Program Reviews

Translation: This experience in Cusco, Peru was excellent. Really more than I expected.

The project with the nursery was very rewarding, the children, the teachers and the facilities. Every day we learned something new with the children, we played, we painted, we danced. A complete accompaniment.

The house where I stayed was wonderful, Mom Edith is a great woman, the typical food she cooked was delicious, she looks after me like a daughter and is always willing to help us.

The tours that organized us were wonderful, the historical places, the organization of them allowed me to do both the volunteer projects and the exploration of the country in a parallel way. Love my stay every day. I will definitely return to Cusco and the volunteer program.

Original:
Esta experiencia en Cusco, Perú fue excelente. Realmente más de lo que esperaba.

El proyecto con la guardería fue muy gratificante, los niños, las profesoras y las instalaciones. Todos los días aprendimos algo nuevo con los niños, jugamos, pintamos, bailamos. Un acompañamiento completo.

La casa donde me hospede fue maravillosa, la mamá Edith es una gran mujer, la comida típica que cocinaba era deliciosa, me cuida como una hija y siempre está dispuesta a ayudarnos. Los tours que nos organizaron fueron maravillosos, los lugares históricos, la organización de los mismos me permitieron hacer tanto el volutarariado como la exploración del país de forma paralela.

Ame cada día mi estadía. Sin duda volveré a Cusco y al programa de voluntariado.

My recent experience volunteering in Delhi was life changing. The process of applying right to the arrival in India was very straight forward. On arrival i was greeted by Vol Sol staff who took me directly to the accommodation in South Delhi. While at the accommodation support and advice is provided by the staff at all times. Orientation to the country and the project is provided on day 1 and this really sets the scene for your time ahead. The overall experience working with the children from a local slum was so meaningful and satisfying. The children are so welcoming, loving and giving of themselves. They are so willing to learn from us as volunteers and will inspire you everyday. The experience can feel overwhelming at first but if you embrace the country the culture and the conditions the children are living in you will have the most amazing time. I felt very safe at all times and although the locals will be curious and may stare at you they are not intrusive, so just smile or say hello. What you will take away from your time as a volunteer is beyond what you can ever imagine. These children and India will forever live in my heart and soul. If you are considering a project, choose whatever is right for you. Be open, dont judge or compare but simply embrace the experience you will really make a difference. Vol solutions made my volunteering dream a reality.

My time in New Delhi with VolSol was an experience to remember. A month working with Aangan Day Care Centre flew by. The staff/coordinators do a fantastic job of being accessible if you have any questions or problems. Shankar and Chubbi were the simply best! Whether it was their cooking (or cooking with them) or the conversations after dinner - the two of them were a huge part of why I enjoyed my time in Delhi so much! I will miss them a ton.

The orientation is helpful and allows you to learn more about the city and how not to get ripped off when traveling around the city. The accommodation is in a great area of South Delhi and I never had an issue with safety or any possible dangerous encounters. I had the chance to see a lot in a Delhi after work or on the weekends. I would recommend this sort of program to people who want to work 1st, see 2nd.

Foi muito proveitoso! Poder conhecer um outro sistema de saúde e uma outra cultura é muito enriquecedor. Aprendi muito mais do que a pratica da medicina, aprendi como lidar com o lado social e com pessoas, com diferentes costumes e pensamentos. Não é um programa pra se aprender medicina, mas sim pra aprender cada vez mais qual medico ou qual pessoa você quer vir a ser.
Sem falar que cusco é uma cidade muito incrível. Mas recomendo se programar para conseguir fazer os passeios porque na cidade mesmo tem pouca coisa pra visitar.
A Host Family foi incrível também. Aprendi muito mais da cultura local por conviver com pessoas que vivem aqui. E sem falar que consegui ganhar muita vivencia no espanhol. Enriqueci meu vocabulario e minha desenvoltura para falar. Fui muito bem acolhida e com certeza vou sentir muita falta de todo o carinho e atenção que me deram (e da comida tambem hahaha)

I spent a month in Cusco volunteering at a small health clinic and had a wonderful experience. It was amazing to see how healthcare works in a different country and to be able to help out. I got to work in three different areas of the clinic which included maternity, general medicine, and with kids. I helped out by doing a lot of paperwork but I also got to learn how to give injections and vaccines. I really enjoyed staying with my host family. It was nice to not have to worry about meals and the food in Peru is amazing! I also enjoyed spending time with the other volunteers. We explored the city of Cusco together as well as many other interesting sites near Cusco like rainbow mountain, Humantay lagoon, and lake Titicaca. Overall this was an wonderful trip and I would recommend it for anyone.

