Counseling Volunteering in Mexico

Oaxaca was everything I hoped it would be. I got so much experience improving my Spanish by speaking with the locals, and everybody I had the pleasure of interacting with was extremely kind and gracious to me. I also had SO many opportunities to expand and explore my artistic journey, including painting a mural, which led to two more opportunities for me to create art for businesses outside of the program. I made so many friends, and re-discovered my true passion for art and illustration. This trip sparked my interest in traveling solo more often, and I can confidently say Mexico has such a magical soul.

CFHI is a great program to experience cultural immersion, clinical exposure, and language acquisition. It was a very well rounded experience with a lot of helpful support in place from the coordinators, my host family, and alumni advisor. We had enough structure in our schedule to reap benefits from the experience and enough free time to relax and enjoy the environment. I definitely would recommend it to other students! It was interesting to see some of the common chronic diseases (diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia) because of diet and food access, also seeing unique tropical diseases like Dengue and Chagas, and seeing the younger age that women tend to have children as a result of social factors. My host mom was very kind and helpful and an amazing cook! She would always be interested to get a recap of our days so we could practice our Spanish. I really enjoyed my stay with her. Spanish classes were also super helpful and I learned a lot that helped me increase my fluency. My teacher, Rocio was extremely kind, patient, and supportive to help us make progress on a lot of grammatical and conversational skills. The many beautiful beaches and the overall environment in Puerto Escondido were very beautiful to enjoy. We even took a weekend trip to Oaxaca which was also a wonderful place to visit.

I previously participated in a trip abroad to represent my country abroad in the field of art and music, and we got third place in singing. I am a girl who loves to travel and help others, especially since I am a doctor. I am used to caring about the health of others. I strive to volunteer in many fields

Prior to the program, I had never had the opportunity to travel alone and never really got to explore healthcare in other countries even though I always had interest in global/public health. Before CFHI, I didn’t know who to ask or where to go in order to find shadowing opportunities overseas that would allow me to learn about medicine and culture. I learned about CFHI at the UC Davis Pre-Health Conference during two lecture sessions about global health (one anecdotal and one from the program on ethics) and I knew immediately that this program was what I had been looking for. Dr. Jenny was even kind enough to exchange her contacts with me for a one on one zoom call where she talked to me and my friend for 2 hours about all our concerns post-COVID. The program even granted me the Community College Scholarship to help my family with the cost. I learned quickly the best way to reach the staff is by email pre-departure, though information on logistics could be more readily available, sooner released, or clearer. The application and training is very straightforward. The entire month in Puerto Escondido passed by too soon. I loved my clinic placements! The doctors, nurses, “chemicos,” and entomologist I met were all willing to teach and they are super sweet. I definitely find that you need to be willing to step out of your comfort zone, ask questions, and come in with an open mind. Anything I asked was answered in detail. Clinics themselves had a limited scope of practice focused on prevention, metabolic disease, and there was a lot of visits on women’s health, mostly prenatal care and family planning. Between the clinics and Spanish class, I learned how Mexico organized their medical care in the public sector, public programs, culture, and from many conversations with medical professionals and my professor, what is working and what needs to be done. The medical staff, including Dra. Isabela the Medical Director, even helped me learn in depth about violence against women in Mexico (an issue I want to address in the future as a doctor). When when things were slow, the doctors would explain the procedures we had done and taught us to take blood pressure (of course only taking hers and a fellow CFHI student to practice). In terms of the homestay, I was blessed to be placed with a sweet older lady who cooked bomb foods, mixing it up with traditional stewed meats to steamed veggies and rice when my roommate had gotten sick. The host sister even invited us to her birthday, took me out my first few days, and everyone made sure we got our conversations in. This being said, the experience is what you make of it and what you put in, you get out. For me, it was everything I could ask for. This is what I want to do for the rest of my life.

I entered this program to learn about what being a psychologist is like. Understandably, this is a difficult task, due to the confidential nature of the work. Despite this, through Adelante, I was able to spend time with two psychologists in Oaxaca learning from them, shadowing their sessions, and even conducting my own therapy sessions. I would recommend adelante as they work diligently to ensure you have a positive and impactful experience. I did not feel I had a major impact doing the work, but this was less due to Adelante and more due to the nature of the work. If you are like me and are thinking of pursuing a career related to counseling, I would recommend this program. I know I would not have been able to have this experience in the US. If you have any further questions about my experience, feel free to reach out at [email protected]. A more in depth review of my experience with Adelante can be found here: https://www.goabroad.com/providers/adelante-abroad/programs/internships-oaxaca-mexico-169229.

