GeoVisions

The whole Umkwali experience exceeded my expectations. I expected someone to show me a tame cheetah or maybe see a few animals I have dreamed of seeing from afar. What I got was hands-on tracking and game capture experience. My trip to South Africa started with GeoVisions. I am a single mom who has teenagers almost out of the house - a volunteer project abroad was a great way to travel to another country safely on my own and gave me the chance to meet interesting people from all over the world. Once I booked with GeoVisions, I took off for the 3 day orientation in Johannesburg I guess I expected orientation to be the boring part - a classroom setting or something similar. However, it was a very active and wonderful 3 days. We went all over Johannesburg and Soweto learning about the area and the people. Just walking around the streets of Soweto, we learned that our view of third world countries is often skewed by media and assumptions - the reality was warm, friendly people in a beautiful country simply seeking a happy life like every other person in the world. What can I say about my project at Umkwali other than it was the most amazing and adrenaline filled experience of my life. The people that run the camp and projects are all excellent teachers and very fun company. This is an 18,000 acre property with a decent size work staff all run by a few individuals. The most amazing moment was probably getting to fly in the helicopter during the gemsbok capture. Unlike the buffalo, wildebeest, and giraffe, the gemsbok don't really want to stay together if they are being chased - they will split off from each other and run in different directions. That is when Donny (our pilot during this capture) has to round them up and get them going in the direction he wants and he is amazing at it. I don't know even how to describe that kind of flying - spinning 180 degrees in midair, dropping fast and coming at the animals sideways - one second you are low enough to touch a giraffe and the next second, you are so high up it is hard to see anything on the ground. It felt like the best roller coaster ride in the world and I was hooked! The animals we were after were being stubborn and the wind was changing so I had a very fun and long ride. Seeing the curtains being pulled after the sirens are sounded is pretty cool from the air too - there is a lot of action happening to get those animals safely loaded onto a truck. I landed in the helicopter at sunset and I was floating on air for hours! The whole Umkwali experience exceeded my expectations. I expected someone to show me a tame cheetah or maybe see a few animals I have dreamed of seeing from afar. What I got was hands-on tracking and game capture experience. I was close enough to some very large animals to have to dodge a couple. I learned a volunteer trip like this was an affordable way to travel abroad, provided safe transportation and accommodations, and I made some great friends I will keep in touch with. The food was healthy and tasty (they even accommodate a vegetarian diet), the water was clean and safe, and everyone on the staff are friendly. The guides here will teach you as much as you want to learn and let you participate as much as you are willing and able to do. Just show up everyday with an open mind, ready for anything and you'll never be disappointed! I highly recommend this program and GeoVisions.

Hey GeoVisions, I wanted to let you know how pleased I am with the Conversation Corps in Jordan. I am thoroughly enjoying myself, and this is turning out to be a very beneficial experience.

If you have ever dreamed of spending time in France with a family and learning how the French really live, what life is really like away from the tourist places, this program is for you! If you are over the age of fifty and wonder if it is truly possible to immerse into another culture; the answer is yes! I have just returned after spending the month of October, 2008 in a small town outside Lille, France. A remarkable experience and it is due to the people behind GeoVision's program from the very first contact. The key person in France is Annie Labat. Not only is she your best resource while there, she is incredibly intuitive in matching candidates to the right family. My family was perfect in every way and we will stay in touch. I would highly recommend this program, and look forward to going again next year!

Hello! I'm Erik, a conversation corps member staying with a family in Chorillos, in Lima Peru! I just arrived on Friday and am having A BLAST already, and have now seriously begun my English tutoring with the two children in the family. I don't have any specific questions, but would love love love to get any advice you have!

I spent the first couple of months of 2011 living in Fortuna, Costa Rica, teaching English in the evenings to the local tourist police. It was a wonderful experience; they appreciated what I was doing, and I had a chance to explore the area, with all its sights and activities, in depth. I was pleased with the efficiency of Geovisions in setting everything up, and when a small problem arose, the local coordinator in San Jose was ready to help. Now I am getting ready to go teach in Vietnam, also with Geovisions. I would recommend this to anyone who has the time and the inclination.

My experience in Untershofen, Germany is beyond words. Nestled in the southern Bavarian alps, this small village offered a different side of the rat-race of life. Each morning I would tutor "the Mom" for a couple of hours before she began work for a representative of the European Union. We worked with documents that she would be using in her job so that she could better understand the conversational side of English. From these documents we made vocabulary lists that she needed to study and understand. I would also assist her 12 & 14 year old children with homework from time to time. "The Dad" spoke wonderful English and had a complete understanding of the language. My job was to assist with conversational skills and understanding. I could not have asked for a more wonderful family. GeoVisions match for me was marvelous. I had a lovely bedroom, shared a bath and was treated as a valued member of the family. After 2 weeks of tutoring, I had a week off while the family had school holiday. I took that time to travel to Prague, Dresden and Berlin! Then 2 more weeks of tutoring before I traveled back to Georgia. I encourage anyone interested to explore possibilities with GeoVisions. It was an experience of a lifetime!

Happy New year ! I just wanted to let you know that being a tutor in Italy was everything you said it was going to be. I had an amazing experience. I taught English in three elementary schools . By the time I left , the children would come and speak English to me in the hallways. One day in the village of Montecosaro , I heard someone calling my name. It was a whole bus of elementary school children standing up on their seats, and yelling Mrs. Peggy .When I left I was surrounded by children in the hallways with lots of hugs and lots of questions if I could stay in Italy to teach them . I think everyone had a really positive experience. I got lots of really great feedback from the parents. The children keep asking me when I left if I was coming back to Italy to see them again. Not bad for a fifty six year old women. People think that twenty years olds adapt easier when abroad but I think that fifty year olds teach more and are much more adaptable. I am not telling you this to be arrogant. I just want to let you know that so more people in their fifties are considered for the position of a English tutor. Thank you for giving me this opportunity. It has impacted my life. I hope someday to volunteer to go to France. All the best, Peggy

First and foremost, I would like to say thank you. Having the chance to spend so much time in a foreign country while still being able to give back was absolutely incredible. I loved the Spanish people and culture and could not have asked for a better location. The highlights would certainly include the city and its accessibility. I also loved the ability to travel on the weekends and see more of the country than just Madrid. The food was delicious (I have actually been craving decent gelato and Jamon since I've been home) and the hustle and bustle of the city was great! As for the low lights, I am sad to say that most of them revolved around my host family. The kids I worked with were great. I had such a wonderful time with Alfonzo and Jaime. But I had a difficult time communicating with Ana (their mother) about what the expectations of the program were. There were multiple occasions where Ana would end my time with the boys early or cancel it altogether. There were also several instances when my planned activities would have to be canceled in order to accommodate Ana changing the daily time table with little to no prior notice. Finally, there were two separate times when Ana asked me to finish Alfonzo's homework for him rather than helping him finish it himself. This was all in addition to a time about half way through the summer when Ana informed me that she felt I was not doing my job as I was not spending enough time with her kids to earn my stay with her. From my perspective, I found this hard to believe, considering the fact that I had never once canceled lessons, it had always been at her bidding that we did not hold an English lesson. Luckily, by the end of the summer, we had reached a kind of harmony and Alfonzo's English teacher was extremely impressed with his progress over the past few months. At least, that is what Ana told me.

It was totally awesome, I met great people, I saw amazing places, and I learned how to speak a cool language, thanks for sending me here, I highly recommend this program to anyone who wants to visit the Middle East