PMGY - Volunteer in Bali from $330

I just came back from the PMGY Bali English teaching trip. I had the most amazing time ever, I wouldn’t take it back for anything in the world. I went with one of my best friends, but I believe this trip would have been great to go solo, as most people I met on the trip did! Getting there was really smooth and the driver was waiting for us once we arrived at the airport. Once we got to the volunteer house Indra and Nadia greeted us and showed us around the whole house. We quickly felt at peace in our new “home”. Orientation went really smooth and we were able to get volunteering in no time. At the time I was there was about 50 other volunteers so it was amazing to meet so many people from all over the world. Everyone quickly became friends and we’d use our spare time to hang out. The weekends were especially fun to explore Bali with new friends, I’d recommend going to Nusa Penida island just because it’s so beautiful. This experience was 10/10 and I’d recommend PMGY to anyone:)))

I did childcare in Bali for 3 weeks and I have to admit these were the most life changing weeks in my life so far. Before I even came I was anxious about the pick up, because I was arriving late in night, so I assumed nobody's going to be there, because you know it's outside their working hours. But I was wrong, staff 10000% will pick you up, no doubt. Also, they will help you to settle in, move your stuff in the house and make sure you are having a good time. In my opinion, accommodation was better than I expected. Really nice rooms, I d want to say even luxurious + they have a pool + you can also sunbath. The food was amazing. You will get to experience 10/10 Indonesian food. For breakfast we had variety of fruits (e.g. Dragonfruit(which personally I am big fan of), watermelon, papaya, pineapple and others). Fulfilling lunch and dinner. Therefore, the house is near from famous Bali night markets(like 7min walk), where you can get everything very cheap and have a good time and maybe bound with your fellow Co-volunteers. I was suprised by the working hours. Childcare was from around 8am till like 11:30am and then lunch break + rest time and then second period from like 2pm till 04:30pm, which, in my opinion, are great working hours and you don't get worn out. Which makes me think that PMGY cares about your well-being. Big shout-out for that! Therefore, you have free time from Thursday evening till Sunday evening, where you can explore Bali!!! How amazing is that?! In fact, if you consider to childcare in Bali, I can promise you it's gonna be one of the most rewarding experiences! Indonesian children are the sweetest and kindest children you will ever meet. I loved spending time with them, playing, being silly, teaching simple English throughout games etc. Staff is great there, they will help you out no matter what! If you consider to do Bali childcare DO IT! I promise you won't regret!P.S. 3 weeks for me flew away so quick, I wish I was there for longer❤️😭

What an incredible trip. I have nothing bad to say about Bali. Booking is a simple process. The pre departure help was fine, if not slightly unorganised (being asked for documents I had already sent). Apart from that, they were helpful and relatively quick at responding to emails. Josh was very helpful and provided the Volunteer Handbook which is brilliant. It's a book of helpful tips regarding the region you are travelling to, what to expect regarding culture differences, dress codes, meals, details of the project and more. Very thorough guide which helps when you're travelling alone for the first time. Once I arrived in Denpasar airport, I was greeted and taken straight to the volunteer house where I was shown my room. I wasn't told what was going to happen the following day by anyone official, but the other volunteers had the information.However, I do believe this was because I arrived before the PMGY co-ordinators had arrived however, but I met them halfway through my trip. Steph is lovely, really helpful and always works hard to ensure you are happy as much as she can, very positive and dependable. She now works in the PMGY UK office and has still been as great and positive as always. Adriana was really lovely too, bur I believe the co-ordinators in Bali change yearly. Ketut, Indra, Rush and Krishna (the family you will be staying with, at the volunteer house) are so welcoming and so so lovely. Ketut was known to everyone as the Balinese Mum because she was always there to offer some great advice, comforting words and a bright smile. For a lot of the volunteers, this is the first time being away from home, and being in such a different place, so far and in a different time zone with a hugely different culture than the Westernised one, having Ketut there was wonderful. She really makes the personal difference from just being another volunteer to family. The accommodation is really great, lots of common areas to socialise, the rooms are nice and do frequently have warm water (but not constantly). Some rooms are nicer than others, but even the "lower ranked' rooms are cosy and nice. Rush (Ketut's husband) builds the rooms himself and if there are any issues is there to help. The food is really good, but if you don't like rice, I would reconsider! Tabanan is the area in which rice seems to be mass produced and it will essentially be your entire diet. The rice is usually served with some kind of meat, vegetables and sometimes potatoes or pasta, and occasional noodles. I know there were a lot of good options for vegetarians too. I was on the wildlife project, where I worked with various monkeys, crocodiles in a range of sizes, birds such as cockatoos, macaques and horn bills (my favourite) and also a friendly sun bear named Balou. You will be on project Monday-Thursday and will either work from 8-11am or 2-4pm. Sometimes you get the opportunity to go to a turtle or cat sanctuary if there are a lot of volunteers. Typical work would be to cut fruit for the animals, feed them and then clean their cages when they are finished. A lot of the work may be thinking on your feet and using your initiative as there may seem like little work, but there is always something to do. On the weekends (Friday-Sunday) you are free to do as you please. Whilst Bali is a small island there is an ENORMOUS range of things to do, whether you head up north and do some adrenaline filled activities such as waterfall jumping or paragliding in Lovina, or if you want to head down south and go to Asias largest waterpark, WATERBOM, or head to the Gili Islands to the east of Bali. There is a huge amount to do and a wonderful mix between traditional Balinese culture, and the growing tourism market where Westernised culture is being implemented.

