After lots of searching online, I chose this program because it suited my objectives best. I wanted to volunteer with a charity organization and avoid the orphanage volunteering issues in Cambodia. This project had really great reviews and utilized the volunteers well in the program. I always wanted to go to Cambodia and wanted to be sure that the charity had support staff there for me.
Alumni Spotlight: Sarah Jameson
Sarah is an adventurous, giving person. She loves to travel and hopefully make a difference!
Why did you choose this program?
What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?
To be honest, I didn't organise much for myself; just vaccinations, really. Globalteer organized accommodation, picked me up from the airport, my daily transport and everything else when I was in Cambodia. I used them to book my flights which made things easier for me. Globalteer has an office in Siem Reap so I had really great support from them and other volunteers.
What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?
I think the most important piece of advice from me would be to go into this with an open mind. The culture and levels of poverty are so different to my life experience before going to Cambodia. I found for myself and other volunteers that those with open minds had a better experience. Those volunteers that came with unrealistic expectations and closed minds found Cambodia a challenge.
What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?
Although the duties were similar most days, the experiences each day were very different. The volunteers usually helped out in classes, like the English classes. There is always a full time teacher there, so we were mostly used as teaching assistants working among the children in the class to help them.
Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?
My biggest fear before volunteering was the unknown! I really did not know what to truly expect of the project and Cambodia. Of course, on arrival, all my fears faded away quickly. The staff were amazing, they collected me from the airport, took me to the accommodation and I was given an orientation and town tour so quickly settled in. We went to the project the next day and kids and staff were so welcoming that the worry of what the volunteering would be like disappeared on the first morning.