Program Reviews

Volunteering with the Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society has been one of the best experiences that I've ever had. I’ve loved seeing elephants, volunteering with the program, and meeting such amazing people. It was my first time traveling alone which is why I found the experience to be a challenge, but all the staff and volunteers at the fieldhouse really made you feel at home. I loved getting to do hands on fieldwork and getting to work outside so much. Each morning we would split into groups to go complete different projects which I liked because we got to do a variety of different things and see how all the different projects were run. In the afternoons we would get to go and observe elephants, we wouldn't see them every day, but when you did it was really special. Even the days that we didn't see any we wouldn't get bored because there was so much to learn about everyone you were with.

I learned a lot about myself on this trip. I had never traveled alone before and at first I didn't really trust myself but after arriving home I realized that I was capable of way more than I first gave myself credit for. I realized that I really enjoy hands on learning and I love being outside even more than I thought. This trip taught me a lot about Sri Lankan culture, the elephant conflict, different people around the world, and myself. It was an eyeopening experience and I would highly recommend it!

My 6 month study abroad program in France helped me not only gain fluency in the french language but it helped me gain a much stronger independence and confidence as well as self-understanding that I feel can only be accomplished through an experience like studying abroad. I met amazing people in my host community as well as other exchange students from all over the world, and was able to see some of the most beautiful parts of the world in my travels throughout France, and it was all possible thanks to Greenheart travel who connected me with an amazing host family and school in a really cool town.

The Greenheart staff, Sarah Thacker in particular, was very helpful. From the program requirements, to the cv/resume templates, to the visa paperwork, Greenheart led the way. I would have preferred that visa paperwork arrive earlier because that created some stress as I prepared to leave, but otherwise very helpful. I was placed in an International School in the Bangkok suburb of Nonthaburi. The school provided very decent housing on campus. The curriculum was provided, but at times lacked clarity and needed materials. I was asked to be lead teacher and served as an intermediary between the staffing agency and the other American teachers. This occasionally led to some headaches, but overall I embraced the role. Perhaps, the lead teacher should be paid slightly better for the handful of additional tasks. Which were at times quite time consuming. Our school was supportive and the students were brilliant. They were eager to learn English, and it was my pleasure to teach them. Sarah Thacker answered question after question prior to my departure, and I am grateful for that.

I had one of the most amazing families anyone could get! They were the sweetest and did not mind showing me around anyplace I wanted to go. I loved Hakata station and an old lady basically pulled me into a crammed elevator while laughing because I was afraid I couldn't fit! The people in this particular town seemed so nice and open to foreigners. I personally felt like I fit in there. The staff was fun and did not mind if we asked what certain things were or got particularly confused even if the rest of the class got annoyed. Everyone had such a positive atmosphere that even the rain didn't seem to phase.

Wow this has been quite an experience! I have to say Salamanca is one of the most gorgeous cities I have ever visited. I honestly loved everything in there - my host family, my roommate which became a very close friend of mine, the school, the fact that I improved my Spanish skills so much, the teachers, all of the people in the program, the city, the food - in one word everything. I have already been studying Spanish for 3 years but I have never had the confidence nor the chance to speak and practice it outside of my classes which was one of the main reasons why I joined this program. I truly gained more confidence in that department and when I visited Madrid right after my stay in Salamanca I had no problem with speaking with the locals which made me so happy. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end and my stay there was very short. I would have loved to stay for at least 4 weeks, but since it was my first time traveling alone and joining a language camp in a foreign country I thought that 2 weeks would be an appropriate amount of time to stay there. I would definitely recommend this journey to everyone, especially if you are in high school and I am considering on returning next year.

Going to Spain was the one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I learned so much Spanish between my classes and host family that now, I feel much more comfortable speaking Spanish around native speakers. I made so many new friends from all over the US and Europe! I especially will remember how friendly and selfless everyone was. My host mom was always there and ready to help us with anything. The teachers were incredible and adapted perfectly to each student’s needs. I want to go back!

