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Name: Hayley Ballard
Programme: Noah's Ark Project Namibia
How did you feel before you joined the programme?
Very excited. I was travelling with a friend of mine who I am at University with. She had had a gap year and undertaken several projects before, but this was my first time doing anything like this. I didn't really know what to expect but was definitely looking forward to finding out what I had let myself in for!
How did Real Gap assist you?
Real Gap were very helpful with a number of questions we had, for example about booking together, confirming flight details, and sending us an information pack with details about the country and more specifically about the programme itself. I was also quite nervous about booking a trip like this over the internet, but they were always eager to help and quick to respond to any queries we had.
What was the accommodation like?
Accommodation and meals were included in the price that we paid. It was really nice - we slept in Wendy Houses which each had 3-4 beds and a small bathroom with a shower. We had a cupboard which held all our things quite comfortably, and which we could lock to protects our things from the baby baboons when we had them sleeping with us at night! Because we went during the Namibian winter, the houses did get extremely cold at night, so we were given extra bedding, and in the mornings we occasionally awoke to find icicles hanging from the taps in the bathroom! |
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What did you think of the programme?
The programme itself was really fantastic, I honestly don't think I could have expected or asked for better. It was completely hands-on - you could spend as much time with any of the animals as you wanted, and you also had quite a lot of free time once duties such as feeding and cleaning the enclosures were finished. We only went for two weeks but by the time it ended, we felt like we'd been there forever and didn't want to leave! The bond you form with the animals and with the other volunteers really is quite amazing, especially in so short a time.
What was the most memorable moment of your trip?
Sleeping with the animals! You could sleep with certain animals such as the baby baboons or the meerkats, which you took back to your Wendy house with you. Waking up in the morning next to the animals was a fantastic experience! |
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Did your project and destination meet your expectations?
The project was a lot better than I'd hoped for, even after hearing my friends' stories about similar placements she had been on in her gap year. Although feeding the animals every morning was considered a ‘duty' you certainly never got bored of it.
The best anecdote was when my roommates and I woke up one morning to find that a couple of the teenage baboons had escaped from their enclosure and broken into our Wendy house. I awoke to a baboon sat a couple of feet away from my bed, drinking a bottle of Coke that I had bought the day before - definitely a good story to tell people once we got home. |
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How have you benefited from your experience?
As well as the work with the animals and caring for them, which was thoroughly enjoyable, it was great to have the opportunity to meet other volunteers, who were from many different countries and walks of life.
What advice could you offer to someone considering this project?
As far as practical advice is concerned, if you go during the Namibia winter, take as many warm clothes as you can because at night, and the mornings at Food Prep, it is absolutely freezing! But practicality aside, just make sure when you go you have a completely open mind and are ready to try anything once. No matter how long you go for, time soon passes so make sure you enjoy every minute of it! I had a fantastic time and am already saving to go back again next year!
 Further information on the Noah's Ark Wildlife Conservation
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