Love Volunteers Reviews

We learned a great deal during our time as volunteers and guests in Temixco. Estela seems to be gradually realizing and defining her vision of a center for her community. Her center, which is based in her home and garden, offers a place to play, eat, take classes, and use her temezcal (Mexico traditional sweat lodge) for children and adults of the community, the same community she grew up in. Some of the most admirable things she offers are healthy snacks and meals for children who don't have enough to eat at home, a garden and home in which members of this sometimes struggling neighborhood can relax, and free English classes for the community. She possesses a real sense of the realities of the area, as well as a genuine wish to give and help.
The most satisfying activity for Peter and me was teaching English to a group of wonderful kids from the neighborhood. Other tasks included cleaning, painting, and doing yardwork in her center and in the health center of a colleague. She explained that the local orphanage, understandably, prefers volunteers who can commit a serious amount of time as the children take time to build trust and then get attached. She also explained that when volunteers stay a month or longer, she sets up regular and individualized work for them, such as regular yoga classes that one volunteer, who stayed several months, offered to children. Volunteers who are on shorter visits tend to stick to more basic tasks, and help, generally, with whatever small chores need to be done.
Estela's organization is small and new; she is, it seems, still clarifying its structure and breadth. Volunteers should be able to tolerate ambiguity, able to handle a somewhat unstructured environment.
We stayed in the upstairs of Estela's home and center. This provided an inevitable and very enriching integration with her family, almost all of whom live close by and are constantly stopping by. Her brother, who lives next door and is a professional language teacher, gave us personalized Spanish classes. Her mother, who lives down the road, cooked for us, showed us how to make pinatas, and was always welcoming. Her many siblings and neighbors came by and were extremely nice. Estela and the women in her family cooked us authentic dishes. When we expressed interest in a certain neighboring town or site, Estela often arranged a visit with herself or one of her sisters as a guide. We were taken to extraordinary archeological and natural sites, caves, mountains, ruins, and villages.
Estela maintains some very strong convictions. She is interesting, well-meaning, and well educated. However, volunteers should be prepared to accept her views on health, lifestyle, and community. They should be ready for a mostly vegetarian diet and should be aware that there is no alcohol in her home. Volunteers should be flexible and tolerant.

All in all, the experience offered a glance into the lives of the people in this community. We were made to feel a part of this community. These were a very interesting two weeks and a wonderful way to start the New Year.

My experience in Nepal was overall very moving. I learnt a lot about the people, the culture, and most of all about myself. The program I choose to volunteer in was the medical aid program as I am in nursing back home. Looking back I wish I would have volunteered at the schools or orphanages. I say this because the hospital we were placed in to volunteer was private and there would be days when there would not even be one patient to help. I found that while we got to see a lot of the kathmandu tourist attractions, meet other Love Volunteers volunteers, and learn about the Nepali History, it ultimately felt as though we made not impact on the community through our volunteer placement. Next time I would either ensure that I am going to be placed in an area that truly needs my help. I would DEFINITELY recommend the Love Volunteers as an NGO to volunteer with as they are kind and helpful, but all I would say is choose your program carefully and if you do happen to be placed somewhere where you feel you are making no difference then say something! :)

I had the most amazing experience working with Love volunteers and their local partner. The team was extremely helpful, welcoming, and fun to be around. I found they were extremely well educated on the education system in Nepal, as well as extremely concerned and carrying for orphans, and very interested an determined to start medical clinic work. I felt very confident that these three see first hand what under privileged Nepalis truly need.

I worked with 7 orphaned boys between 12-16 years old. Before I arrived I was scared of being completely heartbroken and sad for their situation. I was pleasantly surprised but how happy, energetic, loving and proud these boys were. The local team has provided them with everything they need to live a happy healthy life. Even though they don't have an abundance of toys, video games, computes or any other western entertainment, they have bigger smiles, stronger laughs and so much love to give. I would never want to see them in any other situation.

We lived with the host family Love Volunteers is partnered with. They welcomed us in and made us feel like part of the family. We had so much fun with their two little girls, and the meals were amazing!!!

