Program Reviews

My experience in India over this summer changed how I saw the world and the kind of impact I wanted to make in it. I learnt a lot about my self as well as other cultures, and was challenged to new levels mentally. Some of the toughest parts of the program were actually perhaps the best things of the trip, such as the 11 days we spent in rural Rajasthan. Working with local organisations was a perfect way to immerse ourselves in the culture, and participate in it the way locals do, and with the locals. While you cannot escape the fact that you are a tourist, OG encourages you to be a responsible tourist, and if not able to have a positive impact, to at least reduce and be aware of the positive impact you can have. It gives you confidence as a person, and the independent travel time was the perfect way to put everything we learnt into practice, and demonstrated how much we had learnt and changed over the 6 weeks.

This program is certainly not perfect, and there were several occasions where the ethics of what we were doing came into question, despite the fact we had come precisely because we did not want to be "voluntourists". Cross-cultural communication was challenged, and it was sometimes easy to feel as though we weren't being listened to, by OG or the organisations we were working with. Several of the discussion activities felt prescriptive, as if we were doing them for no other reason than them being part of the itinerary.

One thing to note is the programs will have an impact on you more than the communities you work in. The primary aim, as far as us could tell, was to educate you as the participant, rather than attempting to change the state of education or the Tibetan refugee crisis in 6 weeks flat. However, it is immensely worthwhile and rewarding, and I have made some amazing friends out of it.

I absolutely love to travel, and I had always wanted to give Backpacking a try. I was really hesitant before making plans with OG because I had no experience backpacking prior to this trip. I decided to go for it, and all of my travel worries went away once i got connect led with the group leaders. I got the chance to Skype with them ahead of time where they let me know what to bring and what to expect on the trip (and there were a lot of things I wouldn't have thought about without them!).
Their staff was super helpful when it came to getting ready and while we were on the trip. I never once felt unsafe when I was with them.
They led me on so many fantastic adventures that I still talk about 3 years later! I mean, who else gets to say they've hiked a volcano?
The only downside I can think of was that our group wasn't very cohesive. That isn't on OG at all, though. It's just a part of traveling with a group. Even despite our many differences, OG trip leaders put a lot of effort into making sure we did fun group activities that met each person's needs.
I loved my trip, and I know you would too. I couldn't think of a better group of people to travel with!

I have never traveled with people that I had not met before. I had been going with groups from my school or with my family. So going into this I was really nervous. However through the entire trip I never once felt unsafe. I also got bit by a monkey my third day there and the program leaders handled it amazingly and I got the shots I needed with no problems. The experiences themselves were also amazing. I got to do so much and see so much of a country I had been dreaming of visiting since I was little. We got to meet so many people and see so much. I also had a lot of self growth. Going into the trip I had a lot of mental health issues. I was very self conscience and closed off in many ways. The trip help me open up in so many ways and soon I was the most confident and happy I have been in the past 10 years. I owe this trip so much. For future participants I say go in open minded. And when you're presented with an opportunity to try something new to take it. You wont regret it and chances are you'll love the experience. Make the most out of it, because you never know if you'll be able to make it back. It was an amazing trip and I enjoyed every moment of it!

This 40-day trip with OG was my first time travelling outside of North America. Prior to the trip, I felt very supported by the OG staff when it came to logisitcs (flights, answering questions about program safety, etc). I also absolutely loved fundraising (I fundraised for my community contribution and program fee) because it 'forced' me to do more research on the non-
profits I'd be working with in country, and through that I was able to raise awareness before even stepping foot into the country! This is cheesy, but I tell everyone, it literally changed the trajectory of my life. I came home more confident, and with a better idea of what I wanted to do with my life. The program was amazing, my Program Leaders were BOMB, and I still keep in contact with the people I travelled with.

I enrolled on the India: Mind and body program without really knowing what to expect. I was simply hoping to be thrown out of my comfort zone... and oh boy, was I ever!

