Program Reviews

Hi my name is Sara Stewart. I am an early/childhood education major at SUNY Cortland. This past winter I went to San Cristobal in the Galapagos islands in Ecuador.
My project that I had was teaching children in Ecuador English. I taught four classes every weekday and I planned lessons in the morning for a hour. All of the classes I taught were very different from each other. The first class I taught was a beginners class. This ranged from students who were typically five to six years old who barley knew any English. The next class I taught was advanced. This class consisted mainly of seven to eight year olds. The advanced class has mediocre English skills and the aspect that these students struggled with most was grammar. The third class I taught was level five. Level five consisted of eight to ten year olds. These students spoke some clear statements, but these students as well struggled with grammar. The last class I taught was a conversation class. This was the most advanced class I taught. This class consisted of twelve to fourteen year olds. These students when I were there had a one on one helper and I was one of the students helper. The whole time you would talk in English and ask the students any questions that cam dot your mind. This program had many supplies that you can use in your classroom and were willing to add anything you thought would be beneficial to the classroom.
The staff support was amazing. They provided me with transportation the minute I got off the flight. They introduced me to mu host family right when I got there. Later on in the first day they showed me where I would be working. They explained to me what was expected of me. Then they walked me around to show me where some cool places were. The first day of volunteering they picked me up and made sure I learned the walk to the work place. They also help me meet other volunteers. They also helped me to get adjusted to teaching ESL learners. They provided me with the resources I needed to teach the children. They even let me work on the conversation for a morning to see the turtles.
There are many activities to do on the Galapagos. I wish I had more time because there was so much I wanted to do! One thing I would recommend when being on San Cristobal is doing the 360 tour. During this tour you are on about ride. The boat ride takes you to many beaches that you couldn’t get to other than by boat. It then it takes you to other amazing snoring sites, such as my favorite kicker rock! When Snorkeling in kicker rock I saw hammerhead sharks and a few Galapagos sharks. I also saw sea turtles and many exotic fish it was a great experience! This tour was very affordable and I would highly recommend it. San Cristobal has another beautiful site, which is the volcano. The volcano doesn’t have may tourists that come to visit, but it is one of the most beautiful sites on the island. On the island there are tons of beaches, there are tons of beautiful hikes and tons of water activities that are worth checking out. The wild life is also amazing! The turtles park is a must see., They have a conversation for the turtles. You can see really tiny ones up to ones that are huge and are older
than one hundred years old. San Cristobal is an amazing place. Anyone who has the opportunity to go I would highly recommend it. I would also suggest going to the other two islands, that is the one aspect that I regret not doing most!

I had a great experience in Cordoba, Argentina, and I would recommend it again! I stayed in Cordoba for ten weeks as a human rights intern.

The human rights internship is good for any age or professional level, as it is flexible. We participated regularly in three to four main activities, but we often went to other events and were asked to create our own research projects. My favorite regular thing we did was act as peer mentors for young women in a correctional facility, and my favorite event was marching on International Women's Day in favor of safe, legal abortions and to bring awareness to femicide.

Cordoba is a good city to live in for volunteers with tighter budgets like myself. The city is centered in the Sierra mountains, so there are LOTS of places with day-trip potential nearby, and the buses were inexpensive and reliable. My favorite trips involved hiking--Capilla del Monte and Las Cascadas. In Cordoba, there are art fairs, street performances, and events all the time, as well as some really good art museums.

I would definitely recommend that volunteers brush up on their Spanish! I went with very little, and I was not able to afford PA's Spanish lessons, so I relied mostly on immersion to learn. I learned quite a bit, anyone like me with little Spanish would be able to do it and have a great experience--however having a better grip on the language will give you a more dynamic experience overall. Having spent two and a half months in Argentina I am motivated to learn more Spanish, so that my next experience will be even better. I am planning on taking Spanish when I start school next fall.

I genuinely recommend this project for anyone looking into human rights work as a career, like me. It gives a good, in-depth look at work in the non-profit sector. Additionally, Argentina's past struggles with human rights in the 1970s and 80s gave me context for everything we were working on--it is a good country to learn in and from if you need an introduction to human rights advocacy.

