Program Reviews

Highlights of the trip:
There were plenty of highlights, just to name a few, team building. It was a great sensation, knowing how quickly we all bonded and how the program is run. I think you did a great job managing the team and also making everyone feel comfortable. The pre-training before entering the villages was great. I enjoyed learning about the culture and a bit of Bislama! I enjoyed the fact you are open to ideas and let us (the students) come up with suggestions which you took on board.
I enjoyed exploring the markets as part of the program! The warm fuzzy feeling when people from villages wanted to make a change. I didn’t realise the lack of nutrition knowledge. I felt I grew as a person on the trip, and felt I accomplished what I wanted. I was actually disappointed that I couldn’t stay and continue to explore Fiji with the team.
Comments on the team, food and accommodation:
The accommodation was nice, I didn’t mind having cold showers! Maybe it’s a guy thing, but I wasn’t on this trip for luxury, so the fact that I had my own room was a bonus. It was an advantage being a guy in this case. The food was nice! I was happy Lynne catered for my diet, which ensured I was in top condition for the expedition.

I have just spent 3 weeks on Bali and enjoyed every minute of it.
Going there, all by myself, I was a bit nervous. I didn’t know what to expect, so I expected nothing. During the first breakfast with the other participants I already felt at home and welcomed. We also met our coordinators who took very good care of us during our whole stay there.
The first week was introduction week and it was SO fun. We got to experience all of the Balinese culture, visit temples, be part of the flower offering and explore the city with the help of our coordinators. I went in March which is in the end of their raining season so we did also experience a lot of rain during our tours.
I learnt that most of Bali believes in hinduism and that reflects very much in their culture, which is very different from my own culture. Visiting temples, watching a traditional balinese dance show and learning the language really makes you feel like you are a part of their culture. Even If you don’t believe in hinduism it’s nice to enjoy the culture.

One of my favorite days during the introduction week was the day we had a cooking class and our coordinator taught us how to make typical balinese food like Gado-Gado, sweet tempe and fried banana. Most of the balinese food is vegetarian, which makes me, a vegetarian, very happy. If you ever go to Bali you must try the Sweet tempe, it’s amazing.
During that lunch we got to discuss a lot of different topics with our coordinator, who was very open to talk about his beliefs and his culture. We realised that in some cases we have very different opinions and other cases we think very similar. It’s cool to see that even if we grew up in so very different conditions and so far from each other, we can still agree on a lot of things.

Without knowing it, I went there the week that Bali celebrated their new year (they have a different calendar). Because of this there was a big festival in the town, where we lived, called the ogoh-ogoh festival. People carry big, scary looking mascots which are supposed to capture all the bad spirits and then later in the night you burn the big “monsters” and the bad spirits inside them. The first day of the new year is celebrated in total silence. You are not allowed to work, no fire, no travel and no partying. That day me and the other participants had to stay at home and not use any electricity. We ended up playing games the whole day and night so we didn’t bother that the wifi was off.

At the end of introduction week I felt so happy that i got to do this with these amazing people around me, not only the other participants but the coordinators and the staff at the accommodation as well. I was so excited for the next two weeks.
The second week it was time to work, we had got our schools, the curriculums and the groups on Friday so that we would be ready on Monday. Since I was in primary school I had planning in the morning and teaching in the afternoon. In our first week, we mostly tried to understand at what level the students’ english was and we planned to work from there. We taught them numbers, body parts, shapes, directions, places and clothes. They were only 9 years old, so we taught them very basic english. You’ve got to start somewhere. When in school, we always had a coordinator with us to help us translate if we were going to explain a game or something the students didn’t understand. The coordinators were so helpful there, we literally couldn’t have done it without them.

According to balinese traditions it gives you luck in life if you get married in the beginning of the new year. Therefore we had a big wedding at our house in our second week. The son of the house owner was getting married. The whole week was spent preparing for the 700 guests that was going to come on Friday. There was food, flowers, fancy clothes and a lot of people coming and going during the week. I felt so lucky getting to experience both a balinese new years and a balinese wedding, it was amazing.

Because of test week in the ordinary school we got to go to the kindergarten the first days of our third week. Due to the fact that we had our lessons outside of the ordinary schools hours and it wasn’t mandatory attendance, we had the student rest after a long day of tests instead of going back to school for another 2 hours of english. It was nice to try kindergarten for a few days. The kids there were only 5 years old and knew almost no english but we had a wonderful teacher there to help us translate. Compared to primary school, kindergarten is more playful. We did some coloring on the theme communication and we played with them a lot, which was very fun!