In the summer of 2015, I was fortunate enough to travel abroad to Spain with my mother and sister. Although they wanted to make the trip, they weren’t totally sold on my idea of volunteering on their vacation. However, by the end of our holiday I had changed their minds!

We spent 3 weeks in Valencia, Spain where we volunteered with children at risk of social exclusion. Being a kindergarten teacher myself, I knew this was a program where we could make a real difference.

We spent our first week helping to coordinate a summer camp, plan activities and excursions, and organized our schedule for each day. I was pleasantly surprised that our ideas were taken seriously and implemented into the agenda! During the next two weeks, we helped the kiddos with their homework, assisted with English-speaking skills, played games, and even made a trip to the local pool where we were able to teach some swimming lessons (another passion my family and I shared)!

Because our volunteering hours were Monday-Friday, we were able to travel to different parts of Spain on the weekends and afternoons. Some of our trips included: Barcelona, Madrid, Ibiza, and Seville. Our trip coordinator gave us a tour of the city the first day we arrived, and advised us of the best ways to travel. This was extremely helpful and eased any previous anxieties. The accommodations were spacious, centrally located, and safe! We made several friends along the way with other volunteers and enjoyed every part of our adventure.

Overall I would highly recommend this program to anyone looking to make an impact on children’s lives, while traveling abroad. The relationships we built there will be cherished for a lifetime. I cannot wait for our next trip!

This was a very positive experience! The meals were amazing and the staff was outstanding. Everything was very nice and safe for us. I would recommend this program to anyone as it is a very positive way to learn about the culture. I really appreciated the hospitality and transportation needs that were met. We were always picked up and had a very fun stay at the accommodation. The rooms were very nice and welcoming for all. We had a very nice leader that helped us with transportation to and from the hospital and helped with everyday activities. They showed us around the city and the local town as well. I really enjoyed my stay here and hope to go back again someday. I would like to thank all of the people involved in making this a trip of a lifetime. Thank you!

Improving the communication between the place you are volunteering and the coordinator would be helpful. Also, making sure that everyone understands their
placement would be optimal.

The hospital itself was very limited as far as resources and staff go, so with our large group it was somewhat difficult to get enough room for everyone. The organization was overall decent but sometimes confusing. Overall, the trip was great and I would do it again!

I loved how we were able to get transport to the safari at Masai Mara. That was one of the best parts of the whole trip!! The food at the homestay was wonderful. Everyone was super nice and the weather can’t be beat! The extra visit to the orphanage was a bonus, and it made a big impact. Seeing the sights around Nairobi was great, and it allowed us to get a full experience.

The opportunity to observe healthcare in a foreign country was eyeopening. One week spent in the Tigoni government hospital was plenty of time to get a grasp of the culture and lifestyle of health care practitioners in Kenya. I got to experience first hand the stories of underprivileged patients seeking care at the hospital. The experience created lifelong memories and friendships. Without a doubt Kenya left its mark on me and I will be back in the future. k

Seeing Kenya and volunteering at the hospital has truly been an eye opening experience. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to be a part of this trip and experience all that I did. Everyone who helped us on this trip was excellent as well. Our coordinator Joe was always super helpful and everyone in our group appreciated his help and advice very much. Our companion at the accommodation, Paul, was equally great. Every meal he prepared for us was spectacular. We all enjoyed getting to know Joe and Paul throughout our stay. In speaking for myself, I know I will never forget the things I experienced while volunteering in the hospital. I will also always remember our trip to the orphanage. Everyone in Kenya was so welcoming to us, and I could not be happier with my experience from this trip.