TESTIMONIALS
Our organization is built upon a system of mutual exchange between our volunteers and partner communities.
Our volunteers give their time, expertise, and enthusiasm to a community desiring their skills, and our host communities welcome volunteers into their homes and give them the invaluable opportunity to experience a new culture firsthand. These mutually beneficial relationships are the cornerstone of our organization, and as such, we strive to ensure we are facilitating meaningful opportunities for all.
See what our volunteers, host families, and students have to say about Learning Enterprises!
PROGRAM YEAR 2025 TESTIMONIALS
ALLI
Volunteer
Filip i Jakov, Croatia
“This summer, I had the chance to teach English in Sveti Filip i Jakov, but what I found there was so much more than a classroom. For two months, my days were filled with laughter, joy, adventures that turned into great memories, and friendships that will last me a lifetime. This town truly felt like a home away from home for me.
Ana and Ante, our country coordinators, welcomed us with open arms, creating a space where we could not only share their culture but also feel it, live in it, and see Croatia not just as a country but as a memory I will carry with me forever.
Volim te, Hrvatska."
RHEA
Volunteer
Biograd na Moru, Croatia
“My two months in Biograd na Moru, Croatia, were life-changing. Teaching English was the heart of my experience, and every day the classroom was filled with curiosity, laughter, and growth. What made it so special was how the lessons turned into friendships. Students were eager to learn but wanted to share their lives and culture with us.
Outside of class, the town's beauty and its people's kindness made me feel completely at home.
This experience showed me how teaching can create meaningful connections and how cultural exchange leaves an impact far beyond language.”
PAIGE
Volunteer
Koprivnica, Croatia
“My time in Croatia was an incredibly impactful experience, and I left with so many new friends, perspectives, and stories. Throughout my time there, I was continually amazed by the extraordinary people and children, who were so welcoming and eager to share experiences. So many meaningful conversations were made, and it is all truly unforgettable.
I genuinely feel like I have a new family over there, and it is so refreshing to know that you can make such meaningful connections in such a short time. I am incredibly thankful for this experience and everyone who shared it with me.”
SELINA
Volunteer
Filip i Jakov, Croatia
“This summer I had the phenomenal opportunity of volunteering with Learning Enterprises in Sveti Filip i Jakov. During my time in my placement, I was able to collaborate with community members on local projects and form lasting friendships with other volunteers. My experience in Croatia helped me develop a deeper appreciation for global exchange and volunteerism.”
BRAEDON
Volunteer
Koprivnica, Croatia
“After leaving our meeting point in Split, we traveled to the capital in Zagreb. From there, a bus took us to the small town of Koprivnica, where Helena, our country coordinator, brought us to Sunny Village Camp. We immediately received the warmth and hospitality of Helena and her family as the camp geared up and kids began to come. The kids started shy, but within a day or two, warmed up to us American counselors. Because you spend so much time with the kids throughout the day, it’s easy to build connections with them and make an impact on them over the course of the week. I loved the camp not only because of the connections to the kids but also because of the ones you build with the other counselors. I met so many new people and built friendships that will last a lifetime with the counselors I spent my time with.”
SAYLER
Program Director
Biograd na Moru, Croatia
“Leaving last summer, I realized I had to come back to Croatia. It is surreal how a place thousands of miles away can feel so much like home. Croatia is filled with so much beauty, but it is the people who make it truly special.
The town of Biograd na Moru is so special to me. You can’t walk anywhere without having students running up to you with the biggest smiles and wanting to spend time with you.
Croatia means the world to me. It was the greatest gift to get to spend my last two summers there. My heart will always be in Croatia!”
VOICES FROM CROATIA
CROATIA COUNTRY COORDINATOR
Helena
"My name is Helena Hećimović, and I have been the country coordinator for the past [24 years]. When I started this experience, I didn't know what to expect, but over the years we have found out that the presence of American students in Croatia and the experience - the exchange- that our young students have with them is extremely important for both Croatian students and American volunteers.
In Koprivnica, Learning Enterprises has contributed to the very important part of our summer for our Croatian students, who would otherwise be bored and not do anything that would be worthwhile during summer. Over these [24 years], I had the opportunity to meet wonderful young people, and through their eyes and through the experience I had in the communication with them, I believe my life has been enriched and so has the life of many students in Koprivnica and in the towns that we have managed to get interested in the Learning Enterprises program.
I'm very glad that Croatia—Learning Enterprises Croatia—is now an independent program that we received, and I hope we will receive many more students in future years."
Helena has worked with many of our volunteers and has contributed greatly to the growth of the Croatia program.
CROATIAN STUDENTS
Roza, Mia, Laura, and Petra
Speaker 1: "I'm Roza, and my favorite part about English class is the teachers and that I can hang out with my friends."
Speaker 2: "Hi, I'm Mia, and my favorite part about English class is getting to know new teachers."
Speaker 3: "I'm Laura, and my favorite part about English class is free cold water and great teachers."
Speaker 4: "Hi, my name is Petra, and my favorite part about English class is our teachers."
