Greenheart Reviews

A year ago I decided to apply through this program to go to Colombia. I was scared but mostly excited. I never knew my life would change that much. This experience in Colombia has been the BEST of my life. I have never felt so happy and fulfilled. The joy that those students bring to me is incomperable. I owe it all to Greenheart travel. Without them, I probably wouldn't be here today. Sara was helpful every step of my preparation to come here.
I came here and it was easy to meet people, to make friends and to feel at home. Colombians are so welcoming that I never felt homesick. My students are chaotic but have the biggest heart and will do anything for you.
Coming here, I was mostly scared that I wouldn't connect with the students because of the language or cultural barrier. But that wasn't the case. Colombia will always be home away from home.

Loving my time in Colombia and super thankful for Greenheart's/ Sara's part in this experience! Greenheart/Sara are so well organized and helpful while preparing for my travels and gathering documents! This is especially impressive considering that things on the Colombian side are not always the most clear or well organized! One more perk about applying with Greenheart is that you're encouraged to join their super helpful facebook group which has lots of awesome advice! Although co-teaching has its ups and downs, I have really enjoyed this experience and learned a lot! Very thankful that I made the trip to this beautiful country with the help of Greenheart!

I have been teaching and living in Palmira, Colombia and finish November 2017. Overall, things are going smoothly and I have no major complaints. Depending on what part of Colombia you are placed in and what school you are assigned, the experience will vary. Other fellows I talk to are having a very positive experience like I am, and some not as much. It depends on how you make it and it is important to remember you are here to help the youth and their community as best you can.
I can say I am learning more about myself as a teacher and education in general through this program. My school doesn´t have as much resources as one would like, but it challenges me to be resourceful and work more with less.

Switching over from another agency that I didn't find very helpful, Sara welcomed me with open arms. I found her extremely efficient, and always willing to answer any questions no matter what they were. I was very, very intent on being in the SENA program as it was my main draw to the program and she honored this preference of mine. Although there were a lot of ups and downs with whether or not I would be able to be in the program, it really wasn't the fault of Sara or Greenheart, but the unpredictably of the Colombian agency. Everything that Sara/Greenheart could have possibly done for us, they did, and even all my friends that are here with Greenheart are unanimously happy with their experience.

For those of you who are considering this experience, I can't speak highly enough of it. I absolutely love my placement city (which was completely random, and I had never even heard of it). I did so much research prior to arriving but I feel completely at home here only after 3 months and love my students and the experience of teaching them. I would highly, highly recommend this country and teaching with SENA !

This past summer, I spent two months in Thailand working with Rescue Paws and the communities of Khao Tao and Hua Hin, and while it was physically, mentally and emotionally challenging, it was an experience I will never forget. I learned so much about the culturally differences between the United States and Thailand, especially in terms of animal welfare. Thai culture believes dogs to be the lowest form of life, so these animals are put in a position to be abused and abandoned. They also do not believe in euthanization because it disrupts the process that the soul has to go through in order to increase to a higher being.

Before this experience, I would never have been able to wrap my head around these concepts, let alone accept them... and at first, I really couldn't. But after about a month there, I was able to put myself in their place, which later helped me to share my views in a culturally-correct way.

Other than my assimilation to the Thai culture, I made so many amazing friends and connections while I was there (both furry and human). The other volunteers, as well as the staff, all had the same mindsets as I did and cared so deeply and openly about what they were doing that it was truly inspirational. I cannot help but admire the work that these people are doing and how many animal lives they have changed, and I am so glad that I got to help in that process. It's honestly a miracle I didn't come home with 20 new pets...

This experience opened my eyes to the differences in animal treatment around the world and it gave me a new place and family that I feel I can call "home". I am looking forward to the day that I can go back there again :)

Greenheart is really a flawless program - they are super organized and prompt with everything that they do and (Sara, especially) made sure I was fully prepared both mentally and physically for my journey to Colombia. The stipend is definitely adequate for where I'm living, though I'm sure would be a lot tighter in major cities like Bogota or Medellin. I haven't really reached out for support from them because frankly, I haven't needed it. But if I do eventually reach out, I'm confident they would respond warmly and quickly.

I had a great time even though I only stayed for two weeks I felt this was a good length for me as as much as i didn't want to leave and now want to go back I missed my boyfriend a lot. The trip helped me to become more confident as it forced me to deal with my problems and anxiety head on rather than getting worked up and relying on other people. As i was only there for a short time I didn't experience much culture shock either way but it did impact my life in terms of my Japanese and ability to remember vocab and rules etc improved greatly as the school i was at's teaching methods were incredibly good and intense but in a fun way. It's also given me experiences and proof of enjoyment and self motivation in the subject to include in any personal statements or CVs when applying for uni/college. My favorite memory, or the one that comes to mind first, despite all the amazing things i did was when i first landed at the airport i looked out the window and saw fireworks exploding in the near distance and it made me laugh after the 13+ hour flight and the years of wanting to go to Japan - im finally here and there's firworks going off its almost too fitting, like a movie.

With the disclaimer that I am still in the midst of my first semester with the program (over two months to go - don't rush me!), I will say that my experience with Greenheart Travel has been mostly a positive one. The real strength of Greenheart is the preparation and support they offer ahead of time. Sara was so on top of responding to questions, sending information, and making sure I felt comfortable as a participant (as I'm sure she does for all participants). I was able to e-mail her frequently, with the expectation of prompt, precise responses. She was even available by phone. That being said, the network of organizations involved in this program (Greenheart, Heart for Change, Ministry of Education) made for quite a few information gaps and crossed wires. Transition into the program was a little choppy, despite all the pre-work that Greenheart did (and let me reiterate, they do a wonderful job, pre-departure!). Some of the tangles, I'm sure, couldn't be avoided, but it did make for a decent amount of confusion. There's a lot of individual and peer navigation that has to be done, since answers from the administration were not always clear or applicable. I do really appreciate the fact that Sara checks in with all participants once we are settled. That made me feel like I could go to her and Greenheart if I was having significant issues adjusting. Thanks so much, Sara and Greenheart Travel! If you are thinking about doing this program, I would say Greenheart is the most helpful in navigating the certain challenges you will face!

I had a great time volunteering in a homestay in Italy. Being able to share the local culture, traditions, cuisine and believes was incredible. I was very lucky to match with three families who were happy to introduce me to their culture. I learned significant teaching skills and I gained valuable friends.
The program was very supportive by providing helpful information about my adjusting process with the families, for this reason, I truly recommend this program and I encourage many of you to take the leap.

That's what you will here from every regional coordinator/director on this program, but it's true. You can get placed all over Colombia, which is a very diverse and amazing place. THat also means there are many factors that determine your experience here. I'm in a medium sized city (400,000 people and NO tourists). It's SUPER hot here but the cost of living is quite cheap. I am lucky enough to have the best school in the area, but this can also greatly vary. There are not many resources at some schools and many people struggle with the English level of their co-teachers. If you are prepared for these challenges, however, there are many rewards and incredible experiences available to you here. The pay is livable and as long as you are open to a challenge and care about teaching a new generation of people in a changing country, this program is ideal. There is a lot of support from the Heart for Change team and Greenheart as well. I recommend this experience whole heartedly, but if you are just looking for a vacation or just an adventure, this may not be your best option.