Projects Abroad Alumni Network

Working with kids for 2 weeks was a great experience, they are so happy to play and learn with the volunteers, its great. It was really hard to say goodbye to them though, even being there just for 2 weeks, you get attached to them. The host family at Vadamalapuram CMML School was very warm, the woman of the house was a wonderful cook and even took time to give us a few cooking lessons.

Volunteering in India, an experience you will never forget.

Whilst I loved my host family and the other volunteers, and was able to have an incredible journey, through an incredible country, the organisation itself is really not the best in my opinion.

The placements were often very unsatisfactory, with rude staff, no oppurtunities to help and questionable treatment of animals and clients to say the least. For those doing externship programmes for university, be warned, you are not likely to work the co-ordinating vet, and will really have to push them to get with the appropriate person. That being said, we eventually managed to work with a really fantastic vet, who was very kind and informative, but it took a lot of hassle to get there.

The social programme is quite good, and the weekend trips are usually very enjoyable (but very expensive). The other volunteers always arrange their own trips as well, which are usually a lot more fun!

The projects abroad staff were mostly quite pleasant and friendly individuals (sadly my desk officer was a very unhelpful and frankly unprofessional man). However, as a company, they are only after your money, and I felt as though they were never very supportive and didn't really listen to our grievances (indeed following some of their advice regarding transport to work proved to be massively dodgy!) They also only pay a pittance to your family and placement, so I can't imagine where the rest of the money goes (considering how much you pay, they must have some bloomin' big bills!)

On the whole, I would suggest that you shop around before settling on Projects Abroad Veterinary in India, because it wasn't worth the money, and you can generally back pack around India for a fraction of the cost, and still find charities to help with.

I volunteered in Moldova through Projects Abroad for 3 months in the summer of 2008 and I still find myself enthusiastically talking about my experiences there to this very day. I didn't know anything about Moldova prior to going there and it was my very first big international trip alone. Looking back on it, I probably would have been a lot more stressed and nervous preparing for the trip if Projects Abroad wasn't as helpful and supportive as they were. A lot of logistical details were taken care of by them, such as accomodations, flight bookings, and travel insurance so that made everything much easier and allowed for more time to be excited. I also liked how I was able to pick the date of when I wanted to arrive and depart.

I was picked up at the airport by Projects Abroad staff and was brought to my first host family located in Chisinau. I spent my first month in that city doing a medical project, where I was able to spend time in different hospitals observing different procedures in various departments such as the children's burn unit and the face and jaw ward. I was able to stand in on many surgeries (I was surprised how close the doctors let you stand!) and while I saw some of the most heart-wrenching sights that I've ever seen in my life so far (especially in the burn unit), I am grateful for those opportunities since here in Canada, I probably wouldn't be able to get to see what I saw there. The doctors were very accomodating and Projects Abroad was great at placing you in different hospitals based on what you requested to see.

I spent the next 2 months in the village of Vadul lui Voda doing a care project where I helped at Motivatie, a centre for people with disabilities. I provided an extra pair of hands for the wheelchair basketball and wheelchair tennis program that was held every morning at a nearby gymnasium. My time in the village was definitely the most memorable and I became very close with my host family there. They were so hospitable and family-oriented and they treated me like I was a part of thier family right from the start. Even though there was a language barrier, we were still able to communicate and I did learn some of the Romanian language. They provided me with a true traditional Moldovan experience complete with delicious food, family celebrations, and goats on the streets.

This eye-opening experience was one of the most memorable experiences in my life. The people I met there were absolutely amazing and I learned so much. The Projects Abroad staff definitely helped me get settled in and they were readily available for any needed help and support. Weekly weekend excursions for the volunteers were also organized by the staff which was a great way to learn about the country and to meet the other volunteers. One definitely needs to be open-minded and be able to take things as they come while being here, as life can be a bit unpredictable and inconsistent, but that definitely adds to the fun of it all!

