Program Reviews

In July 2015, myself along with two friends travelled to Thailand to begin our program. At 16 and 17 we were the youngest participants there but this did not affect the bonds we made within our group. In total, our group consisted of fourteen people from all different walks of life, from all over the world and becoming more like a family with these people is definitely one of the main highlights of our time there. Many were traveling alone but by day two you would think we all travelled together.

Our trip was planned very well. We received information at the start of each day as to what we would be doing and when we would have time to explore ourselves. Immense credit has to be given to our appointed guide and other vol-sol guides that were more than helpful throughout the duration of the experience.

We decided to set a goal of trying something new each day. This consisted of trying new food -which included scorpions at one point- to trying to learn some of the Thai language and this made each day more interesting.

I was incredibly pleased with the content of the program. There was a very good balance of volunteering and leisure time. This was important as it was amazing to travel and explore the city and also the rural areas of Thailand, as well as teaching children, working on local projects and living in an elephant village.

Bangkok was our first and final destination. We were ideally located as the famous Khao San Road was situated less than a minute's walk from our hotel and the markets did not disappoint. The nightlife is also a must. There are misconceptions about Thai nightlife however, personally, I had no worries about venturing out as long as there was a small group of us to ensure safety. It is definitely a unique experience but in the best way. The locals are always more than happy to help and most will try to engage in conversation just out of pure fascination. We also visited temples and learned about the culture of Thailand. We also volunteered at the Wat Pho temple, teaching children some English as well as playing games they came up with.

After Bangkok we travelled by train to Surin. Trains can be busy and the journey was long (thankfully there was air conditioning), however, this was not a big worry as vol-sol pre-book seats for the volunteers to make the journey as comfortable as possible. - The long journey's are a good time to reflect on the trip so far and I would definitely recommend having a journal of some sort on hand to document the trip as you go -
Initially in Surin we stayed in the '' hotel which was the most luxurious accommodation of the program. We soon set off to spend 4 days in an elephant village. We stayed in a house and the facilities were basic but nothing was missed. We were fortunate enough to be up close to one of the most beautiful animals. We got to feed, play with and bathe the elephants in the river daily. It is impossible to not become immersed in the culture and fall in love with the sights of Thailand.

After returning to our hotel in Surin we spent the remainder of our time volunteering at a childcare centre. We played with the children and taught English in the mornings and worked on improving the facilities in the afternoon and returning back to the hotel with plenty of time to explore the city in the evenings.

We had a free weekend and were given the choice of visiting Cambodia or going to Koh Samet (a beach island). The three of us and three more opted for the island as we were not going on the extended beach week and could not turn down the white sands and clear seas Thailand has to offer. This was very well organised by the vol-sol staff and even though this was our own choice and there was no obligation from the staff to help they went that bit further to ensure our safety. - I would highly recommend the beach weekend if you are not doing the extended beach week- The weekend was fun and full of new experiences that make great memories.

Back on the mainland we travelled to Khao Yai and trekked through the national park where we encountered a variety of wildlife within the jungle.

Finally we went back to Bangkok for our final couple of days. Returning to where it all began was a nice touch to end our journey. It definitely made us realise how much we had experienced and how we weren't ready to go home yet. It was sad to depart from our group as we had all grown so close as well as leaving Thailand where the people as so nice, the culture is incredible and the food is authentic and delicious.

Overall, I would not hesitate to return to Thailand and the vol-sol program was perfect, especially for a first time traveller. I'm so glad I used volunteer solutions for my first trip and I would not hesitate to try another vol-sol program in another destination. The best way to learn about the different cultures of the world is through first hand experience and I cannot recommend travelling new places highly enough.

Volunteering Experience Feedback 2015

In July 2015, I enrolled in a volunteering trip to Nepal. The program that I signed up for was the medical volunteering program as I am a student currently studying physiology at McGill University.

