http://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/Stories, photos and videos from our volunteers while they’re abroad and once they have returned. Request their e-mail addresses so you can chat to them yourselfenMon, 21 May 2012 05:24:14 +0100Mon, 21 May 2012 05:24:14 +0100Volunteering AbroadProjects Abroad Ltd., IT Officehttp://www.projects-abroad.com.au/rss/volunteer-stories/Projects Abroad Australia, GPO Box 422, Adelaide, SA 5001info@projects-abroad.com.au (Projects Abroad AU)office@projects-abroad.net (Projects Abroad IT Office)1440Journalismhttp://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=journalism/costa-rica/tidiane-traore/My Care Placement I spent two months in Costa Rica volunteering with Projects Abroad. It was an exciting experience. I got the chance to stay with a host family for two months. I wouldn’t have wanted to stay with any other family; they were kind and welcomed me with open arms. I was comfortable being in an eclectic environment. The Projects Abroad staff were friendly; they made me feel safe and at home. During my time I worked in two programs; Care and Journalism. For one month, I worked in a daycare center with children from ages 2 to 4. I played fun games with them and taught English in a way they could understand. I brought many gifts for the kids; such as toys, stuffed animals and books. The children really enjoyed their new toys; they couldn’t stop playing with them. I’ve ...Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 +0100http://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=journalism/costa-rica/tidiane-traore/Carehttp://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=care/costa-rica/tidiane-traore/My Care Placement I spent two months in Costa Rica volunteering with Projects Abroad. It was an exciting experience. I got the chance to stay with a host family for two months. I wouldn’t have wanted to stay with any other family; they were kind and welcomed me with open arms. I was comfortable being in an eclectic environment. The Projects Abroad staff were friendly; they made me feel safe and at home. During my time I worked in two programs; Care and Journalism. For one month, I worked in a daycare center with children from ages 2 to 4. I played fun games with them and taught English in a way they could understand. I brought many gifts for the kids; such as toys, stuffed animals and books. The children really enjoyed their new toys; they couldn’t stop playing with them. I’ve ...Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 +0100http://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=care/costa-rica/tidiane-traore/Teachinghttp://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=teaching/fiji/kevin-schreiber/My name is Kevin Schreiber, and I’m a recent university graduate from Canada. After graduating with a degree in science, I decided I wanted to take a year off before I started a job at home. I wanted to do some traveling in my year off, but rather than just backpack around aimlessly, I decided a few months helping out and really immersing myself in a different culture would be the best way to see and experience a new country. I then serendipitously came across the Projects Abroad website and the south pacific looked like a perfect destination. For this reason, I chose Fiji as my destination for volunteer work, and the rest is history. Volunteer Teaching in Fiji I was in Fiji for 2 months as a teacher at Nadi District School and Nadi Airport School. It was an amazing experience! Everything ...Fri, 18 May 2012 00:00:00 +0100http://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=teaching/fiji/kevin-schreiber/Carehttp://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=care/costa-rica/emily-hart/ I never fancied myself as someone who was good with children. I have never babysat a day in my life and have never really interacted with anyone under the age of ten. All my cousins are older and I am the youngest in my immediate family. That is why many people (including myself!) were shocked to learn that I was spending my spring break volunteering with children in Costa Rica. Usually for spring break my friends and I head to the beach and spend our time lounging on the sand and going out at night, but this year I was in the mood to shake things up a bit. After doing some preliminary research I booked my trip with Projects Abroad. The only spring break program they offered was a care option so I decided to take a chance and see what happened. And boy, I am glad I did! As our taxi ...Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 +0100http://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=care/costa-rica/emily-hart/Culture & Communityhttp://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=culture-and-community/arts-and-crafts/mexico/claire-mower/My first impressions of Guadalajara and Mexico I arrived at Guadalajara airport weary and thoroughly confused, as the rain poured down. The PanAmerican games were just about to start and the athletes were pouring through the airport with me. I found my two cheerful Projects Abroad chauffeurs; Alejandro and Jorge, exactly where they said they would be. We traveled by car to my host family; music playing, gently questioning, onto Tlaquepaque. My host ‘mum’ wasn’t back from the U.S. visiting family for another week. But the rest of the family had stayed up to greet me, including another volunteer, Markus, who was also staying at the house. The next day, Jorge journeyed with me by bus to the office in Guadalajara, pointing out landmarks to make the journey stick in mind. ...Wed, 09 May 2012 00:00:00 +0100http://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=culture-and-community/arts-and-crafts/mexico/claire-mower/2 Week Specialshttp://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=2-week-specials/medicine-in-nepal/nepal/kate-shin/ A month ago, “Nepal” conjured up nebulous maps of Asia and the vague notion it had something to do with the Himalayas. Today, after spending just two weeks there, I can explain, eloquently, why I would give anything to exchange my Californian suburban-teen life for a cramped Nepalese abode, all thanks to Projects Abroad. At the beginning of summer, I was determined to somehow combine my love for travel and medicine into one package deal, so when I stumbled upon Projects Abroad, I pounced on the Two-Week Special Medical Program. I had no idea what I was getting into and I hadn’t really thought about the trip until I arrived at the airport in Nepal. I was immediately assaulted by the humidity, and with sweat pouring off my face, I was ushered into a van after meeting my group’s ...Fri, 06 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +0100http://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=2-week-specials/medicine-in-nepal/nepal/kate-shin/2 Week Specialshttp://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=2-week-specials/conservation-in-costa-rica/costa-rica/tim-burroughs/First Impressions of Costa Rica I arrived in San Jose in the evening and found it surprisingly hot for that time of night. Outside of the airport was busy and quite disorientating, but I soon found Gunnar, the driver, who was easily recognizable in his Projects Abroad livery. He was incredibly welcoming and friendly and happy to answer all of my questions. He took me to the hotel Santa Maria, where we would stay the night before going on to Barra Honda. I met the other volunteers who had flown in that day, 3 of which I would spend the next 2 weeks with. We then went out to the local Denys diner for dinner - a new experience for me, being the only non-American present. After this we returned to the hotel for the night. Getting to the National Park The day started fairly slowly ...Thu, 29 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0100http://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=2-week-specials/conservation-in-costa-rica/costa-rica/tim-burroughs/Carehttp://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=care/brazil/catherine-wang/ I volunteered on a Care placement with Projects Abroad for 3 months in Brazil, where I lived in Niteroi, a city of about 400,000 people in the state of Rio de Janiero. I lived with a local family and my home was in a great location - it was a block from the beach and the bus stop. I worked every weekday from 8am to 12pm at a crèche - or care center. The crèche is free, so most of the kids there came from relatively poor families. There were about 75 kids at the care center, ranging from 2 to 6 years old. At work, I played with the kids, fed them and bathed them. My volunteer experience Brazil was incredibly eye-opening. It was the first time I was a complete foreigner, and there were a lot of things I had to get used to and learn. For example: 1. Since no one at my work ...Wed, 28 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0100http://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=care/brazil/catherine-wang/Medicine & Healthcarehttp://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=medicine-and-healthcare/medicine/tanzania/jack-burgess/Why I volunteered When I first decided to take a gap year, I knew that I wanted to do more than simply make my way across the map. Doing something to really help people in another country was a big priority for me, and as I want to go on to study medicine at university, I took the opportunity Projects Abroad offered me to go and volunteer at a hospital in Tanzania. Volunteering in the hospital in Tanzania I volunteered at Mwananyamala Hospital in Dar Es Salaam alongside my two roommates, and the other volunteers on the medical project. It was great having so many other people to work alongside, doctors, nurses and other pre-medical students like me. Work at the hospital can be tough, but it’s ultimately incredibly rewarding. I was lucky enough to be able to work in several ...Wed, 28 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0100http://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=medicine-and-healthcare/medicine/tanzania/jack-burgess/Teachinghttp://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=teaching/fiji/claire-woods/Volunteering was something I always knew I wanted to do, but I guess year 12 was when I really started to think seriously about making plans. I had a friend, Kate, who was wanting to do the same thing as me so we started looking into it. We were literally just typing volunteering into Google when we found Projects Abroad. What struck us most was just the immensity of what was offered. The website offered projects for just about anything you were interested in, and the flexibility of being able to go whenever suited us was great because Kate and I both wanted to start university straight away, so we wanted to do a project during our summer holidays. Volunteering in Fiji It was kind of just impulse that led us to choose Fiji, there was just something about it that really attracted us. ...Wed, 28 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0100http://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=teaching/fiji/claire-woods/Teachinghttp://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=teaching/moldova/alex-mckenzie/ Following my early retirement, I had for a