Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Paul Huebener, Vancouver, B.C. V6P 3P8, Canada (http://individual.utoronto.ca/esjones/travelogue.htm)
I came here because I am interested in the environment and wanted to experience some hands on conservation or sustainability. While I learned from and was touched by many people and things here, my most eye opening experiences happened in Chirikayen village. To me, the rich forests in this part of the world are sort of a sacred thing. And having spent most of my life in North America, hearing about how these irreplaceable forests are being destroyed made the change to live as a guest among people who live in and with the forest one who could not pass up. I didn’t quite know how to feel, then, when I ended up working in a slash and burn plantation. This type of plantation I have been taught, is evil and unsustainable. Yet my Pemon hosts needs the Yucca from this particular plantation to feed his wife and seven children. Its complicated. I heard many conflicting stories here, about how easy it is for the forest to recover from these plantations. Whether or not the land is reusable or reused and about whether or not such small family farms are causing any significant damage compared with the practices of larger, for profit industries. I’m not yet ready to draw conclusions about all of this, but my time here has deepened my understanding of these issues and has been an adventure I will always remember warmly. Many thanks to Manfred, Eduardo, Andrea, the Artlas, and the other volunteers who made my two months here such happy and rewarding ones. Your strength and kindness are inspiring.

Kelsey Dow, Kelowna BC, Vancouver V1Z 2T7, Canada
Life is full of surprises and thankfully my time here in Santa Elena was filled with a lot of good ones. I came here without any expectations and was unsure of what to expect. I am leaving today with a new perspective, new friends, a lot of great memories, and a tear in my eye. My time here was spent on a few different projects, most of my time was spent at the attention center with the kids. I also helped to design and build toys and equipment for the attention center, and a Cuban exercise therapy center. I also spent a little time at the Cuban exercise center, helping there. I learned a lot more than I expected to, really enjoyed the time I spent in each project. The work that Peace Villages does here I feel is very good. And I am glad to be part of it. The best part of my time here, has been the people I have met and grown close with. Of course my
lovely sister, our adventure is just beginning. Mariel-my Santa Elena sister- I cant imagine my time here without you. To all of the volunteers at PVS, thank you for making my time here so memorable and keep up the good work!

Karla Dow, Kelowna BC, Vancouver V1Z 2T7, Canada
It is hard to put into words the experience I have had with Peace Villages over the past month. I really believe that this organization is doing, will do, a lot of good here and I am so proud that I was a small part of that. I have had such an amazing adventure here, and I have so many people to thank for that.
Kelsey- my sister and best friend…thank you for talking me into this I look forward to the rest of our journey. Mariel- My Santa Elena sister, you have such a loving soul and I am so glad we ended up here together. Santa Elena wouldn’t be the same without you! Team Row- we did it and finished with a smile (and a beer). In true team row fashion. What an adventure! The boys- F and P… Thanks for putting up with our evening giggles, participating in our crazy schemes, and being part of the family we have simulated here. Erika- You are doing such an amazing job at "Tucusito" attention center. The knowledge you are sharing is so valuable is so valuable and your love for the kids shines! You always made me feel at home and I appreciate how you listen to each and everything we had to say. Your passion for this work is contagious. Good luck to you!

Mariel Ramos, Caracas, Venezuela
Ok…ok…ready? Get set… Go…
I am leaving in about two hours from my nearly one months stay in Santa Elena and I must say, well, I really want to stay. I remember the first day I got here when my father dropped me off, and I was so scared and anxious about how this whole experience would turn out and whether it would all be positive. Now that my time is over, I cannot help but to wish this all could go on for a little bit longer, because I have had such an amazing time. Everything about it was great, my fellow volunteers who I can honestly call friends, the kids who would light up my day with their smiles, this beautiful place so unique on this earth… just absolutely everything has been more, much more, than I ever dreamed it could be. I want to applaud the volunteer coordinator for always being available when needed and for much selfless contributions for Peace Villages and the volunteers who make it happen. For all his efforts and dedication, thank you! I want to thank the girls, my girls, who adopted me as one of their sisters for four weeks, of fun filled
excitement, especially for 730 pm giggles! And of course, thanks to the guys, for lending themselves as subjects to our endless charms. All of you who make up Peace Villages, all your hard work and dedication is valuable and very much needed. Erika, great job with the kids, you know so well what you do. Thank you all for making this stay an unforgettable time. I will always remember it with love.

