Program Reviews

My volunteer work in South Africa was an amazing experience that I will never forget. I lived in a house with about 30 other volunteers, so I never really had any privacy, but that way I got to know a lot of new people from many different countries with whom I explored Cape Town and its surroundings. I still have contact to some of them. So this program definitely helps to build international friendships. Cape Town and its surroundings is so beautiful and it offers many different things to do. I also enjoyed my child care project in a crèche very much. The kids were adorable and it was great to get an insight into the local child care work. However, you should be aware of the fact, that you can offer the kids a bit of a change while you're there, but you won't be able to change anything fundamentally. For me it was enough to just spend time with the children and be there for them, especially because the local staff didn't do much with them and they have very little stuff to play with. But if your goal is to make a big change, this program is not right for you. And of course you also need to know that you have to pay a lot of money for the sleeping place, for the food and for the whole organization. But in my opinion it's worth the money, because it's an experience that will impact you for the rest of your life, especially in the way you will think about foreign, but also your own culture.

The actual orphanage program was great and I'm really glad that I got to help out there. However the hostel was in a very expensive area which wasn't great for buying food and I would have preferred a nicer hostel in a cheaper area. There are quite a lot of things to do in beijing since it's the capital which is good and the subway there is also easy to use. However the buses aren't great and the bus I took to the orphanage broke down three times in the 2 weeks I was there! lol it was still a good experience though

This trip was one of the highlights of my life and I would highly recommend to anyone. It was the perfect combination of work/volunteering, cultural immersion and great fun with the group. When I first signed up, I was slightly nervous because I was going alone, but it ended up being the best choice I've made! Our whole group became very close and I now have lifelong friendships with people from all over the world. Thailand is an amazingly beautiful country and I miss it each day.

I had been ready for this kind of experience for several years, so I was ecstatic when the time finally came and I boarded the plane to fly across the world. My trip to Thailand was absolutely incredible. It was very healing, and as cheesy as it sounds, I feel like I found myself. I felt like I had a purpose there.

My first night was a bit chaotic. I arrived in the middle of the night and if you're not prepared the chaos of Bangkok and Khao San Road will throw you off. Yet Bangkok quickly became my home and after being there only a couple times I was already familiar with the shops and the locals. The other volunteers in my group accepted me immediately and we were all given plenty of time to bond.

The first stop was Mr. Lee's elephant village in Surin. This was a surreal place to be, as I would wake up in the morning, walk out onto the balcony, and be standing right before five or six of the magnificent creatures. The best memories here were walking the elephants down to the river each day, cooking homemade authentic Thai dishes, and ending the night by eating ice cream and playing cards with everyone in my group. Also, there was a man with a popsicle cart who would come to the homestay once a day and for 20 baht would sell a variety of popsicles, such as coconut and taro black bean.

The next stop after Surin was Sangkhlaburi. This province is located in the mountains of Thailand, and had some of the best views I have ever seen. I went at the end of rainy season (late October) so the scenery was lush green. This is where I truly bonded with the locals as I helped construct a temple in one of the villages and we would make small talk. I definitely would recommend going to The Nature Club during downtime, where you can zip line over the jungle. There are also magnificent waterfalls about a 10 minute taxi ride away from where I stayed. The night markets in Sangkhlaburi are definitely a highlight and are very convenient to grab a quick bite to eat or a freshly blended smoothie. Also if given the chance, taking a river boat ride under the Wooden Bridge to see the underwater temples is an amazing experience.

The last stop was Koh Phangan. Our group practically had the beach to ourselves. The water is crystal clear, and the sand is a pristine white. Some of the highlights on this island were renting motorbikes, going scuba diving, and of course, the Jungle and Full Moon party. I made some life-long connections at these parties. They were unlike any party-scene or rave I have ever been to, and I felt completely safe the entire time. Also, the Amsterdam Bar has a sunset view that is to-die-for.

I really enjoyed the volunteering program at a nursery school in Rabat. Even there was a language barrier, children usually do not care about it and just try to talk to me. I wish I could speak Arabic or French, but we could have wonderful time of singing songs and playing games. I brought Origami paper which was good stuff to play with kids. I think they liked it! That was a small nursery school with wide range of children from 0 to 5 or 6 year-old. So I could have great time with pretty baby and powerful kids. Teachers there also cannot speak English, but they were so kind and nice to me. I really appreciate about it.
Life in Morocco was so amazing and exciting. I stayed at Volunteer staff house which is located in Medina. Then I could feel the real life of Moroccan style. There are so many shops in Medina, so I never got bored. I also visited Casablanca on holiday. I visited the famous mosque where I could see the inside. I could feel the slightly different city from Rabat. Ali, a coordinator in Rabat, was so nice and friendly. He always supported and cared about our life and volunteering program. There is another staff at accommodation, and she was also so kind. They introduced the place to visit or eat, and helped to adjust the Moroccan life. I was really impressed the cultural mixture of Islam and French.
Above all, I have spent there only for 1 week but it was precious experience. the volunteering program and life there were unforgettable to me.