Whilst I was nervous due to the earthquakes that preceded my trip, I was mentally motivated, determined to help make a change. The program set up by VolunteeringSolutions allowed me just that. I arrived and was picked up by the designated driver on time and was shown around the city on my way to the residence. I stayed with Miss Uma, who felt like a mother to me by the end of my experience. Her children, both adopted and not, felt like siblings and the hospitality was unforgettable. Daily her food made us feel like we were local residents of the community, and the humble accommodation showed us what life was truly like. Miss Uma was also extremely understanding of each individual’s background and facilitated the processes of travelling throughout the country. She also assisted in establishing relations with the appropriate volunteering programs by dropping us there, introducing us to the appropriate people and setting up a proper plan for our stay.

The hospital that I volunteered at was Shahid Memorial Hospital. The walk to and fro the hospital was 25 minutes and provided me with time to take in my surroundings and prepare myself for the day. Once at the hospital, my duties varied. I had a schedule which changed between departments throughout the hospital ranging from the emergency room, the ICU, the general ward and the operating room. The tasks assigned were appropriate to my skill level; as I am still studying the profession and have not been exposed to appropriate hands on activity, the program allowed me to learn practical skills such as taking vitals and patient interaction as well as theoretical understanding by access to medical professionals. The most engaging and interesting experience throughout my time at the hospital was working with Dr. Deepak in the operating theater, he allowed us to assist on surgeries in ways that were appropriate for us, taught us how to scrub in and explained to us his procedure.

Furthermore, the city of Kathmandu was beautiful, there is so much to do in and around Kathmandu that allowed me to engage with the city and make me want to stay. There are cultural excursions to temples such as the ‘Monkey Temple’ and ‘Pashupatinath’, there is night life in the Thamel area which is always buzzing with life, there is beautiful nature and forestry surrounding the city and I truly felt connected to the people by interacting with them. The freedom in the program allows one to travel throughout the country, explore particular interests yet the schedule allows one to make a positive change.

I felt appropriately equipped as the handbook that was provided before the trip had prepped me well for the trip. However, the one suggestion that I had was keeping some more money than recommended as there are costs such as eating out, travelling around the country, activities and transport.

I strongly believe that the program that I was enrolled in taught me the practicalities of the medical industry in a developing nation, and throughout the facilitation of our host parent, I was able to interact with local orphanages, and specially-abled individuals’ homes to help in as many ways as I could.

A beautiful product came out of the experience; friendships with people that I had never met before. In one room, we sat and had dinner representing over 10 nations who all got along and connected through a common goal of making a change and learning something new. I can positively say that I did just that and I had a lot of fun along the way!

I am definite on returning to VolunteeringSolutions to try and volunteer more and explore more of the programs available as I believe that I have developed as an individual and learnt to have a more positive impact on the global community.

Thank you VolunteeringSolutions,

Neil Tanna

The best souvenirs are stories, and this trip definitely left me with many of those. I participated in the Summer program where I got to spend time in Bangkok, work in a childcare center in Surin, and work at an elephant camp. When people ask me about my trip when I got home, I tried not to go on and on about it, so I limited myself to telling about five things.
1. The friendliness of the locals--during free time one night, our group decided to go out to a local hangout and a few of us got unbelievably lost, we asked a local to take us to the place, knowing that she couldn't understand us. She left her place of work and walked us thirty minutes in the opposite direction so we could reunite with our group. She hugged us and sent us off on our way, all on her own time. People were constantly trying to help us, talk to us, and even take pictures with us.
2. The elephants are amazing. They really have amazing capabilities and seem almost human. One of the elephants even picked flowers from a tree and handed them out to the girls.
3. The kids are so sweet. They hated going down for naps, and not getting to play with us when we needed to do clean up work around the child care center. Even though we didn't speak the same language, we still made strong bond with the kids.
4. On this trip you are never treated like a child. We were given free time to explore and do what we would like to do. One day while working in the elephant camp, after making lunch for everyone, the group decided to walk down to a local park and play a pickup game of soccer with some locals. We played for hours, making friends with the kids on the sidelines and getting shown up due to our lack of skills in soccer. We then walked down to the river and went swimming where the elephants usually bathe. One weekend, we had free and we planned our own trip to Cambodia. We had the free time to bond with one another, experience the real culture, and take advantage of everything the area had to offer.
5. The staff was always in good spirits. I won't lie, our group caused some trouble, but the staff was extremely helpful. I'm not saying they were always the most organized, and we occasionally felt like we had no idea what was going on, but they would always come through, and they needed to. I had the unique experience of breaking my ankle during the extended beach week. I had to have surgery while I was on the island, and the staff was extremely helpful in getting my things to me, assisting me in finding a good hospital, and making sure I eventually got home ok.

