ISV (International Student Volunteers) Reviews

This trip completely changed my life for the better! The people were so friendly and welcoming! I made friends I still talk to in Africa! The volunteer experience and travel took me to some breath taking places and pushed me out of my comfort zone to do things I never imagined such as climbing mountains, diving with sharks, caving, ect! I'll never forget the little faces we worked with in Cape Town! It was definitely a trip of a life time!

This program not only let me try something completely different and way out or my comfort zone, but it allowed me to grow as a person. Learning what a sea turtle conservation is was eye opening. I had no idea that people had jobs as such. Not only was the volunteer project amazing, but that two weeks we went all over Costa Rica was beyond eventful! I made some great friends, some near and some far, but I'm always reminded of them in some way.

I learned how to walk around cool looking crabs without getting pinched! The hardest part was leaving such a beautiful country. During our two weeks of volunteering I was lucky to be on the beach but due to lack of sunscreen I didn't enjoy the sun much after a few days. The host families are amazing and they feed you like you've never had a meal in your life...and this is daily, 3 times a day! It's a great opportunity and you meet people from all over the place! I would do it again in a heartbeat!

To say the very least, my experiences in New Zealand with ISV absolutely changed my life. The two weeks of volunteer work were difficult, but ever so rewarding. We learned about the delicate ecosystem in NZ and how it's balance affected the local Maori people. We were exposed to the culture and tradition of both the Maori and European Kiwis. We taught school children about our homelands and helped to shape a positive image of foreigners abroad. All of that, plus the two week, high octane, adventure tour, where I thoroughly conquered any fear of heights I might have had, and lived my life to the absolute fullest. Cap it all off with a five day stay in Fiji to unwind, and the adventure was pretty much perfection. Seven years later, and after many other adventures abroad, I know that I'll never be able to top my time with ISV. The people I met are still my friends and the places I saw are engraved in my memory forever. New Zealand is truly the most beautiful place on Earth, and it was an honor to help it stay that way.

There is literally nothing I would recommend more than this trip. The food, people, animals, scenery & education are indescribable and every single day brought new amazing moments. The leader Brian was the greatest teacher and was extremely passionate and calming. The volunteering itself was more than I could have imagined. You saw what you were contributing to at the roots of the community and you could literally see the change you were making with every brick. I met amazing people and actually met my wife whilst I was out there and we have stayed together through numerous time zones and country moves so its safe to say that my life was never the same. But in addition to how my life changed, what I learnt about myself was an absolutely invaluable experience.

I went to New Zealand in the summer of 2012, and it honestly has been the best experience of my life! I grew so much during my stay in New Zealand. I made life long friends, and after two years we still keep in contact,even though we are in different countries. The experiences from this trip have sparked a sense of wonder that fuels my everyday life, and showed me how to seize the moment and live fully. I wouldn't change anything that happened, and I can't wait to travel again!

This trip was the best experience I have ever had. I have met friends from all over the world that I still keep in contact a year later. Waking up and walking to breakfast to be greated by cheetahs was amazing, and being able to provide help for shingwedzi cheetah reserve was icing on the cake. Then to see all the sights around South Africa, Swaziland and Mozambique is am trip of a lifetime something you will never get anywhere else
Loved every minute of it, only thing I hated was leaving my project leaders after two weeks

I went on a month long adventure in New Zealand, and it honestly was the best time of my life. I really felt like I made a difference, and I had a ton of fun. The group I was with and the event leaders made it a truely memorable and rewarding experience.

The best part of ISV was the volunteering portion. The staff at wild mountains were so welcoming and amazing that hey made the first two weeks unbelievable. From helping build the whiptail house to planting trees we did it all. Extreme weeding aka lantana bashing is perhaps the funnest thing ever. They show you how to help conserve energy, and make you really want to help protect and save the environment. Not only that but they create an experience that makes you look at yourself and become a better person.

The people you meet on this trip make all the difference. I am a shy person and this trip made me put myself out there and meet people that I still call friends today. The adventure trip pushes the boundaries of things you would do. It was so incredible to go surfing and swim in the great barrier reef. For a book worm like me to rappel down a rock face was perhaps the scariest, craziest thing i have ever done and by far the most fun i have ever had.

This trip was truly a once in life time experience that allowed me to discover who i am and become a better person

I knew very little about Thailand before visiting it and now I feel like I am fairly informed about the country's culture, political environment, and history. I loved my volunteer project most of all; I was able to live in a mountain Hill Tribe and build a tree nursery for a local tribe of Karen people. I was also fortunate enough to serve at the Elephant Nature Park and spend a week working for and with 39 rescued and rehabilitated elephants. That was the most life-changing aspect of the trip if I had to pick just one. I am now passionate about animal rights and conservation and I am working via social media to spread the word as well as taking every opportunity I can to talk to people and raise awareness to some of the problems going on throughout the world and specifically with elephant tourism.

The adventure tour was also incredible. I got to go sea kayaking, zip-lining, snorkeling, get a Thai massage (amazing!!), learn to cook Thai food (I'm now a master), and tour the many Buddhist temples around Chiang Mai while learning more about the philosophy and how the Thai people practice it. These are, of course, only a few of the many things extraordinary things I got to do on the adventure tour. I met some amazing people and made some life-long friends. I'm already making plans to go back and hopefully bring some of them along with me!

If you are considering this program, consider no more. Your decision has been made, you MUST go! It's the experience of a lifetime and you will never regret it!

Eight years ago I ventured to New Zealand with the International Student Volunteers (ISV) to volunteer in conservation work and explore. There I met incredible people who shared a four week journey through New Zealand. In the picturesque town of Kaikoura where the Southern Alps meet the Pacific Ocean we planted trees, cleared gorse ( a horrible invasive plant), and laid new trails among other activities. In no time at all we became a family cooking meals, telling stories, and learning about the small town we called home. In addition to working hard we also had the opportunities to swim with dolphins, sky dive, tube through caves, kayak, and white water rafting as we traveled from North Island to South Island. In a matter of weeks my new friends and I created a bond which I will never forget. A wonderful experience with my fellow volunteers that we even eight years later we still reminisce about digging holes in the freezing rain and walking down to McDonalds for 50 cent ice cream.