I spent three months in Oaxaca studying psychology. Understandably, this is a difficult discipline to study as an intern due to the often confidential nature of the work. Despite this, I felt that the program coordinator Carlos did a great job connecting me with local psychologists to learn, assist with presentations, practice Spanish, observe therapy sessions, and even lead sessions on my own. I wanted to learn what it would be like to work as a psychologist and I feel Adelante helped me reach this goal. I also was afforded plenty of time and flexibility to travel throughout Oaxaca and to spend time with my brilliant housemates. The language courses were much-needed and I felt much more prepared going into my work placement having that introduction. The best part of this experience for me was the housing placement. Myself and the girls I lived with were placed with an extremely hospitable family from Oaxaca. Talking with them was the best practice I had for my Spanish. They were also some of the most pleasant people I have met and I felt they really embraced me as part of the family. If you are thinking of traveling with adelante, I recommend it. It was extremely affordable compared to other programs I have seen. The process was as stress-free as possible, from the pre-departure materials and interviews, the arrival and integration with language classes, and the departure, everything was well-organized. It was also important to me to have independence and to be able to tailor the program to my goals, and this was fulfilled. Everyone I worked with from Adelante was pleasant and helpful. If I decide to study away again, I will likely choose adelante. If you are thinking of traveling to Oaxaca, also, I recommend it. Some of the best food I’ve had on my travels, some of the kindest people I’ve met, and some of the best places to visit, from the vibrant city to the ruins to the mushroom mountains and to the beaches on both sides. One could spend a lot of time studying and traveling Oaxaca, and by the end, they will want to make it home. Carlos was great as a program coordinator. If you have any concerns about speaking Spanish, I entered the program knowing a decent amount of Spanish but mostly unable to communicate at all with native speakers without great trouble. Through the classes and being integrated I quickly grew in confidence and was able to communicate much more clearly. if you have any specific questions about the program you want to ask a former participant, I am happy to chat. My email is [email protected]. Bon voyage.

I did a legal internship in Oaxaca for three months and had the best time. I had great roommates, a kind host family and the best internship placement. The spanish lessons at the beginning were so helpful and I can definitely say that my spanish has improved and I also learnt so much from my internship. The internship isn't too intense and leaves you with plenty of time to explore the city and participate in other classes and activities. This was the experience of a lifetime, really helped with my university application and I will definitely be returning to Oaxaca!

I spent 3 months doing a business/marketing internship. I applied on late notice and everything was organised for me very quickly and I am hugely grateful for that! My internship was wonderful. All my colleagues were extremely accommodating of me and I have gained a valuable experience from working with them. Oaxaca de Juarez is a truly beautiful city with lots to do - after 3 months here, it feels like a second home. I cannot recommend Oaxaca enough! I had one of the best experiences of my life! Thank you Adelante!

In compliance with my university, I needed to complete an unpaid internship or study abroad for academic credit. I said why not both? Adelante Abroad helped me find an internship that aligned with my values and introduced me to an entirely new place I had never been before. Oaxaca is a special place that any creative should go to at least once in their life. This is the center of where your experience can be extremely impacted because of Oaxaca's huge artisan community. Therefore, when it came to my experience and my internship they helped contribute to how much I learned and grew as a designer and a person.

I had a fabulous time during my time in Oaxaca de Juarez. I found the introductory Spanish lessons at the local language school to be invaluable. The teachers shared some really useful tips on local hotspots and made lessons interesting and fun. Equally my internship with a Printing Studio was a great experience and I loved being part of their team. I really noticed the positive impact that the placement and language school had on my competence in speaking Spanish. One of my favourite things about my time in Mexico was the housing. The landlady Irma, her son Octavio and the cleaner Leti all made me feel so welcome and helped me settle in with ease. I would say the program is catered for more independent people but would recommend it to anybody as an incredible opportunity. I would love to go back!

