Jamaica Volunteer Programs

Cold showers, bed bugs. Owner mean to staff. Events not well planned. Cool house though

This was my first experience travelling abroad alone and my first volunteer abroad experience. The best part of the experience was talking to the people who worked in the Smokey Manor. It was like talking to friends from school or like my family. They told me about the areas to stay out of and about life in Jamaica. The program made sure safety was a priority. The security was always available and I was constantly accompanied with local activities. The major criticism I have for the program is a lack of clarity in the breakdown of costs and I wish there were more scheduled activities during the week both during my time volunteering and during the free time.

I had a life changing experience with the Jamaica Volunteer Project. I was able to see Jamaica's education system and compare it to the United States education. I am leaving Jamaica with a whole new outlook on teaching, and the use of teaching supplies. Staying at Smokey Manor could not have been better or more accommodating.

This was an amazing experience that I will never forget. I have learned so much from Jamaica and the people in this country. The staff at Smokey Manor made this study abroad experience wonderful. The staff were extremely helpful and made their home a home away from home for us. They were always around and ready to answer and help in anyway they could. I have learned so much and look forward to sharing my experience with others when I get home.

This trip abroad was an amazing experience that I will never forget. Everyone was incredibly accommodating and welcoming. The volunteer opportunities were truly memorable and life-changing. I have learned so much about international education and how to be more effective for my students back in America. The excursions were also well-planned and a full cultural immersion. I am so thankful for this opportunity and have gained a true appreciation for Jamaican culture. I can only hope to return to visit the friendly staff and now, new friends again.

This experience is one of my best being abroad. We were immersed into the culture through various activities, food, and experiencing the culture first hand. It was a great experience to see the true side of Jamaica, not the tourist attractions. I was challenged, encouraged, and supported throughout the entire week. I can't wait to come back and experience it again!

Had a wonderful experience. I loved being able to try different foods and experience the culture. Going to the schools and working was a great experience. I love how staff always stayed with us and made sure we were comfortable and having fun.

I came to Jamaica with a group of educators from my university! The staff of Jamaica Volunteer Programs was beyond helpful and did all in their power to make sure I had a good trip! They made me feel safe the entire time because a staff member stayed with me. They even gave me suggestions of foods to try, which was very helpful! They really took time to get to know each one of us and made us feel comfortable in Jamaica.

This experience was incredible. It is often said that you get more than you give when you volunteer. That has definitely been the case. There are countless way that our visit will change our lives forever. Our eyes were opened to beautiful new culture, the faith, the customs, the architecture, people, the amazing food. Interacting with the children was a celebration every day. They were joyful and made us appreciate the wonder of life. The Jamaican people are amazing.

This trip has been excellent for my students. The staff has worked hard to make sure that we are comfortable and have the supplies and resources we need to make our service possible. The orphanage we worked at also worked hard to make sure we were able to accomplish our goals and theirs. My students loved the variety of excursions offered to them and really enjoyed being immersed in the local culture and community.

Having the opportunity to volunteer in an orphanage was truly amazing. This experience opened my eyes to a whole new light. There were 29 children who were nothing but happy and excited to spend time with me. Weather it was just talking or playing games the children had so much energy and I embraced every second we all had together. This is definitely an experience that I would love to do again and learn even more from it. Overall, this experience was extremely life-changing and brought happiness to my heart.

Volunteering Abroad was a live-changing experience. I was able to immerse myself in a new culture and learn many new thing from the people around me. From volunteering in the schools I was able to see a different kind of learning environment that I am used to. This environment was very energetic and inspirational. The children were so excited to see me as I was so excited to be with them. The teachers in the classrooms taught me a lot from their different teaching styles. From this experience I am able to bring my knowledge and teaching styles that I learned from the schools to my own life when I eventually become a teacher.

I volunteered at the orphanages and schools and I enjoyed it very much. The most memorable part of my experience was meeting new people both from San Diego State University and from Jamaica and spending time with them as well as going out and making memories with them :) The accommodation and food was wonderful! It felt like a home away from home. Out of all the excursion the trip to Bobo Hill to visit the Rastafarian community stood the most. The support staff was amazingly outstanding; I would rate them a 10/10 :). Also, even when enjoying the night life in Jamaica I felt safe at all times . I think I made an impact on the children at the schools and orphanages because the smiles on their faces were priceless! I would definitely recommend this program! As a matter of fact, I already have! Thank you all so much for such an amazing life changing experience. I will never forget you guys or the great memories I made in Jamaica !

