Program Reviews

Volunteers for Peace made my summer amazing. I spent two weeks in rural farm in Eastern Ukraine. As part of a Experimental Archeology project, I worked with 14 others volunteers to build a Iron Age house with Iron Age tools (aka mostly my hands and a few axes)!

I really enjoying meeting the other volunteers, talking about their culture, learning their language, cooking food together and hanging out. We had a good mix of nationalities, genders, ages, and occupations.

One of the best things about Volunteers for Peace is the price. Unlike other volunteer organizations that charge an arm and a leg, Volunteers for Peace is always under $500 dollars. Volunteers for Peace also has the best staff in the world--they are extremely friendly, timely and competent. If you have a question or concern they are always around to help you.

If you are interested in volunteering anywhere in the world, Volunteers for Peace is really the only organization you should consider. I have volunteered with them twice and will continue for many years to come.

My experience volunteering in Iceland was one that I will remember forever. The work was very eye-opening, as we cleaned nearly 5 miles of coastline gathering plastic waste and driftwood. We also assisted in restoring a historic herring factory that was used in the early 1900s when the herring industry was booming in Iceland. My group members were from Germany, Spain, Finland, USA, Canada, and Mexico. We exchanged stories and facts about our home countries and even made a well-known dinner from each country. Needless to say, I was exposed to several cultures and backgrounds that I would have never experienced without Volunteers for Peace. I learned so much about the world, how to interact with a very diverse group of people, and had the chance to visit one of the most beautiful places on earth. Thank you VFP so much for giving me this opportunity.

I joined yap last summer, it was one of the best memories in my life. We painted a outdoor theatre to convey the concept of peace. And try to tell the young teenagers not to paint something bad on the wall. If they do want to paint, paint some ideas worth spreading.
the members from 5 different countries have lots of talks for cultural exchanging, which is in our daily life. It's a great opportunity to learn from others.

This was my first international volunteer trip, and I am so very grateful for the experience I gained from it. Because the program was small, only 3 volunteers at the time I was there, I was able to have incredible hands-on experience. We travelled through the streets of Port-Au-Prince, and shopped in the markets on Rue Frere. I also got to spend invaluable one-on-one time with the children and really get to learn who they are, and about their quirks. I would absolutely recommend this trip, and organization to anyone interested in seeing what Haiti is truly about.

For three weeks this summer, I volunteered with Genctur, a volunteer organization based in Istanbul, Turkey. Our workcamp was located in Yenisakran, which is a small town ten hours from Istanbul right on the Aegean Sea. It was a beautiful location for the international summer camp where teenagers from throughout Europe traveled to spend a week. The focus of the camp, Genc Tatil, was for the campers (with help of the staff) to create a film documentary about their experiences and the history they learned about Turkey from their time there. During the course of the camp, I taught English, Music and helped with sporting activities. We would have hour long sessions each day where I was able to organize my class and direct the activities and games we played. During the camp we also had day trips where we traveled to the Acropolis, Asklepion (an ancient hospital) and Bergama (a nearby city with ancient ruins). We also hiked the countryside of Turkey through the sea and to the top of nearby mountains.

I feel that the staff and campers were able to bond through this time and also through the staff participating in each activity of the day. Each evening, we met to review the day's successes and discussed what needed to be altered for the following day to run more smoothly. The staff was friendly and the children were very eager to learn and to meet new people. Not only was it a beneficial experience for the kids (and staff) to travel to Turkey and volunteer at the camp, but by meeting new people from different backgrounds with different visions really helped shaped the camp. It was a very welcoming environment. It was an amazing experience, and I'm very glad I was able to be part of such a great camp.