I spent an incredible month in Puerto Escondido, Mexico, in the Women's Reproductive Health Elective with CFHI. CFHI handles it all- from the homestay to the clinical experiences to the language learning. As a busy medical student, I'm extremely grateful for this once in a lifetime opportunity to do clinical learning alongside language learning. Additionally, one of the best things about the program was the opportunity to learn alongside incredible peers from other medical schools who were also participating in the program. Our group of CFHI-ers provided a supportive space to reflect on experiences as well as a space to go through the growing pains of being in a new country with different customs. Through Spanish language classes, I learned Spanish grammar concepts and Medical Spanish with my peers. I left the program ready to learn even more Spanish and excited about all that I had accomplished in just one month. I also appreciated the opportunity to practice interviewing patients in Spanish at one of the clinics in Puerto, but hope that this opportunity will be expanded to all the clinics. I highly recommend this program to others. I will say that I think students who have studied Spanish before will likely get the most out of this program compared to those who have not studied Spanish at all.

I had a time of my life i just want live the real life, compartir my time in this moment with real people. See other culture, expand my mind, compartir saberes, be a friend and connect with people a través the universal awareness.

Love Volunteers responded to this reviewMarch 24, 2019

Hi Rebeca,<br/>Thank-you so much for this enthusiastic review of our programs. We completely agree that volunteering is a fantastic way to connect with people and travel around the world doing humanitarian work.<br/>Thanks again for being a part of what we do here at Love Volunteers.<br/>The Team @ Love Volunteers

Tirana is a safe, interesting city with lots of places to visit and eat. The people are very respectful and friendly and transportation in the city is excellent. Albania is country full of history, with a variety of museums to visit, from history to art. There are a variety of restaurants, cafés and bars where you can eat and relax. The people are very relaxed and polite. Altin was very friendly and kindly provided airport pickup and departure. He also recommended places to visit. Maria is a lovely lady who cares deeply for animals and there is some really crucial work being done at the shelter such as sterilisation, rehabilitation and adoptions. There are too many animals at the shelter and not enough people to ensure all the dogs for example have enough environmental enrichment and exercise but of course I understand this is difficult and differs from country to country and hopefully will begin to change as the attitude improves toward animal welfare in Albania. TIPS: Make sure you go out into the city and sample traditional Albanian food, visit the attractions such as the museums. As for the project don't be afraid to suggest doing certain things, such as taking the dogs in the clinic outside for exercise as well as interacting and spending time with as many of the dogs as you can. Maria is very open and will listen to suggestions. Cleaning the shelter takes up a lot of time, however there are staff employed at the shelter which gives volunteers time for this crucial interaction.

Love Volunteers responded to this reviewMarch 28, 2019

Dear Rhys,<br/>Thank-you for this amazing review of our Animal Welfare program in Tirana, Albania. Your care for animals is so apparent in this account and your contribution on the program was highly valued by the local team.<br/>Reading reviews such as yours provides future volunteers an invaluable insight into volunteering and the crucial role that they can play in areas where help is so desperately needed.<br/>How amazing to be involved in such a rewarding project whilst staying in a city as historical and beautiful as Tirana! Great tips btw!<br/>Thanks again for your contribution to the program for being an amazing Love Volunteer!<br/>From all of us at The Team @ Love Volunteers

It was a rewarding experience to work in Bamenda. It is not easy but worth it. Having worked in a few other charitable places, I found it much harder to work here. But the people still benefit from your help. Cameroon is a poor country when seen from a volunteer's point of view. I have traveled in many parts of the world, including Africa, Latin America and Asia but I was very sad to see the state of Cameroon in the 21st century. People are extremely lovely, especially the ones in English speaking part of Cameroon! It might have something to do with the fact that I don't speak French! Although there was a conflict going on in Bamenda at the time, it does not affect you as far as you stay away from the no-go regions. Be prepared for a little corruption (I had to pay a small bribe at the airport for bringing in my own local anaesthetic cartridges). There are no fast food chains or anything similar in Bamenda. I found one local restaurant in Douala which had similar standards as a standard western outlet. Otherwise most other eateries are not the cleanest. Home cooked food at my homestay was good. The project I worked on was well managed and organised. I had some help from the Cameroonian counterparts, but not a lot till I arrived there. Once I arrived and people realized how serious I was about helping and then things went smoothly. My host cooked some lovely meals for me every day. The meals are simple but delicious. don't expect sweets/ puddings everyday. Usually you will eat only twice a day. The homestay is very safe. The toilet and bathroom is basic but acceptable. Your host will have a means of transport (motor bike) and he will take you around anywhere you need to go. My host was extremely helpful and went out of his way to help me in achieving my goals. TIPS: 1) Don't be put off by the news. Your in-country organisers will take good care of you and make sure you are safe. 2) Be prepared for serious poverty, especially when it comes to resources, such as medical consumables, stationary etc. If possible, bring your own supplies. 3) The town of Bamenda has very few roads and thus it gets very dusty. Take wet wipes with you! 4) some of the standards of cross infection in the hospitals might not be up to scratch. Put your foot down and demand better standards (you might have to carry a few consumables yourself, such as gloves, masks and hand sprays).

