Program Reviews

I volunteered at both the orphanage (6 weeks) and elderly home (2 weeks) in La Serena, Chile from May 15th to July 10th this year. Both organizations are run my Sisters, who are so kind and made me feel extremely welcome. They made my experience so great. Overall, I had a wonderful experience volunteering with the children and elderly people.

I learned so much about Chilean culture and really improved my Spanish. I also made some great friends with other ABV volunteers and people at my work. I had a great trip after learning to adjust.

My host mom cooked plenty of food for us and adjusted her cooking to my dietary needs (I cannot eat gluten or lactose). Her food was delicious! I always felt safe and everyone was very nice. Vilma and Tanya (local coordinator and Spanish teacher) are very kind.

On my second-to-last day at work at the elderly home, I ate lunch with the Hermanas (the Religious Sisters) and they were SO funny. Everyone jokes with me because I love peanut butter so much and it is not very popular in Chile, but one of the sisters also loves it and even puts it on her fish! They made me feel very welcome and I was able to work closely with them to help at the home.

The organization support was extremely helpful. I asked so many questions and always got a very rapid response. You can also save your chats on the website and email them to yourself which was very helpful.

The pre medical program I was part of in Costa Rica was an awesome experience. I was lucky enough to volunteer at a hospital where I would help care for the babies or kids whose parents could not always be with them.
There are not enough nurses to care for all of the kids and the parents need to eat or sleep at some point and that is where the rest of the volunteers and I come in. We would help take care of the children. This could be as simple as sitting there and letting them play, or helping feed them. What was amazing to see was how happy many of the kids are even though they are in the hospital. Just playing with them for a few minutes is enough to see a big smile, which was great. It was so rewarding. Also, the family I was staying with was amazing.
Alice was the greatest cook, and she was so welcoming. She helped to show me around my first day in the country and was such a great help until my last day in Costa Rica. The weekends were also a great time to explore the country of Costa Rica. I was lucky enough to explore the Arenal area through zip lining and a trip to the hot springs. It is definitely something that everyone should do. Honestly, this program has been a blast and great in every area.

Volunteering at the Monastery in Nepal Kathmandu was a beautiful experience. I had never taught before, but after a while it felt very natural. This is something I think everyone will benefit from if given the chance. The local coordinator and his family were very welcoming and kind. He was able to provide me with information about anything I needed to know about. He checked up on me everyday asking how I was and if I needed any help. Both he and his family made me feel at home and were very welcoming. I will cherish the memories of this trip for years to come. From teaching, hiking, to meditating it was all very soulful and I feel much different after this trips. Hoping to come back again.

I really really loved my time in Cusco. The people I met through traveling, and other volunteers were absolutely amazing. I always had something to do in town and the time flew by. Volunteering in Peru has taught me so much about different cultures, mentality, values, and way of life.
My program in the clinic was exactly what I wanted to do. The nurses I worked with were so kind and encouraging of me, which really motivated me to go work there everyday.
I absolutely fell in love with Peru and Cusco. I feel as though I really took advantage of my month in Cusco to explore the city and get integrated, and yet I still feel like I there was so much more I didn’t see. Cusco is incredibly beautiful and cultured with many quaint side streets, historical sights, and activities. You won’t be bored!

Overall the trip was very memorable. I got to watch a ton of endoscopes, discussion and shadowing the doctor’s at the hospital, there were a few other volunteers and students working at the hospital at that time, I’m glad I came and stayed with a host family so that I could really immerse myself in the culture. There are tons of options for sightseeing, trekking, and traveling and I very much enjoyed the experience.
I would advice if you are coming during winter, BRING LOTS OF WARM CLOTHINGS! Nights get freezing during winter and you’ll be glad you brought sweaters, hats and gloves. Definitely go to Pokhara and Nagarkot. We had a lot of fun in both of those places but prepared to travel for a long time to get to/from Pokhara.
The Staff support in country was great – he was extremely helpful in both orientating me to the city and helping to plan any outside trips. He’s is very dependable and whenever I needed anything he would accommodate. He’s super patient and has no problem sitting down and explaining anything I found confusing or needed help with. And the rooms are spacious and there is a locker in each room to put your personal belongings. Sudir and his family are super nice and gave us extra blankets. The food was tasty with a homemade traditional Nepalese dinner and a more western breakfast. The doors all lock and I overall felt very safe. Watching the sunrise over the Himalayas in Nagarkot. It was a really beautiful, once in a lifetime experience and I would recommend it to anyone.