Debra Herrmann, Nicholson St, Yarraville, Australia
Dear PVS. Many thanks for such a wonderful week of volunteering, painting, and adventure travel ! again I must say what I wonderful program it is you have devised- so many ways anyone can make a contribution however big (or small) the commitment. In one week it is not possible to achieve a great deal through your flexibility and the vast range o choice and projects open to me I am leaving now with quite a sense of achievement despite being with you for such a short time. Although I am leaving now I hope that my work for you is not finished- there is much I feel I can still yet do, and will be in touch (when there is more time!) with some further suggestions. Likewise please be in touch with me if you think of something I can do from Australia. It is not very often in life I have the good fortune to meet such good, kind hearted, and inspired people as yourselves, thanks so much again for allowing some of this inspiration to transmit to me! Wishing you all the best – and continued success, Debra.

Eoin O'Higgins, Anelagh, Dublin 6, Ireland
I have thoroughly enjoyed my short stay here at PVF in Santa Elena. Everyday has brought with it exciting new challenges, new adventures and new friends.
I would like to thank Manfred for his hard work and vision in setting up this charitable organization and thus providing people like me with an incredible opportunity not only to enjoy the beauty of the town and its surroundings, but also to make a positive difference and lasting impact in a community which is still striving to develop amidst economic disadvantage and a vast array of social problems. Santa Elena has many charms and friendly people who genuinely appreciate any work undertaken by a volunteer. This to me was very encouraging and heartwarming. It is probably the safest town I have ever been to in South America and it has really been a pleasure living here. I was lucky enough to be able to travel back to Guyana for a few days (this is a country which I have now been to 6 times!). Yet after 2 weeks, I almost prefer Venezuela already! Whilst in Guyana, I completed the registration of a business there now operating as “Makonaima Adventure Tours” under the control of my partner in business, Trevor. One of the things I have learnt as a teacher in Santa Elena is that I will always put education and social improvement first and then gold, diamonds, money and business later. I believe my time here has been a success if each student has learnt a similar amount of English as I have learnt Spanish!
I would like to thank all for helping me to get my feet on the ground here and help to initiate two projects – one at the Info Centro in Manak-Krü and secondly, at the community centre in Akurimá. Andrea – thanks for making this possible and for being so welcoming, full of good advice and always smiling. The tour we did with Richard of “La Gran Sabana” was an amazing and unforgettable day.
To my fellow volunteers I wish you success and happiness in the months ahead. I know Erika will make a huge difference in the lives of children with special needs and disabilities and the loving and caring nature of the work will spread throughout the entire community. To Clare and my good old buddy Howard, I really hope to see you soon in Dublin/ London (Venezuela??). Keep in touch and keep up the good work.
Now as I am preparing to leave, I hope English classes will continue and that tourism will grow in an environmentally friendly way and that the rights of the indigenous Amerindian people will be protected and respected. It has been a wonderful experience and I am sure I will be back in Venezuela before long and am really looking forward to visiting Angel Falls before going back to Ireland. Thank you all so much. Peace and Love, Eoin

Susan Huang, P.O. Box 460304, San Francisco, CA 94146, USA
This trip to Venezuela & to volunteer at the PVF was completely last minute – a last hurrah before I start working. As the date of the departure approached – I found myself a bit anxious – wondering if I made the right decision. Fortunately it has been a wonderful experience and I’m very happy that I decided to come. In these short few days in Santa Elena – I have felt incredibly alive. I was constantly connecting with the people around me – the staff, my fellow volunteers, my host family and their friends, people in the villages, the kids I served. While I lament that I cannot stay longer and contribute more to this worthy foundation and all of its causes – I am thankful for the great experiences that I gathered here. I enjoyed the laughter of the children I worked with and their sense of pride when they learned to do something correctly. I enjoyed living amongst a warm Venezuelan family, sharing our histories and our culture. And finally I enjoyed the fellowship of people who truly believe in the ethics of service and feel joy in helping others. I have received everything I have hoped to receive on this trip – and I hope that in return my short time here has made some positive impact for the people of Santa Elena. Susan Huang

Helen Lindley, Swithland, Loughborough, Leicestershire, UK LE12 8TH, UK
My best wishes to everyone who has helped make my time here in Santa Elena so unforgettable! It’s hard not to sound “cheesy” in a guestbook, but for good reason! I have found in the past week that the clichés are true....
If you are within your comfort boundaries, you will not learn or grow. This week has pushed me in many respects – as my first trip in South America, and in meeting new people and dealing with a different culture. Actually being part of a community for the past week, however, made me not only appreciate, but respect the Venezuelan people and culture in ways that could not be achieved by simply passing through. It has been brilliant to work with such a small but powerful organization and see the dedication of Andrea and Manfred first hand. In only a week I feel that not only have I achieved something by painting the hospital but have learned much about the working of an NGO and the Venezuelan way of life and the amazing people. Thank you all again and best wishes for the future! Helen Lindley

