Student travel and service learning programs

Group of 19 people on a hilltop with colorful mountain range behind them, some wearing sunglasses and jackets, smiling for the photo.

Creating Ties is a student travel organization that develops community-based and sustainable service learning programs for high school and college students in Peru and Cuba. Our programs offer hands-on learning in areas like renewable energy, agriculture, human rights, education, and business development, along with opportunities for teaching, internships, study abroad, and gap year. We aim to foster global citizenship and inspire students to become future social entrepreneurs.

Founded by a teacher in 2012, Creating Ties is dedicated to connecting students to the real world through meaningful educational and cultural experiences. With a strong focus on learning, we design programs that bring classroom knowledge to life, deepen language proficiency, and foster the skills and empathy students need to thrive as global citizens.

Four young women standing together with Machu Picchu ruins and mountains in the background.

Discover Peru

Group of young people posing in front of stone walls at Machu Picchu in Peru on a sunny day.

Immersive tour

Our journey begins in Lima, the capital of Peru, where colonial heritage, Pacific views, and world-class cuisine set the stage. From there, we fly across the Andes to the Sacred Valley, exploring Ollantaytambo, Sacsahuaman, Moray, Maras, and meeting indigenous weavers and artist Pablo Seminario. The highlight is Machu Picchu, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, where we discover its terraces, temples, and breathtaking mountain scenery. Finally, we explore Cusco, capital of the Incan Empire, with its cathedrals, markets, Inca walls, and vibrant cultural treasures.

Group of nine diverse teenagers posing outdoors in front of a colorful floral mural in a park.

Immersive tour & homestay

After the Discover Peru tour, students will return to Lima for a ten-day homestay and full immersion program. They will live with a Peruvian teenager, attend a private school, and improve their Spanish while building friendships and experiencing daily life. The program includes a visit to the Huacachina Oasis for sandboarding and dune buggy adventures, as well as exploring Paracas Bay, where Peru’s independence was declared. From Paracas, students will take a speedboat to the Ballestas Islands to see penguins and sea lions in their natural habitat.

Group of people installing a wind turbine blade on a windmill structure outdoors on a cloudy day.

Immersive tour & community service

Upon arrival, the Amaru women welcome you with rose petals and share their work to preserve biodiversity, having restored 300 lost potato varieties. Visitors join in planting and harvesting traditional crops and take part in a sacred ceremony honoring Pachamama. They also volunteer at the local school, supporting infrastructure, teaching lessons, and spending time with the children. The cultural immersion includes learning textile design, natural dyes, medicinal plants, cooking, music, and the Incan belief in the interconnectedness of all things.

Discover Cuba

Group of people and a dog jumping on a grassy field in front of a mountain with colorful dinosaur and human figures painted on the cliff face.

Making Connections through Art and Music

This tour invites students to experience Cuba through the eyes of its artists. Born from a 22-year collaboration with Havana painter Manuel Lopez Oliva, the journey offers authentic cultural immersion. Students will explore Old Havana, museums, the Malecón, and vibrant music venues while connecting with Cuban students and artists. They will also venture beyond the capital to Viñales Valley, Pinar del Río, and Varadero Beach, discovering Cuba’s rich cultural and natural heritage.

A group of children and teenagers creating colorful graffiti art on a wall, with some sitting on chairs and others standing in front of the vibrant mural.

Making Connections through Art and Music & community service

For the students that participate in the volunteer extension we will be working with school children and adults with disabilities at the Art Brut art project at the Riera Gallery in Havana where adults and children with functional diversity work on art projects to express themselves. Students will gain empathy and understanding through volunteering and engaging with both experienced artists and the local community.

Rachel, Princeton High School alum

“You opened me up to a region of the world that I have come to fall in love with. It is because of my experience that I want to devote my career and life to studying economic development in Latin America.”

Alison, mother of a Princeton High School alum

“My daughter is growing and experiencing something that will change her forever. I can live without her for a while knowing that she is on top of the world.”

Tayla, Princeton High School alum

“I had a once in a life time experience in Peru this summer and it is one that I will never forget. I enjoyed every aspect of the program and I absolutely loved the family life in Taray. They were so kind.”

Tom, Jesuit High School of New Orleans alum

“Traveling to a country like Peru really helped broaden my ‘world-view’ to help see that people are people no matter where you go.”

Quinta, Art Education Internship

“Creating Ties built an internship program that was well-tailored to my interests and responsive to my needs both before and during my stay. They also organized experiences I never would have come across on my own, like direct involvement with Lima's vibrant art scene.”

