Projects Abroad

Projects Abroad is an exceptional program!! I would recommend volunteering at any of the locations to get an insight into the conservation. I learned so much about the culture of the people, how living among the sea lions, iguanas & any other creature is respected, & how family is so important. I can't say enough about this program!!!! At the age of 78 I couldn't have asked for a more enriching experience !!! You're never too old to learn something new!!

I can’t say enough about this experience, from environmental work to helping the community, it taught me a lot about myself. The people were amazing and the trip was really well organized. William Pugh was fantastic in his support of us. This was a truly life changing experience. Thank you!

Arguably the best two weeks of my life- it is impossible to put into words the time I had in Sri Lanka. Whether it be helping turtles, learning about local culture or simply spending time with my fellow volunteers; I enjoyed every second of it. The staff were so supportive, friendly, welcoming and day in day out ensured we were enjoying ourselves to the maximum. The staff at the turtle placement were knowledgeable and supportive in teaching us about the impact we were making and what to do to achieve this impact. We were lucky enough to experience amazing wildlife via two safaris, visit various cultural sites and meet the most incredible people. The group of people I were with were from all over the world and it allowed me to make the most amazing friendships. I would do this project again and again and again if I had the opportunity, it truly was phenomenal.

If you can handle hard work, you're going to have a lot of fun here. The people are great and easy to talk to, always very helpful. Activities were so much fun, and hanging out with the other volunteers makes it even better. it's a great place to learn about yourself, others, and the place you're in.

This program was perfect for me. the perfect mix of learning medicine and free time allowed me to be enthusiastic during every placement and workshop I had. The sight seeing as well was amazing, exploring the beautiful city of Cusco.

I stayed in Taricaya for four weeks. It was the best four weeks of my life. Everything was so different but at the same time so familiar. Like it was how I was supposed to live. The sounds, the weather, the time we had to wake up, all of them were so easy for me to accept. And the activities we did, all of them were so good, they had meaning. Nothing like the things we do in school or in camps. I saw a lot of animals and plants that I didn't even know exist. And everything and everyone there was so calm. The time was running differently there, slower or quicker sometimes.

The projects abroad team are so welcoming, enthusiastic and helpful both prior departure and upon arrival in Kenya. They assisted me with all questions and changes to my program with willingness and efficiency. The program is so beautiful, rewarding and eye opening. The school welcomes you with wide arms and everyone is willing to share information and stories with you. The children always have a smile and just want to be in your company. If you want to volunteer choose projects abroad!!

my two weeks volunteering with Projects Abroad in Tanzania was an experience I will never forget. Travelling to Tanzania solo and stepping into a completely different culture pushed me outside of my comfort zone in ways I never expected. From learning to navigate daily life, catching the dala dala (public transport) to school each morning, adapting to a different pace of life, and finding confidence in an unfamiliar environment, every challenge became part of what made the experience so rewarding. The Maasai school was truly the heart of my placement. From the moment I arrived, I was welcomed so warmly by the teachers and students. The teachers were some of the kindest and most caring people I have met, and I feel incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to learn and teach alongside them. They went above and beyond to make me feel part of their community, sharing not only their classroom knowledge but their culture, traditions, and everyday lives with me. Being invited to visit a student’s Maasai boma (home) was something I will always remember and gave me a deeper appreciation for the importance of family, community, and culture in Tanzania. Learning that the school was originally built by volunteers, and that teaching placement fees contribute towards supporting the school and providing things such as meals for students, made me appreciate the wider impact of the program. The children were incredible — hearing that some students walk up to two hours each way to attend school, yet still arrive with such happiness, curiosity, and enthusiasm, was truly inspiring. They reminded me that volunteering is not only about what you give, but also about what you learn from the people around you. Living with a homestay family was another special part of my placement. My host family welcomed me with so much kindness and generosity, allowing me to experience everyday Tanzanian life in a way I never could have as a tourist. Sharing meals, conversations, and learning about their way of life was a privilege. The Projects Abroad team were approachable and supportive, making the transition into a new country and placement feel much easier. I left Tanzania with so much gratitude for the teachers who welcomed me, the children who inspired me, my host family who shared their home with me, and the community who allowed me to experience a small part of their world. This journey challenged me, taught me, and gave me memories I will carry with me for a lifetime. I would highly recommend Projects Abroad to anyone looking for a meaningful experience where you don’t just volunteer, but truly immerse yourself in another culture and leave having learnt just as much as you hoped to give.

I did the projects abroad rhino conservation project for three weeks starting in November 2025. Projects abroad were helpful from the beginning and made me feel very welcomed and safe. Sovit who organised and travelled with me in the days was very friendly and knowledgable about the local wildlife and area. We saw some amazing wildlife including elephants, rhinos and crocodiles and so much more ! The typical volunteering was collecting data on species and their population numbers. Although there wasn’t much to do in your free time the accommodation and local area were beautiful and the locals were so friendly. The project went by so quickly !

My experience in Ghana through Projects Abroad has been truly transformative. The support before and during my trip was excellent, and my placement at Merotn & Everett LLP offered meaningful, hands-on legal work that challenged me and helped me grow both personally and professionally. I felt welcomed by my host family and the local community, and I learned so much about the culture, legal system, and daily life in Accra. This program exceeded my expectations and has had a lasting impact on my career path and confidence. I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity.

This time in shark conservation in Fiji, I have learned a gained a lot of skills and knowledge by hands-on experience. Most of the times, we had fish identification workshop, coral workshop, shark laboratory seminar at diving center, shark identification workshop, mangrove workshop, etc. Yet, all of these knowledge are being conjugated in the diving afterwards. Learning new contents are important, yet the part that I liked the most is that we got to learn different techniques, planting and restoring mangroves, recording fish species, observation shark type and gender, or surveying coral health, all of them which can only be learnt with physical experience. As a person who wants to become a marine biologist/fish biologist in the future, it was a great experience to learn deeply and bring back actual skills to home.

To the host family, the office staff, the school staff and the whole experience was absolutely wonderful. I will never forget this opportunity. I experienced the home culture, the town culture, the education setting, the Maasai life and homes and travel. Definitely recommend this to anyone wanting to help and experience a different culture to stay grounded in life.

My experience in Mexico as an international volunteer was very valuable and enjoyable. I learned how to communicate with people who don’t speak my language and understood better what we can do to help marine animals survive. This experience showed me how significant it is to collaborate and work together and increase awareness for the environment and animals that are endangered, including sea turtles. This experience made me want to keep learning and pursue a career in the future, and help to protect nature.

This experience is awsome for a lot of reasons ; First things first, Peru is a beautiful country, and the Amazionian rain forest is one of the most beautiful things i've seen in my entire life. At the Taricaya reserve, I felt useful and not like a random tourist, i felt like i was doing something really meaningful. Everyone at the reserve was nice and friendly, and wanted to share their knowledge with us. I did many things and different activities, from farming to building, or feeding the animals... Thank you to Taricaya Eco Reserve and Projects abroad for this amazing experience !

It was very good, the staff was kind and the work was fun. It involved you to be somewhat physical but was quite easy most of the time. The turtles were amazing and releasing them was magical

My stay at Taricaya EcoReserve lasted two weeks, which made for a truly incredible experience. I was given the chance to explore a whole new culture, work with flora and fauna and meet amazing people, some of which have truly impacted me with their stories and others which I have formed strong friendships with! I would definitely recommend this to anybody who takes an interest in travelling, geography, the environment and doesn’t mind getting muddy!

As a recently graduated high-school student, I initially booked this trip to gain some experience in the medical field, help the community and travel. However, I had the opportunity to do much more; from assisting in a local hospital, participating in the community outreaches of a less fortunate community and connecting with individuals with whom I didn’t even share a language. Projects abroad made my stay unforgettable, and found me a host family that now feels like my home away from home. I highly recommend an experience such as this one to truly understand how fortunate we are in terms of healthcare, sanitation and living conditions, 100% recommend.

I did Sea Turtle Conservation and Nursing Internship in Sri Lanka for a month. It was such a great experience and I will definitely do it again. The host families were just lovely, the food was great, and I made connections to last a lifetime. I had a lot of flexibility and could leave early to travel on the weekends. Both my pre departure and in country coordinadora were extremely helpful. I had a few hiccups in the programs, but everything else was just splendid! I definitely recommend to anyone who loves to travel.

I spent one month with Projects Abroad Galapagos, as this was #1 on my bucket list. I am completely happy with my experience here, particularly with our twice a week feeding and caring for Giant Tortoises. We even got an opportunity to return two tortoises to the wild! (This isn't common, and it is also REALLY HARD-- but it is certainly worthy of my life's highlight reel!) You will also count and monitor the health of sea lions twice a week. This is pretty easy, and the sea lions are endlessly fascinating. You will have plenty of opportunity to travel to the other islands (I went to Isabella, Santa Cruz and Espanola). The trips run from $200-500 and it is best to make arrangements through the project for the best price. But you must pay in cash. (There are ATMs available.) The staff is wonderful and the volunteers ranged from high school to retired. They come from all over, not just America (in my case, less than half we're from the USA). The project website is very accurate. And yes, you will get very dirty on tortoise and invasive species removal days. I loved this so much that I have a second Projects Abroad conservation project coming up in less than two months.

I felt very privileged to have been part of this experience. From meeting the local team to the rest of the volunteers it was everything I had hoped for in a trip but so much more. The "over 50" title was a little misleading as 50% of our group were under 50 but that wasn't a problem. I was looking for something where I wouldnt be surrounded solely by gap year students and the other volunteers were professional people with certain life experiences which I found valuable and I hope I have made some life long friends from this trip. It was a wonderfully rewarding and very different trip, the memory of which I will treasure.

From the start to the end, the Project Abroad team has been excellent! Professional, well organized and attention to details esp on the safety and well being of volunteers. As a volunteer, we ourselves must do our part by adapting to conditions out of our comfort zone. After all new experiences is what we are in for.

This was my second experience with Project Abroad (first with two amazing projects in Cambodia in September 2023) and now I can confirm that after an experience with this organisation you’ll never travel looking to a new place with the same eyes. I’m a 56 years old Italian woman and I travel a lot but I love to visit new countries doing Project Abroad volunteering project. Why? Because with them you’ll have the opportunity to know real life and local people, to live with them and to know how they are wonderful, smiling and really kind even though they live much more simply than us (or probably because of this). This time my husband came with me and I realise that he appreciated every minute of our shared experience despite the hot and wet weather, the shared bathroom (when we travel alone usually we search rooms with a private bathroom every time) with only cold water showers and the hard work during the project. Together we decided to go in Sri Lanka and to work for Sea Turtle Conservation Project in Galbokka. We’re bank employees so we haven’t any experience to offer… only our hands and of course our hearts. But the centre staff is so kind and supportive that after only one day we felt like we knew each one of them like they were our kids. We’ll never forget any of them: Nimna and his smile, nicknamed Joker because he loves to joke with everyone; Kaveesha, the singer and artist, with his wonderful voice and his passion for Spiderman (his nickname); Kaveen alias Jerry, big and sweet eyes, who helped us to release our small baby turtles. And finally of course Charith, the Turtles centre ‘boss’ always busy but a real good friend for everyone in the centre. A typical work day in the centre includes cleaning the turtles tank, feeding them after cleaning fish to give them, to dig holes in the sand in order to hide turtles eggs from predators, washing turtles and a lot of other works. Each day is different and exciting so you’ll forget the hard work. Turtles are wonderful and baby turtles so nice and cute… I loved them so much. We released them two times, one at the sunset and one at midnight after patrolling beach to search eggs. This has been a wonderful experience because we went to the hatchery and we discovered that babies were born… what a great emotion. During the project we lived in a local family home and we enjoyed every moment with them. Our hostess Senanee is really kind and helpful in every moment and she is surely one of the best cooks in Sri Lanka! We felt like family with her, her daughter Nuhansa, her husband Ramidu, her mother in law and always safe. After our two weeks project we decided to make a week trip around this wonderful country and we enjoyed every moment. So, I wrote a lot about my experience and if you want you can read my 2023 review about Project Abroad. I think you could understand how well organised, safe and serious is this organisation. They are really careful about volunteers safety and I think it’s great to become a Project Abroad volunteer, no matter what age you are...so go ahead, sign up and start packing! For everything else there's Project Abroad

I had an amazing time doing Medical Internship in Nepal for two weeks Everyone is so amazing !! The host families are very friendly, caring, supportive and kind. They made it feel like home. I love the food that my host families made, so yummy and delicious. They are awesome people. I also had a wonderful time volunteering at Alka Hospital. I had a great opportunity shadowing doctors in various departments and the doctors are very skillful and knowledgeable and enthusiastic about teaching. I learned so much from them and I had an invaluable hands-on experience. Everyone including doctors, nurses, health assistant, administrators, ambulance drivers, and other hospital staffs are very welcoming, friendly, and supportive. I had an incredible time there. I am very glad that I chose to volunteer at Kathmandu Location. Thank you so much for the most amazing and meaningful life changing experience. I also had a fabulous time volunteering at Outreach program with school children, teachers, principles, program abroad coordinator, and other volunteers. It was a beautiful and memorable experience. I would highly recommend everyone to volunteer at the Kathmandu Location. Thank you so much for making this wonderful Projects Abroad Program and it is absolutely life changing experience. I am sure everyone who is looking to volunteer will have an amazing and positive impact in life.

My experience in Fiji was absolutely amazing. This was my 4th time in Fiji, but my 1st time volunteering. Everything from the placement itself, to housing and activities were absolutely amazing. The staff are so supportive and friendly, constantly checking on us and making sure we were at our best. I would absolutely recommend this project to anyone who was interested, you make so many new friends and meet so many new people! It makes it very hard to leave, but it was so fun that you’ll probably end up going back!!

My previous accommodation with Projects Abroad was canceled by my institution days before I was scheduled to leave. When given the option of doing a different project, this company was incredibly flexible and was able to ensure all my needs were met to have a successful project. I truly loved my time in Arusha, Tanzania, and believe that this experience happened for a reason. I would not change it for the world!

Having recently retired I was new to overseas volunteering - Projects Abroad were extremely well organised and very attentive to details to make this a truly life changing experience. The opportunity to teach so many wonderful children and to meet their teachers is an opportunity not to be missed. I highly recommend Projects Abroad

I truly enjoyed immersing myself in Ghanaian culture as well as experiencing my day to day life in a country new to me. I valued the little things during my experience, such as the food, the sights, and even my commute to and from work; but more significant to me were the everyday conversations with my host family, my project coordinator, my colleagues at my placement, and even people I met on a day to day basis. I spent two weeks at a law firm in Accra under the law and human rights program. Everyone at the firm was very kind and supportive, and it was a very committed and driven office in terms of the work they are doing. My second two weeks were spent at a media house in Accra for the journalism program. I got to witness behind the scenes of the everyday routine of a media house and their reporting on daily news. I also got to shadow one of the reporters a couple times while he was out in the city searching for and reporting on stories. My host family was very welcoming and always interested to learn about my life and story, and likewise share their experiences too. My project coordinator was also so supportive during my time in Accra, but additionally was a true friend to me in Ghana. I additionally appreciated engaging in insightful conversations about a wide range of topics and perspectives with various people in Ghana, which are interactions I wouldn't have gotten the chance to experience and learn from if not for Project Abroad's promotion of immersion in your host country. There's so much to learn and take home with you through such volunteering experiences around the world!

C’était une vraie immersion, j’ai observé comment travaillaient les autres kines , ils ont voulut voir comment je travaillaient, nous avons échangé nos connaissances et compétence en toute humanité pour que chacun grandissent

j était admiratif et comble pour se projet

We came in this program as a school doing volunteering. We did construction work on a school. The work was nice, the team was patient and kind. Kids and teachers from the school were awesome. The activities were great ! We did Safari, coffee tour, waterfall hike, restaurants, massai market, dancing class, … Our students had so much fun ! We were staying in family houses. We had a great time sharing moments with them. And most of all, Glory and her team from project abroad were amazing ! So nice, helpful and kind. At the end we had trouble with delated flight and the team was there for us, spending time to help us to find solution and coming to meet people from the airport. We felt appreciated and cared. I would recommend this amazing experience and everybody from our school was really sad to leave this incredible experience !

This placement and cultural travel experience has exceeded what I thought I would learn here in Cambodia. I have been able to be apart of the growing lives of the children and adults at the Centre I was placed at. Helping with their day to day physical heath needs. I believe this experience has helped me to grow as well, in ways I was not expecting or will see as time unfolds. I could practice to communicate in Khmer with both patients and staff as well as English to those here who speak it as well. I’ve been supported by the Projects Abroad staff on this journey and have met lots of other volunteers on my journey as well. I’ve been able to share travel/social experiences with volunteers and others we’ve met on the way. There are many places to learn about the culture and history here in Cambodia and also places to go and relax and recharge. I’ve felt safe here and have enjoyed not having to cook or do bulk laundry whilst away! With the many services that help provide these for you here. The cooking from the Projects Abroad apartment staff has been fantastic. I was able to go to a local gym as well and have gotten used to taking tuk tuks most places. New volunteers come and go and it has been nice getting to know them in the longer or shorter time we have had.

Going to Nepal on the High School Specials Medicine trip was one of the best decisions I have made. The staff's coordination ensures everything runs smoothly. They will do whatever they can to make your experience as enjoyable as possible. You get your SIM cards and money changed the day after you arrive. Visiting the hospitals was very educational, and a good way to become more familiar with the medical field. In CMC, more freedom is given to volunteers to visit departments of their choice. The doctors are all helpful and willing to answer questions and explain the conditions of patients in the wards as long as we took the initiative to ask them about their work. The other two hospitals we visited, a doctor or nurse showed us around and explained their work, which was also very good. There are cultural and medical programs in the evenings to ensure that the volunteers gain the most from their experience, but there is also plenty of time to relax and prepare for the next day. The Projects Abroad staff in Chitwan become parental figures for the ten days that you spend there, and they constantly checked up on us and asked for feedback. We never felt any hesitation asking for even the smallest of things and they are free to be contacted 24/7. The hotel staff are just also very kind and everything: wifi, water, a variety of food, hot water and working air conditioning is provided. Kathmandu's hotel is also quite good, however some rooms may not have a working air conditioning or a fan, though since the Kathmandu stay is just a few days or nights, it isn't too big of an issue, and upon request, they can fix or change your room if there are vacancies available. The volunteers you meet, especially your roommates, will quickly become your close friends, and you never feel lonely; there's time to swim and to relax and to explore. The relationship you build together is a special one, and everyone becomes like a second family. The two weeks pass by almost too-quickly and by the end it's a core memory.

I signed up for the medical internship but was blindly placed in midwifery. additionally, i was promised at least 15 hours of community service, yet only participated in maybe 5 hours and that is me being generous. additionally, i asked to shadow surgeries or to be placed in a different clinic a few times and each time, i was told someone would follow up but i had to be the one who was persistent in order to get an answer. i paid so much money to come out to peru, only to learn that my money is worth so much more than what i got out here so i feel as though i wasted a bunch of money and time because even that amount of money was not worth just sitting in a clinic for hours on end. i understand that in a hospital or clinical setting, there is not always action, but you cannot tell me that in the entire month of July, the only surgeries available for me to see took place the final week i was here. i spent most of my “shadowing” hours sitting in a break room because there were no patients.

The medical mission trip in the Philippines is truly a one of a kind experience. I have had so many opportunities to increase my patient care experience, and see a variety of different health related things. From being in the Delivery Room, to taking vitals, each experience was so special and unique. It also wouldn’t be this amazing without the projects abroad staff. They are all so helpful and amazing!!!

I was in Tanzania for the medical and healthcare HSS volunteer program, I enjoyed a lot the experience, the family was very kind and helped us in everything, food was amazing too, I had the chance to go on a tour in the city of Arusha, and the people in the hospital were very helpful, the answered all my questions, in the weekend we went to a safari which was amazing, and the staff of projects abroad was always available for everything

I took part, with 3 others in a project for over 50s, volunteering in the Galapagos. The first week we helped the community by teaching local children English. The second week we had a great variety of tasks looking after giant tortoises and helping and monitoring sea lions. We worked with local volunteers and within days felt that we were part of the island. The food on the island is wonderful, always fresh and local and I enjoyed eating the many fish and fruits that are expensive and difficult to obtain back home. The projects manager and all the local people were really friendly. As we painted murals, locals would stop to thank us.

I stayed in Cambodia doing the teaching project for 3 weeks, I went solo as an 18 year old girl, and had the time of my life!! I was looked after by the staff, accommodation was safe and clean. I made some incredible friendships with the other volunteers. The children were ADORABLE and the experience was so rewarding. I truly couldn’t recommend more!!

I won't ever forget my time here. The work with children in the Mental Health Hospital was particularly life-changing. Most psychiatrists there went above and beyond educating me on how culture and treatment work at the hospital.

An adventure in the amazon jungle. If you like looking after rescued animals and birds this is the trip for you plus hiking in the amazon jungle. Taricara met my expectations and gives me a taste of living in the tropical jungle. Facilities basic but this is expected. Everything you need is there and welcoming hosts as a bonus.

I volunteered at an elementary school in Nepal.There I taught them about Japan and dance for three weeks.The teachers at the elementary school were very kind and made me feel welcome.I was able to teach the classes I wanted to at my elementary school.It was good for me, but I had to think about my classes every day.It was good for me, but I had to think about my classes every day.My host family was very nice, healthy and fun to spend time with. I am very grateful to them.The staff at Project Abroad was also quick to respond to any problems I had.

I think I was able to do an exelent job. I was able to teach the students some phoenix and interact with them.

Projects Abroad is a fantastic company that allowed me and 5 other medical students to do a placement at Mount Meru hospital in Arusha. Arusha is a great city for volunteers, with lots of Tanzania's tourist attractions nearby, and lots of other volunteers living in the city. The homestay arrangements were fantastic (Kilipilli homestay) and the staff at Projects Abroad go above and beyond. While I wasn't able to get very hands on at this placement due to resource unavailability and lots of other local and international medical students present, it did help me gain a great insight into healthcare in Tanzania and broadened my perspective of healthcare in general.

First day I confuseda little because everything was different from Japanese school.I couldn’t imagine what I should did. However students and teachers of manio were so kind to me.In Japan we are too shy to talk with those who are from abroad,so my precious time in manio was very fresh for me. Anyway thanks to many people I could enjoy my stay in Philippines. I will never forget it.

I taught how to say Japanese, wear kimono, make something by using origami to elementary school students. Also, I taught how to wash your hands and brush your teeth to kindergarten students. Moreover, all of students taught me how to say something in Philippines language and traditional cultures. When I gave them many Japanese traditional presents, all of them were happy, and I was also given some presents by them. The most memorable experience for me was when I gave Japanese antiperspirant products to kindergarten students, not only did they start taking care of themselves, but they also took care of me.

Je retiendrai de ce voyage l'enrichissement culturel et humain, les échanges avec les Tanzaniens : ceux de l'école/du chantier, de l'organisme ProjectsAbroad, des familles d'accueil. Et par ailleurs les liens qui se sont crées avec les jeunes que nous avons accompagnés, l'ouverture d 'esprit et la curiosité que cela leur a procurées.

Before leaving Japan, I felt very anxious about communication in English and whether I will fit in the foreign country. But,the concern disappeared quickly. Kenyan people is friendly and kindly,so I love Kenyan character and natural features. Through the project, I thought that Kenyan medical standard is lower than Japanese one as to sanitation and medical equipments. So,I recognize that my task is to export correct knowledge and developed technology for the future.And also,I thought that disorders of babies that could have been prevented by medical intervention immediately after birth should be prevented. The most impressed experience while this project is Medical Outreach. I feel so happy that children of the tribe came up to me and wanted to play with me. They cannot reach hospitals,so we should provide medical resources. I wish I take part in the project like this activity in the future. I researched on the Internet about the social support. Large organizations such as UNICEF and WHO are conducting such activities. Japanese participating them are working abroad for some years. For this reason, I think it is necessary for me to work abroad at a young age. Overall,trip to Kenya is extremely good. I would like to come back there again. And,I want to be involved in Kenya in some way.