Jullie Betty Tran, Toronto, Ontario M6B 2A6, Canada
Magical days in Santa Elena. When I told my family & friends that I’d be using most of my vacation time on a working holiday, I got many reactions that included “You’re crazy!”. What would have been crazy was to miss this amazing opportunity in Santa Elena (& its stunning surroundings) as well as its ppl are nothing short of “rich” & courageous. I wouldn’t have traded my time here for anything.
4 tremendous ppl associated to PVF.
Andrea, Manfred – all the best for continued success with your cause. It takes a HUGE heart & some serious perseverance to do what you do each day. The foundation grounds will be amazing! Erika, Helen – my fellow volunteers. It was a pleasure sharing this sweet house with sweet ppl. Both of you have shown me that a will to help spans ALL ages. I wish you the best; health, happiness &, of course, tons more adventures.
4 hours flight from ATL to Caracas. This was the stout of my marathon traveling to Santa Elena. That was one crazy but worthwhile journey. In this case, it was definitely the destination!
3 unforgettable (highlights / moments) in Gran Sabana.
(I) the viewpoint of all the tepuies;
(II) the natural waterfall massage at one of the waterfall stops; and,
(III) the sunset while driving back into town
2 OpenOffice applications taught.
Most of my efforts went towards teaching my students (at “CompuCentro”) OpenOffice Presentation &, OpenOffice Calc. The best was seeing students returning to learn more. The desire to learn computer skills was very evident &, i hope that they use these skills in the future.
1 unforgettable experience.
Thank you PVF for this opportunity. Best always, Jullie Tran

Andrea Rees, Wirksworth, Derbyshire, DE4 4AJ, UK
I have spent two months here as part of a long honeymoon. My experience has met and surpassed my expectations as I have been involved in lots of different and exciting projects. My background is physiotherapy and I have enjoyed applying this here but I have also loved doing work that is so different from my job at home.
From painting walls and murals at the hospital, teaching English, litter picking on a mountain with young volunteers, looking after refugee children during a flood, making toys and mobiles, teaching Cuban therapists about physio, treating some patients, it has all been great. The best aspect has been seeing the attention center open and develop, the opportunity to work with special needs children and with Gregoria has been great and has made me rethink my career at home. We were supposed to leave last week, but in the end decided to stay longer……… not sure we will ever leave!
The Sabana is a beautiful region and weekend tours to explore it are well worth the time and money, despite the discomfort on bumpy roads. Likewise, climbing Roraima was worth the pain! One of the Peace Villages best assets is that is small, grassroots and new, so volunteers feel welcomed, valued and part of the team from the start. Our ideas and input have always been welcomed and we have felt that we have been able to help to shape the foundation.
Manfred, Eduardo and Andrea have been great to work with, their enthusiasm is infectious. Meeting lots of new people (volunteers as well as locals) has a big part of the experience. I loved the social side of living here! Best wishes to the staff and to all future volunteers, Andrea Rees

Dennis Kirby, Bozeman, MT 59715, USA
Dear Diary… oh wait, this is the wrong book! As anyone who has ever tried to convey their feelings with words knows, it’s an impossible feat to accomplish… regardless, I shall try! I came to Santa Elena and the Peace Villages Foundation to gain international healthcare experience in order to better prepare myself for my future career as a physician. What I failed to realize is that I would gain so much more in the process.
My experience at the hospital was eye-opening… yet amazing non the less. The staff welcomed me with open arms and were more than willing to involve me in just about every aspect of their practice of medicine. My experience teaching English to the children (and adults on occasion) was truly unforgettable. Crossing the bridge which spans the chasm between two languages is a formidable task. I’m elated to know that I have helped in some small way make this feat easier for these children.
Oddly, and unexpectedly enough, one of the most rewarding experiences for me was cleaning the trash of the mountain top with the children. Watching the children clean up trash with so much enthusiasm was heart-warming and encouraging… there is hope for the future! At one point, four children who were hiking with their mothers actually volunteered to help us! As silly and sentimental as this sounds that act of selflessness and the desire to help brought tears to my eyes and goose bumps to my flesh. That is the feeling I want to experience every day in my life and no paycheck can ever produce that feeling. What I witnessed at that moment and every day that I was here in Santa Elena is what Manfred has referred to as “love in action”. I saw it every day… with the volunteers painting the community center, with the volunteers working with the special needs children, with the volunteers teaching English, with other volunteers at the hospital, with the volunteers working with individuals, with physical disabilities, and with Andrea, Eduardo and Manfred’s dedication to the “cause” of Aldeas de Paz (Peace Villages Foundation).
I have made a lot of great new friends during this short journey. Please know that in some way you have all helped to shape me into a better person and I thank you for that. I will surely miss Julian’s clever wit, Olivia’s compassion, Andrea’s strength, Manfred’s energy and enthusiasm Andrea’s kindness, Richard’s jokes and Luisas family’s hospitality!
To all of you, thank you for making this such an enjoyable and enriching experience for me. I wish all of you great health, lots of luck and lots of love with whatever you choose to do in your lives. Hopefully our paths will cross again… the world is a lot smaller than we think!! Take care, Dennis Kirby

