Volunteers' Reviews

Name: Rachel Rosenbloom
Country of Volunteer : Sri Lanka
Travel Date : April 2018
Project of Volunteer : Elephant Orphanage (Kegalle)

Hello IFRE Team,
I'm sorry that I haven't responded yet. I don't have internet very often here. I am absolutely loving my time here, it's the most amazing experience I've ever had. Everyone here has been very supportive and kind. Thank you for following up with me, I am definitely very happy.
~Elizabeth

Hello Swoyam,
Everything is going very well here. Michael´s house is full with 8 volunteers and there are 6 more at other locations. Mercedes and I are having a great time and we are getting along well with all the other volunteers. The food in the house is delicious, Pushpa is a great cook and her smile brightens everyone´s day.

We just returned from a 4 day tour through the sacred cities and the hill country, which Michael organized and directed very, very well.

Best regards,
Clara and Mercedes
clarimat7@gmail.com

Hello Michael
Thank you for your generous hospitality during my stay in Sri Lanka. It has been a wonderful experience and I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to live with you and your family for 2 weeks.

Working at the orphanage has been a most fulfilling experience for me and I hope the kids enjoyed my company for the short time I was there. For the love I gave to these children, I feel I received twice back from them. The project made me realise how important it is for the children to have volunteers around them, so Michael, the work you do is extremely precious. You have a wonderful family who were so patient, kind and happy and please extend my thanks to them too.

Please send me the IFRE form when you get the chance and the process I should follow for sending feedback to IFRE about you.

Thank you once again Michael. I hope the next few placements for you go well.
Angela Macleod

Hello Michael
Thank you for your generous hospitality during my stay in Sri Lanka. It has been a wonderful experience and I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to live with you and your family for 2 weeks.

Working at the orphanage has been a most fulfilling experience for me and I hope the kids enjoyed my company for the short time I was there. For the love I gave to these children, I feel I received twice back from them. The project made me realise how important it is for the children to have volunteers around them, so Michael, the work you do is extremely precious. You have a wonderful family who were so patient, kind and happy and please extend my thanks to them too.

Please send me the IFRE form when you get the chance and the process I should follow for sending feedback to IFRE about you.

Thank you once again Michael. I hope the next few placements for you go well.
Angela Macleod

Hello Michael and Alex-
So we've been back in the states for almost a month and sure are missing rice and curry!! I wanted to thank you, Michael, for everything you did for us during our trip. You are generous and kind and good at your job. You took care of our unfortunate situation in a very timely manner, and the weekend excursion you set up for us was fantastic! It was truly great meeting you and your family and we hope we'll see you again in the future! All in all, we had a marvelous trip and really enjoyed Sri Lanka . Again, Michael, thank you so much for everything. I found out that there's a Sri Lankan restaurant here in New York - we're going to go this week!! They even have curd and treacle and kotu roti!!!!
Eve and Carlos

Rani Vincent Loves Michael Family and Volunteer Experience in Sri Lanka

I, Rani Vincent stayed with Michael and his family whilst partaking in a volunteer program. From the minute that I arrived to the minute I left I felt like I was part of Michaels family. I felt instantly at ease with everybody in the family, they all where more than willing to answer any questions that I had. I found the Language and Cultural program very helpful. When I started volunteering at orphanage Michael made sure that everything ran smoothly and if there were any problems he made sure that they were attended too immediatly. And when I had free time I was allowed to do my own thing... so within a couple of days I felt right at home. Weekends we were free to do what we wanted so anything from lazing on the beach to travelling the magical land was allowed, this definatly made the experience very special for me. The food was nothing short of amazing and if there were any special requests (especially my favorite Egg Roti) they always made sure that they were fulfilled.

When the School broke up for holidays Michael offered me to teach the Buddhist Monks for 5 weeks which was a very special experience in itself. And once again if there were any questions or problems Michael was straight on it. The family treated me like one of there own, never was there an uncomfortable moment in the time that I stayed...I trusted each one of the family members 100%. Michael and his family were always warm and caring towards me and were more than happy to do anything from teach me more Sinhala to watching the News and translating it for me.

Michael also made every effort to arrange a trip for both Beth and I up to Kandy to watch the Pera Hera. We had to worry about nothing, he and his driver arranged everything from transport, accomodation to little stop of points so that we could see some very special places along the way. All we had to do was sit back and relax.... The family also told me that when I go back (which hopefully will be before the end of this year) that I was more than welcome to stay with them again.

I would like to once again say a very special thank you to Michael and his Family for making my time nothing short of magical...

Regards,
Rani Vincent

Volunteer in Sri lanka
Thank you for the amazing experience in Sri Lanka . I had the greatest time and I learned so much. My home stay with Ranji's family was a very good situation. They were so good to me and were the best part of my stay here in Galle . The food was excellent, the hospitality was great, and the home was very clean and comfortable. Ranji was able to transport us with ease and his wife Anoma was always watching over me & taking care of me. I was able to experience their culture, religion, and the love that they had in their family.

Thanks again for this great experience. The other volunteers have become good fiends and I enjoyed the fact that they are from all around the world. It is definitely the only way I would travel and stay in foreign countries for a long period of time. I would definitely do it again and I would highly recommend it to others.

Thank you,
Angie Jenson

My Sri Lanka Trip
I am Drew palumbo who joined as a volunteer In Sri lanka under Coordinator Michael, Through IFRE Organisation. My experiance so far in Sri lanka has been very good. As soon as i arrived from the airport I saw how much hospitality people give back.The people of Sri lanka are very good and nice and also they give lot of hospitality.

First week I was taught Sri lanka language (Sinhala) with there culture which seems to be very good.I really like and love the culture in Sri lanka,Then I had a trip given by Michael to yala wild life safari and that also brought me joy and fun and I was able to see some wild animals.

Staying at michael's house with there family as host family is great.michael and his family are very warm and welcoming people. They have helped me with everything. Right now I am teaching english for buddhist monka at a temple near Michael's house and its also going well,specially with young aged monks. I have established a good relationship with my students and i can see big improvement in their english skills.

I am learning to eat new foods and i am making good friends too. I love the Sri lankan culture and slowly people are getting used to how I look speak and act. I do missmy familt and friends very much.but I am keeping in contact with my family and making new friends.I am trying to buy a motorcycle so that I can get to better sulf sports and then I will be more happy.In totally my experiance has been very...very good and I am having a great time.

Thanks
Drew Palumbo