Volunteering Abroad in Jamaica

This program showed me how people here live and it amazed me! Everyday we woke up are there was a warm delicious breakfast waiting for us then we boarded the buses. I went to Constant Springs Primary and Jr. High and I loved it! The kids and the teacher were welcoming with open arms. After school we came back to the house and had free time, until dinner. Which was always amazing. The people at Smokey manor are the most welcoming and loving people i have ever met. they made this experience amazing and unforgettable for me.

Maureen and Linette and Marlin and Louise and Jerry treated us like family. They provided clean rooms and towels, cooked an unbelievable variety of outstanding Jamaican food, and encouraged us to use common areas inside and out, which we did indeed make good use of, whether for meetings, to relax or to play basketball or frisbee. We made great connections with students and staff in the schools we volunteered in.

I had an incredible experience in Jamaica and I am so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone!! This was the first time I've ever done something like this but it was positive and everyone was so helpful and supportive. I loved working with the kids at the school and orphanage. They were so sweet and I would definitely recommend this program to anyone!!!

I really enjoyed my stay at smoky manor with the Evans family. The house was very clean and this was my fourth volunteer vacation and i would say this was the best food by far and was the cleanest of them all. The staff have been great answering all the emails and keeping up with what we want well here in Jamaica. The two schools we visited were great, the teacher and community all came together to get the projects we had set aside to get done. I really enjoyed the area the schools location as well. Overall I learned a lot and really enjoyed my stay here! I will for sure recommend this place to other Canadians and hope to bring another group to Jamaica. You all are great people, and are doing all the right things to better the lives of people around you! I thank you for taking the group into your lives and lets us see a piece of how Jamaicans live. You have a beautiful family and a very nice home. We are so glade we took the time to come and stay at Smokey Manor.

I enjoyed the experience at Smokey Manor. Working with less privileged schools was certainly an eye-opening experience for me, as I had never seen similar conditions at home in Canada. I particularly enjoyed learning how to mix cement with dirt and gravel while we helped to redo the floor of the classroom at Golden Hill Basic School. It's great to see how people can make the most of what they have and live their lives with a positive attitude no matter what they are faced with. I liked being able to make a difference in the lives of children who I've encountered, as this allows for me to truly feel the impact of the effort we put forth into our volunteer trip. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Jamaica and I'm grateful to have experienced it with Jamaica Volunteer Programs at Smokey Manor. Yeah mon!

This program is a great way to see the culture of Jamaica. With helping the schools and meeting all of the friendly locals you really feel like a part of the community. Going to the orphanage and playing with the children is just a blast to do.

The work done at the schools was very productive. Transportation is a little expensive. Fun to learn new culture of the schools and see how kids are taught in Jamaica. Overall, great experience and I would definitely come back.

Volunteering with Jamaica Volunteer Programs was a very satisfying experience. I volunteered as a Maths and English teacher for teenage boys at the YMCA ranging from 13 to 17 years old. Since I was the only volunteer working there, it was the first time that I had to take initiative and work hard. I learned to overcome the struggles that I first had when teaching the boys, as well as having patience and understanding for them. There were 17 kids in my classroom, which made it easier to gain one-on-one time and really get to know them as individuals. During lunch times, I would hang out with the kids and see how they interacted. I would have to say that teaching the boys at the YMCA was my favorite memory during my stay in Jamaica. Most of them face a lot troubles at home and do not come from much; and because of this I was able to think about the many things I take for granted. The volunteer staff in Jamaica were very welcoming and ensured that I would be safe at all times. Other than the volunteering aspect, there were many opportunities to experience the culture of Jamaica. Going to Portland, the Bob Marley Museum and Hellshire Beach were just some of the great traveling opportunities I had. The cuisine in Jamaica is also very fresh and delicious.Although my stay was wonderful, my only regret is that I did not stay longer to teach the kids at YMCA and get to know them even more.