Program Reviews

I have volunteered with Cross Cultural Solutions twice-both times in India! There's a reason why I chose CCS over other programs. Their commitment to quality and an authentic experience are unparalled. If you've never volunteered before they will help you every step of the way-if you're a seasoned traveller the country staff encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and experience new things. The country staff are what makes the program! They have their own lives and families, yet I always felt like their first priority. Everyone on staff was friendly and really listened to me. The placements are thoughtful and the staff went out of their way to make sure they fit our needs. The flats were clean and well stocked and of course the food provided every day was absolutely delicious! CCS is worth every penny-you won't regret it, it'll be the experience of a lifetime.

When you arrive in India it's a blur of colors, sounds, and smells. I arrived with a CCS group to New Delhi in the middle of summer and was surprised by how thick the heat was! We were taken out to shop for our very first salwar kameez and dupattas the first night and I laughed out loud as my rickshaw driver sang loudly to his favorite Bhangra song.

I had so many experiences in my short summer in New Delhi that it's hard to pick one or two to share. CCS placed me at a school called Akshay Prathisthan..one of the first integrated schools in the area, teaching both able-bodied and disabled students in the same classrooms. As a piano and dance teacher I was quickly put to work developing my own arts curriculum, and we ended the summer with a full school performance on their outdoor stage attended by the President of the school and many families from the area. I also had the opportunity to work as a guest at the Mother Theresa house in Newl Delhi which was a real touch with the harsh reality of poverty for me. Young babies without parents and the elderly without family to care for them. The grandmas loved me to paint their nails that';s for sure!

In short, CCS provides for the most unbelievable volunteer experience one could imagine, and a house that's run like a family with great meals and people that care about whether you're sick, or nervous, or upset. If you're thinking about going to volunteer, go CCS!!

I volunteered with Cross-Cultural Solutions in Salvadora Bahia the summer of 2003. I worked as an ESL teacher, and music/movement teacher in the school "Frutos de Maes". From the minute I arrived and was greeted by some of the CCS staff, I KNEW it was going to be an amazing summer. I learned how to be resourceful, independent, and take initiative in making a difference. I learned gratiude and how to make the best of what you have!

I have a great photo album from my travels in Brazil, but I wouldn't need photos to remember the people and places. They're forever imprinted in my memory. As the founder of my music company, and a pre-school music teacher, I still use songs, dances, and experiences I learned in Brazil. Thank you CCS!

When I participated in the CCS India program, I had never traveled outside of North America before. Since then, I've been back to India twice, and I am hoping to work in a field that will allow me to spend more time there in the future. I am incredibly thankful to CCS for making my first trip to India such a rewarding experience. CCS was an excellent, supportive program and a great introduction to India. My volunteer placement enabled me to learn a lot more about my field of interest (public health), and the staff were receptive to the projects I proposed. There were also a number of local trips/cultural activities in the afternoons, and I learned the Hindi alphabet (as well as a number of useful Hindi phrases) from the staff members. India can be a difficult country for Westerners to adjust to, but the CCS India staff are all wonderful people who are there to help you every step of the way.

I spent 4 weeks during the summer of 2012 in Bagamoyo, Tanzania with CCS. I am still trying to figure out how to describe my time there. It was fun, enriching, rewarding, challenging, motivating, awesome. I was placed at a local primary school and taught English to 10 and 11 year olds. They were so welcoming and so much fun. The in-country staff is outstanding and supported us in so many ways. They were friendly and caring and definitely created a home away from home. The programming included awesome events, guest speakers, and field trips. Plus, the weekends were free to do some traveling, and I got to visit Zanzibar and the incredible national parks in Northern Tanzania. CCS provides a well-rounded experience. I thought I was traveling as a volunteer, but the CCS program was much more than that. I have learned so much about the country of Tanzania and its people. I would highly recommend volunteering with CCS.

I enjoyed every single part of my trip with CCS to India. It was a unique experience, and I have to say it was definitely worth it. I not only made an impact on the children I worked with, but I also made friends, learned about a different culture and visited unbelievable places.

I really enjoyed the volunteer program to Ghana and kudos to corporate CCS and their Ghana on-site staff, too.

I worked as a caregiver in an orphanage and the children were welcoming, grateful and precious. I really looked forward to seeing them everyday and I continue to think about them...almost 3 years later.

I think I got more out of the program than the children. I was in their life for a few weeks, however, they will forever remain in my heart.

They changed my life for the better forever.

I volunteered in Bagamoyo, Tanzania for 4 weeks. Upon arrival at the airport we were picked up by knowledgeable and welcoming staff who then drove us to our home stay location.
During out stay we volunteered from Monday to Friday and then were given the weekend to travel and explore the rest of the country. The local staff gave us valuable information about places to visit and tour operations to help us along the way. The weekend trips were wonderful and a nice way to explore the rest of a country on a budget.
Prior to our volunteering, each volunteer met with the individuals that we would be volunteering with. We arranged a schedule and discussed what role they wanted us to play during our time together. I was placed in a small rural school, about 1 hr outside of Bagamoyo. The only downside was that the location was far, and the roads were horrible, the major reason why it took us so far to get to. There were also no facilities at the school, but you learn pretty quickly how to quat in the bush! The school that I was at was incredibly welcoming. The students were superb and very well behaved. They were eager to learn, and loved the fact that I played with them during recess times. It was an absolutely incredible experience and I would highly recommend it to anyone.
Throughout the week CCS also provided language lessons, cultural tours, and other activities that allowed us to learn more about the area. We had ample amount of time to enjoy the beach and explore on our own also.
This organization is very well prepared and works hard to match you according to your abilities and where you feel comfortable. They prepare you very well before your arrival and while there, there wasn't a time when I didn't feel safe.
Again, I highly recommend them! I made many relationships with the staff that still hold strong today.
This will be a life changing experience if you choose to participate!

I volunteered with CCS in Cape Town, South Africa last November for 3 weeks. From beginning to end with was one of the greatest and most meaningful experiences of my lifetime. The US staff were extremely helpful in getting prepared before the trip and have continued to do wonderful follow-up afterwards. I can't say enough about the in-country CCS staff. They were absolutely incredible and couldn't do enough for you. My placement in one of the townships was exactly the type of work I wanted to do and made an impact on my life that will stay with me forever. The only thing you should be aware of and just be cautious about is the crime in Cape Town. It isn't terrible, but I always felt I had to be on hightened alert and I hated not being able to feel 100% safe to just walk around by myself to explore. The CCS staff do caution you about your safety and as long as you abide by what they tell you, you will be ok but you do need to be cautious. Overall, I would recommend this program to anyone interested in having a wonderful, meaningful experience in a wonderful country with incredible people and your contribution will mean so much. CCS is a wonderful organization and you couldn't find a better organization to volunteer abroad with!!!

This past fall I was fortunate enough to spend 3 weeks working with the wonderful people at Cross Cultural Solutions in Cape Town, South Africa. This was my third volunteer vacation with CCS as well as my favorite! My placement, at the "Etafeni" Fit For Life Program was a perfect fit, the accommodations at the CCS house were wonderful, and the city of Cape Town was amazing! Would love to be apart of this great program sometime in the very near future!