Program Reviews

My experience was really unique because all of it was unexpected. I didn’t imagine even a little of the things I finally did, I really learned so much That I felt like I became another person. It was an adventure but also a mission. A mission because I feel that i’ve Helped Even if a little. So thanks very much to all the Projects Abroad team.. hope to join soon another project. To speak more in particular the thing I preferred was working in the afternoon with all the locals, it wasn’t easy but so relieving. We planted trees, and painted the rocks with all the kids too. The owner was so kind, she kept cooking typical stuff because she saw us so tired. Teaching English in the morning was very fun, I really recommend this project to anybody.

My experience traveling with Projects Abroad to Ghana was so incredibly smooth and hassle free. From fundraising ideas to visa application the group and I were supported so well, we had constant communication with our Project Advisor through emails and phone calls. Every question was answered. For my first time traveling without family and volunteering, I couldn’t recommend this trip enough because from the second we arrived we all so welcomed as we were introduced to our supervisor and built an amazing relationship in such a short time. It was a great relief for ourselves and our families at home knowing we had constant supervision. I never felt unsafe at any point. Our work done in Ghana was also beneficial to the school and the children.

It was a fruitful 2 week program in which I really enjoyed. It's lovely that we get to travel with people of our age (aged 15-18) from around the globe as we get to learn about different cultures. Besides painting classrooms and interacting with children on the weekdays, we did a variety of activities like learning a bit of Nepali, watching traditional dance performances, visiting temples and a farm and travelling to Pokhara where we get to visit a suspension bridge, lake Phewa and see lots of attractions. We get to try a range of traditional Nepali cuisines as well and I particularly enjoy Momo, pork dumplings. The trip was very precious as you get to experience a different culture and make a difference to the place without worrying as we are being carefully looked after by friendly Project Abroad staff.

While Peru is a great place for anyone who wishes to explore the past of a country with lots of fascinating sites, such as but certainly not limited to Machu Picchu, it is also an interesting place to experience the culture and daily life of a people and Cusco is a great place to be based. The heart of the old Inca lands there are many, many interesting tours to take in the area and further afield. Cusco is geared toward tourists and it is very easy to find a tour that fits one’s budget and preference. For example, I did a day trip of the Sagrada Valle (Sacred Valley) that took in half a dozen very interesting sites together with an excellent buffet lunch for less than $20 as well as another day tour of the ruins south of Cusco for around $10 (lunch extra but I had a lovely grilled trout for $6). There are no really cheap tours of Machu Picchu for tourists (who have to pay in dollars) unless you do all the arrangements yourself (and that is possible once you get familiar with how it works or have assistance from a local-I ended up taking a tour for $250). The Amazon is well worth a visit but again most tours are somewhat expensive (for 2 nights I paid $320 but I felt it was money well spent). Lake Titicaca where most people spend a night with a local family on one of the islands can be done for around 180 soles (about $60) if you buy your own bus ticket, book a “cheap” hostel in Puno and then hire a local tour from Puno. I, however, chose the easy way out and paid 280 soles for a tour “originating in Cusco” and all the arrangements made for me. As the road to Puno is quite picturesque, I took a day bus there and a night bus back (one can get buses with seats that recline 160 degrees so I did manage to sleep on the night bus).
Clearly, I greatly enjoyed the tourist side of Cusco and Peru but the absolute highlight of the trip was the 3 weeks I spent through Projects Abroad, teaching ESL with a local teacher and staying with a Peruvian family. My fellow teacher, Edith, was an absolute jewel. I taught for 45 years before I retired 3 years ago and during that time I did not know a teacher better than Edith. She really knows how to make the class work to the advantage of the student using truly innovative methods that really motivate students, even those who are not keen. She took maximum advantage of my being a native English speaker and was completely open to any suggestions I made that she felt were useful. I’ve seldom seen anyone, especially a teacher, who was more open to any critique, e.g. like any person speaking in a second language, her pronunciation was not always that of a native speaker but she never hesitated to invite my help. My first day at school she took her students to a restaurant as a reward for their efforts and treated me as well. The second day at school, she had a two hour break and took me to a nearby park made from a wetlands with the theme, Guardians of the Galaxy: a small lake with a paved walk around

