TESTIMONIALS

Nationality.- Australia
"

I spent five weeks working as a football coach and volunteer after applying through Volunteer Work Latin America / Dos Manos Nederland. I spoke only a few words of Spanish beforehand, but with the help of local team I was still able to make a difference to some amazing children right from the start, whilst picking up my Spanish to conversational level along the way. The agency had already found me some long term, cheap accommodation in Centro Medellin with three meals a day provided! If you want, they will also help you arrange Spanish lessons - something I would strongly recommend doing if your Spanish is only basic.

This volunteer program works closely with other foundations to give children a more structured, healthier, happier lifestyle, which focuses around school and learning. It’s hard not to get attached to these wonderful, smiling children who of all been through some sort of turmoil in their lives and who all have a lot of love and energy to give.

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michael.p.johnson@cantab.net

Nationality.-
"I will definitely recommend Dos Manos to everybody I know. The arrangements were perfect - from the transfers to the hotels and the Inca Trail …… everything was perfect! The hotels you chose for us were really great and we didn’t have to wait once at the airports or hotels for pick-ups. The Inca Trail was beautiful and so well organized. Our guide Bryan was fantastic, he spoke very good English and made the trip so enjoyable and his knowledge of the Inca sites was brilliant. I have traveled a lot and visited many different countries and I think Peru is definitely the most beautiful country I have ever been to. The hike was very well organized and the food was fantastic. The porters and cooks were really great and made the whole experience very memorable."
ronnyann@bee-quest.co.za

Nationality.-
"Hi!
I just want to thank you for all the arrangments. You did a wonderful job. My husband and I have
enjoyed our tours. We will definitely recommend your company to our friends.
Keep up the good work."
emacaulay@shaw.ca

Nationality.- Holland
"My arrival at AMAUTA Buenos Aires was as like stepping into a warm bath. Friendly staff, good facilities, interactive teaching; they have put everything well together. I started with intermediate classes, because I took classes in my homecountry too. Even though, the classes at AMAUTA enriched my Castellano every day. And I think that is mainly because they teach in various ways. One day the teachers take you to the park, the other you're reading (and singing) Argentinean songs. So I didn't only learn Spanish, I too learned a lot about the Latin American culture! Buenos Aires is an incredible place to study Spanish. AMAUTA is located in the lovely tranquil neighbourhood of Belgrano. Close to busy and vibrant Palermo. The hostfamilies and hostel that can be arranged via AMAUTA, are close to the school. From the school it's only a few sto er nice areas such as Recoleta and San Telmo. Buenos Aires rocks! AMAUTA is one of the best memories I have of my trip in South America. I could recommend everyone that wants to learn Spanish to check it out. "
doranoirbons@hotmail.com

Nationality.- United Kingdom
"Many thanks for arranging our trip. We had a great time with no problems and enjoyed it mucho. The staff at the hotels in Puno and Cusco was really helpful; the city tours were informative and very useful in orientating ourselves in Lima and Cusco. Our trek was great – we had a good group and bonded over numerous cervezas! Our guide was very conscientious and attentive. We had a fantastic time – lots of memorable moments. "
helenjp@raywood3.freeserve.co.

Nationality.- United States
Age.- 39
"This is Rudy Garcia from Califonia USA. I just came back from Peru where I finished two weeks of the absolute best Spanish Immersion education I have ever had. The teachers are top notch and really care about the students learning as much as possible. The accommodation choices and quality are excelent, the meals are superb and the other elective activities are fun andeducational. The stay and extra excursions booked by Dos Manos were awe inspiring and affordable. You have an excellent team and I will be back and I will recommend your services to anyone. "
rudimentarybeauty@gmail.com

Nationality.- Germany
Age.- 69
"I have the time of my life here! Both In Bogota and here In Medellin my families have been great!! In Bogota the school was excellent. The teachers are very knowledgeable and know, how to help you learn. All of the "personnel" went out of their way to protect and help me!! I had an great experience there, with all 3 teachers: Marcella, Liliana and Amira!!! I certainly can recommend this school to anybody. Here in Medellin the school is smaller, so I’m receiving private classes! I definitely notice, that I am learning and I have only been here 1/2 of the time!! Please tell both of my families, that I had a wonderful time with both them and the families!! "

Nationality.-
"Excellent, really excellent tour of Peru. We are back home now & want to say thanks for organising the tour for us, all aspects were really great and all details were excellent with well arranged collections, drop off's and individual tours which made our stay in Peru a memorable one. We hope to return one day to see Machu Picchu so we will keep your details. We also enjoyed Buenos Aires as well. Once again thanks very much & wish you all the best for the future"
phil.shelton50@yahoo.com

