Cross-Cultural Solutions
Programs and Reviews
The Cross-Cultural Solutions Volunteer Abroad experience allows students and travelers to gain valuable experience overseas while working side by side with local individuals and communities to make an impact.
Since 1995, over 30,000 people have volunteered with Cross-Cultural Solutions, providing meaningful and sustainable volunteer services to international communities, and contributing responsibly to local economies.
Volunteers gain valuable experience working in areas such as education, healthcare, and social services. Visit the Cross-Cultural Solutions website to learn more about how we're changing everything.
Programs Abroad
Reviews
100%Overall
Rating
20%Overall
Rating
The program in Delhi, India is not run well and because maybe they have all been doing it so long lacks concern for your experience in a whole. They put in the bare minimum of effort to make you feel welcome and they enforce drinking and curfew rules for all ages which are ridiculous. What is the most upsetting thing is that I was told before I agreed to work with CCS and pay the exorbitant amount of money that I was going to have a full volunteer schedule, a minimum of 4 hours a day. I was lucky if I volunteered two hours a day. Then after volunteering there was so much downtime and it was hard to plan things around the mandatory meal times that there was a lot of just sitting around reading or watching movies in the apartment until dinner. That is not my idea of experiencing India and being immersed into the culture. I wanted to be amongst the people while learning of their culture and it would have been nice if one of the staff had a job to help us experience that. But instead when we did have cultural activities it usually involved dropping us off at a tourist attraction with a description and history on sheet of paper or bringing in people to discuss India in the comfort of our apartment. We were way too sheltered and it felt like a waste of an opportunity to experience India.
100%Overall
Rating
I had always thought about volunteering abroad but was never sure where I wanted to go. When i contacted CCS, they suggested Guatemala City. In March of 2012, I went there for just one week. Although the trip was much too short, I think it has been one of the most gratifying, thrilling and inspirational experiences by far. I worked in a school for children 3-6yrs. Our group had painted a mural to brighten up the school's appearance. The best part of my trip was meeting new people and learning more about the Guatemalan culture. Before going, I had very little knowledge about the country, culture, etc. What's really great about CCS's program is that not only do they provide you with a comfortable living environment and volunteer placement, but they give you time to venture out on your own/ with other volunteers to places in the city, ie. climb the Pacaya Volcano, travel to markets, etc. This gave me the chance to see and experience the Guatemalan culture for myself. The staff was amazing, making me feel safe and comfortable at all times. Not only would I love to go back to Guatemala through CCS, this experience has been so great that I would definitely be interested in volunteering elsewhere with this organization.
90%Overall
Rating
I would never change the time I spent in Hohoe, Ghana. This town consisted of the friendliest and most welcoming people I've ever met. The town also has some of the most gorgeous scenery.
Some great things about this company:
- staff: The staff was exceptional. Always willing to help me if I had a problem or needed to talk. The chef's food was delicious, the place was always clean, our sheets were changed every couple of days, and all of them were so friendly and fun to be around. I miss the staff so much!!
- schedules: Once we got there, we had a schedule for each week. These schedules consisted of 4 hours of volunteer work a day, breakfast, lunch, and dinner, free time, and either a workshop or a trip somewhere. Hohoe is conveniently located near Ghana's largest mountain and highest waterfall - both breathtaking to see. The best thing about the schedules though, was that you had the option of doing something else if you wanted. For instance, instead of coming back for lunch, sometimes I would stay at my volunteer placement for a couple more hours, and I would come back to have my lunch waiting for me in the kitchen. It was nice that the schedule wasn't so strict because I felt like I was getting what I wanted out of my time in Ghana.
-free time: Although there wasn't much free time because of the schedules, the time we did have was so much fun. There is plenty to do in Hohoe. The town has a lot of shops, internet cafes, and eateries to go to. We also travelled on the weekends to different parts of Ghana, such as Accra and Cape Coast.
Things to be prepared for:
-The initial landing in Accra, Ghana (the capital) till the point I got to the CCS Home Base in Hohoe was somewhat scary. I advise you double and triple check with the program leader as to how the airport pickup process will commence.
-Be aware that you are on 'Africa Time' as our director called it. Sometimes you will be waiting for an hour/two hours for certain events or people.