As for struggles, we didn't find to many. We did walk to the house in the dark, but unfortunately you cannot tell the sun when to set, that was the only real struggle, making sure you didn't trip into a puddle or something worse.
The cost of the program was very affordable, I had such a great time I felt like I should have payed more for the life changing experience. I have already recommended Love volunteers to all of my friends and clients hoping they can have the same amazing experience!

“Ferengi ferengi!” I cannot say how many times I heard that while walking down the street in Addis. Hundreds! Ferengi means foreigner but I never felt like one. Way at the contrary, the warm reception of Ethiopians and their tremendous sense of hospitality made me feel like a very special guest.
I was volunteering with Love Volunteers for two weeks, teaching "English with an accent" to 3 to 5 year-old kids, and the experience was priceless!
It definitely was a life changing experience, once that brought me back in touch with this World's reality and that made me really reconsider the value of life and appreciate things that we often take for granted as citizens of the First World. These two weeks were for me a lesson I received on humanity, humility, good principles, and manners.
Amesege'nallo' Ethiopians!!!!

The orphanage program was amazing, it was a great and life-changing experience. I would do the program again. The cultural experience w worthwhile as well as the interaction with locals. There was lots of places to explore and plenty of time to explore them.

I experienced every spectrum of emotion during my three weeks. It really was difficult at times. I'm probably older than the average volunteer and work as an IT Manager. I'm used to being able to achieve things that I set my mind to, so it was definitely an experience to me to be in a culture where that wasn't necessarily the case. Went on safari and it was phenomenal!

I spent two weeks last summer in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. I signed up for the Teaching Program and have not regretted it since. I was nervous about going during this time because of teh rainy season but the weather was great, with an occasional rainy night or day. As told by others who lived there, I was lucky to have experienced not so many rainy days.
I was picked up from the airport by Tamrat, one of the partners with LV and Dundee, the head of the school I volunteered. Both are such nice, generous, friendly and very funny guys. They picked me and another volunteer up. We went to the guesthouse where we would be spending the next two weeks living and sleeping. The guesthouse is pretty decent. There is a wonderful woman there who washed clothes, cooked and greeted you each morning with a great smile. Some rooms you had to share but there were a couple where you were able to be single in teh room. I was lucky again and got a decent sized room with my own bathroom. Everyone else had to share.
Ethiopia is a third world country so you will experience things such as water outages or power outtages. That happened a number of times during my stay. The great thing is someone always brings you a bucket of water ( May be cold water) so you can wash up.
The teaching program was a little different since we came during the summer. School was out so we were pretty much teaching in like a summer school. The children are AWESOME! They are so willing to learn and excited to have volunteers and just too CUTE! They just want you to play with them and show them attention. They ranged from 3 -7 in the mornings and in the afternoon, there was a program for older children..some teenagers.I think teh most difficult is the beginning when you are just thrown into teaching the FIRST time you are at the school. It can be a bit overwhelming and also you don't have alot of resources so we just made alot of our own ( Flashcards, etc)
We were given a tour of Addis by a great and friendly guy named Eyasu. Also we went to various restaurants and shopping venues on our days off. Some of us traveled to other places in Ethiopia for weekend trips. Tamrat, Eyasu and Dundee are very informative and supportive in helping you go where you need to go.
I felt fully immersed into the culture and enjoyed every aspect of it. I am glad I went with LV because they were definitely a great price and quite affordable for people who would love to volunteer but just don't have the finances that sme of these other programs charge. Julian and Kelly were always prompt with answering my questions and getting me in touch with the right people. Very happy with my experience with them and would definitely do another program with them in the future.

Overall it was an exiting experience that could had been better organized in the core system. I had difficulties coping with the lack of organization, and the poor cominication skills ofthe staff that were supose to assign me to my task.

I was really disappointed as I found out that the programm was not going as there were summer holidays and the staff was gone, so it was difficult for me to have any social interactions with the people in that district (I found out on my last 4 days as my project started that it would have been much easier to meet the local people while being on a project) So I was very disapponited and stressed as there was nothing to do and as I needed to look on my own to find sth. occupy myself (like other projects). All in all it was a nice experience but not at all what I expected (as there was no need at all for me at that time)

I spent 3 months in Ethiopia, and had the best time. I did have a rough time with culture shock, but overall had a great experience. The people are all amazing, and loving as a whole. The staff at the guest house could not be better. I built some lifelong relationships, and cannot wait to return!