GVI, Ethical Impact: Volunteer in Mexico

I finished my three month volunteering at GVI Mexico at the end of September 2023.
I was nervous as I am older than the average volunteer but everyone made me feel very welcome and included.
The highlights were seeing manatees, turtles and whale sharks.
In my free time and after the program I had the opportunity to explore Mexico, Belize and Guatemala.
In Mexico my favourite activity was cenote diving.
In Belize it was the ATM caves.
In Guatemala I loved Lake Atitlan in San Pedro.
The scientific monitoring training has been brilliant and I am looking forward to volunteering with GVI in the future.

I joined GVI's sea turtle conservation programme in the Mexican Caribbean shortly after graduating, and it was without a doubt one of the best choices I've ever made. The bonds I built with volunteers and staff members were wonderful, and they introduced me to some of the most dedicated and like-minded people. While the cuisine at the camp was nutritious, the local street food was a must-try. Above all, this experience was crucial in directing my future academic and professional decisions. The knowledge I gained here has really been the highlight of my trip so far.

As an older volunteer (50!) I was concerned that I wouldn't fit in so well with all the younger volunteers in their 20s. However we have all quickly become good friends and are always keen to help each other out. We all have a shared interest in diving and conservation which helps.
The staff on site here at GVI Mexico are really enthusiastic, and have helped make me feel welcome and valued from day one. I have already learned so much.
The activities are fun too, and it helps build strong bonds with the other volunteers to muck in and get a variety of jobs done around base. Plus the diving is excellent.

I have just returned from spending a month with GVI in Pureto Morels, Mexico. The staff on the base were so caring and passionate and the level of training I recieved from them was second to none! I felt like I had found my community and people as soon as I arrived. Being surrounded by like minded souls who were all as passionate about conservation as I am gave me a lot of confidence and a sense of belonging that I have never experienced before.

The dive training and presentations taught me a huge amount about the reef but they were only a part of what I gained from this experience. I learned so much about myself, my ability to adapt and the way that I want to live. This is the part that I know I will keep with me forever and which only comes from going out of your comfort zone.

My only advice if you are thinking of going to Pureto Morelos, especially if it is for a short period like a month, is to check the time of year that you go as during the windy season the diving can be quite limited.

I have already started planning another GVI experience and I can't wait to see what will come from the next one!

If you are passionate about our planet and want to contribute first hand to conserving it, then GVI is the company for you! I met so many likeminded people, fell in love all over again with the ocean and had an absolute blast contributing to marine conservation.
I couldn’t fault the staff here in Mexico! Miguel was an absolutely fantastic programme leader, he made sure everyone felt safe and happy, and he had an absolutely fantastic team of staff working with him. Everyone is very down to earth and always happy to help out!

I am a 26 year old female from the UK. The GVI Marine Conservation programme in Mexico was a lifechanging experience and I loved every second. It was a challenge and I was thrown completely out of my comfort zone, in the best possible way. I achieved my EFR certification and my PADI Advanced Open Water certification in the short time I was on the programme and made friends for life. The staff inspired me with their passion and enthusiasm for conserving the ocean and I cannot wait to get another opportunity to participate in another programme. The biodiveristy of the Mesoamerican reef and the diving opportunities were outstanding and I miss waking up to get on the boat more than anything. Thank you for an amazing two weeks!

Hello! My name is Ombeline, I’m a 23 y.o French girl living in Switzerland. I’ve volunteered for 8 weeks in the Marine conservation program - Mexico, Puerto Morelos.
I love travelling and exploring the world, so after I finished my Bachelor and worked in the hotel industry for a year, I wanted to go travelling for a few months before doing my Master. I looked in some magazines of a travel agency for some inspirations and there I saw the project.
I didn´t have any experience with marine conservation, but I already had a big interest for the environmental conservation in general (I would like to make a career in the eco-tourism industry). And because I love travelling, taking care of the environment, the marine world, I thought that this would be a lot of fun. And of course I was right!

It was indeed such an amazing experience, so I’m happy if I can help others to also experience it!
 
This is a summary of a day on base to give a good overview of life as a volunteer in GVI:
 
The day usually ‪starts at 7am‬ with morning duties. There are four different duty groups (Kitchen, Communal, Grounds and Boats). In each group, you have to do different tasks, like preparing breakfast, cleaning or preparing diving equipment. Those duty groups change every day and every group has about five people in it. 
‪At 7:30am‬ after finishing your morning duties you can get breakfast (eggs, cereals, pancake or porridge).
‪At 8am‬ you sometimes have some presentations. Those are usually about some training for your target species (fish, coral or invert) or something about the reef.
‪At 9:30am‬ starts kit-up for wave one (the boat leaves three times a day for some diving expeditions, but you only have one or two dives per day). Once you complete buddy-checks, you’re good to go and can enjoy your dive. When you´re back from the dive it´s usually shortly before lunch time. After lunch you may be on coral lab (coral lab will be once or twice a week). The coral lab is also on the base but is not run by gvi. Although they often need our help for cleaning the corals, feeding the corals or sometimes just some maintenance at the lab. But there are also some invertebrates, which you get to work with. (You sometimes participate to Algae’s grab dive to feed the crabs at the lab). After coral lab you may be on wave three or just have some time off. At your time off you can relax, take a nap in the hammock, study your target species or (what you do mostly) spend some time with the other volunteers. The most popular thing on base is normally playing cards, but there are also many different board games, dice, etc.. And of course there is WiFi at base for social media or if you want to chat with your family & friends. 
‪At 6pm‬ dinner is served. After dinner it´s time for announcements. The staff presents the schedule for the next day, gives out shout-outs or walk-of-shames (very funny). After finishing your evening duties (same as in the morning) your work day is over and you can spend the rest of your day as you like. Usually, together with the other volunteers, you do a movie-night, a games-night, relax or just get some beers or ice cream in Puerto Morelos. You just have to take care that you´re back before ‪11pm‬ (as there is a curfew) and don´t drink too much when you dive the next day.  
 
All weekdays are basically the same, just your duty groups, tasks, etc. change a bit.
 
Normally you don´t spend the weekend on base, but go on roadtrips, cenote diving, explore the night-life in the surrounding cities, etc. with other volunteers. The Yucatán is a wonderful region and there are so many things to do & discover!
 
Honestly the volunteers and the staff were super chill, it was so much fun and such a nice atmosphere. The staff is so passionated and dedicated to their job.

I hope I gave a good impression about the program. 
It was indeed such an amazing experience for me so I hope it will inspire others to do the same and go on this crazy adventure!

My experience with GVI in Mexico was completely unforgettable. I started doing the women's empowerment volunteering program but the project closed during my first two weeks which was a bit concerning at first. However, the staff on base really made a difference, they were super helpful, optimistic and positive and they helped me set up a new project where I was really happy. I truly felt like we were making a difference with the women in this new community where we did activities, presentations, english lessons... GVI really cares about making a positive and long-term impact in the communities where they work which was really important to me.
The experience as a whole was amazing, the accomodation was way better than expected, Puerto Morelos is a quiet but beautiful seaside town to live in, the lifestyle on base was great and I met so many people from different countries that I hope I stay in contact with for a long time. Hopefully I'll be able to come back in the future.