For anyone coming here, I would say come with no expectations, and you will have an amazing time. You will be blown away by the friendliness of the family, making new friends and the work you contribute to the projects. Don't even think before booking, just book it. With an open mind, you will have the most incredible experience.

I decided to spend a summer month volunteering because it’s something I had been wanting to do for a long time but, because of various engagements, I had never had the chance. I had no doubts that south-east Asia would be my destination since it’s an area I’ve been in love with since I spent a year in Hong Kong as an exchange student. I surfed the internet, looking at various options, but PMGY caught my eye because of the comprehensive, well structured, interesting programs it offers. When I made contact with them, I immediately felt they could be trusted, and I was absolutely right! I chose PMGY Bali English Teaching Program and I had the time of my life. Nothing has ever made me as happy as helping those lovely and loving children. They are so willing, dedicated and warm that they really changed my life! The program is perfectly organised, you are briefed as soon as you get there, assisted in getting settled and shown around time. There is private transport to take you to the schools and you are joined by local teachers there, but you are free to plan your own work. Don’t think you are not up to it, because all you need is energy and a smile on your face! I didn’t have any experience teaching and English is not my first language, but I managed perfectly and I took back home a suitcase full of thank you letters and drawings my beloved children made for me! The volunteer house is clean, cool and comfortable, the meals are traditional delicious recipes and always abundant. You have a supervisor living right next to you who is always available not only for emergencies, but also to give you advice and help you out with your work as well as with your free time activities. Working week is Monday through Thursday which leaves you with a long weekend to go on trips and explore the amazing island of Bali and beyond. Life is very cheap, therefore, expecially travelling as a group, I was able to afford doing and seeing everything even on my limited budget. You don’t have any expenses while on the program, so you can spend your money on travelling. I would end up writing a book if I told you about everything I saw, from fascinating waterfalls, to jungle hills to pristine beaches and crystal clear waters…….go and see it all with your own eyes! PMGY Bali is a full immersion in a totally different lifestyle which will make you broaden your horizons. But I have left for last the best part about volunteering with PMGY: the volunteers! A bunch of varied, multinational, multicultural, eclectic, fun young people who share two basic goals: making a difference and exploring the world! You will meet the most interesting people and make life long friendships with PMGY. You can leave on your own, but you will never be alone there: you will have staff to support you and tens of volunteers to share your days and your trips with. You will feel you are part of a community who is giving a positive, if small, contribution to a better world.

In Bali I spent most of my days at the rehabilitation Centre helping with whatever needed to be done, whether that was feeding the animals, cleaning the cages, spraying the alligators and hawks, or shovelling earth. Helping the Balinese people kept a smile on my face and theirs.

In the mornings we would usually do a beach clean for about two hours. Our ocean has a lot of garbage and the tide brings it up onto the beach everyday. Cleaning the beach was very nice, people started to join us so obviously we brought attention to making the beach clean. I enjoyed this as I felt I was doing a good thing for their community, as well as the environment.

Beside a beach a Balinese man has a turtle conservation hut. He goes everyday, this is his job. He catches and releases large Sea turtles for mating. He hatches the turtles and eventually releases them. We went there a few different days to help him feed and clean the turtles. I really took interest in him because he’s trying to keep the turtle population going. Volunteers are always visiting him and offering to help him. I loved helping the turtles as many are killed by fisherman and plastic.

