Global Crossroad

This is my first time going to Bali and doing overseas volunteer work. I always wanted to do so, but I cannot find an affordable one.

For sea turtle program, I am so lucky to see 2 turtle mothers laid their eggs! The person who is responsible for the turtle centre (Agung) is truly enjoy taking care of the turtle and love them. I can feel his passion and I did enjoy the whole week there! I didn’t expect a sea turtle can lag that many eggs and there are thousands of eggs waiting to hatched in the centre! The tourists love the idea of nurturing the baby turtles and release them. They really appreciate what the organisation did. I enjoyed to introduce them the sea turtle information too.

Komang is very supportive and he kept checking with me to see if I have any issue (so caring!). He helped to arrange driver to pick me up from the airport (again I am so impressed about it, I thought I need to go to the accommodation myself). The driver was very friendly and took me to a local restaurant (which is very tasty!). Komang has arranged a hotel for accommodation, I loveeeee the staff there, the meals are good too! They are very friendly and I like them!
The working hours are flexible and you can go to have other tours if you want to. Just tell Komang and Agung is fine.

Me and my friend spent 3 wonderful weeks teaching children (age 6-12) in a primary school in Bali, Kuta. During the process of our online applications everything went smoothly, we were given all the help and support that we needed. The in-country coordinator Komang was more than just a support for us, he took us to a traditional Balinese wedding, showed us the most beautiful authentic parts of Bali and was there whenever we needed him. He was also really flexible and helpful when we wanted to change our accommodation or had any other questions.
About the teaching experience: We could choose in between two sites, Karangasem or Kuta. We chose Kuta and the school and teachers there are wonderful. They had one English teacher (Miss Surya) and we got the chance to teach alongside with her and help these wonderful, respectful and energetic children learning English. However, if you are seeking to have an authentic Balinese environment please do not go to Kuta, Karangasem is a much better option with the beautiful Mount Agung on one side and the sea on the other. I can 100 % recommend this program for anyone even if you haven't done any teachings yet.

My time volunteering in Bali was split between volunteering at a sea turtle conservation center and teaching English in a small village in east Bali. Volunteering and living in Bali is completely different from going on holiday in Bali. The Bali you see on social media filled with white sand beaches, vegan food, smiling white people, and luxury resorts is actually not the Bali that locals live in obviously. There's so much depth to the culture here and until you fully embrace it, you will not learn to appreciate all this amazing island has to offer. I love working with animals and working with the sea turtles at the conservation center was out of this world. We even got to see a mother turtle laying her eggs in the middle of the night several times and it was so incredible to see "nature" in action. Teaching in Karangasem changed everything I thought I knew about Bali. The students were lovely and loved having a foreigner in their classroom. I enjoyed it very much. I have taught English many times and in many different countries but I have to say teaching here in Bali was an experience of a lifetime - the teachers were incredible welcoming and gracious towards me and constantly invited me to see the village with them. My direct host made the experience happen smoothly and was there whenever I had any question - big or small. Would recommend this program to a well seasoned traveler and someone really able to get out of their comfort zone.

My wife and I spent eight weeks teaching English at the monastery. We both have teaching experience in the United States so we were able to apply a lot of what we know to the classroom here in Nepal. It was very rewarding to see the children learn English and become more comfortable speaking and writing in English as well.

The in country support staff were helpful and able to address our needs and request when needed. They were flexible when we had some concerns about housing accommodations and were able to respond to our needs In a satisfactory manner.

We ended up staying at the Volunteer house in Kathmandu and had a great experience being able to meet the other volunteers coming in and out when starting and ending their programs. We also enjoyed the family we stayed with and the food was always good.

The monastery does not have a set curriculum for teaching English so I would recommend to anyone coming into this program to do some research in teaching English and come prepared to teach a wide variety of skill levels in order to have the biggest impact on the kids.

Several events in my personal life inspired my desire to volunteer. I searched online and several countries and organizations were in my mind and favorites. After I contacted several of them, I liked the communication, price and the conditions offered by Global Crossroad. I choose Sri Lanka because I have never been to that country and it looked really interesting and entertaining from the several photos, videos and documentaries I saw online. I applied through their online form and I was soon contacted. Everything was arranged quickly and my program started only after 2 weeks after I applied. I loved that!

I applied for the project offer for English teaching programs in Galle. I didn’t expect much from this city, although it is a major city in Sri Lanka, situated on the southwestern tip, 119 km from Colombo. Galle is the administrative capital of Southern Province, Sri Lanka and is the district capital of Galle District. I arrived to this town with a bus and had the chance to enjoy many Sri Lanka landscapes.

