Costa Rica: Wildlife Conservation, Permaculture, and Repsonsible Tourism

Going to Nepal, I had no idea what to expect. My experience was more than amazing. I met so many great people and learned not only things about people in the community but also myself! This trip made me see the world from a different point of view and it will forever stick with me. I cannot express how safe I felt at all times during this trip. Our guides always made sure that we had everything that we needed and encouraged us to step out of our comfort zone and really embrace the experience! During our time in Nepal we did many different things that involved giving back to the community, but we also go to experience many activities that you normally would not take part in. This trip allowed you to see more than just one city and impact more than just one town. During our working days, is when we really got the chance to get to know the people in the community. It was an amazing feeling to leave Nepal with connections with the locals. Being able to actually get to know the kids and families made everything we were doing that much more special. You will never not have a smile on your face when you are around these amazing people!

My GIVE trip to Nepal the summer of 2018 was my first time leaving the United States. I was a senior in college and had an overwhelming desire to travel but didn't know where to start. I was lucky to come across a flyer which directed me to a presentation that would steer my life in a more exciting, fulfilling, and positive direction. The presentation hooked me by promising hands-on volunteer work, a sense of community, and immersion into a foreign culture, but the actual experience far exceeded anything that could be described.

When I arrived to the airport in Nepal I was greeted warmly by our guide, Amy. She was quick to ask about who I was and genuinely friendly and caring. Getting on the bus and taking that first ride through Kathmandu was surreal. My eyes were glued to the window, absorbing every detail of the dusty streets sprawling with unfamiliar life. Once we arrived to the Buddha Stupa, Amy let us explore the square in our own groups where we were able to become friends with each other very quickly. From then on, it felt like I had known my fellow volunteers for months and our friendships continued to grow with each new experience.

There was not a single minute of the entire two-week trip that I felt bored. I could truly disconnect from my life in the U.S. and live in the present moment with life happening right in front of me without the distractions of electronics or any everyday obligations we all have, be it school, work, bills, etc. The only things I had to focus on where being immersed in a completely new world, my mission to help a local community rebuild, creating strong connections with volunteers and locals, and break through my comfort zone every day.

I have another GIVE trip planned for the next upcoming summer to Tanzania. There's no better way to travel, have a positive impact on the world, and make lifelong friends than journeying with GIVE. This trip will challenge you, inspire you, and alter your outlook on life for the better in ways you didn't know were possible. I would encourage everyone I know and anyone who is seeking a fulfilling adventure to take the risk, and to eventually be able to look back on their experience with joy and achievement.

I've travelled for different service trips prior to this trip with GIVE to Nepal, a couple to different regions of Africa and one to Brazil. What really stood out about this experience was how passionate every single individual volunteer was, everyone was excited to serve and help in any way we could. We did a couple construction projects for about a week and were able to complete a solid amount of work and hearing the thanks from the village council leader is a memory I will cherish for the rest of my life. Language is often thought of as the main barrier when traveling outside of the country, outside of your comfort zone, but I would say that with our translators help and a Nepali lesson every night I felt comfortable enough to introduce myself, tell people where I was from, compliment the cook and haggle in the local markets! We also were able to use those Nepali skills for one night on the trip where we stayed in the village with a family without a translator, which was another crazy and enjoyable experience from this trip. I really hope to make it back to Nepal one day to reconnect with my wonderful friends.

Volunteering with GIVE Volunteers provides an amazing experience that I think is truly impossible to find anywhere else. I volunteered on the Nepal trip in May of 2018 with an incredible group of individuals from all over the United States and even Australia (shoutout to Amy!). One of the aspects I love the most about the GIVE program is its desire to not only make an impact through volunteering and service, but to expose you to different cultural experiences. Seeing the Boudhanath Stupa (a UNESCO World Heritage site) in Kathmandu was easily one of the coolest things I've ever experienced. Waking up to a view of the Himalayas nearly every morning wasn't the worst thing ever, either!

The vibrant colors--in the prayer flags, the food, the different cities--reflect the personalities of the Nepalese people. Not only we were extremely well-taken care of by the GIVE guides, the Nepalese people also went very out of their way to ensure we had everything we needed and were experiencing Nepal to the fullest. GIVE allows its volunteers to make genuine connections with the Nepalese citizens whether it be through laying brick together on the homes we worked to repair, doing a homestay with a local Nepalese family, or simply spending time together having fun, I felt like I learned so much about the culture by being able to form relationships with these people.

Both the volunteering and adventuring are very rewarding. After days of volunteering, I felt very proud to be able step back and admire the impactful difference we had made in creating something so important. Being able to white-water raft down a river also instilled a sense of confidence in me, and I'll never forget the jokes and stories we told as we glided through the water.

