ISV - Volunteer Projects in New Zealand

Where do I even start? I still talk about this day 9 years later. I meet so many great and amazing people. The one thing I remember is making walking trails, planting trees, and working with the local children. It was an amazing trip that I will forever be grateful. If I didn't go on this trip I wouldn't have meet my husband. He is from another state and we both signed up for this trip. 9 years later we finally got married and even friends we meet on the trip came to the wedding. I will always remember this trip and be so grateful for it letting me come out of my shell and see a whole new world.

New Zealand via ISV was an amazing way to explore the country.
We started off by planting trees for our volunteer program. No doubt it was manual labor. I felt a bit strange paying so much to travel to volunteer, but they set up food, lodging and you have an instant social circle. The trail reconstruction part of the program felt more rewarding and as an avid hiker I felt as though I made a larger impact.

I had a once in a life time experience in New Zealand!

Volunteer Project:
I had the best group of people I could ask for to volunteer with on a unique island called Motuihe just a 30min boat ride from Auckland. Although it may not be appealing to be isolated from the rest of civilization, it was a liberating experience being able to leave behind cellphones and even internet for two whole weeks! However, we were able to go into Auckland 2 times during the volunteer portion to connect with family and friends as well as experience urban New Zealand life! I myself am interested in restoration ecology and it was neat to gain an insider perspective at the different initiatives being undertaken around the world. I became incredibly close with the people I met on the island as well as with the two project leaders. They made our stay so welcoming that I defiantly would go back some day!

Adventure tour:
This part of the trip honestly changed my life. I was not the type of person at all who would ever consider bungy jumping or white water rafting. I am not generally a thrill seeker but this part of my trip pushed me in ways I had never been pushed before. If you decide to do this trip BUNGY JUMP. Honestly, it is the most liberating and amazing thing one can experience and that was worth every penny. It pushes you mentally and physically. The other parts of the trip aim to push you in other ways, scared of the dark? Caving helps you with that. Fear of heights? You can bungy jump or sky dive. The best part of the adventure tour is that I never felt pressured to do anything. I had my group to support me 100% but never did any of the guides or the people I met push me over the edge (literally or metaphorically).

This summer I travelled with ISV on their New Zealand project. I volunteered for two weeks on an amazing island named Motuihe. We planted trees and removed invasive plants and I really felt like what I was doing mattered. Even though these two weeks were the volunteer part of my trip it really felt like a fun environmentally-based camping trip. The people I was with were awesome and fun and the staff was incredibly helpful. After, I went on a two week adventure tour and had more fun than I've ever had in my entire life. I went bungy jumping, white water rafting, cave exploring, and glacier hiking! And as cool as those activities were, there is much more you experience as well. I met amazing people that became my best friends, learned about other cultures and unique ecosystems, and experienced an immersive trip that completely changed my life. I even got to go on a fifth week to Fiji after New Zealand! I am travelling with this organization again and again and again!

When we first got to NZ we were taught 2 local songs that we would need to sing when we were "adopted" into the Maori tribe we were working with. The words were easy and a nice catchy tune. Our first few days we were planting local trees for a nature habitat, then off to do track work to a huge Kauri tree so the handicap people could reach the tree. It was mostly a lot of digging but we had fun doing it. We then spent 2 days of "weeding" at another nature habitat pulling up invasive and non-native plants. For the weekend during the first 2 weeks we went to Mount Maunganui spent a night on the town and got to do a bone carving necklace. Our last work week was spent on the Maori burial ground digging up more non-native plants. Let me tell you gorse really hurts, spines about an inch long can go through jeans like they were butter. Also went to a place for the mentally challenged and helped them transfer seedlings into bigger pots. Even though they couldn't live like normal they had huge hearts and a lot more compassion. We even spent 2 days with the towns' school becoming buddies and learning a new game could "bull run", I didn't play but watched. Those kids could tackle better than our football players. Learned more about the culture and people during our last 2 weeks when we toured both islands.
Our living quarters were in houses that could hold 8-12 people, no heat, so best to bring very warm clothes. There were chances to go into town or ask one of our guides to get things for us. During my time for the work weeks it kinda rained- alot. Gumboots are a lifesaver, save your shoes for when you go to town or for the adventure tour. We cooked our own food as a group and cleaned as a group. Laundry was provided by our guest but dried in the main hall with the fireplace. Best not to have your unmentionables washed, but do them yourself and dried where the water heater was stored in your house.
Once the work weeks were done, we met up with another ISV group for the adventure tour and the start of very long bus rides with beautiful scenery. Best to bring along an ipod or other mp3 player so you don't get to bored. Cameras are a must so bring batteries and a couple of memory cards cause you will want to remember every detail of your trip. One day while everybody was four-wheeling, I found myself wanting to explore the town of Nelson. Went to a couple of museums there and found the jeweler that made the One Ring for LOTR. Even found a trail that lead me overlooking Nelson. It was breathtaking, could see all the way to the sea. There was also a local farmers market going on the same day that we were there. Bought some local fish for dinner since we were staying in a hostel and had to prepare our own meals. Good thing one of our guys was a budding cook. The other group we picked up had come from the islands that were working with the penguins. By the stories they told us; we had the better part of the working weeks. In Rotorua, we were staying at the same hostel as the All Blacks 21. The guys were so nice to us, even though we later found out that if anything happened their chances of playing on the All Black team would be nil.
The month that I spent there really changed my life and made me want to bring some of the lessons I learned back to the states. Even though it has been 4 yrs since I came back it only seems like yesterday that we were in Queenstown hitting up the local bars and shops or soaking in the hot springs at Rotorua.
If you ever get a chance to go- DO IT. Don't hold back. IT was the trip of a lifetime (maxed out my cards) but I really didn't care. If I had the chance to go again I would do it without hesitation. One of the saying they told us was to stay positive, people there were the happiest I have ever seen.