The Morocco program was a very worthwhile experience as this country is an amalgamation of French, Arabic and African culture and heritage with plenty to offer. The program coordinator was able to provide a placement that suited my interests, take feedback well and made an effort to improve the experience at the volunteer placement. A good deal of support was provided in terms of living arrangements, organising self-guided tours and the overall friendliness of the host and local coordinator made for a smooth experience. Morocco itself has plenty to see and do so at no point was I bored or short of new places to visit.

My daughter who was 17 started me with Volunteer Solutions in 2015 (Kathmandu, Nepal) and recently in October 2016 (Palampur, Dharamshala in India). Looking back I have no regrets. the program is organised to immerse you in the culture and way of life of the people where you volunteer. At the same time, the program coordinators are always there to answer all your queries and see to your needs.
Our Program coordinators at Palampur, Dr Amit and Dr Afzal used to go an extra mile in making sure to see us almost every other day during our stay. At one occasion, my daughter was not able to get the public transport and was stranded at the bus-stop, Dr Amit personally drove her to her destination. As much as the coordinators wants us, Volunteers, to be independent, they also care for our safety. Another person who needs to be commended was Charanji. He cooked hot delicious meals.
We had real fun together interacting with the kids in the neighbourhood as well as the childcare where I volunteered. We had the advantage of being of Indian origin. Though we are not born in India, we can speak Hindi. I was able to speak to the mothers of the children in my care and discuss with them the importance of education. They really appreciated my help by giving me small memoirs to bring back.

I wish I had longer time to spend at both these places Kathmandu and Palampur, Dharamshala.
We are so grateful to Volunteer Solutions for giving us the opportunity to volunteer.

One of the greatest experiences of my life. Although I was nervous about the language barrier, it made the whole experience that much better. Working with the elderly and sick was very satisfying and opened my eyes to a lot in the medical world. Everyone in Costa Rica is very friendly and caring, especially the host family who treated us as one of their own. I would love to go back and volunteer again if given the opportunity.

Hey guys, so me and 2 of my friends went to Costa Rica for 1 week and we absolutely loved it! I would recommend going during December/January since it is dry season in Costa Rica, therefore allowing you to go more and enjoy you trip even more. We lived with a great host family that was very funny and very nice to us, not to mention the food was amazing. Our placement was a medical center for seniors where we volunteered for 4 days and have great time not only with the patients but with all the staff as well. Personally, I would recommend this trip to everyone but I feel like if you go with a friend or two it makes things much better. Overall great experience!

The volunteering experience was great, I couldn't be more happy about it. It was a lifetime exprience. I am also very happy with volsol, it gave me the safety and reliablity and at the same time the enough freedom to be able to have a deep experience.

The most memorable thing was the time with the kids of course, who I could never forget and taught me so many things, I liked the fact that not only them could learn from be but I also could learn a lot about them, their courage, their happiness, their strenght and their smile taught me that life is not at all about having it all, but making it the most with what you have. They were also so grateful and tried to make me feel comfortable at any time, it was really impressive.

Not only I learnt from the kids but also from the city, the culture, the people. Learning that there are many different ways to do the things and different ways to think it is really important for our inner selves. People showed up to be really helpful, at any difficulty they were willing to help, when asking for directions or different problems that emerged, also very curious to know about you, your culture and your country. With the kids and as well as with other people it was always a way back relationship, you could learn a lot about them, they were always willing to learn from you.

While being in Delhi I lived in a cloud, my eyes couldn't stop looking around everywhere, there were so many things to see, to hear, to smell, it was a big fest for all the five senses. Every single second I was fascinated with everything, every second passed by you discovered new things, it was a completely pleasure for the mind and the heart, little pleasures of life. A rickshaw stucked in the mud and other drivers jumping to help to pull the vehicle out, a random person giving the water bottle they were carrying to some street children, a poor children smiling and laughing out loud while her mother watched him with a spark in her eyes while waiting the train at the station, a group of young women singing and laughing in the rickshaw next to yours, the boom of colors of the women metro coach, the smell of street food that flooded your nose and make your stomach beg to try it, the explosion that your tongue felt while trying spicy food, the non-stop noise of the horn of the cars that would make you feel that there is something missing once you are in the silent roads of your country...

I also went home with another great gift, friendship, not only the friendship built with the kids, but with the other volunteers, and what is better than making true new friendships? Having the chance to meet such wonderful people it really changed me, they all had their uniqueness, their way of being, their story, their kind hearts, they made you feel less lonely during the hard moments you could face, and at the same time they made you have the best during the moments of joy, they made the experience to climb to a whole different level.

I think that immersing yourself in this kind of adventure is an experience that changes you forever and gives you the opportunity to grow as a person and learn a lot about life. I am really really satisfied with the volunteering experience, I could not be more happy about it.

VOLUNESIA (noun) - That moment when you forget you're volunteering to help change lives, because it's changing yours...