incredible.

We went to some really extraordinary places. Out of all of them, my favorite was Peñas Blancas, a rainforest reserve where they are reforesting as much as they can since a lot of Nicaragua's rainforests have been cut down due to deforestation. The community and their mission was really inspiring. That place is so incredible, and I’m planning on going back if I can once I’m done with school.

My summer in Cambodia was actually my 4th visions program and I can easily say it was one of the best. I loved living in an actual city and I have never been to that part of the world so I was thrilled to learn all about their unique cultural activities. My favorite parts of the city were the public gym equipment and all the free dance, yoga, etc. classes that take place at night around the park.

The community service was incredibly rewarding because we literally built the latrines from the ground up. From digging the trenches to pouring the concrete foundation or even laying tile for the bathroom floor, we did it all. But the best was working at the school and along side the children. Each day the children would come and watch us work. But they would also eagerly try to learn english and western games. Even simple games like head shoulders knees and toes got them jumping with joy. To this day I still remember all of my favorite little kids' names.

And I can't forget the travel aspect. Through Visions I have now seen 2 wonders of the world and I would not have asked for a better way to experience them than with the close friendships I had made already over the trip. Each excursion brought me closer to the culture and really connected me directly to the roots of the Khmer people. No touristy attractions and dumbed down info. We got the hardcore truth about all of Cambodia's history. It was great rolling around the city in our tuk tuks, talking with the locals, and waving to all the excited children seeing Americans.

27 days, this long trip without my family really makes me grow so much. Also, it's the first time I do this kind of volunteer work such as building, painting, and so on. The whole experience was refreshing me and making me think of my life and my future. This trip also makes me not too shy like I was. To be honest, the feeling of using your own hands to help others satisfy me the most. Although there might be difficulties and problems, you will enjoy the whole process of helping others and team work. All I want to say is: I really miss everyone who was in that program with me and this will be the most memorable experience in my life. If you choose it, you will never regret.

High school kids that bond and become best friends, truly great leaders and a warm and hospitable host country make for a memorable trip that will be remembered forever. Everyday experiences such as doing laundry by hand, cold showers, walking to the job site, working hard, playing hard, communicating with the kids, leaders and local community- contributed to long fully satisfying days. The time flew by. I wish it could have lasted longer.