On EF Service-Learning programs, travelers work with established nonprofits, NGOs, and locals on community-driven projects to make meaningful, sustainable contributions. Through hands-on work and deep exposure to different cultures, students learn vital collaboration and problem-solving skills.

Professionalism and Expectations: Volunteers are expected to uphold professionalism and respect for the policies and expectations of their service sites. This includes refraining from smoking, consuming alcohol, using foul language, engaging with recreational drugs, or displaying romantic affection publicly.

Health and Safety Policies: To ensure the safety and integrity of the service-learning experience, volunteers are also expected to honor agreed-upon service hours, fulfilling project responsibilities, following all instructions from the Field Director (FD), and adhering to any dress codes set by the FD. Additionally, volunteers should avoid giving gifts or money directly to community members without prior approval from the Field Director.

Partnership Sustainability: Volunteers are ambassadors; representing their country, school, and themselves. Carrying themselves with respect and integrity maintains strong and positive partnerships with EF's long-standing community partners, ultimately increasing impact for years to come.

Let’s get the paperwork out of the way so we can focus on the fun stuff.

Your passport must

• be valid for at least six months after your return.

• match your name and birthday on file with EF.

• have three blank pages available.

A visa may be required for travel depending on where you're traveling and/or your citizenship.

To accommodate internal flight bookings and Machu Picchu reservations, passport information must be provided to EF no later than 95 days before the program.

For more information on passports and visas, visit our Passports & Visas help center article.

Traveler tip: Make two photocopies of your passport and any additional travel documents: one to bring with you and one to leave at home.

Not to sound cliché, but we can’t say this enough: pack light! Different airlines have different carry-on policies and checked bag fees, so ensure your bag meets their guidelines by checking your specific airline's baggage policy.

Most travelers find it easiest to go without checking bag. Here are some tips for getting as much as possible into that carry-on suitcase:

• Wear your bulkiest shoes on the plane and pack the lighter ones. Same thing goes for jackets and heavier clothing.

• Packing cubes or vacuum seal bags can save space and help you stay organized.

• Make the most of your personal item by using a tote bag or backpack that you can reuse throughout the trip.

• Roll your clothes instead of folding them. Pack the bigger items first and use smaller items like socks and underwear to fill in the gaps.

Traveler tip: For the transfer and overnight in Aguas Calientes/Machu Picchu, you are only allowed to bring a school-sized backpack which can’t weigh over 11 lbs. Other luggage will remain in storage until you return from Machu Picchu. Be sure to bring a small day pack that can fit in your backpack to store food, water, your passport, and a jacket.

For those traveling from Puerto Maldonado to the Amazon Lodge, the main luggage will stay in a safe deposit in Puerto Maldonado and only a backpack is allowed to be brought with you on the boat ride and to the lodge.

For those going to Lake Titicaca and the Amazon, electricity is limited and storms can cause outages, so make sure to also bring a flashlight.

Remember to pack light! You'll be toting your own luggage around at airports and hotels, so bring only what you need and ideally in a carry-on bag.

To see a full packing list, visit our What to Pack article in the help center.

To get started, here are the essentials:

• Passport—bring a photo copy and leave one at home too

• Visa - if applicable

• ATM card - call your bank prior to departure to alert them of your upcoming travel

• Backpack or small day bag with a zipper

• Converter/adapter for any electronics

• Toiletries

• Medications and a copy of any prescriptions*

• Comfortable, casual clothing check the weather before you pack!

• Raincoat and umbrella

• Comfortable walking shoes for example, one pair of sneakers and/or hiking boots.

• Sunscreen and insect repellent

• Work gloves

• Hat with a brim

• Sunglasses

• Full-length work pants

• Quick dry t-shirts or long-sleeve shirts

• Versatile layers

• EF’s emergency numbers

  • Calling from within the US: 1-800-873-2250

  • Calling from abroad: 001-617-619-2913

*All medications should be in their original containers. Put medications in your carryon bag only, in case a checked bag gets lost or delayed.

Traveler tip: You’ll be working hard and may often be outdoors during your program, so please ensure that you bring clothing that you do not mind getting dirty.

Traveler tip: Your packing list will vary depending on the time of year you’re traveling. During the summer, light layers are recommended, while warmer clothing is needed in upland areas, especially at night. In the winter months (June to October), heavier layers are essential. Keep in mind that higher altitudes can be cold at night year-round.

A little spending money can go a long way while you're abroad:

• Spending money: Budget $30-40 per day for pocket money. During your service days, very limited spending money is needed. This will cover snacks, souvenirs, and additional activities. If you’re an especially avid souvenir hunter, you’ll want to give yourself more wiggle room—financially and in your suitcase.

• Currency: Nuevo Sol. We don’t recommend traveling with large sums of cash. At the start of your program, we recommend bringing the equivalent of $60 in the currency of the initial destination. After that, ATMs are the most convenient way to withdraw cash since they accept a wide variety of bank and credit cards. Be sure to plan ahead because certain project sites will not have easy access to ATMs.

Traveler tip: Be sure to let your bank know you’ll be traveling so they can put an alert on your account and inform you of any international fees.

Imagine it: you’ve finally arrived. It’s been a few hours since you left home, but your feet are firmly planted on the ground again. Today’s challenge? Fight off jetlag and make the most of the day.

