My friend volunteered through IVHQ over four years ago and had nothing but amazing things to say. Every summer I planned to do the same but fear kept pushing me back. Finally, I stomped on fear and booked and it was the scariest, yet most exciting thing I had ever done. I was going to Africa! Being home now it still does not feel real. I am so proud of myself for being so brave and conquering my fears of traveling alone across the world. If anyone is having doubts, don't think about it, just go!!! It will be the best decision you ever made!

While I was in Africa, I felt at home. At the airport pick up, I was greeted by the local staff (TVE) and already started mingling with other volunteers and got to know them while we waited. I was placed in a brand new volunteer house along with 20 + other volunteers and instantly we felt like family. I arrived on the Friday and within a few hours I had already booked up my weekend with a trip to Moshi and the Massai Village. Both of which I would highly recommend. The local staff made us feel welcomed and accommodated. They were very helpful in booking excursions and answering questions. Luckily I arrived on a Friday to allow the time to do things, which I would recommend doing. I really only knew about the safari excursion so I was very pleased to find out all of the possibilities upon arrival. I wish there could have been a detailed list sent ahead of time of options and price costs as I did miss out on some things that I wanted to do.

I volunteered at an Orphanage/ School and it was the most amazing experience. You're heart becomes so full of love but also heartbreak at the same time. I loved my placement so much. My only regret is not staying longer. It's hard to make the connections and then just leave 2 weeks later. You don't feel like you've made any difference. I only stayed for 2 weeks and it was not long enough. I was supposed to be teaching but I ended up really only providing child care. This was okay for me though as I enjoyed just playing with them. The local staff is very helpful in helping you relocate if you are not happy though. I also helped donate a lot of food and supplies to my school and the local staff helped me purchase and transport it all to the school.

I really don't have anything bad to say about my experience. All the set backs were really just because I was in a different country, #TIA (this is Africa). You just have to be open-minded, patient and do your research so you don't have any surprises.

If you're having doubts, don't. Just GO!

I have wanted to teach in Africa since i was a young child. I've researched many volunteer programs and IVHQ was the most affordable. Before the program start, I was in contact with the tanzanian coordinator, volunteer directors in tanzania, recent volunteers, and the tour coordinator. Upon arrival, I was greeted by the local team at the airport. I was escorted to the volunteer house, to town, and to my placement for the first time, allowing me to feel confident and safe in my environment. This program was an extremely rewarding experience. I have made many life long friends. My entire outlook on life has dramatically changed. I would recommend IVHQ to anyone.

78 days ago I left what has been the most impactful experience of my life. As I sit here staring at this computer screen, I struggle to write a review on my time volunteering in Tanzania. I have already written multiple journal entries and blogs, told numerous stories to friends and family, but how can I possibly find the words to suffice how important this trip was in a review. The truth is I can’t. I can’t convey such an experience into words, but I can try.

After four busy years getting my degree at Michigan State University, I decided I needed a mental break before I started medical school. I took the plunge and signed up for 3 months of volunteering alone in Tanzania, not knowing at all what I was really getting myself into. I remember standing at the door of the Twiga volunteer house, suitcase in hand, nervous to walk through the door. The current volunteers were nothing but warm and welcoming and I was even convinced to climb 19,341 feet to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro over New Years.

Not a day goes by where I do not think about Kilimanjaro and my time on that 7-day hike. Through the shivering nights, the laughs shared from the food tent, and the long, slow 8 hour summit hike through the snow during a whiteout, I became family with a group of strangers. Kilimanjaro is like nothing else. It pushed me until I cried, showed me the astounding beauty of 5 different climate zones ranging from jungle to tundra, and provided me with the best climbing guides I could imagine. Never have I felt such a liberating moment than when I stood on top of Uhuru peak, and I am always longing to be back.

My placement was at Hillcrest Nursery School, where I spent my time in a class of about twenty 5-6 year old kids. I remember the first day arriving to the school after a 20 minute walk through a nearby village. The kids instantly ran up to me and the other two volunteers showering us with hugs and hands to hold, screaming, “Teacha! Teacha!”. Over the 3 months I was overwhelmed with the students compassion, eagerness to learn, and curiosity for the world. The teachers at this school are some of the most wonderful, hard-working women I have ever met, and I am thankful for the time I had. I was able to see the progress of the students’ work and noticed how proud and happy I had become. Though some days could be tough, these children are the future and have overall provided me with the most pure happiness I have ever felt, while teaching me to become more patient and committed. These kids whom have much less than you and me, still have the biggest of hearts in the smallest of people.

Aside from my wonderful experiences with the students, Kilimanjaro, and Safari, I made friends that will last a lifetime. Living in the volunteer house allowed me to meet people from all over the world. I feel that there is something very special about befriending people from different countries. It was interesting to trade culture and language differences, but the friends I made also brought about parts of me I have never noticed before. It is amazing to have friends who have been a part of such a meaningful experience in your life and I feel lucky to have friends worth missing, whom I can now visit.

I think back on the person I was before Tanzania, and to the person I have now become. A more independent me: without that comfort person from home, I was forced to expand my comfort zones as I made friends and did things alone. In Tanzania I learned the concept of “African Time” and noticed things do not always happen on time, and sometimes things happen hours later. I became more easy going, as I realized I need to have the ability to adjust expectations in life and take things as they come. Whether it was drinking goat’s blood, taking the public transportation to town to meet a friend alone, or dancing in the rain, I learned the importance of “living in the moment”. Life is to precious to be occupied thinking about the future, or dwelling on the past. We should be focusing on the now, and since Tanzania I have made it my mission to say “yes” to as many safe opportunities that come my way, no matter how silly. Life has so much to offer if you let it.

