Program Reviews

I spent 3 weeks at the Tutova Clinic working with the infants there and found it a heartwarming and fulfilling time. The Global Volunteer staff was wonderful as well as the clinic employees. Even though I was sick with a cold for a few days I had excellent care. Weekend excursions were a lot of fun, especially the trip to the painted monasteries. All in all a wonderful experience which i hope to repeat someday.

In 2005, I worked with Global Volunteers, teaching English in Ostuni, Italy. Most of the volunteers worked with school children, but I taught conversational English to two adults who needed to improve their English for professional reasons. I very much enjoyed working with them and we have kept in touch since then.
We were housed in a lovely hotel with great views, great food, and a pool in which we could relax when the school day was done. Each day, the group leaders took us out to lunch at a different type of restaurant to sample the cuisine. The other volunteers were intelligent, caring people and good company. Several of the volunteers were teenagers who were there with their grandparents. Our schedule left us time for some exploring of the Puglia region of Italy.

This was my second experience with Global Volunteer's and both trips were to Pommern, Tanzania. The 3 weeks I spent in the village made me truly appreciate everything in my life as well as help me understand how fun life should be. The time I spent with Moses (who worked along side us, but spoke little English), Mohammed (our driver, wildlife expert, and overall goof-ball), Edward (our experienced team leader), and all the children made this trip a special one that i will never forget.
It was especially difficult for me to leave this time because I have no clue if I will ever be back to that beautiful village again. The first trip I went with my sister as a graduation present and now, 4 years later, I am graduating again, this time into the real world. The children will warm your hearts (probably steal it as well) with their smiles, laughter, and work ethic.
The program is simply amazing and the team you are with while in Tanzania are nothing but professionals. Pommern will always have a place in my heart and I hope to return again someday. As Edward put it, "maybe next time with a little Geoffrey".

I went to Calderon, Ecuador with my husband and three boys, ages 13, 10 and 8. It was our first family volunteering experience, and we loved it. The leader was so well-organized and helpful with everything that came along. The other volunteers were a varied and wonderful group and we shared lots of laughs together. The teachers and school children were definitely in need of our help, and we felt that our hard work was appreciated...but most of all, we gained a wonderful new perspective of the love and culture of the people in Calderon. This volunteer experience was sandwiched between a trip to Machu Picchu and the Galapagos, but if you ask my kids their favorite part of the trip, they all say it was volunteering in Calderon.

What a wonderful opportunity to a part of the world that isn't always the most popular toursit destination. My goal was to visit somewhere not so typical and really see it up close, not just thru a tour guide's lense. My goals' were fulfilled and then some... I was able to help Polish Middle Schoolers improve upon their english speaking skills AND really see a new part of the world, first hand, NOT like a tourist. A bonus... the mountains of southern Poland are gorgeous (put on your hiking boots and try a hike or 2). I would highly recommend this program with Global Volunteers. I went solo and met some fun people of all ages as well. Excellent opportunity.

I have volunteered in Romania twice both teaching conversational English in the high school and nurturing babies in the orphanage. My first trip was part of the second team there. Prior to that, the babies in the orphanage had been confined to their beds 24 hours a day, with time out for only 4 diaper changes, 4 propped bottle feedings and a bath. There was almost no human touch. They were silent and didn't know how to laugh or cry. Two women and a nurse cared for 32 babies and did all the laundry by hand. On my return two years later, the changes were dramatic. Through contributions by Global Volunteers, three more people had been hired and an industrial size washer and dryer had been installed. Because the babies had been nurtured by 22 more teams of volunteers, they were laughing, crying, talking, walking, running, crawling, eating solid food, just like normal babies.
In the high school, I had a group of six students who were eager to learn and oh so smart. One student wrote this about about Americans. "I must admit that before we met you, our image of Americans was a rather cold one: greedy unscrupulous people whose only interest is money. I'm happy to say that you definitely changed that image for us. Thank you for reviving all our expectations, hopes and dreams of living in a better world, beliefs we thought to be so deep inside us that they could never see the light or spread outside our minds." I think that says it all. If you're looking to make a difference, a Global Volunteers experience is for you.

