San Salvador, the crowded, lively capital, borders Lake Ilopango, seen in the distance.

I’m a leap year junkie; that extra day every fourth February reminds me of so many hopeful, calming truths. It reminds me that every system has an outlier and every rule, an exception, even in something as basic as how we measure time. It reminds me that for all our hubris, we human beings have not yet managed to make the Earth go any faster or any slower around the sun. It reminds me that chinks in the fabric of our most basic assumptions exist – there are enchanted places, secret passageways, and hidden, extra hours. This February 29 will mark my fifth month of waking up in El Salvador, a country whose spirit and people help me find the courage to choose to live in these truths more faithfully every day.

I’m here in the first place by way of one of these magical openings in what we might believe is the drudgery of reality. I studied Theology and Spanish in college and spent my coffee shop salary traveling and studying in Mexico and Nicaragua, so statistically speaking, I should have been in Zucotti Park last fall.

Instead, I am occupying a volunteering/working/living position at an nongovernmental organization called FUNDAHMER, based in San Salvador, accompanying rural communities of faith and delegations from their “sister” communities in the United States, Canada, Italy, and Australia. My commitment is for at least year, but I’m in no hurry to leave, and I’m not into predicting the future these days.

El Salvador is a special place; thrilling oddities like leap years seem to abound here. In a country where malnutrition seems to be the norm for rural children, communities donate corn to the most needy among them after a bad harvest. Among dominating vestiges of colonial religious attitudes, delightfully tacky chapels are tucked into forgotten corners, with photos of beloved Monseñor Romero, where the best and the worst singers belt out liberated church songs. For all the shame and wounds carried by Salvadoran women, every once in awhile, you can find a circle of mothers, howling with laughter over a gift of modest cotton underwear. This is a place of cracks in the cement, of new life growing from ashes, and of hope in the struggle.

A particularly intricate variety of orchid grows on the side of the volcano of San Salvador.

I’ve always been a school person, but after with seventeen years of formal education, I have packed my perfectly conjugated irregular preterite verbs into a box under my bed and am working on discerning the tricky double meanings of Salvadoran slang. I’m reading faces, not peer-reviewed articles, and my favorite teacher is my forty-year-old boss, whose heart pumps instant coffee and irrational compassion through his veins. Constantly mediating between different cultures, different people, and different ideas about how the world works, I am learning how to be patient, how to be hopeful, and how to find and celebrate the unexpected.

This is Laurel’s first post on La Vida Idealist. Laurel is currently working a as the International Relations and Delegations Coordinator at FUNDAHMER in El Salvador.

It looks like this at some point pretty much every day in Bogotá

“So, I’m actually moving to Colombia to teach English for a year.”

“Congratulations! That’s so exciting! You’re going to love New York!”

I can’t begin to tell you how many times I had some variation on this conversation during the last few months of 2011. Needless to say, the reaction changed once I explained that my destination had a different vowel, different language and a bit of a different reputation.

But here I am, a few months later, about 2500 miles south of Columbia-with-a-u, in beautiful, polluted, bike-friendly, congested, diverse, sprawling Bogotá, Colombia. I’m currently six weeks into my 11-month commitment with WorldTeach, a U.S.-based organization that sends volunteer English teachers all over the world.

I work at Colsubsidio CEIC Norte, a small-ish school in the northern part of Bogotá, where I’m expected to magically teach English to a population of almost 850 students. I have yet to explain to my supervisors that my magical skills end with my ability to accidentally jinx my favorite sports teams, but in the meantime I’ve been busy falling in love with the city, the food and, most of all, my students (in a totally platonic way! Calm down, FBI representatives).

Almost without fail, every Colombian I’ve met has asked me, “Why Colombia?” People here are acutely conscious of the image many foreigners have of their country – an outdated image, sure, but a stubbornly persistent one. Why, they want to know, would Americans willingly choose to leave their homes and friends and family to move to a country that many people associate with drug cartels and violence?

It’s hard to explain just what drew me to Colombia, rather than the other Spanish-speaking countries with WorldTeach programs. For now, I’m sticking with some combination of “I love the accent” (true), “I heard it was beautiful” (also true) and, if I’m feeling particularly honest, “I wanted to travel somewhere different.” Translation: I didn’t want to be just another face in a crowd of gringos.

Though Colombia is slowly sneaking up on the tourist radar, I’m still the first American many people here have met. And while sometimes that makes me feel like an unofficial ambassador (who’s expected to answer questions like, “Can you describe the American educational system?”), I’m kind of okay with it.

And for the record: New York pizza may be famous, but Bogotá pizza isn’t half bad. And it’s definitely more affordable.