I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to volunteer in Honduras at the local hospital and clinic. Everyone in the ABV program really wants you to have the best experience possible. This program also allowed me to gain so much more hands-on experience than I would have been able to get in the U.S. I was able to take vital signs, assist in wound cleaning and help at a "health fair". I also observed C-sections and many other surgeries. All of the doctors were welcoming and thankful for our help. They were also willing to explain what they were doing and why. There is no doubt that I would recommend this program to anyone who is thinking about pursuing a career in the health care field.
Rafael was a wonderful host during my week in Honduras. He drove us to and from the hospital each day to ensure our safety and was always open to hearing our questions and concerns. I'm really grateful for everything he did to make sure I was having the best experience possible. This trip would not have been the same without him.

On one of the days, we visited a local school to conduct a health check up. The school did not have proper walls and the coordinator told me that for some time, the school did not have a proper roof. Inside one of the classrooms, I saw 15 little children bundled up in scarves and jackets, eager to learn. It warms my heart to see the dedication and passion these children had for their education. The children were so respectful and stood up and greeted me when I entered their classroom. It was a privilege to do a health check up for these children. I checked their height, weight, and eyesight. Most of the children were underweight. It was inspiring to see how happy these children were regardless of the condition of their school or their financial backgrounds. They were determined to study and progress their careers. Despite the fact that these children were from humble backgrounds, their lunches were all homemade and healthy. During my stay in India, I often observed that middle class and upper class children ate a lot of unhealthy refined flour products like Maggi, biscuits, and namkeens for lunch. Despite the fact that these children were from humble backgrounds, their lunches were all homemade and healthy. This was also great to see. I truly enjoyed visiting the school, and I wish I had had more time to visit another one of the schools.

I've done a similar trip in Guatemala with another program but it cannot compare to going through ABV. The coordinator in Honduras was with me every step of the way and cares that you are getting the most out of the program. As a result, I learned and saw so much that I wouldn't have been able to see as a volunteer in the U.S. I got to take vital signs, help out in wound care, and I learned to start IV leads and administer medications and vaccines. I got to witness live births and hear about the surgeries that other ABV volunteers witnessed. It was also cool to meet other volunteers also from ABV and hear about their experiences. What I loved most was learning from the doctors and nurses who enjoyed teaching us despite how busy they were and who had the patience to explain to us the whys and the hows. In the U.S., it's harder to find doctors who are willing to take that time of their days. Overall, it was an amazing 2 weeks and I was excited to share it with my family and friends.

I gained so much hands on experience and saw so many medical cases during my pre-med program in Honduras. The doctors were more than happy to show us how to do sutures, catheters, vaccines and more. I did see cases and diseases I could only read about at home. At the hospital, I got to watch so many surgeries, deliveries and met so many different types of doctors. It is amazing how well they do with what they can with such little and limited resources. We also gave pets vaccinations and went to schools to educated people with an outreach healthcare program. I am so very thankful for the opportunities and all that I have learn. I could never have gotten this kind of experience at home (Canada), and this truly reinforced my path in the medical field. The Spanish lessons were good and very helpful. The neighborhood we lived in was very safe. They have two security guards that are circulating in the neighborhood 24/7. The house was located near the mall and a taxi anywhere in town was only 25lps (1.50USD). I did met so many amazing ABV volunteers from all over the world during my stay

I had a tremendously positive experience during my 6 weeks in La Serena. The school staff and students were all very welcoming and eager to have a native English speaker with them and they were all very friendly. The host accommodation far exceeded my expectations. Vilma the host mother had the perfect temperament for the job, offering a comfortable home with beautiful home cooked meals and time to talk and laugh in the evenings. The neighborhood of both the accommodation and the school were very safe and I would highly recommend this program to anyone, particularly with Vilma she is the coordinator of the program as you couldn’t ask for more hospitality or a more seamless transition into volunteering. It was my first experience volunteering and its an experience I’ll never forget.