Every staff member we met and interacted with were friendly and welcoming. The teaching program was fun, rewarding, and enjoyable. Everything went smoothly and I had no issues. Already looking to come back!

What a wonderful experience I had in Nepal. The guidance from Projects Abroad was excellent. It was very nice that they welcomed me upon arrival and accompanied me to the host family and the school in Kathmandu. The employees, teachers and children are so grateful that you want to think and work with them to optimize education and guidance. I felt so welcome at the school. I am still in touch with them. The host family makes you feel immediately at home in their home. Always willing to provide you with information and suggestions for excursions. You will also gain more insight into daily life in Nepal. I also really enjoyed my fellow residents in the host family. The employees of Projects Abroad are easily accessible. The fact that support was also provided in planning domestic trips was an unexpected but very welcome surprise. This is an experience that I wish for everyone. Participating in a project makes it possible to become a world citizen. I would recommend everyone to experience this.

My medical internship in Peru was a unique experience that not only enhanced my professional knowledge but also contributed significantly to my personal growth. The host family that welcomed me during my stay was incredibly warm, providing me with profound insights into Peruvian culture. The support from the friendly staff at ProjectsAbroad was outstanding, and they were always there for me. The opportunity to actively participate in various medical activities, including surgeries and treatments, broadened my horizons and offered practical insights into the healthcare system. The weekly medical workshops were particularly enlightening, imparting knowledge that is typically gained in more advanced study semesters in Germany. The variety of social workshops not only strengthened my teamwork skills but also led to new friendships. Exploring the breathtaking landscapes and culture during my free time was an additional highlight, especially the visit to Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain or the Sacred Valley. One aspect that was less favorable was the relatively independent nature of the internship, occasionally leaving me feeling somewhat isolated due to limited contact with my host family. Regrettably, I had to visit the hospital twice due to health issues related to food on tours. Additionally, my phone was stolen on the bus, adding further inconvenience to the challenges faced. Another area for improvement could be the supervision and communication within the hospitals. There were instances where I felt uncertain and bored as no one seemed to know how best to utilize my time.

november 2023 i decided to take a leap of faith into the unknown world. little did i know that this experience was going to change my life ! there are literally no words to explain how incredible, amazing, unforgettable and rewarding my trip was. the public health project really helped me to see what healthcare is like and the importance of community outreaches. the medical knowledge and the cultural lifestyles that i learnt on this project is something that i will really value while continuing my nursing studies. this project made me realise the importance and the high demand of healthcare workers around the world. not only did it make me want to thrive to become a nurse it reminded me why i chose this career. just thinking about it right now makes me smile so much? there is no way that i can explain my whole experience in this paragraph and no words will ever be enough to explain how incredible this trip was. i am so lucky to have met many amazing people along the way and now i made friends from around the world. friends that will last a lifetime ! it really is true how small acts of kindness can take you a long way. this project has helped me appreciate everything that life has to offer, to live in the moment, challenge new things and enjoy every moment of life. the projects abroad staff in cambodia are not only staff they are my family. no matter where you are in the world i know that cambodia will always have a special place in my heart. my dream is to come back to cambodia as a registered nurse ! i can't wait to volunteer with projects abroad in the future. sending lots of love to my cambodian family and friends.

The summer of 2022 that I traveled to Botswana as a volunteer was one of the best experiences I ever had. I met such nice people from other parts of the world as local people that stayed with us in the camp. I learned plenty of new things about animals, the illegal hunting, we talked about the social consciousness that involves the environment today… When I came back, I became more conscious about our environment and to be grateful of what I have.

It was a huge experience in my life. People are so humble and friendly. It was an eye-opener and really got a culture shock of how people can feel. I appreciate so much the help we have been able to give them, but not least to be able to see how happy and grateful these children are. Wish you could do more, but it's hard you want to help everyone. Glad our money went to them here

What an incredible amazing life experience. Projects Abroad from the beginning to the end were professional, friendly, organised, always available for a call or email and helpful. The project was truly inspirational, a beautiful insight into Cambodia culture and way of living. I would highly recommend it to everyone, just speak to them!

I was nervous to begin with but the leaders and staff were so welcoming and made me feel at home. I loved meeting all the new volunteers and stepping outside my comfort zone to help the people in need and change the world for the better. I was in a completely new place and yet now I consider Nepal a second home. I loved the culture, nature and people and I made lifelong memories with new friends. I will definitely so it again and I will never forget the memories I made. Thank you

I loved every moment of my volunteering project. Project Abroad staff is really professional and careful. During first two weeks, for my Grown Up Discovery tour, I visited a lot of places in Cambodia (Phnom Penh - Royal Palace and every place remembering killing fields of Khmer Rouge, Kampot with his pepper farm and Kep, Battambang where I've had an amazing ride on the real Bamboo Battambang train and finally Siem Riep with Angkor Wat, Bayon and floating village). Everything has been perfect and I enjoyed all places and experience. I stayed in contact with Cambodian people and they are really wonderful, kind and respectful in every situation. My experience in kindergarten was wonderful; children were so cute and teachers are very friendly. 1 teach basic English, played with children and helped teachers in some activities like well washing hands, eat and something else. In volunteering house (Bayon house) I felt like at my home. Our Cambodian mummy (Mira and Sami) were really kind and so cute. I cried a lot when l've to come back in Italy. I suggest this experience to everyone, young and just a little older like me (I'm 55 years old and this is my first volunteering experience). Thanks Project Abroad... l'lI come back again. Adriana from Italy

This summer I went to Kenya with projects abroad. I spent two weeks volunteering with giraffes and doing conservation work. My time was absolutely amazing and I met so many new friends. I had such a good time I am already planning my next volunteer trip to Peru with them next year.

During the countless changes and transformations that living in Ulaanbaatar has brought me, there lies a bittersweet realisation that my time here is finite. Octavia Butler said in her opening of The Parable of the Sower, "All that you touch, you change. All that you change changes you." As I approach the end of my stay and prepare to return to my other world, I reflect on this experience's profound impact on my perspective as a graduate social work student. As Octavia Butler's words suggest, all I have touched and changed has undeniably left its mark on me. The vibrant tapestry of Ulaanbaatar, with its rich culture and resilient people, has instilled in me a deeper understanding of the complexities of the human experience. As I transition back to my familiar surroundings, I carry with me the knowledge that returning home is not an end but a continuation of the transformative journey I have embarked upon. Armed with newfound insights and a determination to effect meaningful change, I am poised to apply the lessons learned in Ulaanbaatar to my future endeavours as a social worker. Through the lens of change, I stand ready to make a lasting impact on the lives of others, both in my community and beyond. Some final thoughts from this traveller, student and humbled person as I end my 16-week placement. A recent survey released by the World Bank revealed that Mongolian men in their 20s often view women as more ambitious than men, which they may perceive as unattractive. During my time in Mongolia, I have met women who have shared their experiences with abusive relationships. Such experiences have confirmed that if men do not respect women, then what kind of relationship will this be. A complex dynamic exists between men and women in Mongolia, focusing on societal attitudes and the struggles both genders face in forming meaningful and safe relationships. It raises important questions about gender inequality and emphasises the need to address the issues men face and understand the beliefs that drive those issues, which women increasingly encounter. To be clear, this is not something contained or exclusive here in Mongolia. More so now, I am a firm believer in how the reverse gender gap and the difficulties encountered in relationships between men and women illustrate how little attention is paid to the struggles faced by men and the impact this can have on relationships. In observing the social culture here in Ulaanbaatar, it is evident that women face a certain stigma, making relationships much more challenging. They may inevitably face questions about their marital status or are challenged for success and why they want an equal place in society. I know this is challenging to read, especially for men, but it is something that we men need to acknowledge and openly talk about. In the heart of Ulaanbaatar, amidst the bustling streets and vibrant atmosphere, I have been embedded in a city that felt like my own. Like a burning fire, an endless fury, I felt a deep connection that surpassed mere familiarity. Living and adapting to the capital city of Mongolia, I experienced a sense of belonging that defied expectations. Citing the lyrics of "Tourist in Your Hometown" by Death Cab for Cutie, I had a doubt. A doubt that questioned whether I truly belonged, whether I was just a tourist in this city that was becoming my home. But within that doubt, I found strength. I built my passion and love for this place to be even more significant than the sun. I was letting it grow, allowing it to consume me entirely. And as the fire within my heart burned brighter, I realised that there was nothing to fear. Yes, there were moments when I thought it would burst apart when doubts and uncertainties clouded my mind. Yet, through it all, I remained undeterred. Framing rights into wrongs, I moved along, determined to define my destination. I discovered countless places to call home in this city of contrasts and diverse cultures. And just like a character in my own story, I realised that sometimes our best intentions need redemption. Yet, this only strengthened my resolve to make a difference. Finding yourself as a tourist in the city where you were not born may signify the time to go is near. Not in search of a new home but to redefine your place and purpose in the world. For within the burning of your heart lies the growth potential for transformation. With each flicker of that flame, I become more than a tourist. I am now part of the fabric that weaves this city together. And as this fire grew higher, I embraced the challenges, the doubts, and the moments of redemption, for it is in this journey that I have come alive.

Meandering through the narrow streets of Katmandu on my way to my placement I wondered if I was totally mad and would I survive this city of chaos. Once I met Bhavani, our project leader, I totally relaxed. She was an excellent leader and explained everything I needed to know. She anticipated a lot of my questions and I felt at home. When we got into the school to do our painting we were made feel very welcome. I cannot describe how beautiful each and every child is. The second week we assisted teachers and enjoyed every minute with these amazing children.

My experience was incredible. I discovered a new culture and learned lots of new things. It also gave me more self-confidence and allowed me to do something concrete, to work alongside other volonteers my age, and to have the privilege of looking after the turtles. We did lots of differents things and discovered beautiful places all over Sri Lanka. We visited the capital, Colombo, but also the beautiful region around Kandy, in particular the elephant orphanage, which remains one of our highlights. We also spent a lot of time in Balapitiya, where our house was located, and where we spent many mornings working. We had many tasks such as carrying water or sand in large buckets to clean and fill the turtle basins, painting a fresco to decorate the basins, cleaning all over the center, preparing fish to feed the turtles, cleaning the turtles, taking care of turtle eggs, and also releasing young turtles into the sea, a magical moment. Mosts of the tasks were exhausting, but we felt useful, and had plenty of breaks to rest. We also visited a lot of places around our town, such as temples and famous beaches. To sum up, this project taught me a lot and gave me an unforgettable summer.

I loved every moment of my volunteering project. Project Abroad staff is really professional and careful. During first two weeks, for my Grown Up Discovery tour, I visited a lot of places in Cambodia (Phnom Penh - Royal Palace and every place remembering killing fields of Khmer Rouge, Kampot with his pepper farm and Kep, Battambang where I’ve had an amazing ride on the real Bamboo Battambang train and finally Siem Riep with Angkor Wat, Bayon and floating village). Everything has been perfect and I enjoyed all places and experience. I stayed in contact with Cambodian people and they are really wonderful, kind and respectful in every situation. My experience in kindergarten was wonderful; children were so cute and teachers are very friendly. I teach basic English, played with children and helped teachers in some activities like well washing hands, eat and something else. In volunteering house (Bayon house) I felt like at my home. Our Cambodian mummy (Mira and Sami) were really kind and so cute. I cried a lot when I’ve to come back in Italy. I suggest this experience to everyone, young and just a little older like me (I’m 55 years old and this is my first volunteering experience). Thanks Project Abroad… I’ll come back again. Adriana from Italy

The 2 weeks I spent volunteering in Cambodia taking part in the childcare and community project was the greatest experience of my life. As a 16 year old travelling alone to a different country and to volunteer was scary at first, but as soon as I touched down in Phnom Penh and met the projects abroad staff my fears instantly disappeared. During my stay in Cambodia being placed in a primary school teaching young children English, sports, arts and the joy found within attending school was the most rewarding and uplifting experience I have ever had. Although at times our days would seem challenging, seeing the joy my fellow volunteers and I could bring to these young children’s faces and the impact we could make on their attitudes towards learning and attending school as well as the difference we made to their school/learning facilities, made all the hard work we put in worth it. Aside from our time attending the school, we were offered numerous amounts of amazing opportunities to engage within the culture of Cambodia by visiting many local tourist attractions and taking part in many cultural activities, these experiences gave us real insight to Cambodia as a country and the hardships they have been through and made us realise how much our help meant and impacted them, and why they need it. This was without a doubt the best and most rewarding experience of my life. At the end of my stay I walked away with several new life long friends from all over the world and memories I’ll treasure forever. It was a very eye opening experience that I learnt and grew so much from, therefore I am very greatly to have been able to take part in this program. I truely could not recommend this experience more!

it was an amazing experience. People were very kind. Nature is incredible. It was difficult to go back home for me. We didn't lack anything. We had enough to eat. The sheets were clean. It'wasn't the luxury you can sometimes find in Europe but it was more than enough

The time I spent with Projects Abroad was one of the best experiences of my life. I learned so much, gained so much experience in the field of human rights, met the most amazing people and was lucky to see the beauty of Ghana. I cannot recommend this experience enough, it helped me grow as a person and in my career, thank you Projects Abroad for making it so memorable.

Some of the previous questions are not fully relevant to this experience. Wild at Tuli is remote, very basic and isolated from any services, towns etc. It was a privilege to have experienced that part of Africa and for me to renew my love of the African bush and animals. The project is definitely worthwhile and is showing good signs of progress but it is a bit overwhelming for the owners. The logistics, staffing and funding are difficult. Staff, food, poaching patrols, game viewing, bird spotting etc were great. The rangers had a extraordinary understanding of the animals and general environment. I thoroughly enjoyed the limited physical work. Out of 14 volunteers, I was with just two other adults who, very fortunately, were great company. There needs to be a lot of care in Projects Abroad choosing the right mix of people. A big part of the experience should be meeting a group of like minded people of similar age.

My experience with children (from 1 to 7 years old) was very impactful for me: on an emotional and physical level. Maybe I wasn't really ready to live in a condition of poverty, I didn't have all the fundamental information to best face the experience. I mean my help was probably limited compared to what I could have given them (children and my wonderful nurturing family). It was an enriching but very hard experience on a personal level for me.

Mon voyage en tant que volontaire dans une école pour jeune enfant à Arusha a été tout simplement magnifique. J'ai vécu une expérience que je conseille à tout le monde ! J'ai été accueillie pour toute la population comme si je faisais partie de leur famille, tant par ma famille d'accueil, que par le personnel de l'école ! Je ne remercierai jamais assez Project Abroad pour tout ce qu'ils ont fait. Du début à la fin de ce voyage, le personnel a été là pour répondre à toutes mes demandes, ainsi que pour me rassurer ! Avec la compétence de cet organisme, tout est organisé de la plus belle des manières.

We had the best time at the Galapagos Islands with Project Abroads. It was amazing helpign out with projects, feeding the tortoises and being with between all the wildlife.

In summer 2023 I was a volunteer in Tansania. It was the best I could do, I will never forget it. And I’m happy I did it with Projects Abroad. The preparation and organization was on top. Everyone was friendly and helpful, the host family’s meals were very delicious and the rooms clean. Furthermore the trips we did on weekends were super cool, my personal highlight was the waterfall at the Kilimanjaro. I can only recommend everyone to do this, it was life changing.

I had a very good time in Fiji, it was a bit hard for me for the age gap between me and the other volunteers, (I'm 15 and they were at least 18) but apart from that the experience was increible. I got to dive with incredible animals and get to know incredible people such as the other volunteers or the divemasters. I definitely recommend this project although I would try to match the age group if I were you.

My 16 year old son went on a projects abroad trip to Kenya with his school. He had an amazing time and projects abroad made the whole process easy and worry-free. He had an amazing, life- changing experience! I would definitely recommend projects abroad (and already have)!

I had a wonderful experience on my trip with projects abroad. I come back from my trip with nothing but good things to say about the staff, the volunteering experience, the food as well as the tourism. Our guides were always ready to answer any question we had at any time during the day or even the night. I can also speak for everyone when I say that they made us feel safe and most of all welcome throughout the duration of our trip.

From the day I arrived I was swept away with the hustle and bustle of the city of Kathmandu. Coming from a small farming village in the UK I had never been in such a busy and chaotic environment. I remember walking around the streets being scared of where to walk as motorbikes and cars fly past. Even with this new environment it became the norm in only a few hours. I made it my goal to immerse myself in my surroundings and I made it a challenge to fine all the best coffee shops and bars thamel has to offer. My host family was in Lalitpur. This is starkly different to Thamel. It had the same busy feel but it was only locals no tourists. This allowed myself and the other volunteers to live like the local people. Shop at the same shops and grab a coffee shoulder to shoulder with the people we shared the local area with. Projects abroad staff would keep in contact with us everyday, at times dropping everything to ensure we were comfortable and our questions or queries were answered. Not only did the staff sacrifice time and resources to help us but they became our friends. Having the back bone to rely on when in such a new environment helped shine my way through my time in Nepal. I came to Nepal to learn about the culture, to learn the language and to give my labour to the local community. The building projects was rewarding. Every brick laid every shovel of concrete turned was the starting point for a child’s education. At times the work was tedious and tiring but everyday ending with the satisfaction that you are being a massive help to the children and teachers will make you what to come back for more. I want to say a massive thank you to the projects abroad team, Bibek, Bhawani, Rajesh. I wish to see you all again soon.

I participated in Child Care. I was so excited to see my children every day. However, I could feel not only the smiles of the children, but also the deep connection between people in this village. I was happy to feel a connection with people that I could not feel in Japan!

It was the first time for me to go abroad by myself, and I wasn't very confident in my English, but participating in this project was a life-long experience. It also made me think about life. After coming to Fiji, there were cultural differences, but I was able to feel the goodness of the people. Fijian people are all very kind, bright and funny. I love you guys. I want to be like the Fijian people. I think it's a country that is full of love for everything from the sea to the greenery to the people. It was a short but valuable experience.

This project has been absolutely amazing and i loved every minute of it. Bibek, our coordinator, was always kind and welcoming, and always ready to fulfill anything we had to ask for and always there when we needed him for medical or personal reasons and was always flexible. The entire staff was amazing, everyone very patient and comprehensive. I stayed at the Yadav Host Family and I loved the family that cooked for us delicious meals everyday, took care of us and had fun with us. The work was perfect, ten days of building and ten of teaching were the perfect balance, and we felt welcome in both locations. Amazing experience thanks to all of the staff members and the host family.

My 'Projects Abroad Medical Internship for Teenagers’ was a fantastic experience, along with 19 other young people from around Australia, New Zealand and Japan we participated in a supervised daily schedule of activities focusing on learning and cultural exposure. My goals were to have some clinical exposure, travel overseas to a developing country independently from my family, put myself outside my comfort zone, experience a different culture and to complete my Duke of Edinburgh Gold Residential Program. It was also a great way of meeting other young people from different backgrounds. The whole experience was worth it, well organised, and supported

I had an amazing experience with Projects Abroad. Right from when the plane landed i was welcomed into Mexico. My host family was extremely caring and made me feel safe and taught me a lot about daily life and culture in Mexico. My placement at the hospital exceeded my expectations, It was very hands on and the doctors were very keen to have students and taught me a lot. They encourage you to get close up and put you in the best spot to see everything that is happening whilst explaining. I had the opportunity to spend most of my time in my fields of interest in obstetrics and paediatrics. The Projects Abroad team organised weekly social outings including salsa dancing classes, museum tours and more. I made memories on this trip that I will never forget and have learned so much not just academically but social and cultural knowledge as well, by the end I almost felt like a local.

I had a wonderful time at Sri Sambuddhaloka Early Childhood Development Centre/Montessori during my week-long project there – the teachers, students and parents were all lovely and I had so much fun working with them! Throughout my time there, I helped out with, and even ran, various activities such as colouring in, drawing, counting and singing nursery rhymes. The children were so welcoming, warm-hearted and intelligent, and their enthusiasm and playfulness always made me smile! Though they hadn’t yet learnt a great deal of English, we were able to manage really well with the help of the staff at the school. The school staff were also very hospitable and made me feel supported and comfortable throughout my time there, even from the very first day, as I entered circumstances which were different to what I was used to. The parents too were very welcoming and friendly, contributing to the supportive environment I experienced there. I'm grateful to Projects Abroad for facilitating this experience for me, and I hope they will continue to support the wonderful work done by the staff at Sri Sambuddhaloka Montessori.

I enjoyed my time in Jamaica. Sanikia from Projects Abroad was always very friendly and responsive with queries. She also provided several very interesting cultural classes covering things like cooking (don't ever chop a scotch bonnet chilli without gloves on!), Patwa, and dancing. My host family were brilliant - very helpful and friendly. Great cooking from Mrs B! Spending time at each of the residential facilities was very interesting. The residents were lovely and very open during group therapy sessions. Observing the social work students was also a great experience. Getting around is either by walking or route taxis. I only made one longer distance trip which used a local coach company. I brought cash with me, but Projects Abroad covered any route taxis I needed to get to and from the residential facilities.

I enjoyed my time in Cuyutlan a lot! Everyone was very friendly and Rene at the Tortugaria was very knowledgeable and helpful. The majority of the food at the volunteer reserve was prepared by Rene (breakfast and evenings) and his wife (lunchtimes). The cooking was excellent! The work rota was mornings Tuesday to Saturday inclusive and afternoons Monday to Thursday inclusive, with Monday mornings being designated for grocery shopping in nearby Tecomán. I only really needed two outfits for working on projects - one pair of long trousers, a t-shirt (not sleeveless!), long socks and trainers for working in the lagoon or anywhere with lots of mosquitoes; one pair of shorts, a tank top and swim shoes for cleaning turtle tanks, painting and beach clean-ups. As the rota alternates, one outfit could be drying out while the other was in use. Laundry is handwashing, so get used to wearing grubby clothes most days! Most of the rest of my time was in swimwear, or something cool and relaxed for visiting the town (both Cuyutlan and Tecoman). The volunteer reserve is a little remote - it's about a 45 minute walk into town - so you may need to be reliant on taxis or Rene to get you any further afield. You will need cash in Cuyutlan, but there are cashpoints in Tecomán if you need them. It would be better to bring cash with you if you want to avoid bank charges. It's also worth getting a local sim card for data usage when out and about. Electricity can be a little unreliable on occasion which wipes out the wifi at the volunteer reserve.

I had a fantastic time on the Tortoise conservation project in the Galapagos. The project was very well organised. Each week a rota is supplied via WhatsApp group message so everyone knew exactly what was expected that week. William (Director) and José-Luis (primary coordinator) were very welcoming and knowledgeable. Flora and José (host family at the volunteer reserve) are lovely and very helpful. Communication was a little bit of a challenge as neither of them spoke English, but we managed with the help of Google Translate. The food was delicious (I really miss Flora's chilli sauce!)! Seeing all the wonderful wildlife has been amazing! The only downside is that it is very expensive here and it would have been helpful to have more of an idea about budget requirements - especially in relation to the various tour options that are available. Having said that, there are cashpoints available and you can pay via card in the shops, bars and restaurants if necessary. Due to the nature of the conservation you'll be doing, you only really need two outfits here when doing project work - both of them should be quick drying if possible! One pair of long trousers, long sleeved t-shirt (something you don't mind making a mess of as it will get very grubby and stained!), long socks and sturdy waterproof shoes/boots; one pair of shorts/leggings, tank top and beach shoes. Everything else is for free time so lightweight and cool, but that can be layered easily as it can get quite chilly at night up at the reserve. It's surprising how much of an impact 5km and a bit of altitude has on how different the weather is up at the reserve compared with in the main town at sea level!