This is Natalie’s first post on La Vida Idealist. Natalie just began work as a Volunteer English teacher with WorldTeach in Bogotá, Colombia. To hear more about her experiences, check out her blog!

I just passed the three-weeks-in-Nicaragua mark (as well as the “I-can-talk-about-more-than-just-the-weather” mark in my Spanish lessons- quite the milestone, in my mind). So, bueno, La Vida Idealistas. I am a 26-year-old from Washington state, currently living in Leon, Nicaragua. I’ve traveled internationally a fair bit, including living in Taiwan, studying Mandarin Chinese– but this is my first time in Central America, as well as my first experience volunteering for an extended period– and so far I’m loving it.

My boyfriend, Turner, and I were lucky enough to be taken on as volunteers at an environmental education organization called Sonati, here in Leon. Sonati focuses on free environmental education for local communities (specifically, but not limited to, school-age children). The environmental programs are funded by Sonati’s hostel and nature tours- which is where I come in!

I am a volunteer guide for Sonati’s various volcano treks. Having loved doing anything outdoors since I was a small child, the opportunity to explore the natural environment surrounding Leon and the ability to share those places with others is the ideal volunteering experience for me.

Sonati is a relatively new non-profit organization (2009), and while they have many volunteers, Turner and I are the second and third volunteer trekking guides– so the process is not only new to us, but new to Sonati as well. Recipe for adventure? Yes. I’m look forward to sharing a first-timer’s experience volunteering, navigating the hierarchy of a fledgling non-profit, and exploring a natural landscape that is (for the most part) alien to me.

This is Alexa’s first post on La Vida Idealist. Alexa has just arrived in Nicaragua to begin work as a volunteer trekking guide with SONATI (Sociedad & Naturaleza Internacional). For more on hiking or working as a trekking guide in Central America, check out Sam Camarra’s series “Quetzaltrekkers: Into the Clouds.”

Money and volunteering. It’s an important subject. Because while you may be willing to work for free, life itself is not free. Flights to the Southern Hemisphere don’t just magically pay for themselves. Neither do Spanish lessons, anti-diarrhea medications, mosquito nets, or SteriPENs. (If you don’t know the magic wand of light that is the SteriPEN, see Kate Bennett’s volunteer packing tips, #17). All these costs can add up to some serious plata and this can dampen your ambitious young dream of volunteering in Latin America.

But have no fear! I have some good fundraising news for you. The Learn, Intern, Volunteer Fund a.k.a LIVFund is a recently established organization that awards small scholarships to individuals learning, doing an internship or volunteering abroad in Latin America. Believing that “the exchange of cultures makes the world a better place,” every month LIVFund awards two US$500 scholarships to deserving applicants. While $500 will not cover your whole volunteer gig, it can certainly help you reach your goal of exploring new cultures and experiencing daily life in Latin America.

Sounds almost too good to be true, right? If you’re as skeptical as I am, you may be thinking, My mama didn’t raise no fool. What’s the catch? Well, there are a few.

First, you have to apply for the scholarship (sometimes in life you have to put effort in). Second, you must be at least 18 years old and learn/intern/volunteer for at least one week. Lastly, if you are chosen to receive the scholarship, then you will have to submit three blog posts/videos/creative self-expressions for the LIVFund Blog (couldn’t hurt to submit them to La Vida Idealist, either!).

Kiva and Peace Corps volunteers are 100% eligible to apply as well as participants in formal internship and study abroad programs. Looking to do something on your own? No problem. LIVFund actively supports independent go-getters who are looking to get their hands dirty by implementing self-designed projects. The fund accepts applications all year round.

So, what are you waiting for?

To find out more information about LIVFund as well as a complete list of eligible countries in Latin America, check out the LIVFund website, or follow them on Facebook or Twitter under the handle @LIVFund.

Megan Kaseburg is currently the International Volunteer Coordinator with Habitat for Humanity Argentina. To hear more about her experiences, check out her blog.

Do: A Kiva Fellowship. It'll change your life

Now, we’re no experts in living or working abroad (though we sure do like it), but we have some nuggets of wisdom to offer up for those of you transitioning into a life abroad or beginning your next Kiva Fellowship. Stick by these tips, and you can’t go wrong. (And for more hints and tips, check out the original 33 Tips from Kiva Fellows post from November 2009 or the full 60 tips on the Kiva Fellows Blog!)

