Amazing Experience!

This program is a great way to get involved with helping the Balinese community along with exploring the beautiful island of Bali. I loved our orientation week at the beginning because we got to do many activities that allowed us to learn about Balinese culture. We explored the village, saw a Balinese dance show, participated in a Balinese cooking class, etc. The orientation was especially helpful because it allowed us to also learn about the dos and don’ts in Bali and how to stay safe.
I first started out doing the turtle conservation program on Nusa Penida. That was absolutely incredible; we got to do a lot of hands-on work with the turtles such as feeding and cleaning them. We also participated in other activities such as beach clean ups. Being on the island was so chill and relaxing.
This program is also very flexible. Many volunteers who wish to change their placement can do so easily. I wanted to experience a variety of projects, so I did construction and renovation for my third week and kindergarten for my fourth. Participating in many of the projects was such a rewarding experience for me. There is a lot of free time to do things during the day in Ubud. The city is filled with fun things to do. The weekends are free as well, which gives us time to go on little trips and explore other cities with each other.
The coordinators for this program were amazing. They went out of their way to make sure we were safe and having a good time. They gave us good tips on fun things to do in Bali and also how to stay safe. When volunteers were sick, they were extremely caring and made them feel at home. I never once felt uncomfortable or unsafe during this entire trip. Overall, this experience was amazing and I strongly recommend it.