Unless you arrive at night, be prepared to hit the ground running. Staying awake on arrival day is the best way to fight jet lag and adjust to any time difference. If there are other groups on your program, you may wait at the airport for them to arrive. To make things a bit easier:

• Pack toiletries and a change of clothes in your carry-on for when you land.

• Stay hydrated—it helps reduce jetlag.

• Travel in comfort, not necessarily in style, and get as much sleep as you can on the flight before.

Your dedicated Field Director—a physical and cultural guide—will be with you throughout your program. Our Field Directors work tirelessly behind the scenes to coordinate logistics like managing reservations and making sure everything flows seamlessly, so that you can enjoy your time without sweating the details. They are there to acquaint you with each new city and make sure everyone is safe, confident, and making the most of every moment. Your Field Director will also have extensive knowledge about the communities you'll be visiting and projects you'll be working on.

You'll spend most of your time abroad learning and exploring, but you should also know what to expect when you settle in for the night.

• Hotels: Our hotel partners absolutely must meet our standards for quality, safety and cleanliness. That means your rooms will be safe, clean, comfortable, and equipped with private bathrooms.

• What to expect: Hotels abroad may feature smaller rooms than you’re used to and may not have air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, television, or elevators. All the more reason to get out and explore. For the Amazon extension, the hotel is a lodge in a remote location which can only be reached by boat. There is no hot water at the lodge and electricity is only available certain hours during the day. In Lake Titicaca, the accommodations will be with the community on the shores of the lake. Travelers will all stay in groups of two in housing on the property of individual families, and all accommodations have private baths. There may not be access to hot water in this location.

• Rooming: You may share a room with someone from another group if you’re traveling with more than one college or university—which has led to more than a few incredible cross-country friendships. Since hotels vary from city to city, room assignments might also be different from one hotel to the next.

Standard accommodations vary based on age. For more information, visit our Rooms and Roommates help center article.

Traveler tip: Many hotel and public bathrooms have old plumbing and ask that you dispose of toilet paper in waste baskets rather than flushing. Water pressure in Peru is often lower than the U.S. and the amount of hot water can be limited, so be prepared for short showers. In more remote sites, hot water may not be available.

You should expect food and portion size to be different than what you're accustomed to at home. Every meal is included in your program. Breakfast and dinner will typically be at your accommodations, while lunch may be on-site at the service project.

The primary ingredients found in nearly every Peruvian dish are potatoes, chicken, pork, lamb, and fish. Peru's unique variety of climates and landscapes has helped make Peruvian menus some of the most diverse in South America. Such geographical variety gives Peru distinct culinary regions that are divided into coastal, mountainous/highland, and tropical. Tap water is non-potable in Peru.

Many coach bus transfers on your Peru program will take between 2-3 hours, depending on road conditions and season. Flight transfers are necessary between Lima and Cuzco due to Peru's geography. The train to Machu Picchu is around 2 hours. For those doing the extension to the Amazon, there is also a two-hour boat transfer. For those going to Lake Titicaca, the bus transfer is between 8-10 hours. Your Field Director will accompany the group on all transfers.

To maximize your time each day, you will leave the hotel bright and early and return some time in the evening. Most days will be a combination of planned activities and service projects.

During your time at the service sites in Peru you can expect to be working on projects such as: digging foundation, mixing concrete, pouring concrete, making bricks, raising walls, laying bricks, painting walls, building staircases, building ramps, creating gardens, sawing wood, shaping re-bar, tiling the ground for crops/garden, harvesting crops, planting trees, smoothing and sanding walls, painting, etc.

You should expect to be outside for most of the day and that the work is quite physical. While on the service site, your Field Director will give you thorough instructions on the use of equipment, show you what protective gear should be worn, help you with construction, provide support, and schedule rest times and water breaks. Some necessary gear will be provided on site, but you should also reference the packing list to make sure you bring the right clothes and shoes.

Do learn common words and phrases:

• Hola = hello

• Buenos dias = good morning

• Buenas tardes = good afternoon

• Buenas noches = good night

• Gracias = thank you

The mountains of Peru are at a high altitude. Many people come to Peru to experience the natural wonders of the Andes, and it is important to stay hydrated and rest when at high altitudes, especially in the first couple of days of adjustment. When you arrive in Cusco take about 1 day to get adjusted to altitude make sure that you are watching what you are eating, drinking, and alcohol consumption.

At Machu Pichu, the restrooms are located outside the entrance to the site and no re-entry is allowed. That means once you enter, you will likely not have access to a bathroom during the 3-4 hour visit.

In terms of clothing, in the more traditional, indigenous regions of Peru, you should dress conservatively, long (knee high) shorts or pants and tee shirt or long sleeved shirt. Also, practicality here is important, the sun is extremely strong so generally people try to protect themselves from it. You should follow their lead.

Keep in mind very few sites you'll be visiting will have cell service and Wi-Fi will not be available at all hotels.

Out of consideration for the whole community, we encourage you not to give gifts individually to local children or families. If you would like to donate something, we ask that you contact your Program Consultant so we can be in touch with the NGO to see if any materials are needed.

To ensure photos are taken respectfully and not exploitatively, please only photograph individuals who have a relationship with the nonprofit you are serving and always obtain their permission beforehand. Your Field Director will guide you on when it is appropriate to take photos, and there will be plenty of opportunities to capture key moments during your program. Our goal is to treat everyone with dignity and respect, recognizing people as individuals rather than scenery.