It's been four months since I've gotten home, and I'm still going to physical therapy and recovering from my ankle surgery. People see me still struggling and ask me all the time if the trip was worth it. I always have to smile, think back at my many experiences and consider all of the great stories I now have to tell.

The first time I left the United States I was 17 and traveling alone. During my third year of secondary school I began to look for opportunities to volunteer abroad, and I found Volunteering Solutions. That summer I spent 3 weeks in Cusco, Peru working with a kindergarten in a small marketplace. During my stay, I grew close with not only the children in my class, but also my host family and other volunteers from around the world. The experience was unforgettable.

So, the following summer I decided to volunteer again. Since I had such a great time with Volunteering Solutions the year before, I ventured onto their website to see what other opportunities I could find. As a young student, money is tight, but I was able to find many programs that were affordable. I chose to volunteer in a pediatric hospital in Quito, Ecuador.

Each week day during my stay I woke up early to work in the hospital from 9 in the morning to 1 in the afternoon. The program I signed up for was not medical, but rather included more childcare responsibilities. Personally, I love working with children. The workday flew by as I assisted the staff in accommodating families and playing with their kids. Some of the children were extremely ill, and though it hard to see them in such pain, it warmed my heart to know that the other volunteers and I could make them smile.

The staff I worked with was kind. I found that I was able to practice my Spanish not only by talking with patients and their families, but also by understanding requests made by the women in charge. I would recommend that those considering this program have a background in the Spanish language. Although the staff is patient and willing to work with the volunteers, language barriers make it difficult to attend to the children in a timely manner. Also, being able to casually converse with the parents or older family members lightens the mood and can relieve anxieties.

There are two housing options with this program. You can either stay with a host family or in the student house. Since I already had the experience living with a host family in Peru, I chose to stay in the student house. This was also more affordable. Living in the student house was great because not only was it right across from the Volunteering Solution offices, but it also allowed me to meet so many other wonderful travelers. I will say most of the students living in the house were young, though everyone got along regardless of age. We all had something in common. We all loved to help others and travel the world.

After work, my friends and I would explore the city. On the weekends, we would make longer excursions to different places around the country. The offices directly across the street helped us book these trips and set up transportation. These trips were not included in the program, but they were not expensive. The little extra spent was well worth the memories we made. We climbed Cotopaxi, the world's largest active volcano. We visited the Quilotoa Lagoon. We even spent one weekend on the beaches of Montañita. If I had more time I would've visited the city of Baños de Agua Santa for a weekend of hot-springs, hang gliding, mountain biking, hiking, rafting, and more.

Beyond what I have mentioned, there are tons of breathtaking sites in Ecuador that I never got the chance to experience. But that is why I want to continue to volunteer abroad. Volunteering Solutions is a safe, affordable, and truly amazing organization that allows travelers like myself to see the world while lending a hand to those who need it. I have met the most wonderful people, both those who live in the countries I have visited, and those who live across the world. Through Volunteering Solutions, I have learned that we are all humans, and regardless of social or economic divisions, what brings us together is our shared ability to love.