OG puts a lot of emphasis on cultural immersion and traveling in a simple and humble way. So, our accommodations were modest and we took sleeper trains and rickshaws to get from place to place. We had a lot of opportunities to learn from the culture and practices of India through structured activities, but I also felt like we had a good amount of free time.
There was a fairly last minute change to the itinerary, which altered the program quite a bit. Rather than staying in the Rishikesh area, we ended up spending a week farther up in the Himalayas on the Ramana's Garden farm. There, we had a lot of time to do service projects and to get to know the many wonderful people there. We also had a lot of time to discuss our impact, and how we could make the experience mutually beneficial for ourselves as well as our hosts. Things didn't go 100% smoothly, but what held the program together was the amount of love and support between all the people in our group, as well as our program leaders. They all became sisters to me, and I wouldn't want to have shared the experience with anyone else.
India was tough for me. The sensory overload, the heat, the lack of toilet paper, etc. was overwhelming at first. However, one I got into the swing of things, I found the whole experience to be both profoundly beautiful and humbling.
If you're thinking about going on an OG program, do it! You won't regret it.

Exciting: This was my first international experience. I wanted a program that was more than visiting popular tourism sites; I wanted a program that immersed you in a culture and forced you out of your comfort zone. OG did just that in a way that I always felt safe and supported.

Thought-provoking: Through scheduled discussions and impromptu chats on bus rides, OG opened my world to new questions I had never asked. Learning about others experiences and comparing those to my own makes me feel grateful for the opportunities I have had and inspired to give back.

Hilarious: Each memory is filled with laughs. From breaking out in song on bus rides to dancing around with pizza on our last night, my trip was filled with a unique and amazing group of individuals. Stories from this trip are my favorite to tell because I can't tell them without laughing and smiling.

I traveled with OG in May of 2014 to Peru. It was somewhat a spur of the moment decision and I could not regret it!

Travelling with OG gave my the opportunity to truly experience a new culture and learn from my fellow group members. We saw so much of the countries amazing nature as well as different elements of the culture. This was done through spending time learning Spanish, living with local family, and volunteering with local NGOs. The group leaders organized the trip perfectly for us all. We had lots of time to explore the country, volunteer with locals, and get to know each other. I took so much away from this trip. Additionally, the time following our volunteering to explore on our own time give me the chance to travel on my own for the first time with the help from group leaders who knew the area. I highly recommend Operational Groundswell to everyone looking for truly helping others as well travelling responsibly!

What an incredible 40 days of experiencing new cultures, learning more about myself, and making friendships for life! I'm so very lucky to have gone on this amazing journey with Operation Groundswell throughout Bolivia, Chile, and Peru, with such courageous and like-minded people. I can only hope this is the beginning to a lifetime of adventure. The friendships that I have made on this trip are deep and profound. Even months after being back home, we message back and forth daily and are extremely supportive of each and everyone's endeavors. Truly an experience to make friends for lifetime.
-Ryann Van der Zwiep (Bolivia: Lands & Livelihoods, Summer 2017)

OG is a wonderful organization that engages with tourism in a pretty unique way. This was my first ever time in Southeast Asia so I didn't want to go all by myself. Having studied international development in undergrad, it was very important to me that I travel with an ethical company that respects local cultures and doesn't charge you a fortune to build part of a school for a couple weeks and have you thinking you're changing the world. OG was exactly what I was looking for. We definitely had our share of touristy experiences, but getting off the beaten track is what made this trip special. The value for the price is excellent, considering that everything is planned out for you and how much is packed into these 6 weeks. Despite the fact that it's been a few years, my experience in Cambodia and Thailand is still something I constantly talk about (pretty sure my friends and family are sick of hearing about it). I can't say enough good things about OG and would not hesitate to travel with them again.

I was not sure what to expect when I arrived in Guatemala, but before I knew it I was on my way to Antigua to start the adventure of a lifetime. The program leaders were very friendly and welcoming and made me feel more at ease while being in such an unfamiliar place. As a group we learned, we explored, we built friendships and grew as individuals. I learned about the complicated history of a country I knew nothing about from the various different people we visited. I explored the beautiful scenery and volcanoes on our trek, every nook and cranny of the cities I was let loose in and explored my ability to communicate despite not speaking the same language. Sharing all of these experiences with the other people in my group, really bonded us and I am looking forward to those friendships lasting a lifetime. Operation Groundswell really allowed me to grow as an individual and become a more confident traveller. I carry my experiences with me and I know that I have learned how to be a sustainable and globally aware traveller. This was such an incredible experience, more people should travel with OG!