Program Reviews

Having communicated with Global Volunteers for many years, I finally decided to "do it!!" I hosted a couple from Krakow through couchsurfing in late 2018; as we exchanged travel stories, they said, "You must come to Poland!!" I decided to visit them and also volunteer for two weeks with Global Volunteers in the Warsaw area. I traveled by train from Krakow to Warsaw and stayed over in a hotel near the airport. Global Volunteers picked me (and other volunteers) up the next morning (Saturday) and took us to Reymontowka, a lovely country estate. Dorota checked us in; we were given a key to our private room with private bath.
The students arrived the following day; we were introduced to them and later we were introduced to those whom would be our students! I was assigned 9 students ages 12-14. Monday morning we began our routine of four 45 minute sessions with conversational English. Most of my students had attended the "camp" for several summers so I spent time finding/developing activities to challenge them with vocabulary and speaking ability. Because I had worked as a teacher, I focused on their reactions to the activities. Some students lingered between sessions to converse about the activity or just to have a personal conversation.
The students were very responsive and let me know what they really enjoyed. The more experienced students assisted others. All were quite serious about completing their part of the activity.
This setting had not had a volunteer from New Mexico so I was privileged to show all camp participants and staff a 45 minute powerpoint of photos from throughout the state...and videos of ski areas, Balloon Fiesta, the tram ride to the top of the Sandia Mountains, etc.
Dorota and the counseling staff were great to work with. The experience of working with six other talented volunteers was memorable. The volunteers were taken to area cities/towns for personal shopping and other activities. It was great to get to know the region.
The meals served were wonderful! We were served wonderful meals in a lovely dining room with special table settings...really quite elegant!
I do hope to return again...but cannot do it in 2020 due to other commitments. I encourage others to "do it!!" It will be an experience that you will NEVER FORGET!

My Global Volunteer experience in Havana, Cuba , was one of the most enriching and fulfilling experiences I have had on a placement. I felt that I made a difference. Living in a democracy, I had imagined many different things about life in Cuba. It was exciting to be there talking to people who are residents there. During my two-week stay, I got to know the people at my placement, the English students, and the volunteering sponsor, the Cuban Council of Churches community. and their staff. It gave me the opportunity to hear their anecdotes. I learned a lot about their culture. It also gave me a new appreciation for things that I take for granted as simple as retail options at a supermarket Their choices are limited.
During our free time I loved sightseeing and learning more about Havana and Cuba. Our meals were so good! Our team leader was great! I felt safe. Our volunteer group became like a family. It was a wonderful experience! I would like to go back one of these days.

Traveling to Havana, Cuba for a service trip was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I've wanted to do more abroad travel but have always had some safety concern about organizing it on my own. This trip was so well organized and safety was priority which was definitely always met. Transportation, housing, and meals were all included and an optimal experience. I especially enjoyed the opportunity to stay at a casa within the community. Absorbing the Cuban culture, while engaging within the community was such a learning experience I will never forget.

There's no place quite like Cuba, so close to the U.S. Despite the obvious economic and political differences, it's a country rich in history, bestowed with natural beauty and beaming with cultural pride. For me, the people make the place, and the Cuban people are some of the warmest, kindest, healthiest and happiest people you will ever encounter. They have a sincere fascination with and appreciation for people who visit and donate their time and energy to the betterment of Cuban society. You're not going to find fancy shopping malls or swanky resorts so typical of other travel destinations, but you will find an authenticity that is uniquely Cuban. It is that experience that differentiates Cuba from other locales and one that will stay with you long after you have returned home. As an American, I never thought I would have the opportunity to travel to Cuba, or that I would like it, but now I have been there twice, once as a tourist and once as a volunteer, and I feel so privileged to have been able to experience a place that still holds such a mystique for many Americans. Volunteering is a remarkable and rewarding way to experience Cuba and I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Even though the people of Cuba might not have a lot, they are more than willing to give you anything, even the shirt off their backs to ensure that you are comfortable and feel like a member of the Cuban community. It was so easy to grow attached to the natives that it was twice as hard to leave when the program was over. Given the opportunity, I would go back in a heartbeat and do the program over and over and over again because even though I've only been there once, Cuba has and will always have a special place in my heart.

