La Vida Idealist

North Bogota

Since 2007, I have been running a small business over the internet. It has enabled me freedom of time and freedom of location, for which I am very grateful.  Recently I got the itch to travel to Colombia and pursue a volunteer opportunity.

Colombia because of the great things I have heard from other travelers and the inaccurate perception of the country in American media. Volunteering because I need a change of pace from internet work and to expand my resume to include social work.

Not sure what type of social work. I have worked in the past tutoring elementary school students and with autistic adults, so they could be places to start. I am keeping things open-ended here on purpose because I am aware of how little I know; about Colombia and about what organizations/causes will appeal to me.

I am not part of the Peace Corps nor am I going as part of a graduate school program. When it comes to the non-profit/volunteer sector, I don’t have any connections. When looking for volunteer opportunities online, I found them to be:

A) Expensive: “Cost for the 6 week trip is $3000″
or
B) The organizations are looking for volunteers with a ton of experience.

I don’t have a lot of money and have even less experience. The trip to Bogota is an exploration of option C: a free volunteer opportunity for someone with minimal experience. This  will be the focus of my blog entries: from finding and working with organizations, to negotiating housing, to visiting the dentist, to extending my passport stamp. I aim to be very accessible to readers. Contact me whenever about whatever.

In my first week in Bogota, here are some things that I have thought about:

1. What is the best way to contact organizations? By email, phone, or should I just show up?

2. I have the perception in my mind that many non-profits will be in poorer, more dangerous sections of Bogota. How will I distinguish between places where I need to be cautious versus places where I need to stay away from?

Today, I will begin to contact a list of three organizations I compiled through the owner of my guesthouse.

So it begins now, I have been in Bogota since last Monday. I’m at square zero – aware that I know very little, but full of excitement about learning a little bit more.

(Editor’s note: this post is from Monday July 27th, published late due to technical difficulties with the blog)

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• Paying It Forward: Helping Locals Volunteer Abroad - November 2nd, 2009
• Is Bogotá Safe? - October 20th, 2009
• Must Read: Strategies to Empower a Community/Organization - October 14th, 2009
• Volunteering at a Religious Organization When You´re Not Religious - September 29th, 2009
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