Olivia Garvey, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS4 2NQ UK
Been dreading this – how can you sum up the experience of 4 weeks in a few lines. I’ve loved my time here, whether it was working at “Tucusito”, teaching English, relaxing at the river, painting at the hospital or just wandering around the village. I’ve been struck by the friendliness of many people here and have felt very welcome. Leaving is strange, as it feels like I’m leaving a home; somewhere I’ve lived and worked and felt very settled.
The project itself is inspiring, achieving loads with so little and making a genuine difference. Some of it’s best qualities are its inclusiveness inviting volunteers to take part, regardless of their background or skills, and its vision. Being part of such an ambitious and constantly changing project has been an exciting challenge, I’ve had to expand my horizons to be able to see the scope of its potential in the future.
Thanks to everyone for this opportunity, to the workers for the support and hard work in getting things off the ground. To Gregoria and the children for allowing me to spend time with them and teaching me so much. To the English class for teaching me Spanish! And to Luisa and family for helping me feel so at home.
I’ve got a lot of respect for the foundation and much hope that it will continue to achieve its aims. If I can be of any help with this in the future, feel free to get in touch – I’d love to hear from you. Much love, Olivia

Anna Watson, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, SL0 0RL UK 
The past four weeks that I have spent here in Santa Elena have been weeks filled with extremely positive experiences, so many happy moments, which I will treasure in my memory forever. I cannot believe my time here has come to an end, and although I feel happy to go home and see my friends and family, I am sad to leave Santa Elena and I will miss it greatly. My experiences here have been positive in so many different ways and I feel I have gained so much during my time here, and I just hope that work I have done has added to all the valuable work that the foundation does. I would like to thank the foundation, Eduardo, Manfred, Andrea, and Richard for giving me the opportunity to be part of the work the foundation does, and which thus enabled me to gain so much. My ultimate reason for coming to Venezuela was to do voluntary work and I have thoroughly enjoyed all the projects that I helped in, which ranged from helping at an adult computer class, playing with children at the day care centre, teaching English, helping at the attention centre, helping at the hospital, and so much more. I feel I have learnt so much during my time here, in terms of new skills, improving my Spanish, and more importantly adapting to a new lifestyle, seeing how people live here, seeing different customs and a different culture and different conditions. I believe this has all made me appreciate my life more than I did previously and its given me an insight into how different people live in different parts of the world. Prior to this I had never travelled outside Europe and never travelled on my own for a long period of time. So I think this experience has made me more independent, more confident and more capable in many different situations. All the people I have met here in Santa Elena are truly very nice people , the local people are so friendly , warm and welcoming and I am happy to have made friends among the inhabitants of Santa Elena. The other volunteers have also been truly very kind and friendly people and its been nice working together as a team and sharing the experience. The work the foundation is doing is truly wonderful and commendable, that they are helping the community with very important projects which are socially of high importance and I wish the very best with all the future work they do for improving the lives of the people in Santa Elena, and I just wish I could be here and take part. Hopefully I will return to Santa Elena next summer as its something I really would like to do. My very best wishes to the foundation, Anna Watson

