Projects Abroad Alumni Network

Although there were many wonderful experiences I had while in India, I would like to highlight the time I spent with the veterinarian I volunteered with while I was there. this particular veterinarian was a livestock specialist, and prior to my visit to India, I had no experience at all in the world of livestock. Despite my lack of experience with his area of expertise, he was extremely patient with me and allowed me observe and then practice the skills he showed me. Things I was taught while there included different kinds of injections and where to give them on the cows, how to do a pregnancy exam, in vitro fertilization, etc. Later I found out how unique this was since most volunteer experiences abroad in the medical and veterinary realms consist of mostly observing rather than practicing the skills. All the credit goes to Projects Abroad for my placement with a vet who wanted me to learn as much as I could while I was there. I certainly learned much more about livestock than I ever thought possible in only a month. The veterinarian I worked with also allowed me to accompany him on farm visits with him when he had sick animals to attend to, an invitation he did not have to extend but was gracious enough to do. I had a wonderful time volunteering with Projects Abroad in India and will most certainly go through this organization again when I volunteer abroad in the future. They have my highest recommendation!

Projects Abroad made it very easy to arrange my trip to India. A staff member was always quick to respond to any questions I had before leaving, and they were just as responsive throughout my stay. I was extremely happy with the accommodations I had, although they were not the same family that was initially listed in my profile. Once I got settled into my veterinary medicine placement, I was extremely happy! I was placed with a doctor who made a sincere effort to teach me something new and different every day, and challenged me to constantly improve myself. I felt that I was making a big contribution as a volunteer while also learning, which was very important to me. Projects Abroad also provided several occasions to do some volunteer work outside of my placement, which I really enjoyed. I spent one day with about a dozen other volunteers cleaning up and painting an orphanage. We also got to interact with the children, which we all loved. Projects Abroad had weekly social gathering organized for all volunteers, which provided opportunities for us to meet each other and to plan other get-togethers on our own. Although I spent much of the week at my placement, I still had evenings and weekends to tour Jaipur and even take a few day trips to nearby cities, such as Agra. My host family always made sure we knew the best way to travel, and told us the expected cost for anything we planned to do. I liked that Projects Abroad arranged traveling to and from the airport, and had a long orientation day for each volunteer to help them adjust. Overall, I was very happy with my experience with Projects Abroad and would certainly travel with them in the future!

Working with kids with disabilities in India was an incredible experience. My host family was great and the food was amazing. The Projects Abroad staff did a great job making me feel at home as well. I had an incredible experience and I definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to experience a different culture, food, and people.

At my placement at Shine School, I was able to work with physical therapists and kids with severe disabilities who needed physical therapy in order to just even walk. It was great to help them everyday, and their parents were so thankful for all of the volunteers. I met so many different people from all over the world- literally. It was awesome to travel with them on the weekends to places in southern India.

The food was incredible. One of my favorite parts was getting fresh street food at stands because it was authentic an they made it right in front of you. I loved getting fresh fruit as well- very different than my home.

The Projects Abroad staff was always willing to help in whatever the volunteers needed. It was great of them because they definitely did a good job of making me feel comfortable and at home. I also felt the same way about my host family. My host mother was an unbelievable cook and always made sure I had enough to eat and clean water. I miss them a lot!

Overall, Projects Abroad was an awesome organization to travel through, no matter where in the world you want to travel to and help!

Projects Abroad Moldova is a great volunteering opportunity for anyone wanting to help out around the world. Not only is it one of the largest international volunteer programs available, their staff knows what they are doing and will go beyond any expectation that you have going into one of their placements. They place you with credited, safe and very hospitable host families and make sure that you have all the essentials for your comfort during your stay. Their staff is willing to help you with anything you need, whether it be language help, directions around the city, contacts and help for extra excursions, going out to dinner, someone to talk to or vitally anything you can think of. I have volunteered around the world and this staff was definitely one of the most prepared and hospitable. They have worked a long time with the people and places that you are placed in and I can assure you that you will not be let down with whichever placement you choose.

A fact is that travelling with an organization makes the overall process of planning your trip so much simplest than doing it by yourself. Volunteering means that you will not be paid in money ... Nevertheless, it also means that you are going to learn, to share, to grab experiences, to acquire references, etc. I have been placed in a child care program with 141 girls (from five to seventeen years old), and five staff members who also live on site all year long. It takes a quick period to adapt, but you rapidly get involved into their daily rhythm. Shower time, prayer, sweeping the ground with branches, make-up time, serving food, laundry, vegetables cutting, pulling buckets out of the well ... playing games with rocks, singing, dancing, reading English stories ... having fun and creating links with people.

