Plan My Gap Year (PMGY)

The India trip with PMGY was an unforgettable experience. The people, food, and places we saw were incredible, and I gained valuable experience working in a different healthcare system which will truly serve me well as a physician in the future. It was super convenient being picked up from the aiport for free. Every day during the week we would be given a placement and spend a few hours at a different site working with the patient population alongside the doctor who would help us perform different skills and communicate. Drivers for PMGY made it super convenient getting around the city. On weekends, when we were not working, we had the opportunity to travel to and explore different parts of India. Vishy, the coordinator for the India program, was super nice and helped make planning these trips super easy. The volunteer home was next to a school, and during our free time we also had the opportunity to work with young schoolchildren in an academic setting. Sometimes in the evenings, the kids would be playing in the park next door, and we would set up football matches. Aside from the work, the other volunteers and coordinators in India were amazing and I was able to form lasting relationships with so many people. Aside from the experience I gained from working in India, I think the people I met will be what I miss the most. I will never forget this experience and highly recommend it to anyone looking to travel, explore a new culture, or gain medical experience!
Apr 26th, 2023

Staff were friendly and the experience was absolutely insane. Seeing the big 5 in their natural habitat was an unforgettable experience and the weekends allowed for you to personalise your trip. Accommodation is modest but more than worth the money you are paying. The only slight criticism I would give was the tasks at the Game Reserve were usually the same each week so became slightly repetitive. I would recommend going for 3-4 weeks.
Apr 13th, 2023

This is an amazing once in a lifetime experience! I only signed up for 2 weeks since I was unsure of what to expect and ended up trying to extend my trip. Unfortunately my boss at home didnt let me stay any longer but I have plans to come back in the future. The whole PMGY India team makes you feel at home and is very helpful with any needs you may have. I did medical volunteering and was able to take vital signs, dress basic wounds, distribute medications, and give injections all under the supervision of a physician. In my two weeks I was able to view surgeries at the local hospital, work in a rehabilitation/ physical therapy clinic, ultrasound clinic, a laboratory, elderly facilities, and the slums. There is a school right next to the volunteer house which allows you to play with the children and help teach them English during your free time. I highly recommend this experience to everyone. You must be openminded to new/ different cultures to get the most out of your experience!
Apr 9th, 2023

PMGY Sri Lanka was such an amazing experience! The local team is amazing, they help you with literally everything and they do it with patience and care, they want you to have the absolute best experience possible! The programs are so great and rewarding as well! I did the childcare program and loved it, the kids are so sweet, you make a big difference and its so clear when you see the kids, that you simply wont want to leave once its time. You can also switch between different programs or combine multiple programs in one day. The country itself is also amazing and beautiful! During my time in Sri Lanka (six weeks) I was able to see so much of the country. In the afternoons there was more than enough time to explore close by, the local team is more than willing to help you set this up. We had daily activities at the house, such as street food tours, badminton nights, karaoke, organized by the local team. I did all the weekend trips and I highly recommend them; youll get to experience the culture and see the beautiful nature. On the weekends without a PMGY organized weekend trip, you can still go away for the weekend together with other volunteers and, for example, go surfing in Weligama (if you have the time, you should definitely do this)! There is so much freedom to do whatever you want, I felt safe and cared for the entire time I was there! I would 100% do it again, so if youre in doubt, go for it! Youll meet so many wonderful people, youll make the best of friends, the volunteering is amazing and rewarding and the country is so beautiful! you dont want to miss out on this amazing experience!
Apr 1st, 2023

Hi, Im 26 years old (turned 26 when I was doing the volunteer work) and I did 4 weeks of volunteer in the childcare program in Bali. It was my first time traveling out of Europe on my own and for that long. I had an awesome time during these 4 weeks. The staff at PMGY Bali was so amazing and they were all so kind. They made our stay in Tabanan really enjoyable as they organized some evening activities as bonfire, culture nights or quiz-games etc. Working in the childcare program was truly amazing and wonderful! The children (as well as the teachers and daycarers) were so so nice. The children were always so great full for everything you did and thought them. They give you so much love and are so happy to get the chance that you teach them. You would never see kids acting like that in schools in Europe. Also the fact that you only work from Monday to Thursday and that you have the weekend free to travel is so nice as you can organize your trips to see the beauty of the island! So taken together my time here was really wonderful and an amazing experience! Not everything was always so great obviously. Living with so many people and so many different personalities under one roof can sometimes be a bit difficult but thats part of the game! So to conclude, I can only suggest and recommend everyone to do such an amazing experience as it is really worth it! I would immediately do it again if I could! Thank you so much to the PMGY team and the PMGY team in Bali for everything! I will not forget this!! Jil
Mar 22nd, 2023