firsttriptonassau

Page 25 of the current Fodor’s guide to the Bahamas reports a “free People-to-People Programme,” which provides a “popular socializing opportunity in the islands” to give “visitors a more intimate glimpse of Bahamian life.” It advises contacting the program 2-3 weeks before your visit.

I’m visiting the Bahamas next week. Three weeks before my trip, I sent a couple of e-mail messages to the People-to-People folks about my trip. They responded after the second e-mail message & promised to get back to me with details. Then late last week they e-mailed me asking where I’d be staying, insisting that they needed this info before matching me up. I replied that I’m staying in a guest house (it’s very cheap). That’s the last I’ve heard from them. I’m leaving for the Bahamas in less than a week.

What do folks think? Has anyone ever had contact with the People-to-People program? Do they serve only folks they expect to spend big bucks?

wantsomesun

I have heard of the program, but have not seen it in practice. Try getting in touch with them again. Things in the Bahamas are not very well organized.

firsttriptonassau

More good advice from wantsomesun. I called the People to People program directly, a few days before my trip. They e-mailed me the next day to report they’d arranged for me to meet with a man many people call a “living legend” of the Bahamas in my field. We’ll see if it really happens--this is someone with tons of assistants he could send me to. But I’m psyched! Thanks for the good advice.

sparklegem

The program sounds wonderful! Would you mind sharing the contact information?

lorettla

My husband and I did this program in October, 2003 and thought it was one of the best things we've ever done on a vacation! I signed up for the program several months before our trip and didn't hear from them until a few weeks before we arrived so don't be frustrated if you don't get a response right away.

Our hosts invited us into their home for dinner with their friends and another afternoon took us on a tour of the island. We even stopped by a grocery store so I could compare what they have to the states.
We went back to Nassau in December for Junkanoo and called our host couple again and had dinner at one of their favorite restaurants.
It gives you an entirely different perspective on the island to get to know a local. I highly recommend this experience for anyone - they try to match you up with someone with similar interests but I think any one of the hosts would be wonderful!
You can call the Ministry of Tourism at 242-323-1855 to inquire. It seems to be very difficult to find the link on their website.