My foster family was very welcoming and the stay was accommodating. I had my own room, bathroom and everything I need for reasonable stay. The project I applied and participated in was English teaching program. I worked with youths aged 2 and 6. My group were mostly boy and girls aged 4-5, but there were also little ones aged 2 and little older around 6.

The kids were incredible to me. I guess they are learned to respect authority and were eager to learn. Even though they had experienced some horrible life circumstances they were positive and wanted to learn. I really felt like a worthwhile and wonderful experience. Also I want to emphasize that the children are so full of warmth, so dynamic, and so loving! I felt a really strong connection to them and looked forward each day to seeing them again. Normally I’ve spend few hours in the school which was not that far away from the house. These kids filled me with positive energy. At the end it was sad saying goodbye to them. I hope I improved their learning speaking and writing skills.

Regarding the time I spent off, in the afternoon I usually explored the town and the Sri Lankan life and traditions. I want to thank my host family for helping me adjust and learn so much about their culture and traditions. The place was really friendly, interesting and safe. They were always warm and eager to talk about their life, their ideas, experiences and wanted to know a lot about my city and country.

I want to thank Global Crossroad for enabling me this amazing volunteering in Sri Lanka. At the end of the day, it was indeed a life changing experience. Something I truly needed at this point in my life. Thank you for enabling me this safe, risk free and highly enjoyable volunteering experience.

I completed a two week medical volunteer program via global crossroads. It was a really great experience as I did not know what to expect.

The global crossroads team before my trip were always readily available to contact and provided all the information required. The placement itself at THK was really interesting and I learnt a lot about completely different health care system in a different part of the world. It was definitely a more observatory role, but during the ward rounds the team would engage and teach along the way.

My homestay with Michael was fantastic - he was always readily contactable and ensured we were as comfortable as we could be (despite the heat!), the rooms and bathroom are clean and the daily meals were great - especially the rice and curry for lunch! It really added to the whole program and I would recommend staying here as it provides you with a more genuine experience as well as having someone there that is able to assist you with transport/bookings etc.

Since watching “The Beach” back in my childhood I always wanted to visit Thailand. I was close to visit it once, but it didn’t happen. After I look into opportunities to go internship abroad, Thailand was always my number 1 priority. I chose the Internship program in Thailand offered by Global Crossroad because of two reasons. The first one is that one of my best friends have had great experience with their program for Sri Lanka. Second of all I loved the program and the affordable price. I applied online, but first I had great chat with one of their customer representatives. I choose the medical and healthcare internship because I want to pursue a career in medicine.

Long story short, I was instantly welcomed warmly by my host family. I was located and accommodated in Surin, North East of Thailand. I was picked up at the right time and accommodated accordingly..

My role in the internship project was to help the unfortunate and needy people who are deprived of general medical assistance. I’ve worked for the local hospitals, rural community clinics and child care centers. It was truly an amazing experience from which I learned a lot about medicine and about life in general.

As an intern I’ve worked for 4 days a week starting from 8am to 4 pm. I was picked up and dropped at the right time. I always worked under the supervision of local doctors and surgeons. Some of the duties I di was measuring temperature, weight, height and pressure. I’ve also provided first aid treatments, did regular rounds and normal checkups, diagnose and prescribe medicines. I was also asked to help the hospital with the administrative affairs and documentation.

I think that I have learned a lot of valuable things that will help in my career in medicine. Especially, the thing that touched me was working with patients from rural communities.

There is time for leisure as well. We spend a lot of chill-out times at the tropical beaches in the evenings. The night life in Thailand is amazing. The local staff was very welcoming and helped us to find the best sightseeing and recreational activities. I was pretty informed on the local activities and which places to visit.

I usually traveled in the weekends to Bangkok and Phuket. I visited the famous beach of the movie. I also rode elephants, it was crazy fun. I also visited Ayutthaya. There are many places to visit in this lovely city: the ruins of the old city now form the Ayutthaya Historical Park, an archaeological site that contains palaces, Buddhist temples, monasteries.. Everything looks authentic and purely represents Thai culture.

Overall, the organization of the whole internship program was flawless. I was never over-charged and everything went smooth and as desired. I’ve seen a lot of great stuff and learned and experienced a lot of new things.

Definitely worth every cent and I was really sad when leaving. I had wonderful time! Highly recommended internship program! Thailand is ASTONISHING!