My critic is more something that you should be aware of: Rome was not built in a day; be patient. When you notice something that you think could be improved by working in a different way ... sometimes new ideas are not welcomed. People are comfy in their lifestyle and are not necessarily willing to change and to be taught by a volunteer who passes by. What about me? After having spent six weeks with 141 girls, I feel like if I had learned a lot about humanity and the real richness and poverty.

Tip: If you are a woman travelling into India, I recommend that you carry a handful of safety pins!

When I first decided to take a gap year and travel abroad to India I felt excitement, tinged with a hint of apprehension: I had never travelled alone before and even the thought of organising my project seemed an adventure in itself. For someone who had just finished their A-levels I had to make a transition from the theoretical to the practical, moving from Sixth-Form studies to organising my trip, sending off for a visa, booking flights, arranging the details of my plans, and raising funds. I shouldn’t have been so concerned; choosing, planning and organising my trip was straightforward with the help and support from Projects Abroad.

Through the website and the Projects Abroad brochure, I was easily able to search into the destination and project I was interested in, finding out about information specific to India and the projects on location. With the ‘request a call back’ and online information sessions I could ask any questions I had: the feedback I received was helpful and I always received a prompt.

After submitting my application for a three-month journalism project in India, Projects Abroad sent me information which helped me to prepare and organise my trip. I was given a comprehensive information pack, a log-in myprojectsabroad.org, and the details of my host family.

By the time January arrived, the New Year bringing my departure, I was full of excitement and anticipation for the adventure ahead. Although it may seem daunting at first, don’t let the thought of travelling alone stop you from doing something different and seizing the opportunity to take the trip of a lifetime. It is liberating to have a new-found independence and the only ties you have are to your all-too-heavy suitcase!

Upon my arrival in Madurai I was met by Victor, a member of the staff from the Projects Abroad office in India. It wasn’t until three of us approached the man with the beaming smile, holding aloft the Projects Abroad sign, that I realised the two volunteers from Germany I had befriended, on the bus to the arrivals department, were also doing their projects, care and sports, with Projects Abroad. From this point on I was never alone. I had never expected to meet so many like-minded people from across the world and the volunteers I shared my experience with, the people I am now lucky enough to call my friends-for-life, were one of the best aspects of my trip, helping to make my time in India so memorable.

Madurai is a fascinating city; living in a host family it really becomes your home, each volunteer you meet becoming another member of a strange, new, extended family. It is difficult to ever feel homesick when you are surrounded by so many other volunteers; there is always so much to talk about, so much to see and so much to do. I was lucky enough to stay with a family that supported up to eight volunteers. On average I shared a room with two other volunteers and we became as close as sisters. From arranging weekend trips to Kodaikanal, a beautiful hill station in Tamil Nadu; to local adventures up to the ‘Monkey Temple’; afternoon walks home via the watermelon-wallah, and evenings spent watching the sunset on the roof of our home in Moolakarai; we shared everything together. It is safe to say that I had never laughed so much, nor had as much fun, as I had over the space of time I spent in Madurai.

Working on the Madurai Messenger was a fantastic opportunity. A challenging and exciting project, the magazine gives volunteers the chance to choose their subject choice, within the theme of a particular month’s issue; conduct interviews, often on-location; write their articles; and see the printed result. Although I had no plans for a future career in journalism, I enjoyed writing, and the project couldn’t have been better for me. As a volunteer journalist with Projects Abroad I was immediately thrown into the deep end, learning on the job as I interviewed students at a Pongal Festival celebrating the harvest, with guests from the Iowa University, USA. I soon adjusted to the fast-paced progression presented by each issue. In my first month alone I travelled with a group of other journalists to Munnar for our issue on India’s tea plantations, I conducted a Skype interview with eminent American field biologist, Dr Clifford Rice, and I wrote about the illusive Nilgiri Tahr of the Western Ghats.

As journalists you find yourself immersed in the rich and vibrant culture of India. Opportunities with the magazine had me travelling to Chennai on night-trains, helping to release endangered Olive Ridley turtle hatchlings, tasting culinary delights prepared by a YouTube internet sensation, riding elephants through the forests of Munnar, and driving to the world’s highest tea plantation where we sampled cups of steaming chai. I attended festivals, visited the cinema, participated in the February’s One Billion Rising event at the Ghandi Museum, and travelled to Valparai for my cover story on elephant-human conflict in Tamil Nadu.

The people we met and the stories they told were incredible. Whether I was behind the notepad of questions, or attending an interview conducted by a fellow volunteer, I was fortunate enough to meet many inspiring individuals with fascinating stories to share. From wildlife photographer, Sriram Janak, to feminist poets, Salma, Sukirtharani, and Kutti Revathi; founder of Mahatma Schools, Premalatha Panneerselvam, to Dr. P. Kumarasamy, ‘The Batman of Madurai’; all were incredible to interview. The histories, achievements and testimonies which they recounted will remain as enshrined in my memories as it shall in the print of the Messenger.

