Wildlife Volunteering & Animal Conservation Abroad

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<p class="p1"><span class="s1"></span></p><div class="awesome-image right-aligned" style="width: 370px;"><img style="" src="http://cdn3.goabroad.com/images/interviews/interviewphoto1-thomasma-1441093878.jpg" alt="







Volunteer dance teacher in the Philippines with local students"><div class="caption"><p>Elsa with some of her dance students after their final performance</p></div></div><h3><span style="line-height: 24px;">Why did you decide to apply for an international program?</span></h3><p></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">I had volunteered with VFV in 2009 and fell in love with the organization, the community, and the Filipino people. There was no doubt in my mind after that trip, that I would have to go back and volunteer again. Also, I needed to fulfill a practicum requirement for my sociology degree, so it was a win-win.</span></p><h3><span class="s1">Why did you choose Volunteer for the Visayans?</span></h3><p class="p1"><span class="s1">I chose VFV because of my past experience with them. I knew they would be flexible and allow me to utilize my time and skills to benefit them and the local children most greatly. I wanted to see my host family and spend time with all the amazing children I met during my first visit.</span></p><h3><span class="s1">What was your favorite part about the Philippines and Tacloban City?</span></h3><p class="p1"><span class="s1">My favorite part about the Philippines is the local culture. The welcoming, friendly, positive, and laid back atmosphere is entirely contagious. It can't be fully described in words, but once you experience it, it is something you can't quite forget.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">As far as Tacloban, I loved the size of the city. It was big enough that there was plenty to do, but small enough that I eventually knew my way around. Also, public transportation is amazing, maybe not in quality, but in affordability and accessibility.</span></p><h3><span class="s1">What makes the program you participated in unique?</span></h3><p class="p1"><span class="s1">VFV has a very unique relationship with every community they work with, which makes the program exceptionally engaging for volunteers that are willing to throw out their own ideas, get their hands dirty, and do what needs to be done for the organization to sustain itself.</span></p><div class="awesome-image centered" style=""><img style="" src="http://cdn2.goabroad.com/images/interviews/interviewphoto2-thomasma-1441093923.jpg" alt="







Volunteer in the Philippines handing out candy to children"><div class="caption"><p>Elsa handing out candy to some of the children in the village where she built houses</p></div></div><h3><span class="s1">How did Volunteer for the Visayans staff support you throughout your program?</span></h3><p class="p1"><span class="s1">The volunteer coordinators worked with me before arrival to ensure all my documents for my academic credit were completed and my homestay accommodation was all sorted out. Upon arrival, they helped answer any questions I had, from how to best help a specific child during my one-on-one tutorials to all types of cultural advice.</span></p><h3><span class="s1">What's one thing you wish you would have done differently?</span></h3><p class="p1"><span class="s1">I can't say there is anything I would have done differently. I utilized my time to the fullest!</span></p><div class="awesome-image left-aligned" style="width: 370px;"><img style="" src="http://cdn1.goabroad.com/images/interviews/interviewphoto4-thomasma-1441094000.jpg" alt="







Volunteer at an orphanage in the Philippines"><div class="caption"><p>Elsa with one of the children from the orphanage</p></div></div><h3><span class="s1">Describe a day in the life of your program.</span></h3><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Wake up and have breakfast with my friend at our homestay. Head to the orphanage around 7:30 a.m. to play with babies all day, all the while changing diapers, making bottles, helping with bath time, and assisting with lunch and snack time. At noon, go to the local mall to grab lunch with fellow volunteers. Then either head to a rural village to work on building houses or head back to the center to write a blog or journal.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">After the children got out of school, around 4 p.m., I would have a one-on-one tutorial with an elementary school student or teach dance lessons to groups of youth. At 6:30 p.m. I would head back to my homestay to stuff my face with delicious Filipino food until I could hardly move. After dinner I would usually spend time with my host family or go to an internet cafe with other volunteers. I would usually be in bed by 10 p.m. at the latest, utterly exhausted from the heat, but in an amazing way.</span></p><h3><span class="s1">What was your favorite activity outside the normal day-to-day schedule of your program?</span></h3><p class="p1"><span class="s1">I loved traveling to incredible beaches on the weekend. Sleeping on the sand of a remote island completely uninhabited by humans or relaxing at a resort where my room was literally on the ocean was extraordinary. I also really enjoyed spending time with my host family, whether singing Karaoke or just telling funny stories.</span></p><h3><span class="s1">What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?</span></h3><p class="p1"><span class="s1">I lived with a homestay in the community that VFV's main office is located in. I shared a room with my friend Erica, whom I came on the trip with. We shared a bathroom with our host family and were provided with two meals a day. My favorite part was our wonderful, spunky host mother, who would prefer to be called our host sister. She wasn't old enough to be our mother, and she didn't seem like it either. It was so great to have someone I could really share my challenges and triumphs with every day, and someone who was always happy to chat.</span></p><div class="awesome-image centered" style=""><img style="" src="http://cdn2.goabroad.com/images/interviews/interviewphoto3-thomasma-1441093965.jpg" alt="