I participated in the Study Abroad program from the San Diego Sate University and our main focus was on studying gender & sexuality. The most memorable part of my experience was visiting the Rastafarian community at Bobo Hill and talking to the higglers at the market. The accommodations and food was great. The bedding was comfortable and the daily home-cooked food was delicious. Volunteering at the schools and orphanages was definitely one of the events that stood out the most in my mind. I learnt a lot about the Jamaican culture just by spending the day at the school. The support staff was amazing. They did their best to make everyone feel safe and comfortable. They all worked hard to make sure that everything went according to plan. I would rate the level of our safety 10 out of 10! I felt safe the entire time even when we were out in the public. I hope I made an impact with the children at the schools and orphanage, I wish we would've volunteered more days there. I would strongly recommend this program to fellow classmates that would like to volunteer abroad and still get to spend time in a beautiful country.

A fabulous experience and without a doubt, Jamaica is one of my favourite places I have ever been! The school was amazing, the children were interested in learning, very sweet and it was great fun to be at the school everyday. Working with the teachers was very interesting, I learned a lot. I was welcomed by everyone I met. :D I was very extremely well taken care of, the food was amazing and I felt very safe. :D Overall it was a fabulous four weeks :)

I spent two weeks at Smokey Manor and was an intern at a Family Planning Clinic. It was a great experience and I learned a lot from it. At the clinic I followed a nurse and her assistant in their daily work schedule. It took a few days to get into it, but they were very friendly and helped me when I had questions. I learned that it was important to be outgoing and ask if there was anything I could do, how much you learn is really up to you. I came here with my sister who was a volunteer at a school, and we stayed here at the same time as a big group from the states that we got to know well and had lots of fun with. We also went on several tours. I would really recommend going on the Portland Highlights tour to the Blue Lagoon and Boston Bay Beach - it was like a day in Paradise. The breakfast and dinner were always good altough they were really different from what we were used to in Norway. If I were to comment on anything it would be that I wish I had got to know more about the placement before I arrived, be able to speak to the nurse I was following or just something to be able to prepare myself for what I was going to. I was not to happy about my experience in the clinic the first day, and I am really glad I gave feedback about it both here and at the clinic because it got a lot better after that and I was offered to switch programs if it did not get better. Also, I think some of the tours were a bit too expensive, especially considering that we were a big group going. Overall I had a really good experience here. I learned a lot about the culture and got to know so many nice people - both the once that were working here and the other volunteers and students.

I did not really know what to expect when I was going to Jamaica as a volunteer and I was not sure if I would like it, but I am so glad i did it! First of all, the children i got to meet through my volunteer work were the cutest kids I have ever met, and I felt that they really appreciated me being there, so I believe that I actually made a difference for them. Second, the staff at Smokey Manor were so friendly, welcoming and helpful that it really felt like a home away from home. At last, once you get to know Jamaica and get used to the cultural differences (for me it was a cultural shock the first days) the country has so much to offer. Both Portland and the Strawberry Hills at the Blue Mountains are some of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, and going there really felt like entering paradise. Especially Portland must be visited! If I was to say something a little less positive, it would be that it was not as well-organized as I would expect it to be. The first day I kind of felt like I was to figure things out on my own, but fortunately it got better already next day. They are very open for feedback and always try their best to help you. Another thing that was not too positive was that the excursions are expensive. The only trip I really felt like I paid the right price for was the trip to Portland, but even that one was very expensive considering the rafting was not included. Also, there were days where the drivers were late to pick us up from work - the longest wait was two hours. Still, this is probably just a part of the Jamaican culture and you just have to adjust to the "Jamaican time". All in all, I am so glad I went and it really was an experience for life!

Although I have been to Jamaica several times before, I truly value this trip, for I feel it was my first REAL Jamaican experience. From the moment I stepped off the plane and was greeted by my Program Adviser, I felt comfortable and at ease. This level of comfort and accommodation was immediately established and sustained in every aspect of my experience with the Jamaica Volunteer Programs. Specifically, I was invited to be part of a 2 traditional Christmas gatherings with the family. Not only did this invite me to be totally immersed in the culture, it also reinforced the kind, welcoming spirit of the Jamaican people and the entire staff of the Jamaican Volunteer Programs. The volunteer experience was unlike anything I have ever endured and truly humbling; I went to the orphanage intending to use my teaching background to help the girls, yet I learned so much from working with them and all the "aunties" who extend themselves day in and day out to provide for these girls. Words cannot emphasize how much I would recommend this Program. It as exceeded expectations in every possible way and have already began to contemplate my next volunteer venture.