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Volunteer Solutions - Volunteering Programme Peru

Program
Volunteer in Peru - Cusco | Most Affordable Projects
By Kam Dylan on 07/27/2022
Ratings
Overall
3
Impact: 2
Support: 2
Fun: 3
Value: 3
Safety: 3
Review

I enjoyed the experience and found there were challenges I hadn't expected.

I think the course could be better organised in some ways, such as communicating excursion itineraries in advance and giving more thought to how volunteers are put together and who they are placed with (in terms of the host family). My homestay experience was very uncomfortable from the perspective that I was paired with someone significantly younger and better able to speak Spanish. I was also treated differently by the host family and it is not quite clear to me why. They were a nice family but notably treated me as less favourably than the other volunteer.

More time could be allocated to volunteering, and the local support could be more easily accessible and responsive.

Peru is a beautiful place. The excursions on the whole were very good but I often only found out about arrangements very shortly before - in some cases, the late night before when the leave time for the excursion was 4am the next morning.

I was also not provided the link to review the experience whilst the other two volunteers in my group were and the coordinator followed up with them more than once to ensure it was completed. I requested this link several times, the coordinator ignored me after I left Peru and I was sent this eventually by the head of local coordinators.

Would you recommend this program?
Yes, I would
Year Completed
2022
Recommended for...?
Adventure travelers
Building your resume
Solo Travelers
Students
Private Note to Provider (optional)
My homestay was very uncomfortable although the family were nice and clearly good people - they treat me less favourably and differently to the other volunteer. For example, when I arrived I was asked if I would like anything I asked for a glass of water and was told that I can go and buy it from the supermarket - the other volunteer was given a large bottle of water on arrival. The first time washing clothes by hand (and I not knowing the process) asked where the washing powder was because the other volunteer told me some was made available to her and I was told by the host family that I can go and find some at the supermarket. I was asked when I would be leaving and I said that I can leave a day earlier and take a hotel. I was then told that if I want to stay the last night I could and it was no problem. The father of the host family came home the following evening very drunk and when he was told I would be staying the last evening at a hotel (I said for the experience, something different), he quite firmly and clearly not happy questioned me about why; he asked me what was my problem, was it that I didn't like his home or his family and then he went through the names of each member of his family asking if I had a problem with them. I found this really uncomfortable.

I was paired with a 20 year old volunteer who was very immature and I would have preferred to have been paired with another mature volunteer. I would suggest taking age into consideration when pairing volunteers and also if the homestay families are comfortable with people of colour.