REVIEWS &
TESTIMONIALS

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

"My favorite part of this experience was to see the ins and outs of the way people lived."
—Kyle Edwin, New York

I loved how I got to meet new people and I got to live within the community and actually feel like I'm doing something important. I loved being able to know that I can leave the U.S. and meet new people by myself, and it was a really great experience and I loved the excursions like the scuba diving. I think it was great.
—Riley Munson, Florida

Zoie had an absolutely fantastic adventure. She loved every bit of it. Her experiences with VISIONS BVI far surpassed her previous summer programs that she has been involved with, including better purpose, more room to grow, more freedom, clearly geared towards service. Thanks for letting Zoie be a part of such a great adventure!
—Gail Berkley, Minnesota

I loved the wide array of work-sites and constant activity during the program. I was never bored. I enjoyed having dinner with our neighbors and the close friends we made. It was really cool to talk to them and share common interests. I loved the constant trips to the beach or Road Town, and also our more adventurous excursions. I really loved the staffers. They headed the program with kindness and respect for everyone; they listened to the kids well and put their happiness and safety first. Logan was the carpenter honcho, and was also a great leader. He taught me how to properly hammer a nail with patience and good humor.
—Sarah Yamashita, New Jersey

This summer was rewarding because not only did I meet great people and learn through my experiences but I also learned a lot about myself and grew as a person.
—Eleni Alafouzos, Greece

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

"Can't be described without making up new words. Yes, that’s how incredible this was."
—Eli Cherry, Massachusetts

I really liked the construction; it was challenging but not too difficult, and I am very proud of the amount and quality of the work we were able to accomplish. I loved getting to know the Dominicans and appreciated the amount of time we were able to send with them. Every Dominican I met was so friendly, happy, and fun to talk to!! I was definitely able to improve my Spanish through these conversations, too. I also really enjoyed learning about the culture. I had an absolutely amazing time!! It was such an enriching experience, I learned so much, and I will always remember it!!
—Sarah Barnett, Connecticut

I had a wonderful experience that I know I will never forget and made friends that I will hope to keep forever.
—Justin Smith, Maryland

The Dominicans were with us at homebase, at the worksites, and on excursions. It was awesome getting to know all of them. The leaders were also awesome. I feel that they all tried their very best to make sure we had an awesome trip and I can confidently say that they were successful. I had a ridiculously amazing time. I appreciate everything that VISIONS did to make it happen and I am considering a third trip next summer. You guys are awesome. Thank you so much for giving me an experience I will remember for the rest of my life.
—TJ Mandelkorn, Washington

It was so rewarding and I loved that I got to interact with the community so much. It made the whole experience even more meaningful and enjoyable.
—Hennah Vohra, California

MONTANA BLACKFEET

"This trip has been life changing for me and was the best experience. I'm so glad that I was able to take part."
—Canyon Campion, North Carolina

It was a 5. Everything was great, learning the new different cultures, being able to get along like family with the leaders and the other teens. The activities were all fun. Most of all giving back to the community was great.
—Sanlly Romero, Massachusetts

The community service aspect of this program was great! I loved how close we were to everyone and everything– I really felt like a part of the community. Montana was amazing... I did things I never thought I could do. We went horseback riding, swimming, hiking, and backpacking. VISIONS brought us to amazing places and we saw such cool sites. There was a breathtaking view everywhere we went. I was the youngest participant and thought it would cause me to be left out. I was completely wrong. Age and grade became completely irrelevant from the second we got there. There were no "friend groups" and nobody ever felt left out. We were like one big family. It was great. I also learned a lot about myself this summer. Circle was a great activity that showed me the person I want to be. I feel like I have grown a lot and I hope I have brought that home with me.
—Paden Dvoor, New York

I would simply like to say: thank you. Thanks for a great experience this summer; I had no shortage of awesome times in Montana with my group, and I will be recommending VISIONS to friends everywhere I go!
—Sammy Potter, Maine

What I enjoyed the most were the skills I gained from learning about carpentry in order to finish our tasks, as well as being able to interact with the people at the reservation. I really liked that we were fully engaged with the reservation.
—Yulissa Lopez, Texas

PERU

"Thank you so much for an amazing summer, VISIONS!"
—Sylvan Lebrun, Pennsylvania

I feel like I learned about what really matters, and not to be so bothered with superficial things. My program was absolutely amazing. I was surrounded by the most incredible people 24/7, and that really makes a trip like this. If you are as fortunate as I was to go on a VISIONS trip, take full advantage of every experience presented to you.
—Sierra O'Brien, Kentucky

No words for the experience Victoria had—I am so happy with the change I see in her. She came back being more happy (and she's typically very happy), more appreciate and more grateful than ever. The experience opened her up to discover more of who she is as a person and the difference she can make not only with her family, but also her community and the world.
—Angela Mellow, California

I liked how we actually did real work and that we weren't treated like children. We were trusted to do actual important work. There were a lot of opportunities to experience cultural immersion out at the worksites, around town on "Bamba time," and occasionally in the house, and I think it's really cool to even have that opportunity.
—Graham Weinschenk, Virginia

I want to express my deepest gratitude to everyone at VISIONS. People filled with love for what they do and the capacity to be flexible and share the leadership. You are running an incredible organization. This trip has been amazing, the work is real, the community needs are real, and the place is beyond magical. Another word I have to say is about Nico and his love for his community and how he operates from a place of respect, commitment and efficiency. And Neyda always went above and beyond to prepare delicious meals. All of this is to express my gratitude. This will be a hard trip to top.
—Marcelo Bronstein, New York (Custom Program)