A forest native to Bali that they call a “man groove” recently got clear cut by the government to put in a freeway. The man groove tree takes years to grow, it provides fruit and a home for many species. I spent two days planting trees to help regrow the forest. Trees are a very important factor to our world and every contribution helps.

Staying in a Balinese town was amazing, everyone was so friendly, and I always felt safe. The volunteer house was beautiful, the main level had a covered kitchen area and picnic tables for everyone to sit and eat. The pool was beautiful, there was 4 levels with rooms and space to relax. The family that lives at the volunteer house are absolutely amazing and make every meal! Everyone was put Into groups based on what program you are in. I was in a group of six and each day there was a schedule of two activities for us. I had a lot more free time then I thought I would so I’m glad I brought a book and journal to record my experiences.
I recommend taking jam, peanut butter or something for toast. Also something to put on white rice!

If you're wondering whether you should take part in a PMGY Program, then wonder no more, just do it. While I was looking through different websites and a ton of possibilities for what to do in my gap year, PMGY stood out from the others because of all the good reviews I had read, saying that it was a great company, well worth the money you pay for their programs. Of course, I was still a little skeptical, but after contacting them directly and eliminating any worries I had, I knew that they had a great costumer service and that I would be fine when I departed to Bali, Indonesia, where I would be taking part in the Wildlife and Childcare programs for 8 weeks. Before departure, most of the questions you may have will be answered in the in-depth volunteer handbook they send you after you book a program with them. It is a long guide, covering everything from pre-departure preparation, to packing tips, and in-country experience, including about all the programs offered in that country. When I finally got to my chosen location, Bali, the drivers were waiting for me at the airport, just as it was mentioned in both the volunteer handbook and the pre-departure webinar. In terms of in-country support, it couldn't be better in my opinion. The family you stay with is incredibly nice and welcomes you as if you were part of their family as well. Th new in-country coordinators, Jo and Manouk, for Bali arrived the day right after I arrived, and I am glad to say that they never felt like coordinators, but instead like great friends who were always willing to help you. They organized games, movie nights, karaoke, and everything else, from day trips to night outs. We even had a Disney Quiz night, and a Disney week. So, if you're ever worried about something just go to your coordinators and they will do the best they can to help you out. That's the other great thing, you spend so much time with your coordinators, and other volunteers, and after just 2 weeks, or even 1, you already know each other much better than you would ever expect. In my case, I can say that I have made friends for life during my time there, and I am already planning other trips with them.
When it comes to programs, I had the chance to participate in two of them. In wildlife, there was a lot of manual labor involved, we cut down trees, we fed the animals, we built toys and cages for them, and we cleaned, a lot. For childcare, you play with the children, you teach English to the older ones and you help the staff from both Bumblebee and Lotus, the two childcare locations, feed the kids and dressing up the smaller ones as well. It's a great experience and that's all I can say about it. You only work from Mondays to Thursdays, so there is many opportunities to get to know the rest of Indonesia, including some trips organized by PMGY themselves.
To sum up, if you're questioning whether to do it or not, because you're too young or old compared to everyone else, trust me, you won't regret going. I was 17 at the time of my program, back in October of 2018, while mostly everyone else was 20 or above, and I never felt excluded. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life.

I can't even begin to explain the incredible time I had in Bali with PMGY. Everything was amazing; the team looking after me. I couldn't fault them in any way. I was always made to feel safe and welcome, and could find the support needed. The accommodation was lovely, always clean and there was always yummy meals to eat. I found the handbook very helpful especially before my departure, particularly the packing list. I was on the medical project, I loved going to the hospital and volunteering there. However at times I found myself lacking things to do due to the project being mainly an observational role, I understood this when applying although thought there would be more participation. This didn't take away from my experience and my favourite thing was being able to see a natural birth.
I would defiantly recommend going on the trips and exploring Bali in your free time. I originally booked to go on the Gili T and Ubud trips, but due to the earthquake while I was there unfortunately the Gili trip was cancelled. I really enjoyed the Ubud it was filled with fun activities and a great chance to go on one of the famous Bali swings.
My advice for future volunteers would be to enjoy every minute! This was my first time solo traveling and I love it so much I’ve been looking at projects in other countries.