Antica
"The best thing about the English class for me was that it was so fun because you guys were so friendly, and there were a lot of games and fun."
PAST PROGRAM YEAR TESTIMONIALS
POOJA
Croatia Volunteer
"When I was on the way to Croatia, I truly didn’t know what I wanted from the experience or what to expect. I figured I would have some stories to share about what my days were like and maybe some about the people I met along the way. Maybe I’d learn a thing here and there or maybe I’d really just regret my decision to go. I really just didn’t know. It was to my surprise that it ended up being one of the best summers of my life. I learned so much about Croatia and the amazing people there. I learned how to travel on my own. I learned how to live with strangers who very quickly became friends that I hold dear to my heart. Most of all, I learned how much I love helping people. The opportunity LE Croatia gave me was and still is one that I am utterly grateful for. I was in Biograd na Moru for the summer and it become home away from home within a couple days. I went in 2022 and have thought about the kids and the community there every summer since.
You genuinely don’t understand how special Croatia is until you go and experience it yourself. The people, the culture, and the memories are what you’ll carry with you long after your LE experience."
DOMINIKA & ALEXSANDRA
Students from Poland
"For us, this was an amazing month. We learned much more than at our lessons in Polish school. We will never forget this experience. Our time with Maria was really cool. She's a really good teacher and person. She's a really good teacher and person. We are so thankful and happy that we could get involved in this event."
ROSÂNGELA
Brazil School Coordinator
Portuguese: "Sempre temos o programa em nossa escola, na EMEB Cecília Meireles. A experiência para os nossos alunos é sempre muito boa! Eles amam o projeto e gostam muito de participar!"
English: "We always have the LE program in our school, EMEB Cecília Meireles. The experience for our students is always very good! They love the program and always greatly enjoy participating!"
ALLIE
Croatia Volunteer
"I decided to apply to LE because it seemed like a great way to travel while also doing something that would help a deserving community. I had so much fun at both my placements and all of the volunteers became really close. I think my favorite part was staying with Helena and Davor in Koprivnica. They were so welcoming and caring and the other volunteer and I got to spend so much time with the family. They made it feel like home. The teaching itself was challenging at times but very enjoyable and definitely helped me work on my leadership skills as well as some creativity!"
HALA
Romania Volunteer
"This was the best decision I made for what to do with my summer time. I learned so much from the students and their families, and felt like we were both contributing to an exchange of knowledge. My best experiences include having students families invite me to their homes for dinner, host families taking me sight seeing, and laughing alongside the students during classroom activities. I still keep in touch with a lot of the individuals who I've met on this trip, and they have definitely left an impact on the person I've become."
IMANI
Panama Volunteer
"My experience serving as an LE volunteer in Panama was truly unforgettable. Coming from a Central American family myself, it meant the world to me to be able to have the opportunity to visit such a beautiful country like Panama and contribute to a community that mirrored my own. My students, fellow faculty/volunteers and host family all left such a monumental impact on my life and have shaped me into the individual I am today."
STEPHAN
Former Panama Program Director
"I had the opportunity to volunteer in Panama for two summers and both times were blessed by such amazing people and culture. I learned what it meant to be part of a community that knows you, cares about you, and supports you. I miss them all so much. To anyone who is interested in teaching and/or service, I'd highly recommend to get out there and get to know what service looks like in different parts of the world. You will make a difference and leave learning so much more about yourself."
ENGLISH TEACHERS & HOST MOM
Teeraporn, Jarunee, Wachira, Nayana, & Wirote
Speaker 1: "Hello, my name is Teeraporn. I teach English at Talukdu Whittayakhom School. Ok."
Speaker 2: "I am Jarunee (last name) I am an English teacher at Talukdu Whittayakhom School in Thailand. I am very surprised and grateful that Miss Addie she came to our school. She make more opportunity for our students to.... They can speak English with the native speaker. I would like she back again or another volunteer back to our school for our students. Thank you."
Speaker 3: "Hello. My name is Wachira Pumma and I would like to thank to LE, Learning Enterprises, to give Addie to my school and I think everyone in my school love her, the teachers, the students, and all of my students they are all try to learn English and now they can have opportunities to learn English. And she teach very well. Every activity, everything she did in my school were beautiful and incredible. Thank you."
Speaker 4: "My name is Nayana Tubucha. I am host (mother)." Thai to English translation appears in video*
Speaker 5: "Hello. My name is Wirote Wanjan. I am the head of the English department of Talukdu Whittayakhom School, Taptan, Uthai Thani, Thailand. I am very happy that the Learning Enterprises send Addie to our school. She is a good teacher. She can teach English very well. She does a lot of activities that are interesting for the students. They love teacher Addie so much and teacher Addie takes care of them. She can manage the classroom well. Everything she did is very surprise for the students. It's a big chance for the students to have a chance to learn English with a native speaker. So I hope that the future LE should have opportunity for Thailand again, especially for my school that is very far away in Uthai Thani and we have not the budget to support a native speaker. So I hope that next year Addie will come again. Thank you very much."