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My fiancé and I did the Cartagena program for two weeks. I absolutely loved my time in Colombia and I feel that I made a difference in the kids lives that I worked with. Our coordinator Monica is an excellent leader and loves her volunteers. She even bought all of the volunteers ice cream one night.

My fiancé got hurt one night and needed to visit the hospital. Monica sat in the hospital with us for 8 hours and helped us pay a better fee for my fiancé’s procedures.

Overall, there is a lot of sights to see in Cartagena and other cities. The program and the volunteers make the price we paid well worth it!

I've always known that I would volunteer internationally one day. I knew I wanted to teach and I knew it would be somewhere in America Latina: the only thing I didn't know was how should I do it. Then, one day, I saw that a colleague of mine was volunteering with IVHQ in Indonesia and I immediately searched all I could about the organization and I understood it would be my best option: they guaranteed me support, a house, food, contact with other volunteers and specific programs for a very decent value (I'm aware that the idea of "paying to volunteer" may be weird for some but, in my case, I knew I was paying for safety and all-time support and, being my first experience, I needed that to be confident enough to do something like this).
In the pre-volunteering weeks all my questions were answered in time and with detail, making me more excited and hopeful for the weeks to come.The volunteering itself was everything i could have asked for. I was lucky enough to meet some amazing volunteers that I will keep in my heart forever, with whom i visited Bogota, went out at night, travelled to other parts of Colombia on weekends, arranged future get-together's... The coordinators were kind and helpful, treating us like family and making sure we always felt at home. The house was always clean and cosy and, honestly, I felt so much at my own house during those weeks that I even miss that bunk bed. And last but definitely not least: the programs. I taught English to young kids and university students, contrasting environments that allowed me to interact with different people and be aware of the different struggles they go through. Moreover, I was allowed to help in other projects, such as the homeless one, and to have all these possibilities was incredibly rewarding.
Therefore, my advice is simple: if you want to volunteer with an organization that guides you through all steps and makes sure you have the most fulfilling experience ever than IVHQ is the right choice for you.

I have been constructing a house for a family in poor outskirts of Bogota. The construction was meant to finish before Christmas time so the house could be a nice Christmas present for the family. While working on the house we often didn't have a proper equipment and needed to improvize. This was a lot of fun as we worked together with locals and we saw how they are overcoming these conditions. Also we hold a lunch each day with them together with their families and enjoyed traditional food and great "tinto" coffee.

Apart from the volunteering I was able to find a time to travel outside Bogota. I have visited a historical city of Cartagena and a small island of San Andres in Caribbean. Overall the experience was great as I felt that I am really spending my time usefully and having fun in the process.

Where to begin? Although it is very cliché, the number of unforgettable moments and people we encountered in Cartagena is truly incredible. From teaching English in Granitos and Santa Rita, to playing games with the elderly at Granitos, to playing soccer (fútbol) with the children of Marea Turbaco and Marea Canopote (rehab facilities for children), to facilitating arts and crafts sessions with children, to spending quality time with the children of Funvivir, it becomes difficult to put a premium on just one specific moment. Not to mention this list of experiences completely disregards the equally as rewarding weekend adventures to Playa Blanca, Santa Marta, Taganga, and the Old City!

With that being said, one moment that is ingrained in me forever because of my background, is having the chance to play soccer with the children in the rehabilitation facilities. I played soccer competitively at the collegiate level and still occasionally play when I have time outside of work. My Spanish is poor so having the chance to communicate with all of the kids through a sport we share a mutual love for was an experience like no other. Through the language of fútbol, I could connect and create a good rapport with the kids, as well as earn the kids’ respect in a unique way. After playing for the first time for a few hours with the kids, I immediately sensed their interest in me and noticed that they were more open to me being there. I will never forget that feeling along with the overall energy and happiness of the Colombian people we met. The people were also a pleasant reminder that happiness is generated from within; not from money, materials, or other superficial means.

There are so many pros to visiting Cartagena: the Program Manager genuinely cares about the organizations we work with; the coordinators are local, young, some former members of the organizations we work with and allow you to use your own creativity when it comes to projects; the volunteer house is just a few blocks walk from the beach and a short cab ride to the Old City and Bocagrande; the variety of projects to work on provides a lot of different opportunities; the hot weather is great (the humidity takes some adjusting to); the nightlife and bar scene is great; the landscape combination of mountainous terrain and beach views… the list goes on and on.

It is very important to not let preconceived notions about a place in the world dictate your thoughts about that place (and whether you should visit). I say this as one of my concerns prior to going to Colombia was the safety of the country. There were so many internet articles that shunned the idea of going to Colombia because there are so many other “more safe” places in the world to visit. Now that I have spent time in Colombia and experienced it for myself, I can validate that the country is plenty safe. Just as you would in your home country – use common sense and refrain from putting yourself in a vulnerable position (out too late, drinking heavily, showing off money/jewelry – mostly the combination of all three). If you observe these types of rules just like you normally would, it is unlikely you will run into trouble. I will 100% be going back to Colombia. Knowing what I know now it would have been such a missed opportunity to learn about an amazing culture had I not gone.

This volunteer experience was unforgettable and I hope to have plenty more in the future!

Cartagena Colombia, who would have thought that this would have become the most life changing and epic experience I have ever had. I went with the intention of changing the world and Colombia changed me.

