Projects Abroad Volunteer Programs in Tanzania

Meet Jillian Froelick, Projects Abroad Tanzania alum

GO: Why did you decide to volunteer with Projects Abroad in Tanzania?

Jillian: I had always wanted to volunteer abroad someday, and I thought Africa would be a wonderful place to do that since I didn't know when I would get the chance to go again. I researched volunteer organizations and asked around, and by word of mouth and internet research, I found Projects Abroad. I ultimately chose PA because I felt like they offered the most opportunities and I felt most comfortable and safest with them since they had been around longer than most other organization. That gave my parents a lot of comfort as well. I can't really say why I chose Tanzania, I just felt a connection to that country more than the other African countries PA had placements in and I knew when I read about teaching and care there that it was the place for me.

GO: Describe your day to day activities as a volunteer.

Jillian: During the week, I would wake up early and would eat breakfast with my roommate (who although lives halfway around the world has become a close friend of mine) and our host family, specifically our host sister. My roommate and I worked at different placements, so we would each leave our house and I began my walk to work.

I worked for the first part of my placement far away from the city of Arusha, so there were not a lot of dependable buses. On the walk there, I would meet another volunteer who I taught with. We would get to the orphanage and be greeted by screaming kids, running to hug us. We would have class until lunch, when we would have a break to play a little bit, and then have class after lunch. After classes, we would stay a little longer to play. We would walk home then, and usually meet up with a few volunteers at a little restaurant by our houses, and then we would go home, have dinner with our host family or go into Arusha and have dinner with all the volunteers once a week.

Jillian discovered her calling to work with children and help people in Tanzania

My second placement was closer into the city, so the day-to-day routine was similar, but I could take a bus to work. On weekend we would do a lot of different things...usually our laundry first, which took a good chunk of Saturday morning! We would usually go into Arusha, my roommate and I or with other volunteers, and we would go to the market, go out for a nice lunch, go to a pool for a day, etc. We also spent one week on a Safari, which was incredible!

GO: How has this experience impacted your future?

Juliana: Before I volunteered with PA, I had never thought of a career working with children. Now, I know it's my calling and I can't imagine a life doing any other thing.

My experience in Tanzania helped me realize what I want out of life and what I feel like is important in it, and that's a gift that is truly priceless and I feel lucky to have learned at a young age before I went to college. I feel much more focused now in school and I feel meaning in the things that I am doing. Tanzania changed me as a person, and for the better. The experience helped me realize I want to give back to people everyday in my life, and that can be done in countless ways.

Meet Laura Doughty, Projects Abroad alum

GO: Why did you decide to volunteer with Projects Abroad in Tanzania?

Laura: I volunteered with projects abroad in Tanzania because I wanted to do something rememberable on my gap year and at the same time helping others, so I decided I would volunteer somewhere overseas. I've always wanted to go to Africa ever since I was little, but I wasn't sure where, and then my friend travelled with projects abroad over to Ghana and she said she loved it, so I'd thought I'd check them out. I went on the website and talked with some of the staff at the Canadian office and realized they were the best choice for me because it was my first time travelling alone so I wanted to feel a bit secure in where ever I went, and the staff reassured that. I picked Tanzania because at that time it was one of their newest locations and I really didn't know much about the country and wanted to learn more about it, and I loved it!

Laura volunteering in Tanzania

GO: Describe your day to day activities as a volunteer.

Laura: While volunteering at the orphanage, I kind of fell into a routine. everyday I'd wake up at around 6:15, get dressed, have breakfast and a cup of tea, fill up my water bottle and be out the door. Part of my journey to the orphanage I took the dala dala (look transport) and the other part I walked on a quiet road, it took me about an hour to get there everyday. Once there me and the other volunteer would gather up the children not in school and have lessons from 9-11am. After that we walked to the soccer field nearby and play fun activities like soccer, running races, card games and sing songs. After that it was lunch and we ate the local dish of ugali everyday. We then would play with kids all afternoon and did things like coloring, crafts and usually walk down to the nearby stream and gather water or do laundry. By 4pm it was time took go home and I took the same hour journey to get back. Once home I'd wash up, write in my journal and greet my host family from when they got home from work. We would then eat dinner, talk about each others days and then after the long day, it crashed in bed.

GO: How has this experience impacted your future?

Laura: This experience has taught me a lot. I have learned how to emerge myself and except new cultures and traditions. I have also learned a lot about teaching and how different children with many different backgrounds learn in their own way. This experience has just given me a new perspective on the world and how different cultures can work together to create something beautiful.