In every destination we provide a large, secure Work the World house, which will be your home for the duration of your placement. Meals are included and there are large social areas that provide space for students to discuss their day and plan their weekend travels. We are really proud of our houses and students regularly rate them as a travel highlight.
Each house has a team of staff employed from the local community. We have an onsite housekeeper and caterer working together to keep everything clean, tidy and well run, a Programme Manager and Assistant Programme Manager that make sure your placement runs smoothly and security staff to make sure the houses are safe and secure. Employing local people rather than expatriates allows us to support the local economy. It also goes some way to bridge the cultural divide between us and our partner hospitals and communities. It also means that students get the benefit of knowledgeable staff and amazing local insight.
Each house is privately rented so that we can make it exactly how we want it - a home from home for our students. Many companies prefer to offer the chance to stay with a local family, which sounds like a good experience, but we consistently hear from our students that healthcare placements can be a challenging time; testing your skills, abilities and emotions. After an intense day on placement, most students welcome the chance to relax with friends in a safe haven. We also know that most people travel alone, so living in a student community helps bring like-minded people together. Most of our students travel together at weekends, meet for lunch during placements and socialise througout the week together - check out our case studies to read more about their experiences.
One of the benefits of travelling to another is experiencing the local food. Our caterers try to combine local specialities with home favourites to keep everyone happy and well fed. Specific dietary requests are catered for and the kitchen is always open for snacks and fresh drinking water, which is included in the price.
We also offer free weekly language lessons for you at the house. It is worth taking advantage of these as they really help you on placement. Also, everyone loves to hear someone making the effort to talk in the local language, and you will make many friends as a result of trying.
Dar es Salaam house
This is one of our most popular houses.... partly because of the beautiful swimming pool, but mostly because of its fantastic location. Sea Cliff peninsula is set apart from the chaos of the busy city, and is home to lots of expats and embassy workers. The result is large, leafy roads with beautiful houses, clean beaches, plenty of security and lots of nice bars and restaurants for socialising. You also have easy access to the city, so getting to placement or Zanzibar is easy.
The house itself is one of the biggest, with shared rooms sleeping 31 people.
Arusha house
Arusha has always been one of our liveliest locations. The city is a real travel hub, with a constant flow of tourists passing through en-route to Mt Kilimanjaro and the Northern safari circuit. There are lots of bars and restaurants in town and students can relax in our brand new house, part of a prosperous, gated community 10 minutes from the main road.
The house is our biggest, with shared rooms accommodating 32 people.
Mwanza house
The Mwanza house is undoubtedly impressive. Built high above Lake Victoria, the house itself is built into the rockface. It has stunning views and is incredibly spacious. Life in Mwanza is not as hectic as Dar or Arusha, and you get a much better sense of the true Tanzania. Just a short walk away you can catch local transport into town, to your placement or to the Lake for some "off the beaten track" travel opportunities.
The house accommodates 27 people in shared bedrooms.
Ghana house
We are based in the centre of Takoradi, but in the hub of the local community. It feels very safe, with kids playing in the streets and local shops creating a buzzing community atmosphere. Of all our African houses, this one is the where you feel most like you are living in an African city. Because you are in the city it is easy to jump on local transport to get to placement.
The house accommodates 28 people in shared bedrooms.
Nepal house
Pokhara consists of two separate parts - Old Pokhara and Lakeside. The latter is a travel hub, complete with internet cafes, bars, restaurants and travel shops. Old Pokhara, where we have chosen to base ourselves, is a world away - cows wander down the street and local sellers peddle their wares. Amazingly it is just a 15 minute drive between the two, and there are plenty of transport options, so our students can enjoy both sides of Nepal.
The house accommodates 17 people in shared bedrooms.
Sri Lanka house
Kandy, where we are based is quite hilly. We have two houses next door to each other, both with beautiful views over the city and some of the most amazing sunsets. Although beachside Sri Lanka gets the typical humid weather Asia is famous for, the highlands are far more temperate and the climate is perfect - warm with a refreshing breeze!
Each house accommodates 17 people in shared bedrooms.
Mendoza house
Mendoza is a beautiful city and our modern house, based on a large, leafy street, reflects this. It is large, spacious and offers plenty of communal areas. Argentina is of course famous for it's steak and vineyards, and Mendoza is the only house in which we always serve wine with our barbecues - it is non-negotiable according to our house staff!
The house accommodates 18 people in shared bedrooms.
Peru
We are still getting our Peru house ready - the programme officially opens in June.