Nationality.- Holland
"I have been here in Buenos Aires for two months and it was a great experience!!!!! And i will never forget my experience here!!! I enjoyed the Spanish course and the volunteer work a lot. The people are very friendly and nice and they tried to make me happy to work there. I've learned now how to work with little baby's, because i'm was really afraid to work with them. But I learned that they only need love and holding and attention. It was an great experience!!!!! "

Nationality.-
"Thank you so much for your professionalism during our tour in Peru and Bolivia! It was the best trip in my life! I am in love with Peru and I think ogf breating a special website to advertise your magical country! I am glad I have already friends like you in Peru "

Nationality.-
"The tours were wonderful! The guides took such good care of us and the whole group loved them. We were in great hands and they had a wonderful sense of the group, our interests and where to take us. I was also impressed by the driver. He did a great job, keeping the ride smooth. I appreciated that he was so careful, especially compared to some of the cab rides we had. When it started to rain, he got a trap on top of the van. We all appreciated the way they went above and beyond, like helping us to order food and holding onto our pottery purchases. Your communication at Dos Manos has been great as well. I appreciate how clear and easy and reliable it was to work with you. All and all, I'm profoundly impressed with Dos Manos and look forward to working with you for future trips. "
katie@handsoverheart.com

Nationality.- United Kingdom
"I'd like to thank u and Joseph at Dos Manos for your help arranging our Lares Trek. Also I'd like to add a personal reference for Simon our Trekking guide; he was excellent. He was very clear with his english, indepth knowledge of the Inca's history and Macchu Picchu.

His whole persona & energy was inspiring thoughout our trek, which kept us going. I would totally recommend him to anyone looking for a personal insight in to Peru. Thanks again and look forward to booking another trip with u when I return."

Nationality.-
"We have returned from Machu Picchu and are awaiting for our train back to Cuzco. We had beautiful clear skies this morning, and our guide was wonderful! The entire trip has been exceptional, and I wanted to thank you for doing such a good job making the arrangements for me! I will recommend your services to all of my friends who plan to visit this exciting country."

Nationality.- United States
"I had a wonderful experience volunteering at a clicic for mental health in Peru. The best part was the freedom of my job. I began, with beginners Spanish, making art with the lowest functioning patients. As my Spanish improved, I changed my schedule to incorporate some psychology workshops with the higher functioning patients. Observing the workshops at first, I learned about the focus of the group and before I knew it, I was leading the workshop when the nurse was not present. My vocabulary grew with the increased responsibility and my relations with the patients grew as well. After two months I had been through good days and bad but, over all I made a lot of friends (I even went to a Grupo 5 concert with my co-workers), learned a lot about the mental health system in Peru, and used my Spanish in a social services setting. What i will look back on is the strong bond I built with the patients, and the many friends I have at the project. Both are wonderful people to work with. "

Nationality.- United States
"This is a great project for anyone, even if you only have a day to volunteer. This project comes ready-made with things to do. If you volunteer in the mornings, you will be expected to help finish getting the children dressed for the day, play with them, feed them lunch, and help clean them up and put them to bed for a nap. The clinic sorely needs volunteers on weekends as well, especially during the evenings as there are fewer nurses available and generally no volunteers. With less people around, the kids sit around doing very little when they could really use some stimulation. I have loved this project - the kids are happy, engaging, and generally excited to see you. And while there are expectations (as listed above), as a therapist with a background with special-needs kids, I have been allowed access to the therapy room and can choose which children I want to work with. It is up to me to use what kind of therapy or skills I want to provide for that child (not all children here receive therapy). Not only is there a lot of freedom in this aspect, the clinic is also flexible in regards to your schedule. Sometimes when I can't make it during the week, I make up my time on the weekends. The children love spending time in their large playground, playing with toys in their rooms, going for walks (or wheelchair races) around the clinic, and they especially love it when volunteers bring bubbles, balloons, balls, and simple art projects. Most of the children are pretty low-functioning - about 25% can communicate or walk or attend school, whereas the rest have much higher needs. You don't need a particularly high level of Spanish for this project as most of the kids are unable to speak or are only capable of understanding quechua. Plus, the nurses, for the most part, keep to themselves unless you actively engage with them. What needs to be done is pretty clear to see in this project and it is a great place for a volunteer to be. "

Nationality.- Ireland
"I spent just over 4 weeks volunteering in an after school project ere in Cusco (Peru). I always wanted to volunteer, and found myself with a 'now or never' option whether to come to Peru, and it is one I will never regret. Coming from a fast paced life both in work and social life, Peru was a welcome change. The first day I arrived at the project I was welcomed with hugs and kisses, from all 40+ kids in the project, all starving for some attention. The thing is, these kids are so happy to receive any affection at all that they immediately take to you. Because I am such a huge soccer fan, I was able to play with them in a local playground for 2 hours a day. It was great for building teamwork, keeping them fit and most importantly having fun. On top of that all, these kids are good. To be honest, my Spanish was much to be desired when I arrived at the project, but I still was able to help and play with the kids. It was great helping the small ones with jigsaws, or the older ones with homework, but sport and fun is my forte, so volleyball, soccer or some other made up game was always on the menu. To be honest it is the first type of work that I actually looked forward to going to and I also felt as if I had made a difference afterwards. You can make a difference one kid at a time here. I enjoyed my stay so much that I decided to stay another three months in Cusco. "

