Animal Care Volunteer Program in Peru - Cusco

IVHQ provided amazing guidance, I felt ready well in advance of my project. My trip to Peru helped me grow as a person, helping to expand my knowledge of other cultures and involving myself in volunteering which allowed me to gain a closer insight into the culture.

I gained a strong sense of purpose, which had been lacking for me since I retired from teaching. Although I dislike having to rise early, I did so easily, had my breakfast (sometimes with freshly squeezed orange juice!), walked a mile to the zoo, where ultimately I took on the job of gardener. Then I walked another mile to the school, where I had daily, hour long Spanish lessons, one on one with a number of professors, all of them great. Then I took the Batman bus back to the apartment, where I did a lot of reading and interacting with mi familia.

I also enjoyed extra activities each weekend, including, visiting Machu Picchu, horseback riding in the mountains, zip lining (at age 70!) and also exploring an Alpaca farm and various archaeological sights. Lucky for me, the prices of these activities were most reasonable and the guides that I had were warm and wonderful. I am still in touch with my family and the women who run the zoo. I've shared dozens of photos with them.

The local support team was amazing and they far exceeded my expectations!! They were professional, empathetic and enlightening. I believe when working with the seniors at the nursing home I made an impact on their lives daily. I made them feel seen and important by giving them daily hand massages, painting nails and playing ball with them.

It was the first time I travelled so far by myself and I had never been away from home for so long. I was extremely nervous coming to Cusco, but that immediately changed once I met my housemates. They were all travelling solo and just as nervous as I was so we bonded very fast and formed lifelong friendships. The volunteering itself was also an incredible experience, the staff were very caring. The local team was exceptional, they were available to help with whatever we needed. I feel like I definitely made a difference, even if it was just for the 3 weeks I was here. I really loved my time in Cusco and I’m sad to see it come to an end. It was definitely a worthwhile experience that I’ll cherish forever.

I greatly appreciate the support that my IVHQ Program Manager provided prior to my trip and how quickly she responded to my questions. The online resources were also very helpful. I also found the local team to be gracious, supportive and just wonderful people to be around.

I received so many gifts from this trip. It was a complete disruption from my normal life. I was in a different country, speaking a different language, eating different foods, experiencing a different culture and geography, and doing volunteer work completely different from my work at home. The combination of all of these things left me with inspiration, creativity, and space in my body and soul to reaffirm what is important in life and how I want to proceed.

My experience with IVHQ and the support I received from them was outstanding. My favorite moment was when I arrived at Alpaca farm early in the morning, and all the alpacas looked at me, expecting the food and love! Learning about the new culture while living and interacting closely with locals is priceless and I am very grateful for the opportunity.