Poland has to be one of the best kept secrets that I never knew about. While volunteering in Poland ,I was also able to participate in cultural activities like playing some soccer and mushroom hunting. I’m so grateful for the support of the teachers and in country representatives. Guidance and flexibility were always available on assignments. The relationships with the teachers and staff could be summed up in a phrase, “ family of partners”.It was a working and rewarding event. Our daily schedule consisted of planning the lessons, presenting them in class and reviewing in the evening. After a couple of days , you get a feel for what is effective and what is not. I learned from this and then focused on improving each class. After about a couple classes I developed a “connection” with them.
Teachers were very supportive and gave good feedback..ex. One of the teachers asked me to slow down and speak a little clearer. When I did this, the connection with the students improved.

Volunteering in PoIand was extraordinary. I wanted to have a meaningful life after retirement. To me, life without giving is meaningless. Volunteering in Poland provided an opportunity to truly learn about the culture of the Polish people. Each and every day I was able to enjoy typical, fabulous Polish cuisine prepared by the wonderful staff at the manor house. I was able to meet the locals of the community and learn about their lives. As a tourist, the experience would have been very different, more like a check list, seeing all the attractions, rather than truly experiencing. My responsibility was to teach conversational English to preschool and elementary school children. I learned that I did not have to be a professional English teacher to be successful. I arrived each day with a positive attitude, showing interest in the children's lives and just being engaged. They learned from me, but I learned from them. I received true appreciation and respect from the students, teachers, all the staff from the schools, and everyone from Global Volunteers. When it comes to other cultures, although we may eat different foods, we may respond to things a little differently, we learn from service that we all share basic needs. People want to live with dignity, in safety, and with love.

I had such a welcoming, educational experience on my service trip to Cuba. The people at the Council of Churches we worked with in Havana were very welcoming!! Along with nursing home workers and residents. Everyone was there with open arms and open hearts and they made it very clear how grateful they were to have us around. Although many of us in the group did not speak spanish at all and were a little unsure how the communication would work, after the first day we realized there are so many ways to make communication work! The people were so nice and helped us while we helped them. We also had an amazing informative Team leader from GV named Daniel. He was very relaxed and patient with our group and kept us on schedule! He set up a few guest speakers for us to learn more about Cuba -American relations and another about Cuban Education, we even learned to dance Salsa at the council of churches!!
I personally had such an amazing time with the English leaners from the community. I worked mostly with the children and they were so excited to come in every day to learn new games while learning English. The food was absolutely amazing and even those who did not eat meat were accounted for.
I would highly recommend the program in Cuba! It was an experience I will NEVER forget!

In 2016 I completed my first GV trip to Poland. I do not have any children, nor do I have a teaching background. Walking out to teach my first day was very frightening, but very quickly my fear subsided and my heart was instantly won over by my students. I will return to Poland for the 5th time this year. I have come to love the Polish people, the country, and most of all, the students. The GV Country Manager (Dorota) is excellent. We are well cared for (and well fed) by the staff. Everyone makes us feel valued and appreciated. I have made life long friends with other volunteers, camp staff and the students. Thanks to social media, it is easy to stay in touch with everyone. I can without hesitation recommended GV and specifically the Poland program.

“What we keep we lose, only what we give remains our own”

This motto from my high school has stuck with me for the 58 years since my graduation, and serving in Nepal with Global Volunteers is a perfect example of its meaning. I received so many ‘gifts’ while volunteering in August of 2019. Going to Soroptimist Kathmandu was so rewarding as the women there were so eager to learn English and to interact. My last day of teaching there was mostly a culture experience, the women, dressed in their lovely saris, danced and we joined them in their traditional music. We all laughed a lot that final day, and I was just so happy to have been able to get to know these local women. Teaching English to these women was a pure delight. I also got to teach English at an elementary and high school and at an orphanage. My two weeks in Nepal with Global Volunteers was an amazing experience. Just getting to know local people was a gift, sharing time with them and learning some basic Nepalese conversation. I treasure my memories of Nepal.