PMGY - Volunteer in Tanzania from $375

Just got back from an amazing 5 week trip to Tanzania and already dying to go back! The pre-departure support was so useful, the handbook has literally everything you need to know in it and PMGY replied to all of my millions of emails with questions so quickly. The in country support is also great, from the airport pick up and the town tour to solving any problems that we had- Jodie and her team are absolutely great and will do anything to help! In terms of the in country team you are made to feel more like a friend than a customer which is so lovely and really helps you to settle in! I did the teaching project which I absolutely loved, they do throw you in at the deep end so be prepared for leading a class on your own straight away but you soon get used to it! I absolutely fell in love with my class and I wish I could have brought every single one home with me! We helped with teaching English, Phonics and Maths as well as playing with the kids at break time. We also had some freedom to do our own thing, for example on the last day we did a whole school paper aeroplane competition which was so much fun! I cried so much when we had to leave the school on our last day and then one of my favourite kids from my class (I know you're not supposed to have favourites but...) was sitting on my lap and started wiping away my tears with her dress and said Nakupenda teacher Katherine (which means I love you) which just made me even more tearful but it was the cutest thing in the whole world and I will never forget that moment! The volunteer house in Arusha is also fab, you stay with volunteers from a few different companies which is so nice as there is always lots of people to meet! I met so many amazing people in the volunteer house which totally made the trip and I really hope we can all stay in contact. Whilst we were out there a Café/bar attached to the house opened which was great as we spent a lot of evenings around there drinking cocktails and chatting around the fire. We also had some amazing weekends, from Safari in the seregeti to swimming in natural hotsprings and visiting a Maasai village there is so much to do!
My advice to future volunteers would be just throw yourself into everything, both in terms of the project and socially. The project will love it if you come witih your own ideas sometimes rather than just beig told what to do. Also do as much as you can in the evenings and weekends, there are always people doing things and you might as well make the most of all the opportunities whilst you are out there. For example every Tuesday we went to a free movie night at a place called Via Via, its just nice to get out and to get some free popcorn!
I've had the best time ever and I really feel like it's made me more confident to go to Univeristy and given me the travel bug in a major way as well as givng me a renewed appreciation of life in England.
Thank you SO MUCH Plan My Gao Year! To anyone that is considering using PMGY, 100% go for it! They are such an amazing company and I can't wait to hopefully go away with them again!

Through PMGY, I was a medical volunteer at a private clinic, community clinic, and a government hospital during my one-month stay in Arusha, Tanzania, and lived with a local family.

The pre-departure support is comprehensive, the volunteer handbook is all you literally need, including interesting information and advice like to avoid giving money / items to those who ask or you may promote further exploitation which I had also learnt previously the hard way. Of course, if I had rare questions i would usually receive a reply within 24 - 48 hours.

The in-country support is again comprehensive. They will personally guide you to your home, work, attractions to see in town such as the museum, maasai market, and to the essentials like the grocery store and banks.

Regarding accommodation, unlike most volunteers, I chose to stay with a local family where I was placed up in an extremely peaceful, quiet, cool and "green" mountain. Here, I had a first world bathroom shared with only one other roommate, a private room with a bed, including mosquito net, desk, shelves, chair, light. The home cooked food is delicious and tasty, and I will admit that I am a fussy eater too. The best part is that it is Tanzanian food and really fresh as they grow much of their food! You can even help with feeding the animals, gardening and cooking over an open wooden fire if you want to! However, I live about 45 minutes away from town, including the volunteer house, so it can be difficult to spend time with other volunteers.

For my placements, I did not expect to experience healthcare delivery in three distinct settings and am very happy that the in-country team could organise that for me, even on such short notice i.e. within a week of my request while already volunteering at the time. They definitely want to help you get the most out of your time in Tanzania! My favourite is the government hospital which is the busiest and most action-packed location where you get to observe and assist in a range of tasks and operations, depending on your knowledge and skills or willingness to learn how to do "XYZ", such as watching C-sections in the theatre to performing examinations on patients in the wards like measuring blood pressure, undertaking a Glasgow coma scale test, or undertaking phlebotomies, respectively. Just remember that it is Africa so you will witness unique and potentially traumatising events which you will not see in the developed world, let alone on "western" news or in "western" documentaries. Be open-minded, respectful and remember that the medical staff are ultimately doing their best to help patients get better with the very limited resources they have available. Also I recommend that you learn to speak some Swahili, at least do the pleasantries fully in it, including farewells, because if you develop good working relationships with doctors and nurses which includes also chatting with them, they will incorporate you as part of the team more often so you will learn more and get more practical experience. Besides, Swahili is a great icebreaker and you will make a great first impression.

In summary, if you want an intimate volunteering experience and experience life like a local working Tanzanian but also have the freedom to do touristy activities as well, then I would encourage you to stay with a host family, brush up on your clinical skills, and start applying. I will never forget coming "home" everyday to my "family" on a daily basis after opening the front gate where the two children would run to greet me and hug my legs, or how my host mother would welcome me to her home with a beaming smile, help me with my belongings and ask about my day. I know they say home is where the heart is but after living with a local Tanzanian family for a month, i'm starting to think family is where the heart is too. The best part is that tomorrow, I get to experience this moment all over again, and although I may live alone with my roommate in the mountains, I certainly did not feel alone but welcomed and adored by many.

I really did have such an amazing trip in Tanzania with PMGY and would absolutely recommend it to anyone. I chose them primarily as they were the cheapest organisation i found, but honestly they cut no corners. PMGY were very helpful with my questions beforehand and managed to get me sorted even though I only enquired 3 weeks before my departure date! Everything needed was given to us in writing which was a comfort and was very accurate information. Arrival was very easy on my part and the volunteer house is perfect! I settled in so so quickly as all the in-country PMGY staff were so lovely and helpful as well as the other volunteers being amazing. I made some great friends in the time i was there, as we spent loads of time together in the house and on the weekend trips (which are brill for keeping busy whilst not on placement). I worked in an orphanage which for me involved a fair bit of teaching, playing and cooking-so great to have a bit of teaching as i was torn between teaching & orphanage placement. All i can say is the more you put in, the more you get out of your experience, PMGY will totally look after you, so go with a totally open mind and you'll have a trip you will not forget.