One of my favourite aspects of my trip with Projects Abroad were the weekend trips. It was great to be able to explore Tamil Nadu with the help and guidance from the organisation. Weekend trips were also fantastic opportunities to meet other volunteers, find out about the projects others were working on, and to make friends with groups you may choose to travel on with. My first weekend in India was spent at a Pongal celebration held at a local school for the January festival. Volunteers joined staff and students, dressing up in saris, and learning about the local traditions and festivities. Everyone enjoyed the weekend of games, song, dance, and, of course, the auspicious – and delicious – pongal!

Other weekend highlights included a trip to Rameshwaram where we visited an array of vibrant temples, enjoyed a thali lunch, and swam in the pristine shores of Dhanushkodi Beach beneath the sunset. After meeting volunteers on other projects, a group of us organised a weekend trip to Kollam and Varkala in neighbouring state, Kerala. Staff from the Projects Abroad Indian office helped us to plan our itinerary, booking our train tickets and arranging our houseboat tour of the backwaters.

I was always so touched by the lengths to which people went to help us, to accommodate us, and to make sure we were safe, happy and well. From organising transport and travel, cultural workshops, and tours, to checking up on me when I was sick, taking me to visit the doctor and getting me the medication I needed; there is always a member of staff looking out for you, or just a phone call away.

The food offered in India is incredible and the culinary delights of South India are often a mysterious surprise for the western traveller. My experience in India turned me into a true foodie and I long for dosa, idly, poori, thali, raitha, and other Southern treats - I know that I should soon return and my stomach shall make sure of that! Whilst your host family may prepare pasta or noodles, most of the food we ate was South Indian cuisine, and my roommates and I would take regular bus trips into the city for dinner out in one of the many authentic eateries offered in Madurai. In addition to this, we would join the weekly ‘volunteer’s dinner’ on the rooftop of the Residency Hotel where Projects Abroad volunteers would meet up for a meal, a catch-up, and a Kingfisher. This was a great opportunity to keep in touch with other volunteers on different placements and weekend trip plans were often cemented over a chicken biryani, or a butter chicken masala.

My experience as a volunteer in India with Projects Abroad was incredible. Whilst it required a good deal of funding, looking back and considering the experiences I have had, the friends I made, the lessons learnt, along with the life-skills and character development that comes with travelling abroad, as cliché as it sounds, it has been priceless. Volunteering abroad gives you a new perspective, you are able to experience a new culture, meet people you would never have crossed before and you can see the world through a fresh set of eyes. Seize the moment whilst you have the chance, take the opportunity you have always considered and I can assure you that you shall not look back.

Volunteering with Projects Aboard gives you the chance to travel and more. With Projects Abroad you will be a part of your destination – rather than a tourist looking in on a city, you will be immersed in it, truly experiencing the culture for yourself. As a volunteer you will be constantly learning and will engage with an active role, be that by teaching in a local orphanage, or writing about the extraordinary efforts of a neurosurgeon. Your experience will be enriching for yourself and for your CV.

My decision to volunteer with Projects Abroad was one of the best I have ever made and I hope that my review shall help others to make similar decisions. Your project abroad will never leave you and when you are not volunteering or travelling overseas, you will be planning your next trip…

I completed the two week medical program in India with Projects Abroad. During the first week, we went to several outreach facilities such as a family planning center, a leprosy village, and a special needs school. We were able to have direct interaction with all of the patients we met and I learned a lot. During the second week, we shadowed at a hospital and watched many surgeries. I even got to see open heart surgery! The surgeons allow you to take pictures in the operation room so I got some really great photos. This is definitely a once in a life time opportunity and I thought that the staff and other volunteers were very friendly and helpful. I learned a lot about the medical field and I was even able to take a CPR course! Every day we had lots of fun activities planned so I didn't feel like I was wasting my time. Overall, I would definitely recommend the program to anyone, because it was truly a unique and memorable experience.

My friend and I traveled from Canada to Madurai int eh hopes of furthering our understanding of the medical world and to see what it would be like to work as a doctor. However when we arrived in India we were taken back by the incredible things we were able to witness. On our day trips my group visited a hospice, mental health institute, leprosy centre and Aryuveda hospital where we experienced various types of medicine. We we able to interact with patients on a 1-1 basis, and even help some of them in their daily activities. I also attended lectures on the treatment and history of the medical care there, fascinating me about the universal understanding and science of health care. At night I participated in cultural events such as learning traditional Indian dances and how to cook its cuisine. We also went on a safari and boat tour of a conservation in Kerala, a few hours form Madurai!

The highlight for me though, was being in the operating room with the doctors during actual surgeries! We go to see a cranioplasty, Cesarean Section and other cool operations that people in medical school don't even get to witness! This is truly a life changing trip and I urge people who are interested in medicine to attend this program to get an overview of what the medical world is truly like!