Program Reviews

I really enjoyed exploring the local shops, grocery stores and restaurants in our free time; we visited a pub called Van Gough's and the coat check tag was a red ear! That same evening, we met a young man who was a member if the Russian army. One of my fellow volunteers spoke rudimentary Russian and asked if we could take a photo with him. I don't know who was more excited, the volunteers or the soldier - Yaroslavl is a little off the beaten path and not many other tourist/adventurers were in the city where we were. The soldier seemed thrilled to meet a couple of Canadians, an Australian, some Brits and a handful of Americans that night.

I took part in the High-school volunteer abroad program with Cross-Cultural Solutions in August 2014. I spent two amazing weeks volunteering in the beautiful village of San Carlos, in Costa Rica. The staff was incredibly welcoming and helpful in making us feel at home. My volunteer experience was truly eye-opening and extremely rewarding. I spent the first week helping in an elderly home and the second week in an underprivileged primary school. We also got to try so many different activities in the evenings and on the week-end! We went zip-lining, hiking on a volcano, went on a coffee-tour and much more! Not to mention that the home-cooked meals were always delicious and the fresh fruit were the best I ever had! I would choose to do it again in the blink of an eye.

I loved every minute of my trip to Ghana, but my favorite moment was when the staff took us to the wli waterfall and as we hiked up a short trail we came upon the beauty of the waterfall. You could see a rainbow forming upon the water and the force of the waterfall was amazing. Of course it was a great way to beat the heat during the summer of Ghana. They had little shops and trinkets at the beginning of the waterfall where they had hand carved animals and hand made blankets baskets and anything you could have wanted. Truly one of the best days of my life.

I had an absolutely amazing time in Costa Rica. Not only was the country beautiful, but the locals were hospitable and respectful to volunteers travelling abroad. To top it all off, the staff was absolutely amazing at making sure everyone was comfortable. I got the opportunity to travel the country-- both with CCS staff--and with the local friends I made. For me, everything was perfect.

If you do get the chance to visit, make sure you are prepared for some adventures such as zip lining or repelling off waterfalls. However, one of my favorite vacations was the 3-day relaxing time at Manuel Antonio beach. It is something I'd recommend to anyone going--just watch out for the monkeys.

Never having traveled with CCS before, I was unsure of what to expect. I do not regret, for one moment, volunteering in Costa Rica with CCS. While volunteering in a daycare, I had to learn to adapt to different situations quickly. While I could speak a bit of Spanish, I still encountered a language barrier and was in an unfamiliar country. I found out very quickly that none of that mattered. The children I worked with were eager to help me learn, and more interested in what activities we were going to do for the day than my imperfect Spanish.

During our free time, we volunteers got to experience the culture in hands-on activities and excursions. We got to dance, cook, improve our Spanish, and see more of the amazing country. We got to interact with the staff, hear stories and share experiences. On weekends, we traveled as a group. There is nothing quite like rappelling down a waterfall in Manuel Antonio, relaxing in hot springs in La Fortuna, ziplining with a spectacular view of Lake Arenal or looking outside the window of your hotel room to see a volcano.

In the short time I was in Costa Rica, I met some great people and was forced outside my comfort zone in the best possible way. I highly recommend the Cross Cultural Solutions program in Cartago, Costa Rica.

The Good:
I really enjoyed my interaction with all the students and teachers at the school I was assigned to, although I'm still not sure how much of an impact I made in such a short time.

I love the program that is currently in place that allows you to really immerse yourself in the culture.

The home base is a beautiful building with nicely manicured grounds. The staff at the home base were pleasant and very helpful. They went over and above in their hospitality. The meals that were prepared were not only nutritious, but also delicious.

The people of Tanzania are warm and friendly. I felt welcomed.

The Bad:
As an older adult who has been on her own for a while, it's not that easy sharing sleeping quarters with three other women.

The Ugly:
Be careful!!! Got my purse snatched right off my shoulder by a motorcyclist. Fortunately, my passport was at the home base. Unfortunately, he got my IPhone, some U.S. dollars, Tanzania shillings, and worse of all my Tanzanite earrings.

