Projects Abroad
Programs and Reviews
Projects Abroad is a global organization formed around the need for gap year programs abroad designed for students taking a break from studying. Since its inception, Projects Abroad has expanded to offer high school volunteer programs, and a vast variety of programs geared towards those taking a gap year or a career break. Visit the Projects Abroad website for more details on volunteer, teach, study and internship programs abroad.
Programs Abroad
Reviews
80%Overall
Rating
40%Overall
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I spent 6 weeks in Phnom Penh as a Pro volunteer - this is the part of Projects Abroad that is marketed to experienced professionals in mid or late career, or those who are retired. I am a lawyer with decades of experience; I made the most of the opportunity in PP to assist a coalition with human/land rights. Most of that was due to my own efforts, with little support from Projects Abroad (PA).
My overall impression of PA is that is focused on young gap year volunteers, and that it is ill equipped to understand or support experienced professionals. When I was introduced to my placement, the coordinator asked no questions, and appeared unaware of the coaltion's work. This continued through the 6 weeks that I was there; the checking in was perfunctory and superficial. Fortunately, I understood not to rely on PA, and to deal with various issues at the placement on my own. I was quite comfortable doing this - but seriously question the value PA offered to me. I also observed that PA did little, if no vetting of at least one other volunteer at my placement. This person was clearly in over their head, creating a difficult situation.
At the accommodation, my experience was the same. Requests for a lock box for my and other volunteers' rooms, to repair a flooding shower were met with indifference, and delays. I asked PA to organize a trip for volunteers to the ECCC; although I sent PA all relevant info to make this easy for them, many texts were required. Essentially, I organized it. I would have preferred to use this time contributing my professional expertise, not doing PA's administrative work.
Again, if I had organized this volunteer placement on my own, I would accept the incompetence, but I paid a significant amount to PA, and it was not clear to me what value they offered.
100%Overall
Rating
The staff on the island were nothing but friendly and welcoming. On my very first dive I had a bad panic attack and wasn't sure if I could continue. I was very close to switch to an english teaching position at the school there. The staff were very understanding and allowed me to continue my dive lessons at my own pace. I had the best time on the island and discovered a new found love of diving and marine conservation. I met other volunteers from all across the globe. A day on the island consisted of breakfast at 7am followed by a beach clean up and a dive before lunch at 12 then if possible another dive after lunch. You have the weekends off so you can go to sihanoukville if you choose or stay on the island and relax. Other days we played games with the local childern followed by a jump off the pier or hung out at Hua's bar or One's. The local fishing village is a small tight knit community and they will welcome you with open arms.
Critical Feedback:
The only thing wrong about this project is the lack of goggles for small faces, which is very easily fixed by bringing your own.
90%Overall
Rating
I worked in a school for 2 months and I built a school for the other 2 months. I suffered from homesickness which the team at Projects Abroad helped me with, I was in the Hills in Ghana and every Wednesday was Quiz night - It was a sociable and exciting event which helped take my mind off missing home and really immersing myself into the Ghanaian culture. I would recommend this to everyone!
Critical Feedback:
The only problem was that the school in which I was placed left me alone in charge of a class of 30 year 3's. Having never taught before I found this extremely stressful and upsetting, Projects Abroad did not help too much with this, but allowed me to change my program to building.
100%Overall
Rating
Projects Abroad, a very good example of subtle development work!
The offered projects seem to have a big impact to the local communities (which building schools, teaching and working at an orphanage has indeed), so you can satisfy your ego ("I did something very good in my free time!") and have a lot of fun as well.
The probably most important point in travelling abroad with Projects Abroad is that they didn't bring a lot of Europeans, Americans and whatever else to Ghana to organize everything but employed Ghanaians and gave them a job. Very good!
The Trip itself:
I think if someone is unsure about travelling trough Africa, the best thing to do is travelling with Projects Abroad! The organization was perfect. They picked me up, brought me to my hostfamily, were avaiable 24/7 (believe me, if you are in trouble you will love Projects Abroad...) and managed everything else in a very professional way.
My host family was very kind (apart from my macho-behaving hostfather). To be honest, after reading a few reviews I have to say that Africa - not even Ghana or South Africa - can be compared with any "western" country. You have to accept, that you probably won't have running water, electricity and wifi or even internet. You are not travelling to a developed country!
My project:
The farming project didn't seem to be really well organised but maybe I was in Ghana at a bad point of time. Our supervisor usually came late and I never got to know who will get the harvest. The work itself was hard, but I liked to do something "usefull" after 13 years of school.
To sum it up I can recommend Projects Abroad for young people who don't want to travel to Africa all alone.
My time spent in Guadalajara, Mexico was a very rewarding experience. I traveled through Projects Abroad which arranged everything for me. I arrived in the middle of March 2013 and stayed in Guadalajara on dental assignment for five weeks. My first two weeks were spent working alongside a private practice dentist. A typical day in the private practice entailed a 30 minute bus ride in the morning to the clinic, followed by an intensive 4 hour Spanish medical terminology and anatomy review. The review was interspersed with patient visits, which permitted opportunity to observe. At 2 PM or so, I would head home for lunch. Following lunch I would study dental articles and magazines to further my knowledge of the vocabulary and procedures. After my first two weeks I headed north for a long weekend in Mazatlan. I quickly made Mexican friends and was invited to stay in a friend's home not far from the beach. My time in Mazatlan was awesome. The weather was perfect, the beaches were packed and the festivities were abundant. It was impressive. The younger party goers would line the street the runs parallel to the beach and dance til sunrise. It was a beautiful sight. And, I had the opportunity to learn a dance native to Mexico. Upon my return to Guadalajara, I began working in a free hospital clinic. For me, this was much more fun. The first two weeks required a lot of personal motivation. The last two were a reward for all the hard work I had put in. The hospital clinic had 5 chairs with five to eight doctors (some of which were students). One chair was mostly dedicated to oral surgery. The others were for routine visits. The variety of cases I had the opportunity to observe was awesome. I also assisted on oral multiple oral surgeries. There was no typical day at the hospital, but this made it more enjoyable. I learned to develop and interpret x-rays as well as assist on oral surgeries. I typically spent between 4 and 5 hours at the clinic, all before lunch. The clinic was a lot of fun, but it was definitely more enjoyable because of my two week introduction to medical terminology and Mexican Spanish in general in the private practice. I wish I had been able to stay longer, but I had to return home to work. My final and fifth week, my parents came to visit. We traveled to Puerto Vallarta, an exotic beach destination, for 3 nights, took the Jose Cuervo Tequila Express Tour (highly recommend) and toured the city of Guadalajara. Had the potential to be a truly tremendous, life altering experience. I simply needed more time there.
Critical Feedback:
The program coordinator's ability to address when the best time is to visit for a particular project without reservation for fear that a potential volunteer may not volunteer his / her time at all.