Nationality.- United Kingdom
Age.- 22
"Cusco is a vibrant city and is just the right size. The school is in a really great location and even if you do not always stay at the school, if is easy to combine Spanish lessons with sightseeing in and around the city. Many people take long weekend to go and visit the famous Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley. The teachers here are very professional and you can always count on improving your Spanish at Amauta. Whiltst here if you feel you need to go at a faster or slower pace you can talk to the staff and they will help you out. Another highlight if you live at the school is the non teaching staff. The kitchen staff prepare breakfast and lunch and are really nice as are the night staff who are friendship and helpful. There is plenty to do during the week. For example, the cooking classes and the salsa classes are great. There is also a common living room there where you can watch DVD´s or peruvian TV."

Nationality.- Holland
Age.- 24
"Amauta is a great school with a lot of options. They can help you find a course where you have different options and levels to choose from. You can combine your course with volunteering which is a great opportunity to learn about the way of living in Peru. Amauta also offers different excursions as well. You can take a week and go to the sacred valley or to the jungle. There are also activities at the school like music and cooking classes. The teacher speak Spanish very cleary and you will understand it well and quickly. Cusco is a wonderful place as well to be in for awhile."

Nationality.- United States
Age.- 27
"The moment I walked through the doors, it felt very welcoming to be here. The staff was there to help me out and I immediately felt at home and at ease. On the first day of arrival, everything is organized so you can become accustomed to the environment. They give you plenty of information in regards to the activities that are around, places to eat and where to go. The staff are extremely friendly and it has been a wonderful place for me to connect with other people from all around the world. This agency is the best by far overall. The location is great and close to the center. Though I am leaving to travel, I would definitely come back if it is possible. You do not want to miss the opportunity to be here. Thank you to all of the staff for such a great experience."

Nationality.- DINAMARCA
Age.- 61
"El Lago Titicaca. Un lugar muy especial y único en el mundo … tanto por su naturaleza y situación como los pueblos que habitan las Islas flotantes y las Islas. La excursión allí con Dos Manos ha sido una experiencia absolutamente apasionante e interesante. La estadía con una familia nativa en cuya casa pasamos una noche y comimos tres comidas fue un encuentro humano muy emocionante y conmoviendo. Ser planteado en medio de su ambiente y ver y escuchar a ellos como manejan su vida fue para mí el punto culminante. "

Nationality.- FRANCIA
"hi, just cominig back to france! The words are too weak to express the enjoyement of the trek! FIRST of all the team was really excellent: professional, nice, enough discret, enough energic, then brillant. Concerning the food, we just think that THE COOK can find a new position in Paris as a cooker! Just kidDing but OUR only regret is not to have TAKEN photos of his dishes as their were really incredible! He is a genious. The people who cared of the "mule" were really nice too and incredibly HELPFULL. AND last but not least THE GUIDE, a mine of knowledge and of kindness! Concerning the trek, Chokequiraw is really a beautiful site, I can say that now, as I can compare IT to Machu Pichu! The peaceful, the long way to reach the site make it incredibly fascinating. So, again thank you DOS MANOS, and I will for sure recommand your Agency (as we've already DONE in Cusco)! "

Nationality.- ---
"Dos Manos, All, Thank you! You really came through for us in arranging our custom travel in Cusco and the Sacred Valley. Our guide, Percy, was knowledgeable and good company. Everything was high quality and reliable. Thanks for all the time and personal attention and for the futbol tickets! Hope we meet again soon."

Nationality.- FRANCIA
"I have booked a tour with Dos Manos. I went to Qeswachaka, I really enjoyed the day. It was nice to travel from Cusco to see the bridge made in grass, and I crossed it. It was a wonderful time. Everything was well organised! with nice people who are working at Dos Manos."
fabypoilane@neuf.fr

Nationality.- CANADA
"This tour was simple perfect! Our guide Manuel was just great, knowledgable, los’t of knowledge about Inca, nature, wilderness, botamicals. He was also very sharp, always on time, always helping every one with our equipment. He was very caring of the entire group: us, 4 canadiens, the dutch "princesa" and the 2 americans (a group of 7). Manuel was a leader and for a great spirit a along the inca trail. Also, a special note for Sebastián, the cook. We ate during the four days like we never thought it could be posible in a tour like this. The food was just incredible, better than in some of the best Cusco restaurants! We will recommend "Dos Manos Agency" to all our friends back in Canada. "