The first few days were tough, the hostile in Narobi, and getting use to no water, toiets, electricity etc., However, once I was able to meet others that were to be part of the group and travel to the village where we were to live, things improved. I am not going to say it was easy and the first week was tough and an adjustment, but after that you found your new routine and new family and it was truly a remarkable experience. Some of the staff was completely awesome and some was not and I'm sure they thought the same of their volunteers. It really was like a family learning to get along and some days were better than others. Overall I felt that this was a life changing experience for me and am stil learning why I was there and lessons from the experience as it relates to me and my growth in my daily path.

Volunteering in Kenya was one of the most satisfying and rewarding experiences of my life. Walking to the village and getting to know my fellow volunteers, spending time with the children and working to improve a community in need, were only a few of the wonderful aspects of this trip. Of course, manual labor was involved and it was hard work; but I was with a group of people who were so upbeat. The village women sang as we planted corn and we genuinely enjoyed each others company. Sure, no electricity or running water isn't a walk in the park, but the experience of it; taking a look at the life of many Kenyans was incredibly humbling. Volunteer. Be a part of something bigger than yourself. Create memories that last a life time.

Beginning my trip from Spokane WA to Haiti, I took out my journal and wrote boldly, "Discovering Namaste." Namaste' is a beautiful Hindu expression upon greeting or departing meaning "the divine in me honors the divine in you." A phrase I often heard throughout my yoga practice, but not one I could explain fully the depth of its meaning. To "discover namaste" became my mission throughout this journey.

A typical day started out by walking up to roosters crowing and goats "naaahhhing" (or whatever it is that goats do) a little before sunrise. With the sun, I got up and found a nice quiet spot either on the hill side or roof to practice yoga. A main goal of my trip was to delve further into the self-discovery. There were many sights, beautiful and not, that challenged me to carefully analyze your role in this world and how to work for the common good. Discussion around similar topics were frequent between all the volunteers. I am choosing now not to go much further regarding the day to day experience, because I feel the interactions with individuals hold the most weight.

I have never met such a group of people with the same passion and motivation to fight for the common good. The energy was exhilarating and the company enlightening. The bonds we formed on this trip will stay with me for the rest of my life. I adore each person I had the opportunity to connect with. I think about the friends I made there everyday and everyday, I miss them. The other international volunteers, Haitian volunteers, and Haitian children all the same all hold more room in my heart than I thought was available. Each person and child has so much beauty and kindness to add to the world. I cannot wait to go back and see more.

Namaste'

My experience was good overall, although I had some complaints about my specific program (through Uganda Pioneers Association). I think this was unusual, but I was the only non-local person in my work group, which was nice in some ways but a little isolating. Pretty much everyone in the group was frustrated with the lack of a clear schedule, changes in plans, etc. Our work came out fine but we all felt we could have accomplished more with a little more organization and guidance. Go with an open mind and a willingness to take on some leadership yourself and it will be great!

My first volunteer abroad program with VFP was to an eco-village in NW Italy, near the border of France. It was absolutely magical! We lived and worked in a newly-restored medieval village and helped the village families harvest olives, tend the groves, gather wood, and do other odd jobs.

On one day off, we took the bus to town and the train to France.. On the other, we hiked to several miles over a mountain top into France and stayed the night in at an alpine hut.

All our meals were vegetarian. Breakfast (as is typical in Italy) was essentially coffee and toast (sometimes cookies). I like a big breakfast, so if I were to do it again, I'd bring a jar of peanut butter! Lunches and dinners were lovely, big Italian meals. Dinner (again, typical in Italy) was served late.. around 8-9 pm.

In this particular camp, we had beds in rooms shared with 2-4 other volunteers. We also had indoor bathrooms and solar heated showers, which is luxurious compared to a lot of other camps. If creature comforts are important to you, I'd advise you to pay close attention to this sort of thing when you are choosing a camp, because accommodations vary widely.

I met some of the most wonderful and interesting people from all over the world. We worked hard during the day and spent our afternoons and evenings cooking, eating, drinking, singing, dancing and forging strong, lasting friendships. I honestly didn’t want to leave when it was over.