Program Reviews

It was an amazing trip, it was comforting while also helpful doing community work. We stayed at the Smokey Manor for half the trip and then we went to the Blue mountains. It could not have been any better. I am a vegatiarian and they where very flexable with that. The space was small, but in a good way. We all got really close together like family. We welcomed part of the staff to be part of our school family. Even some other people from a different group. Over all I could not have seen this to be any better. Very nice and I would recommand anyone to do this program because it worth every second, and penny.

Deciding to complete an Internship in Jamaica was one of the best decisions I've ever made! Studying in the Travel and Tourism Industry, students were granted the opportunity to travel worldwide and since I am a person who loves traveling I instantly began to seek for an International opportunity. Now being that I have Jamaican background It motivated me find a company in Jamaica and Intern for them, thus how I found Jamaica Volunteer Expeditions. This experience helped me to enhance and practice customer service skills all over the world while also learning more about my cultural background. From the moment I arrived I felt welcomed as the company team members were present from airport pick to the final date of Internship. I was blown away with great field trips where we as a team and as an individual created inseparable memories, viewed many beautiful sceneries, had the chance to make new friends and be fulfilled with delicious local foods and pastries. This trip was a big step for me as it completely allowed me to step out my comfort zone but i'm so glad I pushed myself into this decision. I would definitely recommend this program to any persons who wish to volunteer and/or do an Internship with JVE. It was truly an eye opener experience and I hope that in the future I will return for a visit or participate in an alumni events.

I participated in the Jamaica Volunteer Expeditions program from March 13th-April 8th. I would recommend this program to anyone looking for a safe vacation, volunteer experience, or anyone wanting to learn about other cultures. The accommodations are beautiful, clean, and make you feel at home. The staff are very welcoming and provide excellent service, catering, and several opportunities for activities and tours. What I most enjoyed about the program was the opportunity to interact with the locals of Kingston. The cultural immersion was an unforgettable experience, and will be returning soon!!

Volunteering in Jamaica has been the most amazing experience and I will never forget it! The evening I arrived in Jamaica I was jet lagged and nervous, but after speaking to the other volunteers and Marlon, the son of the family who own the guest house, those nerves soon went.
The first week I was in Jamaica I was volunteering at an orphanage in Havendale. The girls were all lovely there, just craving attention. I read them stories, helped them with their homework, played games outside with them and one day we made birthday cards for the lady who ran the orphanage. There was also an 8month old baby boy, I loved teaching him how to walk, he was very sweet. By the time I was leaving he was trying to say my name, which was just brilliant. Also in the first week I went to Manning's Hill pre school twice, all the children there were lovely too, it was a great experience being able to help them with their words and letters. The aunties and the teachers at both the orphanage and the school were very helpful and grateful for me being there.
For the remaining 3 weeks I was at Shortwood Practicing school, this was for children aged 3-15. I was volunteering with the pe department by helping to teach the kids sports. On the first day I taught a class of 5year olds track and field sports. It was great and the kids were all really helpful and pleasant. On the second day it was parents day, so I was sitting next to one of the pe teachers as he did his one-to-one parent teacher consultations. This was a very eye opening experience and I learnt a lot about the background of some of the kids. During my time I was also asked by one of the senior management team to go up on stage during their devotion in the morning, and tell the children about me. I also donated some footballs and netballs to the pe department as they didn't have any! They were desperately needed for the kids to learn new skills for competitions. The pe teachers and the rest of the staff at the school were very kind and willing to help me with anything I needed. They also didn't push me into anything I didn't want to do, it was always what I felt comfortable with.
Staying in Smokey Manor Guest House was brilliant, the Evans family were great with everything, you knew they'd be there to help if you needed them, The housekeeper and cook Louise is a legend! Everyday cooking authentic Jamaican dishes which were so tasty! But always with a smile on her face.
The day trips I went on were also great, I learnt a lot about coffee in the Blue Mountains and relaxed at Hellshire Beach.
Overall this volunteer experience has been life changing, it couldn't have been any better. I learnt so much, I think I made a difference to the lives of some of the children, plus I has great fun, had loads of new experiences and made some friends for life. I will definitely be coming back to Jamaica soon, as I've fallen in love with the island, the culture, the music and how kind the people are. I don't think I've ever been as relaxed in my entire life, I'm even staying an extra week with someone I've met since being here.