Billie Lesniak, Qc, H8Z 1V3, Canada
I must say that although I have only been here for two weeks i have gotten tones out of my experiences here in Santa Elena. I hoped that my efforts have helped @ least in a very small way, because wit a small help from everyone we can all make a BIG difference as a foundation. As an occupational therapy student, I am glad to see that the foundation is helping to create opportunities for children with disabilities. I have learnt that much can be done for the disabled in their homes to better their circumstances and enable their occupations, even though resources are few. Teaching English, playing with the young ones @ the center, helping with the refuges, helping at the attention center, painting and doing home visits and much more have given me a rewarding experience! Thank you. I hope that in the future the attention center expands into a full rehab center and I wish the best of luck to the foundation, to Eduardo who has the biggest heart I have ever seen, Manfred for organizing such a wonderful foundation, Andrea & Richard for all your help, good luck to Gregoria J. And most of all thanks to our family “international mum” and the 3 boys, who all together made my experience better than I imagined! This foundation will bloom with motivation and determination!
Good luck & thank you. Billie Lesniak

Tali Klima, Los Angeles, CA 90066, USA
Three weeks have flown by in Santa Elena and already it’s time to go. I want to thank the Foundation for offering such a unique and truly rewarding experience in the heart of South America. I came here looking for a little peace & quiet from my crazy city life and for an opportunity to contribute a little of my knowledge & skills. I found so much more! I have learned about great need and the ability to make changes even given few resources. And I’ve come to appreciate my life, friends & family at home. I only hope that I have been able to give a fraction of all that I’ve received here.To the Moreno (host) family: You have made this an intimate & familial experience like no other. I felt cared for and accepted from the very day. To Manfred, Eduardo & Andrea: You are a truly special group of people, full of vision, motivation, integrity & humour. I wish you all the luck in your future challenges & endeavors with the Foundation. The world could use more people like you!!
Sincerely, Tali Klima

Mark Cheung, Unionville Ont. L3R 9P4, Canada
Though I have only been in Santa Elena for just under 2 weeks and have a couple of days left, I feel I have gotten a good sense of the Venezuelan culture. Working with Peace Villages for a short period of time with less resources has forced me to alter my goals. I guess as a physiotherapy student I was really motivated to use my knowledge to help patients. However I soon realized that my efforts could be better utilized here by preparing the attention centre. Also, a change in weather = rain = flooded village shifted most of the volunteers efforts to helping at the Alcaldía. Overall, this has been a really interesting, eye opening experience. Thanks to everyone who assisted with my time in Santa Elena.
Hasta luego, Mark Cheung

Tasha Ludwick, Biddeford ME 04005, USA
Thanks so much for the opportunity to work in Venezuela. I was only here a week but it felt like ages. Everyone here was wonderful and so motivated. It is great to see what we can accomplish in such a short time. I came with the desire to observe the Venezuelan hospital a bit and also to help out with whatever projects came my way. I never thought I would get to use my suppressed creative side to brighten the hospital up a bit. It’s amazing what one can do with foam and little glue. I enjoyed working with the children both in the day-care and the hospital. They are the perfect people to practise Spanish with, especially my poor Spanish. Wish I could have stayed longer.
Take care, Tasha

Anjana Puri, SVL Box, Victorville, CA 92392, USA
I am having a wonderful time here. Santa Elena is beautiful and I am happy to be here. The people in the guesthouse are wonderful to be around and I think I have made some true, great friends here. It feels great to help out the children of Santa Elena and I hope they will benefit a lot from all of our hard work. I know my father had a great time here and he really enjoyed helping out (especially with his curry J ). I think it is a wonderful thing that Peace Villages is doing, and I wish you all nothing but success and happiness. Thank you so much for allowing me and my father to help out your organisation. We will never forget this experience. Thanks to all of you, Manfred, Andrea, Richard, Eduardo, Lenny! Love, Anjana

Katie Garret, Southampton, Hampshire SO17 1NP, UK
Where to begin, well this has been an amazing 4 months, a crazy experience of ups and downs. To be honest I struggled at first with so much working with small children, but since Eduardo the genius has been here the work has been so much fun. Teaching English is something I never thought I could do and has done great things for my confidence, and the kids were fantastic. And of course all the painting I loved that – thanks for giving me those responsibilities. Things with the charity seem to have changed a lot in the time we’ve been here and at times its been challenging. But seeing things really taking off now makes me proud to know I’ve stuck it out and been here through the start of something great. I pray that things continue to grow within the charity. And also of course the Moreno household, the whole gang have been amazing and looked after me fantastically. Truly feel like they are my second family and going to miss them all terribly. So thank everyone for making this the most amazing experience and good luck in the future. Take care, Katie