From the onset things seemed natural and flowed smoothly, Monica and her local are some the most awesome people I have ever met. They worked assiduously to ensure that we made the positive impact, that myself and fellow volunteers intended on leaving in Cartagena. Not only was this a high priority on their agenda, but also was our assimilation into the Emerging Voices and IVHQ family.

My first placement was at a rehab for at risk youth on the outskirts of Cartagena, where I thought football to both boys and girls. These kids went from total strangers to my brothers and sisters very quickly; they treated me with love and respect, all of which was facilitated by my coordinator Beto. Further to this, I also enjoyed a dance class where I learned both Salsa and Reggeaton choreography’s. This class was actually meant for the kids but I was allowed to join in, it was amazing. Thereafter, I thought basic English on the Grannitios project wow!!! this was so much fun. The kids on this project impacted my life in ways that they would never know, their willingness and excitement to learn was outstanding. They did not want me to leave but unknowingly to them neither did I. Looking back on it now I always refer to them as my kids remembering everyone of them by name. They gave me the most amazing thank you letter before I left.

Gardening in Grannitios was also epic, helping out the grandmas with their gardening which was facilitated by my passionate coordinator Jesus. Through doing this project I remember meeting a ten-year-old kid from Venezuela he so wanted to help us in the garden. However, we did not want him to get hurt. This young man even though he was not directly connected to any of the projects he made me reflect on my own life. Then it was the kids at Funvivir who were diagnosed with cancer, honestly, going in I was not sure what to expect but my coordinator Juan assisted me quite amply. These kids were so full life and joy even though they were diagnosed with cancer at no point did their love for life fade. They reminded me that life was meant to be enjoyed no matter what.

In good conscience, I cannot not, mention the salsa nights with my fellow volunteers. This was also quite a blockbuster experience, we thoroughly enjoyed each others company and interacting with the local people who are so amicable. I could continue to ramble on about this trip, from the beautiful streets of the walled city, to watching the sunset at Café Del Mar. However, one thing I would say is this is a must do trip, bucket list worthy type of trip. Hopefully, my review inspires you to do this.

In conclusion, I would end the same way I began, I went with the intention of changing the world and Colombia changed me.

I volunteered with IVHQ in Bogota originally signed up for the English teaching project. The team, however, allows you to try any project you want and do as many as you want in order to maximize your experience. Each separate place I volunteered left a lasting impact on me. We taught English, helped with construction, played with kids at an orphanage, and many more things. It was so humbling and amazing to be exposed to the culture of Colombia in such an intimate and meaningful way. The IVHQ staff went above and beyond to make our stay comfortable and safe and they were very, very successful. It was the best trip I have ever been on and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking to get out into the world. I went with one of my friends from school (we were both 19), and we had an absolute blast.

I volunteered teaching English in Bogota for 3 weeks, however I by the end of my 3 week programme I had in fact volunteered on a number of different projects, which was really interesting! The opportunity to volunteer on these various projects was something I enjoyed about the programme in Bogota. I remember one day I had signed up to volunteer on the 'feeding the homeless' programme, and left the house in the morning with fellow volunteers on the programme. Once we arrived at the building in which we were to prepare food and meals for the homeless, we saw some nuns from the area and they were going to Soacha (an area just outside Bogota), to distribute supplies and food. They needed some help as there was a lot of food and the supplies were quite heavy, so myself and one other volunteer decided to go along with them and help distribute the supplies. The drive to Soacha was around one hour, however the humour of the nuns made the journey enjoyable! When we arrived there were lots of people lined up and we had to try and control the crowd and give them supplies. After we had distributed all the supplies we returned to Bogota and back to the volunteer house. It was amazing to see the conditions of the area, and to give help to the people there was great.

How do I describe my experience without sounding like every traveler who's ever gone somewhere new? How do I explain how affected I was by my trip? I don't think any words could truly do it justice because it wasn't the sites and it wasn't the people. It was the emotions. The feelings that I don't think I ever could have felt in any other place.

I spent 5 weeks in Bogota, Colombia. Primarily, my time was spent in a daycare in Soacha. I fell in love with those kids. So much so that I couldn't keep from crying on my last day. They gave me hugs and kisses and I wish that I could have stayed. This program was more than just an opportunity to do good. I don't have many applicable skills. I can't eradicate poverty. I am not a health care professional. I don't have any fancy degrees. All I have is my dedication to making people feel better. I went to Bogota thinking I could change lives. That isn't realistic. I didn't do that. I know. I doubt those kids really think about me anymore but I know that I made a difference in their days. I know that we laughed a lot and they taught me funny words in Spanish that didn't mean what they thought they did and I know that they were happy and smiling when we all went home. And that matters to me. That made a difference to me.

I think if you want to volunteer with IVHQ, it shouldn't be from the perspective of wanting to save people. Because chances are, they're going to end up saving you instead. You're going to go someplace amazing and you may have a lasting effect on the people you meet and you may not. They may not remember you but you'll remember them. Those experiences will become an indistinguishable aspect of your identity and you will grow more than you thought you had the room to. You will love more than you ever thought you could. You will come back a little different. And that's alright. Look forward to it. Think about where you're going to go next and what you're going to do and the all ways you'll change.