GIVE Volunteers Growth International Volunteer Excursions

I had such an amazing experience with Give volunteers. I had my first Give trip this past spring break from March 14th through the 21st in Costa Rica. The trip was amazing and I had such a beautiful experience with everything my group and I got to do and everyone worked so well together. My guides were amazing! I loved working in the garden and helping kids with their English, going to a local restaurant and cabins called Kaniki to speak Spanish with this wonderful lady named Rita (I got to pet the cat and big, sweet dog too), and the food was delicious not to mention really fresh and healthy. By the end of the trip, our group had cried together a number of times, and we are like family now. We will totally be seeing one another in the near future, just a matter of when. I cried tears of joy on the plane home as the memories from the trip played through my mind. I felt like I made a difference, and that feeling has carried over into my motivations to make a difference back home :)

This trip was amazing! Genuinely life changing for me, and many of my friends agree. I learned so much about the culture of the area, the salmon habitats we worked near, and how I can live a more sustainable and educated life style. Thank you GIVE!!!

The GIVE Elephant Experience was truly the greatest experience I have ever had! This trip was a long time coming for me and from the moment I booked it, GIVE was extremely helpful, thorough and always reassuring. When I arrived in Thailand I was greeted with amazing energy from P'Dee and felt welcome immediately. P'Ann and P'phon also always met you with a smile and open arms and I couldn't speak more highly of them! Cassidy, our 4th guide, was the kindest person you'll ever meet. She was so helpful throughout the trip and an amazing person to talk to. The guides were all so comforting and they made us laugh and smile each and everyday. My absolute favorite part of the trip was how hands on we got to be at the Elephant Freedom Village, it was life changing to experience feeding and bathing adult and baby elephants. Another favorite part of mine was the down time we had and the car rides where we got to interact and learn so much about al the other people in our group. I met so many different people and made some real friends for life. I loved that every person we met in Thailand had so much passion for their country, the elephants and life in general. The trip was so organized from start to finish and we were given a very thorough itinerary each day to follow so you knew exactly what to wear, what we were doing and exact times. I could go on and on with how amazing this trip was for me, I wish I could stay in Thailand forever! So thank you so much GIVE for giving me this opportunity, I hope to join another group in the future!