This post is in honor of Blog Action Day today. Latin America contains 26% of the world’s water resources and hosts 6% of the world’s population. This means a lot; this means little. Unequal water distribution is not just spatial. It is temporal, through cycles of drought and flood. It [...]
Author Archive
The Grass is Greener Syndrome, Once Again
“Uruguayans are pessimists,” Cao said, as a group of us lounged by the hospital garden, all dirty hands and sunburnt faces. “They don’t take opportunity…this is a developing country. In the U.S. and Germany, people are more positive.” The German girl next to me nearly choked in d[...]
Sowing the Seeds of Good Intentions
Back in July, I signed on to participate in a volunteer project through Montevideo’s Universidad de la Católica. Their extension office has a well-run program for their students in which the they identify local opportunities, match volunteers into groups, and guide them throughout the semeste[...]
Community Project Guidelines
At WorldTeach we encouraged volunteers to undertake community projects. These could range from raising funds for a bookshelf to installing a floor in a classroom, to establishing a scholarship fund that would continue long after the volunteer’s departure. Whether you are undertaking a voluntee[...]
August 26th, 2010 - 8:05 am § in Tips & Resources
Pre-Departure Checklist
I’m packing my bags. My college roommate gets married on Saturday, and I’ll be darned if I miss it. Despite the fact I’m technically already traveling, and at one point my belongings here filled two suitcases, this trip will involve transit through four countries via bus, boat, two[...]
Dreaming of Rainbow Sheep
In May, I attended Uruguay’s first gay marriage. It was an accident: we overshot a restaurant on the Calle Sarandí and found ourselves amidst unfurling pride flags and a loudspeaker declaring “los mismos derechos para los mismos nombres.” It was, admittedly, also a publicity stunt. Urugua[...]