Volunteer holding local girl in the Philippines"><div class="caption"><p>Elsa with her host family's granddaughter on the community fiesta</p></div></div><h3><span class="s1">Now that you're home, how has volunteering abroad impacted your life?</span></h3><p>

















































</p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">I am actually living permanently in the Philippines now! After I returned home in 2011, I couldn't get a certain village out of my head and I dedicated a year to fundraising for their needs. After spending 6 months working in the community, I was offered a full time job by a company in Tacloban, and here I am today! The Philippines completely changed my life. I know this is what everyone says, but it isn't a lie! It is the truth. Volunteering abroad will impact your life in ways you cannot imagine.</span></p>


Elsa Thomasma

Check out this GoAbroad Interview with Elsa Thomasma who participated in Volunteer for the Visayans program.

Elsa Thomasma | Volunteer for the Visayans Alumni Interview

Elsa Thomasma - 2011 Program Participant


<h3>Why did you decide to apply for an international volunteer program?</h3><div>I have always wanted to do international work, since I was 14.</div><h3>Why did you choose Volunteer for the Visayans? <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre">	</span></h3><div>It allowed students (I was in my last year of nursing school) to participate, it had a cost that was low compared to many other "voluntourism" organizations that I was avoiding, and it had many different programs available. I also loved that they had mandatory homestay components!</div><div class="awesome-image right-aligned" style="width: 50%;"><img style="" src="http://cdn1.goabroad.com/images/interviews/interviewphoto3-roche-1441171323.gif" alt="Volunteers in the Philippines sorting donations"><div class="caption"><p>Preparing donations for delivery to typhoon-affected surrounding communities</p></div></div><h3>What was your favorite part about Tacloban City?&nbsp;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.5em; white-space: pre;">	</span></h3><div>The feeling of being a part of the community, but I was still pretty close to big-city amenities.</div><h3>What made your program experience unique?<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.5em; white-space: pre;">	</span></h3><div>The opportunity to be self-directed and initiate your own ideas.</div><h3>How did the Volunteer for the Visayans staff support you throughout your program? <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre">	</span></h3><div>They contacted the programs I wished to join after I had been there for a while on a different program, they allowed me to utilize their office computers sometimes as needed, staff often stayed late to support us, and they initiated social outings for the volunteers to bond with each other.</div><div><span style="color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 21px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 28px;"><br></span></div><p><span style="color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 21px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 28px;">What's one thing you wish you would have done differently? </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 21px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 28px; white-space: pre;">	</span></p><div>Stayed longer!</div><div><span style="color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 21px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 28px;"><br></span></div><p><span style="color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 21px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 28px;">Take us through a day in the life of your program. </span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="color: inherit; font-family: inherit; font-size: 21px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 28px; white-space: pre;">	</span></p><div><ul><li><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5em;">6:00 a.m. - Wake up, breakfast at my homestay, bucket shower, get dressed, and go through my anti-sweating routine of applying baby powder all over myself everywhere!</span><br></li><li><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5em;">6:30 a.m. - Head toward my jeepney stop to catch transit to work</span><br></li><li><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5em;">8:00 a.m. - Arrive at my rural health clinic, spend four hours assisting with intake of patients, prenatal checkups, or the occasional village visit to do immunizations</span><br></li><li><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5em;">12:00 p.m. - Start heading back to Tacloban City</span><br></li><li><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5em;">1:30 p.m. - Lunch, errands, socializing, napping, or whatever else I need to do!