Our experiences with Global Volunteers in Tanzania have exceeded anything we could have imagined. Each trip has been uniquely rewarding, yet always filled with wonder, fun, and fulfillment. Having traveled with my teenage sons, each of our teams have been incredible mixtures from all walks of life: from college students, parents and retired professionals, to current teachers, engineers, and medical professionals. There was something to tantalize the interests of everyone on our teams.

In the village of Pommern there are many opportunities to become involved in the community and the team manager, Edward Mgeni, works tirelessly to meet your interests. On different trips my sons and I have:
* taught kindergarten, grammar and conversational English to primary school children, and computer skills and geography to secondary school students
* worked on labor projects to build a new kitchen for the secondary school, repair dorms, planted tree seedlings, and worked on a village water project.
* assisted in the village clinic with maternal and baby well visits, assisted doctor in record keeping and taking vital signs, and assisted with immunization program at a remote village.
* made friends with staff and other villagers who have taught us to cook traditional meals, honed our water-fetching and fire-building skills, invited my sons to join the village soccer team, and hosted us in their homes for dinner and basket making lessons

I smiled to myself when the review survey asked me to rate the "social life" opportunities. While it may not be Picadilly Circus, Pommern has given us many experiences beyond compare. For example, during the 2010 World Cup, the local Catholic Church rented a satellite dish, generator, and projector. Each night as the games of the World Cup were projected onto the wall of a small village store, we were thrilled beyond words to cram together with the rest of the village and cheer on each goal and flop! Quieter, yet no less thrilling, moments included having tea in the home of the oldest woman in the village, playing with the kids, and learning enough Kiswahili in order to successfully barter and buy vegetables at the market!

What has truly made our trips with GV the most impactful (and has kept us coming back for more) has been the friendships we have formed in the village of Pommern itself. The team leader and staff treat each volunteer as if they are treasured members of his family and village community. They took great care to teach us about their country, village, language, and customs, constantly striving to provide for us the best experience possible. The village of Pommern is a long journey from the US, but your all of your efforts and expense will be repaid beyond measure once you embark on the journey of a lifetime!

I looked forward to each and every day! It was such a wonderful experience to work with a inspiring teacher daily in helping second grade boys primarily with language and math. It wasn't easy! Children at this age are distracted from lessons, but to have a youngster respond with a smile when they give the right answer to a question about a fraction or read well was a thrill for me as a volunteer tutor. I miss the children very much and hope that I helped them in their educational progress. I also looked forward each evening to hearing what other Global Volunteers did each day in education, health care, building and other areas of service with the community.
I can without any reservations strongly urge folks to go with Global Volunteers to St. Lucia. It is an experience I will always remember and treasure!!!!

We've gone on 3 trips with Global Volunteers to Poland and loved every one of them. The organization of each trip was slightly different and the students were always enthusiastic and wonderful to work with. Getting to know a country and the people this way is the best way to travel. Traveling and making a difference in the lives of many teen agers is so rewarding. And Global Volunteers has such a well organized and thoughtfully structured approach to their group efforts. They don't go into a community telling them what they need - they listen to the community representatives and then help them working together WITH the community - not doing it FOR them And the Global Volunteers trips are enriching for volunteers of all ages, and I look forward to being able to travel with them again.

Travling to Russia in 1992 was a life altering experience. So much about this country was shrouded in secrecy as it emerged from 75 years of Communist rule. Russians for the most part had never met an American and were hungry to learn. Global Volunteers put an interesting agenda together for us to see remote parts of the country, meet a variety of people, exchange ideas and to create a bridge of friendship between nations. I enjoyed every minute and certainly came home a changed person. I highly recommend Global Volunteers for anyone wanting a hands on experience with instant results.