Program Reviews

I arrived in Brasov on the 4th of July 2014 and was to stay for four weeks. My first weekend was relaxing but by no means is that a reflection of how many things there are to see and visit while you are in Romania. I managed to fit in visited the city of Sighisoara, Bran Castle, Rasnov Fortress, Peles Castle, I climbed 7 Ladders Canyon and took a tour of Brasov.
The beginning of a work week begins on a Monday and continues through to Friday, allowing plenty of time for fitting in all these activities on the weekends but also meaning you get to spend a lot of time with the main reason you will be travelling to Brasov, the bears.

The bear sanctuary is nothing short of amazing, a great set up, lovely staff, beautiful surroundings and at the time of my visit, 81 gorgeous bears. The bears are a mixture of characters and you have plenty of time to grow attached to them all.
Jobs vary from food preparation, painting fences, raking and helping out around the sanctuary, but also 'free time,' for wandering around and watching the bears, scattered amongst the work. Don't get me wrong sometimes the work does get very repetitive and you do get tired, but it doesn't change just how amazing the experience is and how grateful you will inevitably be by the end of it all. Don't go expecting not to get dirty, sweaty and gross because that is definitely part of the experience. If you are on food prep by yourself, like I was for my first week, I would recommend some form of music to pass the time. Once you have someone with you it is a completely different story, it is also awesome to be able to share the experience with someone else who loves the bears just as much as you do, someone that will also no doubt become you friend.

The apartment is located in a great spot, only streets from the main square and road, the local supermarket and plenty of places to visit as a tourist. Not a minutes went by that I didn't feel a hundred percent safe, comfortable or at home. With everything that is considered essential within walking distance the small completely gorgeous and picturesque section of the Brasov offers complete independence.

I will greatly miss Brasov, my temporary home, my amazing room-mates who I look forward to seeing again somewhere down the track, and the more than accommodating Razvan the Oyster Rep, who went above and beyond. These guys help to make this experience what it was and so much more, I went for the bears but I had a better time in Romania than I could ever have imagined because of the family I feel like I made and the lifelong friends I will have. A massive thanks to Oyster Worldwide for providing me with the time of my life!

My first time travelling alone, I was a mixed bag of nerves and excitement. Throughout the whole experience I was supported by Oyster staff, who gave me a lot of vital information to prepare myself. I also found researching about the Rehabilitation centre useful to develop my understanding. I was greeted at the airport by one of the lead volunteers, and I was made to feel very welcome upon arrival. Everyday the home cooked food and family atmosphere really makes you feel at home. Every week there are trips to the local supermarket where you can buy your own snacks/other bits if you wish, as well as other trips to sign up for - Kruger park was amazing!! Personal hygiene is a must, as you do deal with cleaning up poop and on my experience, a lot of people became ill. The tap water may be safe to drink for some, however when I came home I had to go on a 2 week course of antibiotics. The experience was amazing and something I will never forget.

I spent two weeks at Riverside and even though it has been several years since I've been there, I fiercely miss Riverside and yearn to return. The experiences and memories I was blessed there with will forever remain and exist in my mind, heart, and soul.

Last summer I spent three weeks at Riverside Monkey Rehabilitation centre in South Africa. The project involved cleaning cages, preparing food for the animals, and for the most part, playing with the baby and adolescent Monkeys and baboons.
The amount of contact that we had with all of the animals was undoubtedly the highlight of the trip. Learning the differences in the personalities of the monkeys, and how to interact with them was eye opening and just down right incredible!
My time at riverside helped me come to my decision of what i wanted to do with my future, as before going I didn't know what i wanted to go on and study at university, but working with the primates made me realise that I had to study wildlife further, to hopefully go on to a career with animals.

I had the most rewarding experience when volunteering within Romania at the Libearty Bear Sanctuary and also at the Millions of Friends Dog Shelter. The dedicated staff and other volunteers I met along the way made my experience even better to be able to share it with others. It was a very rewarding, positive, enjoyable and fun experience. So much- that I returned to Brasov for another few weeks of volunteering before departing Europe for Australia.

This was a long standing ambition for me and I wasn't disappointed. I think it's fair to say that you get out as much as you're prepared to put in.
I went for 6 weeks in March/April in 2012 & 2013 so enjoyed the end of the winter season & start of the spring. Everything is organised for you from collection at the airport to daily 30 minute transfers to & from the sanctuary. The main daily task is usually preparing food for the bears, donkeys & wolves. Other tasks are dictated by the weather but for me included clearing ditches and bagging leaves to allow water flow; cleaning the on-site surgery and training suite in the main building; helping with the guided tours. You work alongside the local permanent staff, who are very friendly but certainly appreciate it if you make the effort to speak a little Romanian. The work can be dirty but that's one of the reasons I love this programme so much - it's not a glorified holiday; more roll your sleeves up and muck in! Having said that you do get plenty of time when the tasks are complete or you're awaiting a food delivery when you can explore the sanctuary (the setting is breathtaking) , observe the bears and take fantastic photos. The apartment in Brasov was ideal as not too big; the max it holds is 4 people in 2 bedrooms; it's great fun sharing with other volunteers, especially when exploring the bars/restaurants in the evenings/weekends, although I have to say I did enjoy a period when I had a room to myself. Razvan is the Romanian Oyster rep who speaks perfect English and works tirelessly to ensure you have everything you need. He took us to the supermarket to stock up on food and a few sightseeing trips at the weekend. He even helped me organise a birthday trip for my visiting sister to the Danube Delta, including hiring a car & getting a hotel to accommodate us in the 'closed' season. As I was there for quite a long time, I also took the opportunity to visit the dog shelter in Brasov, which is another worthy cause supported by the same charity.
This really is a fantastic experience; I can't wait to go back again and I hope to make it an annual event!

