Program Reviews

I took on the Mayan Roots Program in Guatemala with Operation Groundswell for two weeks during the month of July. From the moment I arrived to the moment I flew back home, we were constantly learning, moving, talking, performing, sharing, and experiencing. I felt like a blindfold had been removed from my eyes after talking to the locals and learning about the culture and diversity of the country alongside my mentors - whilst creating my own image of this beautiful country. OG really helped take me out of my comfort zone in a safe and supporting manner, teaching me lifelong skills of communication and teamwork. There is no doubt in my mind that I will return for another OG adventure, it's something that HAS to be experienced at least once, but will make you hungry for more.

This program was truly amazing and inspiring. The PLs (Program Leaders) were perfect and worked well together despite being very different people (they really made their differences work for them and make them stronger as a leadership team). The organizations that we worked with were responsibly chosen and we were never in a place that they didn't have something for us to do (I have had previous experiences volunteering where we definitely were not needed). Additionally, the people are what made the trip. The community that we built with each other was phenomenal and a safe space for everything from LGBTQIA+ community to people who had struggled with addiction or mental illness, etc. This is the most social conscious trip that I have ever been on and would recommend it highly to the conscientious traveller.

My time in Guatemala through Operation Groundswell remains the most influential and coolest thing I have done in my life! I would recommend it to anyone ready to get out of their comfort zone and have a life changing experience. I still to this day relate many of my thoughts and experiences in my career to the experience of being in Guatemala.

Operation Groundswell creates an authentic experience that is unlike any other.

I signed up for the program as a late twenties working professional, I was well travelled and open minded but secure in my sense of self / life. Therefore, I wasn't sure what I would get out of the trip if anything but I was absolutely blown away. I had conversations about things I thought I knew inside and out but discovered a whole new perspective, I was challenged to use my language skills (thanks Duolingo) which improved immensely while I was there. It was really interesting to see how the other people in the group reacted to situations as they were generally a lot younger than myself and had less life experience, observing their reactions helped me to see how each individual person's interpretation and memory of an experience are completely unique to them and it's helped me to interact better with my co-workers and kids I work with back home in Canada.

In 2017 I spent a large portion of my summer in Guatemala volunteering and learning with Operation Groundswell. The trip was filled with tons of laughs, new friendships, and of course, new knowledge. I went into the trip worried that the organization along with our program leaders might take themselves too seriously, but even though we covered some very serious topics such as the exploitation of coffee farmers in Central America, our leaders managed to keep a light-hearted tone and encourage fun involvement in all of our activities. Although we had our ups and downs, our leaders Pete and Aina handled every stressful situation with ease and ensured that all participants felt safe and as comfortable as possible. 10/10 would recommend!

Traveling with Operation Groundswell was an invaluable experience that I owe a great deal of who I am today to. My trip to Guatemala showed me the true meaning of selfness, finding and cultivating lasting relationships and genuinely living everyday like it’s your last. I woke up everyday feeling fulfilled, loved and safe. I was excited to start each adventure even if that meant waking up at 3am to trek to the top of a mountain to watch the sunrise. The hardest part of the whole experience is coming home with the travler blues. I wish I could give everyone the gift of an OG trip! Thank you to OG, Ben & Mikel... I will never forget any of you!

I went on OG's Ghana Global Health Program. By far it is one of the best travel experiences I've had as I've gotten older and become more independent. I had the opportunity to understand why developing cultural literacy before and while traveling/living in another country is so important. Visting and learning about different health initiatives in Ghana really opening my eyes to the wide range of social factors that affect health and the great value in having meaningful discussions with local community leaders and activists before doing anything as foreigners or "volunteers." The independent travel time, which is incorporated in all OG programs, was something I was worried about because I had never done any sort of travel without a program leader/tour guide/other family members, but I met some wonderful people over the course of the month that made that week one of the most transformative experiences in my life. The program leaders were amazing! They really knew their way around Ghana and encouraged us to travel as locals to really get a sense of what life there was like. If you love adventure, want to connect on a more personal level with the locals and the culture of Ghana, and understand what and how health issues are being dealt with at a community level I encourage you to apply! You will not regret it!

