I went on this trip not fully knowing what to expect, I had a lot of questions which were promptly answered by gives contact team which allowed me to enjoy this experience better. Going on this trip allowed me to find myself again, I had become comfortable in my normal routine and had somehow lost myself along the way. This trip took me out of my comfort zone in ways that I couldn't have imagined. The guides and other volunteers were there to support me with everything and motivated me to try new things.
I was able to go to a beautiful island and meet a group of amazing people that I will hold with me forever. We bonded so quickly as a group and am going to miss them all so much and I cant wait to meet with them again in the future. As this is an American company and coming from England, I was worried that I would feel alone and like the outsider however everyone welcomed me with open arms and I have made lifelong friends.
I would recommend going on any trip with give, although Hawaii has a special place in my heart. this experience came to an end after 9 days of laughs and tears and I would 1000% do it again without any hesitation.

I have been involved with GIVE as an organization since my freshman year at college. I joined the student group of Give at JMU and immediately fell in love with the mission, values and people of Give. I felt so inspired by the upperclassmen and wanted to be just like them.

Quickly after joining Give at JMU I became extremely involved, applied for and was accepted onto the executive board the following semester and have been on exec ever since! I plan to become President after the fall semester.

I had wanted to go on a Give trip ever since I saw that there was a way to travel more responsibly. Everyone wants to go places, but it can be difficult to navigate traveling if you're unsure if you're leaving a good impact behind. Specifically with Hawai'i, a lot of people travel there but have no idea the magnitude of the history and culture within the islands. I wanted to learn about Hawai'i and give back to the people native to the land. I also longed for making new connections, as I had seen my roommate experience beautiful friendships on her own Give trip the prior summer.

Surely enough, the trip was everything I could've hoped for and more. My guides, Traven, Ella, Carly Jo, and Kelly were so incredibly inspiring, knowledgable, wise, funny, caring, all of the above. I never felt unsafe, I never felt doubt, I never felt stupid for asking questions. Meeting them as well as the rest of my volunteer group is one of the greatest gifts I could have in life.

We spent each day volunteering with a community partner and then doing recreational activities such as hiking or playing sports or shopping afterwards. We found joy in such simple things like card games or van rides to the worksites or playing with the farm dogs. The entire trip as a whole was the most transformative experience for me, even with having a lot of GIVE knowledge up my sleeve. I learned so much and I truly feel like a whole new aspect of GIVE has been opened up to me. I could write a book about it. I couldn't recommend this trip enough. My group of volunteers already want to go on another one together. GIVE is a life changing organization that I could not be more happy to be apart of.

I cannot recommend Give enough! This trip was legitimately one of the best experiences of my life. Everything we did was incredible, and I left feeling like I had gained so much experience and community, both with my fellow volunteers and the communities we were working with. This was my first time doing any solo travel, so it was a bit scary for me before going, but all my fears went away when I got there. The whole trip was very well thought and at no point did I feel unsafe or worried. I would recommend this trip to anyone who is considering it!

This was probably the most motivational, inspirational, and fun trip I have ever been on. I was 17 when I went on my trip to Hawaii with Give and my mom and I were both nervous since it was a program we didn’t know much about and it was my first time traveling solo. First of all the staff was extremely helpful, they were amazing at reassuring my mom and I that it was a safe trip and if she needed to contact me she could directly through me or through the guides. My flight to Hawaii was delayed so I had to call the staff and let them know I’d be an hour late and they were right on top of it, they were comforting and said it was ok and they’d let the guides in Hawaii know I was going to be late. The trip itself was amazing, I was in a group with 20 other people my age and it was extremely fun and moving. We all became best friends very quickly and even a year later we still all text almost everyday! The projects we worked on were super hands on and a great learning experience. My favorite was when we worked in the fish ponds. We pulled out invasive California grass and evern though it was hard work and I got scratched up pretty bad, it was the best experience of my life and I think about it almost everyday and wish I could go back to that moment! The bonding that happens on the car rides between projects and moving to different housing locations was probably the most fun!! Especially the gas station stops hahah. Overall this was the most amazing trip I have been on and I plan on going on another one soon!

If you think that your trip won’t have an impact on the community or yourself you’re wrong. The people you meet and the knowledge you gain from going and continue to gain once your home is actually surprising. It was one of the best experiences of my whole life and I know have a group of life long friends that I got to do this experience with. The instructors were amazing, very fun and helpful from knowledge to getting a scrap to just having a conversation about anything with. I think if you are planning to do this there is nothing like it and you need to go and do it.

I had no idea what to expect coming into this program for the first time, but everything I considered was completely blown out of the water. Everyone was incredible from the very beginning. Booking was easy and staff were so helpful. Once on the island the guides were encouraging, insightful, and knowledgeable. I felt so safe the entire time, and there was always time for questions. Highlights of my trip were working with non profits, making friends, hiking a volcanic crater, and eating sea urchins.

This experience was absolutely amazing and allowed me to break out of my comfort zone. From working with the locals, getting involved in the community, and going on numerous adventures, this trip is truly eye opening in so many ways. It is the best way to experience Hawaii because you get to be apart of something bigger than just a vacation. You will meet new people, create connections that last forever, and make an enormous impact on the land. Everyone needs to have this experience and I promise you won’t regret a single moment! ❤️

This was an amazing and fulfilling trip. From learning more about Hawai'i culture, connecting to the land and the people around you, and being able to do some traditions of the Hawaiians, it was an amazing trip that was full of fun. It had an amazing balance of working and having fun while on this trip. This trip was a life changing experience to have and if you are wanting to travel this is was a great way to start off if you are going to travel alone for the first time. Everyone was so helpful and understanding and you get to be with a group experiencing new memories with. With such an amazing experience I hope you will find a new adventure and new memories I will always cherish in Hawai'i like I did.