Program Reviews

The PMGY trip was really good, especially in regards to the social aspects, but do be warned that on construction that it is quite costly. Given that you only do 1 hour, which makes sense given it is hard work, it may not seem value for money, but know that for all of them you pay for the social aspect and safety as well. Thus, I would strongly recommend this trip if you are looking to help abroad but are also very driven to sightseeing and going out with friends. Note, it is costly so have a wallet that will almost definitely become a lot emptier.

I did the medical program for 3 weeks, the overall experience was amazing and I wish I had stayed longer . The doctors at the hospital are more than happy to explain things and let you help out. I learnt so much during my time there.
The accomodation is basic but comfortable and the house Mama's prepare lovely food. The support was excellent as there was always a member of staff at house if there were any problems.
The people you meet soon become like family and saying goodbye is the hardest part!

Having previously been on other trips organised by companies other than PMGY, I must say my time volunteering in Cambodia was by far the most inspiring and fun. PMGY allowed us to balance teaching and relaxing so well, allowing us to explore the area as well as focussing on our teaching project.
Before I left to Cambodia, the pre-departure booklet was so useful and helped to answer any questions that I may have had, making me feel much more at ease. As soon as I arrived at the accommodation, the sense of community was clear and we were welcomed quickly by the leaders. While the accommodation was basic, it was all we needed while teaching and the food etc. was all freshly made.
Teaching the children was by far the most amazing part of my whole trip travelling Thailand and Cambodia. The enthusiasm of both the children and teachers would be hard to find anywhere else and it amazed me how quickly I became attached to the children! I had never taught before so I felt nervous before we started but the kids eagerness to learn and the positive vibe across the whole school immediately put me at ease.
I would definitely recommend volunteering in Cambodia as it is an experience i will never forget! The people you meet there are all amazing and I never thought I could enjoy teaching as much. The difference you can make in just 2 weeks is so fulfilling and I hope to go back soon!

I am so glad that I went on this trip. I stayed at the Daunne monastery, which is the Chitwan monastery, and I volunteered for 3 weeks. The facilities at the monastery are very basic: the toilets are squatties, the hot water is a bit temperamental, and the electricity often cuts out. But none of that ever could have taken away from the brilliance of this trip.

Nepal has some of the friendliest people I have ever met. When we met Asim for the first time, he made us feel so welcome, and insisted we called him "big brother" because he treated us like we were part of the family, which I adored. The whole of the orientation team treated us so well, which made it so easy to adjust. Asim is always on hand if we had any questions, no matter what time of the day it was, and even if it was something as silly as asking him to tell the taxi driver where we wanted to go if they didn't speak English. Also, your safety is of paramount importance to them. When we were meant to be leaving Kathmandu, there had been horrible weather the few nights proceeding, so rather than put us on a public bus which would have taken hours more, Asim actually drove us in his car to the monastery. I always felt safe knowing that Asim was there to help us.

The monastery was no different. The minute we walked in the children came running up to us, grabbing our hands and dragging us into the jungle with them to go mushroom picking. They would chat away to us in Nepali, not realising we didn't have a clue what they were saying. The older ones spoke much better English, though, and could hold a really good conversation. However, every single child was eager to learn, whether that be at the school or just around the monastery. They wanted to know everything we could tell them about our homes, our families and our friends, so if you are thinking about going on a trip like this, I would advise taking some pictures with you, because the kids would absolutely love that. The teachers and the principle are also some of the kindest people ever, and I'm so sad I don't get to see their smiles every day.

In terms of teaching, before I went I was really worried that I needed to prepare lessons and try and think up things to teach them. And whilst that is useful, it is not necessary. They have a book which they study their English out of, and you just go through the exercises with them. The hardest part was knowing whether or not they understood what you were saying or what they were saying, because most of them could speak really good English or recite it, but they didn't have a clue what it actually meant. This was particularly the case for the middle aged classes. Also, the classes here weren't split based on ability, like we had thought, but they were by age group, which was actually a lot easier.

My biggest piece of advice for this trip is you need to be flexible. Yes, read the volunteers handbook, and yes, do lots of research into the country and the culture. But you need to accept that things won't always go to plan, and you have got to be willing to adapt and change. No matter what, this is a once in a lifetime experience, so immerse yourself as much as possible in the experience, because you will make some of the best memories on this trip.

