I’ve kind of been out of action for a while, so excuse the long gap between posts. But after crossing the six month mark in Argentina, the novelty has worn off and the differences between a volunteer life and a professional life have started to blur, and I feel further and further removed from my WorldTeach experience in Ecuador as the days go by.
One thing to keep in mind is that even though I no longer volunteer, that experience will never leave me. It’s with me all the time, whether I try to help a co-worker with a translation or if I see someone drop some garbage on the street and keep walking. There are different levels of volunteering, just like there are different levels of involvement.
For a while I was scared that as time continued to go by I would forget the lessons I learned, or get caught up in my life here and not look back. But that is not the case. Certain events, places, and conversations have lost their sharp call back, but as a whole the experience is there inside of me, as it always will be.
Recently I became aware of a web site called Conversation Exchange. You can register from seemingly anywhere in the world and try to find someone who wants to learn your language and speaks the language you want to learn. You can arrange to meet up or have conversations online, thus both helping each other improve. This service is totally free and could be a good way to meet people when you are away from home, or to meet foreigners if you are at home. I’ll be trying this out soon myself. It might not be volunteering, but it is cultural exchange, which ain’t too shabby.
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Latest posts by jgbrandt8
- Mate Makes Amigos - January 15th, 2010
- Day in the Life: G to the R to the E in Bs to the As - December 18th, 2009
- Would It All Be Worth It If...? - December 1st, 2009
- New Doors Open, Finally - November 25th, 2009
- Putting Volunteering on Hold - November 3rd, 2009
- Romanticizing Ecuador, But Aware of It - October 27th, 2009
- Use Your Time Wisely - October 20th, 2009
- Going Abroad Alone or With a Group? - October 7th, 2009
- Keep Your Head Up, Champ! - September 29th, 2009
- I Sold Out, Dude. Went All Corporate. - September 22nd, 2009