I had a very enjoyable time in Argentina with Projects Abroad. The staff I met there were all very friendly and helpful (Guillermo, Ines and Augustina). The host family (Silvia) I stayed with was lovely, really welcoming. The food was tasty and nutritious. Silvia doesn't speak any English so communication was sometimes a challenge, but we managed with a bit of help from Google translate! A point of clarification, the children are not from orphanages. The care centres (or "Cradle Rooms") are for socially vulnerable families and are provided by the government. The children there are all very sweet and, after a little initial shyness, will want to involve you in all of their games. Be prepared to catch a lot of little ones coming down the slide, run around the garden, and blow a lot of noses! You will need to be quite assertive with regards to running activities on this project, don't be shy! Ask what the learning themes are for the week and ask to run something that ties in. Depending on the season when you're visiting, bring clothes that can be layered! Winter is quite cold at night and early in the morning. The houses don't have central heating and are designed to keep the heat out in the summer, which also means they don't retain heat in the winter either! Definitely bring US dollars with you and change them in town during your induction.

I volunteered in Ghana on the High School Special Medical Internship Programme in July 2022 with Projects Abroad. It was the most amazing, incredible experience of my life, and Projects Abroad were fantastic, from pre-departure to the very end. The medical experience provided by Projects Abroad was beyond anything I could have imagined and provided absolutely life-changing and invaluable experiences and access I don't think I could really get anywhere else. It 100% confirmed my passion for medicine and desire to pursue this in the future. I was there with 10 other volunteers, we all stayed together with our amazing host family, which was such a brilliant part of the experience, being able to live and share so many things with other people of the same age and interests as you from all around the world. We all built life-long friendships and a love for our host mother’s delicious food! The Projects Abroad co-ordinators who looked after us were extremely friendly, welcoming and supportive in every way and we built such an amazing relationship in the short time we were there. Meda w'ase!! It was certainly all the people that made it the experience it was. Not only that, but I was extremely impressed with the number of cultural activities and trips Projects Abroad fitted in alongside the medical experience in just the short two weeks I was there. We were able to properly experience a lot of the Ghanian lifestyle too. I can't have asked for anything more, and highly recommend Projects Abroad to anyone looking for an experience of a lifetime whilst also being able to make a real difference by giving back through volunteering!

In addition to feeling like I made a difference, I feel like I got to know the Galapagos Islands so much better than I ever would have as a tourist. I saw and did things that could never have happened without the program. As this was the first time I was traveling alone, I was a little nervous. But PA was with me at every step of the way - I never felt like I didn't know what was going on. I made so many new friends - both in the program and on the island. PA was always available to answer any questions and help with anything I needed. Volunteering with Projects Abroad is the only way I will travel anymore!

I met a lot of wonderful people and made an experience for life. I can highly recommend such a program, especially with projects abroad. I had the chance to see a lot of different trainings and programs such as kids care, computer training, social work in the community and handing out food. Everyone there was thankful.

From beginning to end this was a great volunteering experience. In advance of the trip there is help in place so one can prepare for the trip and a Destination Expert to answer questions via email or by phone if preferred. As detailed in advance I was met at the airport and brought to Hotel Dream City, Kathmandu. This was the accommodation for our group for the 2 weeks of our project. The hotel manager Mr. Ram Hari is especially hospitable and he and the staff looked after us so well; all our requests were catered for and we felt very welcome. If you want to experience Nepali hospitality you can find it here. The Projects Abroad staff members were also fantastic. Induction was invaluable, giving an accurate indication of the work to be undertaken at the school where we were assigned. We were also given some insight into Nepali culture. Each journey undertaken was an experience in the sights and sounds of Kathmandu and one could only be fascinated by the driving also! Work at the school was appreciated and participation by the children was great - there was a lot of fun had by all! We had a lovely welcome and send off at the end of our time. The Grown up Special projects also offer a cultural experience and we enjoyed Nepali dance and food, local sightseeing, momo making and a trip to Pokhara. I think it's important to say that I enjoyed all aspects of the project and our group shared many laughs with Bibek, Bhawani and Rajesh. They are wonderful ambassadors for Projects Abroad in Nepal. They were happy to answer our many questions and share information about the Nepali people and culture. If you're looking for a trip with a difference look into volunteering with Projects Abroad!

I had the absolute best time in Cambodia. I have only been outside of Europe once before this in my life and Cambodia was definitely the best choice. I loved all of the other volunteers and all the kids at the school were amazing. We had really good staff there that really cared about the well-being of us volunteers. Truly the best trip of my life.

I arrived at a place that was by all means different from a place where I grew up. I was extremely lucky to have encountered people who have let me in their lives openheartedly, who have showed me their culture, their country, their friends and family, and let me experience what it means to live and work in Costa Rica. I did the project in 2016 when I was 22 years old, and to this day those people are close to my heart, they are my friends, my family that I see and visit, and that project still is really one of the best things that happened in my life. Something that defined my life.

I volunteered with projects abroad for 2 weeks in august 2022 in Cuyutlan mexico on the sea turtle conservation programme , I had the best time and was such an exciting hands on experience with such incredible creatures. As a keen animal lover and someone that wants to peruse a future career in marine biology and conservation this was a great experience for me and gave me a real insight into what life would be like. I highly recommend the programme to anyone else with a strong interest in marine life and loves exploring new cultures and destinations.

Hi All, thank you for taking time to read this. Looking back at my time on the project, I can soundly say that the project has helped me shaped the direction of my career! I am now fully engaged into the emergency management within the UK working for a council. Since 2019, I have done an internship at the British Red Cross Community Resilience program and now work at St John Ambulance as a Community response coordinator. The internship allowed me to start my masters and when i apply for jobs (previously) they would always ask me to vividly describe my time and i can always give a real good account. Being on Projects abroad was my first experience as emergency/disaster management and I wouldn’t be where I am today without the project!

The experience was great. I had an opportunity to learn so much more, try my skills in new environment, meet interesting people and make really good friendships. From the proffesional point of view I had an excellent support and development opportunities. We were staying with great host family, it helped me to get to know mexican culture even better. I just wish there would be more social activities organised by project, however it was also nice to organise our free time by ourselves. Overall it was great experience and I can recommend it.

I traveled with Projects Abroad to Accra, Ghana for the Projects for Professions as a licensed occupational therapist. From the transportation at the airport, to a day tour and orientation, home stay accommodations, cultural activities, and my volunteer placements, my experience gave me skills I utilize in my profession that I could not obtain anywhere else. I felt safe, comfortable, and always had support from staff. The other volunteers turned into family, and I still keep in touch with some to this day. I highly recommend Projects Abroad for all volunteering experiences!

I volunteered with Projects Abroad in Ghana especially in the Microfinance project. I met other volunteers from different country like Japan, Germany, Italy that came for the same aim as me. The internship entailed working in three, poverty stricken communities in Cape Coast: Duakro, Abekam and Leprosy Camp. Small loans, ranging from € 107 to € 200 were provided to women to set up small businesses, such as gari production (gari, a byproduct of cassava, is an inexpensive food source in high demand in West Africa) and aquaculture (fish are an important source of protein in West Africa, also in high demand) to improve their living conditions and reduce the rate of poverty. Thanks to this project, I learned the process for providing loans to the beneficiaries. First we identified the poor communities. After that, we visited loan sites in order to select those participants in greatest need. We placed them in groups of 10 and gave them some basic education in business and loan repayment. After the loans were granted we met with recipients regularly to make sure the businesses were growing and provided advice for navigating challenges. I have noticed some weaknesses in this project such as existence of language barriers (during the interviews, the language was a real barrier to complete understanding of the questions and answers given). In addition, loan recipients were hesitant to pool their efforts and work to overcome obstacles together. They lacked team spirit and instead competed against each other. Further, loans were capped at a maximum of € 200. Capping loans at such a low level does not allow financing of larger businesses. The project also had many strengths, such as existence of regular monitoring of loans granted to reduce the risk of non-repayment, existence of rescheduling procedures in case of difficulty in repayment, strong involvement of volunteers in identifying needy communities, existence of resources needed to carry out the activity and existence of well-developed training / education plans for target communities. The internship in Ghana provided me the opportunity to learn firsthand what a career in microfinance entails through activities such as account management, profile maintenance, English and math workshops, research, monitoring business plans, and evaluation of impact. My end of cycle dissertation for my master’s degree, was on the social efficiency of microfinance institutions. My life experiences of having been born into poverty and seen the impact poverty has on people’s lives, combined with the internship with Project Abroad Ghana and my education, I have been fortunate to obtain so far, have fueled my desire to do something to improve the lives of the people in my home community and communities like it

An experience of a lifetime - so unforgettable. I am so glad I took the risk of travelling abroad at 16 to volunteer, take the risk because the experience was everything I could have asked for & more. It was such an rewarding experience & I am constantly wishing I could do it all over again!

I can’t recommend this project through Projects Abroad enough. The location of the project in the Galápagos Islands was truly an unforgettable experience with the nature and the project itself. The locals are the friendliest you can meet and they are very complimentary of the benefits of the project and what the company does for the islands in relation to teaching English and conservation work. One of the key things about the location of this project is the safety. You could not find a safer place to go and travel, which makes the overall experience even better. Prior to departure, I was given great advice and any questions I had about the trip was answered in advance in a prompt response. This meant I was able to plan effectively for my trip and eliminate any stress associated with travelling solo to the other side of the world. When I arrived in Galápagos I was greeted at the airport by the project supervisor who took me to my accommodation before giving me an orientation of my project. My accommodation itself was a great cultural experience and I learned so much from living with a family from the islands and eating foods that I never thought I would’ve tried or liked. The family were extremely welcoming and I still keep in touch with them regularly since I came home. The project itself was fantastic and it was great knowing you were making such a difference to the lives of the young people living on the islands. A typical teaching day for me was from 2pm-6pm in the afternoons Mondays-Thursdays which meant I had plenty time in the mornings and weekends to travel and sightsee. I was also provided with a day off when I wished to travel for the weekend to another island. I can’t recommend this project enough. Incredible experience, incredible people, incredible time.

Projects Abroad was such a terrific experience. I've never been so far out of the country before (I'm a New Yorker) and I'd been looking to do some work overseas for a while. In the beginning, it was quite disorienting-- naturally, the culture of Tanzania is different from what I was personally used to. However, living on my own and managing day-to-day work life with my fellow volunteers was such a new and exciting experience. We were immersed in the local life, did extremely important work in the community, and dived into the culture! Living without wifi and convenience stores, I think, is something everyone should do at some point. The organization of the program was sometimes a bit discombobulated-- but that's what made the experience so memorable. It was like diving head first into the deep end of a pool. Even if our schedules were constantly changing, my team and I just went wherever we were needed, typing up reports and giving presentations whenever we could. Tacking our papers to trees, scrounging for markers, sending emails wherever we could get service. Extremely eye-opening, and impeccably gratifying. I would recommend this program to anyone who isn't scared of trying new things-- and who is willing to be bold for a chance at gaining something huge.

Honestly, one of the best experiences in my life! I travelled to Ghana and got to explore the country as well as the culture. I made friendships that will last a lifetime and I am most grateful for this amazing journey!!

I chose this program to research poverty problem because i am learning poverty problems in my university. However, the place i lived and worked were not so poor than i thought(i went Slum in Philipine and very rual area in Vietnam so I expected like that). My host families live big house, can eat normal meal and father has good motor-bike. Additionally, i think Sunrise students are no so poor, too. Their family afford to let their child to go school. However, there were two discoveries. The one is some children bringed their lunch because if they buy lunch at school, its expensive for them, 50 Rupies but 50 Rupies are very very very cheap in Japan so i was surprised and realized they and thier families are no poor but not rich. The secound discovery is some children asked me when i come back to Nepal and i answered that if i have a time, i can come back after January. Why they asked it was 2 reasons, want to meet me again, they will be not belonging Sunrise school after next March because of Money problem. The secound reason was surprised and realized me that they and thier families are no poor but not rich. These two discoveries were good research for me. However, the experiences what i get are unforgetable, 1. To live same way in local Nepali families I have been to Vietnam and Philipine but i stayed Hotel so this was first time to experience local life. 2. Work as foreign teacher and as friend with student. All students are cute, kind, funny and have soooooo pure heart. I could to make good relationship with them so some kids text and call me everyday after my last school day.(today is 20th of September but they still contact me) 3. sickness in abroad. I had a feaver 1 week after, i started work. i felt lonlyness and missed Japan sooooooooo much. However, I could stay 3 more weeks after that. That experience is strong confidence for me now.

Summer 2022 was the most fantastic summer I ever had. Meeting new people in a new country was enjoyable during this journey. I usually like to stay where I am, but sometimes I need to refresh myself. This trip gave me a chance to do that. During this project, our team members were so lovely. I enjoyed having new friends and new experiences with ProjectsAbroad. However, adjusting to the environment was challenging for me. The altitude, the food... I had never stayed at this kind of altitude, and I had never tried Peruvian food. I struggled a lot, but I think it was a helpful experience. Now I know that I have to be careful in high-altitude places :) I loved hanging out with the children so much. They are so sweet and genuinely warm-hearted. Even though I am a foreigner who could not understand what they were saying, they kept asking me to play hide-and-seek or zombie game with them. Many thanks to ProjectsAbroad, for giving me a chance to refresh and make wonderful memories!

During my time in Peru as a high school special volunteer, it felt like a dream every single day. The perfect combination between honouring love for travel and exploring but also the experience of immersing into the cultural whilst helping and engaging in the kindergartens. The administration organised everything down to the hour and made us feel safe and secure. The fellow volunteers and staff became family in just the short amount of time, and some will stay life long friends. Being all the way from Australia, really opened up my eyes to what is out there and only made my desire to travel heighten a thousand times. Anyone looking or even thinking of volunteering abroad, Projects Abroad could not be more perfect.

Travelling abroad by myself at the age of 16 was terrifying to say the least, but projects abroad made the whole experience smooth and easy. They offered so much guidance and support before, during and after the trip which made me so much more comfortable. We had the opportunity to live with a host family so that we could really be immersed in the culture and get the most out of the trip. We felt like a part of the community which helped us feel we could make a real difference. We ran community outreach programmes measuring blood pressure, blood glucose and providing medication to those who required it. It cemented my passion for medicine, and I made true friends whilst doing it. I wish I could go back!!!

I had done a previous volunteer program in Tanzania the year before but this year was very different as it was much more independent. The hospital was a very scary experience as it was down to me to become involved and there was little guidance from the doctors. The country was beautiful and the people were amazing and super friendly so I had an amazing time visiting the schools and working with the children!

On this trip I made best friends for life, had an insurmountable load of fun and have walked away with such amazing memories. Feeling like I made an actual difference to the community I was staying in was rewarding, and being pushed out of my comfort zone in many ways was exciting. It really was such an incredible experience and I learnt so much about communicating with people from all around the world but also from being immersed in Ghanaian culture. Projects abroad couldn’t have been better. If you are looking for a sign to go on a trip abroad, this is it! Have the guts to do this and you won’t regret it!

It was a very nice trip. I learned a lot about Nepal’s culture, about taking care of children and about myself. I’d really apreciate the project abroad’s team. They were available all the time and listening. Every time i needed help, they gave me answers and help.

Went on this trip with an open mind and gained so much from the experiences I had in Fiji. Fell much more in love with the ocean & marine life learning how to scuba dive, truly a meaningful time volunteering alongside like minded people from all over the world. Friendly and welcoming staff, I had a great time during the project and they are very knowledgeable. Definitely learnt loads about Fijian culture and shark/mangrove conservation scene in Fiji, certainly heart warming to be able to be under their guidance.

My 5-week volunteer placement in Brasov (Romania) was an extremely valuable experience for me. In 2 different projects, where children and young people with special needs are cared for, I was able to take part in the daily routine from the beginning. The supervisors know English and were very eager to explain everything to me and met me with appreciation. It was a pleasure for me to deal with the children and young people and it was easy to get in touch with them (although I only know a little Romanian). Even if you don't have any experience in working with disabled people, if you enjoy working with children and playing, you are will have great experience in this placements. Every morning you are welcomed with warmth and joy by the children. The town Brasov has a charming, interesting Old Town Center and is located in the Carpathian Mountains. The rural areas, the villages and castles around, invite you to explore. There is plenty of time to go on excursions by bus and get to know the country and its people. Last but not least, I would like to mention the Projects Abroad team in Brasov. I was warmly welcomed right at the airport in Bucharest, had a personal guided tour of the Old Town on my first day, was invited to dinner and was given all the information about the place, the conditions, the project, etc. I am very grateful to them for their help. During my assignment, I was in constant contact with the Project Abroad coordinator on site. She really took great care of my personal well-being. I was connected with other volunteers in a WhatsApp group and we could exchange our experiences and plan joint activities.

This care mission to help children at Shreekul School was exceptional. It is a rewarding human experience that will mark me for life. I really enjoyed teaching French. For Projects Abroad, two pieces of advice: for our arrival at the airport, we should be informed that the International Guest House sign is green. The color is a good idea, it makes it easier to find. And also some contacts are not on Whatsapp. It makes communication difficult, especially during the trip.

My 17 year old daughter had a wonderful seven weeks in San Cristobal island in the Galapagos. She did conservation work and teaching English to children all under the expert care of William Puga who is in charge of the project there. He stood in as a parent for us when she had an accident in her last few days riding her bike outside of the project, and looked after her in hospital and arranged for transport back home with our insurance company. We always knew she was in excellent caring hands. She stayed at the Reserve and in a host family and loved both experiences. The Galápagos Islands are very safe and beautiful and our daughter learned Spanish in the company of the islanders and cannot wait to go back. After two years of Covid, Projects Abroad was the perfect way to start experiencing life again. Thank you to everyone there!

Globally speaking, it was a great experience for me. Moreover, it was my first time in an African country but people were very nice with me even if there were some issues with the communication ( some elements in my project didn't match with the information that I read before coming : working hours... also for the Journalism project when I arrived at the Finder's office they didn't give me the answers exepected... I was supposed to start working the week of 1st August and they told me to start on 8th August. Finally I went to work to Finder's office so I didn't lose so much time. There were also issues with the fact that before my departure I was told to go to Primary schools to teach some mathematics to children but it was not the case. Apart these two issues. Going to Ghana made me discover new culture, people and I would not hesitate to go back to.

The hospital was very well organised however on the wards there was nothing much to see or do, I would recommend opening up the surgical options a little more. Ambulance service was definitely the group's favourite activity and one I commend. Frankly, the trip guided by the instructors was lovely, the instructors were kind, patient and helpful, especially Noumi. The food was a difficult aspect to manage due to the low budget and options available. The hotel had a lot of sockets that did not work, or lamps, that had their wires taped up( fire hazard) . I had to boil hot water for tea standing on a chair with the kettle above my head, connected to a plug close to the ceiling. I'm sure it must've been quite funny however balancing hot water above your head isn't the best thing to do. In all, the people involved were lovely and i can do nothing but praise them for their patience, hard work and dedication but the material aspects of the journey were shakey. We grew a lot from working at the homeless community service and were sobered there, the afternoon at the children's community center was very enjoyable and we all were able to rest a little ( the food there, probably with korean origins was amazing) and once again, so were the people. In all it was a positive experience however we believe that the food and accommodation selection should be reviewed as well as the hospital curriculum. Thank you.

この医療ボランティアに参加してよかったと心から言えます。とても貴重な経験になりました。初めは異国の地、かつ日本ほど発展していない国、モンゴルで英語しか通じない日々が始まるのは不安でしたが、良いメンバー、良いお世話係の方に出会えて幸せでした。 1番心に残っているのは救急センターでの体験です。モンゴルの救急車の仕組みは日本と違って、医師免許を持った医者が電話主のところへ向かうというもので、その場で治療を行うのを近くで見ることができて面白かったです。ホテルに帰るのが24時すぎになってとてもタフなスケジュールでしたが、交通事故の緊迫した現場やスティッチングをしているところに一緒にいることができたのはとても刺激になりましたし、自分もこういうふうに臨機応変に動くことが出来る医者になりたいと思いました。 また、外科医になりたいと思っていたので、シャスティンホスピタルで3つもの手術を見学できたことも忘れられません。手術室に入って近くで見ることなんて、日本では絶対に出来ないのでとても驚きましたが、自分がこのように働くイメージができました。医者の方々はモンゴル語しか話せない方も多い中、私たちのために英語で一生懸命説明しようとしてくださってとてもありがたかったです。おかげでたくさん質問出来ましたし、言葉がうまく伝わらなくても、病気のことを理解できました。 ワークショップでスティッチングの練習をしたのも面白かったです。家でもやって見たいと思いました。 このように本当にたくさんのことを経験させていただいて、感謝しかありません。しっかり自分の夢を叶えて、またみなさんに再会したいです。

My week spent in Cambodia was a hugely eye opening experience and allowed me to gain a real life insight into how clothes are made on a fast fashion and slow fashion scale. As a consumer, it has further encouraged me to make more conscious decisions about buying clothes after seeing for myself the conditions factory workers live in and having conversations with them about their work environment. I would recommend this to anyone - it is a great way to educate yourself and others on sustainable fashion.

Actually I was so nervous at the first. Cuz I’m not good at English and there’s only 5 Japanese in our team. But thanks for our team staffs and teammates, I could have a lot of wonderful experiences.

During my time in Nepal, it has been a truly eye-opening experience. I have learned things about myself that I never thought I would learn. I’ve also experienced and seeing things that never my wildest dreams would I imagine myself see in. Everyone was so friendly from the locals to other volunteers. I felt like I was home in another country. I’ve learned valuable experience I will take with me throughout the rest of my life. Nepal truly is a wonderful place to go and I recommend it highly for anyone who is an explorer. The program that I did was very helpful and I felt like I was truly making a difference in the world. I’ve definitely learned so much and I can’t wait to go back and learn more.

Going into the school and meeting the kids was incredible. everyone there was so friendly, kind and would go out of their way to help you. seeing how different the kids classrooms and schooling environment to mine was eye opening. for anyone who has a passion for helping kids, or is happy to make a change for the better, i can’t recommend my experience more.