Our last day in kindergarten we also got to experience a birthday party. All the kids in school gathered in a classroom. There were hats handed out to all the kids and the teachers. Cake was served and all the kids got a gift bag to bring home, consisting of candy, a drink and fried chicken.
The last two days of my third week I was back in primary school, in the same class as last week. By now I knew some names and could play with the kids in break. It was so fun being around them and seeing their smiles when we entered the room, it gave me so much energy. They were also very thankful, giving us presents and drawings every other day. Leaving the class on Friday, knowing i was not coming back, was so hard. I really hope that they keep learning and that they go far in life.

Since we had a lot of free time in the weekends and when we weren’t teaching or planning we also got to explore the city and surroundings by ourselves. One morning I went to do yoga, another I visited a waterfall nearby. In the evenings when all the participants were done with work. we usually went to a cafe in town or a pub nearby. We came from all over the world and we were so different but all so similar. I can really say I got some new great friends on this trip. Our last night together we went to a karaoke bar, that was a night I am going to remember a long time.
As well as the last night I am going to remember my time in Bali for many, many years. I learnt so much about myself, about the balinese culture, I met so many great people and saw so many stunning places.

If you have the opportunity to be a part of this program- DO IT, you won’t regret it. As my mom said, it’s the perfect mixture of tourism and working, it can’t get better than that. I can just agree. So thank you for making this possible for me and for so many others. Thank you for letting us explore Bali and assist you at the same time.
Ebba Jönsson, Sweden

The highlights of the trip were of course the children. They are such happy children, keen to learn and I was really impressed with the generally neatness of their bookwork and their handwriting.
The people there are so welcoming and accepting of people into their village. They showed great concern for me and my comfort and for my age (apparently I was the oldest volunteer they had ever had at the school) and I know a lot of work went on behind the scenes to make sure I was comfortable and safe.
Some of the highlights were travelling with the students to Mololo Island and Sigatoka for sports events. The logistics of organising up to 76 students 7 teachers and a couple of volunteers to travel in small fishing boats and the school boat to Mololo and in the case of the trip to Sigatoka transferring to the ferry off the island of Tokoriki and catching a bus from Denarau to Sigatoka were pretty formidable but were managed very impressively.
I loved reading with the students. They work so hard and are so keen to learn. I also enjoyed walking along the beach with the students after school singing songs we had learned that day or collecting shells and also spending time with the women who were so very kind and generous. I felt I really made some good friends. I’ve enclosed a photos of the children but I’m afraid I am not a very good photographer and I also missed a lot of photo opportunities. I am truly grateful for the opportunity of being a volunteer at Mamanuca school and I would love to do it again. I would need to save the money, which I’m sure I could do, and I would have to do it before I get too much older but let’s see how I go. Could you please give me the email address and the postal address of the school? I have some books from a reading programme I would like to send and also gifts for Master Te and Mala, who took such good care of me while I was there.

I had an amazing time volunteering at the KAT center. I really loved spending time with the animals. Answers are below.

Highlights of the trip:
The highlight of the trip was working at the KAT center. It was so rewarding and I just loved being able to spend time with the dogs and able to bring them so joy throughout the day.

Comments on the team, food and accommodation:
The team was amazing. Lok was fantastic and assisted with every request. The team at the house were also great especially Sapna.
The food was great also. The staff who did the working at the house were so kindly and friendly.
The accommodation was good. My bed was very hard but I did expect. My only disappointment was the bathroom and that the toilet didn’t work all the time and some of the other volunteers didn’t have enough respect for others to clean up after themselves. It was really quiet gross at times. I did inform Sapna about this.

Sri Lanka:
Highlights:
The highlight of Sri Lanka was definitely the team; the drivers, coordinators, managers, chef, cleaners – everyone was so helpful and lovely. Everything felt very well organised and I felt very comfortable to talk about anything with them. The people of Sri Lanka in general were all so beautiful and friendly.

Team, food and accommodation:
Again the team was amazing. The food was really good both at the accommodation and at the projects! I love spice, rice and curry so I was always happy. There was plenty of vegetables and plenty of food so always had enough to eat. The accommodation was clean, a nice temperature, hot and cold showers, lockers for valuables, good location.

Sri Lanka:
Highlights:
The highlight of Sri Lanka was definitely the team; the drivers, coordinators, managers, chef, cleaners – everyone was so helpful and lovely. Everything felt very well organised and I felt very comfortable to talk about anything with them. The people of Sri Lanka in general were all so beautiful and friendly.

Team, food and accommodation:
Again the team was amazing. The food was really good both at the accommodation and at the projects! I love spice, rice and curry so I was always happy. There was plenty of vegetables and plenty of food so always had enough to eat. The accommodation was clean, a nice temperature, hot and cold showers, lockers for valuables, good location.

