ISV - Volunteer Conservation Projects in Australia

This summer of 2015 I went To Australia with International Student Volunteers. I didn't know what to expect and it was my first time out of the country but it was by far the best experience of my life. Every time I read someone's review about how the people they meet are now their best friends I was like "yeah, sure ok" but I met the most amazing people and still talk to them. There is something about this shared interest in helping the world and traveling that brings people together and this trip did just that. I made the most amazing friends that I would not trade for anything and I have never laughed so hard for 5 weeks straight in my life. Australia is the most beautiful place in the world and all of the adventures we went on there were outstanding. If you are looking for a trip that is going to make you feel worthwhile, this is the trip to go on. Spend the money, deal with all the logistics of going and get on that plane. You will not regret it. Every activity you do is planned to the very last detail. You want to white water raft in the oldest rainforest in the world and you definitely want to scuba dive/snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef, and of course you want to learn how to surf in Byron Bay (my favorite location on this trip). Trust me, you wanrt to do it all. And trust me even more when I say you are going to be in good company. ISV picks the most amazing team leaders. My group cried when we left our project leader, Meg and we bawled our eyes out when we had to leave each other and that is only after 4 weeks! This experience is life changing and I recommend you go to isvolunteers.org and you sign up today because you will never have another experience like it.

This trip was the best decision of my life. On my project, my group of 8 people became like a family. During our volunteer weeks we stayed in a sustainable community and did conservation work to help connect 2 rain forests. We had so much fun during our volunteer weeks. I loved where my project was at because in the community we got to meet people from all over the world and hear about their travel experiences. I was surprised how much people in Australia encouraged us to continue to travel. The next 2 weeks was the adventure tour. I got to do so many things in 2 weeks that most people do not do in their life. We did things that made me step out of my comfort zone and conquer my fears (rappelling). I also got to do things I have always wanted to do (snorkel the Great Barrier Reef). I made so many friends during this month and I want to go back! It is a great experience for a first time traveler.

Signing up with International Student Volunteers for a summer session was the best decision I have ever made! Along with doing some amazing conservation and preservation work, I met many friends from all over. I learned a lot about myself and about the culture from where I stayed while abroad. This volunteering opportunity looks great on applications and is well worth it!

Traveling to Australia through ISV was easily the best experience I've ever got to be a part of! From the moment we stepped off the plane in Brisbane, everyone we came across made us feel so welcomed in this new environment. My project leader was amazing, and our project hosts at Wild Mountains were some of the greatest, most passionate people I've ever met in my life. It was amazing to see the kind of impact we got to make on our world in those two short volunteer weeks. The adventure tour was also amazing! In the two weeks, I got to experience so many amazing adventures that most people won't even get to experience in their whole lifetime. From bungee jumping, to white water rafting, to abseling off the side of a mountain. ISV really helped me push myself out of my comfort zone and I couldn't be more grateful for the experiences and the people I got to meet while doing this once in a lifetime trip. Thanks ISV!!!

Participating in the ISV program was the greatest decision I have ever made. My country was Australia, and I was there between June 25, 2015-July 24, 2015. It was the best month of my life! My volunteer project was geared towards environmental conservation and sustainability. My volunteer group consisted of me and 11 girls from different states, along with various staff and crew members. The first 2 weeks of my trip were amazing; with my group members and the staff it felt like a family. All the work we completed was truly remarkable, and we had so much fun doing it! The second 2 weeks was the adventure tour, which consisted of 29 girls and 2 boys, plus our tour leader and bus driver. I did so much in those 2 weeks that most people haven't done in their entire life! I conquered my fears (repelling, water rafting, etc.) and did things I've always dreamed of doing (surfing, snorkeling,ocean rafting, etc.) Overall, the month I was in Australia felt like a dream, and I already want to go back! I made so many friends on the trip and so many memories! If you want to spend your summer doing something good, while also discovering who you are and partaking in amazing adventures, ISV is for you! I promise you won't regret your decision! I'm already planning on going back next summer to a different country. I cannot put into words how amazing of an experience you will have with ISV.

ISV knows what they're doing. Everything this program did was centered around being Responsible tourists. They practice what they preach in every aspect of their plans. Even for a bathroom break on a long bus trip, they worked hard to support local businesses and those working to be green. They managed to teach you about being environmentally friendly, Australia's wildlife and history, as well as keeping you safe and making sure you had the time of your life. It was the most incredible trip of my life and so much better than I ever dreamed it would be. It was a great way to get out and see the world and ISV took care of everything so you didn't have to stress about plans, just enjoying it. For a first time traveler, it was a great way to learn about options for traveling, like hostels, that I really hadn't known about before and feel more confident in my future planning. ISV does it all, and I can definitely see why they are the world's highest rated volunteer organization.

Choosing to participate in the ISV program was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Prior to the trip, I was incredibly nervous to travel across the world by myself for a month. Within the first day of meeting my group members all my worries vanished. In a month's time I volunteered at a Wildlife Sanctuary working hard, long, and rewarding hours where my efforts were visibly making a difference. I met people that instantly became family, proudly faced my many fears, and experienced things throughout the two week adventure tour that most people spend a life time trying to achieve. Everything from the activities, to our leaders, to the accommodations was amazing. I was sad to say goodbye to a country I fell in love with and my new family. I cannot say enough good things about ISV and am already looking into participating in another trip. If you're willing to work hard and give it your all during the volunteer portion of the trip you will be pleasantly rewarded with the adventure tour, the people, and the memories you'll make along the way. To those who are on the fence about committing to this program, I warmly encourage you to do so. "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone", so start living!

One thing that I found fascinating is that Australians encourage you to keep traveling and keep learning about other cultures and environments. My life goal now is to go to every country in this world.