Love Volunteers responded to this reviewJanuary 30, 2019

Dear Sagar,<br/><br/>We can't thank-you enough for your contribution as a qualified dentist on the medical program in Cameroon. As you yourself know well it's a challenge getting things done in Africa and it's a testament to your commitment that you were able to achieve so much during your time in Bamenda.<br/><br/>This review is hugely valuable in letting potential volunteers know about the difficulties and the rewards of volunteering in Cameroon and we appreciate the time you have taken to share your experiences and your continued support of upcoming volunteers.<br/><br/>Thanks again and we wish you all the very best for your dental career and hope to have you join us again in the future if you are able.<br/>The Team @ Love Volunteers

The experience was good. I felt that we enhanced the program they are already running, especially for younger volunteers. Sr Lanka is a beautiful country. The people are friendly and welcoming. The staff were organised and easy to speak with. They are well suited to the position. TIPS: Have some ideas, songs and activities organised for the age group. If you can take some English picture books as they have very few and this would enhance the children’s learning.

Love Volunteers responded to this reviewJanuary 28, 2019

Hi Karen,<br/>Thanks so much to you and your daughter for the wonderful contribution you both made on our Education Support program in Badulla, Sri Lanka. You absolutely enhanced the lives of the children, both through your teaching and the thrill that having you with them brought to their daily lives.<br/>Thanks also for taking the time to provide this feedback and advice to future volunteers - much appreciated!<br/>All the very best to you both. The Team @ Love Volunteers

It was my first-time volunteering abroad and by myself. I have already been involved in several humanitarian projects, but this was a brand-new experience. Volunteering in a developing country, 10 000 km from my home taught me a lot of new things. Helping people in need while I am myself losing my bearings in a new environment made me more mature and allowed me to discover myself more. Working with children also taught me to be patient. South Africa is a beautiful country with amazing landscapes and places to see. Local people were very nice. I was also struck by the inequalities in South Africa and the water shortage situation there at the time. TIPS: Rent a car if you have a driver's licence. Bring warm clothes during winter. Stay open minded and be patient.

Love Volunteers responded to this reviewJanuary 28, 2019

Dear Noëmie,<br/>Volunteering abroad is a challenging and rewarding experience and you have summed up the combination wonderfully in your review. We're so pleased that you enjoyed your time in beautiful Cape Town and want to thank-you for your time and effort on the Social Welfare program that tackles the inequalities you mention in this diverse city.<br/>We wish you all the best for your future travels and hope to have you join us again.<br/>The Team @ Love Volunteers<br/>

My general impression is that I loved the volunteer program. South Africa is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. It is rich in culture, food, and wildlife. I am very content with my project and staff. Everyone was generous and willing to teach. The staff really made my volunteering experience enjoyable. My tips for the other volunteers is to come with an open mind and to be open to new experiences.

Love Volunteers responded to this reviewJanuary 28, 2019

Hi Jazmin,<br/>We couldn't have put it better ourselves: an open mind and flexible attitude is absolutely what make a great volunteer! Thanks for your commitment to the Medical Internship program in Cape Town, South Africa and for taking the time to share your experience.<br/>The Team @ Love Volunteers<br/>

Fantastic first impression of volunteering. Personally rewarding and I was left with a real impression that we had made a difference by being there, both at the school and with the handicapped children - who were utterly delighted to see us each day. Amongst the 10 volunteers onsite we had a real connection that also made it incredibly enjoyable both at the school and back at the house. This will not always be the case, but for me, this was another highlight! See my comments below, but I would highly recommend Love Volunteers for facilitating this incredible experience. Badulla was a super-friendly place, aided by the fact that there were no other tourists, and wherever we went people smiled, honked their Tuk Tuk horns etc. I will never forget these smiles In the more touristy places, however, this was not the same, but the people remained very friendly. Another good example is that the public buses were very friendly as few tourists use them. I suppose this is the ""progress"" you get from tourism and so we were probably utterly spoilt in Badulla. That said, the people were super friendly if you consider the conditions in which many of them live, and for this reason it does make them pretty exceptional as a nation. I would whole-heartedly recommend Srti Lanka to friends and family :-) Shivanthi, the volunteer coordinator in Badulla, was the sweetest person you could ever imagine meeting - there was not an irritated or nasty bone in her body and she was so incredibly helpful, hospitable and just plain nice. This was not commercially-driven, it was just her nature. TIPS: Be open in your new environment and feel free to immerse yourself and try things you never realized you knew you could do! Always carry a smile with you into each day and above all enjoy the experience as your enjoyment is felt by those around you