Last Summer I spend three weeks in Indonesia at Bali Kindergarten. This volunteering experience really made me feel that I was needed. During the program I was wishing I could spend a whole year with these children. Global Crossroad I can say is a company committed to providing volunteers a quality service. Pre-departure process was very smooth due to the staffs in USA. The Ground Coordinator was also always available to answer all my questions. The accommodation at the hostel was primitive. Everything was well organized right from the start. The food was good and was always on time. I was really impressed to see the classroom with many smiling children. The owner of the Kindergarten expressed his sincere thanks to Global Crossroad for their immense help over the years. This made me very happy because I knew I was also a part of the good work. After having traveled with other companies I can confidently say that Global Crossroad gives you your money's worth. I will strongly recommend this company to all the Philanthropists we would want to make this world a better place. This is the only way to ensure that your money gets to the people who deserve it. I have already told my mother of my experience and we have agreed to visit Bali once again and we will definitely do this again through Global Crossroad.

The family was awesome! They made us feel like if we were at home, always caring about our well being and available for anything we needed. The food was really good, the location was very convenient in order to move around and go to Delhi and other places. We think this family has been very concerned about our security and so committed to us.

About the Hands on medical program, it was a 100% what we were expecting as we felt really useful and learnt a lot. The Doctor was very committed, and kind with us. He also helped us getting our tickets to go to Agra even though it was not his role inside the company.

Speaking of our country coordinator, his job was done by the family’s daughter, Sarita, who was quite helpful. Overall, our experience has been amazing and has helped us improve our medical career; we would definitely recommend it to another person. There were only three of us. Probably, next time we will come in a bigger group.

Hello everyone !

My program was about teaching english for 2 weeks in a school in Faridabad, a smaller city near Delhi.

It was such a touching and eye-opening experience for me. Everyone was so kind to me and they really appreciated my help. Communicating with the teachers was a bit difficult a first as they don't know english at all though. However, there are other ways than word to communicate and we eventually got through that difficulty.
My host family was living at 5 min on foot away form the school which was very convenient. Delhi was around 1h15 min by tuk tuk + subway which is fine as I didn't plan on spending all my afternoon visiting or doing shopping there. As for the host family, they were very nice and caring to me. They never ate with me but overall, I had a great time at their place. They gave me a lot of food, and each time it was homemade and Indian meals.

Global crossroad has been overall helpful before and through the program. I especially got a lot of relevant information beforehand. However, they were less present once the program has already started but,as everything went smoothly, it wasn't such a big problem for me.
To conclude, it was a good experience and I would redo it for sure.

My time volunteering at Millenium Elephant Foundation was absolutely incredible. I spent two weeks at the foundation, helping to wash, feed, and care for the elephants in a very personal way. We also helped clean their night beds so they were comfortable for the elephants as well as work on active projects around the foundation. I was also able to spend time with the other volunteers from all over the world, the amazing coordinators, the mahouts, and of course the volunteer village dogs. In addition, Michael and the Global Crossroads team made sure my trip and experience ran very smoothly by making sure to let me know I could contact them at any time. My experience was truly unforgettable and I highly recommend this volunteer program to anyone who has a heart for elephants and their wellbeing. Take every advantage to spend time with the elephants and be willing to get a bit dirty. Also, see the rest of the country if you can. Sri Lanka is a beautiful country with very nice people, there is so much to do and experience!

I volunteered at a medical clinic for 2 weeks in Quepos, Costa Rica. The staff at the medical clinic were very welcoming and always looked for opportunities to teach me. Most of the staff spoke English, which was very helpful as I only knew basic Spanish. Although it would be helpful to know more Spanish so you can understand more when patients who speak Spanish come in. During this program I stayed with a host family, who were absolutely wonderful. They loved helping me learn Spanish and showing me new foods. I would have liked if more information was given about the medical clinic and program before I came as well as a more detailed orientation. I was dropped off the first day and did not know what the regular day-to-day would look like there.

