Volunteering Solutions

The journey begins when you start thinking about it

When I began planning my trip to Morocco with my family and friends, I received a lot of confusing reactions: “You are crazy, what can you find in this country? Go to safer places, morocco is very dangerous” and These stereotypes made more scared each day closer to the departure date. My trip was becoming a nightmare: Am I going to be alone? Is someone going to murder me? Will I need a head-scarf? Are they going to respect me? Am I going to be sick?

But when I arrived in Morocco, the stereotypes were absolutely shattered. I had the opportunity to meet a Morocco man with his son in the plane and my coordinators Ali and Jihane and I quickly learned my first lesson of this trip: Don’t trust opinions from others that never have been in touch with the country you are visiting, because prejudice is the son of ignorance and racism.
At any place of the world, there are good and bad people, and certainly Morocco is no exception. But people in general are very friendly and inviting. I also found it as safe as my country. Different? Yes. Worse? Not in the slightest.

You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist (Indira Ghandi).

Our coordinators demonstrated extreme professionalism. They were gracious in delivering advise, orientation, helping us in case of trouble, and keeping track of their and your responsibilities. They applied a very human touch with us, supporting us when morale was down, paying a lot of attention if everybody was fine in case we were not able to resolve issues, and truly enjoying our company.

I chose not to stay with an official family of the program, but people who were with Morocco families during the volunteering program were really satisfied with their experience with them. In my case, I was at the Riad (guest house) of MCAS and I strongly believe it was an amazing place to spend time with and meet incredible people from different parts of the world. I created some of my best memories from this place. Facilities and furnishings were in perfect condition. The Riad was spacious, light, new and peaceful. It was also a great opportunity to practice English and other international languages with other volunteers and improve your skills, particularly oral production and comprehension.

My only wish was that housing accommodations could be more fluid. When the large guest house (Riad) empties in slow travel periods, some of the magic of meeting new people or being with international friends is lost.

Apart from that, as a touristy person, Morocco was not the top of the list as much as London or Paris. But Morocco is the most beautiful country on the list. The best sights including the Sahara Desert, Chefchaouen village, Marrakech, Fez, Hassan II Tower. There are a lot of stunning and secret places to discover. They take a lot care when it comes to tourism and you feel like a royalty.

Finally, I strongly believe it has been enriching discover Islam religion. I had never imagined a religion as peaceful as this one. It is very respectful when it comes to be relations between people and also very tolerant with other cultures and religions. Now, I comprehend why this religion is the second most practised in the world.

To conclude, Morocco is an amazing country where all its treasures could be perfectly discovered if you have a very open mind, a wild and independent soul, and high capacity to adapt yourself and enjoy different ways to live. If your personality fixes with these characteristics, Morocco is going to be the best experience of your life.

I had an incredible experience with Volunteering Solutions in Cusco, Peru for two weeks. This was my first time traveling alone, and I felt completely secure throughout my trip. I was placed with a wonderful host family who made me feel so welcome. It was very easy to take the public bus to my volunteer work in a daycare center every morning. The children in the daycare center are extraordinary. They are so friendly and eager to learn. I always felt needed while I was there, and I left there every afternoon feeling fulfilled and joyful. There were many large public protests in Cusco while I was there, and the Peruvian coordinators of Volunteering Solutions made every effort to make sure the other volunteers and I were safe. The entire experience was unforgettable and a great way to practice my Spanish. I definitely want to volunteer with Volunteering Solutions in the future!

Since the first day I arrived, I felt as if they really care for me. I got picked up by Ali at the airport, though I was supposed to arrive another day. He instantly brought me under in a host family in the medina which I really appreciated. My work journey at the orphanage was like a huge step towards my personal development. It made me realize how thankful some people are when they have nothing to lose. I don't have to talk about safety... redundant topic for me; I felt really safe at all hours, I guess you just have to open up to the locals. Thanks Volunteering Solutions for this experience.