One of the most memorable experiences I've had in my life. I got to see what life was really like for West African people, culture, healthcare and way of living and what a beauty everything was. Useful tip: pack light, you'll have more time to sleep in and less to worry about. And also, be prepared for the time of your life that you'll be able to tell stories about for ages. The entire trip was my favourite memory, but Cape Three Points will always hold a special place in my heart.

Honestly the trip was amazing, although it was kind of a roller coaster because there were times i wish the trip was “better” mostly in regards to how much I paid for the trip compared to how much you could pay on your own; I learnt a lot. And afterwards I realized that I didn’t pay to be fed, transported and brought in hikes, I was paying to learn new things that I’d never learn back home. For those who worry that the trip is expensive especially since you need to pay for your own flight, it is TOTALLY worth it! You pay for ans amazing time and amazing leaders and that’s what you get. They know all the little secrets around town and you will definitely not be disappointed. My leaders were and are amazing people in their own and had a crazy life story that I couldn’t get enough of. I made new life long friends that I’d never forget and hope to travel with in the near future.
We got free time through the trip to go walk around visit new places, eat where we want, go shopping, take pictures etc. We had choices of food we could eat when we ate out (we ate at a vegetarian restaurant and it was some of the best food I have ever eaten). We helped on a farm and learnt lots of new things about organic agriculture , got to take many hikes, saw a couple of archeological sites as well as one that no tourist would go to because it was defiantly off the beaten path.
A tip for future travelers would be to extend your trip after the OG trip. Your eyes and heart will be so much more open than it was before and you will really embrace and appreciate what the country and the people have to offer.
This trip changed my life in so many ways I can’t even describe , it was my first time traveling solo, at the age of 19 and I met so many new and amazing people on the way and the OG program made the trip so educational and purposeful I couldn’t imagine going to Peru without going with OG.

Moral of the story I highly recommend any OG trip. I’m already planning my next one and I am hoping to go to Ecuador. Woo!

A very grateful Alumni,
Savannah Dubien

I was drawn to this trip because I was craving experiences with a greater sense of adventure and authenticity. Naturally, I entered knowing that I would be challenged, but the experience itself would far surpass any of my expectations. Traveling with Operation Groundswell is unlike any other travel experience I have had. The way you are immersed in the culture extends beyond the food you eat, or attractions you visit, it is ingrained in everything you do. Our coerced initial discussions about consciences interactions and local politics quickly shifted to thoughtful conversation about solving problems on grassroots levels and utilizing privilege for good. We learned in ways that posed questions instead of preaching answers, and it lead me to a deeper broader understanding of other cultures as well as my own.

In regards to the fashion specific perspective of this trip, I will say that the issues we covered were much more human rights focused than textiles or industry focused. As a result, I think this trip can really be applicable to anyone regardless of their interest, or lack there of, in the fashion industry.
While we did spend a good amount of time exploring the practices of textile manufacturing at the Thanapara Swallows Development Society in the Bangladeshi countryside, much of that time felt more like a deeper observation of the culture rather than an sewing lesson. Much of the discussions took place from human rights and political perspectives rather than the perspective of the craft itself. That being said, one of my favorite things we did was take part in the natural dying process at Aranya, an all natural clothing and textiles line based in Dhaka. The founder, Ruby, was absolutely inspiring, and the dyed silks were beyond stunning.

From the welcoming nature of the Bangladeshi culture, to the stunning landscapes of the subcontinent, to the awesome people I got to spend two weeks with, in its entirety, this trip was an incredible reminder of how beautiful this world is. The topics are certainly heavy, and I left Bangladesh with more questions than answers, but I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to witness that amongst all of the darkness, there are so many incredible people in the world working selflessly to do amazing things for others.