It's been about a month since I came back from Cambodia and I've been reminded everyday of moments of my time there. On arrival I had a helpful induction where I immediately felt welcome and part of the group. Our houselady (despite not speaking a word of english) conveyed her joy in looking after us from day one. Her cooking was excellent, I always had enough and a decent variety, if I liked a meal I could take a picture to show her and she would make it again another day. She also took myself and some other volunteers along the riverside in one of the boats on one of my first nights. Because of this I got a feel for the city straight away whilst having the reassurance she was looking out for us. As for the project, the first few days were a whirlwind, sometimes overwhelming but I always felt supported by the physio team, who answered all my questions, shared their expertise without judgement but with a smile and a joke. As a newly qualified physio I was encouraged to share my own knowledge and ideas. Most children needed a lot of support. Every session started with massage, stretching and relaxation, I was introduced to the Dohsa-Hou techniques, a style I had not come across before but have since researched and incorporated into my everyday practice. I was also introduced to using my feet in therapy as an extra pair of hands, something I'm not sure if we use in the UK, but made total sense, especially for the more high tone children, if only to avoid getting an accidental foot/hand to the face! Therapeutically, this also gave extra sensory feedback to the children, for example protecting the child's back with a towel and having the therapist use their shin to support, left the therapists hands free to give slight pressure to the chest and shoulders, once you feel the child move in the correct way or relax (whatever the goal of the session is) you may relax your own body to encourage this movement. After massage and stretching, we encouraged the children to practice exercises through play to whatever level they were capable, trying to improve little by little until ready for the next stage. For example, one child might be learning to control their head and look around the room whilst lying prone. The children's personalities and sense of humour really shined, you might have to make some funny faces or use toys to engage with some children, whilst others would copy my english words and laugh at my poor attempts of Khmer! We also used prosthesis like lower leg or full leg braces to practice standing, either with a therapist or in one of the standing frames. It was also important from a medical standpoint to be aware of the children's needs, some would fatigue quickly, some needed extra head support in standing, others to make sure they were swallowing and not at risk of aspiration. Mostly a general eye around the room every five minutes worked for me and I was hardly ever left alone to watch the children. The only fault I found with the program was the way some children were being handled by the home's staff (not the physio team). I believed this to be from lack of experience/understanding or time/physical constraints rather than intentional neglect and upon mentioning it to my project manager it was addressed quickly. I ran out of time to run a manual handling training session but this could definitely be followed up and would be useful. Whilst I was there I had the opportunity to refresh the filing system, reorganise the physio wall, paint a mural with the children and other volunteers and fundraise for the physio room to have air conditioning, so there was lots of extra projects to undertake! The project hours worked well for me although it was an early start each day. It sometimes got frustrating to deal with the heat, as my project was far from the volunteer house it made more sense to stay there the whole day than travel back for lunch. We did have a long lunch break to rest which was nice, I also got to try almost every iced drink from the cafe across the road. The tuk tuk ride to and from my project was great, I felt like another local commuting to and from work and I noticed something new everyday from the back seat. The Grab app was very easy to use, the drivers were friendly and a tip was always appreciated. I felt a huge sense of achievement everyday coming home in the tuk tuk. When i got home my routine was immediately shower, then see what the other volunteers were up to and try to organise an evening activity. Usually this was playing pool or darts at the local "pub" but also other things like going for a massage or a skybar or staying in and playing cards. The other volunteers came from across the world and all had interesting stories and comparisons to make, I made some friends I'm still in contact with now and plan to meet again! A quick word on the culture and weekend activities: everything that was organised was fantastic. There was live traditional khmer boxing, temple visits and water blessings, with more listed on the calender for after I left. There was lots of freedom to plan your own activities too, I visited shopping centres, markets and silk island in Phnom Penh. I took a week for Siem Reap and went horseriding, saw the temples and sunrise over Ankhor Wat, even had my nails done and got a tattoo with some other volunteers! Lastly, I met quite a few staff members during my 6 week stay. They were involved for my culture and project induction, both were in depth and useful. On the weekend day trips they had lots of local knowledge and interest in our experiences. I feel its important to point out that we were treated like adults rather than kids on a school trip, which was something I had worried about. I was also given helpful advice for my next project (veterinary physio!). Overall, the staff were just fab and in conversation with other volunteers I know the feeling was mutual. Coming from a somewhat anxious newly qualified physiotherapist's first time in Asia, I can't thank the team enough. I had the most amazing time and I know I haven't captured everything in this short review. I would gladly recommend Projects Abroad to anyone :) .

I had a very wonderful experience in two weeks.Teaching English to Cambodian children was a lot of fun, and I myself was very encouraged by them.Also, the school's road building was very difficult.However, I found it very rewarding to see the children happy. I had a very meaningful time interacting with people from other countries for the first time.The rice was also very delicious.I think the good thing about this program is that I can spend time cooperating with people from various countries.

I had a very wonderful experience in two weeks.Teaching English to Cambodian children was a lot of fun, and I myself was very encouraged by them.Also, the school's road building was very difficult.However, I found it very rewarding to see the children happy. I had a very meaningful time interacting with people from other countries for the first time.The rice was also very delicious.I think the good thing about this program is that I can spend time cooperating with people from various countries.

The volunteer was very different from what I had expected. It enhanced my interest in medical education. My dream is to become a software developer while using physics and chemistry which are my two favorite fields in science. When I went to the hospitals we were able to watch actual patients and surgeries. When I first saw them it was my first time having to communicate with real patients who have their complaints. Since I never had enough interest to reach out to hospitals and medical facilities everything was shocking and new. I studied mainly how the machines work and help in medical facilities for my profession. But it was so different since I had to be in the doctor's perspective looking for the problem the patient has. The relationships between the machinery and the people were the most surprising and interesting thing I learned in this volunteer. The second opinion I had was how different the work is in Nepal. When we go to normal hospitals we get to do everything we need to treat our problems. However, in Nepal despite the tools, knowledge, and economy it was such a hard thing to get safe and balanced treatment. People had to wait for a long time and people had to fear for a long time. Since not all are well-educated people are often not healthy in their daily routines. For example, when I went to an elementary school, all kids had cavities. I was very surprised since I thought there would be only about ten kids or so. So many differences in education and culture had made this giant difference between Japan and Nepal. Consequently, it may be also a great thing to create devices that will help the medical industry and the area I am interested in.

When I first got here everything seemed so bizarre. new faces, New places, and every turn down a road felt like a whole new world. Eventually tho Nepal became my second home full of kind and generous people at every turn, and I wouldn’t trade my experience for anything

I spent 3 weeks living in Nanyuki, Kenya doing a medical internship working in the maternity and children's hospital. This has been the best experience of my life, as I had the opportunity to assist in the operation room, attend medical outreaches in disadvantaged communities, do medical procedures completely on my own, and completely immerse myself in the culture and lifestyle of those who live here. During my time here, I have learned how small actions have such a huge impact on others' lives. Every projects abroad staff was amazing, helpful, and always had a smile on their faces. I am so grateful that I was able to form genuine connections with other volunteers, doctors, nurses, and the staff even though I was there for only 3 weeks. I would recommend this experience to everyone, whether it be medical, care, teaching, etc. It is a wonderful experience and one that I will never forget.

Thank you for allowing me to spend 3 week in CMC. I enjoyed my placement and opportunity to learn more about CMC. This experience taught me more about different dental treatments such as deep cleaning, fillings, root canal treatments, implants and extractions. I also learnt about the health care systems in Nepal, it allowed me to see the treatment approaches and cultural difference between Nepal and my home country. I really appreciate how supportive and friendly all the staff in CMC were. It allowed me to learn more about the teamwork in a dental team. This opportunity definitely increased my interest in pursuing a career in dentistry. Apart from the placement, the trip in national park and temples in Kathmandu are also unforgettable and special. I rode on oxen and saw elephants. I also learnt more about the religions and traditions in Nepal,which expanded my horizon. I have also made many friendly and caring friends during the whole trip. Thanks again for everything!

My Projects Abroad experience was such a well-organised, enlightening trip where I not only got to make a genuine impact on the local community but also got to meet other volunteers from around the world. There was a perfect balance of construction work, teaching, and even tourism, definitely something for everyone! I also loved Cambodia as a place. The culture and history there were amazing to be immersed in. Even if you go into the program with no prior knowledge of the location, I can assure you will go home begging to go back.

This was the best experience of my life. I have made friends for life And learnt so many skills that will benefit me in the future. It was so enjoyable and I will never forget the friends and memories I learnt this lesson

My experience in Nepal was memorable and a once in a lifetime opportunity. I was able to experience and immerse myself in Nepalese culture through food and taking part in traditions and festivals . This program gave me an insight into the medical field and fuelled my desire in pursuing it in the future. We shadowed nurses and doctors in various hospitals around chitwan and were able to observe medical procedures such as endoscopy and blood transfusion. The peak of this experience were the bonds I formed with the other volunteers and formed lifelong friendships.

It was a great experience to be able to see the hospitals in Nepal. What I liked most about the trip was going to schools to teach them about dental health and actually doing check ups on them. It was fun communicating with them, and it gave me the opportunity to actually become a doctor for a day. My time in Nepal has made my dreaming of studying medicine stronger, and has allowed me to think about the problems and the good parts of medical health in Nepal.

This volunteering trip within the health sector in Nepal has helped me gain a greater understanding of how healthcare differs around the world. We visited various hospitals and observed how doctors/nurses work on a daily basis, doing this allowed me to see how privileged the UK is regarding healthcare. The peak of the project was forming bonds with other volunteers who also aspire to work within the medical field, it is useful to have connections around the world.

Amazing and memorable two weeks. The 4 days in the hospitals were an invaluable experience, I learnt so much that will help me in the future. I was able to immerse in Nepalese culture through the activities provided, such as Nepalese dancing class and Heena.

Overall, this experience was very interesting in a sense that I was able to learn a lot about the differences in medical care between Japan, a developed country, and Nepal, a developing country. The experience at the CMC was especially interesting because I was able to see different departments specialized in different diseases. One noticeable factor was the difference in the type of diseases the patients were suffering from. This showed how people in different countries are suffering from different diseases, which increased my interest in studying abroad. About the experience outside of medical volunteering, it was very fun as I was able to make a lot of new friends from areas of the world I don’t usually interact with. An improvement to the project that I will suggest is to strengthen the understanding between the Japanese coordinator and the Nepali coordinator because some things we were told in the meetings before the project were false which lead to some trouble.

I had a great time in Nepal, the placements at the hospitals were very interesting, the Safari in the national park was great, I liked the group I went with and the staff was very helpful. The hotels were good, the food took some getting used to, but overall it was nice.

My 3 weeks spent in Phnom Penh, Cambodia were worth many more. I highly recommend Projects Abroad for anyone interested in new experiences and have a love for travel. Monday through Friday I taught and played with kindergarteners aged 3-5. Although it was a bit tiring, I loved every second of it. After speaking with many other volunteers, everyone I knew has left with more love, appreciation, and enthusiasm for the country and culture. I will definitely return again!!

Overall, I had a wonderful experience. The activities planned for us every day were super fun and allowed me to get close with the other volunteers. I loved working with the children, the teachers at the school were very accomodating and friendly even though I don't speak Spanish. I liked that we got plenty of free time to explore various parts of the area.

2 weeks in Peru was amazing. Everything was new experience for me. I had never been in South America. I had never been in this altitude as well, so I did not know I would have altitude sickness… First time staying in hospital, first time caring children, first time using Spanish in daily life, first time volunteering with Projects Abroad! I think it was so great to learn how to interact with kids. Also, Machu Picchu trip was wonderful too :) Overall, I really enjoyed volunteering in Peru with care 2022 team members. I would like to volunteer again with Projects Abroad <3

The experience was great, and I will miss the children terribly. The teachers were very welcoming and extremely nice, as a reflection of the general kindness of Peruvian people. The management team is good. Cusco is a beautiful city and the trip to Machupicchu went nicely. Thank you for these unforgettable two weeks.

This was a very fun trip. It was amazing to see different places in Cusco and Peru in general. I loved getting a glimpse into another culture and place. It was unfortunate how often I, and others, were sick. I had a lot of fun taking care of the kids; they were adorable, but they were also very energy draining.

I felt my time in Cusco was immersive in the local culture and satisfying to experience at close quarters how people live work and experience their lives in Cusco. There’s plenty of opportunity to interact with local people who are generally helpful and happy to interact. Staying with a local family adds to the richness of the cultural experience and in my case they welcomed me into Tibet home and their lives. I feel this is the most fulfilling way to understand and appreciate other peoples lives struggles worries and dreams. I appreciated and valued this opportunity.

My project was a fantastic experience! I learned about Cusco and improved my Spanish through many conversations with my host family, projects abroad staff, and the teachers at my preschool, and got a lot of experience in childcare through every week morning spent with my preschoolers. There are plenty of challenges and it can be very exhausting managing kids at times, but I think this was an overall very beneficial experience. I learned a lot about myself and the world and I can’t wait to do another trip with projects abroad. My advice to anyone signing up for this project would be to go in with a positive attitude and an open mind, it’s the easiest way to have a great time.

This experience was amazing.The host family was really caring about us and the place and food were perfect. The afternoon activity were also very nice, well chosen and interesting And the différents hikes were incredible (especially the Machu Pichu and the Vinicunia ´s hike) Thank you for this amazing experience

My trip was amazing, the staff was really nice and welcoming. I got to see things that I can’t see in my country, such as the operation theatre. The different accommodations were really good, so were the food and the trip at Chitwan National Park.

at first i was nervous to come to nepal as this is the longest i would have been away from home for, but i quickly realised i was in safe hands. my group was lovely and we had opportunities such as watching surgical procedures that you wouldn’t be able to access in the uk. i’ve met so many amazing people and had an experience i’ll never forget. if you’re on the fence, do it.

Projects abroad is an amazing company that goes above and beyond to ensure your experience is incredible. The staff are so friendly and welcoming and always ensure your safety. For the project itself (medical internship,) it’s so involved and active, a lot more than I imagined. During the two week project we assisted in the OPD and ER, supported patients in the rehabilitation centre (both indoors and in the sea,) spent time observing and assisting in the rural health unit, observed multiple surgeries and spent time nicu… only to name a few. The staff are really receptive to your own interests and requests, so really be proactive and engaged to make the most of your experience. Not only was the project itself full of varied experiences, there was also time for some amazing social events and trips! We had food tasting (one of the most important things in Filipino culture), karaoke, shopping and a trip to a nearby island for the weekend which was packed with fun. Overall my experience with projects abroad has completely exceeded my expectations and I have gained both skills and memories that will last a lifetime.

I had an extremely amazing experience in the Philippines. I got to not only see and observe the patients but also interact with them and go into both minor and major surgery rooms to see people getting cut up. For example, I got to see births of babies in a surgery room and although it was a little new to me and a bit grotesque, it made me want to become a doctor even more in that it looked really exciting. I also really liked the food here. The food on: the streets, restaurants and home- they were all so delicious. Although I couldn’t finish it all, one of my favorites was the halo halo being an ice cream based desert. The people here are also extremely kind and are very open minded. Everyone in my host family are extremely kind and made efforts to speak my language (Japanese) when I’m the one who should be doing so. The staff in projects abroad are also very caring and helpful. I got a little sick one day , and all the staff came to help me and I felt very much at home. I really don’t want to leave.

Super insightful into a new country especially one that is in need. It helped me put myself into the shoes of those who have less than me and gave me an opportunity to learn about the medical system in Nepal and how different it is from my own

We had a great time in Nepal. The local Projects Abroad staff (Binod, Amit and Sandipa) were absolutely wonderful and ensured we felt supported, including sorting out any issues and helping us to organise weekend sightseeing trips. The placement was also good, although we were not able to take histories, do examinations or do clinical skills like taking bloods like we are in the UK. Our host family was lovely and looked after us really well.

Very well taken care of by the staff of project abroad. people at the placement were very welcoming. accommodation was great and food as well. various external activities to discover the culture and for sightseeing.

Over the course of my three weeks in Cusco, Peru, I was fully immersed in Peruvian culture through volunteering at a local kindergarten. This not only improved my Spanish by leaps and bounds, but it also opened my eyes to a completely new and unfamiliar way of living. For instance, I stayed with a local family, who were kind and generous with their home. In addition, we were able to try Peruvian foods, such as local bread. Overall, I had a really great experience.

I highly recommend this program to any teenagers who enjoy scuba diving, learning about ocean ecology, and are looking for a meaningful experience. The living accommodations were clean and well-maintained.

The trip has been one of the greatest experiences in my life and I have come to know that I enjoy traveling this way. I got to immerse myself in a field I love though since I am underage I couldn’t actually do much in regards to the medical field. Still, I have gotten to learn things I wouldn’t have been able to learn otherwise.

This project was the best thing I have experienced in my life and it opened up my eyes to so much. The culture, the scenery, and the lifestyle was so amazing to witness and shows how much parts of the world differ. For me the most influential thing about the trip was the people. From everyday civilians, our host family who showed us so much love and made it feel like home, to the fellow volunteers I loved meeting every one of them. You really become a little family with both the staff and the volunteers and I think that was my favourite part about the experience, the most amazing friends you make. We are looked after so well and every part of our trip is carefully planned out. I would do this again in a heartbeat.

Everything and everyone was so nice, my host family was spectacular , and all of the activities made it feel like we were really learning about Peru. The kids at the pre school are also so cute and fun to work with

I think the trip was really nice and well organized! There were always something to do and the day-to-day programs was super fun. This trip has learned med so much and I am forever grateful to Projects Abroad.

The experience was very good. It was very well organized and the food and housing was also good. We always had something to do, with the hospital in the mornings and cultural learning in the afternoons. It was a good balance of visiting the country and learning about medicine.

Food and housing was great. I learned a lot at my placements and thought it to be a meaningful experience. It was also good to learn about the culture and view the various temples. The program was well organized and there was always something that we were doing in relation to medicine, as well as cultural immersion. Very good experience.

This experience was fun and unforgettable. I learned a lot about how the hospital works as well as Nepali culture in general and everyone was very friendly. The food and hospitality was very nice and it was cool to experience a different part of the world.

I spent 2 weeks working with 3 year olds in the childcare project peru. The project is very well run and co-ordinated. I have next to no Spanish but working with the kids was easy as most of what they need is encouragement and affirmation. The school has a calm, nurturing atmosphere and the children seem very content. There were very few behavioural issues. My host family were very friendly and accommodating. The language barrier was more of an issue for me in this context but I have picked up a few more essential phrases as a result. My least favourite element of the placement was the number of street dogs around the house. The presence and noise contributes to a sense of unease, especially at the begining of the placement or when returning home in the dark. The house itself was nice and very comfortable, but was a good 40-60mins from the city center by bus.

I have had an amazing month in Nepal. The staff here in Bharatpur have been so kind and helpful from start to finish. My host family were so welcoming and friendly. I have met some other amazing volunteers and locals! I felt so immersed in Nepali culture. My highlight of the whole trip was definitely my time spent in Chitwan Human Services home.

When I arrived, I was well received by a member of Project Abroad. Thanks to the city tour the day after, I could know all the details about the city and the bus I needed to know. The host family and the people at the placement were very welcoming ! The planning permited to discover the culture and to visit a lot with the others volunteers. I had a great experience with a lot of fun that I will remember for the rest of my life.

I can not fault the Projects Abroad local team in Chitwan, Nepal. They all went out of there way to help and support me during my time in Chitwan. We always had one of the team that we could call 24/7 if needed. They were so friendly and approachable that I felt safe and created a home away from home. They made sure the physio placement offered as many learning opportunities as possible, and helped us to organise the best weekend trips. We managed to go on safari in the National Park, Paraglide in Pokhara, river rafting etc and visited many temples in the area. The team also supported us in immersing ourselves in the culture, from visiting the Human Home, trying new foods, and meeting many Nepali families. I had the best 4 weeks and would highly recommend it to anyone.

I have had such an amazing experience with projects abroad team in Chitwan. Firstly, Binod, Amit and Kim have been fantastic and have taken care of me very well! Kim took me in his tuk tuk on a day trip visiting lots of different local temples and 20,000 lakes, he also took me to Chitwan National Park. Kim is an amazing tuk tuk driver with lots of knowledge and very giving of information about the Nepali culture. Amit has been wonderful, he has helped since day one, collecting me from Kathmandu and making sure I get to the host familys house safely. I have been able to contact him with any issues or questions at anytime and he helped me when I was unwell, taking the time to bring me home, buy necessities and communicate with my host mum. He gave me a tour of the hospital on my first day and allowed me to visit different wards and go into the OT. Amit has also helped order food at lunch time and has been so funny and made the trip so much fun. Binod is a great project manager and non of this would have happened without him, the team work really well together and are able to communicate and meet any of our needs. He has organised the weekend trips, meaning that I can say what and where I wanted to visit and then not have to worry about anything else as he organises everything to the last little detail. My host family were amazing! Ambika is a great host mum, she was very understanding, had great English and her food was amazing. Ambika is so chatty and has taught me many Nepali words and alot about Nepali culture. She was amazing, and I could not have asked for a better host mum, I've had so many laughs with her! I really enjoyed the hospital placement and visiting the different wards. The physio team are very friendly and very knowledgeable. I also enjoys visiting the human home.

Projects Abroad has made this adventure an amazing opportunity. They have looked after us with our host families, placement, and with weekend planning. Amit and Binod have been amazing when we needed them, always on call, especially when we needed medical assistance. Ambica has taught us so much Nepali, and we have laughed every night around her dinner table. The Physio team have taught us many new techniques and have been very welcoming. We have had opportunities to see surgery and visit ER. Also to see humanitarian projects outside of the hospital. Thank you everyone! It's been great.

I feel like the program was very unique in itself, and was the first time we have ever experienced a culture such as this one. It was very great to experience and was motivation since we knew we were having an impact on peoples lives here. Everyone was kind and welcoming, especially the host family. We never felt left out or unsafe because of the sense of community which we were a part of.

I had a great time in Nepal as part of the medical placement. The entire experience was very smooth and I was able to see lots of things. It was amazing to see different parts of the hospital and I enjoyed seeing the Emergency Room. My host family was great and did an awesome job with the food. Overall an awesome experience!

Volunteering in the Chitwan Medical College Teaching Hospital in Bharatpur was an amazing experience. All of the doctors, interns, and medical students were extremely receptive to me being there, and were happy to teach me about any medical process I did not know. The host family is extremely friendly, and the weekend trips were incredible! This is a great place to learn about how medicine can still be meaningful with limited resources.

I had a great time during this project. From the first day everyone I met was very nice and welcoming. I stayed for 4 weeks in which I learned so much, especially regarding some species that I hadn't really come into contact to beforehand (eg. sea urchins), but that quickly fascinated me. I recommend staying for at least 3 weeks (4 if you don't already have a diving certificate) so you can really start applying your new knowledge. I spend my days doing surveys of marine life (mostly snorkeling in shallow areas, but on 2 days also while diving in a bit deeper areas) and diving for leisure near the protected Isla Espiritu Santo. On the weekends you can explore the nearby beaches and La Paz - there's an interesting whale museum and something is always happening along the malecón! I made so many great memories and am sure I will come back here in the future.

I worked at a school in Arusha Tanzania for two weeks, but wish I had been there for longer. The family I stayed with was vey sweet and and did not need anything. If I could do it again I would be there for more than two weeks, because after the two weeks I really got to know the family and the kids at the school. They also made sure we got to know about the culture and that we got to know the other voulenteers.

Where to begin, what an experience. I’ve had the most amazing time. Made friends from all over the world and had the privilege to live with the most amazing people and family. I arrived at Colombo airport and there was a staff member from projects abroad waiting for me. We drove all the way to Galle and picked up my supervisor, Dinusha. All the staff members were incredibly kind and I felt really comfortable in such a different country. For me it was the first time to travel so far from home just by myself. I’m originally from Holland. Very exciting. I arrived in Galle at my host family, we named the house ‘The mango house’, because there were fresh mango’s every morning, and they were absolutely delicious. The family served amazing meals and I really felt at home. I was lucky enough to live with four other volunteers, almost all of them were in the same project as I was, the medical project. I could learn a lot from them because they were incredible doctors already, and I was just a greeny. We went to the hospital every day together. We started around eight in the morning with doing ward rounds and after that we could scrub in at the theaters, such an amazing experience. The doctors in the hospital were very helpful and I definitely learned a lot from them. We also did some medical outreaches. We visited a temple where we did medical checkups on local people and we provided them with the needed medicine. After work in the hospital we went surfing and visiting some towns nearby Galle. I travelled through the country in the weekends. I visited Ella, elephants, Kandy and loads more. I lived at a host family in Galle, the Kapuge family included a host brother and sister, Tharushi and Akila. I loved being with them. The host mother, Deepika is the most wonderful person. Also her husband Opali is an amazing man. I also had the privilege to experience Sri Lankan new year. It is so great to experience the Srilankan culture this way. By the time I was in Sri Lanka, April 2022, an economic crisis was going on. I hesitated a bit to go to the country because of all of this. But there was nothing serious in my experience. There were a lot of power cuts and some road blocks but I didn’t feel unsafe. Projects abroad took care of everything. In conclusion, I would recommend this project to everyone with an interest in medicine. It was absolutely an once in a lifetime experience.

