So, I’m telling the credit card guy on the phone the dates for our upcoming journey, and he is astounded at how long we’ll be away.  I let him know that it’s probably not exactly as thrilling as it may appear; after all, we’ll be working.  I told him that so that he could contain his excitement. Unexpectedly, though, he becomes even more blown away.  He said “Who gets to work from where ever they want?”

It seems nuts that such an insignificant conversation could serve as a big reality check for us.  We are very lucky that we get to make a living while we explore places like South America.  So many people telling us that we are nutty for not being more “stable” that we can tend to forget how awesome it is to be living deliberately, outside of predefined notions of success.

So, here we are barely into January, and the year ahead already has two big themes: finding the courage to live authentically and remaining mindful of how incredible it is to do so.

Clearly, a periodic reality check is a good thing.

A while back we wrote about our new friend, Cat, who was turning to us for some inspiration.  More specifically, she was looking for some advice on turning her seemingly perfect world upside down in order to pursue a volunteer opportunity in South America.  At the time, she didn’t know where to begin or even what to think of her newfangled idea.

We had gone through much the same process, so we were happy to rally behind her in her quest to step out of the box. That was then.

Now, just a few months later, it seems that she has it all figured out.  She found a promising opportunity in Bolivia, and takes off this spring for her new adventure.  What struck us most when she provided this update was the fact that she is now proceeding with such boldness and ease. When we first met up with her in the summer, she was unsure of nearly everything.  Moreover, she was letting others’ negative opinions get the best of her.  It was really bringing her down when friends and family told her that she was crazy.

After our talk, she was inspired to make her dream come together. That’s just what she did.  She says that it took some time, but she was able to stand behind her dream.  Rather than avoiding conversations (and confrontation) with her inner circle, she started to welcome the opportunity to defend the decision she had made.  She quickly learned that most people were coming from a place of jealousy.

The coolest thing about all of this is not simply that Cat has ironed out the details of her amazing journey to Bolivia.  It’s that – through the process – she started to gain more confidence in all aspects of her life.  As she got more confident and comfortable in her own skin, she started to like herself more and more. It shows.

So, here’s to being brave and to living courageously. Last year, Cat found inspiration in our story.  This year ahead, we’re going to think of her when we need a jolt of gumption.

Whether you’re planning your dream volunteer excursion to Latin America or, perhaps, trying to find your purpose in life, our wish is that you, too, can take a cue from Cat’s story.

As you may have read here, International Volunteer Day is coming up on December 5.  For the last several years, the United Nations has partnered with a number of other organizations to focus on providing potential volunteers with a place for inspiration and information. Another resource for those of us that want to make a difference. How cool is that!

Head to World Volunteer Web to have a look at what’s going on and how you might get involved whether now and/or down the road. The website is packed with information.  Those of us focused on opportunities in Latin America can narrow down our search by country.  You can also gather information via specific issues and sectors.

Go have a look and spread the word!

Recently we had the opportunity to practice this mindset while visiting Samoa in the South Pacific.  Taking a look around upon our arrival, we were reminded that this area was hit by a tsunami late in September. We were gobsmacked to see the devastation.  Everything was completely beat up – flattened buildings, boats thrown across the road and debris everywhere. From what we were able to gather, the tsunami hit at about 7:00 a.m. with about 7 minutes warning.

We made the easy decision to turn our quick visit into one where we looked into what we could do to help out. We  were lucky to locate the disaster relief HQ (a school gymnasium).  They were still working through meeting with the impacted residents. They figured it would take a couple of months to simply assess all of the damage. Based on the numbers of people that filled the gym, you would have thought that the tsunami had hit yesterday.  We got hooked up with an administrator, Helen, who gave us the full scoop on what had happened and how we could help.

At times, the two of us are so focused on getting back to South America for some travel and volunteer work that we forget opportunity exists everywhere.

In the midst of planning how to make a difference, don’t forget to look right in front of you, wherever you happen to be.

Take action in New York City!

Not quite ready to head off for an international volunteering adventure?  Still searching for resources that will help you decide what kind of volunteer project you may want to participate in?

In addition to Idealist, there are lots of great organizations working to connect people with resources in order to make the world a better place.  Recently, we were in New York City and had the chance to stop by the Mercy Corps Action Center. Mercy Corps is a charity that focuses on empowering individuals and communities around the world. In addition to being a huge help in responding to emergencies across the globe, Mercy Corps works hard to alleviate hunger and poverty.

About a year ago, Mercy Corps extended their reach by opening up their first Action Center in New York City.  It’s a space where – through a variety of interactive experiences – visitors can learn about the different kinds of need that exist around the world. After having taken in a bunch of information, visitors have the opportunity to commit to an action – big or small – in order to be a part of positive change. How convenient is that?

We carved out a couple of hours to visit the center and were glad that we made it a part of our time in the city.  Feeling all inspired by the new things we had learned, we committed to several actions before heading back out into the hustle and bustle of the city.

If you’re planning to be in New York City, be sure to take some time to stop by.  It’s a welcome break from the madness. Also, they’ve recently opened up an Action Center in Portland, OR for those of you on the west side of the country.

If you’re not traveling but are in the market for some inspiration and/or information, take a look at the online version of the Action Center.  You’ll find plenty of resources regarding lending a hand in many South American countries.

As Mercy Corps says: Learn. Train. Take action. Make a difference.

We're all connected!

Over the last several weeks, we’ve been writing about the things that we didn’t quite expect as international volunteers:  disorganized organizations, language non-barriers and living with less.

