GVI Kerala - the best volunteering program you will come across

To echo the previous review and to put this very simply, I similarly had the time of my life on this volunteering program.

From the get go, everything about GVI and this program excited me. The thought of having to adapt to an entirely different culture, living in a house with a possible 11 more people, having the opportunity to teach Indian children and being able to experience Indian culture seemed like the perfect mix – and it was.

We worked almost 46 hour weeks – all of those hours being hard work but extremely, extremely rewarding. I was able to become very close to my group of 7 kids and to this day, almost 3 months later, I miss them dearly. There are so many positive aspects to this program but it is being fortunate enough to get to know the children that makes this program incredible.

On top of this, I was able to develop life-long friendships with a group of volunteers from all over the world. It is comforting to know that I have made such substantial friendships throughout this program and something I will cherish for many years to come.

I fell in love with Indian culture and Fort Kochi – where the GVI house was based, in ways that I cannot explain. Despite working 5 days a week, our weeknights were spent at cafes eating cakes and drinking tea, at local restaurants experiencing the delicious local Kerala food, while our weekends were spent taking trips to places such as Munnar (eating delicious homemade chocolate), Varkala (soaking up the sun and swimming in the Arabian sea), Periyar (going on adventurous Jeep safaris and treks) and many more.

If you’ve read this entire review to get an idea on whether or not to join this program, I urge you not to hesitate. The experience I had was so much more than I could put into words. You will spend an amazing amount of time with the adorable children who will undoubtedly change your life, the warm and welcoming locals, and with Ridhi and Ross – the very best and program manager and coordinator you will ever come across.