My experience with Projects Abroad was amazing. The staff is very helpful and responsive and despite the economic and political issues in Sri Lanka, the staff made sure I would have the best experience possible. Staff helped with transportation, navigating the country, and the language barrier between English and Sinhala. I would highly recommend this program for anyone interested in an abroad program.

In Reflection, I had an excellent experience in Tanzania. I must admit that in four-weeks, I have nothing but praise about my experience with Project Abroad Tanzania Human Rights Internship. From the moment the plane touched down at Kilimanjaro airport, I experienced a warm atmosphere, and this was to be the general way of life in the four weeks stay in Tanzania. After completing the security and visa processes, which were swift and non-stressful, project abroad personnel were waiting for me. This was a relief after a long flight. The introduction was quick and precise to establish who they were and that gave me a sense of satisfaction and security. They shuttled me to the host family after making sure that I was comfortable. The host family was waiting for me, and they made sure that I was comfortable, and they showed me the accommodation facilities and I was impressed. The next day was not hectic but was meant to familiarise and ensuring that I had internet connection and a new sim card. The subsequent day was quite busy but exciting as I met the coordinators tasked with ensuring that my engagements were prompt and precise. They signed me to the Drop Box application to get an overview of the human rights work in Tanzania. The team collaborated with women’s groups and the Juvenile detention centre. I was drafted in the Humana rights and microfinance team. The team made sure that the women’s groups and the Juveniles benefited from the presentations. The coordinators acted in a professional manner, ensuring that the presentations were interpreted into Swahili. This gave everyone involved a sense of achievement and purpose. The coordinators were also instrumental in ensuring that as volunteers we had unlimited access to resources such as court’s research facilities and networking with legal practitioners. However, other planned engagements did not go according to plan, for example attending court sessions. It was evident that the cancellations were beyond the coordinators control. These were minor disappointments but overall, the internship was of high standard and the coordinators executed their duties with high competence and integrity. The other interesting part of the programme is the Swahili lessons and social gatherings. The intention was to ensure that the volunteers and the Projects Abroad team get to know each other. I must admit, the culture did not shock me as I shared a great deal in common by reason of me being from Africa but living in Europe. The main challenge was to converse in Swahili, but I found it interesting as the locals were eager to teach everyone. In addition to the social gathering, opportunities to travel were available to volunteers. For example interns were able to go for safari to the famous Serengeti national park, Ngorongoro, Lake Manyara national park and other places of interest. I would recommend anyone who is enthusiastic about internship to do it through Projects Abroad in Tanzania. Given the same opportunity in the future, I would ensure to have a basic understanding of Swahili as the public appreciated volunteers who show an interest in their language.

My twelve weeks in Sri Lanka was fantastic, memorable, challenging and educational. I worked with teaching english for monks in two different temples. Together with living in a hos family, it gave me the oppurtunity to get to know a whole different culture and to really experience the locals way of life. When I wasn’t working, I got to travel around and see all the pretty places Sri Lanka has to offer. The beautiful beaches in the south, and the incredible nature in the highlands. The Projects Abroad staff was very supportive and always there to help if I had any problems. The trip definitley fulfilled my wish to get out of my comfort zone and have a totally different experience.

Je ne regrette pas d'avoir tenter cette folle aventure au Sri Lanka au côté de project abroad ! Un pays magnifique, qui offre d'infini possibilités d'excursion pour un prix dérisoire. Une population incroyablement gentille, attentionnée, qui aimerait vous donner même ce qu'ils n'ont pas ... Une cuisine délicieuse et spicy

The placement and the host family were perfect. They did everything for us to feel comfortable and safe. They were always available and they could handle any kind of problem. Plus, the food was very good.

The public health internship in Guadalajara was an experience I will never forget. From the moment I landed in Mexico, I knew I would be taken care of by the staff every step of the way. The accommodation was super clean and comfortable, and everyone who was a part of the Health Internship program resided there along with a few others. Going to Guadalajara, I was able to immerse myself in things I had never done before. I would recommend this program to any teen who likes to adventure and wants to spice up their resume. Travelling alone was a smooth and breezy process and Projects Abroad helped me through every step of the way. I was so excited to meet the five people I spent the duration of my program with. Together, we were able to set up a travel clinic and aid those who needed medical assistance and we even had the opportunity to tour two of the busiest hospitals. On weekends, we would go to tourist attractions and we even went to the Melaque beach. Patty, the person we stayed with, was super nice and gave us access to the Wi-Fi and did our laundry when we needed. She provided meals three times a day and the food was excellent. I made friends in my accommodation that I will keep for the rest of my life and I am so happy that I spent my summer at the public health internship. :)

I’ve loved my time in La Paz, have learnt a lot about local marine life from Pablo and have learnt to dive thanks to Carey Dive Centre! I feel like this trip has put me in the right stepping stones for my future. I have loved living with the host Edgar he is so welcoming and it feels like we’ve had a proper Mexican experience. La Paz is great for shopping and restaurants so plenty to do in our free time.

One of the best experiences of my life, from Edgar, Julia (and Gordor) being amazing, welcoming hosts. To Pablo not only teaching about how to survey and all the wildlife but also being good fun to spend time with. And Carey providing fantastic scuba diving. I’ve seen, learnt and experienced so much. Truly incredible.

Although our time there was short, we still had plenty of time to contribute in a meaningful way and explore the islands. I was a bit unprepared for the heat and humidity. I grew up in a climate like this, so it wasn't too bad but I think access to some fans at the accommodation would have helped a lot.

I had an amazing time in San Cristobal. It was difficult being away from my family for Christmas but my host family made me feel included and celebrate with them. Volunteering with conservation allowed me to see the work done behind the scenes to make the attractions as amazing as they are! Having nights and weekends off also have time to visit the local beaches and interpretation center to see what made the island the island.

Going to Peru on an archaeological dig with Projects Abroad honestly did change my life. For starters, the program was so fascinating that when I returned to school, I decided to major in archaeology. The friends I made on the project, from all over the world, were incredible and I still talk to many of them regularly. The sense of community, wonderful program and the interesting and varied group of people I met made the experience incredible. I have nothing but glowing praise to give these guys.

I did this trip last summer and it was incredibly fun. Honestly the experience was like any other, i got to be culturally immersed in mexico with incredible food and people. And i was able to learn how to scuba dive in the beautiful ocean!

I was there for a month and a half. I worked standard office hours Monday to Friday and spent weekends travelling and weekday evenings chilling. My work involved running legal workshop, provided tailored legal support to individual cases, visiting clients at their homes and researching Tanzanian laws & regulations. I wish I had more exposure to individual court cases. PA staff gave support in literally everything you need help with, you just need to ask! My host family was amazing, I still keep in touch with them!

I travelled to Cape Town, SA with Projects Abroad in 2019. One of the best uses of a summer where I had loads of fun and met friends from all over the world that I’m still in contact with. Projects Abroad managed the trip brilliantly so there was never a dull moment and I always felt safe and considered.

My time at Projects Abroad was great. I taught sports in the Galapagos Islands. First I taught Taekwondo and I also taught as a gym teacher at a primary school. The inpack that it had on me is that you can teach children new things that they normally would never get because the gym classes are different than in the Netherlands. The children and I had the time of my life when I came to teach. I recommend everyone to volunteer. It opens so many doors and you get to know new people and cultures. And you have a lot of time to explore the country.

Amazing trip that gave me so much experience. I made friends and felt really safe and looked after by the staff. The accommodation was comfortable and we were given a good mixture of local and western food to keep us going. I think i really made a positive impact. Its mainly because of the efforts of the local staff who managed my project and looked after me

The tour guides and the other members who joined the trip were all really open, enjoyable, helpful, and made me feel like we had our own little community. I definitely hope to do more exploration, projects and return to Peru.

HSS Medicine It was an amazing trip and I met a lot of great people. I was given loads of opportunities to learn and watch in the hospital and about the Tanzanian culture. The accommodation was great and so were the trips in the weekend. Something you'll never forget!

It was incredible I met different people and I grew up like a person. I achieved new values and I learned more culture. The experience it was fascinating and I recommend that everybody live this experience once in their lives.

Wonderful experience from start to finish. Shoshana is AMAZING at keeping you right about the correct paperwork required and sharing information. Gifty was well organised and just lovely. Chief was upbeat, enthusiastic and lovely! David was taught us about the culture. He was just lovely! He was a keen musician and this added to our experience. David was friendly, enthusiastic and overall perfect! I would recommend projects abroad to anyone wanting to expand their horizons. We were nervous and hesitant given Covid but honestly, these guys are a fantastic team.

My experience in Baja was tremendous fun. The staff was great, the accommodations were very comfortable and the people of Baja were a pleasure to be around. The scuba diving and snorkeling are truly incredible.

Arusha is amazing but the projects abroad team needs to be more transparent on costs and where funds are going. This translates into high costs for volunteering with very little result of the payments.

I had an amazing experience in Peru! It was incredible to work in a foreign country and serve the local people. I learned so much about health care and public health while having lots of fun. Experiencing a new culture, working hands-on at the clinic and health campaigning, and meeting the Peruvian people and host family was the highlight of my summer. I met great people from all over the US who were part of my team and became lasting friends. I had an awesome experience exploring the country especially Machu Picchu. I really wish I could have stayed longer and it is has lead me to apply to college in the medical field concentrating in public health. Thank you!

All the staff team and the family were super nice. The country is beautiful and I'm glad I could visit it during my free time in the afternoon and the weekend. It was really cool to have someone who could help you to find an agency for tours and for everything you could need.

The two weeks I spent in Cusco with Projects Abroad were the best of my entire summer. I was in the highschool childcare program. Being in the highschool program meant that all the other volunteers were my age, which enabled an incredible group friendship between all of us, even with the ones that were in the medical program, whom we saw less often. It was also reassuring that we were never left to ourselves in the middle of nowhere. The organization always had something planned for us, which was a good way for us to never feel lost, even if we did wish for some more time on our nights out sometimes... My project in the childcare program was amazing. We spent every morning at our respective school, and learned to know the kids really well. On the afternoons, after a workshop, we always had time for ourselves in the center of Cusco or in little markets. Our program supervisor, Jessica, has been amazing with all of us. She made us feel welcomed, and loved, even so far away from home, and she always made sure we were happy. What I really admire about the organization is that even when Cusco went on strike for two days, and everything was closed including the schools, the supervisors made sure we wouldn't sit at home without doing anything. When we asked for a pizza/movie night with the other volunteers, they organized it. When we said it would be awesome to hike to a lake in the mountains, they organized it as well. It was truly an amazing experience. Cusco is beautiful. Working with the kids has been incredible. My host family was really kind. Macchu Pichu was surreal. I really recommend this project to everyone, and Projects Abroad as well.

Everyone was really friendly! When I arrived in Guadalajara at night, I felt very safe because I was picked up by Eduardo and taken to my host family. I also felt very comfortable with the host family. Jesus and Margo are the best! Margo helped me a lot to learn Spanish. She is very considerate, loving and a very good cook. On the very first day Lucas showed me around the city and explained things I needed to know for everyday life.That was really nice, too! I thought it was a pity that hardly anyone in the hospital felt responsible for making the medical internship meaningful. With prior knowledge as a nurse, I had hoped to learn something or get motivated to study medicine, but when the "first" doctor went on vacation, I spent a few days with the nurses who had little to do, I felt underwhelmed, and I was often sent home early. I felt like I had wasted my money and time. (I try to explain that situations to my contact person, without any changing results.) I experienced that in traumatology as well. It is exciting to have insight into an operation once, but then every day is not. So I was not able to gain many new experiences. Before I started the internship, I explicitly asked if it would be a problem if I did an online seminar at another organization on the side. I was told several times that it would not be a problem. However, there was no further communication with the hospital and it became something complicated that I was generally uncomfortable with and I lost time in the internship. I felt like I was constantly stressing or straining my contactperson and the hospital with the planning to make my internship time more meaningful. In the end, though, it was just talking at each other, which meant that nothing changed and nothing came of it. I don't know if it was because of the covid pandemic, but I didn't get to meet any other volunteers during the internship. No events either. Instead, I was very happy to experience a salsa class. It was a lot of fun and I was happy about the offer. I can only speak for myself, it was not worth that much money I spend on Projects Abroad. But at least, I think, you have all tried to do the best for me, each in his own way: So, thank you for that! It's still a experience, I learned about and I will not forget. Kind regards

I volunteered in the Galápagos Islands with Projects Abroad as part of a High School Specials trip, doing Conservation and Summer Camp projects. It was fantastic. We were always kept busy with conservation work or working with the children. The staff were amazing, they were always very helpful and friendly. The accommodation was comfortable with a good social atmosphere. The wildlife was beautiful. I would definitely recommend this project to anyone considering volunteering abroad.

I went on Projects Abroad’s High School Special on the Galápagos Islands in March 2020. It was a trip of a lifetime. I went with a group of friends but you could easily do it alone. Even before we got to the Galapagos Holly Hubble from Projects Abroad flew all the way with us. It made the whole journey so much easier and fun, even with the problems with our flights. For the first week on San Cristobal we helped out in one of Project Galápagos summer camps and fixed up a playground in a local school. On the weekend we went to Santa Cruz to see the tortoises and Tortuga Bay. The 2nd week was Conservation Work so we would do sea lion monitoring at sunrise, then after breakfast, feed the tortoises and control the invasive plants or do a beach clean up. After lunch we had sea lion or bird monitoring. On our last day we got a 360 tour on a boat around the island. We got to go fishing, swimming and snorkeling with sea lions, turtles, loads of tropical fish and even sharks. The food at our accommodation was nice having rice in every meal. The staff in both Projects Abroad and Project Galápagos were so friendly and helpful with everything. I do definitely do it again

My experience during the Projects Abroad Marine Conservation volunteer program was absolutely phenomenal, it truly was an adventure of a life time! I did everything through projects abroad, including booking my flights - i didn't have the confidence or knowledge to organize my own travel itinerary but projects abroad did a fantastic job ensuring the flights were ideal for me in terms of dates, times and airports. It couldn't have been easier, it made the whole experience of traveling across the globe (From London to Thailand) stress-free all i had to do was show them my tickets and i was off! When i arrived at Krabi airport, a Projects Abroad representative was there waiting for my arrival with transfer to my new home for the next month. I was warmly welcomed, and once i arrived at my new campsite i was given a tour and freedom to settle before getting started with the project at the start of the working week. On my first day was an induction day - sitting down with other new volunteers as we were officially welcomed into the new world of diving. But first - we explored Krabi town! With the amazing Bean we were given the best Thai top tips from food recommendations, best places to go, things to see and do, taught us some of the Thai language, educated us on their culture, it was a very heartwarming welcome to the start of an amazing adventure! The first week was spent with our heads in the books, to complete the theory for our PADI Open Water Diving qualification and practicing diving / breathing techniques in the swimming pool (yes, the camp site has a swimming pool!) - which once passed meant we could join the other volunteers on the dive boat out at sea! Week 2 saw us put everything we learnt into practice in the big blue itself! While everyone was flourishing, i was very nervous having never swam in the ocean nor dived before but the Projects Abroad diving crew were so amazing and so patient, they made me feel safe and gave me the confidence to make that jump (literally, off the boat into the sea!) Each dive i did i become more and more confident, and dove deeper and deeper exploring more and discovering something new during every single dive, it was breathtaking and utterly speechless diving in the wonders of the sea! The main goals of dives was to do coral surveying or sea anemone surveying - putting all our diving skills into action while collecting data to then later input into an online global marine conservation database. Other diving activities we did included coral propagation - another data collecting survey to encourage coral breeding. When we weren't diving, we went to a local village beach to help with an on-going mangrove reforestation project - this involved getting down and dirty in the mud, digging up very delicately the young mature mangroves and re-planting them to allow them to grow into full mature age. We also did work in a local primary school, preparing a presentation and educating the Thai children about the work we are doing and how they can help protect the ocean themselves by making them plastic aware! A day trip to Phuket was also on the agenda, visiting a marine rescue and rehabilitation center where we got to see loads of sea turtles and get in with them as we cleaned their pool - during my visit we were very lucky to witness a sea turtle being released into the ocean for the first time. That was a once in a life time experience to see! When diving days are over, the evenings were given to us to do whatever we wanted! We could go to the beach, explore krabi town, indulge at night foodie markets and the same went for the weekends! We had the freedom to explore and do whatever we wanted! During my weekends i took the opportunity to explore krabi, take on Dragons Crest (highly recommended hike), visited an ethical elephant sanctuary, hopped on a boat to Railey beach and took in the culture of Thailand. Food was fantastic!! The camp had their own chef who would make the most delicious meals and catered for all dietary requirements - vegetarian, pescetarian, vegan, meat you name it! All in all, my time in Thailand was completely life changing and i met some of the most amazing people there and learnt and gained so many unique special experiences - one month wasn't long enough! For anyone considering it, take that leap and do it! You will not regret it!

How not to love Argentina? Thanks to Projects Abroad and its immersive program, I got to live with a great Argentinian mum, treating me like her own daughter and go work everyday in a local radio where people welcomed me with open arms, lots of maté and a great smile. There's no better way to discover a country and get to appreciate it than by spending time with its inhabitants, and I can testify Argentinians are one of a kind. Funny, selfless, giving, very talkative and warm, you'll get to be bilingual in a week. The sun is also always shining in Cordoba and its surroundings, making the whole place as cosy as the radio office. A great experience, enabling you to discover a country worthwhile to spend a couple of months in, or who knows… your whole life!

My experience with Projects Abroad has been amazing for many of its aspects. My volunteer work consisted in teaching English to some Mongolian children that live around the capital (Ulaanbaatar), and creating with them a garden where they could play all together. I had the opportunity to meet their families who have been very kind to us and I have been lucky to get in contact with a community of people that made me feel useful and who appreciated my help. This experience also enriched my personal identity in an absolutely positive way. I have been honoured to offer what I had to give, and doing so made me understand that, if we are determined to do so, we can make a difference in this world. In addition, this project has helped me to better understand what are the topics and issues that interests me the most and helped me to decide which study career to attend : it is thanks to my volunteer experience in Mongolia that I am studying International Relations and Global Affairs in my first year of University! I strongly recommend to everyone to participate to a program of Projects Abroad because it is an experience that can change your life only for the better!

Volunteering in Nepal with Projects Abroad might just be the best decision I've ever taken. I look back at it with great joy. I got to know so many amazing people from all over the world! And to this day I'm still in touch with them. I miss it everyday, which I'm very relieved about, that just means the trip has been worth all the hard work. Generally everything was great the 5 months I was there. The care project was very interesting but most importantly the relationship I gained with teachers and children at the placement. The host family was also the kindest people I've ever met! The staff bot in and out of country was also very helpful and nice. It made me feel really safe that there was someone to take care of me so to say.

The company makes sure you are safe and placed into a good and sweet family and they really cares about you. They make fun activities and help if you want to travel around with other volunteers in the weekends. I would recommend to travel with Projects Abroad.

I spent 3 weeks in san Cristobal, with Project Abroad. I experienced a very close contact with turtles, iguanas, sea lions, caring them in their natural habitat. I also had the possibility to travel around the other islands, enjoying stunning views and local lifestyle. A perfect combination of work and fun, away from the crowed places. You always feel safe and involved, thanks also to the great supervision of William Puga, that I highly recommend for any question and/or problem you could face.

English version : I travel twice with Projects Abroad, frist one in 2012 for two months and a second one in 2018 for three months, in the same place : Barra Honda Nacional Park in Costa Rica . I past the best time of my life, I learn so much about fauna and flora with the staff and rangers of the Park. They have a lot of mission and you are nevers boring. The Staff help us to many suggestions for visite other places : beach, volcanos... For all I just say many many Time but : Thanks You!!! ¡¡¡Gracias y Pura Vida!!! I come back one day I Shure!!! French version : Je suis partie deux fois avec Projects Abroad, une fois en 2012 pour deux mois et une autre fois en 2018 pour trois mois, au même endroit : Parc National de Barra Honda au Costa Rica. J'y ai passé les meilleurs moments de ma vie, j'ai appris énormément au côté de l'équipe d'investigation de la faune et la flore sauvage ainsi qu'auprès des rangers du parc. Les missions sont multiples et on ne s'ennuie jamais. L'équipe est présente aussi pour nous suggéré d'autres endroits à visiter : plage, voacans ect... A tous je leur dirais jamais assez mais : Merci!!! ¡¡¡Gracias y Pura Vida!!! J'y retournerai ça c'est certain !

Overall was a great experience. Gained memories that I will cherish forever and skills that will help me so much with my future. Definitely recommend to anyone, especially students. Great way to explore the world

I did my internship at the psychology programme in Jamaica. I got to work in different clinics, I went on outreaches with the crisisteam and I worked as a school psychologist at a high school. I loved the diversity of my work! Besides that I loved the way the staff at the projects abroad office and the staff at my working places were always super helpfull. Jamaica is a beautiful island with amazing people. My next trip to Jamaica is planned already and I cant wait to be back!

This program is amazing. It helped me with my Spanish and also opened my eyes about so many different aspects in the world. Learning about the dictatorship and the human rights violations as well as the programs Put in place to right the wrongs is extremely interesting. The experience from this trip has pushed me to take action in my country and get more involved especially in helping homeless people, after seeing the situation in Argentina it pushed me to want to help and give back to the community.

I was a volunteer on the Shark Conservation Program in Fiji for six weeks during summer 2019. It was something I had been looking forward to for a very long time. I hoped it would be as great as I pictured it in my mind, I can tell you now... it was even better. First, the program itself: you have a fun filled week with loads of different activities that help the environment. You work in mangroves, go on shark tagging trips, process data, have cultural experiences and of course you go diving in one of the most beautiful locations you will ever see. Second, the staff: the project's staff is amazing. Every one of them is not only very skilled at what they do, but also extremely kind. They listen to your needs and you can always come to them when you have a question. Third, the other volunteers: these people will become like your family. Because you spend so much time together, it only takes a little while for you to become very close. There are a lot of activities that you can do together in the weekend and nights. Fiji is an amazing place to be and this project is absolutely amazing. I would recommend it to everyone with an interest in diving and conservation.

The feeling of accomplishing something above your comfort zone is the best feeling you will have in your life. My mom flew with me to Shanghai to stay with me for the two of days so that my dad would be less worried. I am happy that she did come with me because I would have difficulty finding my Projects Abroad supervisor. (There were a lot of people at the airport when we came in late at night). My mom and I ran into this rude taxi driver which kind of made me felt uncomfortable and bitter at first. I was feeling discouraged that I would not be able to get through this experience but my mom believed that I could do it and to keep my head held high. I did. With my mom, my Project's Abroad supervisor showed us the route to school, some small markets to get food and took me to get a new sim card for my phone. After my mom left, my Project's Abroad supervisor did not look after me as much anymore. A lot of students were coming in from all over including my two roommates. I found my own and better supermarkets to buy housing supplies and food. One of my roommates had difficulty adjusting here. Once I saw that, I realized that I am not alone. My feelings were normal. I played the "strong mother" role and gave her comfort that she could do anything. Another roommate of mine could speak Chinese. Perfect! Over the weekends, we took the subway to go sightseeing and participate in the weekly Project's Abroad social events. There my roommates and I met other girls from Europe and America too. We started to do our own sighting as well. No worries about pick pockets in the subway at all. The subway was so efficient and clean- Much better than my BART train at home. My medical experience was at Renji Hospital, the Shanghai Hospital in the Pudong District. I internship and shadowed in the Neurosurgery Department. I saw many operations. Of course I got sick from seeing the first operation but then I finally got through it. My doctor told me that it normal since I never seen this in my daily life. The doctor who I was mainly shadowing went to school in UC Davis- in Northern California. I am from the East Bay Area. What a small world! I also met some amazing medical students and Master students who I started to look up to. They will treat me for lunch at the hospital's cafeteria. They also took me out to try some authentic traditional foods at restaurants outside by the hospital. Everyone in the department was so genuine. Super kind, caring and i admire their never ending hard work! Overall, I am happy that I had this experience in Project's Abroad. I will not hesitate to do this again. I feel like my roommates and the other students I met were already good friends! I still keep in contact with them as well as some of the medical students on WeChat. I now feel really inspired to continue to work hard pursuing my own medical career. I don’t know what I want to be yet but I know that I want to help people in the medical field! Thank You Projects Abroad! -Nicole C.

