This program appealed to me as it gave me the opportunity to experience a well-rounded trip and didn't just focus on one aspect. The program offered a chance for safari, whilst making Tanzania's cultures, foods and landscapes as accessible as possible. The volunteering was also exactly what I wanted to do: hands-on and meaningful, with a touch of creativity.
Alumni Spotlight: William Parker
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Will grew up in Bristol and is now a student at Queen Mary University of London.
Why did you choose this program?
What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?
GLV made the trip very easy for me. Everything was planned very efficiently except for the occasional off the cuff days which gave me an opportunity to either explore the local village or relax by the pool. If I ever had any questions about anything to do with the Trip, Dom and Chloe were both very quick to reply and extremely helpful.
What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?
Dom and Chloe will provide a Kit List, so I would definitely suggest taking a look at that before for some ideas. It's always fun to bring something to do in the evenings, like a game or some cards which you can enjoy with the group. GLV has every evening planned out, but there's always free time to pick up a new game or play a game of cards.
What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?
The volunteering aspect was extremely well put together. I always felt like the work we were doing was making a real difference both environmentally and socially. Every day felt distinctly unique; I looked forward to each day, as I was excited to see what was in store.
Each day we would see our projects grow, the days just like the weeks would usually be broken up into some volunteering some culture and some leisure.
Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?
The biggest fear was probably the prospect of something going wrong; however, looking back, the trip was, in fact, incredibly smooth.
It is also important to recognise that, in sub-Saharan Africa, not everything works the way you would presume it would here, but if your feeling adventurous an interested to see what other lifestyles are like you will enjoy this aspect.
Do you recommend volunteering with GLV?
I would 100% recommend GLV to anyone who's looking to do a trip like this. I compared GLV to many similar NGOs and GLV came out on top for me on Volunteering, location, Day trips, affordability, fun activities, wildlife, and culture. It was merely the second day of arriving on the program and I was already glad with my choice due to the people I met and the general good vibe of the trip.