- If you are volunteering at elementary schools, be prepared to see how they discipline their students. It was hard for me to watch.
- Be aware that the classes will not be organized for you. Don't be afraid to take control of the class and plan an agenda.
Bottom line, the best thing about volunteering with CCS in Ghana was the people I met. The other volunteers are now some of my closest friends, the staff made me feel like I was in my second home, and the children/people of Hohoe were so friendly and happy. If I could go back and do it again, I would in a heartbeat.
Critical Feedback:
If I could change one thing, it would be the cost of the program. I wanted to stay for more than three weeks so I could travel around Africa, but three weeks was already too expensive.
10%Overall
Rating
I could not be more disappointed with my experience, and I cannot believe the positive reviews. At least in Delhi, the organization is corrupted by nepotism and apathy toward volunteering. I came to India to volunteer, but often the three NGOs CCS chose from (yes, there were only three-- two now, since they cut ties with one that refused to be controlled by CCS' tyranny) left volunteers sometimes under two hours a day to work. A volunteer while I was there was not allowed to volunteer one day when the NGO was doing a project at a different location than usual. There are also arbitrary rules, like a curfew and enforced meals. You must eat with the rest of the group, despite being provided a kitchen in which to cook. I was treated rudely by the staff: the head of India continually made inappropriate comments about my appearance and weight. The staff again and again referred the volunteers to relatives and friends, which wouldn't be so bad except the businesses were the worst we encountered in India. I think that most volunteers don't see the corruption because they don't stay the full three months that I did. Many volunteers with me had problems with CCS as well. An adult woman was kicked out for breaking the fake curfew (they lied and said the gates closed at 10 on weekdays and 1 on weekends-- we lived in a very safe affluent area and staying out beyond then put no one in danger.)
The Hindi lessons promised are just basic phrasing unless you are doing the internship program. However, the 'teacher' is just one of the regular staff, a guy who, while well-meaning, is impatient and is just a regular Hindi speaker who doesn't have grasp of the grammar. The people learning mostly learned from books on their own. The placements were made without regard for personal preference whatsoever. A woman who was a nurse and wrote specifically that she did not want to do medical work was expected to do so. No one I talked to was placed in an NGO with a focus they had requested, probably because CCS did not take advantage of the many NGOs in Delhi. It only had relationships with organizations that it could bully-- for example, agreeing to refuse to let kicked out volunteers stay at the NGO, even if they were kicked out for reasons completely unrelated to their volunteering work (a 23 year old having a glass of wine at dinner, a 34 year old returning to the flat at midnight, etc.)
CCS, instead of integrating you into the community, cloistered you. You cannot interact with the staff and volunteers at the NGO as much because you are forced to have limited hours and meals at the office (the "chef" is actually just a regular guy who makes cheap, repetitive meals over and over.) You live in a sheltered gated community without just that- a sense of community. I lived in Delhi after leaving CCS and the community I lived in was welcoming and wonderful to me, so much more so than CCS was. If you want a real Indian experience, and want to travel to really make a difference and volunteer, avoid CCS at all costs. The organization, at least in Delhi, is an overpriced scam whose main focus is liability and cost effectiveness.
My project exceeded my every expectation - this was without a doubt the single greatest experience of my twenty-somethings!
The Home-Base and staff me feel so at home from the moment I got there. They are such an incredible group of people - and it was remarkable getting to know them. Plus, the food was to die for!
My volunteer placement was working at a home for children - very similar to what we might associate as an orphanage. It was run by nuns who did a remarkable job keeping things together but it really have the time to really dive into playtime and really work one-on-one with the kids. That were my group stepped in. I was only there for a week (wish I could have stayed longer) but even within that time we painted, made a mosaic, played games, made necklaces, and made a connection. Plus we in the mid-afternoons sowed pillows to leave once we were gone.
I went to Guatemala during the time of Day of the Dead; they do this huge festival were everyone comes into the cemetery and repaints and fly kites. The concept is that the kites build a colorful border to keep the evil spirits out. The staff took us the night before to a man within the community to see how he makes his kites which opened my eyes to how much this celebration is all connected to their history and cultural identification. I would have never seen this side of the celebration if it wasn't for CCS.
I have traveled with them before to Costa Rica and I plan to with them again soon. Where are you going to go?
Critical Feedback:
I should have stayed longer.