78 days. It has been 78 days since I left Tanzania. Although the post-travel depression has come and gone and I am adjusted to life back at home, I am always thinking about Tanzania and its beautiful people and versatile landscape. I feel it is so important to experience a new culture in a country that is different from our own, and I recommend volunteering abroad to anyone, as you will find giving back provides you with a sense of purpose. This experience has only made me more competent and ready to take on the world, and I know that one day I will be back.

When I heard about IVHQ I was really impressed by the cheaper fees for their volunteer programs. I chose to go to Tanzania for 8 weeks and I am beyond happy that I got to go! The staff were so supportive and answered my concerns, I got to stay in a volunteer house that was a lot of fun and I made a lot of friends, and my volunteer program was life changing. Working as a teacher with primary school kids was so much fun and I learned a lot about Tanzania. I will miss this experience so much because it changed my life and opened my eyes to a whole new world. I can't wait to do another program with IVHQ!

I'll keep this brief--I believe everyone is a little apprehensive when they enter the unknown continent of Africa for the first time, based on preconceived ideas of what it's like there. I would be lying if I said I wasn't one of those people. At the moment of arrival I was anxious about the culture, the natives, the other volunteers, the food, getting sick... By the second week, I had come to love everything about Tanzania. You have to be open-minded if you are going to survive here. And by "survive" I mean getting along with your fellow volunteers, getting around town, and experience everything this beautiful country has to offer. The mamas' cooking was excellent, the sights: Moshi (waterfall + hot spring), safari, Zanzibar, Maasai village were all breathtaking, and the nightlife at Via Via with my new friends were unforgettable.
What I'm trying to say is, be in the moment--every second of it--because although it's not what you're used to, that's what makes it awesome. Appreciate the kids you are teaching, embrace their hugs, and return their smiles with yours because it means more than you can imagine. Enjoy sitting around the table with new friends from all over the world and share your life with theirs'. Before you know it, your last day will come and you'll wish you had more time!

Never will I ever forget the Christmas I spent in Tanzania, it was nothing like the snowy holiday I was used too. It was amazing in a way I never expected my first Xmas away to be like. We got to placement early that morning to get all the kids ready and loaded up into a bus. To take them to lake Duluti for the day they were so crazy excited, dancing and running around. We even cooked them a special Christmas lunch which was delicious. After lunch they all went and jumped into the lake and splashed around for over an hour. And then we played pass the parcel so that they all could get a little present. Which then turned into a great dance party with more treats and toys. Once the kids were dropped off back at the school. All the volunteers headed to Twigga house to help make Christmas dinner. Then we all sat down together to eat, I think we even got those Christmas crackers. It was just so surreal being surrounded by people from all over the world and sharing a holiday together.

I cant say one bad thing about my entire trip everyday was amazing.
Thank you

Traveling all alone to a completely foreign country you've never visited before is intimidating. It's so intimidating that I almost didn't go. I have dreamt about exploring Africa for years now, but I always made excuses about why I couldn't go. It's too much money, or there's not enough time, or I don't want to go alone. If this sounds like you then I want to encourage you to GO! Step outside of your comfort zone and I promise you won't regret it. IVHQ made this trip so easy for me. I was still nervous of course, but all my nerves left me as soon as I met Elizabeth and Johanna at the airport. They made me feel so comfortable and welcome! The other volunteers and staff make the house feel like home. The staff helped us every step of the way! They arranged our placement, brushed us up on our Swahili, made sure we got to placement safely, cooked us breakfast, lunch and dinner (the food is so yummy!), and helped us arrange our weekend trips. Safari was the experience of a lifetime! You can't leave Tanzania without seeing the Serengeti or Ngorongoro crater. Zanzibar was completely unreal. It is hands down the most beautiful and unique island I've seen. And the Masai village is a must-see! Overall, I would give my experience in Tanzania a 10/10. The people you meet and memories you make will stay with you forever. I can't wait to go back one day!

Hello fellow travelers and lovers of the world! If you're thinking about visiting Tanzania, stop thinking and go! Tanzania is a beautifully diverse and exciting country that offers something for everyone. There's hiking (including Africa's tallest mountain, Kilimanjaro, among others), outstanding safaris, exotic national parks, hidden oasis', eclectic shopping experiences, vibrant nightlife, and welcoming locals everywhere you go! While in Arusha, I volunteered doing HIV/AIDS Support at a small local non-profit called Positive Love for three months. This is an amazing organization that offers women who are affected by the virus to find their individuality and be proud of who they are and what they do, in addition to learning new skills and becoming financially stable. Positive Love is combatting the stigma against people affected by HIV in Tanzania and being a volunteer for them was a truly life-changing experience. I came to love the women of Positive Love. While there, my friend and I raised donations to complete building and furnishing a shop for the women to sell their goods in, we created a campaign to sell the products in our home country, and we helped to start a garden in which the women can grow and sell the vegetables. Positive Love is flourishing and I am so happy I could be a part of this non-profit as a volunteer. Thanks to IVHQ and Tanzania Volunteer Experience (TVE) I will never forget what a wonderful time I had volunteering for 12 weeks.