Program Reviews

Belize is such an amazing country and I am so lucky to have spent a month there! I had no idea how diverse it is, in terms of both culture and environment. The program taught me many invaluable lessens about myself and the world around me and definitely changed me for the better. My experience in the hospital in San Ignacio reaffirmed my decision to pursue a career in nursing, and only made me want to participate in more volunteer abroad programs. I made friends from all across the country and was able to explore a completely different country with them. I highly recommend Pro World Belize!

This was a well-organised program, which meant we all felt very safe and looked after. I was volunteering in a hospital, and I felt like I was put to good use, thus the trip was worthwhile!

We were staying in a homestay, which was great, we got to eat Belizean food and integrate ourselves into the family. In the evenings and weekends proworld organised cultural and social events for us, so we got to see more to Belize than we otherwise would have, and learn a bit of the history.

This was a fantastic experience and I would recommend it to anyone seeking clinical experience, or just broadening your horizons.

Overall, I thought this internship was really rewarding. I thought the food provided was substantial and delicious. I am a pescetarian and was easily accommodated. The Ghanaians who hosted me were fantastic, but the living situation was a little bit different than some of the other volunteers. It was not exactly a host family - the different members of the household were not all related or even close friends, but my host mother was renting the room from them. I wish that I would have gotten more of a family dynamic, and I would have really liked if we all sat down to eat together. We were served dinner in our room and the rest of the family members ate separately. Regardless, I still love my host mother and everyone I got to live with. I have established great contacts and we are still keeping in touch even though I am back in the USA. I know that I can count on them to make time for me next time I return to Ghana. ProWorld handled all slight problems very discreetly so that host families never suspected that an intern had made a complaint. Also, my particular placement was rather far away from the ProWorld house, and the ProWorld staff was very accommodating about this. If it got too late after language classes on Tuesday, someone from the staff would escort us all the way home to make sure we were safe. ProWorld always let us stay at the house in Cape Coast on weekends as well to make things more convenient for the interns on the human trafficking project. The project itself was very rewarding too. The community where we worked was also very far away from the host family and transportation costs were quite high, but we made it work by spending some days of the week doing office work instead of field work. However, I think it would be much more convenient if ProWorld could find host families closer to Immuna community where the project is. We were also able to take a trip to Volta region with a member of the Pro-Link staff to see where the trafficked kids worked, which was a very rewarding and eye-opening experience. I had a great time doing this internship and while everything was not perfect, the ProWorld staff was very helpful, and overcoming obstacles was a good learning experience for me.

As a pre-medical student, I went into this program and abroad experience with my mind set on one thing and one thing only: hands-on healthcare experience. I got ALL that I wanted from that along with a larger-than-life dose of rich culture that taught me so much about Peru, global perspectives and citizenship, and myself. I couldn't be happier with my experience.

Each day I had the opportunity to spend 6-8 hours in a rural clinic personally providing free or reduced fee healthcare services to the Peruvian population in need. Here, I administered vaccinations to all ages, took blood pressure, listened to breathing and other bodily functions through a stethoscope on a regular basis, and learned so much from communicating in Spanish with the doctors and nurses I worked with.

Following my daily intern hours, I went home to my beautiful host family who always greeted me with smiles, questions about my home, and lots and lots of traditional, delicious Peruvian dishes and treats. My host family (in addition to the other interns and ProWorld staff on-site) was my primary source in asking questions about the languages, fulfilling my curiosities about the culture or seeking a great place to dine, plaza to walk, or city to vacation. On days I received one-on-one Spanish lessons from a native speaker, I enjoyed spending time at the ProWorld office-house, where I was also welcomed with food, drink, and encouragement.

Yes. Vacation within a vacation, as I like to think of it. With the help of ProWorld staff and my host family, I was able to experience Peru in an even broader spectrum on the weekends when I was not interning in the clinic.

At no time throughout my experience did I feel as though I was not adequately supported, and I never felt unsafe. Peru has one of the most unique healthcare systems on the planet that I was fortunate to take part in, but the thriving culture and life outside of work is what will hopefully take me back in the future.

ProWorld Belize gave me the opportunity to get real hands-on experience in the medical field. From public health ventures to being apart of the emergency room team, the time I spent with ProWorld is something that is invaluable to me. Two thumbs up!

I had a great time! The workers at ProWorld were very supportive and would help us plan any activities we would want to do outside of the ones ProWorld had for us.

Specifically, I was taking a class at my home university and had to complete a research project. They set me up with people I could interview and told me where I could find the information I was looking for. Also, they would give us suggestions on what tour guides we should use to get the most for our money.

I did have one particular issue with the organization. Their website says that transportation to and from the airport is provided which is misleading. They do pick you up in a van at the airport; however, you must find your own ride back to the airport. You are only given $30 USD ($60Bzd)to do so. This is enough to take a bus from San Ignacio to Belize City and then a cab to the airport. Belize City is not the safest area, and tourists have the tendency to get ripped off the most there. To take a van back it is about $100+Bzd. The van services base the price on how many people they have to take to Belize City that day. They are aware of this issue. I would check with ProWorld to see if they have changed anything, if not I would make sure that you have extra money to return to the airport. I would not let this issue change my mind.

Over this past summer, I volunteered with ProWorld. They found a great program that suited my interests (TIDE Conservation), arranged a fabulous homestay for me, and helped make sure I was comfortable. It was a huge comfort being connected to other volunteers, and the weekly check-ins were designed to make sure volunteers were having a great time. Although everyone is welcome to volunteer with ProWorld (we had a 12 year old and a 40 year old in my group!), I would probably recommend this program for college aged people. Punta Gorda is such a nice, peaceful town and I can't wait to go back there again.

My internship in Belize was an incredible experience. My eyes were opened to a culture and way of life that I never knew existed. The experience I had with my host family was irreplaceable. Being set into the home of a Belizean family was the best way to get the whole cultural experience that was waiting for me. The two-week internship that I did at the hospital in San Ignacio exposed me to a different type of healthcare system than the one I'm so accustomed to here in the USA. Although it was difficult to be away from home, it was one of the best decisions I ever made.

My experience in Belize was incredible, and I highly recommend it to others! I loved the warmth and comfort of my homestay family, the support of the citizens and staff, and the incredible opportunities that I was exposed to the hospital. I was able to immerse myself in the culture of the city, and spent quality time in the hospital where I worked. The clinic and outreach work was gratifying and I am grateful that I had such a unique opportunity to affect the lives of others, and gain valuable insight into myself as well.

They program was amazing and very flexible. It will be exactly what you make of it they are very easy going and helpful if you step and get involved. I was able to volunteer in the hospital 3 times and in the community 2 days. This was a life changing experience.