If you wanted to do any excursions whilst on the trip, talk to the in-country support when you get there. I was surprised at how many places we actually got to visit whilst we were there. We managed to visit Lumbini, Pokhara, and Chitwan, as well as obviously Kathmandu and Daunne. I would definitely recommend Pokhara if you are doing this monastery, because we visited it at the end of our second week, and it restored some much needed Western luxuries, such as hot water, Western food, and a proper bed. However, Daunne is such a beautiful monastery that these trips aren't necessary, but are just a nice bonus.

Overall I am so grateful for this trip, and although I found a lot of things challenging, it has made me come out of it a much stronger person. It made me realise how lucky I am to be in my position, and actually made me a lot less stressed, because I realised everything will work out in the end, even if it wasn't how you had it planned.

I have spent the most amazing 4 weeks in Ghana volunteering at the children's home. From the very start, I have received the help and support form the UK Plan My Gap Year team, when it came to finalising the trip like the visa application etc. When I arrived in Ghana I was picked up by the local team, I felt same and comfortable from the beginning, we travelled to Kumasi on the next day. When I arrived at the house everyone including other volunteers and the PMGY's staff were very welcoming and helpful. On the orientation day, we were taken to our placements and had everything explained for us, like what our days are gonna look like, how we get to the placement etc. I couldn't enjoy the time at the placement more than I have, I enjoyed every bit of it, whether it was playing with the kids, changing them, feeding or helping with everyday tasks such as washing and drying clothes. I think that being able to experience all of it, was one of the best opportunities that I had, and I couldn't be more grateful for it. All of the staff at the house are amazing, and are working really hard to do their best and help volunteers whenever they need them. Seth, Florence, Dennis, Cindy and Christy deserve a huge thank you from all of the volunteers. I would recommend this amazing experience to anyone!

It was my first time doing volunteering activities. I had a really good time in Sri Lanka. I did the orphanage project for four weeks and the turtles project for two week. The orphanage It´s been my favourite one for sure. Being able to spend time with these kids was incredible. Every day they were waiting for us in the entrance of the orphanage with a big smile in their faces. Maybe these kids can teach us more than we can teach them such as value more the things that we have in the first world and be more generous because we can be happy with much less than we have. To sum up, It was a really good experience that I recommend to everyone!

I volunteered with a friend in Pokhara Happy Home for two weeks and I can't say how much fun it was! The boys are full of energy and I really enjoyed spending time with them!

A typical day would be waking up early (as Nepali people do!), having tea, and helping them with homework until breakfast (most delicious Dhal Bat ever, the orphanage mother can teach how to make it if you want!). After that they would go to school and we'd either help with housework, gardening or go exploring around! There are many things to do in and around Pokhara, as it is located next to a big lake and mountains (beautiful landscapes!). In the afternoon, after school, we would help the kids with their homework and play with them! They were actually on holiday while we were there so we got to spend lots of time with them which was awesome!

Before these two weeks at the orphanage, we went hiking 5 days and we got to see the sunrise from Poon Hill! Our trekking guide, Yubaraj, was the best - he knew the trek very well + he taught us some Nepalese and many things about the culture along the way.

I absolutely loved the trip and would definitely go back to Nepal! :D

I took part in the Real Experience in Sri Lanka, where I went travelling all around the country with a group of 13 others in the first two weeks of my trip and then did a volunteering placement in the second two weeks.
The first half of the experience was amazing (as was the rest of it). We saw so much of the country and had so much fun; it was a great way to get to know the people I was with and we all got along really well. We were accompanied by our guide and driver (Kasun & Jaga <3) and they were always on hand to answer our questions and keep us safe. Our accommodation was in various hotels (all included in the price and organised by PMGY), which were all clean. We were always doing something enjoyable, be it visiting an elephant orphanage, relaxing on a beach, going on safari or touring temples. The food we had (again organised by PMGY and included in the price) was unbelievable! I would often fill up two plates of food because it was that good and I always looked forward to lunch and dinner. This was an awesome way to see the country and I am sure that if I had not gone with PMGY and had gone independently, I would not have done all that I did in these two weeks and certainly not for as low a price.
During the second two weeks, I volunteered at Roseth Hospital (one of the medical projects) and stayed at River House (one of PMGY's volunteer houses). The project exceeded my expectations massively; I learnt so much during my time there and it was much more structured than I was expecting. We were given topics to learn about in each department we went to, such as the different types of containers used when taking blood or the procedure of Root Canal Treatment in Dentistry. This made sure we had a basis upon which to ask questions and learn. I was very impressed and would recommend this project to anyone thinking of going into healthcare, as it does teach you a lot (especially in the Dental Surgery department). Everyone I met at the hospital was very friendly and happy to answer my questions and by the end of my two weeks here, I was sorry to leave. One thing I would also say about the project, however, is that it seemed to me more like a work experience placement than a volunteering project. This is because there was little scope to help others, as the most we could do was assist on a very basic level and even this was very rare. The focus was therefore on furthering your own knowledge through observing, rather than first hand experience, which to be fair was made clear by PMGY in all the information they provided before and after I signed up.
As the project did not run on the weekends, we were free to do some independent travelling and these provided yet more great memories. With people that had now become my friends, we would plan where we wanted to go, book our accommodation and hit the road, all with recommendations and help from fellow volunteers and staff. This was another really fun part of the trip, as we had total control over what we did and where we went. Unsurprisingly, beaches were a common theme for weekend trips. With all the shops, bars and places to eat that came with the sun, sea and sand, it was hard not to have a good time. In fact, I would often also go to another, nearer beach after I finished my project at the hospital, as it was only about 45 minutes from the volunteer house and travel there and back would usually cost less than £1.
All in all, this was an outstanding trip. Sri Lanka is a beautiful country, which I am not in a hurry to forget about. PMGY are amazing; every member of that company I encountered, be they in London or Sri Lanka, were exactly the type of people you would want to be around and have support you.

