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I stayed in Bali for 3 weeks which I personally thought was more than enough but others a lot of other volunteers stay for longer period of time so that really depends on what you're comfortable with.
Orientation week: To be completely honest, since the turtle conservation project is on nusa penida and the orientation week is in bali, orientation wasn't a big must (but it was still nice considering because you do get to meet people from other projects).
As for the project itself, apart from being a bit repetitive, you get to work with a bunch of people you live with and with whom you get super close because we all live in the same accommodation and we all eat together so you really get to bond with everyone which is awesome. I have to say though that not all rooms have their own bathroom (but you get used to it fast) and yes, hot water in the shower is not a thing but seriously, you end up looking forward to your cold shower, trust me. Everything is also super close to the accommodation like the laundry place (it's literally next door and she sells MAGNUM ICE CREAM), the super market which is just down the road along with the ATM which is just a bit farther down and finally the place where all the turtles are that's right in front of our accommodation (along with the beach!!!). So really, it's an amazing experience :)
There's also the coordinators that are super super sweet and approachable! They always have a smile on their face and are super nice to be around.

A group of 26 children running and climbing all over me can only have one explanation - it was the first day of my Kindergarten project. I have never seen so many smiles in one room, the children were incredible, full of life, and so ready to learn. We had been given a lot of information on our class and were provided with notes on what they had already been learning so planning lessons and activities was a breeze! All the nerves I had recently had about teaching had completely gone since myself and my teaching partner made a great team. We used the week to try and help the children learn about plants, so with this we had them making DIY trees, singing songs, and creating their own gardens. Whenever a child had finished with their work they would run up to you just so they could get a high 5 (I probably gave out a 1000 of these every day)! This project was extremely rewarding, especially when you could see what a difference you were making to the children. When I wasn't in the Kindergarten I was exploring Bali with new friends from all around the world. During the induction week we were taken on lots of tours to become familiar with Ubud one of which was the Monkey Forrest. I bought a bunch of bananas and held them up in the air, not expecting the drama that would then follow... 6 monkeys began to jump and hang all over me. I couldn't stop laughing but eventually one sat on my shoulder and in return for the banana I gave him, he left a warm present on my shoulder and even though I was disgusted by the smell, I had never laughed so hard! Overall my IVHQ experience couldn’t have been better, from the second I signed up to the final day of my project I was given complete support from all the staff. I couldn't recommend IVHQ enough, I now have friends from every continent around the world and have made some unforgettable memories from one of the most incredible experiences of my life!

My IVHQ trip to Bali was not only my first time traveling not alone but also traveling to Asia! I was not only nervous, but extremely scared. After arriving and meeting all of my new friends, all of my fears instantly disappeared. I have grown so much personally and am very excited to take many more trips in the future. Staying the home was very comfortable and everyone felt like family. We went on many adventures together and I never felt alone.

I was lucky enough to spend 12 weeks volunteering in Bali via IVHQ and I can honestly say it was the best experience of my life so far.
Everything about Bali I fell in love with - the people (the most welcoming and friendly people you'll ever meet), their values and culture, the scenery (from mountains, to lush greenery, to some of the most stunning beaches in the world), the food and just the general way of life.
Everything about the volunteer program was great as well. IVHQ were fantastic leading up to going out there, dealing with any queries/concerns imminently and Green Lion (the organization that runs the projects out there) were incredibly helpful and really go out of their way to make sure each volunteer is happy and getting the most out of their time out there.
I did the kindergarten project and was blown away by just how keen the kids were to learn English. I found it incredibly rewarding and my one piece of advice would be, if you can, go for as long as possible as the longer you stay teaching these kids (or doing any other project for that matter) the more you will get out of it and the more they will get out of you as well. Sometimes it can be hard on the kids if they have a different teacher every couple of weeks (especially the kindergarten age group) and the longer you stay with them the more they'll get used to your teaching methods and you'll form more stronger bonds with them over time.
One final thing, I've done a bit of travelling before but this was the first time I went out by myself and I'm so glad I did. Not only will you form friendships for life with other like-minded volunteers from around the world but if you go out of your way a bit you can get to know the locals really well as well. The Balinese are incredible people, whose values in life I highly admire and I'm now lucky enough to call a fair few of them very good friends.

When I first arrived in Bali to undertake the teaching program, I felt nervous and excited and was so glad to have one of my close friends sharing the experience with me. As we drove closer to our accommodation, the nerves and fear hit an all time high and all of a sudden I found myself feeling a sense of culture shock- something I had never even heard of, however unbeknownst at the time; the start of something wonderful.

By day two, I was at home in Penestanan. The Green Lion Staff were simply friends who went over and above to ensure that all of our needs, no matter how great or small, were met beyond expectation. The Hindu culture was an amazing thing to learn about, as well as the traditional ceremonies and practices of the modern day Balineese people. Orientation week (although exhausting in the heat) was a great experience, and I fully encourage everyone to attend every activity and make as many friends as you can- from all around the world! Weekends away were always exciting, with the prospect of exploring a new place and meeting new people. The children were beautiful, some of the most grateful, humble, loving children I have met (coming from a teacher background). We would drive around half an hour to have them waiting out the front of the school with smiles on their faces, arms wide open and ready for some fun and games (and of course some English). There aren't enough words to express how the experience makes you feel, do it for yourself!

Everything about this trip was incredible. The scenery, the accommodations, the food, the culture, the entertainment were all wonderful. I participated in the construction program and it was so much fun. There wasn't by pressure to be experienced in construction and the coordinator was very helpful. I met so many wonderful people on this trip with everyone being from different backgrounds and with different stories as to why they were there. My most memorable part of the trip was going to a little local tattoo shop with another volunteer and getting tattoos as a memory of our time in Bali. It was the least painful tattoo I have ever gotten and I have a lot and it was just such an amazing atmosphere in the shop. A lot of the volunteers go there and the shop takes pictures of your time there and hang up everyone's pictures and tattoo designs on the wall.

Amazing experience !! from getting to know new people , to exploring new countries to leaving an impact on a child's life ! would do it again in a heartbeat...my only advice is to stay longer than 2 weeks and be very open minded and flexible!

I remember the first day I reached and it was 1 am , everyone wa a asleep and I had to tip toe to sleep we were all so shy and timid , 2 days later we were sharing stories about our families and having drinks together!

This was an amazing experience of a lifetime and nothing like anything else. I really enjoyed sharing a room and meeting so many nice people from different countries and will probably see them again. The staff and locals were very nice and supportive and very encouraging. The program fees may seem expensive but is definitely worth every cent. I would definitely come back to Bali or some of the other amazing locations and other projects. I have learnt so much in the introduction and from the placement that you can't learn from reading books. This is definitely the best experience of my life.