Going to a foreign country can feel nerve-wracking, but I can honestly say volunteering with GIVE has been one of the most special experiences in my life. I use the lessons I learned about becoming a global citizen daily, and I'd love the opportunity to attend another trip. You could not ask for more respectful, fun-loving guides or a more amazing experience. If you have the chance to attend one of these trips, DO IT!

GIVE Nepal was better than I ever hoped it would be. After attending WILD, I knew that I needed to attend a true GIVE trip. This trip was truly incredible. I learned a lot about the country of Nepal and myself during it. Some of the trip highlights included building a house, white water rafting, a safari, and exploring the atmosphere and culture of Nepal. The village of Paslang, where we did reconstruction, is a beautiful and welcoming area. Starting the first day there we were welcomed with a traditional ceremony. I thought that only certain people would welcome us wholeheartedly, but the entire village showed up that day to welcome us. This sight made me sure that we were working in the right place. Over our time working we were fed traditional lunches of dal baht and were offered refreshments of tea and bananas often. Although most villagers spoke little to no English, we had Pasang, who is a Nepal native from the Everest region, and pekash, who is a native from Paslang, to help translate anything that couldn't be communicated through physical gestures. In my opinion working in Paslang was the most rewarding and enjoyable thing on this trip. Continually, we had a chance to do some fun adventure activities in Nepal as well. We went 2 day whitewater rafting down the Trishuli river. This was my first time whitewater rafting, and I am so pleased that I was able to experience it on this river. During slow points on the water, I would just look around and be astounded at where we were. Truly breathtaking views. Following that experience we visited Chitwan National Park, which is home to a number of incredible animals. Sadly we did not get to see any tigers in the park, but we did get to observe a few rhinos and crocodiles (from a safe distance). We concluded the trip the same way we started: exploring part of Kathmandu. This time we looked at the ancient city of Bhaktapur, and boy was it astounding. The ancient architecture scene in this place was incredible. Overall I would recommend this trip to anyone who is looking to explore a different side of themselves and the world. Namaste!

The four weeks I spent with GIVE in Nepal were honestly some of the highest points in my life thus far, both metaphorically and literally!

It was so humbling working along side the community members to help repair their homes that were damaged in the earthquake: locals and volunteers alike putting in equal work, sweat, jokes and laughter on the worksite. It was amazing to teach young children valuable skills and knowledge that will help open so many possibilities in their futures, it’s incredible how much they progressed in the short amount of time I was there! All the while, there were smiles, dancing and a warm embrace between different cultures. But what I love most about GIVE is that it’s not a charity, you can go home confident that the community is learning and investing in itself to continue improving and provide for itself, just as I went home armed with new knowledge of how to better impact the environment, sustainably travel, and be a global citizen!

Then after working hard, we got to play hard! The excursions were amazing and we were lead by experienced guides who had our safety as their top priority. We adventured all over Nepal: from immersing in the bustling capital, to exploring ancient cities, white water rafting through beautiful natural beauty, and getting a chance to safely see the rare fauna in a safari in a national park. I also did the add-on excursion and embarked on the 13 day trek up to Everest Base Camp with several of the new close friends I made during my time volunteering. It feels amazing when you finally make it up there and are completely surrounded by mountains on all sides!

This experience was incredible and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves making a difference and who loves to expand their view of the world!

I loved this trip!! From the very beginning I knew I was going to have a blast! Amy,my Guide was amazing. You can definitely tell she loves her job and she gives it a 100% of her effort. I loved the volunteering and being along side the locals was an amazing experience I will never forget. The add ons that we did were so much fun and I will never forget this experience. Volunteering was a lot of fun because we definetly saw and made an impact in this community. One of the parts that I loved about this trip was the Homestay. We got to cook and live with a Nepali family for the night which was so much fun and life changing. Everyone here was wonderful and they were more than welcoming to everyone. EBC was also so much fun. I think it is a great add on for what the price and experience is. It was so so hard,but the guides are so cool and they will push you to your fullest potential. This trip is all worth it.

It was the best experience ever you get to dive into the cultures of people around the world and work with them to help rebuild their homes and even if you can’t speak the language you find many ways to communicate and have fun. By far the best time I have ever had. You also get to meet amazing people around the world. Not only do you meet people you get the chance to also stay in the homes of the people you help build. The after a hard day you get to go to a local school and teach kids english. The fun doesn’t stop because once you go back home you take a quick shower and you run up to the hill and challenge the locals in a game of soccer, but don’t kick it don’t the hill because you have to go chase it . at the end of the trip after you worked so hard you get to go water rafting and just relax and be surrounded by the amazing people this was the best experience I have ever had thank you give