Home

BVI

A Teen Volunteer's Experience in the BVI

May 9, 2012

Take a look into the daily life of a VISIONS British Virgin Islands teen volunteer.

» Read More

“The only CD I listen to in my car now is Bob Marley”

Mar 20, 2012

Hey VISIONS!

I wanted to write to thank you so much for such an incredible time. I’m not trying to sound cheesy, but I can honestly say that my experience in Tortola was one of the best experiences of my life. I can’t thank you enough for the time and dedication you took in making the experience enjoyable for everyone... Every day when I see people in town and they ask about my summer, I can’t put into words the experience I had...

I finally today took the braids out of my hair. They had been there for weeks, and I had some Tortola sand in my hair…gross, huh? 

I also filled up my Nalgene with our wonderful water the morning before we left, and to this day that water is still in there…my parents think I am crazy. 

» Read More

“Loren Pope should write...Service Programs That Change Lives. Visions...meets the criteria.”

Jan 17, 2012

A letter from a VISIONS (two-season) parent:

Dear Visions,

I am so pleased with Jordan’s experiences in the two summers he’s been in your program. It really clicked for him this year. He’s still in bed, but we stayed up all night talking about his trip. His eyes teared up twice over leaving Montana and the kids, and he actually cried as he was telling me about different incidences (not because he was sad, but because he was feeling so good about it).

» Read More

Letter to Self

Nov 23, 2011

NOTE: Daniel chose to share his "Letter to Self" with us.  

» Read More

From Teenager to Twenty-Something ~ Tortola Revisited a Decade Later

May 29, 2011

Student Volunteer Recounts Service Projects and Visits Old Friends

~ From the VISIONS archives ~

1993 Tortola alumni, Brad Emanuel, took a family vacation to the U.S. Virgin Islands several years ago. During the trip, Brad ferried over to Tortola for a day to revisit his work projects, other places, and people he remembered. Afterwards, he emailed us about his literal trip down memory lane.

BVI houseI told my family I had to go to Tortola since it was only an hour ferry ride. My parents decided to join me for the adventure. We got to Tortola and hopped in a cab, and I tried to ignore the shocking feeling (of being back) so that I could focus on finding that little yellow house our group built. We drove all over in search of the house, but, unfortunately, I didn't find it. I know I was probably within 50 yards of it, but I never had a sure feeling that I saw it.

We drove to the Red Cross Center, which was closed due to Boxer Day and then past the school I taught in. We went on to Brewer's Bay and stopped by the community center to take a look and snap some pictures....as we were driving to the beach the cab driver came to a sudden stop because there were some cattle crossing the road. I looked out the window and over the herd to the tail end of it, and there was Michael!. [Michael Leonard is long-time VISIONS friend, organic farmer, and unofficial historian of Tortola.]. I jumped out...ran up to Michael and told him that I was with VISIONS in ‘93 on Tortola, and he was excited. I had brought a little Chicago snow globe from home for the family of the house, but because I never found the house, I gave the globe to Michael - he was thrilled. We took a few pictures, said goodbye, and he went on his way to chase down his cattle. Nothing changes.

» Read More

VISIONS Middle School Passage Programs - Summer Travel Abroad

Feb 11, 2011

Middle school students transition into their teens today against a very different backdrop from middle-schoolers of 10 or 20 years ago. Social media has changed the growing-up landscape decisively and dynamically. The notion of middle school travel abroad, apart from traditional summer camps or family vacations, was relatively uncommon a decade ago. Today, however, more parents are open to letting their 11-, 12- and 13-year-olds go farther--and further--away from home alone if the experience promises to bolster the transition to adolescence and can assure their children's safety and well being.

VISIONS offered our first middle school travel program, Northwest Passage, in 1998 in Montana. It was a three-week experience uniquely created for middle school girls. They lived with their leaders in a tiny, quiet Northern Cheyenne village on the Tongue River in a closely knit, family-like setting. They explored their new environment and way of life within the framework of service, cultural immersion and friendship.

» Read More

Tortola Volunteer Memories

Mar 25, 2009

Hello, Visions!

I was on the Tortola trip last summer (2008), and after reading [the December 2008] newsletter I just wanted to share an experience that I believe will stay with me for many years.  One of our work projects in Tortola was building a small, one-room house for an old woman named Mrs. Rose, whose house was already overflowing with people.

» Read More

A House for Ms. Rose: “This is the most beautiful house I have ever seen.”

Aug 11, 2008

Hello Visions!

I was on the Tortola trip this past summer (2008), and after reading this newsletter I wanted to share an experience I believe will stay with me for many years. One of the work sites in Tortola was building a small, one room house for an old woman named Mrs. Rose, whose house was already overflowing with people. There were many occasions that people who live in the house would come sit outside and watch us work. One day, a small boy named Shamoy (probably around 6 years old) who lived with Mrs. Rose came outside and was sitting with us while we were on lunch break. As we all sat in the half built house (which was still mostly just a frame of a house at this point), Shamoy tugged on my shirt as he looked up around him.

» Read More
Syndicate content

Watch VISIONS Video Listen to NPR Interview

Resources | Privacy Policy | © Copyright 2009-2012 - VISIONS Service Adventures | All Rights Reserved