</span><br></li><li><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5em;">5:00 p.m. - Dinner at my homestay</span><br></li><li><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5em;">5:30 p.m. - Tutoring the sponsor children of the program in the neighborhood, helping with math, English, or whatever I could</span><br></li><li><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5em;">7:00 p.m. - Reading and socializing with other volunteers</span><br></li><li><span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.5em;">9:00 p.m. - Bedtime!</span><br></li></ul></div><h3>What were some of your favorite activities outside the normal day-to-day schedule of your program? <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre">	</span></h3><div>Deciding myself to put on two workshops for the girls' shelter, a project which was not mine but which I was allowed to join for a few days (workshops on women's health and healthy relationships), and a volunteer-planned scuba diving weekend a few hours away.</div><div class="awesome-image left-aligned" style="width: 50%;"><img style="" src="http://cdn3.goabroad.com/images/interviews/interviewphoto1-roche-1441171456.gif" alt="Foreign volunteers at a bar in Tacloban City, Philippines"><div class="caption"><p>Me and some other volunteers on a night out</p></div></div><h3>What was your accommodation like? What did you like best about it? <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre">	</span></h3><div>I lived in a homestay in a small neighbourhood on the outskirts of Tacloban City; I enjoyed feeling like I was a part of the community. My homestay Mom made amazing vegetarian Filipino food for me, and I felt safe every night.</div><h3>What was the hardest part about volunteering abroad?</h3><div>I am very close with my fiance and my family, and communication with them was very challenging at times. Internet connections everywhere in the area were so slow that sending an email would only work every few days or so. Before noon is the best time to send emails, since the connection is faster at that time, but I was in my volunteer position until 2:00 p.m. or so each day.</div><div><br></div><div>My cell phone also only picked up clear service about two blocks from my homestay, but due to the 16-hour time difference between Tacloban and my home in Canada, there were only certain times that I could make the calls (including at night, when it was not considered very safe for a girl to wander off a couple of blocks from the neighbourhood alone). All of this happens when traveling, however, and you find ways to deal with it if you are flexible!</div><h3>What surprised you most about Tacloban City and the island of Leyte?</h3><div>Considering the size of Tacloban City, I was surprised by a few of the things I could not find, that would be very normal and easy to find back at home in a city of that size. For example, I needed to send some important documentation to my school in Canada in preparation for my final year, and it needed to either be faxed or mailed. As it was time-sensitive, I tried to fax it. I spent an entire afternoon in Tacloban trying to find a place that was able to send international faxes, business centers, internet cafes, even a hospital and several large hotels, but not a single place offered the service! I ended up needing to rush-mail my paperwork to get it home in time, and it cost $30 Canadian just to send a few sheets of paper!</div><div><br></div><div>My biggest surprise, though, was the amount of damage caused by Typhoon Yolanda, and the amount of recovery done. I arrived eight months after the typhoon, and was impressed to see how much of the recovery effort had been completed. Everywhere you look, stores and shops had banners reading "Grand re-opening!"; it gave me a lot of hope.</div><div><br></div><div>At the same time, the amount of damage left was astounding, especially in the rural areas. The clinic I was volunteering at was 75 percent inoperable, even that long after the typhoon. Ceilings had caved in, their ambulance was crushed and out of use, and walls had collapsed. We were working out of only two of the rooms that had survived. By the time I left, USAID was in the process of doing the paperwork to begin rebuilding the clinic.</div><div class="awesome-image right-aligned" style="width: 50%;"><img style="" src="http://cdn1.goabroad.com/images/interviews/interviewphoto2-roche-1441171498.gif" alt="Local staff at a rural health clinic in the Philippines"><div class="caption"><p>The amazing nurse and midwife at my rural clinic</p></div></div><h3>How difficult was it to communicate with locals?