Projects Abroad www.projects-abroad.co.uk

I participated on the Fiji Shark Conservation project in October and November for 5 weeks and had an absolutely amazing time!

I was recommended by a friend who had completed the project 6 months prior and he wouldn't stop raving about how much he enjoyed it and I completely understand why.

The experience of diving with sharks is surreal and I learned all my PADI qualifications on this project, introducing me to a completely new world. The thrill of knowing you are actively helping such beautiful animals is great.

Best volunteer work I have ever done. The staff helped make it incredibly enjoyable, the accommodation and food where brilliant. The people who I worked with on the project where also great fun and I have made friends for life with most of them!

Projects abroad are a very simple way of sorting out a travelling experience of a lifetime (at what's maybe a slightly higher cost). Especially for the Fiji Shark project however which I believe is the only one of its kind its well worth the money!!

I had a great time working on Projects Abroad's Music Production course in Cape Town, South Africa. The Projects Abroad staff were really friendly and made it easy for me to settle in when I arrived, whilst my host family were really welcoming, and I had the best time staying there!

After my induction day, I started work at my project and I'm still wondering where the time went; I should have stayed for longer! The set up at the music studio is amazing, and the guys there are really friendly. I definitely recommend it to anyone thinking about getting a head start in the music industry. I managed to get involved with a lot of things (from social media marketing, artist discovery and music production to even organising a vinyl release of one of the artist's EPs.)

Away from my project, the Projects Abroad staff organised weekly socials, which was a great opportunity to meet new people. My favourite socials were sunset on Lion's head and a bike ride around Sea Point followed by dinner at the Mojo Market! It's also great living with other volunteers, as I was able to explore Cape Town at weekends with them and my housemates. Whilst I was in Cape Town I went to the winelands (more than once!), climbed Table Mountain twice and went to watch Western Province (rugby) play in the Currie Cup semi-final, among many other things! Cape Town is amazing and there's so much to see and do!

Overall I had a great time and definitely suggest anyone thinking of doing a course here with Projects Abroad should absolutely do so! :)

The public health project, by Projects-Abroad was very rewarding. A typical day would involve a stock check, cleaning childrens' ears, cutting nails and teaching hygiene lessons at a school in the morning,then taking blood pressure/glucose and giving medication to adults in the afternoon. I loved the hands on approach (taught how to do everything during an induction) and being able to teach prevention rather than just treating them. At times it was difficult due to communication barriers and there only being 1 supervisor there to talk to patients. I loved being given a small allowance to spend on them - I chose toothbrushes/toothpaste, pencils and books. A little money can buy a lot there.

I stayed in a volunteer house, sharing a room with another volunteer. Although not a luxury room, it had everything you needed. The humid heat took getting used to but rooms were air conditioned. There were a couple events a week to get to know other volunteers and we ate together. There was a lovely cook and you could request more/less of specific food - noodles/rice with beef/chicken was common. Staff regularly checked on us and we had many numbers to contact in case of a problem.

Cambodia has lots of public holidays, but this meant more time to have weekend trips away to explore the country. I learnt some Khmer, made friends around the globe and helped improve the health of many.

As you enter the arrivals lounge at Colombo airport, the first things you notice are the noises in the city and the intense heat and humidity. I immediately asked myself why I'd had brought so many jumpers and pairs of jeans. I never thought I would see sweat marks on the knees of my jeans by 10 am each day and a t-shirt that looked as if I'd just pulled it out of the washing machine.

Teaching in Sri Lanka is an amazing experience. The children are delightful and you're constantly greeted with high fives, random questions and even autograph sessions. The Actual classroom experiences could be difficult and I was sometimes left on my own, trying to deliver lessons with a very excitable group. I would advise people to get support from the teachers and learn some Sinhalese!!

I like the fact that Projects Abroad create a family atmosphere amongst the staff and the other volunteers. We were a tightly knit group and we often went on a lot of weekend excursions. Sri Lanka is a wonderful country, but you have to be prepared for some very long journeys, regardless of the mode of transport.

My host family was excellent and I ate a lot of Sri Lankan food. I didn't quite get used to eating with my hand, but maybe next time! I would really recommend the Projects Abroad package to people of all ages. I'm an older volunteer, but always felt included and welcomed by all of the staff and volunteers.

Like many people I wanted to go travelling, but give something back at the same time and be more involved and understand the country I wanted to vista and explore, which was were Project Abroad gave me this opportunity. I had looked up alot of other companies offering similar trips and found them to be no where near as detailed in how their operation worked, and after reading the PA web site, and watching many of it's videos filmed by normal people like me, I was sold.

They assisted me over the phone before I chose to sign up for the project, and pay any money, and offered me feedback from other volunteers, which again was independent, and helped me feel confident in their organisation, so I signed up for 4 weeks in Nepal for the Building project, and also a further 3 weeks in the Himalayas in Nepal for the Conservation Project.

