GVI: Alumni Network

Having travelled to the Seychelles on the terrestrial conservation program in 2013, I still think back to all the amazing times I had there with the group.

We were living on paradise. Tickling tortoises, watching baby turtles hatch and swimming through mangroves just to name a few of the surveys we did.

While we had to work hard in the week, we were allowed to leave Curiuse island on the weekends to explore the Seychelles further. This included trips to Mahe, Praslin and La Digue (Home to the second best beach in the world!!).

GVI is a well-organized and exciting organization to take part in. From snorkeling to trekking in the rainforest in Thailand, the staff created an adventurous and worthwhile volunteering opportunity that I would highly recommend!

Walking through Bombolulu Village, towards the school there are many friendly people along the way. The kind of people that if you fell over, would be very concerned. Coming to school each day was enlightening. The children were so happy to have the opportunity to learn and meet and play with volunteers. Teaching English and creative arts to the children was creative and fun. Assisting local adults in learning English, mathematics, creative arts and computer technology was equally rewarding.

In January of 2014 I went on GVI's Volunteer and Adventure Experience. During this trip I spent two weeks trekking to Everest Base Camp and another four weeks volunteering with children in Pokhara. I had an extraordinary time! Hiking to base camp at 17,598ft was one of the best things I had ever done. Originally I feared I wasn't going to capable of reaching such a high destination point -- but I didn't need to worry, the guides, porters, etc were beyond helpful. It was hands down two of the best weeks of my life. Volunteering with the children in Pokhara was also a remarkable experience. I have worked with a lot of children in my lifetime as a nanny and assistant teacher and I can honestly say some of the children I met in Nepal were some of the most wonderful kids I have ever met. It was a privilege working with them. I loved this trip so much I am looking into doing another GVI volunteer project!

I was only working with GVI phoenix in Guatemala for two weeks but I really felt I made a difference. I was volunteering in a school in an indigenous community outside Antigua. We went to the school each morning where we were warmly greeted by community leaders and I helped in a nursery class in the mornings and reinforcing reading and writing skills with some older children in the afternoons. The children and indigenous teachers were great; I worked hard and had great fun.
My Spanish improved a lot; I was using it at school having Spanish lessons in the evening and chatting with my host family in over an evening meal. Antigua, where I stayed, is a beautiful and unique city and I felt really at home there. All in all a great and really worthwhile experience.

I had an amazing time in Vanuatu. While there I was taught how to climb coconut trees, catch mudcrab, hand spear fish and make a fire with sticks. The locals are very friendly and are always willing to help. I also got to help baby turtles get out of the nest and hold on to an adult that had to be tagged. The other people on the project were really friendly too and since finishing the project I have kept in touch with them. Definantly recommend this trip.

When I left on my six-month journey in January 2010, I had no plans to attend the GVI TEFL program in Krabi, Thailand. I was wondering around Australia, feeling rather uninspired when I discovered that GVI had an office in Melbourne. I made an appointment with the intention of finding a new direction. We discussed what programs were starting imminently. As luck would have it, there as a TEFL program scheduled to begin in two weeks in Thailand, and as I was already planning on heading that way, I moved my itinerary up and bought a ticket to Bangkok. Thus I arrived at the GVI TEFL program in a rather serendipitous fashion.

In hindsight, I consider my three weeks spent at the TEFL program to have been a very fortunate occurrence, as it turned out to be the most rewarding experience of my whole trip. As I was under a time constraint, I only completed the shortest training session at 50 hours of teacher training and English teaching. Upon completion of, I received a TEFL Certification.

If your intention is to learn how to teach English to students that can’t speak any English, this program is fantastic. There were two instructors, both of which were experienced, knowledgeable and helpful. We had 2-3 hours of teacher training in the mornings, followed by lunch. In the afternoon we would do lesson planning and then teach in the early evenings. This is a hands-on program and you are in front of a class almost immediately. There a lot of support provided and the instructors are great at giving constructive feedback and providing you with great ideas and tips.

In addition to the awesome teaching program, the experience at the GVI base is great. You live dorms with the other volunteers. You have showers and electricity. There is a program manager and a base manager on-sight to help things run smoothly. You are divided up into chore groups with alternate on a daily basis, which are very efficient if everyone does their job. Additionally there is always a great weekend excursion organized by GVI or you and your fellow volunteers can go and explore the surrounding areas, which are fantastic.

I felt the point of going on a volunteer trip was to have a challenge whilst having some fun and this program certainly delivered.

I would definately recommend being in shape before going as the trek to the turtle beach is physically demanding and is probably about 8-10kms a night all up. We went approximately 5-6 nights a week. Even if you don't know much about turtles, as was the case for me, I still found it very interesting.

During the day there is alot of quiet time but at the beginning you get to coordinate with the group and project leader some activities you'd like to do such as weaving, canoeing, helping out at the primary school etc.

The village is very remote - no warm showers, internet etc but you get used to it very quickly and once a week you get to go to Port Vila to 'reconnect' with the outside world.

The village people are lovely and if the above appeals to you then I would definately recommend this trip!

Lots of knowledgeable staff and work to be done in Kisite & Mpunguti National Marine Park, you definitely feel like you're part of a team no matter your age or where you come from while based on Wasini Island. I was only there two weeks, but had the trip of a lifetime and miss being on the boat everyday, conducting dolphin surveys and snorkeling during our free time. Wish I could've stayed longer! I recommend this program to anyone who loves marine life and wants to help out as much as they can. This will give you more than just a vacation, it'll be an experience that changes you for the better - in ways you won't realize until months after returning home. Do it now and don't think twice about it!