Love Volunteers responded to this reviewFebruary 04, 2019

Dear Chris,<br/>We really appreciate you taking the time to share this wonderful review of the education program in Sri Lanka. It's extremely helpful to potential volunteers to hear advice and feedback from volunteers like yourself.<br/>Thank-you for your dedication to the children and your polite and friendly nature to everyone you met. I'm not surprised that there was such great camaraderie between the volunteers on-site with you.<br/>We hope to have you join us again in the future - until then we wish you well in all you do.<br/>The Team @ Love Volunteers

Volunteering was a highly satisfying and challenging experience. Everyone I worked with was warm and welcoming. My only regret was that I missed two days of construction work and that there was no way for me to makeup the time I missed working on the house, which leaves me with a feeling of unfinished business. The environment is clean to an almost shocking degree. The people are extremely kind and welcoming. Rwanda is the most community-oriented and forward-thinking country I've ever been to. The project was appropriately challenging and satisfying to complete. All the staff were extremely receptive and supportive. No complaints. TIPS: - When working with wet mud, wear the tightest gloves available, as wearing looser gloves causes mud to buildup on them and makes your job more difficult than it needs to be - Learn to say "Good morning," "Good evening," "Thank you," "Sorry," "May I help you?," "You're welcome," "Yes" and "No" in Kinyarwanda before arriving, as these are basically all the things you've ever need to say or understand - Drink lots of water - Visit Akagera National Park! - The project center has wifi, but it only works well early in the morning, so do all internet-related things in the morning.

Love Volunteers responded to this reviewFebruary 04, 2019

Hi Mateo,<br/>Fantastic to see your commitment to the house-building construction program in Rwanda! Please don't worry about missing a few days as your input on the other days was significant. The local staff really can't achieve what they do without the aid of dedicated volunteers like yourself.<br/>Thanks so much for sharing your tips which will assist further volunteers on this program - and hopefully encourage others.<br/>The Team @ Love Volunteers

The children were a pleasure to work with and having seen their living conditions, I believe that the local team makes a real difference to their lives! I hope they will keep up with their amazing work, but it would also be amazing to see that the lives of their employees improve through their honest work, not just charity of other people.. The country is absolutely beautiful and lush green due to frequent rains (the rainy season lasts 9 months a year! Whilst Rwamangana district is a poverty stricken area and people are hardly managing to get by, the country's capital is up to date with the modern world. There is a lot of contrast between how people live. The country is super safe and I wasn't even scared to walk by myself after dark, the people are very trustworthy. On the other side people are a little reserved and not very smiley unless they get to know you. As mentioned above, the staff were amazing and the project was very rewarding. I was overwhelmed on numerous occasions by the poverty in the area which was very, very obvious - which made me admire the staff even more. All of them are incredibly patient and also dedicated to the mission of the charity. TIPS: bring rainproof outwear bring good shoes - there is a lot of mud here when it rains! learn a few phrases in Kinyarwanda to break the ice don't expect the local people to speak English be very patient - the pace of life is very slow :)

Love Volunteers responded to this reviewJanuary 31, 2019

Dear Beata,<br/>Thank-you for this frank and informative review of volunteering in Rwanda. It's fantastic to hear volunteers testify about how safe they felt and how friendly and welcoming the staff and locals are. It's often a concern for potential volunteers and, although we at LV can provide assurances, there's nothing like hearing it direct from a volunteer.<br/>Your description of the beautiful countryside and frequent rain gives readers a great image of the country - quite different to what they may have expected.<br/>Thank-you so much for giving so generously of your time to the amazing community of Rwamagana. The dedicated staff couldn't do what they do without volunteers like you and we and they say a heartfelt THANKS!<br/>The Team @ Love Volutneers<br/>