while been considering taking a long vacation abroad. Decades earlier, I had spent a month in Malaga, studying Spanish, but had never since then been away for so long. Moldova attracted me for a number of reasons. I had met Projects Abroad people at the Language Show, and had also attended one of their orientation sessions. Their enthusiasm and knowledge were impressive. In addition, I was looking for the opportunity to use my TEFL qualification in a country I had not previously visited. Finally, a large part of the population is Russian speaking (the others speak Moldovan, which is very close to Romanian), and there was a possibility of Russian language lessons. I had been flirting fruitlessly with this language on and off for decades, and ...Fri, 16 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000http://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=teaching/moldova/alex-mckenzie/Conservation & Environmenthttp://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=conservation-and-environment/cambodia/madison-fogarty/ My time overseas with Projects Abroad has proven to be one of the best experiences of my life so far. I spent a month in Cambodia participating in the Marine Conservation and Diving Project on the island of Koh Rong Samleon. I was only seventeen when I went overseas, and so I needed support and comfort in knowing that what I was doing was safe and secure. Projects Abroad provided me with this in so many different ways; whether it be getting off at the wrong bus stop in the middle of Sihanoukville, or mistakenly drinking Cambodian tap water on my first day and getting ill, the local staff helped me when I needed it. Before going to Koh Rong Samloen, I had no experience in Marine Conservation nor did I scuba dive, yet I found this project so fulfilling and definitely want to make it known ...Thu, 15 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000http://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=conservation-and-environment/cambodia/madison-fogarty/Carehttp://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=care/argentina/georgina-redfern/ First things first, anyone who is thinking about coming to Argentina should most definitely do it! The people are friendly, the nightlife is amazing and you will come back with so many incredible memories. I touched down in Argentina not knowing what to expect in the coming six weeks, but my fears soon turned into confidence when I was met by my Projects Abroad supervisor. He put me at total ease and answered all my questions. He took me to my home, where I met my host mother and roommate. I didn’t speak any Spanish so my roommate spent the majority of the time translating, but there’s always Google Translator if there’s any trouble! The day after I arrived I had my induction. I got picked up from my house and my supervisor Roman arrived with another new girl, who became ...Tue, 13 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000http://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=care/argentina/georgina-redfern/Law & Human Rightshttp://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=law-and-human-rights/human-rights/south-africa/joanne-davis/ A different route into volunteering with Projects Abroad I had planned to volunteer in a foreign country just as soon as my degree was over, when I knew that my feet would start itching. What made me really lucky is that I actually won a scholarship to do any volunteering project in the world that I wanted to, and for an indefinite period. You might, then, ask what made me choose to work with a program such as Projects Abroad? Quite simply, I was attracted to the organization, honesty and the opportunity that the company displayed. There I was, fingertips at the ready on my MacBook, wondering where to start the great search for a journey of a lifetime and up popped Projects Abroad in my search engine. I was looking for the perfect mix of freedom, yet stability. If I was going to choose ...Mon, 12 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000http://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=law-and-human-rights/human-rights/south-africa/joanne-davis/2 Week Specialshttp://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=2-week-specials/medicine-in-india/india/max-lafferty/Arriving in India This was the first time I had visited India and traveled alone and the experience was not just about the medical project, but the culture too. The week before I traveled to India, I had a week’s work experience placement in Frimley Park hospital in England, and therefore saw both systems first hand. After arrival in Madurai we had the morning to relax in our rooms and recover from the journey. What struck me immediately, apart from the roads where the line in the middle was just for decoration, was the amount of animals roaming the streets! In the afternoon, we visited a famous Indian temple where we saw the religious customs of many Indians, such as the ash they place on their foreheads, and a sacred elephant which spent its day ‘knighting’ people with its ...Mon, 12 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000http://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=2-week-specials/medicine-in-india/india/max-lafferty/Sportshttp://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=sports/ethiopia/erik-teig/ My name is Erik Teig and I'm from the state of Minnesota in the USA. In October - December of 2011, I was able to be in Ethiopia for two months through the Projects Abroad Sports program. During the day I taught 5th and 6th grade Spoken English at a local school. My work