At a certain point in our trip, we had to go to Dharamsala to hike in the Himalayas: my favorite part!
The small and cosy village offers a wonderful view on the mountains. Imagine yourself surronded by huge and colourful mountains, with the nicest people on earth and fresh air everywhere! My face shines by the memory of the hiking part, 5 hours throught the climbing but totally worth it. You wouldn't be disappointed!

Vietnam was probably my shortest stint in volunteering with Vol Sol- 1 week. It was however a great one week away from home. The accommodation was located in District 7, away from the hustle and bustle. Over there I met so many great locals and enjoyed just chilling at the local bar, karaokeing with them- language was not an issue at all somehow!

The one day of orientation taught me a lot about the Vietnamese culture, and allowed me to meet likeminded individuals. We volunteered at a day care located within the vicinity of the hospital. The only set back however was the number of volunteers to the number of kids.

Galle,Sri Lanka is definitely a place for travelers looking for some quiet time away from the hustle and bustle in the city. The orphanage was very much different from all my other travel volunteering experience primarily because of their very strict regulations, imposed on both volunteers and the children there. Once you get past that, you'd have an enjoyable time. Social scene was not as great as the other asian countries. Accommodation was pretty close to the beach, which gave me plenty of time to reflect and rejuvenate. Great experience nonetheless, but only if you're okay to be in the quiet.

When I was on my way to the voluntary house, I got chills down down my spine because I had no idea what awaited me, no idea what the real India looks like except from the pictures and movies that are popular in my country.

India is not for the weak, that's what people always said, it's famous for the dogs, beggar, trash scattered on the ground and all the negative things that I believe you already heard about India. It's true, well some of it, but WAIT don't suddenly packed up your bag, reschedule your ticket and flew back home to your country yet just after only a day and you think that you had enough. That's a big mistake, a really big one. Give it a chance, let yourself immerse in the hustle and bustle of Indian life. Because I will promise you that it will be one of the best trip in your life that you will never forget.

I was volunteering as a couple for Street Children program and it was such an amazing experience for us, the kids were so lovely, and we were amazed on how good they are in english despite their circumstances. The days went by full of joys and happiness. We taught them drawing and english and in return they taught us how to sing and dance.

The staff were also very nice and friendly, they made us feel like home, surrounded by family. But, indeed they are our new family. And we will never forget them.

I had the chance to start my 2014 year in Nepal doing good!

It was my first experience in volunteering abroad, the children were amazing, our host house was perfect. The orphanage was chocking at first but we managed to spend time with the children trying to create some activities and help them out with their homework. The accommodation was very clean and very well equipped to host volunteers from different places n the world. Tt was extremely cold though, temperature was sometimes 0C at night.

overall it was a great experience getting to know local people and help as much as possible. I was fascinated with the level of spirituality in the country, people are so zen and helpful. My girlfriends and I were so happy with this holistic experience.

To volunteer; is to contribute your goodness and works to humanity unselfishly, without seeking any rewards. It was worth spending the holidays with these angels.

Promise that you’ll be well looked after, like I was in my volunteering stint here. Just to give you a feel of what to expect: The airport pickup will ensure that you get to your accommodation safely, you’ll probably meet some other volunteers at the airport at well- and in most instances, you’ll probably end up spending the rest of your time volunteering with them, and even plan trip to the other areas as well.

The full introductory day will teach you about the Cambodian culture, specific dos and don’ts, you’ll also get to visit interesting places such as the Stadium where you’ll see Cambodians actively working out, the Killing Fields and of course the barbeque welcome dinner where you’ll meet the programme coordinators and all the other volunteers as well.

I’d also recommend visiting the Daughters of Cambodia café which sells beautiful handicraft to raise money against women trafficking in Cambodia. When you’re in Cambodia, I’d also recommend reading ‘First they killed my father’ which you may easily purchase for USD$5 at their local markets, to really immerse yourself in the Cambodian culture, as well as understand the history behind the country.