I am taking my gap year with Cross Cultural Solutions, three countries in theee months. So far I have spent a month in Morocco, and I love it. Everyone here is so warm and welcoming that the home base felt like home very early on. All of the staff is absolutely wonderful. The volunteer work feels like you are making a real difference which is exactly what I was looking for. I also love the lessons and discussions we have, specifically Arabic lessons, Moroccan culture, and lessons on Islam. I think it's very special to learn about them first hand from Moroccan people. I always feel very safe in the home base and everywhere we go, especially with the gaurd at the home base all day and night. My next two months will be spent in Ghana and Tanzania and I am very confident they will be just as amazing as Morocco has been. I would absolutely recommend CCS and have had the best experience in Morocco.
Cross-Cultural Solutions
As an international volunteer with Cross-Cultural Solutions, you're making a meaningful contribution, working side-by-side with local people and sharing in the goals of a community that warmly welcomes you. You're experiencing another culture like never before and really getting to know its people. You'll gain new perspectives and insight into the culture and yourself. It's an exciting and personally inspiring experience, and you'll develop memories that will be with you forever.
Cross Cultural Solutions was everything I was looking for! I was in between universities and degrees and was not sure what I wanted to do or where I wanted to go. I ended up spending 5 weeks in Morocco because I could work with individuals with disabilities. I struggled at first to keep up with the daily tasks and the conditions but after just a few days I feel in love. Everyone there never stopped smiling and laughing, no matter the day or how they felt. It was inspiring. Cross cultural solutions also let me explore an amazing country! I went to Fes where it feels as if you are still in the 12th century, I went to the desert and rode a camel and it was truly the most amazing thing I have ever done! The country director was always available and went out of his way to make sure I was okay. Cross-cultural solutions is the best program if you want to help others, travel, and really immerse yourself in the culture.
I volunteered with Cross Cultural Solutions in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania in June of 2015 and completely fell in love. This program absolutely exceeded my expectations and the in country director and staff is amazing. I truly feel like I now have a family in Tanzania. I felt that it was a well balanced program with volunteering and cultural activities. The guest speakers really gave me a deeper insight into the culture. I think the program fee was completely worth the experience I gained and I could never have gained this experience just as a tourist on my own. The food was exceptional and I felt totally taken care of throughout the entire program. This is a great organization and they were very organized through the entire process of my volunteer experience from start to finish.
I highly recommend this organization!
I have volunteered with Cross-Cultural Solutions on 5 different occasions. Each time it has been an incredible experience and I hope to travel with them again. I travelled to Moshi, Tanzania once and Rabat, Morocco four times. I fell in love with both places and would highly recommend both trips to anyone that in considering volunteering abroad. The program is very well organized and the quality of the volunteer placements really makes you feel like you are giving back as you are working with grassroots organizations in each country. I can't say enough about the orphanage and school where I worked. I made amazing connections with both the children and staff, many of which I still keep in touch with today. The in-country staff were fantastic in both locations, they really go above and beyond to make sure you are safe and comfortable and have the best possible experience. The accommodations are lovely and the ease of getting to your placement with the help of their drivers/transportation was also great, it really allowed you to focus on the volunteer work and not the logistics. The food was also wonderful and CCS really gives you a unique opportunity to participate in other cultural activities, such as day trips, traditional cooking, dance and music. The way the program is set up you work hard in the mornings and have a good amount of time in the afternoons and weekends to really get to explore the location you have travelled to. Some highlights were a safari in Tanzania and a camel trip through the Sahara Desert in Morocco. My experiences with CCS have changed my life for the better, prior to my first trip I worked in a job that I wasn't completely in love with, since my travels I have realized I love working with children and have gone back to school to become a teacher. I owe these positive life changes to my experiences with CCS.
I volunteered with CCS in Costa Rica for two weeks, working in an orphanage in Cartago for both weeks. The information that CCS provided in advance when I was preparing for my trip was very thorough and I could access it on demand via the website at times that were convenient for me. I felt as well-informed as I could be before arriving in Costa Rica. The in-country orientation after arrival was more specific to my assignment and other local matters and was exceptionally comprehensive. CCS made resources available such as tip sheets from previous volunteers as well as access to local CCS employees with direct knowledge of the orphanage. The CCS staff in Cartago all were amazing, from the driver who greeted me at the airport all the way up to the country director. They made me feel welcome and made it easy to assimilate quickly and get ready for my first day of volunteer work. They could answer every question and someone was always available to lend a hand. The housing is basic as you might expect but comfortable and safe. There was round the clock security, and plenty of snacks and beverages available at all times, not to mention comfortable hammocks for lounging time. The cultural activities available to volunteers were diverse so there was something for everyone -- seeing local sights, taking dance lessons, or learning to make homemade tortillas, among other things. My experience at the orphanage will have a lasting impact on me. The children there don't normally have the opportunity to get the kind of attention that we as volunteers are able to provide to them while we are there. Even on tiring days when there are a lot of kids present, you know that it matters that you came. All in all this experience was both fulfilling and fun. I would volunteer with CCS again in the future.