</h3><div>It was surprisingly easy! Many people in the Philippines speak English, particularly the younger people and people with university educations. That being said, in the rural area I volunteered at and commuted to each day from Tacloban, I would say that it seemed that most of our patients spoke little to no English.</div><div><br></div><div>I learned as much Waray-Waray as I could, so that I could help with the intake/triage at the clinic and ask a few basic questions to the patients, but the nurses and midwife at the clinic helped me a lot with translation. People in the Philippines are incredibly warm and helpful, so if I ever had any issues with communication, there was always someone nearby who was willing to help!</div><h3>What is one thing you wish you would have known before volunteering abroad in the Philippines?</h3><div>Well, the language thing is important; people told me that everyone in the Philippines speaks English because they teach it in school. The fact is, a large proportion of the children in the Philippines live in poverty and are unable to attend school regularly enough to develop a high level of English, and many of the older Filipinos speak none.</div><div><br></div><div>In Manila and more affluent areas, or in areas with a high number of university students, English is widely spoken and understood at a high level, but elsewhere it is very hit-or-miss. Before I go back, I will be learning basic Tagalog so that I can more easily communicate with a wider number of people!</div><div class="awesome-image left-aligned" style="width: 50%;"><img style="" src="http://cdn3.goabroad.com/images/interviews/interviewphoto4-roche-1441171363.gif" alt="Thank you banner in Tabontabon, Leyte, Philippines"><div class="caption"><p>Thank you banner posted in the community I volunteered in</p></div></div><h3>Do you have any packing tips for individuals headed to the Philippines?</h3><div>A lot of people from the U.S. and Canada told me that they didn't need to use a universal adapter in order to plug their electronics into outlets in the Philippines; bring one anyway! The one day I did not use mine, I burnt out my brand new electric razor that I had bought before my trip! Some outlets won't need the adapter, but some will, so just use it all the time to avoid risking damage to your electronics!</div><div><br></div><div>Also, unless you are going to be spending time in Northern Luzon, do not bother bringing jeans or anything warmer than a light cardigan. It is so, so, so hot everywhere else in the country!</div><h3>Now that you're home, how would you say volunteering abroad has impacted your life? <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre">	</span></h3><div>All I can think about is going back! The trip was like nothing I've ever done, and I can not wait to start doing more international work now that I have experience and have graduated from my university program at home.</div><div><br></div><blockquote>VFV helped me to understand what international and local work is all about, and I am forever grateful for their guidance and support!</blockquote><h3>What do you feel the biggest benefit of volunteering abroad is?</h3><p>Oh my, where do you even begin with a question like this? To see the world, to learn about the similarities that every human on this planet has, regardless of their language and culture. To grow as a person, to gain perspective of the important things in life (do I really need to be upset that I can't afford these new jeans, when I've met countless people who struggle to afford the basics?), to develop an intense relationship with the world around you and to be inspired to make changes. To see different values, and different ways of approaching issues that come up. To start questioning yourself and the world. Everyone in the world should have the chance to volunteer abroad, it would be such an understanding and open planet if this were possible!</p><h3>Would you recommend Volunteer for the Visayans to others?</h3><p>One hundred percent! If you can do it, do it! You will learn so much and it will change your life!</p><h3>If you could volunteer abroad again, where would you go?</h3><p>I absolutely intend on returning to the Philippines! The warmth and friendliness of the people there have captured my heart. I am very excited to return. This time, I think that I would prefer to work at the girls' shelter, as the clinics and hospitals I saw tend to be highly-staffed due to the high number of Filipinos educated in healthcare-related fields. I would like to focus more on healthcare education, putting on workshops at shelters and for children. I have quite a few plans for my next trip to Leyte!</p>