Projects Abroad India gave me the type of experience that I'll never forget. The host family was gracious, accomodating, and always willing to make my stay as enjoyable as possible. I distinctly remember the first morning I woke up in Madurai, India and saw the sunrise explode over the mountains on the horizon as the call to breakfast was made by one of the orphanage volunteers. Foreign travel is always enchanting, but Projects Abroad helped to give me a sense of purpose throughout my journey. The program structure is framed in a way that volunteers leave feeling rewarded for their time, but also blessed for having been alive through such an adventure. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to travel internationally for a noble cause.

This internship went beyond my expectations. My placement with the Independent Journalism Center worked well for my goals of getting a feel for the communications field. I was given immense leeway and responsibility in researching the political and media environment of Moldova and helped edit, promote and choose articles that would be posted to their international website to raise funding and awareness of the issues in Moldova. Although I didn't have knowledge of the language, my role in helping them reach out the international community was easily conducted in English.
I was incredibly fortunate to be there during their second round of elections in July of 2009 where I helped coordinate 20 journalists from to EU to attend press conferences, observe voting practices and get to know the country. Not only did I get to attend numerous press conferences with politicians, Non-governmental organizations and the OSCE, I was able to observe and ask veteran journalists in the field their professional opinions and help them accomplish their work. I LOVED the action, the responsibility and the unique environment. Since my experience, I have been accepted to an International Relations and Communications program at Boston University. Now in my second year of my Master's program, my experience in Moldova never ceases to impress my peers.

I volunteered in Madurai through Projects Abroad. They assigned me to a hospital, where I got to shadow doctors and scrub in on surgeries. I admit the shadowing and surgeries were very cool, however I was disappointed in the sense where I did not get much patient interaction. Everyone could not speak English very well. The only people that could speak some English were the doctors and nurses. And the doctors were so busy, they would not explain what happened to the patient, what their disease what, or how to they were treating it. I was curious and wanted to know more about the patients, but I felt bad bothering the doctors, and I could not talk to the patients directly because of the language barrier.

I could not have been happier with my choice to volunteer with Projects Abroad. I found out about Projects Abroad through a career fair at my university and I thought it would a cool thing to do over the summer. I chose to travel to Moldova, located in Eastern Europe, because I had never heard of the small nation before. It was the best decision of my life thus far. I have no doubt that my friends are sick of me talking endlessly about my adventures in Moldova and my parents are probably disturbed by the total makeover which has taken place in my room to make space for all my pictures. From the moment I submitted my application the Projects Abroad staff was in contact with me. They were always prompt and knowledgeable although I would not recommend their flight booking service (you can find much better rates just booking airline tickets yourself). However, overall, I felt that the program was a good value. When I arrived in Moldova I was met at the airport by a friendly, and welcoming staff member. I was then brought to my host family who opened up their home to me and made me feel like I was staying with family. In terms of satisfaction with my volunteering project, I am extremely pleased. I started teaching my own classes the very first day I went to the local school. The students were so enthusiastic I instantly fell in love. Of course everyday was a challenge, but I was very pleased with the assistance and advice the staff provided me. Every weekend the Projects Abroad team offered trips to local sites to the volunteers. This was a great way to meet the other volunteers and see the area. Although I think they could have been done for less money, overall the chance to mingle with the other volunteers off set the potential price hike. I recommend Projects Abroad without hesitation. It was an amazing opportunity I am so grateful to have had.

When travelling to another country, especially one that has many dangers like india, I felt really safe with projects abroad as they offer a tremendous amount of support from start to finish. I was on a medical placement, and the standard of hygiene in those hospitals is lower, so you must take extra care and if you are worried or doubtful about anything, tell someone and do something.The particular placement that I was on was 2 weeks long, and a lot of activities were crammed into such a short space, which is good and bad. Socially it was also good because we will be in small friendly groups but frequently all the groups would come together, so there were plenty of opportunities to make friends. There were no big issues throughout the placements, but the high cost of the project itself is something to consider, as it is surprisingly expensive. But overall would recommend if cost is not a issue.