Congratulations to Juan De Angulo, Volunteer from Katy, TX, who spent this summer in Nicaragua. Juan's photo shows his partner, Nam Hoang, and two of their many host brothers, Elder and Manyel. In an attempt to share a treasured part of their own childhood with their host brothers, Nam and Juan fashioned kites out of plastic bags and string. For Juan it was a transformational experience that helped him realize that living simply can offer you, "more luminously beautiful memories that will stick with you for the rest of your life... AMIGOS showed me that I don't need luxuries to be happy."
Video of the Year
by Damian Ortellado
"Amigos has given me the unique opportunity to completely immerse myself into a culture I strongly associate with and now appreciate greatly, as well meet new people, discover new places and, in the process, discover myself.... AMIGOS has steered my life into a new direction, and with all that I have seen and done with my time over the summer, I know I really can change the world."
Essay of the Year
by Grace Chen
“What will happen to your youth group after the Volunteers leave?” The question was posed, and I made eye contact with Yuri and gave her a reassuring smile. She opened her mouth and began to speak.
This summer, I volunteered in a community called Cacao de los Chavarría in the region of Boaco, Nicaragua. Yuri, my 14-year-old youth counterpart, was our youth group’s elected secretary, so we worked with her often. She was organized and took pride in her work: she had a special notebook just for JTFC (Jovenes Trabajando Para El Futuro De La Comunidad), the youth group, which she decorated with Strawberry Shortcake stickers..." Click here to read the rest of Grace's essay
“I think AMIGOS was the rudder that got me through what can be very rough water in my teenage years by giving me a focus, a challenge, a goal, companionship, friendship and distinction.”