Catherine Mace, Highfield, Southampton, Hampshire SO17 1RU, UK
Well, not quite sure where to start, or finish for that matter. It’s been an intriguing, interesting, eye-opening and generally exciting 3-months here. Could write an epic essay, or just a few short meaningful words. The work I’ve done whilst here has been rewarding, valued, and generally a jolly good laugh. The schools, day care centres, playgrounds, painted walls, painted clothes, etc., will always hold a special place. But even more so will all the hundreds of children I must have managed to meet, work alongside, help out, fight, laugh with, generally beat up. Each one was (and is) a complete sweetheart, from the babies to the teenagers, and I’m not lying (or trying to be cheesy) when I say I feel well privileged to think I might have made a small amount of difference in some of their lives! My time with the charity, experiences with the other volunteers has in all truth, been a complete rollercoaster. We’ve gone together from disasters, to shocks, to highs, to excitements. Each + every one was great + made me see life from yet another new perspective every time. There’s been laughter in abundance, + a few tears, but always smiles at the end of it. One of the most precious things I will always hold especially special, is my family. Well, second family. But Luisa will always be my Venezuelan mum, the 3 R.´s my Venezuelan brothers, and none of this would have been the same without them!!! Big thanks to Eduardo for being a Dude! Andrea for being the sweetest friend ever, and Manfred for running the whole show! Much love + good luck to all future volunteers!

Thomas Vidalis, Greencroft Gdns, London, UK
In America they say “build it and they will come!”. Well, Manfred has and they did come. It has been a wonderful experience in working with the foundation from the ground level, especially in the establishment of a new computer education programme. A big thank you to Eduardo and Andrea for their support and helping to get things going. Working with the foundation has also been a growing experience for me as I never worked with school children and disabled children before. Thank you Manfred for providing the subtle guidance and for redefining what “charity” should be. Good luck with the rapid growth of the foundation and I hope that one day when the foundation is large and thriving that maintains its distinctly entrepreneurial feel. All the best and keep a bottle of “Havana Club Tres Años” in the cupboard as I will be back!

Brigitte Härry, CH-8320 Fehraltorf, Switzerland
Ich hatte die Ehre, das Schlafzimmer, inkl. Dusche/ WC alleine zu benutzen und einzuweihen – Luxus pur! In diesem Monat, den ich hier in Santa Elena verbrachte, habe ich viele positive Erfahrungen, wie auch ein paar negative Erfahrungen erlebt. Die Arbeit mit den Kindern hat mir sehr gut gefallen und ich möchte diese Momente nicht missen. Die vier Wochen sind schnell vorbeigegangen und nun reise ich bereits wieder ab. Irgendwie gut so, denn innerhalb vier Wochen wachsen einem die Kinder nicht so ans Herz, ansonsten würde mir der Abschied von hier, dieser nicht wirklich schönen Stadt, noch schwer fallen. Vielen Dank an Manfred und an Eduardo, sowie an Andrea. Eduardo you are doing a great job. I really enjoyed working with. All the best for your future. Auch Euch, Andrea und Manfred wünsche ich nur das Beste! Take care! Saludos y besos

Cliff Hill, Physiotherapist, Broadstairs, Kent. CT10 1NR, UK
My six week placement began at the Peace Villages Foundation in March 2005 as I was met from the bus by a very friendly team and it ended as I was lifted out by air ambulance. (Make sure you have Gold Travel Insurance). I found the team to be a very friendly and enthusiastic bunch of people and my requirements/desires were listened to very closely by the director. As a physiotherapist I wanted to work in the local hospital and this was arranged as promised and I very much enjoyed running my own clinic there. I also helped with other activities such as teaching English , working with children with special needs and renovating a local playground. As I look back I can see how precious it all was. The trips in my spare time were amazing, swimming in waterfalls and eating in Indian villages were highlights and seeing angel falls of course. Sadly in my last few days I sustained a knee injury (Just from a freak twist when walking, not doing anything active) which meant that I had to return a little earlier but it did show that if you have a decent travel insurance everything is safe . I was treated well in the local hospital and  by the team at Peace Villages , a plane flew in from Caracas and took me away in a plaster cast.  Now that I have  fully recovered I would certainly consider going back there for another experience , I enjoyed myself and so many nice and interesting people.

