Why did you choose this program?
I had a great experience with Global Crossroads the year prior in Tanzania and my husband said he had Peru on his bucket list so I out what GC had to offer in Peru. The orphanage program was something the four of us could do together and I thought my 15-year-old could use a little perspective shift, if I am being honest. :)
What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?
The program provider assisted in making arrangements with excursions, pairing us with the orphanage, buying things for the orphanage, and shopping while we were there with donation money. We collected money on our own before going there as well as donations. They helped us navigate the health system since my son was sick while we were there. It is clean safe and great so do not get discouraged by him becoming sick.
We did change our lodging and found restaurants by our own choice to be much closer to the city and we decided where to go to eat and smaller tours to take in our free time.
What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?
I have 4 pieces.
It is not essential but learning Spanish, even the basics before you go can be beneficial and appreciated. There are definitely ways to connect without words with the children you are helping but it is also fun to practice getting better at the language and I think the people appreciate it.
Definitely get traveler's insurance (Which you have to with GC anyway) and check your regular insurance and how it is covered. Learn to go with the flow. There is no way to know what your experience will be like but that is part of the fun too.
Bringing a few donations if you can is much appreciated or collecting a few dollars to get diapers etc for the children heightens the experience.
If you are going with a group or family keep things in perspective, make sure you have connection over expectations. I wanted to do EVERYTHING and my family need downtime so we had to compromise a little bit.
What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?
An average day was getting up and having breakfast and heading to the orphanage to work from 9-1 then having the rest of the afternoon free to explore or take a bus tour. At the orphanage, we helped the kids eat snacks, played lots of games, helped them for a nap, and went outside on the playground or around the block for a walk.
You can either eat at your host house or out in Cusco. Engaging with the Peruvians in the stores or getting an Incan massage was really fun. You can even walk to one area of ruins to explore. The views all around the city are spectacular. We did an excursion with the planetarium that took us up on a bus to learn about the stars and the Incan history. There is plenty to city and do close by to enrich your heart.
Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?
My biggest fear was altitude sickness. I took the medication and didn't need it. Everyone experiences this differently but the worst was a little out of breath walking up stairs. I feel 95% of the time you worry about something you don't need to worry about. My son got sick and was not expecting this but the coordinator and host and program was incredible at helping us navigate this and by our side when we needed them. I thought their docs and nurses were top notch and cared so well for Ben that it changed by view about the healthcare in a third world country and some of the things we can learn from them.