International Student Volunteers

I travelled to Australia this year and had the best month of my life. I got to volunteer in Walkabout Wildlife Park when I got to built a new pond for the dingoes and got up close and personal with wallabees, kangaroos and koalas. The adventure tour was incredible! We go to go white water rafting, snorkelling at the Great Barrier Reef, abseiling in the Blue Mountains and sea kayaking with the dolphins. And to top it all off I've made some friends for life while doing it.

This was a totally awesome experience. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to do something that no tourist will probably ever do. Go for it. You will have the time of your life!

This was an amazing trip that I will never forget! I did things here (skydiving, bungy jumping, white water rafting, black water rafting) that I would never have done back home. I made some life-long friends and had the time of my life. Topping this trip seems impossible!

I've learned more through my experience here than I could in 4 years of college! The most incredible experience of my lifetime! I enjoyed being able to be part of the family and learn about the culture. I loved being rewarded after hard work with the Adventure Tour and seeing the many wonders of Costa Rica, I definitely will do it again.

International Student volunteers provided me with an incredible African experience. I volunteered in Swaziland, working on the government reserve with some incredible people, we interacted with the locals, and went on many game drives. The adventure tour had a lot to live up to after two weeks volunteering and it did not let us down. From kloofing to ziplining to hiking to abseiling, we had the time of our lives. With amazing, approachable and caring staff ISV would have to be one of the best travel programs out. I would do it all over in a heartbeat and recommend this program to everyone who wants to have an experience of a life time!

Rock climbing, hydro-speeding, and kayaking in Croatia was amazing. I almost can't even believe that I have done these things- they were that incredible to me, but I am so glad I was able to do them, and ISV made it possible. My group was wonderful, everyone was encouraging, kind, and just as excited to be there as I was. Volunteering at the children's camp in Romania was rewarding and heart-warming. The children were so sweet, and I learned SO MUCH from them. In addition to the easy Romanian words the little ones taught me, the older children went over Romanian culture and history with me, and I have gained a much broader and deeper understanding of how a country's people is shaped by the experiences they have shared. It seems so obvious now, but before I hadn't really thought about how different cultures have evolved to meet different needs. Also, the children were all extremely kind to us, and they would thank us profusely for coming to teach them. I felt very valued and glad to be there. Throughout the trip I never had to worry about not being prepared. ISV organized everything extremely well. We had efficient transportation everywhere, we had group leaders who were knowledgeable and warm that made our volunteer and group trip experiences wonderful. We had days jam-packed full of adventure. I couldn't imagine a better program and I can't wait to go back! ~Erica Allseitz, University of Texas at Austin

I traveled with ISV in 2008 to Costa Rica and it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I worked with a sea turtle research organization for 2 weeks on the Osa Peninsula and then went on the adventure tour for the next 2 weeks. Yes, I understand it is a bit expensive when you look solely at numbers, but the experience itself is priceless. If you were to do this exact program on your own it would run you atleast a thousand dollars more, hands down. They are so helpful in creating a safe and positive learning experience. Since my trip I have had my best friend travel to the Dominican Republic to work with children, my two friends to Croatia to work at a brown bear reserve and another friend to Ecuador. They all have absolutely fallen in love with ISV. A friend I made on my trip recently signed up to travel again, this time to South Africa. I highly recommend this to everyone, there are even projects available now for highschool students. Pura Vida! :)

I traveled with New Zealand and Fiji with ISV after my sophomore year. It was one of the best experiences of my life. We not only did amazing work in New Zealand, working with Department of Conservation, but I was also able to see some of the most beautiful places in the world. I made life-long friends and participated in activities I never imagined I would like sky-diving and bungee jumping! This experience has been a great resume builder and led me to many more opportunities abroad!

This was one of the most amazing experiences of my life! I learnt so much while also being able to give back to the community! I recommend this program to anyone!

I traveled to beautiful New Zealand with ISV in 2004, and as cliché as it sounds, it was truly a life changing experience. I volunteered for two weeks with the NZ Department of Conservation in Te Kuite and then traveled NZ for two weeks white water rafting, glacier hiking, bungy jumping, and skydiving. I did more in those two weeks than many people do in a lifetime! I learned so much about myself and would not take back those four weeks for anything... it was an amazing opportunity to give back to a country through volunteer work, while enjoying everything it has to offer.

Such a life-changing experience! Volunteering and staying with a host family were the most rewarding things. The relationships built with the other volunteers and my host family are ones that are irreplaceable. I could not ask for a better mix of adrenaline and meaningful travel. ISV definitely pulled me out of my comfort zone and I'm grateful I had the opportunity to travel with them!