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Projects Abroad in Jamaica: Arrival Procedure
A member of Projects Abroad staff or a designated driver meets volunteers at either Kingston International Airport or Montego Bay International Airport. Kingston is an hour and forty five minutes from our base in Mandeville and Montego Bay is two and a half hours away.
The staff member or designated driver will be waiting for you in the arrivals area holding an A4-sized laminated 'Projects Abroad' sign. You will then be introduced to your host family and spend some time settling in. You will receive your induction folder from the person who comes to pick you up at the airport.
Volunteering in Jamaica: Orientation and Induction
Your induction will be the following day if you arrive during the week or on the Monday if you arrive over the weekend. During your orientation you'll be shown internet cafés, the post office, where to change money, and how to get to each place from your host family. You will then be taken to the office where a member staff will go through the Jamaica Handbook with you and you’ll be given a chance to ask questions. The Projects Abroad office is based just north of the center of Mandeville and is very accessible and easy to find.
You will then be taken to your placement where you will meet the staff. After this you will go for lunch with a member of staff to enjoy some sumptuous Jamaican food and learn more details about your placement.
Some volunteers can walk to work, but most travel by shared taxi. If you need to take a taxi, Projects Abroad Jamaica pays half of your fare to get you to your placement, which costs on average less than $2 a day.
All volunteers stay with local host families who are based in and around Mandeville. You are normally placed with a host family based on where you will be working and the preferences of both you and the family. Host families can speak English and Patois (local creole) and vegetarians can be easily catered for.
At the end of your placement we will arrange your journey back to Kingston or Montego Bay airports by designated driver or with a member of staff.