Ashley Alderfer and Nathan Banks, 213 West 80 Street, New York, NY 10024, USA  
13/04/2005 5:12 Things have been a bit crazy since our return home. We arrived safely and in one piece back to Manhattan on Sunday. Everyone here, is very eager to hear about my trip and to see pictures. I tell them that it was an adventure and that we really got a full South American experience. It was wonderful to work with the foundation and to meet such great and interesting people from all walks of life. I was very happy to have been a part of such a great project with such potential to do good, even if it was for only two weeks. I feel as if I may have contributed in some small way to the foundation. At least I know that the foundation has left a huge mark on me and will forever be in my memory. I really enjoyed working with the children, especially because there were no language barriers and the ones that existed in the beginning was broken down because of the attention and love that I could give the kids. Nathan and I will never forget out time spent in Venezuela, with the foundation, and the people that we encountered on our journey. Thank you for all of your help and your kind spirit. I hope that things have been improving for you and that everything is working out for the best. Our pictures are great and we enjoy looking at them and retelling the stories over and over again! It was a real pleasure to meet you. Thanks again, Ashley

Gretchen, Englewood CO 80113, USA
Volunteering for the Peace Village Foundation in Santa Elena Venezuela was a life giving experience. With all the computer blinking, telephone ringing, and appointment waiting of life at home, it is renewing and rewarding to go work on projects that have no impatient boss, but plenty of thankful people on the receiving end. Peace Village is located right on the edge of the jungle. You can listen to the birds and monkeys while you do your work. The workshop is sheltered from the hot sun, but open to the fresh air. The staff is relaxed, but motivated and organized with multiple project suggestions to stimulate your interests and skills. You have the option of working on individual projects, that give you a sense of accomplishment or on-going projects, that give you a feeling of participating in the community. I enjoyed my time at Peace Village and miss the friends I made.

Sarah, London, UK
I have just returned from my week in the Indian (Pemon) village of Chirikayen, one hour´s drive away from Santa Elena. The village is set in a beautiful valley with Chirikayen (Tepuy) in the background and is in two parts; the (main) traditional Pemon village comprises of the villagers´ housing/huts, a community centre, church, classrooms and some surrounding communal areas. Housing is traditional Indian wooden huts with thatched roofs. There is a classroom, kitchen/eating area and  sleeping accommodation- I stayed in this part as the facilities were more suited to westerners and some of the Indians (from Guyana) spoke English and there were also 5 volunteers/co-ordinators from USA. I was based in the bible school area and shared a room with 2 women from USA and slept in a hammock. Facilities are basic but clean. My meals were served 3 times a day- mainly a vegan diet but very filling and I was never hungry.

On Monday-Friday the main villagers are working and the children go to school from 8am-12 noon. School is divided into 3 age groups; 5-7,8-10 and 11-14  years. There are no textbooks and the only materials used are a blackboard by the teacher. The children have their own notebooks and it is all fairly informal. I was interested in teaching English so I taught the younger age group for approx 30 mins at 9.15am, then taught the two other groups separately for 1 hour each. I taught them, greetings, colours, weather, conversation, vocabulary, played games and sang songs. The teachers were happy to sit and watch and learn too. Everyone is very enthusiastic about learning English and they remembered well. It was a bit of trial and error as this was my first teaching experience- slightly different than being a lawyer! There is night school for the adults in the main village community centre - they learn English, Maths and Geography and I was asked to teach English for 2 nights which I enjoyed. 

In the afternoons I was free to prepare lessons, chat to the villagers/students (always keen to practice their pronunciation) or could join in planting trees, make huts or play with the children who were very friendly and playful. Once it gets dark, there is not much light and little to do in the evenings. There are church services on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings- lasting for an hour. I didn't have to attend church but it was something to do in the evenings and I could read in the light! there is singing and preaching but I couldn’t understand most of it as it was mainly in Pemon dialect and some Spanish but nice to see everyone dressed up - they were so smart in dresses, shirts and ties - I felt very scruffy in comparison. I didn’t have much to do on Saturday or Sundays so the day is free to relax, do washing or go walking. I did lots of reading. Nights were cool and I was going to bed at 9-10pm and waking at around 6am. On the whole I had a very good week; I found the Pemon people to be extremely friendly and welcoming and they were appreciative of my work there. It is very quiet place - a torch, walkman and some good books are a must! It is not necessary to know Spanish - but it helps to know a little.

