I didn\'t know what to expect when deciding to volunteer in Australia at this conservation project, but I\'ve learned so much in terms of nature, wildlife, the environment, and self growth as well as how to travel by myself. I would highly recommend this project to anybody who is looking for adventure, looking for an affordable and great way to travel and meet other genuine individuals...!

Actually I didn’t know what to expect when deciding to volunteer in Australia at this conservation project, but at the end I can say that it was a great opportunity to grow up, to help the environment of Australia, to discover new cultures from all around the world. I will never forget this experience and the people that I met.

The other two weeks I was sent to a small town near the sea, Warrnambool. It was a super lovely town. I was amazed by the natural environment immediately. Diverse kinds of plants along the coast was impressive. We worked in a point danger area in the coast of Portland, where there is a unique ecological system with many different kinds of plants.

What we did for those two weeks was not so easy but it was truly meaningful. What I liked most about volunteering was getting to work in a unique environment that you wouldn’t have the chance to experience unless you were a volunteer. Most of the places we worked were deep in the mountains; so beautiful. Everyday we worked about five hours and the leaders would show us some beautiful and amazing places to visit on our time off.

The first three days of the program took place in Sydney, as our coordinator showed the volunteers around Sydney and filled us in on the history and customs in Australia. Along our tour we visited the Sydney Opera House, Botanical Gardens, a couple different museums and took a ferry ride to Darling Harbour.

I enjoyed ranger days the most. On these days you were paired with a ranger and got to do everything they did. This included feeding, cleaning, and in some cases even treating the animals. There were so many animals at the park that it was so much to see every day. My favorite part was getting to know each animal and their story. Every animal at the park has a name and is looked after carefully. It was great because you weren’t just standing behind a fence looking at the animal you were in the enclosure handling and helping.

All of the staff on the boat was very friendly and helpful. You could tell this is something they all really enjoy and love to share with others. They made sure to let us know where the coolest things to see were and if there were any special things in our dive sites. There was one fish that was a regular visitor. His name is Wally and we saw him most days out on the reef. He swims right up to divers and it is definitely an experience to see how much he likes to hang out with people.

This summer I spent six weeks volunteering in Fiji teaching the students of Dawasamu Primary School. My responsibilities included improving literacy and numeracy comprehension as well as providing lessons in P.E., music, and art. I’ve never had any experience teaching, but my time spent in Dawasamu Primary School made me open my eyes to the importance of education-- and how taken for granted it is back in my own country.

Every other week we worked on restoring the coast of Punakaiki, and the weeks in between we traveled to different locations close by. As we drove we had remarkable views of luscious trees, mountains, and the ocean. I wish I never had to look away. The work itself consisted of a combination of weeding, planting trees, clearing paths, planting flax, potting, and setting up traps depending on the site. The work was sometimes very repetitive and could be tedious, but the enthusiastic team leader and amiable volunteers ensured that it was never boring.

I love diving, but diving with a purpose is brings an entirely new perspective to the sport.  Emerging from the water with not simply an appreciation for, but also an understanding of what I was seeing when I was down there is what is making me want to go back...

It was an incredible experience that I highly recommend for all the people that want to travel, enjoy the landscape in an amazing place and help people who are really in need. 

I spent five weeks in Punakaiki, at the New Zealand Conservation Experience project both as my first experience outside of the United States and as my internship. It was kind of nerve-racking at first because of being somewhere totally new and not knowing exactly what to expect, but in the end, it was totally worth it!

Overall, this experience was a great adventure! I had exposure to animals I had never seen before, saw several different landmarks, and met a lot of great people along the way. I plan to stay in touch with a few of them and possibly might even meet up with them again in the future! 

We toured picturesque Port Stephens and exciting, metropolitan Sydney, enjoyed delicious Australian and international cuisine, met a ton of new friends, and got into the rhythm of Australian life. Invigorated by the week-long holiday, my two project-mates and I flew down to Melbourne to start working with wildlife!

I would highly recommend this trip to anyone that loves the environment and traveling, and wants to make a difference!

I think what touched me the most was how even though I came to them with the specific intention of offering them food that we had prepared, and warm drinks, they were still sometimes shy to ask me for that extra teaspoon of sugar, or another cup of hot coffee...It was an absolute pleasure to help out the often disadvantaged community that exists in Sydney, to learn about their hardships and to see it all with the backdrop of one of Australia’s wealthiest and most beautiful cities. 

I really enjoyed my time at the park as I was able to interact with so many different animals, and also felt like I was contributing to the many initiatives that they have going on. I also liked being a bit further away from Sydney, exploring different parts of the country, that were a little less touristy.

The eight weeks I spent on the other side of the world were the best 8 weeks of my life and have shaped me into a better person. From the moment I met the team and my fellow volunteers in Fiji I felt at ease. Living on a tiny island in the middle of paradise whilst learning a new skill...