The building Project is very hard work, so dont be thinking this is a walk in the park. I was fortunate to work for just under 2 weeks finishing a school build, and then for just over 2 weeks starting a new project from scratch, so I saw both ends of the spectrum. It's hot, and sweaty, tiring work, but the host family I lived with were amazing. The food was different, but very nice as you'd expect, and the room was enough to get by, whilst sharing with a group of other guys, at the busiest time there were 10 of us with there family of 4 in the large house, so it felt like a big family.

Social Events were held each Friday in Thamle, where you met other volunteers, and had some time out to explore the town, and generally get a few for Kathmandu, and outside of the working hours once home in the evenings, albeit you were tired, were free time for relax.

PA organise everything for you, from collection at the airport to getting to and from work, it's part of what you are paying for and hence why I will loo to do more work with them in the future.

I had a wonderful time during my Two Week Senior Special in Nepal with Projects Abroad. Planning was made easy for me by the staff and they were quick to answer any questions I had about the project and the travel. Once I arrived, I was made to feel very safe and comfortable by the local Nepal Projects Abroad staff members.

Our working hours were very well managed and organized. We were placed in a local school and enjoyed both helping to refurbish the buildings and also getting to know the children through conversation and play. The school and the children were very welcoming and really seemed to enjoy us being there.

Our off-duty time was, again, well managed with a lot of sightseeing, local events and dining on traditional food. We saw many temples in and around Kathmandu, as well as a trip to the Edu Farm and the city of Pokhara to visit the temples and lake.

Accommodation at the Little Nepal Inn was basic but very comfortable, and the staff there could not have been friendlier. They spoiled us with traditional food and many many smiles.

While in Nepal, I did and saw things that I might not have if I went as a regular tourist. I enjoyed meeting the people of Nepal and really getting dug into the community. I am definately planning a new adventure with Projects Abroad for 2019!

I was in Nepal for 4 weeks with Projects Abroad and spent 2 weeks doing the general care project at MSPN New Life Centre and 1 week doing the building project at Nava Suryodaya English Secondary School. The Projects Abroad staff were enormously helpful throughout the planning of my project and during the whole of my time in Nepal, even during the week I spent travelling alone.

The general care project was a little disappointing due to the fact it was difficult to plan activities for the children because they were at the centre to heal from illness and so were given their own freedom to entertain themselves as they wished. However, other volunteers at different care projects seemed to have more opportunity to be more active in their role. I would most likely do the teaching project, if I were to repeat the project, due to it appearing to be more structured and effective.

The building project was very active and we always had some work to start or finish. It was also easy to see the building work progress which made my short week very fulfilling.

My favourite part of the project was meeting other volunteers also staying and volunteering in Kathmandu at the weekly Friday Socials, which always included a fun activity before dinner at a local bar.

I had a brilliant 4 weeks in Cape Town as an intern at Nash Records, a record label and recording studio. I have just graduated from university and it was an amazing experience before heading out into the real world!

My host family was so kind and welcoming, I loved being at home and spending time with my host mum and my roommates. The accommodation was really comfortable and the food incredible! When I wasn't at home I was out exploring all the sights Cape Town has to offer: hiking up Lion's Head and Table Mountain, seeing penguins and seals on the South Peninsula Tour, visiting Kirstenbosch Botanic Gardens, going on safari and eating at lovely restaurants with other volunteers. Karaoke at The Brass Bell each week was also a highlight!

My project was great, I learned lots about the music industry that I am putting into practise now I am back in the UK. The team at the studio were really friendly and fun, and I made friends for life. Thank you Projects Abroad, I know I will come back to Cape Town!

Our biggest worry going into the trip was safety. Of course, Nepal is a developing country, and I was scared of adapting well despite the friendly and charming faces I'd soon recognise as a second family. In my opinion, ProjectsAbroad high school special takes safety to the highest level. The co-orodinator never leaves your sight, and by the end of the trip almost becomes a second mom. The company picked a comfortable, basic hotel, well beyond expectation size wise. The airport pickup and description was very accurate.

Volunteering on a building project with other teenagers was an enriching experience. It was clear that, by the end of the trip, all of us had matured in more than one way. We had learnt how to live in a developing country, how to manage ourselves with a newfound independence and the importance of charity and aid in third world countries. It also highlighted the bottom-up approach, and taking a hands on approach to volunteer work. I would recommend the trip to anyone.

I heard about Projects Abroad from a school career fair so I knew that the company was legitimate. I was kept very informed and up to date about everything in the lead up to my project and being assigned a volunteer advisor allows you to ask questions and you receive answers to your queries within just a few days which was very helpful.

Projects Abroad organised all of my travel for me and arranged my pick up in the airport for me and transport to where I would be doing my project which was great. I would definitely recommend using Projects Abroad as my family and I were very satisfied with their service and I felt very safe in their care.