This week, we’re getting into the biggie – the most profound “surprise” as we’ve volunteered and traveled the world.  We got into it a little bit here, but it’s worth expanding on.

Surprise #5 – We’re All Connected

Most of us start to travel in order to have a look at all of the differences that exist around the world.  It’s intriguing and eye-opening to learn about different cultures, to discover unusual food and to experience things that you may not otherwise have the chance to try.

After all of the “newness” wears off, though, many travelers are left with a profound sense of what unites us as citizens of the world.  You learn that people and communities have – in large part – the same sorts of concerns. People want to feel a sense of safety and well-being; they strive to foster meaningful connections in the interest of building a thriving community.  When you travel and have the opportunity to connect with others around the world, you learn just how much optimism exists when people feel heard and cared for.

This post concludes our series. If you’re thinking about doing some extensive traveling or volunteering, get out there!  Just be prepared for a variety of surprises.

We believe that there’s no better way to expand the mind then through travel. Unfortunately – due to climate change – a lot of the most fascinating places on Earth may not be around for people to enjoy in the future. When we were in South America to do some volunteering, we had the chance to see Antarctica. It’s incredible! Let’s pay attention to climate change in order to make that experience possible for generations to come. Also, working to curb climate change helps to alleviate the grip that poverty and hunger have on communities around the world.

In honor of October 15th, Blog Action Day, we wanted to draw attention to what’s going on. Check out the Blog Action Day site here, where you’ll find lots of ways to get involved in order to be a part of positive change.

Speaking of building community, there’s a big surprise attached with the difference you can make when you choose to give back.

Surprise #4 – “Wow” Moments

People are continually asking us “what kind of impact did you have?” sorts of questions. That inquiry always brings a grin to my face because there is no way that you can possibly prepare yourself for the kind of impact you can have. You may think you are taking off to, say, teach English. But, it’s what’ll happen while you are teaching English that will fuel all of your best memories. You’ll learn about the individual ways in which you are impacting peoples lives. It’ll add up to a whole lot more than teaching English (which is great in and of itself).

On a few occasions, we were in charge of the simple task of handing out much needed items – toothbrushes, shoes, etc. – to community members. With every transaction that took place, it seemed we got a fascinating, heart-felt story. One young girl hadn’t had a pair of shoes for six months, and one teenager had been using the same toothbrush for years.

These are the types of experiences that you are likely to have in abundance when you strike out to do some volunteering. These are the things you can’t possibly plan for – they aren’t part of your initial agenda or even in your mental queue.

These are the “wow” moments that will likely turn you into someone who gives back not just for a few days or weeks, but for a lifetime.

Next up: We’re All Connected

When we get into conversations about volunteering in a different country, people often assume the worst: showers are non-existent, all of the food is dangerous, credit cards aren’t accepted anywhere. You get the idea. While those are extreme (and largely untrue!) assumptions, there is a lot to be said about the adjusting that goes along with spending a good chunk of time in a vastly different culture.

Surprise #3 – Living With Less

I vividly remember packing to spend several months volunteering and traveling around South America. We were determined to bring only three backpack-size bags. We spent a lot of time staring back and forth between the stacks of stuff we wanted to bring and the three bags. How were we going to make this work? We ended up doing something extreme. Rather than taking a “What can we squeeze into these bags?” mentality, we went to the opposite end of the spectrum. We decided, instead, to embrace a “How little do you think we can take?” attitude.

We ended up packing minimally. A couple pairs of jeans, a few shirts. I’m in a black, white or gray shirt in nearly every picture that we have. I even decided to leave my iPod shuffle at home (which, on second thought, may have been going too far).

Anyhow, the point is this: you don’t simply learn to adjust but you actually start to thrive on forced simplicity. In our case, we found that this extended to other areas as well. For instance, we started to relish the fact that we weren’t constantly bombarded with news and that we were reading more. We enjoyed less physical and mental clutter. We even made the last minute decision to tag on a trip to Antarctica. We hadn’t packed cold weather gear. We survived.

Our advice: bring a couple creature comforts from home and minimize the rest. Living with less = a very good thing.

Next up: “Wow” Moments

Keep one of these on hand!

Last week, we started our series on surprises in the world of international volunteering.  Our goal is not to provide an all-inclusive list, but rather to share some of the things we found most surprising in our experience.  Hopefully these tidbits will address some of the issues that you might be concerned about as you piece together a volunteer journey of your own.

In the last post, we got into the importance of accepting uncertainty and having a positive experience despite the fact that you may find yourself far from home assisting a disorganized organization.  A volunteer’s feeling of discomfort can often be exponentially intensified if there is a language barrier.

Surprise #2 – Language Non-Barriers

A while back, Emily wrote about being a successful tourist and learning a bit of Spanish before heading to Latin America.  Great advice!  The key is to learn some Spanish. Many people we talk to about our experience say things such as “That’s so cool that you taught English. I didn’t know you were fluent in Spanish.” You don’t need to be fluent in Spanish – or even close – to have a meaningful volunteer experience in Latin America. Surprise! Be wise enough (and respectful enough) to learn enough of the language to have some sort of foundation for communication. Beyond that – don’t worry.

Remember last week when we talked about being thrust into teaching English with no training?  It was a rough experience, but we knew enough Spanish to make it work.  More importantly, we knew enough Spanish to establish a tremendous amount of credibility. The students saw that we were trying; that inspired them to do the same.

Not fluent in Spanish?  Don’t hit the panic button.

Next up: Living With Less.