I signed up with CCS to go to Morocco and learn about their culture. My goal is to be a volunteer in Afghanistan. I felt the Moroccan culture was the closest to that of Afghanistan that CCS had to offer. I took my 17 year old grand daughter, Tana, with me. I have been back to Morocco seven times and plan to go again. Tana has been back four times, with friends and family, and plans to go again We fell in love with the people and the culture.
The Staff at Home Base are 'our family' now.
I volunteered in the Special Needs Wing of the Orphanage.
I met Nancy there and we are now Best Buddies. We love 'Our Kids' at the Orphanage. Tana loved working with the Street Kids and the challenge of holding their attention while trying to teach them.
For anyone wanting to Give Back a little and Learn A Lot....I highly recommend CCS. For anyone wanting to learn about TRUE Islam and an amazing culture, I highly recommend Morocco and the Staff at Home Base. They are the Real Deal. I love them. :)

The smiles at shared were endless, the time given was always genuine- usually helping with language or working through a challenge. The sites were awe inspiring but it is the people that steal your heart and win over a piece of the soul that leave you wanting to return. After the experience and coming back home it's not a matter of if ll return to TZ but when.
The home staff were kind and considerate, working daily to provide ample opportunity of allowing us to get more culture immersion during our stay. Swahili lessons were helpful- and the locals were always willing to let us try out our new skills and help us along. The Massii locals made their friendships and expertise of the area available along with others, taking us on outings after work and keeping a watchful eye out for our best interest as well. Thanks to the Internet staying in touch with friend made while in TZ has been easier then one could imagine- and gratefully so! A wonderful and enriching experience for anyone looking to expand their minds and sights. One may assume they are there to give and serve, you are, but don't ever amuse you'll be able to pay them back in what is provided during your stay. ❤️

Pros: nice, safe dormitory style housing that was very clean and really good food. fun cultural trips. speakers that would come and talk to us about current issues affecting the country, i.e. female genital mutilation, HIV/AIDS. you are picked up at the airport by a representative and they take you back to the airport at the end of your visit. they also drive you to/from your volunteer site. one previous review said she was given a hard time about wanting to walk to her volunteer site because it was only a few minutes away. several of my co-volunteers also walked to their site daily and were never made to feel like that was wrong. it was actually encouraged. you have almost all of your afternoons off and all of your weekends so you can do your own activities (but they do get expensive).
Cons: the person that gave the informative presentations before the trip had never actually set foot in Tanzania before. she was obviously reading from a script or something. some of the information was outdated and/or false. (i.e. don't take pictures in public because the locals think having their picture taken steals their soul. maybe in the remote areas of the country, but in Moshi, there are plenty of international visitors that all the locals know what a camera is. they don't really want you taking their picture because they think you might go back home and sell it for a huge profit). I think the cost is overpriced. yes, its good if its your first time visiting the country, but if you want to return, it would be much less expensive if you rented a house with a group of people. a vast majority of volunteers will end up at schools (not the fault of CCS), but you're not really given any kind of direction for how to teach lessons or given any idea what the curriculum is for the different levels (or grades in the US). So its kind of frustrating if you have no teaching experience. volunteers are required to adhere to a curfew every night, unless you're staying away from home base (like for the weekend). I understand that CCS has our safety in mind, but as an adult, its a little condescending.
Overall, I absolutely do not regret going thru the CCS program, I had the most amazing time of my life. Just do your homework and compare as many other programs as you can. Remember to make the most of your experience, go with the flow, and have a wonderful time! And always be safe!!!

Going to Guatemala City was a big jump for me, but I found the program to be a comfortable fit, and it also provided many opportunities to experience the culture and sights of this historical city. The staff at our homebase were approachable and helpful; even knowing a little Spanish as I do comes in very handy, and also I was able to act as an unofficial "interpreter" at various times for our group. The cuisine was basic but satisfying and filling; learning about the Mayan culture was so intriguing, and many of the outdoor markets featured mostly Mayan handmade products. We even got to hike or horseback up a mountain to view the adjacent (active) volcano. volunteering at two local agencies gave us lots of personal interaction with the people of GUatemala.