Involvement Volunteers International (IVI)

As a recent graduate planning to work in hospitality management, I found this project awesome! I got to experience first hand by staying in a super cool country, with the nicest people and food. Otaki was a really unique traditional Japanese village so got to mix with the locals and learn some of the language, even though they mostly were keen to practice their English with me. The weekend trips to Nagano and onsens were also a highlight and caught the bullet train to Kyoto one weekend. I made friends for life on the program as we got to mix with volunteers on all the programs - English teaching and farming and agriculture volunteers. Overall, this trip has been a highlight of my life.

The Lemur Experience at Nosy Be Madagascar was a life altering week. The setting offered more that just watching crocodile feeding, washing big turtles and small turtles, and learning to care for and engage with lemurs. I spent our work days with locals who work at the sanctuary and local volunteers, laughing and talking while we worked. Our group work spent our time sharing life stories across generations, focused more on dreams than heart break, a true gem of the volunteer experience. At our long 2 hour lunch breaks, students and I engaged in helping them improve their English, including hands-on social media skills in English. I spent a few days exploring the local community, the local markets, shops, beach, and cafes for a real feel for the area. The experience included housing in a safe villa with two houses, local meals prepared by Rodrick, and daily transportation through the local area back and forth to the center. I had a room with 2 bunk beds, mosquito net, hot water shower and shared bathroom, wifi, and access to refrigerator. The work tasks were easy to complete. Program guide John oriented me to the work and I was able to do what I was comfortable with, which was everything! Pavith oversaw the program, joined me for evening meal, answered all my questions, and was always available.

I am very grateful to have participated in this project. I am returning from my assignment at the Philippine schools with somewhat mixed emotions, though the experience was deeply moving and rewarding in many ways.

I was deeply impressed by the locals' positive mindset. The community welcomed me with smiles, and the students were grateful and respectful.

Furthermore, I was enchanted by the beautiful surroundings at both locations. The stunning scenery, with its pristine beaches and palm trees, provided wonderful opportunities for swimming and relaxing after work. It was the perfect backdrop to unwind.

It was a wonderful experience to discover the country and its people from a different perspective. The connections I made were very warm and welcoming, and the support on site was close to perfect. The learning went both ways: not only the children, but I myself learned as well. I picked up some Korean and, above all, gained rich insights into Korean culture through them. I sincerely hope to repeat this experience in the future.

For the children, it would be beneficial if the program could run longer than one or two weeks, as they need time to build trust and truly settle in.

The team in Korea was easy to reach at all times and well prepared to answer any questions.
I always felt very well informed and supported—almost as if close friends had been waiting for me on site. Thank you very much for that; it truly could not have been better.

The temple stay felt like a home away from home. Even though the rooms were small and simple, they were more than sufficient. The location was excellent.

At times, however, I would have appreciated having a quiet space to retreat to beyond the sleeping area. As I had a single room, this was at least partially possible. For those staying longer, though, having a dedicated quiet space separate from the shared areas would be very beneficial.

Volunteering was very enjoyable, interesting and varied. It gave us a good insight into the wonderful work the soup kitchen does. The Head Chef was truly inspirational. It also gave us the opportunity to meet and work with other volunteers from many different countries.

The local team were fantastic and very supportive, kind , considerate and very friendly. We liked that at the soup kitchen we all shared the same food, this gave us the opportunity to try many different Korean dishes. The buffet meal we had on our orientation say was good fun.

The Temple was clean, the beds were comfortable and we enjoyed the never-ending supply of tea. The staff were friendly and again it was good to meet people from all over the world. The location was good too. At the Temple we also enjoyed a handpan lesson.