Archive for the ‘Volunteer’ Category

March 11th, 2010 - 5:14 pm § in Around Town, Belize, Doing, Good Ideas, Volunteer

“Don’t get your reading material from the dump.”

This morning while heading into work, we dumped our garbage. Driven by our protected areas manager, Nat, two other volunteers and I assisted in the process by tossing bags and crates of rubbish on top of one of many exposed piles of trash along a road off the highway. Nat, jaded by his time in [...][...]

March 10th, 2010 - 4:34 pm § in Country, Doing, Nicaragua, Volunteer

Two Weeks into a Year’s Worth of Photography Classes

I’ll never forget watching my first group of photo students in Solentiname walk away from me to shoot some of their first pictures. I was standing inside of the poorly lit classroom with a massive smile on my face – I could hardly contain my happiness – and reminded them one las[...]

March 1st, 2010 - 3:12 pm § in Ecuador, Looking, Tips & Resources, Volunteer

Taking the Plunge

Recently, I was talking with a friend who would very much like to move abroad to either work or volunteer her time.  Of course, my immediate response was “Do it!” but the conversation quickly turned from where to start looking for opportunities into a list of reasons why she couldn&#[...]

February 18th, 2010 - 8:48 pm § in Around Town, Chile, Volunteer

Intern Spotlight: Opening Doors in Chile

As soon as Meridith Price had her first taste of travel, she knew she’d been struck with a bad case of wanderlust. While searching for a cure for her condition in Latin America, she found herself petting alpacas in Cusco, mountain biking in the San Pedro de Atacama desert, dining al fresco in San [...]

February 18th, 2010 - 9:58 am § in Around Town, Brazil, Day in the Life, Event, Looking, News

Removal is a Social Crime!

Last week, I went to a demonstration in downtown Rio where favela residents were protesting against the city’s decision to remove several of their homes and neighborhoods. About two hundred men, women, and children —representatives from several communities — gathered in front of City Hall with[...]

February 11th, 2010 - 6:45 pm § in Belize, Day in the Life, Tips & Resources, Volunteer

Scorpions and Tarantulas and Rats, Oh My!

One of the main reasons I chose my volunteer position was the free housing provided at the field center.  Prior to making the move, I asked my standard first question: “Are there tarantulas?” The response was just short of laughing in my face. Aside from tarantulas, we are also the pro[...]

February 8th, 2010 - 11:48 am § in Ecuador, Op Ed, Volunteer

My Country, ‘Tis of Thee

What is it about world travelers bad-mouthing their countries of origin?  Is it out of shame, or do they really dislike their home country that much?  Did I miss something in the secret World Traveler Handbook?  I cannot tell you how many countless times I have come across various travelers / vol[...]

February 5th, 2010 - 5:56 pm § in Doing, Good Ideas, Looking, Tips & Resources

Making It Happen For Yourself

When it comes to establishing oneself in a new foreign place, learning the difference between “trolling for opportunities” vs. “putting the word out”  is important. When I first set out with the idea of finding somewhere to volunteer at, I spent a lot of time trolling for id[...]

February 4th, 2010 - 5:02 pm § in Bolivia, Doing, News, Peru, Volunteer

Cusco on My Mind

If you haven’t heard, there have been terrible floods in Cusco, Peru in the past week. Since we are in the thick of la epoca de la lluvia (the rainy season), rain is expected but the level of destruction seen in the area is unimaginable. Tourism is the main industry in Cusco, and the damage [...][...]

February 4th, 2010 - 12:05 pm § in Doing, Looking, Nicaragua, Nonprofit Spotlight, Tips & Resources, Volunteer

The Experience: Enjoying Your Time as a Volunteer

When I made the decision to leave everything that was familiar at home and work abroad, I knew that having a strong, supportive and exciting group of volunteers to work with would help ease the unfamiliar surroundings. Some people look to be alone, others want a base and the rest want something in b[...]





Bad Behavior has blocked 887 access attempts in the last 7 days.