The 2 weeks I spent in Sri Lanka with PMGY were amazing and such an incredible experience. This was down to my groups great coordinators - Steph and Anthony, Colby, Ashika and their continued support throughout the trip. But also the activities and volunteering work we were doing. Each trip or working day was planned out and all transport was provided to get us there and back. This made the trip far more enjoyable as you didn't have to worry about navigating Sri Lanka yourself.
The accommodation was clean and the 'sisters' cooked all the food for everyone - it always tasted amazing! Pre-departure organisation and communication was great so I knew just what to expect, however I would recommend bringing a blanket or sheet with you to sleep with. You may think Sri Lanka is hot but when the AC is on in the bedrooms at night it can sometimes get a bit chilly. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend PMGY and hope to do a longer trip with them in the future.

The three weeks spent at the monastery were overall one of the most wonderful experiences I've had in my entire life. It is something I would recommend to anyone, no matter the background, age or interests. Although I was, theoretically, the teacher, the truth is that I was the one who learned an amazing amount of things about people, about life and even about myself! It might sound like a cliché, but it is truly a life changing experience - I am a different person now, my perspectives for the future are completely changed after meeting so many inspiring people and learning about the Buddhist way of life! I will certainly go back one day, as I am really attached to that place and to all the monks!
Everything was way better than I had expected: the conditions were very satisfying, the food - very good (three meals a day, and the monks were always so kind as to fill our plates, even if we asked for less), there is a very friendly nurse who can help if any medical problem arises. I was surprised with what amazing hosts Nepali people are in general, they always take very good care of you, making sure you have everything you need. Asim and his wife, the project coordinators, as well as their partners are very good people. What I love the most is how they always asked us to call them "big brother" and "big sister", they made us feel like home all the time.
We received great support during our time there, we were given help with organizing the travel around the country and we could contact Asim any time during day or night if any problem arose. You have no reason to worry before getting there - everything you need to know can be found in the volunteer handbook and, if you have extra questions, I would recommend finding some past volunteers on the PMGY facebook page and asking for some advice, some of them are really keen to help!
Regarding teaching, the kids are, again, amazing. They are so receptive and eager to learn new things! At first they can be a little shy and you must get them used to speaking only English instead of Nepalese, but once you've got their attention, they're all yours, eyes and ears! I would recommend finding your own teaching style, that should work best! For example, I liked teaching a lot of science - geography and astronomy mainly. Things that for us seem common sense, but they have no idea about. They were fascinated about topics like Earth's rotation around sun, planets and galaxies, continents, earthquakes and volcanoes, rain, snow and so on. I liked to check their understanding every time, and I received very positive feedback! After the first few lessons, I was preparing the following ones based on their questions and suggestions. This, of course, worked well for older kids, another volunteer working with younger kids used a lot of games and songs to keep them engaged, which worked extremely well. Piece of advice: do not panic and stay confident, you will discover your own teaching style very quickly! Be flexible and ready to assess their knowledge and English level to come up with the best plan!
These were just a few thoughts about my experience. Of course, there are so many things left to say! However, the most important is to go there and enjoy every single moment, to give and receive as much as you can!