I choose to volunteer with Projects Abroad because they are a trustworthy company which provided me with all the assurance and information that I needed. My specific program was a High School Special project which meant I would be with volunteers roughly the same age as me, and I would be under constant supervision making it safer to travel around Cambodia. The Care & Community project I was involved in enabled me to benefit the community by teaching the children as well as restoring the facilities at the school.
Alumni Spotlight: Kali Captieux
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Kali is an energetic bubbly girl with dreams to travel the world. Her trip with Projects Abroad brought her one step closer to reaching her dreams.
Why did you choose this program?
What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?
Projects Abroad assisted me through every process of preparing for my trip as well as during the trip. The company gave us the option to have them organize our flights. We were provided with a Program Advisor who contacted us on several occasions to answer any questions we may have had. We also had our own private web page containing all the information we needed.
What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?
One piece of advice I would give someone going on my program would be to learn and research lesson plans, songs, and games to play with the children prior to departure. By having a basic idea of simple action songs, it is easier to teach the kids and help them memorize. Games requiring little explanation are best as it can often be hard to explain instructions to children who speak very little English.
What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?
An average day participating in a Care & Community project with Projects Abroad includes breakfast at the hotel before departing for placement. As the placement was located on Silk Island, we had to travel by private bus and a ferry across the river. In the mornings at the school, we would spend two hours with the children teaching them English. We would then depart to lunch at a local restaurant before returning to the school to complete the afternoon restoring the school and classrooms. Back at the hotel, we would have time to relax and plan for our lessons the next day before finally eating dinner either at the hotel or going out to a local restaurant.
Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?
My biggest fear going into my experience abroad was that I was going to be way out of my comfort zone, and I would not know anybody there. Although I had to overcome being the only person from my country, it was a fun experience to get to know so many people from countries all over the world and make lifelong friendships. I was supported by the staff every step of my journey and was given every opportunity to make the most of my experience in Cambodia.
What was the highlight of your trip?
The highlight of my trip was definitely both the friendships I made with the other volunteers and staff as well as meeting all the children at the school and getting to see their smiling faces everyday. Watching them develop their English skills from the first day through to our last day was so up-lifting. The children were able to concentrate and make learning fun whilst helping the other volunteers and I to learn more Khmer (Cambodian Language) and other cultural aspects..