Volunteers Abroad Reviews and Feedbacks

My Favorite Memory:
My favorite memory was playing with the kids at Mother Teresa’s orphanage also I loved when I went on a safari and got to be just feet away from a pride of lions.

I was surprised that….
What surprised me or was weird to get used to was how few other westerners were in Lusaka especially Kalinglinga where I was staying. It made the experience so much better to be completely submerged in the Zambian culture. It gave me a chance to really see how people live there and get to know them quite well.

The most difficult thing I experienced was….
By far the most difficult experience was working at the hospice and not being able to make patients better and send them home. I’m used to working in ICU’s at home and so I always see patients come in with terrible conditions and then weeks later we get to send them home on the fast track to discovery. It was heart wrenching as a nurse to not be able to send the patients home to their families but rather having to watch them waste away from this terrible virus that is devastating their country.

My best received lesson…
Is that if you give anyone a chance they will surprise you and you can learn a lot about yourself and other beliefs and cultures. The people in Zambia were so kind to me and I had a great time getting to know them. Despite the sadness of some of their situations they have tremendous joy and a love for God that I have never witnessed anywhere else.

Tip for future volunteers… (Clothing, travel, personal items, donations, sightseeing etc)
If working at a Hospice/clinic bring lots of gloves! At least in Zambia, we really needed them and were always going short. Before you go try to get in contact with where you will be working so you know exactly what they might want. Also if you are a girl going to Zambia remember to wear shorts/skirts past the knees but you don’t have to worry about tops. It’s fine to wear spaghetti tank tops. Also it might be a good idea to wear a ring on your wedding finger if you’re single and not looking for lots of advances. Getting some tevas is great idea, I wore mine everyday and I got them for $20 at a outdoor warehouse.

In Zambia A must is Victoria Falls and a safari. I went to Kafue National park and it was beautiful! If you look around it’s easy to find weekend packages that are fairly priced. If you are missing some good sandwiches or burgers go to Kilimanjaro Café at Manda Hill, also if you want a swim you can go to the Intercontinental they have a great pool. Last of all plan on spending more than you expect. Things in Zambia are not cheap, many of the price for food and things are about the same as the US.

Lastly have fun and make an effort to get to know the people there. If someone greets you greet them back. Don’t be afraid to talk to people while you are walking, everyone is very friendly and they are curious about things where you’re from.

Personal Paragraph (Testimonial)
I had a fantastic time in Lusaka with my host family. They were extremely kind and I even got to attend their wedding, which was a lot of fun! Working at the hospice was a fantastic experience they really made me feel at home and I got a lot of nursing experience there. Seeing some of the situations of the people there was astonishing. It broke my heart when we would visit some of the homes. But they are still hopeful and gracious. I has a fantastic time there and will never forget it.

Are you willing to speak to other potential ABV volunteers? Yes