I enjoyed the program very much, and the staff here has been very accommodating and helpful. Additionally, I learned a lot about the Argentinean health system and functions. Spanish lessons were great. The hospital was a bit difficult in the beginning because we could not understand a lot. I improved a lot over the 4 weeks of my stay. I really loved the host mom. She was so sweet and kind! Everything was greatly arranged and if you had any problems you could always talk to the members from Global Crossroad. They are doing a wonderful job

The program I participated in was in the group of favelas called Complexo do Alemão. I was teaching English to two community leaders. My volunteer partners worked on the community garden for Abraço Campeão, the non-profit organization helping youth to learn boxing as an educational and personal development tool. The program was very well organized and there was nice interaction between volunteers and people from the youth center. It was incredible to see how much work could be done in a short time! Both leaders I interacted with were very motivated to learn English and were very pleasant in our interaction. I learned a lot about their work and about the Complexo do Alemão community. I will follow on Facebook their website to see their development in the future and tell others I know about their work.

For three weeks I, a recently retired high school teacher and my husband, a recently retired IT engineer (my classroom assistant) taught English to several grades in a poor indigenous school in Quito. VERY FULFILLING. Friendly (albeit occasionally undisciplined) kids, appreciative staff, super helpful in-country support person. Celebrating spring equinox a highlight. Brought many teaching supplies and helped with English pronunciation. Very friendly homestay with generous hosts, comfortable lodgings and terrific food. Explored Quito's ethnographic museums, amazing cathedrals and lively city squares. Drove to the equator, volcanoes and cloud forest. Treated ourselves to The Galapagos at the end. Ecuador is beautiful and Quito is magnificent.

Being a young guy who delights in serving other- this opportunity of volunteering in Ecuador was a blessing. Doing it through Global Crossroad was incredible!!!

The experience started with the host. They were very kind and friendly people. They were always willing to help. They served me three meals a day with fresh fruits each time. Accommodation was also great with very clean room and a great ambient. I could have asked for no better host. We also had a quality time in the evening talking about our days and sharing laughs.

My volunteering experience with my 16 year old twins and their 17 year old friend was amazing. It exited our expectations. South Africa and its people are welcoming and working at the wildlife sanitary was an unforgettable experience. Global Crossroad and its country support staff were the best; always caring for us and making sure that everything was done as planned. I recommend the trip to anyone who loves wildlife and want to experience South Africa.

It was a magical place. Weather, people, animals were amazing. It is hard to explain in words one must come and see the beauty of SA and its wonderful animals. The conservation project was very helpful and I learned a lot while meeting new friends from all over the world.

I would very much like to come to South Africa sometime again in the future.

I would like to thank you and your organization for the planning and execution of my stay in Cape Town. The three weeks have been exceptional. This is one of the best ways to experience the lower ends of life and share compassion with those in need. This adventure was well balanced as it provides a chance to help those less fortunate as well as explore Cape Town as a tourist. This balance provides a great time. The staff at Global Crossroad were very helpful with everything except more guidance to what you must do with the children and the school will be helpful. In all honesty this experience has changed me and my perspective about the things that us privileged take for granted. I would recommend Global Crossroad to anyone willing to have a great working experience with children as well as a holiday. Thank you again for organizing this for me.

My family visited Kenya for first time with my older son volunteering in med clinic and rest of us at Orphanage. The host family Barnabas and his wife and kids were very warm and hospitable.
They make sure you feel at home and we ate together as families during stay. it helped us learn about kenya culture staying with them. Thank you Barnabas, his wife Mila, his son Joseph, daughter Dina. Thanks to driver Evans and Joshua who drove us to different places. There was National museum visit and snake park, giraffe feeding attraction, elephant orphanages that we visited during the stay also. There is masai market to buy handmade masai products for gifts back home. we also went to Bomas cultural heritage show for Africans, and it was good show. overall we saw a lot of attraction and did a lot of volunteering.

Our month teaching in Agape Mitaboni Academy, an impoverished rural school about two hours from Nairobi, was challenging, fulfilling and rewarding. We arrived with a suitcase (and more) of teaching materials, curriculum aids, sports equipment, stickers, educational posters, packages of pencil crayons, and even additional textbooks which we purchased in Nairobi, all of which were desperately needed and greatly appreciated. The needs are great: the school has pit latrines, inadequate blackboards, rough walls and (mostly) nonexistent window panes, and it lacks running water or refrigeration. In spite of all of that, the staff seem to genuinely care about their students and their instruction, the one (overworked) older cook manages to create two meals a day for 150 people over a smoky woodfire, the Administration is welcoming, and we were soon given the opportunity to focus on the Standard (or Grade) Sevens and Eights (as well as cover various other classes as the needs arose). What was amazing was the genuinely caring spirit which we observed among staff, students and parents; we didn't even see any evidence of bullying in the schoolyard. And the kids LOVED the volleyball net and balls which we were able to bring, thanks to British Airways' generous baggage allowance.