This trip to Nepal was such a great time that it almost feels surreal looking back. I meant the most amazing people both in my volunteer group (who I am still friends with almost a year later and we talk every day) and on our placement! The best part was seeing the impact on the kids we worked with who lit up when we came to see them. The placements may seem to us like small things to fix, but to these people it means the world and they were so polite, accomodating and grateful. It was an adventure full of laughs and great people and I would go back to see the people we meet in a second! PS. The food at our accomodation was outstanding! Fried chicken back home will never be the same!!

July this year I spend 4 weeks in Vietnam doing a medicine internship in the ‘Vietnam National Hospital of Pediatrics’. And wow.. it is actually hard to put into words how great this experience has been (but I’ll try ;) ). Let me start by saying that the time I’ve spend in there I’ll never forget. The staff and the people I met were all extremely friendly and prepared to help with anything I needed even if it was only advice (which was a lot, because I was the ‘rookie’ of the group). During the weekdays I got to shadow doctors of different specialities. And in the weekends I went to explore the beauty of Vietnam with friends who came from all over the world! But let’s focus on my project specifically; As mentioned I shadowed doctors for the most part. Even though they don’t all speak English that well, they were prepared to take time out of their busy schedules and answer my questions (and believe me there were a lot !!). In Vietnam I got so many opportunities to see and try things I could only dream of doing in elsewhere. Overall I am very pleased with the whole experience and the things I saw and learned. Kind regards, Ivana Djurica

I spent four weeks in a Pacific Harbour, Fiji as part of a small volunteer group focusing on the conservations of sharks and marine life in the area. Through this program, I got my PADI scuba diving license and was able to take part in survey dives, where we would go down as a team with slates and write down all the fish, sharks, rays, and any other interest ing creatures we saw. We dove in a marine protected area so the wildlife was abundant and beautiful. Shark Corridor, where our shark dives would take place (and a personal favourite location), was stunningly beautiful with walls of coral and sharks surrounding us. The experience of diving in the crystal clear water and seeing and being able to identify so many different species of marine life was truly unbelievable. Diving was not the only thing we did in this program however, we would work in the mangrove nursery, learning about the environment and the role we play in helping it, we would help out in the community by building public gardens and painting community centers. We also had some free time to ourselves in which we would explore the island: going to beaches, hiking, going into Suva, the capital for shopping and museums. Our accommodation was very comfortable and each apartment came equipped with a common room and a kitchen which my friends and I would use to host dinner parties and movie nights. This project was really the right amount of work and play. I made lifelong friends from all around the world and got to do amazing things like cliff jumping, rope swinging, and swimming in the surreal, clear ocean, but I also worked hard and felt like my work made a difference. I can honestly say I wouldn't trade this experience for the world and I hope to return to Fiji again someday soon.

I had an amazing experience during my 3 weeks in Cape Town. Projects Abroad were excellent at coordinating my entire trip. The living situation was ideal with a wonderful host family. Elaine, my host mom, welcomed me into her home as if it was my own. She would provide a lovely home cooked meal every night and food for me to bring to work. Overall, It was a great opportunity for a full cultural immersion; I was living with a host family and working within the community. I have never had such an enriching travel experience where I didn't feel like a tourist​ but was actually able to understand the area as if I were living there. Working in a township really opened my eyes to the reality for many locals, nothing was romanticized or dumbed down which I really valued. I valued the human connection and getting to know everybody that I met. The people were all so friendly which made me feel welcome immediately. This included everyone I worked with at Where Rainbows Meet, a community outreach organization in the township of Vrygrond, and all the other volunteers. At work, I helped research grant proposals, worked on quarterly newsletters, and oversaw fundraising just to name a few main tasks. In my free time, I enjoyed some social events put on by Project's Abroad, such as a sunset on Signal Hill, an optional planned peninsula tour, and an afternoon at a local meat restaurant with music and dancing. I also independently went with other volunteers to markets and vineyards, such as the Cape Point Vineyard Market and the Old Biscuit Mill. I highly suggest the going to these markets in addition to seeing more local places like the meat shop in the township to get a feel for how diverse the people and way of life is in Cape Town. Overall I highly recommend traveling through Projects Abroad and specifically going on their International Development Project. It was enlightening in terms of work and the memories I made have made me eager to go back.

Projects Abroad is a great organization that helps you to volunteer abroad. It is truly a unique experience to travel abroad and help a foreign community in some way! While I was working with Projects Abroad this I was in Argentina volunteering for Human Rights. It’s been a great time working with those who often times lack a voice in modern society, predominantly juvenile criminals and the homeless in my case, and seeing the meaningful impact you can have on a foreign community. Through my volunteer work I believe I made a meaningful impact on and contribution to the communities I visited, which is something rare for many travelers. Besides having a great experience and wonderful selection of programs across the globe, Projects Abroad has an amazing staff. The Project coordinators and Advisers help you to get accustomed to the local culture and guide you throughout your experience. In addition, you are also placed with a host family. My host my in Argentina was amazing and extremely welcoming, having conversations with me about her life everyday and preparing meals. My world view has truly changed after this transformative experience!

I lived in Peru for 3 months while interning as a nutritionist. This experience was absolutely wonderful in every single aspect. The Projects Abroad team does a fantastic job at bringing all the volunteers together. If it wasn’t for the Wednesday socials, I would not have met the amazing, lifelong friends I made during my stay. We all became one family and it made staying away from home for such a long time that much easier. Working as a nutritionist was the most rewarding work I have ever done. The locals were so open to all I had to teach them and really applied what they learned to their everyday lives. Working among locals completely immersed me into Peruvian culture. Throughout my work experience I learned traditional Quechuan dances and how to cook traditional cuisine. My Spanish also greatly improved throughout this experience! Saying goodbye to my host family was heartbreaking. They completely opened their home to me and made me feel like part of the family. Even though I am vegan, they did everything they could to cook me traditional cuisine so I could still experience that little piece of culture. I felt free to come and go whenever I pleased which was great. Peru was absolutely gorgeous and the people were extremely friendly. I would definitely come back and do another program through Projects Abroad.

The idea of volunteering abroad has always interested me at a young age.There were several organizations out there, but none of them really spoke to me until I came across Projects Abroad. I was thinking about becoming a nurse, so when I heard about the High School Specials Medicine program, it immediately sparked my interest and I started researching. There were a handful of countries that I had in mind before choosing Ghana. It took my parents a lot of convincing to send me onto this trip and I will forever be grateful to them for letting me go because it was the most memorable two weeks of my life that I will never forget. I first arrived in Accra and was met by the airport coordinator, Nyame, who immediately greeted me when I walked out of the airport and was very welcoming and kind. He gave me my Ghanaian name, Akosua, which corresponds to the day I was born. We then waited for three other volunteers, who were from France (and on the same flight as me!) and then drove to the Pink Hostel. After a long night in the Pink Hostel, me and two other volunteers drove three hours to Cape Coast, where our project placement was. Host Family Our three hour drive to Cape Coast was filled with bumpy roads, church music, random police barrier stops, and naps. We finally arrived at our host family house and was warmly greeted by our host mother. We also met another girl in our program, who had been there for two days prior. Our host mom showed us to our rooms, and it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. We had our own toilet and shower, which became very convenient. Our host family was very large, there were always several family members around, who were always welcoming and friendly towards us. Our host family also gave us large portions, even though there were only four of us, so we never went hungry. My Medical Placement Our trips to various communities was the highlight of my trip. During our community outreaches we would test for blood pressure, BMI, blood grouping, hepatitis B, blood sugar and malaria. The people in the communities were always so kind towards us, even though we were the ones pricking them! Once a week we went to the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital where we were able to choose which ward to shadow, I chose the Pediatrics. Being from Canada, I was able to experience some of the best healthcare in the world. Seeing Cape Coast Teaching Hospital was a real eye opening experience. Some of the kids admitted had malnourishment, malaria, and sickle cell anemia. To learn hear and learn about a disease is one thing, but to see it in real life is another. The nurses also helped and taught me how to do vitals, back home things like heart rate and respiratory rate were measured by a system, but in Ghana it was done manually. We also went to a leprosy camp once a week and helped clean and bandage wounds for people. It was quite frightening to clean the wounds at first, because some of them were fairly large and shocking, but once we got used to it, and practiced a lot it came to us easily. Leaving Ghana As the trip was coming to an end, I didn’t want to say goodbye to my new family in Ghana or the new friends I had made. We had done everything together for two weeks and spent so much time together. There is no doubt that I wouldn’t have had an experience this amazing if it weren’t for the staff there, Eric and Victor. They were always very positive, friendly, and kind towards us. They made sure we were well taken care of and treated us like family. Saying goodbye to them and my new friends was one of the most emotional and upsetting goodbyes I’ve ever had to do. The people I met during the outreaches, hospitals and leprosy camps also made my experience in Ghana more memorable. They were all very friendly and always wanted to start conversations with us. I can definitely say that my two weeks in Ghana truly changed my life and it is an experience that I will never forget. Two weeks was too short and I wish I could’ve spent more time there. I hope my story and experience will inspire you to go to Ghana because it is truly a remarkable country that I know I will visit again someday!

Travelling abroad alone for the first time can be a daunting experience, however with Projects Abroad I felt constantly supported and comfortable throughout my placement. As soon as I landed in Peru I was greeted warmly by staff and my host family. Being able to stay with a family and other volunteers made the transition a lot easier for me. Being able to handle Incan artifacts and work at important sites was eyeopening and allowed me a greater understanding of the native culture I could have never got the same understanding or appreciation from home. While I was there I met some incredible, like minded people from all around the world. On weekends we were able to travel to various places including Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain, and other lesser known but equally beautiful places to explore around Cusco. The locals were extremely kind and endeavored to try and communicate with me despite my limited Spanish and their limited English. I was taught many new phrases despite my constant mistakes. I hope that I get the chance to travel with Projects Abroad in the future.

I loved my whole experience with projects abroad. From day one I felt supported, safe and happy. I can not wait to volunteer again!! Projects Abroad is a super helpful and supportive company. I did the sports program in Peru. from the day I booked my trip I had lots of contact with my supervisor. She answered every question I asked, and checked up on me and how I was feeling. I too was called a couple of times for any question and given more information. Projects Abroad also has a great volunteer page where you can get a range of helpful and education information about pre and post departure. The team that were based in peru too were always contactable and super helpful in making me feel safe and welcome. For my first day of placement they took me there making sure I felt comfortable within the school. I loved the sports program. I played a lot of volleyball, which was great, especially being able to educate the students while feeling involved and having an enjoyable time. My school was super easy to get too, and very welcoming and also extremely safe. Safety has really important to me. I felt safe everywhere. My host family was great, they cooked beautiful food, and we always had great conversations. Too they helped me with my spanish. I also felt safe when with other volunteers. We had lots of nice dinners all together and organised adventures for our weekends. It was so nice being able to spend time with others from around the world. I couldn’t recommend this company any more, they were just fantastic. From day one everything was made easy. Thank you!!

My time in Fiji was an amazing and unforgettable experience. I stayed in Nadi and interned/volunteered for the Nutrition Project through Projects Abroad. Fiji overall is a great country to travel to; its beauty is stunning, there is plenty to do in your free time, and I felt very safe the whole time. I stayed with a host family, which was such a great experience. My host mom, "Lo" as we called her, was such a sweet spirit who did everything she could to make the volunteers feel comfortable and at home. She was also a great cook, and made us delicious traditional Fijian meals every night! I loved having dinner with her and the rest of the family every night and playing with her 4 kids. The nutrition project itself was an amazing and unique learning experience as well as a ton of fun! I am a nutrition student at the University of Alabama, so I was able to apply my previous nutrition knowledge as well as learn a lot about Fijian dietary habits/recommendations. We did a variety of things including health screenings, nutrition counseling, and presentations at schools. Everyday was a little different, which kept the project exciting. Our project coordinator, Meiva, was really great in leading us each day, and also was very open to suggestion for how to make the project better. She also asked every intern what they enjoyed or wanted to get out of the project, and made changes accordingly. Lastly, I think my favorite part of the whole experience was the other volunteers I met while I was there. I loved spending every day with my fellow nutrition volunteers and also getting to know interns from the other projects in Nadi as well. We had “socials” arranged by Projects Abroad and also explored Fiji together in our free time at night or on weekends. I know I made several lasting friendships, and I even have plans for a volunteer I met in Fiji to come visit me this Fall! Overall this was an incredible experience of a lifetime.

My experience with Projects Abroad was really incredible. I would highly recommend this program to anyone who is considering a career in medicine because it allowed me to figure out if I can handle it before I spent the thousands of dollars to attend a nursing program. It also gave me a taste of what I may want to specialize in because I experienced a variety of different environments inside the hospital. It is a very difficult process to view a surgery in the United States, so if you're interested in doing so, consider this alternative. Essentially, each weekday morning, my roommate and I woke up, had breakfast, packed our lunches and supplies for the day, and waited to be picked up by one of the coordinators to be brought to one of the local hospitals. We would arrive, talk to the doctor who agreed to accept us for the day, and tell him or her where we wanted to go from the options given to us. In the two weeks I spent there, I was sent to pediatrics, nursing, the emergency room, and best of all, the operating room. I was able to watch three surgeries (as in, standing next to the patient, asking questions to the doctors), and it confirmed nursing as a career path for me. If you're choosing between a medical camp at an American college or an opportunity abroad as I was, hands down choose the latter. It is not only a better experience since you are traveling the world, but it is unique and makes you stand out from the rest of the future med school applicants. This program in particular allows you to experience living with a host family, learning and practicing Spanish, traveling Argentina, and working in real hospitals with real patients. Everything that I was hoping to experience was checked off of my list before I left. I would highly recommend this program.

I originally went through projects abroad for the sole reason of boosting my resume and looking better for medical school. I was not at all expecting the emotional experience and the changes I went through personally. There were many weekend opportunities to go on excursions, I would highly recommend you take some time afterward to experience the sights and culture Cambodia has to offer. It was my first time being alone and so far from home, but I felt safe the entire time and gained so much confidence in myself. I am currently planning another trip through Projects Abroad, because my experience was so positive.

I went hoping for simply something to set me apart for my pre-med application and resume, but was not prepared for the amount of learning I experienced and the drastic personal change that occurred. The raw experience was something to behold. As a first time traveller going through Projects Abroad was comforting. I was able to gain confidence to go on weekend excursions and experience enough to definitely set me apart from other graduates. I wish I had had enough time to stay for an extra week and also travel independently after my project as by that time I felt I had enough knowledge to stay safe, have knowledge about the local culture, and have a good time. Would 10/10 recommend to any pre-med student or a newbie traveller!

I did the High School Special Care and Community project in Cusco, Peru, with a good friend from home for four weeks this past summer, and I loved every minute of it! Prior to our departure, our parents were a little weary of allowing two teenage girls to travel to a different continent alone, but the Projects Abroad staff were extremely reassuring and provided a ton of information about not only what we were to expect in the country, but how to effectively prepare before and afterwards. Communication with the program was always timely and informative. When we landed in Cusco after a full 24 hours of traveling, we were met exactly in the way that had been described to us previously: with a Projects Abroad sign, by our first and last names, and with a friendly smile. In Cusco we always felt safe, and although the program was structured with activities like building furniture and painting games for schools in the area, we had plenty free time in the afternoons to explore various markets around the city and go to the mall. The "care" aspect of our project was time we spent in a daycare. We were placed in a local, government-run program for anemic children. There, they were provided with two meals (breakfast and lunch) and a lot of fun toys to play with. Most of the teachers were also parents of a child in the center, so I think our help was very appreciated as they had their hands pretty full. We assisted mostly with feeding the kids and keeping them entertained during the day so their mothers and fathers could go to work nearby. They were all so cute! Around halfway through our time at the placement, my friend and I wanted to switch to helping the older children at the placement. Projects Abroad accommodated this change without hesitation. These kids were around four and five years old, and so we were able to actually help teach them in addition to playing. Their teacher had us make a lot of posters to hang up around their classroom as well as teach them the colors of the rainbow in English. We did lots of chalk drawings outside on the pavement too. Our host family was amazing as well. We stayed in a house composed of five or so floors, each described as its own “apartment”, which ended up being pretty accurate. Each floor had around three bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen, and living space. Our bedroom even had an ensuite bathroom, which was very nice. Even though we were prepared to sacrifice the showers we usually took at home, we were pleasantly surprised by the pressure quality and the hot water available to us always. Everything in the house was also very clean and organized. Because it was winter when we arrived, it was fairly cold in the house, as none of the buildings in Peru really have indoor heating; however, with a warm blanket, socks, and a jacket, we were fine. They provided us with three meals a day, which typically consisted of pan (a sweet bread) with butter and jam for breakfast, and rice with a meat (chicken, beef, etc.) for lunch and dinner. Overall, I had an amazing experience in Peru, and I recommend the High School Care and Community special to anyone looking to make a positive difference and get a taste for a new culture/country!

Este verano he tenido la oportunidad de pasar 2 maravillosas semanas en Rabat, Marruecos. Allí convivía con una familia Marroquí,¡ la cual era un encanto ! Nos trataron genial y no nos faltó de nada, nos prepararon platos alucinantes y nos llevaron a descubrir algunos sitios mágicos de Rabat. Vivíamos en la Medina, la zona antigua llena de callejuelas, gente, puestos, olores... un ambientazo! Durante el día íbamos a una asociación con niños en riesgo de exclusión social, nuestro trabajo se basaba en jugar con ellos, hacer trabajos como pintar la escuela y talleres cómo por ejemplo de higiene. Los niños eran encantadores y tenían mucho amor que dar y recibir... agradecida todo lo que hacías y cada actividad que preparabamos para ellos era un triunfo... se les iluminaban las caras de felicidad. Por las tardes, salíamos todos los voluntarios junto a los monitores a realizar actividades cómo cerámica, cocinar platos típicos,incluso nos hicimos un tatuaje de henna o simplemente tomar un batido y pasar tiempo todos juntos, la verdad es que lo disfrutábamos mucho. En el fin de semana hicimos un viaje a Chefchaoen, un pueblecito de la sierra encantador ymagico, pasamos un fin de semana genial todos juntos.El personal de Projects Abroad fue excelente, tanto antes del viaje, me ayudaron en todo lo posible y allí, los monitores eran super majos y se preocuparon muchísimo por todos nosotros. Nos enseñaron mucho sobre la cultura árabe e incluso algunas palabras en árabe! Estaban atentos a todo y eran uno más en el grupo! Respecto a los otros voluntarios... fueron increíbles. Gracias a ellos la experiencia fue mil veces mejor. Había de muchas nacionalidades y culturas, por lo que no sólo aprendí sobre la cultura árabe, sino sobre muchas otras más, como la paquistaní, egipcia, India,americana... conectamos desde el principio y nos reímos muchísimo juntos:) he aprendido muchísimo en esas 2 semanas, sobre el resto del mundo, la vida y sobre mi misma. Espero poder repetir está experiencia mil veces más, y toďo ha sido posible gracias a Projects Abroad, totalmente recomendable.

My time in Thailand as a part of the Projects Abroad Diving and Marine Conservation program was amazing and I know that I will remember my first dive for the rest of my life. Knowing that I got to learn a new skill, do something I love and help the environment at the same time drew me to the program and it was everything I had imagined and more. Our trips to the dive sites were the best part; the crew was very friendly, and we got to exchange a lot of life experiences and jokes. The food at the accommodation was some of the best I'd ever had, and the program coordinators were friendly and always around planning group activities.

My month in Ghana with Projects Abroad was anything but ordinary; it was, in simplest terms, a fantastic month which changed my life. But of course, as I left my home in New York and headed to JFK airport, I was more nervous than ever before. The butterflies in my stomach disappeared, however, when I met the Projects Abroad staff member, surrounded by 7 other high school volunteers, who was waiting for me at the gate. After quite a long flight, we emerged from the Ghanaian airport to find two more smiling staff members waiting for us. They helped us load the car, and then drove us to our final destination: Cape Coast. Upon arriving at our home stay, they dropped us off, to unpack for the month ahead. After about an hour, another staff member came and gave us a quick orientation. Over the course of the weekend, we met many more staff members and the volunteers who would be staying with us for the amazing upcoming four weeks. Throughout our time in Ghana, the Projects Abroad staff was always attentive and caring. Our group supervisor, Saeed, quickly became a friend, and we are all still in touch with him. He always helped if we had any questions or concerns, and he is the reason that we all felt so confident in our medical work. Two other staff members, Grant and Enoch, helped teach us how to take blood and blood pressure, and taught us a lot about malaria and cholera, information we later related to students in schools across the city. In our workshop sessions when we would study health issues in Ghana, they answered every question and made sure even I, who has never so much as taken a biology class, could follow along. On the weekends the staff made sure we had plenty to do, taking us to the beach and even the rain forest! We also had cultural events like bead making and drumming and dancing, which we thoroughly enjoyed. At home, we were immediately welcomed in by our host family, and though we did not often speak with our host mother, two of our host brothers quickly befriended us. They watched TV and played video games with us, and they helped us do our laundry by hand, an endeavor which all of us were wary to complete on our own. We also went out to restaurants with our host brother, and he truly felt like part of the group. Overall, there’s no other way to describe my time in Ghana except with a radiating smile and the simple fact that it truly was the best month of my life, and I encourage anyone and everyone to experience it for themselves.

I have always wanted to travel, and Projects Abroad gave me the opportunity to explore and serve the Nanyuki community. I was very nervous arriving in Nairobi at midnight, but Peter was always there for security, and over the 3 hour car ride explained a little bit about the program. I arrived in Nanyuki and proceeded with my town induction, as I arrived earlier than my group. The town of Nanyuki is very charming and safe, and the office staff was especially welcoming. I was put in a host home with 2 of the current volunteers and spent a couple of days with my host mothers sweet children. My host mother allowed me to join her to the local church and later to the salon where I got a closer look to daily life in town. I was transferred to my arranged home with Emma later that day and was welcomed with open arms. I stayed with 6 other volunteers and we became very close over the next two weeks. The Projects Abroad office was available 24/7 for our safety and convenience. Our medical staff members Bilhar and Nelly accompanied us to the hospital and encouraged us to observe and participate in as many procedures and clinical work as possible. Bilhar and Nelly were both so sweet and made my experience in Kenya even better than I could imagine by bringing me out of my comfort zone. Over the course of 2 weeks, we went to 2 different dispensaries where we were able to provide free HIV and Malaria testing as well as pharmaceutical services and counseling. I split my time between Consolata maternity hospital and Huruma. Both hospitals offered a wide variety of services and procedures that you can get involved in and learn from. The key to these placements, are observing and gaining staff members trust in order to be able to get more hands on with patients. Projects Abroad immersed me directly into Kenyan culture, and I couldn't ask for a better wholesome experience. My only regret was that I didn't stay longer.