Heiko, 9642 Ebnat-Kappel, Switzerland, Germany
I volunteered for the Peace Villages Foundation in Santa Elena for 4 weeks. This period lay amidst my 6-months trip through Latin America and on the one hand it was supposed to provide me with some peace and quiet and to relax from the strenuous time of travelling, and on the other hand it was supposed to offer the possibility of gathering experience in the field of social and community work. I arrived without any expectations and was surprised by the huge amount of projects I was invited to participate in. Since I wanted to work in handicrafts as well as in the social work, I started my work in the Indian village of San Pai, helping to build a well and a kitchen for the local school; on other days of the week I took part in play therapy sessions with disabled children in Santa Elena. Later on there was the family Support Service (short excursions with special needs youngsters in the afternoon) and the restoration of the playground of a kindergarten.  Since I am about to start studying medicine I asked for a possibility to work in that field and was introduced to the members of the local hospital. Here I was able to assist the nurses and even given the chance to watch and help a little with birth deliveries and surgeries. Everyone was trying hard to explain and show me very informative things and soon they involved me in the daily routine of the hospital. Thus I not only had the possibility to provide some useful help but also learned for my future career. Furthermore I think it was great that I could take part in so many different projects and was able to work as well in the social sector as in therapies and do physical work and handicrafts. With Manfred and the other volunteers I got to know very interesting people and we had very good conversations. Since the foundation is still a pretty small one, I was given the feeling that my opinion and help was asked for and also appreciated. I was able to take over responsibility and felt that I was an important part of the foundation. During or after my medicine studies I would love to work again with the Peace Villages for a longer time, since its projects are lacking experts in all kind of fields.

Original German Text: Ich habe fuer 4 Wochen ein Volunteering fuer die Fundation Aldeas de Paz in Santa Elena gemacht. Diese Zeit lag mitten in meiner sechsmonatigen Reise durch Latainamerika und sollte mir einerseits etwas Verschnaufpause von den Reiseanstrengungen geben und andererseits die Moeglichkeit eroeffnen, mit allgemeinnuetziger Arbeit Erfahrungen zu sammeln. Ich kam vollkommen ohne Erwartungen dort an und war ueberrascht ueber die grosse Anzahl an Projekten, an denen ich teinehmen konnte. Da ich sowohl handwerklich als auch im sozialen Bereich arbeiten wollte, hab ich zunaechtst in dem Indianerdorf Sam Pai bei dem Bau eines Brunnens und einer Schulkueche geholfen und an anderen Tagen der Woche in Santa Elena bei der Playtherapie mit behinderten Kindern mitgemacht. Spaeter kamen dann noch der Family Support Service (Nachmittagsausfluege mit den Kindern) und die Restauration eines Spielplatzes eines Kindergartens dazu. Da ich bald ein Medizinstudium anfangen will, habe ich nach einer Taetigkeit in diesem Bereich gefragt und wurde so im oertlichen Krankenhaus vorgestellt. Dort durfte ich dann als Pflegehilfe richtig mitarbeiten und sogar bei Geburten und Operationen zuschauen und etwas assistieren. Alle waren bemueht, mir lehrreiche Dinge zu zeigen und zu erklaeren und banden mich schnell in die Krankenhausroutine ein. So hatte ich also die Moeglichkeit, nicht nur sinnvolle Hilfe zu leisten, sondern auch etwas fuer meine berufliche Zukunft zu lernen. Ausserdem fand ich toll, dass ich in so vielen unterschiedlichen Projekten mitmachen konnte und dabei sowie sozial und therapaeutisch als auch koerperlich und handwerklich arbeiten konnte. Mit den anderen Volunteers und mit Manfred habe ich interessante Menschen kennen gelernt und tolle Unterhaltungen gehabt. Da die Fundation noch ziemlich klein ist, hatte ich das Gefuehl, dass meine Meinung und Hilfe in der gesamten Organisation gefordert und wertgeschaetzt wird. Ich durfte Eigenverantwortung uebernehmen und fuehlte mich als wichtigen Teil der Fundation. Nach oder waehrend meiner medizinischen Ausbildung moechte ich gerne nochmal laenger dort arbeiten, denn das, was in allen Bereichen am meisten benoetigt wird, sind ausgebildete Fachkraefte.

Belinda, Melbourne, Australia
.........This is my first experience of travelling abroad solely to participate in a volunteer program as well as my first trip to South America. I did a lot of research on the web before I chose Peace Villages, which appealed to me not only from a financial point of view –it was the most affordable program by far and all funds go directly to the project - but also, being a small organisation, the sense of individual attention and having a program tailored to my specific needs and skills was an important consideration. From the time I arrived, Manfred and others involved in the program have been very attentive and organized and I feel safe and reassured that what I read on the website was an accurate reflection of what the program offers........
 

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