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!

The expedition base is incredible, set back from the beach, miles from civilisation with a wealth of wildlife, not just on the doorstep, but in the dorms! The environment just got better as we adjusted to the temperature, early starts, cold showers, spiders and snakes.

I was pretty relaxed for 10 weeks, so I am pretty sure I extended my life span by about 10 years! As I have never done any conservation work before I learnt a massive amount about survey techniques, birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians. I also gained a level of fitness, which is going to be super hard to retain.

Nothing can beat the jaguar encounters. I was well aware that we were very unlikely to see a jaguar. I saw FOUR. Dave and I were on the early morning nest check; we saw jaguar prints on the sand. I told Dave they were pretty fresh prints, maybe a half hour ahead of us. He was less optimistic. In between checking the nests we followed the prints, joking about seeing a jag. All of a sudden Dave was signalling for me to look left. There, almost under my feet, was a jag, sat with it’s back to us. As we tried to find cameras another jag peered out of the vegetation and winked at his friend before moving off. Then the first jag glanced over his shoulder, calmly stood and wandered off as well. It was amazing.

Overall, my experience in the Seychelles was amazing. Of course there were some rough times but that happens in life and it’s important to learn to overcome challenges. My first two weeks were the hardest; I got sick prior to arriving in the Seychelles and spent all my time on Curieuse studying the fish species with the help of flashcards. It was challenging but I decided that since I was in one of the most beautiful countries in the world I wasn’t going to let it get me down too much. Before I knew it, I was able to dive and I can say that it was worth the wait. I’m a huge turtle fan and I was so excited to see a hawksbill sea turtle on my very first dive.

Due to the circumstances at the time, I was able to stay on both GVI bases in the Seychelles. They are both very basic and rudimentary but that adds to the whole experience! I really enjoyed the whole program, it was a chance for me to get away from my busy city life and meet people who appreciate and have the same values as I do. The members of the staff were extremely supportive and the rest of the volunteers were friendly and overall awesome people.

I've recently returned from the Yasawas, in Fiji, where I worked for 4 weeks in the GVI rainwater harvesting system construction project. Collecting fresh water is a priority there and GVI, in partnership with the Yasawa Trust Foundation, is already making a strong impact in people's everyday life. Nevertheless, this project is conceived in a holistic way, reflecting the conviction that development is a complex process and investing in education is always the best asset to preserve all kinds of material achievements. Therefore, I also had the opportunity to work at school and school related activities, as well as on the alternative gardens projects.

This all relates to my previous experience with GVI, in Latin America (Guatemala, Peru, Ecuador and twice in Nicaragua) where I worked for the Phoenix projects teaching at both GVI and state-run schools. Although these are mainly education projects, other activities make up a larger approach to community development , such as food security, intergeneration solidarity or environment sustainability.

All in all, I can say that my resolve to stay with GVI is due to its ability to constitute as a force for change in the world and a means for people to come together and contribute to that very goal.