Working at the Libearty sanctuary in Romania was possibly the most wonderful and exciting trips of my life. Every day just walking up to the main house we got to see many of the bears who live there. Mostly we prepared an sorted food, which left plenty of time to take some fabulous photos or just sit and observe the bears. Apart from the volunteering, there was always something to do near the flat since it was two streets over from the main road. Many afternoons were spent just strolling around and enjoying the scenery or people watching with my fellow volunteers, who I still keep in contact with. If you want to meet some amazing people and some cool bears you absolutely must take part in this program!

I spent three weeks volunteering in the Zarnesti bear sanctuary and living in the apartment provided for the volunteers in nearby Brasov. It was a completely new experience for me. Although the work itself was quite repetitive (preparing the food for the bears, some work maintaining and cleaning the grounds and buildings on the site), the location was magnificent (so was the weather, in April-May) and the chance to observe dozens of bears going about their daily lives was truly unique. The staff on site were cheerful and friendly and appreciated my attempts at speaking Romanian; the volunteer coordinator in Brasov, Razvan, could not have been more helpful - and was great to have around and socialize with as well. We finished work in mid afternoon most days so there was plenty of time to explore Brasov and relax in the private area/garden outside the apartment. The only downside for me was lack of privacy - the apartment consists of two shared bedrooms and a kitchen, so there's no space indoors for quiet time, but for anyone who isn't bothered by that it was very comfortable.

In the summer of 2013, I spent an entire month volunteering both with the wildlife and with the elephants. Everything was simply wonderful. From waking up to the shouts of gibbons to going to sleep to the sounds of geckos. We were completely submerged in this wonderland. Taking elephants on walks and showering them was one of my favorite part of this trip! Even thought I loved my time spent here, I wouldn't recommend this trip to everyone. Simply because not everyone is suited for the lifestyle we experience on this trip. For instance, the shower head in my bathroom had broken off, so I basically showered with a hose my whole time there. And you can forget about hot water, on a typical day when it's 40 degrees Celsius out that's not an issue. But after a cold and heavy rain fall when you are out feeding the monkeys in the forest, you can bet you'd wish you had some hot water. The social aspect of this trip was also amazing! When I was there, we were at the very least 35 volunteers from all over the world! And there was never a dull moment! From looking threw night markets, to hiking a national park on the look out for wild elephants, we were always entertained by one another! And our nights out to the bars were also nights to remember!

I can honestly say that the three months I spent in Nepal were some of the best months of my life.

Firstly, the support from Oyster Worldwide was incredible - right from my first email enquiring about the trip 'til weeks after I returned home, the staff were clearly dedicated to ensuring that I was always safe and happy. They are a small company but this adds to their charm, as they know each of their volunteers individually and remain in contact with you throughout your trip. Whilst you are in Nepal your independence is promoted as you are living in a village with a Nepali family - however Oyster's in country representative (a man named Basant, who was absolutely wonderful) is based in the capital city of Kathmandu, which is a brilliant 'Safety Net' if ever you have a problem. Basant is contactable basically 24/7, which keeps you feeling safe at all times. Furthermore, Basant (who has his own company based in Kathmandu) and his staff are incredibly welcoming, and I considered them friends by the time I left.

Secondly, living with my host family was such a wonderful experience. They welcomed me into their life in every way and treated my as if I was really their daughter - I would consider them a second family now! They cook an amazing breakfast and dinner for you each day (our Nepali mother actually brought us tea in bed each morning!), and are eager to make you feel at home. Joining in with family traditions such as the twice-annual potato harvest, or gathering around the fire in the evenings, preparing dinner, or even watching Nepali TV is an unbeatable way to get the most out of the experience. This also extends to spending time in the rest of the village - going for walks allowed us to make some great friends in other parts of our village (Godawari), and allowed us to enjoy events such as Holi (the festival of colour) as much as possible.

What makes this trip really stand out is the trips that are included in the main price. Whilst in Nepal I took part in a seven-day trek in the Himalayas (something I thought I would never be able to do but ended up being one of the most incredible things I have ever done - and I am so proud of myself for doing it!), a jungle Safari (in which I found myself stood two metres from a wild rhino, whilst feeling completely safe), white-water rafting, and an eight day tour of Tibet (which was truly fascinating). The trip to Tibet even included a day spent visiting Mt. Everest Base Camp! These trips are incredible for so many reasons, and allow you to spent a lot of time with the other volunteers completing the same project.

Finally, the teaching was really the heart and soul of the time I spent in Nepal. The children you are teaching are wonderful - so polite and so eager to be friends with you, it's nothing but a pleasure to be teaching them each day. Before arriving in Nepal I wondered how I would teach English to children who didn't speak the language at all - how very wrong I was to worry! The children's english is, for the most part, very, very good. I found that their vocabulary was excellent - however, it was teaching them to use it properly that was the challenge. It was incredible to see the children slowly adopting the things I was teaching them, and I left at the end of my three months feeling like I had really made a difference.

Now that I have returned home from my trip I find myself wishing I was back there more frequently than I would have ever expected before I went away. I have promised my host family that I will be back to visit them in a few years, and I truly intend on keeping that promise!

To sum up, I honestly could not recommend this project enough; I had the absolute time of my life!