This trip was a lot of firsts for me. I volunteered through projects abroad on a high school special for medicine. It was my first time travelling alone, it was my first time staying away from my parents and it was my first time doing any sort of program like this. The process of signing up and convincing my parents to let me go, was one of the most difficult parts. But, projects abroad made it easier by allowing me to talk and meet with people in Projects Abroad headquarters in my home country. They gave me reviews to read, and even got me in contact with other people who had signed up. The project itself was one of the most different and exciting experiences I've ever had. At the beginning, it was a total change in lifestyle, and routine, but sometimes, that sort of thing is completely necessary for self growth and to better understand the world around you. The trip was a great balance of being immersed into the culture, gaining experience in the medicine field, as well as being a tourist and seeing all of the tourist attractions. My host family was amazing, as well as the other students on the trip, and I hope I keep in touch with all of them.

This trip was a lot of firsts for me. It was my first time travelling alone, it was my first time staying away from my parents and it was my first time doing any sort of program like this. The process of signing up and convincing my parents to let me go, was one of the most difficult parts. But, projects abroad made it easier by allowing me to talk and meet with people in Projects Abroad headquarters in my home country. They gave me reviews to read, and even got me in contact with other people who had signed up. The project itself was one of the most different and exciting experiences I've ever had. At the beginning, it was a total change in lifestyle, and routine, but sometimes, that sort of thing is completely necessary for self growth and to better understand the world around you. The trip was a great balance of being immersed into the culture, gaining experience in the medicine field, as well as being a tourist and seeing all of the tourist attractions. My host family was amazing, as well as the other students on the trip, and I hope I keep in touch with all of them.

Hi! I am Isabella, a 16-year-old girl from a small town in Connecticut. About three months ago I began to search for something to do over the summer. In July of 2018, I flew out of the country to Bolivia, traveling for over 24 hours, and commencing by far the greatest and most humbling experience of my short life. After traveling for a mere 24 hours, by myself, and for the first time out of the country, I anxiously awaited meeting my host family for the first time. They were some of the kindest and most genuine people I met in Bolivia, next to the Projects Abroad staff. This is a service that knows exactly how to plan and execute a trip for high schoolers from anywhere. On my trip, though many days consisted of shadowing medical professionals, my favorite work was the hands-on volunteer work that reflected new things we learned. For example, we learned how to take the vitals in the classroom on a Wednesday and the very next day we traveled to a nursing home and took the vitals of over 30 elderly patients. In another instance, and perhaps my favorite activity of the trip, we worked alongside two vaccination nurses who helped us vaccinate dogs for free in impoverished homes where the owners would normally refuse medical care. We ended up having to hike up rocky roads where cars wouldn't normally travel to reach the residences. In doing this I witnessed the most extreme cases of poverty I would encounter in Bolivia. I left that day feeling humbled and blessed-as cheesy as that may sound. However, my emotions were most harshly tested at an orphanage that services children and adults with disabilities, all of which are given extensive physical therapy through their primary physical therapist and volunteers. My partner for the day was a 27-year-old man who had weakened muscles from the waist down. Regardless of his immobility, we were talkative and friendly and a please to have worked with. I ended up donating the majority of the trip money I had to the orphanage is that the patients were low on diapers and wipes. It was the smallest gesture but a rewarding one nonetheless. On my final day as I loaded my luggage into the car, my host sister gave me a little angel that says “renewal” that is sitting on my bedside table as I write this. I owe all the gratitude in the world to Projects Abroad for keeping me and my roommates who I am still in constant contact with safe and happy for two weeks that were the greatest of my summer. They are an organized, safe, and knowledgeable service that truly wants to better communities worldwide. I would recommend them to anyone and everyone and have been ever since.

I chose to go overseas to Ghana and work on law & human rights related issues. Going into the program I wasn't too sure what to expect, but I can confidently say it was the best decision I could have made and the experiences and friends I made will surely last a lifetime. The pre-departure stages of my trip were extremely smooth, made possible by Projects Abroad staff and the MyProjectsAbraod page. Once I arrived in Accra, Ghana, I was immediately greeted by friendly Projects Abroad staff and quickly brought to the host family's house. The accommodation far surpassed my expectations in relations to cleanliness, space, and food. Everyone in the house was extremely friendly and was ready to accommodate every need you had. Projects Abroad has a multitude of staff in country to assist with your trip. Each High School special placement has their own supervisor who is with you just about 24/7. This interaction provided time to learn about Ghanaian culture and way of life in a casual environment. Being someone who did a 4 week high school special, I had to opportunity to get very close with my supervisor, and we still communicate! The supervisors really do a wonderful job of making sure you have everything you need and check up on you even at the host family's house. Regarding safety and health, I think Projects Abroad did a wonderful job of making sure we were aware of our surroundings and that we knew ways to keep healthy and clean. They provided us with bottled water at all times and helped us find street food that would be safe to eat. A few girls in my project did get sick and the supervisors wasted no time taking them to the hospital as soon as the volunteers mentioned they weren't feeling well. Then, they checked up on them everyday to make sure they were taking their medication, etc. The most amazing part about my experience with Projects Abroad was my opportunity to meet fellow volunteers from around the world. Everyone bonds so fast and being in such close quarters with each other everyday allowed us to become very good friends. This unfortunately made the goodbyes unbelievably difficult, but I'm lucky to have made such good friends that makes saying goodbye so hard. Overall, my time with Projects Abroad in Ghana was invaluable and irreplaceable. The friends that I made and the people that I met made this experience unforgettable.

Overall, I had a life changing experience in Italy with Projects Abroad. As a future social worker who wants to work with refugees in the future, I was really excited for this experience and to gain experience in my future career. This experience really gave me a hands on experience to help with my career and has become increasingly important when it comes to my job for the next year. Throughout my time in Italy, I was able to work with Syrian refugees and refugees from African countries, along with working with the local population. Most of the time, I was in a community building role where we were working on integrating peace in the community. This was done whether working with a children's summer camp or with the local women. I also had a great time with the other volunteers and staff members. I stayed in a newly redone house with 5 other volunteers. Once more volunteers came, it was a great experience and we created some really strong bonds. All of the volunteers ate meals together, had social events, and worked on the projects together. The bonds that I made with other volunteers are ones that will last awhile and I was able to connect with so many other young adults who were interested in the same ideas that I am. It was a great networking opportunity! The staff was also mostly wonderful. There was a bit of a managerial changeover while I was in Italy, which caused a lot of tension and caused many of the projects to not be completed. If the staff turnover had been resolved more quickly, I feel like I could really have made an impact on the project- it was just unfortunate timing. As far as the projects go, there was such a wide variety of things to do that you were really able to get involved in whatever you were most interested in. Most of the projects involved working with children, which was great for me- but just beware! I also felt that some of the projects weren't entirely useful to creating long-lasting future and involvement with the refugees. My only flaws with the program would be that we didn't get to interact with the refugees in the project and that the projects could be better worked through if the refugees were more involved. Overall, this was a great program and I would love to go back!

My experience with projects abroad was great. Upon arrival, the staff made me feel very safe and comfortable with them. I did the medical program and loved working in the hospitals. The doctors allow you to do tasks as soon as they feel confident you are capable of performing them, and you’re not forced to do anything you don’t feel comfortable doing. My host family was so kind and accepting and really made me feel at home. The best part of the trip was the friendships I made with the other volunteers. Everyone was so nice and friendly and the activities we did were always so fun and inclusive everyone became friends quickly. I loved my experience in Kenya!

This was such a great experience! I loved my host family and the support staff in Belize. My host mom loved to hear about our experiences and share her's with us. The support staff was always helpful and there when I needed them. One night I became very ill and one of the supervisors was right by my side at 12 in the morning. I also felt a little homesick at the beginning of my time in Belize and the staff was always there to listen and help me through that. I loved the work that we did as well. I learned so many new skills in my short 4 weeks. The outreach work was very necessary in the communities and it made you feel like you were making a difference. I learn so much about these issues and this type of work in my classes at school so it was nice to be able to experience it first hand. I also made sure to develop relationships with the people in the community and that made it even more rewarding. I would definitely recommend volunteering or interning with projects abroad!

I was looking to make a career change from administration into healthcare. Projects Abroad allowed me to jump-start my career in a really big and exciting way! I learned many new skills and I really felt like I made a difference in the lives of people in Belize. The pre-trip staff and of course staff in Belize were all extremely professional, friendly, and accommodating. They had a full schedule of public health activities for me to do for an entire month, including taking part in the mobile clinic around the island several times per week (where we screened for blood pressure and blood sugar levels), coordinated and ran an HIV testing clinic (I also got to go on the local Reef Radio TV Program to advertise the event), helped prepare for and launch a mosquito-borne illness campaign on the island, and assisted with lice checks in schools and a dental clinic for kids. I also had the opportunity to shadow and observe all procedures in a general health clinic on the island, which was fascinating to see the differences between the US and Belize. I stayed with a host family in San Pedro, Belize. They were extremely friendly and made delicious food. I really felt like they did their best to make me feel comfortable and like part of the family while I was down there. I felt safe and got to do a few extra activities with the host family, such as attend a church ceremony with them and take part in a big family dinner. I would highly recommend the public health internship program with Projects Abroad. This was a phenomenal item to add to my resume that I know I will keep on for probably a long time to come! I learned many new skills that I probably would not have been able to cultivate had I not had this experience.

I am a senior at the University of Nevada, Reno. My goal is to attend medical school next year and being given the opportunity to be placed in an operating room outside the states was amazing. I have completed several medical internships in the United States, so being able to compare the medical practices with a third world country, like Nepal with ours was very interesting. I was adopted from China when I was only 6 months old. I have never travelled outside of the states until I was able to visit Nepal. Projects Abroad gave me the chance to not only experience, but to also embrace my asian heritage. Living in a third world country taught me a lot about myself. Then culture shock definitely pushed me outside of my comfort zone and for that I will always be grateful. Actually living with a host family and becoming accustomed to other ways of life is an experience that one can only have if they are willing to accept change. I will never forget the great experiences and life changes Projects Abroad enabled me to have in Nepal.

I volunteered on the Human Rights project for 4 weeks and I’m so glad I picked this one. i’m 20 years old from Scotland and never been anywhere myself before and I was pretty nervous going so far from home but I have absolutely no regrets. The staff were honestly amazing and spoke every little thing through with me, and answered all my ‘silly’ questions and told me there’s no such thing as a silly question which made me feel I could ask anything which was great. I’m a social work student and i learned so much about the different legal systems, child protection issues, legislation etc. I went to schools and communicated with children and taught them about their human rights, I attended court cases which showed me a lot about Jamaica’s legal / court system and how much it differs to how mine works in the UK, it was so interesting. I went to a mental health rehab service for the homeless / mentally impaired and it was great to see how different countries run the services we use. Everyone was so welcoming in Jamaica, the staff at projects abroad office, the volunteers and the locals. I made friends for life on this trip and I am so glad I went and would highly recommend this trip to anyone. I stayed with a Jamaican family during my trip and this was the BEST part I’d say. Although travelling on weekends to negril, YS Falls, Treasure Beach etc was great... getting to know the real Jamaica in a non-tourist area was great. I got to see what the Jamaican life style was really like and my host family were the most welcoming people I’ve ever met. I still keep in touch with them now and I’ve been home for weeks now :) I feel much more independent now, travelling so far away from home myself with no problem. I am definitely going to go back to Jamaica and this trip has gave me the travel bug it really was amazing!

I traveled to South Africa in May for the Nutrition Project. Living in Canada, it took me 3 flights, a 12 hour layover and 2 sleepless nights full of excitement before I finally landed in the beautiful Cape Town. Upon arrival, I was kindly greeted by one of the Project's Abroad staff who drove me to my host family's house. My host family was amazing, kind and generous, making my experience all the more comforting. When I started my first day of placement, I was unsure of what to expect. Every day was different in regards to what we would do. One day would be based out of the baby clinic, another we would go teach at a small township just west of us, and on other days we would cook for the children of the Surfing Project. We worked with various age groups, ranging from infants to the elderly, however, every day was just as amazing. I had the most humbling experience working on the Nutrition Project, and coming home to Canada, it made me realize just how much of a difference an organization can make. The people at Projects Abroad impacted my life greatly, as did all the wonderful locals, staff and other volunteers. I don't think I could have had a better experience. I can't wait to go back!

As an aspiring medical student in the United States, I wanted to get hands on experience in the medical field before dedicating my life to it. Projects Abroad provided me with invaluable hands-on medical experience that reaffirmed my desire as well as the experience of a lifetime. When I first heard about Projects Abroad in Kenya, I was hesitant due to the financial and time investment necessary to travel to the other side of the world as well as the prospect of traveling alone in a developing country (This was my first time traveling alone internationally). However, from the moment I got on the plane until now, I have not regretted it for a single moment. The 3 Week Medicine High School Special in Kenya was well-coordinated and smooth: the constant care and attention from the numerous support staff members left no questions unanswered or unnecessary downtime. My coordinator and driver, Nelly and Nick, were amazing in their knowledge of the area as well as their attitudes: their funny, bubbly personalities melted away any doubts I had. The host family I stayed with was welcoming and accommodating to my diet and lifestyle, making me feel right at home from day one. The hospital staff were serious when they had to be (it is a hospital after all) but always happy to explain and teach the volunteers how to do each task. Along with the medical experience, the cultural experience from living in Kenya was truly eye-opening. The afternoon/weekend excursions and time spent with the other volunteers was my favorite part of the trip, and I made many memories that will last a lifetime. I would highly recommend Projects Abroads’ High School Medicine Special in Kenya. It is an amazing experience that has led me to want to go back to Kenya again in the near future.

My experience with Projects Abroad was amazing as I journeyed through Cambodia!!! Projects Abroad enabled the other volunteers on my trip and I to immerse ourselves into the Cambodian culture with ease. The staff from Projects Abroad were all beyond friendly, skilful and helpful in encouraging the volunteers at our placement by providing assistance in lessons with the children as well as supplying resources and materials to teach and later restore the school facilities. Each staff member was able to answer any questions we had as well as take action to make our trip go as smooth as possible. They were available at all hours of the day even when in our accomodation at the hotel and made travelling to and from destinations safe and pleasurable. My trip in Cambodia is one I will never forget and I made lifelong friends with my fellow volunteers from all over the world. Projects Abroad made me feel safe and welcome at all moments of my trip and enabled me to make the most of every opportunity I received whilst staying in Cambodia. I enjoyed this experience

My name is Claudia Blanco, I am 17 years old and I’ve been to Nepal this summer for 3 weeks to volunteer with “Projects Abroad”. I took part in the “Care and Community” program. This was my first time volunteering in another country so I didn’t really know what to expect. I was really worried about the food, because when you are not used to the food from a place your stomach gets upset. On the other hand, I didn’t really know anybody in from my group, so I was a bit worried I wouldn’t get along with people traveling with me. When I first arrived at the hotel, there were lots of volunteers already. It was really awkward at first but it didn’t take long for all of us to become good friends. Something that I really liked was that at the hotel we were also with other groups, which made our little “new family” bigger and better. The next day we went to school. There, the kids welcomed us with a ceremony. The teachers were also really nice. From the first day, the whole school tried to make us feel like at home. The staff from “Projects Abroad” helped us a lot, and they were making sure at every moment that we were safe and that we were enjoying our experience to the extent possible. By the end of the trip we visited three places in Nepal: Kathmandu (where we stayed), Pokhara and Chitwan. We painted all walls and doors of the school. We also made 5 murals. We spent a lot of time with the kids. We danced with them, we taught them some words from our languages and so did them with us and we played with them (usually hangman and green light, red light). The food, which was one of my major worries, was actually really good and it barely upset my stomach, which was great!! I would totally recommend this “adventure” to other people because all the friends and memories you make are going to stay with you forever.

After my first year of medical school, I knew I wanted to do a volunteer project abroad but wasn’t sure where or how I would go about it. Then, at my school, one of our faculty advisors told us about Projects Abroad and how they had a program in Tanzania that aligned directly with my goals for a volunteer project: working at a local hospital, leading local outreach medical clinics, and getting to experience culture and learn about diseases endemic to the region. Our hospital assignment was St. Joseph Hospital in Moshi, a government-owned hospital located about 5 minutes’ drive from our lodge. We were able to assist the doctors with simple procedures, observe surgeries, take blood pressure and vital signs, and go on rounds with physicians in the different wards. I got to watch 2 C-sections on the very first day at the hospital! During our time there, we saw the male and female wards, the labor ward, the pediatric ward, as well as the laboratories, pharmacy, and outpatient rooms. In the afternoons, we would either go back to the hospital or have a culture class back at the Projects Abroad office. Over the 3 weeks I was there, we received lecturers on HIV and AIDS in Tanzania, a Swahili lesson, discussion of healthcare in Tanzania, maternal-fetal health in Africa, and we got a chance to meet with Tanzanian medical students and learn about their experiences. On our last night, we even had a cooking class in the office kitchen! On the days we weren’t in the hospital, we led small outreach programs in the local communities. The community outreaches were a chance for us to really work one-on-one with patients. Because we weren’t in a hospital shadowing a doctor, it was up to us as medical students to organize patients, take blood pressure and vital signs, and even do finger sticks for rapid HIV and malaria tests. I thoroughly enjoyed these outreaches because they allowed us to have hands-on experience examining patients with a little more autonomy than at the hospital. On the weekends we got to travel around Tanzania and see the beautiful countryside as well as other nearby cities. We toured local markets, hiked to a waterfall in Materuni village, got to make fresh coffee from coffee plants, hike around the base of Mt Kilimanjaro, go to craft shops and markets, and go on a day-long safari at Tarangire National Park. I wasn’t expecting to make as great of friends as I did while in Moshi, and the experience was so positive that I am planning to take a trip back for more medical volunteering in the future. I couldn’t have had a better experience volunteering with Projects Abroad!

I can confidently say that my three weeks in Ghana with Projects Abroad were three of the most transformative weeks of my life. To know a little bit about me: I am an 18 year old year from Manhattan starting at the University of Pennsylvania for undergrad with the hopes of eventually attending medical school. I spent my three weeks in the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital on three wards: pediatrics, OB/GYN and the delivery suite. Each department changed me in its own way. I bonded with patients, nurses and doctors. I still stay in touch with many of the people I was working with at the hospital. The most memorable nights of my life were my night shifts at the delivery suite. I was able to watch natural births, cesarean sections and other vaginal procedures. I fell in love with every baby I saw. The Projects Abroad staff in Ghana was incredibly approachable: I had every staff member on Whatsapp and felt comfortable reaching out to any of them for anything. I lived with a family who truly made me feel like I was part of their family. One thing to note is that anyone considering this trip has to be willing to really leave their comfort zone, but know that it is completely worth it. By that I mean you must be willing to talk to new people and explore new areas in order to make the most of the trip. To anyone considering traveling with Projects Abroad to Ghana, go for it! I promise you will not regret it. 

This past year I had the most amazing opportunity to travel around the world volunteering with a group of people my age. It was such a unique trip that I got to be apart of. I met friends on the trip and in each country that I still communicate with. I saw things that I would never be able to see here in the United States. I learned more things then I could ever sitting in a class room and things I will be able to take into my studies. It was an amazing time that I will never be able to forget. In each place we went to the people were amazing. The staff was so hands on, especially in Ghana and Peru. They always made sure we were happy and had everything that we need. Every time I was sick they made sure I was taken care of and helped my path way to health. I was super happy with the stuff and all the volunteer programs I was apart of. I think it's an amazing trip and a very good idea for young people. I thank projects abroad for this great experience and everyone who got to be a part of it.

I spent 4 weeks in Hanoi through Projects Abroad's medical internship program. I chose Vietnam because I have family just outside of Hanoi, so I never even considered any other destinations. My time overseas was truly an extraordinary, life-changing opportunity, all thanks to the incredible surgeons of bệnh viện nhi as well as the spectacular Projects Abroad staff. Primarily, I simply spent my days observing surgeries. However, in the last few days of my internship, I was presented with the amazing opportunity to close after a laparoscopic surgery. On my last day (which was also my birthday) I was granted the unforgettable chance to close a neurosurgery, which was the most exhilarating and fulfilling experience of my life. I am so unbelievably grateful to the wonderful surgeons at BVN for the many learning opportunities that they provided for me. The Projects Abroad staff truly went above and beyond to ensure that my trip was as fantastic as possible. I truly felt that they valued me as a person rather than viewing me as just another volunteer that they had to talk to because it was their job. In fact, I really felt like the staff were my friends, and genuinely enjoyed my company. Without their sincere concern and care, I wouldn’t have felt so safe and secure. During the majority of my stay, there were only about 2 or 3 other volunteers in the house with me, which meant everybody got their own room. I felt like the smaller amount of people allowed us to get closer with each other and develop stronger bonds. In fact, we still talk most days in our group chat, even though we’ve all gone our own separate ways now. The relationships and bonds that I formed in the house are just one more of the abundant takeaways that I will cherish forever.

Projects Abroad gave me an unforgettable volunteer experience. The staff in the country were so helpful and always there when I needed. When I first arrived I was picked up at the airport by a Projects Abroad driven and driven through Kathmandu to the hotel. My supervisor showed me around Thamel, answered all of my questions and showed me all the important international necessities like cellular data cards, grocery stores, taxi stops and ATMs. My supervisor was always there when I had a question or needed help. My host family was amazing. They showed me the way to my placement, local grocery stores and ATMs. They were very sweet and always made sure we had enough food and safe drinking water. My host family made the trip 100x better. My placement couldn't have been more amazing. The kids were great and you could definitely see the impact being made. They were always so excited to learn and happy to see me everyday. I taught everything from Math to English to funny dances. The teachers and staff were very helpful in communicating between you and the children. It was an amazing experience overall and would do it again in a heart beat.

My traveling partner and I worked teaching English at a rural school in Northern San Cristobal, about a five minute walk from our placement (where we lived). This was an incredible experience; we taught 7, 40 minute classes per day, from 7:15 to 12:30. If we had to form a lesson plan or do research, we would typically stay from 12:45 to 3pm at the volunteer office in town until our job was done. The teachers were very accommodating of our impromptu class scheduling and seemed excited about their students learning English; with so much of San Cristobal’s jobs being related to tourism, it makes future employees very marketable if they know even a little English. We formed our own lesson plans based on given material, and taught each age level at a different pace. I am happy to say that we finished the majority of what we had set out to teach by the end of our placement, namely high-yield vocabulary and verbs. Forming relationships with the kids and watching their English knowledge progress made getting up early really easy. All of the inside jokes and play-time during “Recreo” (recess) made teaching the kids a lot more fun and engaging. When the kids had a week of school off during our last week of placement, our coordinator, arranged for us to work in the tutoring center in the center of town. Here, we worked with three age groups and two other volunteers. It was very interesting to see how Lindsay and I viewed teaching English compared to the other volunteers, as we had been designing lesson plans independent of one another; the majority of the teaching was very similar and flowed cohesively with me and Lindsay’s knowledge. Overall, it was an incredible experience and something I would recommend anyone with a interest in teaching pursue!

