Program Reviews

I spent 2 months in Camasca as a 2nd grade teacher because the regular teacher quit about the same time I got there. It was quite an experience as I was scheduled to be an English helper to one of the other teachers, not a full time teacher. But God gives you grace to do what He calls you to do. Although there were some discipline problems, I was blessed to have a couple of local women volunteer to help. Both of them were fantastic in teaching the Spanish lessons. The children were adorable and my heart is warmed every time I see pictures of them--even the ones who gave me a fit--lol.
The people in the community showed such hospitality and warmth. I made some wonderful life long friends while I was there who took me in as part of their family. And Kevin was the greatest mototaxi driver.
The living conditions were very comfortable (I was accustomed to sleeping on Army cots or dirt floors when I was on mission) with my own room and bed. The family that I lived with were great! I would recommend staying there to anyone.
My main challenge was the heat (most days were over 104*,) so I would recommend going sometime other than late Feb. to mid May. That challenge may have been partly due to being 67 years old.
In my heart I guard very warm and loving feelings for that precious community of Camasca.

I did the Thailand summer project last year, and I enjoyed it a lot. Firstly, I got to know increadible people that shared this experience with me and also, I discovered a different Thailand. It's very important to travel getting to know different cultures and people, but it's always better when you can make a change by helping people. The locals where absolutely amazing and I honestly don't regret travelling with volunteering solutions as they help you a lot, specially if you are travelling alone. It is an experience of a lifetime!!

One thing that I will never forget, is most properly my last day at the project and saying good bye to all of the gorgeous kids. I was expecting it to be a very heartbreaking day, but to my surprise the girls in my afternoon class which were about 8-10 years old, organized a little party for me. They had their mothers cook some delicious food and brought all sorts of snacks and cakes, from the little money that they have. This was a very touching moment for me, because I had realized that those girls were not only my students, but that they had also become my friends. We had lots of fun that day and they enjoyed styling my hair and giving me a "bindi", so that I would look like I'd just escaped a Bollywood movie. There was also a lot of dancing and singing and I must say that these experiences with the girls had let me love the Indian culture more than anything else could have! After our little party and all of our laughter, I then had to say goodbye to everyone. We all hugged each other a thousandth times and didn't want to let go. But sitting in the car on my way home to the accommodation, I had a grin on my face. Because on the one hand I knew that I would miss these girls, which mad me sad, but on the other hand I was so grateful to have taken part in their lives, because they have the kindest hearts and the brightest smiles,which I'll never forget.

India was the most incredible trip I've ever been on. Teaching young kids from the age of 3 and developing their English was inspiring. These kids have very little to live from and still make the most of everyday and smile more than you can ever imagine. They're full of energy and will definitely put a smile on your face. Growing very close with certain kids makes it extremely difficult to leave without a tear in sight. These kids taught me more than I taught them and that life should never be taken for granted. Exploring the country after our two weeks of volunteering was hectic from the get go, but I enjoyed every part. One day you'll be at the Taj Mahal and the next at the Golden Temple, the culture shock is immense and it's lovely to see how differently they do things compared to the western world.

Saying goodbye to our students was one of the hardest parts of the trip. Although these wonderfully sharp children may lack physical resources, they make up for it with their energy and their wonderfully generous hearts!
On our last day, one of our students gave me one of his only earthly possessions; a little toy robot. I knew how much this toy meant to him so I refused. He said, "It's a gift. You helped me all week and I wanted you to always remember me." It brought me to tears and will be one of the many touching memories I experienced while participating in this program.

I stayed in Cusco with a lovely Peruvian family. Gloria was my host mum, Reese, my host father and their two children, Luis, and Laura. They all made me feel very welcome despite a bit of a language barrier. Me an Luis would play football up on the roof of the house and I taught him some new games. Laura liked to draw and I would draw her pictures and make plasticine animals for her, I even helped make her a frog costume for a school project. My placement involved traveling to the outskirts of the city to help at a kindergarten. The kindergarten itself was a very small room and in one day could have as much as 30 children, ages 3-5, attend. My duties included marking and preparing homework, helping the children with their work, playing games with the children and generally helping the teacher take care of the class. While I was volunteering at the kindergarten the class was also preparing for a parade so I was also involved in leading the class through a marching routine outside and supervising the children.
As well as volunteering in Peru I was also given the opportunity to see some of the sights in my spare time alongside some of the other volunteers. I went to see many of the Inca ruins; Sacsayhuaman, Ollantayambo, Pukapukara and Machu Pichu, to name a few. I also rode a pony up Rainbow Mountain. My programme also included a visit to a bakery to see how some of the local bread was made. Overall I had an amazing time in Cusco, had many wonderful experiences and met many wonderful people. I would definitely recommend the programme.

In May 2016 I had the opportunity to participate in the 2 week orphanage program in Delhi. I worked with the NGO Jamghat and went to the girls' home Aanchal, which housed 12 girls between the ages of 12-18. These girls either did not have parents, or their parents could no longer take care of them. The girls were so welcoming on the first day I arrived and made leaving them nearly impossible.
One of my favorite memories was when I had gone in to visit them on a Sunday after their weekly dance class. Since I have a background in ballet, they asked if I would teach them a short routine and in exchange, they'd teach me their most recent Bollywood piece. The girls were so happy and kept smiling and laughing the entire time.Seeing how happy such a simple thing as dance made them helped me realize how fortunate I am. I still keep in touch with the girls through email and they will always hold a special place in my heart.
Overall, my experience with volunteering solutions was excellent. The staff was very helpful throughout the entire application process and answered all of my questions leading up to my arrival in India. The accommodations were very nice and Rajiv and his family were amazing hosts. I'm so thankful for my opportunity to work with volunteering solutions and can't wait to return.

I went to Valencia with a friend to help children aged from 8 to 10 do there homework. We were spending aproximatly 4 hours each day with the same class. But obviously the children weren't studying this long. I learnt to play the 1,2,3 ball game and a few others with the boys. I used to draw a lot with girls, but we also listened to music, took pictures, visited the garden in the school...
I couldn't speak Spanish fluently, but well enough to understand each other and share unforgattable moments. I hope I will be back in Valencia soon.

This trip had everything I could've wanted to experience in Thailand & more. We were able to see the beaches, the city, the jungle & the villages. We got to interact with people around the world, elephants, people from Thailand & experience the food, culture, landscapes and modes of transportation. My highlight from the trip was to be able to really connect with people from Thailand and we were able to do just that through our volunteer work at the temples, school, daycare center & elephant village. Not to mention our tour guid was PHENOMENAL and so knowledgeable with the history of the places we went & the temples we saw.

Before arriving to Thailand I was a little scared, maybe because it was the first time I was travelling to Asia. The impression I got the following days after arriving was amazing, we got to know Bangkok a little better. We saw the night life in Koh San Road, we tried all the food we dared. It was so different! I loved seeing the crowded streets with smiling people, no hurries. Thai people seemed to me friendly, relaxed and very very hard workers. This impression became greater and greater as the days were passing. I found myself opening my heart to this country, this culture and its people. I empathized with all the environments we volunteer at. The immersion in the elephant village was my favorite part of the trip. Today, it has been 4 months since I came back from this country and I can see how every detail made me learn a lot.