Northern Laos: Wildlife Conservation, Permaculture, & Meditation Practice with Monks

There’s so much I can say about my time in Laos. Everything about it was incredible and I will hold that time with me forever. From the villagers, adventures, and overall group experience was amazing. Everything you do is difficult but with the support of your group and guides you feel like you can conquer the world. Definitely would recommend taking this leap of faith. Even the more challenging times I can now look back on with pride because i Was able to overcome and accomplish it all! Your gonna love it!!

My experience was unique in that- I have never taught English before! I have always wanted to do it but never had a chance. I also enjoyed staying at the same volunteer permaculture plot for a week. I feel that with the GIVE Hawaii program, I did not get a chance to see any improvement. With GIVE Laos, we all saw how different the perm plot looked at the end of the week. I also was able to learn more about Buddhist and Monks. I live in TN and don’t get that opportunity a lot. I really enjoyed spending my time with them and learning their culture.

Laos, the “hidden gem of the world”, is truly one of the most beautiful countries I have ever traveled to. I’m so grateful for GIVE Volunteers for giving me the chance to be embraced by such a beautiful culture, with even more beautiful humans. From caving and hiking adventures, to English education projects and learning about permaculture, every single moment here is worthwhile. It is hard to put into words how special this country is. The locals are truly some of the most genuine humans I’ve ever been lucky enough to cross paths with and it’s amazing to see that despite our language barriers, we were able to connect on such a human level. Celebrating our journey at the end of the trip with a Baci ceremony was so special and something I’ll never forget and always take with me. A huge heartfelt thank you to GIVE Volunteers, and all of our incredible GIVE guides (special shout-out to Jess for being one of the most amazing guides ever!). I was a bit hesitant on taking the leap of faith and traveling so far from home, but stepping out of my comfort zone and coming to Laos was hands down one of the best decisions of my life!

This trip was full of once in a lifetime experiences and opportunities you would never get if traveling on your own to Laos. the country,people, and culture is beautiful The price for the trip itself was a little high but looking back, if i booked this trip not through GIVE i wouldn’t get the same experiences. because of GIVE i was able to be fully immersed into the Lao culture and their traditions. i was able to live in their shoes for a short little bit. I fell in love with Laos in particular because the way they are so accepting and welcoming is humbling and eye opening. my views on life and how i want to live my life is forever impacted.

I volunteered in Thailand and Laos and there is not a day that goes by where I don't think about my GIVE trip! This was my first time out of the country and my first time traveling alone, so my family was hesitant to let me go. However, from day one GIVE was clear and informative of everything from expenses, to safety, and their mission. GIVE provides materials to prepare volunteers for their trip well in advance and is prompt to answer questions. The guides are welcoming and supportive throughout the entire experience. Their passion inspires you to put your everything into the volunteer work and their energy is infectious. Being able to work, laugh, dance, and learn from the locals of Sop Chem is truly an unforgettable experience. You teach the children, but they will teach you more than you'll ever be able to imagine. They will challenge you in the best ways and steal your heart from day one! I am so glad that I chose to volunteer in both Thailand and Laos. Meeting the other volunteers was my favorite part of the trip and being able to experience both countries with them made it even more memorable!

I signed up for this trip because I wanted an adventure, and I for sure got an adventure of a lifetime! Among climbing a mountain and going into 2 caves, was the heart of the trip. We stayed in a hidden gem, Sop Chem, surrounded by mountains with the most welcoming of people. They met us right when we got off our boats and brought us into their culture. Within the culture dive we taught the children English and worked on their permaculture plot building a mud brick house. It was an incredible experience, I can never forget and incredible people I will never forget. I started the trip with random strangers and left with deep rooted friendships. Two things that stood out to me the most are: feeding the bears at Free the Bears and the Baci ceremony held on the last day in Sop Chem as we danced with the children and received the gratitude from the locals for the impact we left. Khob jai lai lai (Laos for thank you very much) GIVE for this incredible trip!!!

This trip was the best thing that’s ever happened to me. It opened my eyes to the world around me and helped me grow so much as a person. There is something special about Sop Chem that makes you feel at home even though we are thousands of miles away from home. They take you in like their own and it was so humbling to be a part of that. The views that we got to see everyday are indescribable and a must see! This was such an incredible once in a lifetime experience that will stay with me forever!

Going to Laos with Give was the best experience of my life! I learned how important it is to get to know the community that you are working with and how this can create sustainable impact. The people that we worked with were so amazing. Laos is also one of the most beautiful countries I have ever been to. It is a real paradise. The cultural activities that we did were so helpful in learning about Laos and getting to know the people. It was so special to get to do those activities. I don’t think any travel experience can top the time I had with Give in Laos!