I have just got home from 4 amazing weeks in South Africa where I was doing the Volunteer in an Orphanage in Cape Town, South Africa programme, based in Fish Hoek. It was the most incredible experience I have ever had and if I could fly back I would do so in a heartbeat. I was allocated to the ‘Rainbow Centre’, which is an Edu-care centre run by a member of the community who has given up her time and home in order to provide a safe environment to care for and educate a large number of children in the Township. The time spent at Rainbow would include the very important and sometimes challenging task of feeding the babies and toddlers at breakfast and lunch, as well as planning and delivering lessons for the older kids based on topics chosen by Cornelia, singing, dancing and playing with the children. I also spent the afternoons at a Safe House, assisting 4 girls with their homework, as well as baking, playing games and generally having an amazing time with them! The ‘house mother’, Rachel, was the most amazing, incredible, loving and most selfless person I have ever had the pleasure of meeting, and I know that through her upbringing, and the help of GVI and volunteers like myself, those girls will grow up to be extremely clever, talented and lovely young women. GVI has opened my eyes to a whole new world and I feel honoured to have been a part of the GVI experience. I will definitely be returning in the future.

I spent a total of four weeks volunteering on two separate projects in Kenya; two weeks in Shimoni doing wildlife surveys followed by two weeks teaching primary school in Mombasa. It was a truly memorable experience, allowing me to see a totally different world while at the same time providing me with the opportunity to make a small but valuable contribution.

Working daily in the Shimoni forest for two weeks was incredible; a must for lovers of nature and the great outdoors. I can say without a doubt that the work GVI is doing in Shimoni - in partnership with the local organisations - is truly important for the preservation of the forests unique biodiversity. The residents of Shimoni are also unfailingly kind and friendly, making for a great place to spend a couple of weeks.

Teaching at Olive's and Precious in Mombasa offered similarly unique and enjoyable experiences. Managing a huge class (45!) of 12 year-olds was certainly a challenge - even for two teachers - but the students were genuinely interested in learning and lots of fun. Again, the contribution being made by GVI to both the facilities and the curriculum at these schools cannot be overstated.

All-in-all it was an awesome experience; and I can't wait to do it all again!

I arrived in Kenya excited and anxious about the 10 weeks ahead of me, and it ended up being the most rewarding 10 weeks of my life. Participating in community development work and conservation was a great way to see an amazing part of Kenya.  I feel like I gained so much from my time with GVI, I went to Kenya looking for something different and found it and I am now looking at jobs in international aid work and working with GVI inspired me to do this.

The communities that I lived with during the expo were so welcoming and by the end of the trip they felt like family. If anyone is looking to travel and immerse themselves in something different I would strongly recommend going with GVI. Teaching in the schools was so rewarding, I got to Kenya thinking I would never be able to stand up in front of a class of 30 kids and teach them English but the GVI staff gave me tools and the knowledge to be able to and by the end it all I wanted to do was get into a class room.

A highlight of the trip was the week we spent at Satellite Camp in Kasasni where we slept on the floor of a hut with no roof, but every morning we would wake up to a view of Mount Kilimanjaro . We were teaching ex-poachers alternative livelihoods and I had never met a bunch people so happy. The week was amazing and stargazing was one in lifetime.

My 8 weeks in Peru, was one of the most amazing 8 weeks of my life, and I would not have missed it for the world I enjoyed it so much I wanted to stay for an extra 2 weeks. The staff there are amazing and help you throughout your stay in Peru. The community you work in really brings it home as to how lucky we are and how much we take for granted.  One thing that shall stick in my mind for the rest of my life will be the kids, who would often sprint down the stairs to greet us (even if I was called Profe Mal for a little while) although this soon stopped as they realised they had to walk or be carried back up the 98 steps leading  to the school. In hindsight my first impression of the project and the school was that I would never cope, teaching in a new language would be classed impossible by many of my old school teachers but with the help of the staff and the amazing Spanish teachers it was made possible. My overall impression of the project is that the work they undergo is really beneficial for the community and the children and really shows how hard the project managers, the volunteers and the interns work in bringing an education to the children within the community. 

Arriving at Huay Pakoot , the remote Karen hilltribe village that was to be home for me for one week in January 2011, was so exciting. Set amongst breathtaking mountainous landscape, the village is so quaint and picturesque, with wooden houses built on stilts – to keep out the buffalo, pigs and chickens that roam the streets! The basic facilities took us back to a simple life, everything was clean and comfortable and we soon came to really enjoy our bucket showers – best taken in the heat of the afternoon!

Our first encounter with the elephants was magical. We had so much hands-on time in the field feeding, observing, collecting data and even measuring them! To watch their interaction and witness their amazing bonds with the mahouts was really special. My elephant was Thong Dee, the oldest and largest of the five and she was beautiful - a face full of such character that told many stories of her hard life before the project. The two infants were so playful, it was hilarious to watch their cheeky antics wandering through the forests. Knowing we were contributing, even in a small way, towards improving the lives of these amazing creatures was so satisfying.

I highly recommend GVI, it’s such an ethical, compassionate, professional organisation and I knew I was in good hands from my initial enquiry. GVI’s staff are very passionate and that is infectious. The Thailand Elephant Project was so well run and I loved contributing to such an important cause.