Over the spring break, I went to the Taricaya Ecological reserve in Peru, and I loved it! This was technically meant for university students, however Projects Abroad was super accommodating and still let me go even though I am in high school. I received lots of information and my contact was incredibly helpful, and answered all of my questions quickly and thoroughly. They offered to book flights for me and sent me an option, but I ended up finding a cheaper option and booking them myself. Once I arrived in Peru, there were always staff around who were very helpful and kind. I loved working Taricaya, doing research and conservation work, and I felt like I was genuinely being helpful, rather than just volunteering to make myself feel good. The only thing that I wish could be improved is the overall cost, as it was a little expensive. All in all, I had a fantastic time, and Projects Abroad was very helpful during my travels.

My experience was very enjoyable and I would highly recommend it to anyone wishing to partake in an overseas immersion experience. The staff in the country were well experienced with the program and itinerary and also about the local culture. The staff were also very friendly and were able to connect with the kids to ensure we got the most out of the trip. The support provided prior to the trip was also extensive and helpful and once it came time to leave for Cambodia I felt very prepared and I knew what I was to do once I arrived due to the conversations I had been having with Projects Abroad staff prior to my departure.
At our placement we spent our days painting, teaching and we built a pond at the primary school. My favourite part was seeing the excitement on the faces of the children. This motivated me even more to continue the good work I was doing and assured me that this trip was worthwhile. I enjoyed every moment on placement and to see the impact we had made once our trip was over was a life changing moment for not only myself but all people involved.
One of my biggest concerns when embarking on the trip was the people I would be sharing the experience with. However, I didn't need to worry as I made long-lasting friendships in the people I went on the trip with. What I found even more interesting was that the individuals on the trip came from across the world and were all of a similar age to myself. I truly believe the people I shared the experience with made it even more worth it.
Overall I believe the trip was prepared and managed well from start to finish by the Projects Abroad staff. I never had a doubt in doing a program with Projects Abroad and I plan to do more as I loved the first one so much.

After spending 2 months in Cambodia volunteering with Projects Abroad (cost $4400 Australian not including flights) I came away asking where has the money gone. Apparently PA allocated $4.50 US each day for each volunteer to eat. The organization gave the school that I was working at $100 US for my placement and allocated a further $40 for me to buy resources for the school. The accommodation was worse than any basic hostel I have seen. The mattress I slept on looked like it had been dragged out of a rubbish tip. So where did the money go In fact where did the $18 million profit that this company made in 2016 go? Well according to PA (as per an email they sent me) "In Cambodia we make considerate donations to an NGO called Khemera for their 8 daycare centres..." Interesting use of the word "considerate" when Khemera's 2016 financial statement indicates that Projects Abroad donated a mere $42,469.00 some of which was made up of the $100 per volunteer placement contribution made to 8 childcare facilities operated by Khemera. Further investigation uncovered the mother company of Projects Abroad....Beech View Holdings Ltd. The company's financial statement 2016 makes for an interesting read: https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/03286143/filing-…. And if you're not fully convinced about the profit making focus of this company, here's another article: https://www.incomediary.com/peter-slowe-interview-running-t…

I took the leap at the young age of 16 and decided to fly half way around the world to volunteer with Projects Abroad. I signed up for their High School Projects without evening knowing where Cambodia was!!! Projects abroad helped and assisted me with everything. My trip leader was beyond amazing, a real support buddy and I later learned that the team did an incredible job at supporting my Mum with all her nervous questions!!

The Staff at Projects Abroad were there to support us 24/7 in country and back Home. It was a well run program and I felt I was in safe hands. I recommended this program to someone else and they had an experience very like my own which was great to hear. It’s great to know that the team at Projects Abroad believe in what they do.

Accommodation was great, basic but very comfortable. I had my own bed, shared bathroom and space for my suitcase at the end of my bed to store my belongings. Accommodation was always clean, neat and tidy. Drinking water was always available. At night there was a night guard although it did feel it was in a pretty safe area.

I am so glad that I went with Projects Abroad for this trip and couldn't imagine having gone with anyone else.

Back in June, myself and my friend took a huge step and travelled to Nepal with Projects Abroad. As two 18 year girls we were terrified as neither of us had travelled on our own before but Projects Abroad put us at ease instantly. They were with us from the moment we emailed them inquirying about Nepal to departing back home. We did the Care and Community project in Kathmandu for a month. We taught in one of the local school's, teaching children from 3-12 yr old about Science, Computers, Maths and English. We let them do Art if they got their work done and the Art I came home with are drawings I'll cherish forever.