On our weekends, we took advantage of much that Nairobi and outskirts had to offer: the Railway Museum, Karen Blixen's home (of "Out of Africa" fame), the Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage (where we adopted a baby elephant), the Giraffe Centre, the Bomas Centre, Kenya's National Museum, AND, of course, a four-day safari conducted by our new Kenyan friend Jackson: we revelled in exploring the National Park, Maasai Mara, Lake Nakuru, and Lake Naivasha, where we saw four of the Big Five animals, to a total of more than FORTY species of animals and birds, many of which surprisingly up close.

It was a great experience for me in Ghana. Franklin and his family were very friendly and made me feel very comfortable. The nurses went out of their way to make sure that I had a fruitful learning experience about Ghana Healthcare system: * case study of malaria, typhoid, * using sphygmomanometer, * learning how to measure maturity of fetus stomach, * learning presentation of the fetus located the head, gender, cardiac activity, * using the programme to find gestational age from diameter of the head and femur length, etc. Furthermore, it was my unforgettable experience in Ghana with rich culture and cuisine. Thanks to Global Crossroad and their staffs for making my stay in Ghana very pleasant. I would highly recommend volunteering with Global Crossroad.

This experience will be forever engraved in our hearts. This is our first family volunteering experience and even though my kids are 3 and 5, they had a great time and I think the impact that they made with the kids of the orphanage and school was more important than adults. I hope more families do so as the benefit is wonderful on the whole family and the program .
The hosting family were very kind and helpful and my kids love going back home to play with them.
We helped at school by teaching French, fixing the volleyball field as well as the basketball field, we got them some new balls and played during free time. We helped the teachers with the midterm exams. And most importantly connected with some kids to inspire them for a better future.
I think it was a very successful trip :)
Looking forward to the next one.
Many thanks to you all

In March, 2018, my husband Greg and I -- both recently retired professionals, me a teacher -- had the amazing opportunity of teaching in a Mayan village about an hour outside of Xela, Guatemala. This was a super supportive school, with colourful classrooms, appreciative staff, friendly students, and an encouraging administration who actually asked us to present a Professional Education session to his staff on HOW to teach English as a Second Language (with games, songs, posters etc). We LOVED every day in the school. Our homestay was fine and the chicken bus rides a bit scary, but our Spanish classes were helpful, and our weekend tours of Guatemala were fabulous. On the whole, we highly recommend this volunteer adventure trip, and we gained real insights into Guatemalan life. We are already planning for Ecuador for 2019.

Having been to several service trips in the past, this was my first ever medical service trip I took part in with my physical therapy group, and I was not sure what to expect from this trip. It was a truly amazing experience working with the people of Xela, Guatemala, and I gained so much from this trip. Despite our language barriers, the patients expressed so much appreciation for our services, and it helped me rekindle my purpose of why I chose to pursue physical therapy. Guatemala is such a beautiful country, and I would love to go back someday!

I would highly recommend other physical therapy programs to take part in this program. It is a great way to get immersed in Latin American culture and beauty, and we really appreciated the staff for making our inaugural service trip possible!

I applied to volunteer with Global Crossroad in their Orphanage Program in Peru. I was very much intrigued by the program before applying. To be completely honest I was not disappointed at all.
The process of applying was smooth. Any questions were answered within 24 hours. There was no confusion.
I was picked up at the airport and taken to my accommodation. I stayed with the host family. They were very nice people. My placement was “Casa Residential - Orphanage”. The Orphanage provided a very safe and protective environment for the Mom and their babies. I was fully impressed by the management inside the Orphanage. My responsibilities included supporting staffs by giving tutorials, house maintenance, gardening, kitchen assistance, socializing with moms and so on. They also had a bakery project running which helped moms to generate income and learn business skills.
It was an overwhelming experience which I will never forget. The love and respect you get from them is astonishing.

My trip to Peru was a trip of a lifetime. It was such an unforgettable and rewarding experience! I had the privilege to meet some amazing people, not only in the project, also some volunteers and stuff.
The local team was very welcoming. They were always happy and willing to help, they provided everything I needed.
My home stay was great! The host family was super friendly, and I could taste the best homemade Peruvian food during my stay.
I feel so lucky that I was part of a program that cares this much. I learned so much and I will hold all of my memories made there with me for the rest of my life.
Come with an open mind and heart and you will have a truly amazing experience.
Don’t be afraid to immerse yourself fully into every new experience. 😊