We did a ton of cool stuff, travelling the entire length of NZ and stopping in various places known only by the locals, and doing stuff like hiking up Franz Josef Glacier, white water rafting (down a 6 m waterfall, btw), black water rafting (the river is inside a cave!), zorbing, riding the world's longest flying fox, skiing Cardrona, ATVing across mountains, seeing rare kiwi birds, and riding the Shotover Jet in 4 inches of water! Some people went bungee jumping where it was first invented, and skydiving on their free time. Every ISV program has 5 awesome activities included, but you're going to need to pay for an 'Optional Activity Package' (OAP) for an additional 5 programs (about $350 last year), and yes, you do want it, literally everyone had it on my trip. The activities vary depending on the country but its always fun.

However, the most memorable and fulfilling part of ISV is the first two weeks. Yes, rafting and all that was exciting, and that takes place in the adventure tour part of the trip. Before exploring the country, you have to go to work. Depending on the country you choose, it will either be helping people or helping the environment. NZ is a developed country, but it also has a very fragile ecosystem. Before humans came along, there were absolutely no mammals around, no poisonous plants, and no grass. Birds, like the Pukeko and Kiwi, have taken to the ground. But with the people came dogs, possums, snakes, weeds, etc... Ridding the entire country of this stuff in one go is impossible, so they've started with islands. That way, its harder for the invading species to repopulate cleared areas. In any case, their methods work, and we got to see the difference student volunteers are making. It is really rewarding to know that your effort isn't for nothing. Our location was on Motuihe Island (mow-two-ee-hey for the native Maori people, or mow-tuh-hee for the locals). We were told about its history, from Maori legends, to escaped fugitives in the 1800s, to a WW2 lookout point. We were taught Maori words, how to identify native birds and fauna, and how to talk like the locals (Kia Ora = hello , Sweet as = Cool , etc). I can't even begin to describe everything, but it was really cool. But of course, we were there to work too. Every morning we wake each other up at 7:30, prepare breakfast and head out by 8:30. The entire morning, we are doing one thing, be it planting trees, weeding (ramnus [a type of weed] became a swear word, it was so annoying), digging up fences, beach cleaning, nursery work (potting and weeding) on the really windy days, and other stuff. We break an hour for lunch, then resume with something else until 5:30. By that time, you're tired, some are sore, and everyone's asleep by 9:00, literally. But you're doing all this with 8 other students from around the world, a project leader from ISV who is usually a crazy enthusiastic local, and someone from the local volunteer organization who helps. These guys become like family. Its really hard to convey in words just how much fun we had on the island.

When you're done the volunteer portion, and travelling around the country, people will ask what brings you to their country. When you tell them about everything you did, you might be shocked to hear a very sincere 'Thank you'.

This was a trip of a lifetime. The volunteer aspect of my trip was unforgettable. The location was great and our volunteer coordinator was a great leader and teacher about conservation. With my group and the help of the community we planted over 10,000 trees in our stay. Each night we cooked our own meals and huddled around the fireplace playing card games and learning about some of the NZ culture. At the end of our volunteer experience we truly could see the impact we made on the regional park we worked at and had made some amazing friends. The second part of the trip was the adventure tour. There are so many places to see and wild things to do in New Zealand but ISV allowed us to experience it all. We stayed in youth hostels along the way. Breakfasts were generally included and there were always close grocery stores to buy supplies to make dinners. We experienced everything NZ has to offers. I went bungee jumping in Queenstown, Skydiving in Abel Tasman National Park, spurlunking in Waitomo, and hiked the Franz Josef Glacier. Those are just the highlights of the trip but there were many more unforgettable experiences. At the end of the trip we experienced difficulties getting back to North America due to an ash cloud from an erupted volcano. Flights were not flying out of New Zealand but ISV was there to make sure all our families back home knew the troubles and that we would be taken care of. I cannot wait to go on my next ISV trip. They offer so many great programs that I cannot decide which one to go on next!

New Zealand is a very beautiful country. By volunteering here, it has helped me see that and help restore that natural look. Daily activities included carving new paths, planting trees, and cutting invasive weeds to allow sunlight to reach the native plant species. This trip wasn't just about the volunteering; it included a whole new cultural experience. I lived on a marae in a suburb of Wellington, and it was beautiful. It was built by Bruce Stewart and a few friends, and is still being added on to. He and his daughter taught me and my group much about the Maori culture, such as a powhiri, a formal greeting, a few songs, the haka (also performed by the New Zealand national rugby team, the 2011 World Champion All Blacks!) My personal favourite is the hangi, where they cook food underground on hot coals. In addition to this, I also got to tour the country, doing activities such as hiking a glacier, bungee jumping, and whitewater and blackwater rafting, just to name a few. I traveled from Queenstown to Auckland, and got to see much of the amazing country! This experience has impacted me in a way that can't just be described in words. I came back to the U.S. feeling empty, as I wanted to be out volunteering and exploring other cultures. The world is here for us to explore; it gives us life, and it is up to us to give back.