background is in outdoor, experiential and environmental education so it was a new experience for me to be in a classroom. It was challenging to learn how to teach and not just to learn how to teach, but to teach in a different culture with lots of students in every classroom and with students who had very strong accents. But in the challenge came the joy of seeing the progress in students through my two months there. My sports project Before and after school a couple days a week, I was also able to coach ...Wed, 07 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000http://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=sports/ethiopia/erik-teig/Carehttp://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=care/tanzania/rebecca-chasse/ I had known for years that I really wanted to travel to Africa, and spend my time volunteering at an orphanage. I knew a couple people who had been to Tanzania, and I heard nothing but rave reviews from them, so I decided on there as my destination. I looked at different companies for a while, finally found Projects Abroad, and after a few short months of waiting, and a VERY long flight I found myself at the Dar es Salaam airport. I was instantly overwhelmed; it was so completely different from anywhere I had ever been before. I was tempted to turn around and get back on the plane; not doing so was the best decision I ever made. The orphanage and the children I started work the next day at a great little orphanage not far from where I lived. It housed 15 children all under the age ...Wed, 07 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000http://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=care/tanzania/rebecca-chasse/Sportshttp://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=sports/brazil/andrew-shafik/ I can remember arriving in Brazil as if it was yesterday. At the airport, I was met by the friendly face of Deborah (Director or Projects Abroad in Brazil) we traveled by car to my host family in Icarai-Niteroi. I spent the car journey fascinated at the scenery outside my window excited about my 2 months ahead. After approximately 30 minutes, Deborah informed me that I had arrived at my destination. I couldn’t believe it; my home for the next 2 months was on the Icarai beach (Praia de Icarai). I arrived on a Sunday morning so the beach was packed with spectators for volleyball and soccer matches as well as people spending their weekend relaxing with coconut water and playing footvolley (footvolley is a Brazilian sport founded on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana beach. Footvolley combines ...Mon, 05 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000http://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=sports/brazil/andrew-shafik/Carehttp://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=care/brazil/andrew-shafik/ I can remember arriving in Brazil as if it was yesterday. At the airport, I was met by the friendly face of Deborah (Director or Projects Abroad in Brazil) we traveled by car to my host family in Icarai-Niteroi. I spent the car journey fascinated at the scenery outside my window excited about my 2 months ahead. After approximately 30 minutes, Deborah informed me that I had arrived at my destination. I couldn’t believe it; my home for the next 2 months was on the Icarai beach (Praia de Icarai). I arrived on a Sunday morning so the beach was packed with spectators for volleyball and soccer matches as well as people spending their weekend relaxing with coconut water and playing footvolley (footvolley is a Brazilian sport founded on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana beach. Footvolley combines ...Mon, 05 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000http://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=care/brazil/andrew-shafik/Teachinghttp://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=teaching/fiji/anna-harris/In September 2011 I made a big decision to pack up my suitcase and head to the other side of the world. With no idea what to expect and having never traveled alone I was nervous and excited about what I had signed up for. I left London on the 1st September and after 27 long hours of traveling, I arrived in Fiji. I was met by a few other volunteers that had arrived at the same time. My Fijian Family – Chef Shailini I remember being in the car on the way to my host family wondering if I had made a big mistake, when I arrived at my new home I was met by Shailini (my host mum) who after 10 minutes put my worries at ease. I have to say Shailini, Kartic (Fijian host brother) and Katrin (volunteer host sister) were one of my highlights of Fiji. Shailini was very relaxed which helped me to feel ...Mon, 05 Mar 2012 00:00:00 +0000http://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=teaching/fiji/anna-harris/Culture & Communityhttp://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=culture-and-community/music/bolivia/lauren-brant/ I´m sipping a coffee in a quiet cafe near Cochabamba´s Plaza 24 de Septiembre. The catchy melody of "¡Vive mi Patria Bolivia!" drifts through the window from a busking accordionist and under a palm tree an office worker is having his shoes polished. I´m almost at the end of a three month career break during which I have traveled in Peru and Bolivia, taught music in Cochabamba (Bolivia) and explored the enchanting sounds and rhythms of Andean music. In my "real world" I am a recorder teacher, recorder player and BBC music researcher in the UK. Although my work in London is very rewarding, a year ago I found myself longing for a new challenge and an opportunity to broaden my musical knowledge. Thanks to sympathetic employers, I was able to start planning an exciting journey during ...Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000http://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=culture-and-community/music/bolivia/lauren-brant/Teachinghttp://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=teaching/sri-lanka/vanessa-strudwick/There’s a big smile on my face. I’ve got the last seat on the Colombo bound air-conditioned bus. The blood-red sun hangs low in the sky and I’m getting lost in the mesmerizing bangra beats as we race down the Galle Road, overtaking everything in our path. It’s late Sunday afternoon and I’m heading back “home” to sleepy Balapitiya on the west coast of Sri Lanka. I’m refreshed and ready for another week of teaching English after two days in a hammock! My Teaching placement As the first volunteer on a new project at the Anula Wijerama Girls Home, I’ve been asked to get everyone speaking and writing more English. Keeping things interesting for 35 children aged five to seventeen is challenging, and already I’m fast learning that the best approach is to combine pure English ...Tue, 28 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000http://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=teaching/sri-lanka/vanessa-strudwick/Teachinghttp://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=teaching/china/amy-birch/ China – a country I knew little about but which has left a huge impression. I had never considered it as a possibility for my volunteer experience until an open day last year, which convinced me this was the place I needed to go to - and it was! I now cannot wait to go back. First impressions in China I spent just over two months teaching English and art in an elementary school on the outskirts of the amazing city of Shanghai. I lived with other volunteers in an apartment close to the center of the city. That first view from the apartment window was a real ‘wow’ moment. Life stood still as I took in the incredible diversity of the skyline of the city that was awaiting me. My Teaching placement The school was a couple of bus rides away and this journey gave me the ...Tue, 28 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000http://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=teaching/china/amy-birch/Sportshttp://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=sports/ghana/alice-llelliott/ As a 17 year old female from England, I had a stereotypical view which many others of my generation have of Africa but after spending a month in Cape Coast, Ghana, my perception of the country had completely changed. My journey started when I boarded my flight from London Heathrow airport on July 25th, 2011. I arrived at Accra airport at 5am and was struck by the heat and humidity. Stepping outside the airport was a huge culture shock for me, being presented with open sewers, partly demolished buildings and an environment that was completely different to that of my bustling town life back in England. My first Ghanaian experience was traveling for 3 and half hours across Ghana in what is known as a tro-tro (slightly different to the Arriva bus services). This was a minibus that traveled ...Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000http://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=sports/ghana/alice-llelliott/2 Week Specialshttp://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=2-week-specials/care-and-community-in-ethiopia/ethiopia/jessica-dougherty/ I was very lucky to undertake a voluntary project abroad in the country of my choice. After a lot of hard work and dedication, it was hard to believe seven other girls and I were finally on our way to Ethiopia to spend two weeks working at Kidane Mehret Children’s Home, an orphanage with many adorable and lovable children of various ages! I was extremely nervous whilst we were on the plane as I didn’t know what to expect or how to react. We arrived in Ethiopia at 4:30am on Friday 15th July so there weren’t many people to be seen! On our way to the orphanage where we would be staying we were shocked as we saw people lying on the streets, wrapped up and sleeping. This atmosphere was absolutely breathtaking as everything was completely different; the smells, noises, dogs barking everywhere ...Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000http://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=2-week-specials/care-and-community-in-ethiopia/ethiopia/jessica-dougherty/Medicine & Healthcarehttp://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=medicine-and-healthcare/medicine/peru/jessica-hilder/ Last spring I made the decision to spend August in Peru doing a Medical project with Projects Abroad, and it has been one of the most difficult and wonderful experiences of my life. Being close to graduation from university, I was looking for an internship that would combine my love for traveling and experiencing new cultures with the experience I needed in order to decide if I wanted to pursue a career in healthcare. I found the website for Projects Abroad and the project seemed to offer everything I wanted and was very well recommended. I chose the placement in Peru so that I could improve my Spanish language skills. My journey to Peru As the time approached for my departure I grew more nervous and less sure of my decision. I remember waiting in the Los Angeles Airport between ...Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:00:00 +0000http://www.projects-abroad.com.au/more-info/volunteer-stories/?content=medicine-and-healthcare/medicine/peru/jessica-hilder/