Reflections

"Anyone excited and curious about being immersed in another culture for a summer is a perfect candidate for AMIGOS. AMIGOS enables Volunteers to be in another country exploring the culture and people while also using their time to work with and help their community. I really felt like I returned to the states a different person because I had such a complete and full experience. I did everything from teach in the elementary school about deforestation and re-tile the kindergarten floor to cook empanadas with my grandma and dance cumbia at my neighbor's house in the evenings. I think any person who loves to explore the world and connect with other people would be awesome for AMIGOS." -- Costa Rica Volunteer, 2005
"I decided to participate in AMIGOS because it seemed like an opportunity to do something I would otherwise never do. And it turned out to be just that. I have been a Volunteer twice, and each experience opened up a new world for me. I now feel like I have a home in Mexico and one in Panama, which is something I never thought I'd be able to say. I was afraid that the people I met in country wouldn't want me there, but everyone was very welcoming. I had instant friends and family as soon as I got there. It was amazing! I'm always surprised by the people I meet through AMIGOS. Every person involved is unique and is in it for their own reasons. There isn't one type of AMIGOS Volunteer, which is one of the things I love about the program. You can meet all kinds of different people. I would recommend it to anyone who is open-minded and looking for a new experience. And it helps if you speak decent Spanish or at least want to learn." -- Panamá Volunteer, 2005
"We participate in life of another place." Carol Fowler "I feel that this quote captures my AMIGOS experience. I remember the first day I was in Hato del Padre, Dominican Republic, I felt like an outsider, I didn't know the people I was living with, I wasn't accustomed to the food or bathing situations. Then by the end of my summer the people that I was living with became my family. I had many new experiences; teaching the kids, playing baseball with the neighbors, going to a quinceañera, swimming in the canal, and organizing a theater group, which are all now part of me and memories that I will always cherish. The most important part of AMIGOS for me was the cultural exchange. I loved living with my host family, they taught me so much and I was also able to share and tell about my life in the States. I loved hanging out with my new Dominican friends; it was incredibly easy to get close to them. Even though you would think that there is not much to do, we were always busy, even if it was just sitting and talking. Another part of my experience that I will treasure was eating at different community member's homes for meals. It gave me an opportunity to meet a lot of the people in my town. I would tell a person considering participating in AMIGOS that they would be missing out on a great opportunity if they did not become a Volunteer. I feel so lucky that I was able to participate in AMIGOS; I know that not very many teens my age get to have an experience like me. It was by far the most important, memorable summer of my life. If you are excited, open minded, compassionate and flexible then I think that you are ready for AMIGOS." -- Dominican Republic Volunteer, 2005
"Do it! It was amazing. For me, it made me realized what I wanted in my life. I know what I like about my life and I know who I am. It's such a great program." -- Nicaragua Volunteer 2006
"I have a much more positive outlook on the world. I'm better at finding the good in anyone...And, I can find the good in myself, as well." -- Panama Volunteer 2006
"...My host mother, Luvinda, is standing at the kitchen table with her back to me, bent over a mound of dough which she is pounding into a tortilla...She pulls two wads of maza out of the bucket and hands one to me...We begin a follow-the-leader game of tortilla making...Luvinda looks at my progress, shaking her head and sighing. She places her hands on her hips and cocks her head to one side as if to say 'not as easy as it looks, huh?' But I'm determined to make a tortilla and grab another hunk of dough...She teaches me with the rhythm of her hands, the movements of her body, the nod of her chin. This time I listen closely to the cadence of her slapping, joining it with my own...'This is why our hands are curved," she whispers to me as if telling a secret...We lay our tortillas side by side on the plate over the fire...I carefully peel mine from the plate without burning myself. I ceremoniously set it on top of hers...I want to eat it right then, but it's so much more gratifying to know that later that day someone in my family will enjoy a tortilla that I made myself. I'm filled with even more pride when I see Luvinda smile her sideways grin at me...'Ya si puedes,' she pronounces proudly. 'Now you can.'" -- Nicaragua Volunteer 2006
"It was a really incredible experience. More people should learn from other cultures. No matter where you go in the world with the AMIGOS program, it'll be an amazing experience." -- Nicaragua Volunteer 2006
"I decided to participate in AMIGOS because it seemed like an opportunity to do something I would otherwise never do. And it turned out to be just that. I have been an AMIGOS Volunteer twice, and each experience opened up a new world for me. I now feel like I have a home in Mexico and one in Panama, which is something I never thought I'd be able to say." -- Panama Volunteer 2005, Mexico Volunteer 2004
"It was amazing to see these people and really connect with the community, and then have to leave them. It was heart wrenching...It was a valuable experience. The relationships you build are great. You learn such valuable lessons. You'll come out of it strengthened and more independent. You learn to take care of yourself." -- Paraguay Volunteer 2006
"I know I have a better sense of myself. I'm more comfortable with myself. It's amazing that I know people down there, that I have a community down there, and I hope they remember me...Having friends in Costa Rica is amazing." -- Costa Rica Volunteer 2006