Highlights of the trip:
The trip would not have been the same without the amazing pals I shared it with. Sharing this experience with them was bonding to the max haha. The rural villages were definitely a highlight of the trip! The villagers are incredibly friendly and caring, and they were grateful for our health checks as much as we were grateful for their hospitality. One particular villager, which was our live-in rooster, was most entertaining. Every evening he would climb the tree outside our bedroom and would wake us up no earlier than 4am, all I can say is that we were very ready for the day ahead haha.

Comments on the team, food and accommodation:
The amazing Danielle, our super coordinator, my personal hero, what a babe. Mere, my mother from another country. Food wise, I’ve learnt that my body can eat way more carbs than I thought possible haha. This trip has expanded my recipe book, not sure I can live without roti parcels and that marvellous spinach recipe now haha.

Sharing the accomodation with the rest of the team made it feel like home, which eased my apprehension.

Living outside your comfort zone, in a new country with a different culture from yours, sharing rooms and sleeping in bunk beds, having cold showers (which by the way I will miss) makes you look at life differently and appreciate the simple things.

I can’t put into words how rewarding it was working with the children. Teaching was a challenge but the feeling of contributing for their education and just being part of their everyday life, either in the classroom or just laying outside, is more than fulfilling. Energy that never runs out, eagerness to learn (and teach me), cheeky curiosity and genuine happiness. Pure happiness. Those are the words that would describe them.

My experience in Tigman, taught me how to be more present. Enjoy every single moment and dedicate my time to people. People who became friends just in a few days.
I will always remember the sunsets on the beach, eating the best banana fritters, the long talks in Tiki hut, dancing around the bonfire with a full moon, singing my heart out on Karaoke nights but most importantly, all the people I’ve met and were part of each moment. Kind hearts with open minds that went to make a difference. I leave Tigman with a full heart, ready to come back.

Highlights:
The whole two- week trip was a highlight from me. From being picked up at the airport by Masi’s son to being driven to the Denaru by a family friend. I arrived on the island with the headmaster’s family in a small fibreglass boat and it is certainly something I’ll never forget. Fiji is such a family orientated culture, which made me feel so comfortable from the start. Everyone welcomed me with open arms and I felt right at home from the beginning. The children melted my heart with their beautiful smiles and cheekiness, the locals always greeted me as I wandered past with the kids and the pristine beaches and coral reefs that surrounded the island were stunning. My host family were incredible, so generous with everything they had. They answered my questions, talked to me, laughed with me and my two Fijian “brothers” I had for two weeks,I will never forget. I left Fiji feeling like I was a part of their family. The teaching staff were so appreciative of everything I did and they made me feel like part of the school.

The island is such a picturesque island with natural beauty everywhere you looked. I loved waking up in the morning to the sun shining and the sounds of the children going about their morning jobs. I felt that I have experienced the “real” Fiji in staying on a remote island and living like a local. I would not have wanted it any other way for my first experience as a volunteer.

Comments on team, food and accommodation:
Lauren was fabulous with her communication and any questions I had were answered promptly. Even though I had no reason to contact her whilst in Fiji, I felt 100% supported the whole time. Masi and his family were incredible hosts and I felt right at home staying with him and his family. He was informative and extremely helpful when my bags went missing (haha) and more importantly a kind soul. The food on the island was quite bland compared to what I was use to back home but there was plenty of it and I enjoyed trying out the various Fijian foods that were prepared for me. As we were briefed, vegetables and fruits were few and far between but this was expected. Once again I was expecting clean but no frills accommodation in comparison to what I am use to. The toilet for me was somewhat of a challenge in the beginning (haha) and the shower was buckets of water. You just have to embrace it and go with the flow because that is how they live and it was important for me to be grateful for what they had given me. This experience was out of my comfort zone but hands down one of the best things I’ve ever done.

Fiji was such an amazing experience working in the villages with such humble, happy and beautiful people who truly valued our input an experience I’ll never forget. I would just like to also say a big thank you to Danielle, her approach to the project with such a positive and can do attitude was definitely notable, she went above and beyond to make sure we were all happy at all times. She did a great job of looking after us and her training/knowledge was highly commendable. Also Masi and Mere are absolutely fantastic hosts so very kind, nothing was ever a problem they are such beautiful people – safe to say Mere is a FANTASTIC cook too haha.

Vanuatu was also amazing! I had so much fun there and learnt a lot about marine conservation, even got a few surfs in Pele really was a little treasure such an incredibly beautiful place. Lynne and Willie both looked after me so well while I was there nothing was ever to much to ask. Being on my own I spent a lot of time with Lynne and the other people in the village outside of work it really became like a second home for me. Lynne looked after me so well always making sure I was taken care of and happy, very lovely lady.