Kirsten Roche

Check out this GoAbroad Interview with Kirsten Roche who participated in Volunteer for the Visayans program.

Kirsten Roche | Volunteer for the Visayans Alumni Interview

Kirsten Roche - 2014 Program Participant


<h3><b style="color: inherit; font-family: inherit;">What attracted you to the idea of volunteering abroad?</b><span style="color: inherit; font-family: inherit;">&nbsp;</span><br></h3>
<p class="p1">I had experience working in media in England and I wanted to spread my wings and further my knowledge and experience in a completely different environment in which I was not accustomed to.</p>
<h3><b>Why did you choose Volunteer for the Visayans?&nbsp;</b></h3>
<p class="p1">I chose this organization as it was the only organization I found which had a media project which not only involved print, but also film and photography. I had also planned which countries I was traveling to before hand, and the Philippines was one of them, so it worked out well. I also wanted to work in an area that specifically needed help, more attention, and awareness, and Tacloban is most definitely a place that fits the bill as many westerners choose popular places like Thailand, rather than more unnoticed locations like the Philippines. After hearing about the devastation from Typhoon Yolanda, I felt I had not choice but to come here.</p><div class="awesome-image centered" style=""><img style="" src="http://cdn1.goabroad.com/images/interviews/interviewphoto2-vicky-1438150455.gif" alt="







Elementary students in the Philippines"><div class="caption"><p>Elementary School</p></div></div>
<h3><b>What was your favorite part about the location of your placement?&nbsp;</b></h3>
<p class="p1">I like how Volunteer for the Visayans is integrated into the Bliss community, rather than having a separate area for volunteers. This enables volunteers to socialize and interact with members of the community on a daily basis. You feel like you are making a significant impact by communicating every day and staying with the local people.</p>
<h3><b>What made your program experience unique?&nbsp;</b></h3>
<p class="p1">It&rsquo;s unique because of, unfortunately, the disaster known as Typhoon Yolanda. Yolanda impacted all members of the NGO and members of the community, leading many people in the Bliss community to come to VFV for help and guidance, which means that VFV has more of a receptive and thankful community to work with. I know there is still a lot of work to be done, and I know the work I did as a media intern made small steps to help a large amount of people. Not only this makes the program unique, but Volunteer for the Visayans also has certain projects, like The Dumpsite Project, which I have never seen be organized by any other organization before.</p>
<h3><b>How did local staff support you throughout your program?&nbsp;</b></h3>
<p class="p1">They were always there to help, support, and give me guidance. They were always polite, and would not tamper with my work unless I was present and they were giving me constructive criticism and feedback. They became friends more than local staff and I felt incredibly comfortable with them, making my transition easy, and it seemed like had been working with VFV for a while.</p><div class="awesome-image right-aligned" style="width: 50%;"><img style="" src="http://cdn3.goabroad.com/images/interviews/interviewphoto1-vicky-1438150479.gif" alt="







Volunteer with host mother in the Philippines"><div class="caption"><p>Interviewing Nanay Vilma</p></div></div>
<h3><b>What was a typical day like for you as a media intern in the Philippines?</b></h3>
<p class="p1">In the morning, for example, I might travel to a remote school and interview the principal, teacher and students on the circumstances of the school and how VFV can help. Then I&rsquo;d return to the office, write up the feature, and include pictures on the VFV website, and then schedule the post on Facebook to target a certain amount of people and to raise awareness.</p>
<h3><b>What did you enjoy doing outside of your day to day media tasks?&nbsp;</b></h3>
<p class="p1">I facilitated a workshop with the Girls Club on my Sunday off and I had a fantastic time. We played games, led discussions, participated in activities, and created theater, which affected them in a positive way.</p>
<h3><b>What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?&nbsp;</b></h3>
<p class="p1">I stayed in a local homestay. The room was very small and cockroaches were many, but I guess one could call it "character building". After a while you get used to it and it makes you stronger. My <i>Nanay</i> (host mother) was welcoming and made me feel comfortable during my stay.</p>
<h3><b>Now that you're home, how has your time in the Philippines impacted your life?</b></h3>
<p class="p1">It has provided a stepping stone for me, directing my future into the field of media, and has given me a fantastic experience of writing features for a certified organization and raising awareness of the inspiring work that they do. It has shed light on the people in this world who will happily dedicate their life to making a difference, and that is very heartwarming to be a part of. It has made me, when facing a significant problem, deal with it more effectively, as I realize I am incredibly lucky in my life, as I have met many who have far worse off problems than me. It has made me reflect on my own personal values, aims, and ambitions in life.</p>


Vicky Carter

Check out this GoAbroad Interview with Vicky Carter who participated in Volunteer for the Visayans program.

Vicky Carter | Volunteer for the Visayans Alumni Interview

Vicky Carter - 2015 Program Participant

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