The teen summer language camp in Salamanca, Spain exceeded all my expectations. I know have friends all over the world and a much stronger grasp on the Spanish language from living with a host family. I am glad I completed this program before college because I feel far more prepared to be independent/away from my parents. I would, and already have, recommend this program to absolutely everyone. I typically am not the most outgoing person in the room, but my experience in Salamanca has helped me to come out of my shell and has given me newfound confidence. I cannot stress enough how amazing this program is.

I signed up with Greenheart Travel's high school abroad Austria program for my gap year before college-- living abroad for around ten months. Yes, I was technically with Greenheart, but I was mainly under their partner program, STS; which was a whole other mess-- but that's a story for another time. I would say overall there was decent planning on Greenheart's part. You could tell the organizers of STS obviously had it in for the money, were very disorganized, and literally did no research on any of the host families before placing the students. I also don't know how some of the families make it past the approval check, considering the amount of horror stories I've heard and experienced. Despite the poor organization skills of their counterpart, Greenheart Travel was very supportive when issues arose, and continued to have an open ear about your time abroad when I got back. I feel every program has their ups and downs for sure, since you are considered a liability when abroad with an organization. I would recommend going abroad with a youth centered program if you are used to structure and rules-- if not, I'd recommend going and studying at a university or living in your country of choice on your own.

Besides the downs of my time abroad, living abroad was an indescribably AMAZING experience. I learned so much about not only another culture, but about myself. You meet so many people from different backgrounds as yourself- exchange students and natives- with whom you'll probably keep in contact with long after your exchange is over. I would never take my experience back. In fact, it has only encouraged me to go abroad again and learn more about the world around me.

I recently returned from two weeks in Salamanca, Spain. I had the best time there ever and it went by super quickly. Although everything was great, the best part of the trip was the friends that I made. I feel I have known the people I met there for ages, and I definitely will be keeping in touch. I wish that I went for longer, and I am considering returning again next summer! I felt that after this program I became more independent and it was reassuring to know that I was able to take care of myself and not be homesick, etc. Although I was only in Salamanca for two weeks, I feel that my Spanish has improved. However, what improved the most was my ability to feel comfortable speaking the language. If I were to have spent more time, I would have definitely improved even more. Just a heads up: most of the other kids there speak English and although sometimes we spoke Spanish with each other, often times we spoke in English so it wasn't 100% immersion, although I was fine with that. The support staff was great at Greenheart, specifically Allison, who would send out emails frequently preparing us and informing us about the trip. She quickly and thoroughly responded to any questions I had and I think that she was the reason I felt so prepared to go on the trip. In addition to learning a lot, the trip was probably one of the most fun experiences I have had so far. We had a lot of free time to explore the (very beautiful) city and do whatever we wanted. My host family was also part of what made the trip so great. They were kind, helpful, and funny, and I miss them so much! I definitely recommend staying with a host family as they were one of the reasons I learned so much Spanish. As for safety: the city felt super safe to me, even at night. There were always lots of people walking around everywhere, and I never felt scared. Finally, a tip: bring a Tide stain remover stick as it removes stains quickly and very well. It is super small and easy to carry around, and if I ever spilled something I didn't have to walk around the entire day with a huge stain. Overall, the trip went perfectly and I had a great time! I would highly recommend going to Salamanca to learn Spanish.

I was able to spend 1 month in the Piedmont region of northern Italy doing the Italy Homestay Program. I had wanted to travel to Italy for a long time, and as a teacher, I have more time to travel than most do. Having traveled a decent amount in the past, one thing I knew that was important to me was to spend enough time in a place to really feel like you understand the culture and get to see the real country- not just the touristy places. I found this program and it seemed like it was exactly what I wanted. I would be part of a family, I would get to experience real Italian culture, and I would be able to stay within my budget.

The program was a great experience for me. It was exactly what I was looking for, and I would definitely do it again. I had a lot of flexibility to go see places in the city. I would either ride into the city with my host family when they went to work or I would take the bus in. It was nice to have this freedom to explore at my own pace during most days. Because I was staying with a family, I got to do many things that tourists would never get to do. I did some traveling in Italy after I finished up with my homestay, and as nice as it was to stay in nice hotels and eat meals out at restaurants and see famous places, I really feel that the homestay experience was the most meaningful and memorable part of the trip.

The program is very orderly and well run, and the staff is very helpful and kind.