This project was incredibly well organized from my pickup right to my drop off at the airport one month later. Not only did I gain experience in psychology but I also was fully immersed in Jamaican culture and had the opportunity to learn about other Jamaican projects and how they work together during community days. I felt very at home during this project and also had the freedom in weekends to travel throughout Jamaica and go on many adventures. I was also fortunate to have made lifelong friends with other volunteers from around the world with whom I now stay in touch daily. This project also taught me the importance of culturally appropriate treatment approaches in my field which i now use daily. So grateful to have had this experience and hope to return again.

I could not be more grateful for my past experience with Projects Abroad. It was an extremely humbling and meaningful experience. I taught English and helped in a primary school classroom. I loved meeting the children and teachers. I loved being immersed in the culture and grew extremely close to my host family. I just went back to visit them 3 years after my volunteer experience. It really changed my entire outlook on life. The appreciation and gratitude that I feel is unmeasurable and I don't feel that I would be who I am today without that experience. The experience is what you make of it.

Culture shock did hit me in the beginning and my host parents were so supportive and loving. I really felt that they considered me a part of their family.

I learned so much in my three and a half months in Senegal doing microfinance work. Saint Louis is a very nice city by Senegal standards and the program staff were absolutely wonderful. The food is good and they do a good job of giving you meaningful tasks and showing you what life is really like for the people you work with. Go out and explore the beautiful opportunities available and you will have a great time. The food is a bit bland and repetitive but is a good insight into how people live in Senegal every day. My cohort's host families were nice and we developed good relationships over our time there. I would recommend this program for college aged students who are interested in post-colonial Africa and want to experience how the majority of people live in the global south.

Let me start by saying that I was 56 when I went and all though most people on the project was half my age, I had the best stay ever. I worked ind a kindergarden for 8 weeks, where I had an hours teaching/activity, so I had to come up with something new to do with the children every day, but they were so sweet and loved all the things I came up with. Staff in Thailand was perfect and took very good care of us, they made sure we were safely transported around and teached about the way of living in thailand. They also made a series of field trips, elefant hospital were we helped cleaning, turle clanning project and much more, so I will highly recomend this project to all
Project aboard staff was very infomativ before, during and after the project, so I felt very secure during from start to end.

Half a year ago I stepped onto a plane (alone for the first time) going to Kathmandu. I knew the journey I was embarking on would be one that would in part define my life. A friend who had done the Medical Programme for High School Students said that if I was undecided about going to Med school, then I should take part in the programme. Now, as a medical student (awaiting my 1st anatomy exam) I can say that my journey in Nepal with Projects Abroad has been the crucial step towards my medical career.
All the things that I have seen and done while in Nepal, both in the medical aspect (ie. clinical rotations in numerous hospital wards, as well as seeing a dissection and surgery) and the socio-cultural aspect (eg. learning Nepali dances, trying the cuisine) will stay in my memory forever.
The only thing that I can do now is to thank the entire Projects Abroad team (especially Acquilles) from the bottom of my heart and recommend the trip to anyone who might be interested!

Visiting the Galapagos has been a lifelong dream of mine. I was traveling solo so I searched for a program that would give me some structure in an unfamiliar country but also enough freedom to explore as much as I wanted. Projects Abroad was perfect for this. The volunteer work was fun and worth-while and the staff and host families were beyond amazing and helpful. On the weekends and evening I had plenty of time to explore other islands, scuba dive and see everything I wanted to. I made lifelong friends from around the world. I highly recommend this project, and can't wait to participate in another one some day.

Plan a trip for as long as you possibly can. This may seem obvious but I thought two weeks was enough, and it flew by and I wished I had more time to explore and be with the people from the project.