Ruba, Duke University alum

“The experience of being able to give a community the gift of light was just amazing.”

Rachel, Princeton University University alum

“I made such a connection with the girls in the short time that I was there. I became a part of their family and I am looking forward to watching the organization grow and continue to empower young women in the years to come.”

Group of young people and adults smiling and posing for a photo outdoors in a garden area near an open door, with greenery and a water fountain visible.
Ancient Incan ruins on a mountain slope with steep terraces and stone structures, surrounded by lush greenery and a bright blue sky.
Group of kids and teenagers standing outdoors on a grassy area with mountains in the background. They are dressed in casual and winter clothing, some wearing hats and sunglasses.
Group of young women and a man gathered outdoors around a colorful woven textile, with one woman wearing traditional indigenous clothing and hat, while the others watch and hold small cups.
Group of people posing in front of colorful murals, including portraits of women, birds, and flowers.
Two women standing on a pier near the ocean, with city buildings and fog in the background. They are smiling, with one woman wearing a black outfit and pink scarf, and the other in a striped jacket and light blue jeans.
Group of teenagers standing arm-in-arm on a pebble beach with the word 'PEACE' spelled out in rocks on the ground.
Three women are sitting inside a bright green vintage convertible car, smiling at the camera, with palm trees and a building in the background.
Four young men standing side by side with arms around each other against a colorful, abstract, bird-themed mural background, smiling at the camera.
Group of teenagers smiling and posing for a photo outdoors near a colorful mural with faces on the wall.
Orchestra performing in a church, with a large crucifix hanging above and a portrait of a man carrying a child on the wall behind them.
Bright orange and yellow flowering plant with a person standing near a body of water.
Group of people sitting around a campfire outdoors at night, on a grassy field with trees and lights in the background.
Group of six women standing outdoors on a paved path, with lush green trees, plants, and a blue sky with clouds in the background.
Various colorful, abstract, cartoon-style drawings, including landscapes, houses, trees, and geometric patterns displayed on paper.
A group of people standing in front of a historic building with a statue and a red building in the background on a sunny day.
Group of ten children and teenagers standing on a hillside with a valley and mountains in the background.
Four women smiling on a balcony overlooking a city with mountains in the background. The women are dressed casually, some with sunglasses, in front of a brick wall and potted plants.
Group of seven teenagers smiling and standing close together outside on a city street at night.
Three women standing together on a grassy area near water during sunset with a city skyline in the background, smiling for the photo.
Four teenage boys standing outdoors on a balcony with a lush green landscape and mountains in the background, smiling and posing for the camera.
Abstract colorful painting featuring various human figures, animals, and symbols, with handwritten text and doodles in multiple bright colors.
Group of ten young women standing on a balcony overlooking the ocean on a cloudy day, smiling and posing for a photo.
A large group of children dressed in bee costumes with yellow bows and antennae, sitting and standing on stage, smiling, with a group of adults standing behind them. The stage has green and colorful forest-themed decorations, including honeycomb shap

Meet the Creating Ties team

Marty Hayden born in Peru, a Spanish teacher for 23 years in Princeton, New Jersey who brings her passion for hands-on learning to life through immersive cultural experiences. As the founder of Creating Ties, she is dedicated to fostering meaningful global connections that go beyond the classroom. A lifelong learner herself, she believes in the transformative power of travel to build bridges, open minds, and inspire lasting change.

Camila del Castillo originally from Montevideo, Uruguay is a high school Spanish teacher who believes that travel is one of the best ways to learn and grow. She is passionate about helping students make cultural connections, and fall in love with the beauty of Spanish -speaking countries-especially the colorful traditions and warm spirit of Peru.

A woman with curly, shoulder-length hair, wearing a navy blue puffer jacket and a red strap across her chest, standing outdoors in a mountainous area with terraced hills and cloudy sky.

Idania Rodríguez-Mejía is a Dominican-born Spanish teacher based in Princeton, New Jersey. A passionate community organizer and advocate for equity, culture, and creativity, she is a lifelong learner who finds inspiration in travel and new experiences. Her adventurous spirit shines through every aspect of her work, inspiring others to embrace curiosity, connection, and the joy of discovery.

Kristie Arias is a textile artist, art director, and cultural manager based in Lima, Peru whose work bridges creativity and cultural exchange. Passionate about travel and collaboration, she leads her own studio and designs innovative creative and academic experiences that connect people through art.