My time in Otavalo, which I spent teaching my second graders at Larcacunga indigenous school, has changed my life in so many ways. The first week of intensive spanish lessons was at first slightly overwhelming, but the lessons gave me the skills and confidence to get me straight up into the community as soon as possible. Although i didn't know what to expect of the school, or myself as a teacher, I fell in love with my kids, and took immense joy and pride in teaching them. The role as a teacher gave me the opportunity to express my creativity, and forced me to expand my thinking. There are no words to adequately describe the way my kids captured my heart, they were the things that got me up at 5:30am every morning to climb up into the Andes! I arrived as a solo traveller, but I met so many amazing people, and made many friends, with whom I shared memorable experiences with! The social scene is great fun, we as volunteers had a lot of great and crazy nights out, and I also had the chance to explore other parts of Ecuador. I highly recommend this trip, as well as any GVi experience. I hope to return as soon as i can!

I really enjoyed my 6 weeks volunteering in Peru! The people were great, it was well organised and the project coordinators were very helpful and supportive and the work that GVI are doing in the community is amazing!

I really valued the work being done there! The kids are not only being supported in the schools but are being provided withgood nutritous food (cooked by a local mum who GVI employ), are provided with school equipment and scholarships to continue schooling after primary school, they're given the opportunity to be involved in fun activities such as inter-school soccer tournaments or swimming lessons and there's support for kids with learning difficulties. I was really impressed once arriving in Arequipa to find out the work they're doing there. An organisational downside is that I didn't know much of this before going so found it hard to know how to prepare for my trip. But once getting there and meeting everyone, communication and support on the field is excellent and the work inspiring. I found the language barrier very frustrating. GVI are good in that your first week there is dedicated to language learning, however as someone who knew nothing before arriving, one week wasn't quite enough for me to feel like I could be really useful.

GVI are good in ensuring you're with a good family and are being looked after. They organise weekend side trips which were a great experience. Overall I highly recommend volunteering with this project!

I thoroughly enjoyed my time out in Peru and would jump at the chance to go back, as the work the project does out there benefits both the children and the community (through teaching and the construction projects). The experience was truly eye opening as it made me realise how much I had taken for granted and lucky I have been in life. Although it is based in Arequipa, there is not much of a night life, however if you don't end up in a bar with a game Jenga this was a common appearance during Friday nights and on Saturday! all of this make the experience even more amazing, as you also get to know the other volunteers making it even more enjoyable, not only would I jump at the chance to go again I would recommend this program to a friend without hesitation

You are the Difference is GVI’s motto but one could also say that GVI is the Difference. My friend and I “discovered” GVI on the internet while searching for an organization to do volunteer work with internationally. GVI was not my first experience, but it has definitely been my best. In fact, out of 4 years doing this sort of work, I’ve gone with GVI twice…with every intention of going again. There is no reality gap in terms of what they say they will provide and what actually is provided. Once you arrive in the country, the logistics of your volunteer experience are completely looked after, so you can give yourself over to totally enjoying the adventure.

GVI’s commitment to sustainable development is impressive. A community invites GVI to be involved in development, areas of need are identified, local partnerships are forged, and then specific projects organized. I have personally been involved in constructing ecologically friendly wood-burning stoves in Guatemala and most recently, a large community water tank in Peru. Yes it is hard work, but it is immensely gratifying to know that when the project has been completed, the community assumes control of it. This is significant in that this responsibility ensures that benefits will continue to accrue to everyone in the community. You really see your contributions impacting and making a difference in the lives of real people on a daily basis.

Having said all that, the adventure does not start and end with only a project. GVI provides daily language instruction and a cultural or adventure tour in addition to the volunteer project (and it IS an adventure racing down Chachani Volcano on a mountain bike!). I also had abundant time to see the country, experience the culture and cuisine, get to know my project team mates from around the world, meet local people involved with the project, and make new friends at my home-stay.

There is definitely something for everyone, and I have no hesitation in recommending GVI. Enjoy the experience and Be the Difference.
- Rhonda

Who would have thought that you could work so hard yet have so much fun? I have been doing volunteer work for over 12 years with various agencies and can honestly rate GVI a 10 based on my experience. I have worked with them previously in Guatemala. They come through with everything that they promise and are true to their word.

Each project is carefully selected . I helped to construct a much needed water cistern for a community and school desperately in need of water. What I really like is that once completed the project success is put back into the hands of the community and they must work together to ensure that they monitor their water consumption each day so that all can benefit,

The work is hard and laborious . You get a chance to meet and interact with other like minded volunteers from other countries as well as share laughter and memories with the local people and children..

I have made new friends, been adopted by my home stay family, enjoyed the beauty of a new country and culture and learned how the borders of our countries that separate us can quickly dissolve...

I was physically and mentally challenged..I never dreamed I would be mountain biking down the side of a volcano nor have the opportunity to try guinea pig or llama..( I declined on the guinea pig)..

I can't wait to decide which program I will volunteer next,,

I had such an amazing time on this project and really didn't want to leave! The community were so welcoming and it was good to experience how they live on a daily basis. The night that stood out the most for me was when the local maasai danced and sung for us, it was fantastic and not many people can say they have seen that for real! We watched them for a bit and then they got us to all join in. We also taught them some dances from home, such as the macarena!
On the construction, we built a storage facility for animal skins and hides in order to generate an income for the community. We worked with the community and we were seen as one of them for the week. It was really nice to see how grateful the community were that we were helping them. Extra side trips made the experience really special and we got to see lots of different sides of Kenya.
GVI organised everything and made sure you had done everything you needed to do prior to leaving (visas, flights, CRB's etc). Meeting them at the airport/hotel was easy and they offered very valuable advice whilst we were staying there.The cost of the project was very reasonable considering all food, accommodation and transport (apart from flights) were included. I would recommend this project to anyone, it is defiantly worthwhile!