Hi there! My name is Denise and I am currently an undergraduate student at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. I am a Public Health major and have always aspired to travel abroad to do volunteer work, and I came across Projects Abroad online and saw that their volunteer opportunities and work absolutely aligned with what I wanted to do, as well as my academic schedule. Therefore, on March 2018, on my spring break, I flew to San Pedro, Belize, in order to partake upon Public Health volunteer work. When I arrived in Belize City, I took another plane which brought me to the tiny beach town of San Pedro. The plane minuscule plane flew over the Caribbean Sea and the view was absolutely spectacular! I was immediately picked up by one of the volunteer coordinators upon my arrival and brought to a local restaurant where I was introduced to the other volunteers. Later on in the day, we had our house induction where we met our host family who accommodated for our stay though out the week. My house family was so generous and kind. They prepared us breakfast every morning, as well as dinner if we did decide to eat at home. The house had all the utilities we needed - a modest bedroom with a comfortable bed, and a bathroom with clean running water. I will never forget the discussions we had with our "host mom" about the culture in Belize, the economic status of the people, and the history behind the diverse population of the country! We were very much immersed into the culture and I certainly felt like I was a citizen of the country. The most exciting part about my journey in Belize was the amount of community work that I was able to do through Projects Abroad. We conducted mobile clinics all throughout the town, namely the town hall, the district of San Mateo, and Central Park. We called upon random people and would encourage them to take part in the mobile clinic by getting their blood pressure, blood sugar, and BMIs measured. So many people were willing to do so, as access to a hospital is quite difficult since San Pedro doesn't have one. Instead, they have a polyclinic. Once we encounter abnormal vital signs, or measurements, we write them referrals and raise their awareness in regards to healthier lifestyles. We then proceed to input the information we collected into the Ministry of Health database, which allows Belize healthcare to have the most accurate information they could receive about their patients. I also enjoyed visiting local schools because I personally love interacting with youth, as their enthusiasm is always rewarding to see. One of the first schools we visited was a primary school, where me and my fellow volunteers conducted lice checks on the students. However, in order to make a more lasting impact, we created an educational interactive activity focused upon combatting the stigma about lice. The fact that the kids were willing to take part in the activities and learn from us, was a feeling greater than no other. We also visited San Pedro High School towards the end of the week where we gave a presentation about college access and the importance of obtaining higher education. In the beginning of our presentation, it seemed as if only half of the students were willing to go to college. However, after the presentation, more students raised their hands after being asked as to whether or not they are willing to continue their education beyond high school! My time in Belize was nothing short of inspiring. Our volunteer coordinators always ensured that we were safe, and were available whenever we needed them. Our public health supervisor, Diomne, stayed with us through all of our assignments and gave us advice and encouragement throughout the way! We came to her for anything, whether it's information about a restaurant, ideas about what to do for our presentations, or details about how to get to a particular location. I felt so at home in Belize because of our the helpful staff, our kind host family, my down-to-earth fellow volunteers, and most importantly, the people. If you're wondering about what organization to volunteer with, and where to go, I HIGHLY SUGGEST volunteering with Projects in San Pedro! It will be an experience you'll remember forever.

Volunteering with Projects Abroad in Nepal was absolutely incredible! It was an amazing experience. The staff was friendly and welcoming and were always there if you needed anything. All three projects I did were organized, and I always felt safe.

I volunteered as a human rights intern with Projects Abroad in Cordoba, Argentina for two and a half months. After deciding on a gap year before I start college next fall, I started checking out various volunteer programs and Project Abroad immediately caught my attention. I chose the Human Rights project in Argentina because of its balanced structure, its location, and its contextual awareness. The Human rights internship in Cordoba has great balance of experiences--we worked with both local, grassroots NGOs and national, more policy-oriented NGOs. As a person who wants to study public policy in school and go into the non-profit sector, it was perfect! As volunteers, we spent time interviewing and socializing with the local homeless population, going street to street. But we also got to gather research for an advocacy organization on topics like the promotion of breastfeeding, prison transparency, consumer rights, and indigenous peoples' rights. My favorite obligation, however, was working with young women in a correctional facility. We visited the girls twice a week, bringing activities intended to teach human rights or even just to have fun. I was able to act as a peer mentor to them while also improving my Spanish. Cordoba is a great place to live! I lived in the city center, right near one of the main streets. My host mother was kind and patient--my Spanish was/is far from perfect (I plan to study it in college) but she always spoke slowly and clearly, and often taught us new words and phrases over dinner. The city itself is a good place for people with a tighter budget, like myself. Cordoba is close to many places of interest, and its buses are inexpensive and reliable. There are so many potential day-trips! My favorite trips included Capilla del Monte, Las Cascadas, and Alta Gracia. The Sierra mountains are nearby, so the hiking is absolutely beautiful! In the city itself, the weekends are full of craft fairs, street music, parades, and other events that always have a celebratory atmosphere. My favorite part of this project was its contextual awareness. Argentina's struggle with human rights comes from its dictatorship period in the 1970s and 80s. Everything we did as human rights interns was given context by this history. We even sat in on crimes against humanity hearings going on in Cordoba's provincial courts, listening to the testimony of victims and their families. We participated in the women's march, where thousands of women took to the streets to ask for safe, legal abortions and bring awareness to femicide. I wrote an essay on Argentine "escraches," or ritual protests, which led me on a research exploration of public shaming, vigilante justice, and generational trauma. All of the work we did made us hyper aware of the cultural, social, and political state of the country we were visiting--which I think is a very important experience for anyone who is interested in human rights.

The Italy trip was really cool. I think I had a bit of a culture shock doing this project, however. I have been to Italy before, predominantly north of Rome and Sicily. I thought I knew what to expect but I was mistaken. The Calabria region of Italy is VERY different from the other regions. Its more run down, the people are different and there's a very different vibe. Camini, the town where the project is based, is a tiny little mountain village where everyone knows everyone. There was a very strong sense of community and integration between the locals whose families had been there for generations, and the refugees. However, there is still a lot of work to be done there, with the first priority, in my opinion, being language. Volunteers for this project help teach the refugees and locals who may be interested English, take care of the refugee children, and organize events for the locals to enjoy, such as womens night, teens night, etc. This is a newer project, so there is lots of room for improvement. However, the bonds you make with the people are just astonishing. One night, I gave a presentation about women empowerment and body confidence to the ladies, and they absorbed it better than I thought they would. I knew it was a risky topic, but I was so happy with the outcome. I was even invited to one family's home for dinner, which is a massive honor. Being able to get to know them and bond and hear their stories is something I will never forget. The living conditions are superb. We lived in apartments right in Camini, all with air conditioning, kitchens, and a laundry machine in the main house. The only downside is that there isn't much to do in Camini, at all, regarding free time. You can catch a bus down to the beach, but it's rather frustrating. However, if you put the effort into getting the bus on time and have patience, the beach is wonderful. Overall, the project is really great and you really get to know the people you are working with, which I think is more valuable than anything

Over the spring break, I went to the Taricaya Ecological reserve in Peru, and I loved it! This was technically meant for university students, however Projects Abroad was super accommodating and still let me go even though I am in high school. I received lots of information and my contact was incredibly helpful, and answered all of my questions quickly and thoroughly. They offered to book flights for me and sent me an option, but I ended up finding a cheaper option and booking them myself. Once I arrived in Peru, there were always staff around who were very helpful and kind. I loved working Taricaya, doing research and conservation work, and I felt like I was genuinely being helpful, rather than just volunteering to make myself feel good. The only thing that I wish could be improved is the overall cost, as it was a little expensive. All in all, I had a fantastic time, and Projects Abroad was very helpful during my travels.

This past January, I traveled with Projects Abroad to assist conservation work in the Annapurna Conservation Area. I wish I had stayed for longer! I couldn't get enough of our daily hikes, or the masala tea at the German bakery, for that matter. By far, my favorite part of my time on the expedition was our day hike to the rhododendron forest. Imagine stepping into a fairy-land from Lord of The Rings; that's what this beautiful forest felt like. While it got quite cold at night, and the hot water was known to be fickle, it was easy to forget the chills while looking over the beautiful Annapurna mountain range. The staff was also amazing--from start to end, there was always someone there to questions or relieve anxieties. Further, as a transgender person, I was a bit apprehensive concerning how I would be treated in rural Nepal. I did not encounter any problems--my host family, the Projects Abroad staff, and the other volunteers were incredibly accepting and supportive. I cannot recommend this trip highly enough!

I spent two weeks volunteering in Cambodia with 5 other girls in the High School program. We got along so well and were all there for the same reasons- we wanted to contribute our skills to the placement. Our day consisted of leaving for our placement around 8 which we were driven by our fantastic driver. We would then help build a playground and develop a veggie patch where they could grow vegetables to become self-sustainable. Our driver would then bring us Lunch and we would break for mid-day rest hour. In the afternoon we would then help out with teaching English to the kids, conversational English and the pronunciation is very important as they can learn grammatical from text book but not native pronounciation. We would finish at the placement around 5 and then head back to our accommodation for Dinner. After Dinner we would explore the local markets and everything else there was to see. The Staff at Projects Abroad were there to support us 24/7 in country and back Home. Everything was organised and taken care of, no problem was too big or small for all staff. My placement was great, fun and I feel that what I contributed was of benefit in Cambodia. For what you pay and what you get; everything was great. Airport transfers, meals cooked every day, drivers to placement and PA staff at the placement. No detail was overlooked. It was a well run program and I felt I was in safe hands. I recommended this program to someone else and they had an experience very like my own which was great to hear. It’s great to know that the team at Projects Abroad believe in what they do.

My first time away from home volunteering experience was fantastic with Projects Abroad. Upon my arrival in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, I was welcomed warmly and amazingly. I was given a city tour and introduced to the local cultures/language the first day there. The following work days, I worked alongside qualified professionals at various places such as child care center, kindergarten, impoverished communities and center for disabled children ((different activities every single day), providing basic health services and education on illness prevention. The evaluation procedures were easy to grasp with the help of the experts. Through the outreach processes, I’ve learned how to test and screen for illnesses and prescribe relevant medications in addition to build quality interactions with the patients. I found it quite impressive that this program brings together people from many cultures with varied work experiences and different perspectives on strategic and organizational challenges. The team members come from different countries and functional backgrounds always work together to manage complex conditions and evaluate the care of patients. Moreover, the accommodation was also mind-blowing, you get private room and personal bathroom, hotel like bedding, AC, 24/7 guarded gate, 3 meals a day healthy diet plan that matches your preference with plenty of fruits and vegetables, convenient and cheap transit service, flexible schedule etc. Overall, my 2 weeks stay there was comfortable with kind and caring attention. Everything went smooth from arrival to departure. I was almost fully immersed through interaction with the local culture and I also picked up a little of the local language. The experiences that I had have shaped myself as a person. If I am to volunteer abroad again, I would definitely come back to Projects Abroad and get a duration of a longer program.

My time in Nepal was life-changing, and not just because I was in one of the most naturally gorgeous and culturally rich countries in the world (although that, of course, was part of it!). A big part of why my trip was so rewarding was due to the people who made it possible. Projects Abroad staff made sure that every aspect of my journey to and time in Nepal was perfect, even beyond my project. Even before I left I was in contact with PA staff who walked me through my pre-departure preparations, with any answers I needed being just a phone call or email away. This staff accessibility continued throughout my journey, with my volunteer coordinator and other staff at my placement actually becoming good friends. Even after my placement ended, PA staff was there for me whenever I needed it-they even helped me to organize my solo travel (a trip to Chitwan and time in Kathmandu) so that I didn't have to worry about a thing! The community was also fantastic; I made friends on my trip who I will keep in contact with for the rest of my life, and loved getting to know both my fellow volunteers and the locals who call Ghandruk home. I also greatly enjoyed my day-to-day; I felt truly fulfilled by the work I was doing and further had a lot of fun doing it. I can't wait to travel with Projects Abroad again!

My name is Michelle, I've just returned from Cusco, Perú where I volunteered to work at a daycare centre for the last three weeks. In January I decided to join Projects Abroad, a project that wasn´t well known in the country where I live (Buenos Aires, Argentina) but I made my research and decided to go for it. In February I arrived, unsure of what I would find there, but everything went excellent, I have absolutely no complaints. My host parents were nice and welcoming, and I lived with other two volunteers from Australia and the UK with whom I became really good friends. My role at the placement was working with little children in a Wawawasi, which is Quechua for "daycare centre". I helped making activities for the children, teaching maths and english to both students and teachers; helped with the cleaning, cooking and others. I feel as I received much more than I gave; everyone was so caring and lovely that they were constantly telling me how much they appreciated my visit. In fact, the teacher invited me for lunch to her place the last day and cooked for me a typical peruvian dish! I couldn't be happier for my experience, and I would definitely recommend it to others, and even consider repeating the experience in the future.

I spent 6 weeks volunteering in the maternity unit of a public hospital in Togo's capital city Lome. The overall experience from start to finish was very smooth, with staff communicating with me from pre-departure to after my return. The staff at Projects Abroad are extremely helpful and are always available to answer questions. The work placements are admittedly a bit hit-and-miss, with some volunteers feeling not totally useful at their jobs. I personally had an excellent placement, although due to the significant culture difference there were tasks I didn't feel comfortable completing as they didn't align with my personal training (this is not at all the fault of Projects Abroad of course). Projects Abroad organized weekly events for the volunteers to participate in- some with an "outreach" purpose and others simply for socializing among the volunteers. The only downfall would be that there is a certain degree of limitation on the experience as Projects Abroad closely monitors their volunteers and at times this can feel slightly overbearing (enforcing curfews, chaperoning trips and outings, etc) although of course this may be a very desirable quality for someone who is traveling for the first time. Overall, I would recommend the organization and feel that the price is reasonable for the experience you get (travel insurance, food, accommodations, airport transfers, 24/7 support).

A few years ago, I did some volunteer work over the course of three weeks in Rabat, Morocco. Having only been there on holiday, I was a little nervous as to what to expect. After attending a volunteer fair in Toronto, I decided to register with Projects Abroad. I have to say, their communication and organization put me at ease immediately. All my questions and concerns were addressed in full detail and I knew exactly what to expect when I arrived. They placed me with another girl volunteering with the program. We lived with a Moroccan family in the old medina in Rabat. We ate and chatted with the host family every evening. It was also Ramadan so it was interesting to see what traditions the family celebrates during this time. Talk about getting immersed in the culture! I volunteered at a day care centre just outside the medina with the loveliest women. We would care for children under the age of five. There were different activity centres we had for them, reading of the Quran, snack time and nap time. I work with children for a living so it was a wonderful experience being able to care for children and learn more about the day to day life in Morocco. Representatives from Projects Abroad were always available for us. They were so helpful when it came to the smallest things (i.e. buying the right kind of "savon noir") to checking in on us when we were ill (and I got REALLY sick!). They also organized get togethers for volunteers in the city so that we were able to share our experiences with other foreigners there as well.

I traveled to Nanyuki, Kenya in June of 2017 and it has been an experience that has changed my life! Just like many first time volunteers abroad my feelings were nervousness, fear of what to expect and home sick, but all those feelings went away within the first week of my placement. I could not have been put at more ease when I walked into the Projects Abroad office the first time and meeting all the wonderful staff. Every staff member was welcoming and wanted to make sure you felt "at home" during your placement. They were there anytime you had a question or a problem. The staff as absolutely remarkable and made my volunteer experience just that much better. I was placed at a school called Hope & Home where I was teaching Physical Education. This experience was eye opening and I was able to learn a lot about how the schooling works in Kenya and what struggles they face on a daily basis. The staff members at Hope & Home were so welcoming and kind when I first arrived. They all appreciate every little thing you are able to help with and the kids there are so amazing!! On average I would spend about 6 hours a day at my placement and was able to help with not only teaching Physical Education but teaching English as well. The thing that made this trip wonderful was my host family. My host family was amazing!! They were so welcoming and overjoyed we were staying with them. I loved that they had younger kids and we were able to learn some of the basic cultural traditions during my duration of my stay. Overall, My experience volunteering with Projects Abroad in Kenya was amazing. The staff, my host family and everyone at my placement were amazing. I would recommend this program to anyone that wants to experience something they never have before.

I recently just embarked on a trip with Projects Abroad to Fiji for a care and community project for teenagers. I can honestly say this trip was one of the best experiences of my life. There were so many things that made it as enjoyable and memorable as it was. Some of these things include; the amazing support staff during and prior to the trip, the placement and what I did at the placement, the host family and the other wonderful volunteers I was able to share this experience with. Prior to the trip, you have a correspondence who helps you with all the necessary documents and forms that you need to fill out before you leave. My correspondent for my trip was absolutely so amazing and helpful. She was able to email me everything I needed to know from the technical documents to what my average day to day during my placement would look like. She answered all my questions and queries that I had and we sent regular emails and also phone calls once a week around 2 weeks before I left. She was so kind and willing to help which made things so much easier. What I did during my placement was so much fun and such a great experience. A typical day was spent with the children at a local village in Nadi, Fiji, teaching them basic english and numeracy. Bonding with these children was definitely the highlight of the trip. Then we typically spent around 2hrs redecorating the local kindergarten, repainting and drawing murals all throughout the classroom. Finally, we would either go on a fun day trip to one of the activities Projects Abroad had planned or went to our host home to chill out and rest for the rest of the night. This was the main chunk of your day and was definitely the most fun and rewarding. Although as much fun participating in all the touristy things was, playing and teaching with the kids was 100% the best part. They are so high energy and just love life which is really so inspiring. Not only the kids but their parents and community, in general, were all so welcoming and lovely to us. My host family made the experience so much better and it was nice as I was able to be placed with my friend. The accommodation was up to a great standard and the food they packed us for lunch and dinner was really tasty. My particular host family had 2 children whom I loved playing and spending time with. As they were on school holiday, they had a lot of energy that they needed to burn off which gave me the opportunity to play with them all afternoon which was definitely so much fun. Being able to spend the trip with a bunch of other volunteers was really fun. There were girls from all around the world literally, Hong Kong, Australia, Japan, Canda. And interacting with people who were also invested and interested in volunteer work was such an awesome feeling. Being given the opportunity to travel overseas to give back to a less fortunate community was so incredible and I truly couldn't recommend this trip enough. It is a jam packed adventure which is really eye opening and gives a greater perspective on life. Thank you to all the people who made this trip possible and a special thanks to Projects Abroad for having such incredible opportunities available to people.

The marketing for this program is slightly misleading. The descriptions portray an in-depth and first-hand experience working with doctors. Unfortunately this is not the case, most of the work was observational. To be fair, unless you are a trained medical professional, I wouldn't want you making decisions about my health either. The program does put you in the hospital, and for a go-getter personality, you can interact with the doctors; asking questions, learning about the healthcare system, and the public health concerns of the community. I found that aspect incredibly rewarding. Everything is in Spanish, you don't need to be confident, but it helps if you can put together sentences. After spending two months there my ability to listen to Spanish increased tremendously. The Projects Abroad Staff do speak English, but why deny yourself this great opportunity. The first time I realized I was having a conversation and not 'thinking' about the words was an amazing moment! As of the time this post is written, the medical program is not a high level of time commitment (only half day). The current coordinator is working to augment the community service component and opportunities to make more busy work. I found the people of Cordoba to be very friendly and easy to make friends. Additionally, if you have the motivation, you can find additional ways to get involved with the community (for example, I was working with AIDS Health Foundation Argentina). There is always something to do, and the night life is insane (starts at 2AM goes till 6AM)! The program does offer housing, insurance, and guaranteed food from your host family. However, the traditional style foods or Argentina lack variety. After a few weeks, your flavor palate will crave something different, so be prepared because sometimes you may want to treat yourself to ice cream, beer, coffee, or a full-dinner. Lastly the tourism part, it is very much doable, at your own expense. The country is HUGE and there is a lot to see. The most cost effective means of travel is bus, but expect half-a-day journey just to arrive. If you choose to fly the cost adds up, but it can be very quick. I choose to do a bus overnighter as the seats are semi-cama (half-beds) and lay flatter than an economy airplane seat. This saved on the cost of hotel for a night and mitigated travel times.

I recently just returned from volunteering abroad in Nepal with Projects Abroad. It was one of the most meaningful and amazing experiences in my life. I was able to work with a local school, repainting classrooms and teaching children, all before I was 18. We were able to provide the school with freshly painted walls and provide the children with new toothbrushes during our dental outreach. I had amazing coordinators who were with us for all our time in Nepal. They were always by our side and took great care of us while we were sick. Not to mention how much they made us laugh! Not only did I have great staff present, but I met some of my very best friends on this project; we became our own little family in this short time period. Not only were we given a prime opportunity to give back and help the people of Nepal, we were able to visit cultural UNESCO heritage sights along the way. We took a weekend trip to Pokhara and received sprawling views of the Annapurna Himalayas. Projects Abroad provided us with clean hotels, delicious food and working Wi-Fi, which was great because I was able to still speak to my family at home. I would completely recommend this trip to anyone wishing to travel to Nepal. Projects Abroad truly helped us immerse in the culture of Nepal and motivated us to do our best. Nepal is the most amazing country and I already have plans to return! I am so grateful for the opportunity to give back and experience the most beautiful country. I can guarantee that you won't regret this experience!

The two weeks I spent in Chitwan on the high school special medicine project might have been the best 2 weeks of my life. Not only did I help out at hospitals and acquire a passion for a doctors work but I also made friends from around the globe who shared the same aspiration and interests as I did. Each step of the way our coordinators made sure we felt completely safe and addressed any complaint or problem positively and made us feel completely at home. Our placements were interesting as each day we had a different hospital and were able to see surgical procedures and everyday doctor-patient interactions and all the doctors were really friendly and answered all our doubts and sometimes asked us to help out to get a hands on experience. Our project had exact mixture of free time, nepali culture and medicine, We had enough time to ourselves to strengthen friendships, enough time to learn about the country we were in, explore it and go sightseeing, along with enough time to learn about why we were on the trip. Hands down I would recommend any this trip to anyone who wants an abroad experience.

My time in Botswana working on the Projects Abroad Conservation Project was amazing. I not only had a lot of fun but also learned so much. As a university student studying biology, it was incredible conducting mammal surveys, crocodile censuses, identifying wildflowers, and bird census. I learned how to identify so many different types of wildlife and learned about them as well. I truly got a deep understanding of the ecosystem. Other activities like soil erosion control and repairing fences also felt important and I enjoyed that. Living in the wild was easier than I thought thanks to the amenities the Motswiri Camp provided. The sleeping arrangements were comfortable and other facilities were great. The camp staff was super friendly and really made us feel at home. I never felt afraid even when I heard hyenas and lions as I was falling asleep at night. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Overall, this was a great experience that is hard to even put into words and I would highly recommend to anyone who is passionate about conserving wildlife and preserving nature or wants to see amazing animals such as elephants, giraffes, zebras, and even leopards.

Being able to experience Nepal with Projects Abroad was on de of the most incredible experiences in my whole life.Not only were we able to help at a local school, but also I had the opportunity to vividly experience the local culture and traditions. I was also able to meet an incredible group of international volunteers with whom I have unforgettable memories.

Last December, I was in Chitwan for the two weeks High School Medicine projects with Projects Abroad. My trip to Nepal was my first time travelling abroad alone, and before arrival I was beyond terrified. However, any doubt that was instilled in me was quickly relinquished, once I was greeted by the Project Abroad Staff with a hug. My two weeks in Nepal certainly flew by quickly, everyday a new exciting event occurred, and we learnt so many valuable information about the Health Care System in Nepal and got to visit beautiful beaches and markets. The staff and the other volunteered contributed to the most fulfilling two weeks of my life; they were all incredibly kind, supportive and open. They were understanding towards our initial fears, and always made sure we would provide them feedback to better the program, and to ensure that our best interests were put first. The opportunities we received at placements were fantastic, we got an opportunity to observe the everyday activities in an eye, family planning and cancer hospital. We watched various cool procedures, and had an opportunity to learn from a surgeon, nurse and the staff at placements were always happy to help. It was honestly a wonderful two weeks, and I cannot stress how much I enjoyed myself in Nepal under Projects Abroad.