After a day's work we would go get momo's or meet up with friends from other projects in a different town and explore. We made friends for life over there and some are even coming over to visit us for St Patrick’s Day!

When we got back to our host family, everyone in my house would gather in one of the rooms and talk about our day. Dinner was always delicious. Even a fussy eater will love it. My host was the friendliest woman. She would often talk to us about her day or try to accommodate her schedule around us. Her children loved that they have volunteers frequently and talk to us when they aren't busy with homework or playing on their tin whistle that we brought over.

Project's Abroad contacted us frequently with updates about workshops and asked to meet up in café’s to talk about how we are settling in and if we have any problems or even just to talk. They even made sure our living conditions were appropriate. They couldn’t do enough for us. Even when we arrived home we got an email asking us if we enjoyed our trip. This organisation isn’t a business, it’s a caring environment that want to see both parties benefit and honestly I think we both did. I will forever cherish the memories I made in Nepal and the friends I’ve made for life. If anyone is considering travelling with Project's Abroad, it would be a decision you won't regret!

My first time away from home volunteering experience was fantastic with Projects Abroad. Upon my arrival in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, I was welcomed warmly and amazingly. I was given a city tour and introduced to the local cultures/language the first day there. The following work days, I worked alongside qualified professionals at various places such as child care center, kindergarten, impoverished communities and center for disabled children ((different activities every single day), providing basic health services and education on illness prevention. The evaluation procedures were easy to grasp with the help of the experts. Through the outreach processes, I’ve learned how to test and screen for illnesses and prescribe relevant medications in addition to build quality interactions with the patients.

I found it quite impressive that this program brings together people from many cultures with varied work experiences and different perspectives on strategic and organizational challenges. The team members come from different countries and functional backgrounds always work together to manage complex conditions and evaluate the care of patients. Moreover, the accommodation was also mind-blowing, you get private room and personal bathroom, hotel like bedding, AC, 24/7 guarded gate, 3 meals a day healthy diet plan that matches your preference with plenty of fruits and vegetables, convenient and cheap transit service, flexible schedule etc.

Overall, my 2 weeks stay there was comfortable with kind and caring attention. Everything went smooth from arrival to departure. I was almost fully immersed through interaction with the local culture and I also picked up a little of the local language. The experiences that I had have shaped myself as a person. If I am to volunteer abroad again, I would definitely come back to Projects Abroad and get a duration of a longer program.

My time in Nepal was life-changing, and not just because I was in one of the most naturally gorgeous and culturally rich countries in the world (although that, of course, was part of it!). A big part of why my trip was so rewarding was due to the people who made it possible. Projects Abroad staff made sure that every aspect of my journey to and time in Nepal was perfect, even beyond my project. Even before I left I was in contact with PA staff who walked me through my pre-departure preparations, with any answers I needed being just a phone call or email away. This staff accessibility continued throughout my journey, with my volunteer coordinator and other staff at my placement actually becoming good friends. Even after my placement ended, PA staff was there for me whenever I needed it-they even helped me to organize my solo travel (a trip to Chitwan and time in Kathmandu) so that I didn't have to worry about a thing! The community was also fantastic; I made friends on my trip who I will keep in contact with for the rest of my life, and loved getting to know both my fellow volunteers and the locals who call Ghandruk home. I also greatly enjoyed my day-to-day; I felt truly fulfilled by the work I was doing and further had a lot of fun doing it. I can't wait to travel with Projects Abroad again!

I've just returned from Cusco, Perú where I worked for the last three weeks. In January I decided to join Projects Abroad, a project that wasn´t well known in the country where I live (Buenos Aires, Argentina) but I made my research and decided to go for it. In february I arrived, unsure of what I would find there, but everything went excellent, I have absolutely no complaints. My host parents were nice and welcoming, and I lived with other two volunteers from Australia and the UK with whom I became really good friends. My role at the placement was working with little children in a Wawawasi, which is Quechua for a daycare center. I helped making activities for the children, teaching maths and hebrew to both students and teachers; helping with the cleaning, cooking and others. I feel as I received much more than I gave; everyone was so caring and lovely that they were constantly telling me how much they appreciated my visit. In fact, the teacher invited me for lunch to her place the last day and cooked for me a typical peruvian dish! I couldn't be happier for my experience, and I would definitely recommend it to others, and even repeating the experience in the future.