Best Way to a Kiva Fellow’s Heart is through…

1. People love to share food in El Salvador. If you’re having lunch with someone or with co-workers, offer up some of what you have for them to try. (Andrea Ramirez, KF16 Costa Rica & El Salvador)

2. Make sure you try the different casados (rice and black beans paired with some sort of salad, and meat). It’s delicious, affordable, and the closest thing to home-made. (Andrea Ramirez, KF16 Costa Rica & El Salvador)

They may not look good. They may not taste that good, either. But do it: eat the fried cow intestines.

3. Try everything. Ok, yes, you could get sick, but worse, you could live the rest of your life without knowing what guinea pig, cow tongue, fermented maize, cow heart, llama, friend random thing with more random things in it, magical juice in a bag, etc., etc., tastes like. If these things don’t seem appealing, remember: even worse, you could miss out on a big chance to share in a local cultural experience that will stay stayed with you forever. (Mariela Cedeno, KF16 Bolivia)

4. Befriending office mates is easy as pie, especially if you bake one. Any baked treat will do the trick: cookies, cupcakes, 7-layer bars – anything tasty and homemade will suffice. Walk around and offer your treats during the afternoon coffee break. (Sandra Pina, KF16, Honduras)

5. Don’t eat cheap food! Factor in the exchange rate when choosing food…in reality food might be $.20 cheaper, but not worth it! (Eric Rindal, KF15 Sierra Leaone, KF16 Bolivia)

Mind your manners:

6. Ladies, doesn’t matter if you’re wearing sweatpants, a miniskirt, or a potato sack. Steel yourself for catcalls- and remember, there’s no sense in lashing out at the singular gentlemen on the street. Number 1, it’s dangerous, and number 2, even the most articulate string of retaliatory words at this one guy from you cannot spark a shift in the consciousness surrounding gender roles. It’s not worth raising your blood pressure. (Kate Bennett, KF15 Ecuador & KF16 Peru)

7. Unless you enjoy highly passionate debates on Christianity during every remaining day of your fellowship, don’t ever – EVER – admit to your Kiva Coordinator to being anything else but an absolutely devout Christian. If you are Jewish, Muslim, Hindu: just forget your God for four months. If you are an atheist: just remember yours! (Emmanuel von Arx, KF16 Ecuador)

8. If the previous recommendation comes too late for you and you have already committed the capital error of confessing any less than full-blown belief in the word of the Bible, you need to consider immediate and urgent conversion to Christianity. This should ideally take place in a public forum, such as during the Monday morning bible session at your MFI, in the presence of all the employees.(Emmanuel von Arx, KF16 Ecuador)

9. Prepare yourself for all kinds of questions: if you went to university, how much your flight cost, if you have a boyfriend (and if you want one), and so on. Ecuadorians are curious and they’re not afraid to show it. (Kate Bennett, KF15 Ecuador & KF16 Peru)

10. Follow through on promises (or obligations)– go to dinner with coworker’s families, take a day trip with coworkers or friends, etc. And participate! Don’t be shy (or obnoxious) and get involved with after work sports or after work drinks. This is your new community. (Eric Rindal, KF15 Sierra Leone, KF16 Bolivia)

How do you say…

11. Make sure to learn the local language- and I mean local. Simpatico and ridiculo might mean nice, and ridiculous, in Ecuador, but in Ica, Perú you just called somebody sexy and asinine. (Kate Bennett, KF15 Ecuador & KF16)

12. No amount of “city” Spanish will prepare you for the linguistic richness and diversity of Spanish spoken in rural Costa Rica. That said, bring a notebook for ALL field visits, and let the loan officers be your best professors and guides. Even Costa Rican urbanites find themselves lost among the colloquialisms of Tico country Spanish. (Julie Kerr, KF16 Costa Rica)

13. Learning common words and phrases in an indigenous language is the quickest way to break the ice. Guaraní is Paraguay’s other official language and is spoken by the majority of the population. Purete means cool, haso means not cool, kaigue is lazy, nde ha’e kuña guapa means “You are a hard working woman!,” chevare’a means “I am hungry,” and amokose means “I want a drink!” (Alba Castillo, KF15 Paraguay)

14. When a farmer says he brings his harvest to market using his “salchichón” (commonly known as “sausage”), blush not my friends, he means “horse”. (Julie Kerr, KF16 Costa Rica)

15. If you lose the thread of a conversation don’t just say ‘sí‘ or intermittently laugh. Get them to repeat things and when that get boring pick out a word or phrase that you Do know and make a comment or nonsequitor. They might be saying “fijate, las olas son bravas en la playa” and your response might be an unrelated, “¿Te gusta la playa?” This gets the conversation back on your own terms. Think about how often you respond like this in English! (Jim Burke, KF16 Nicaragua)

16. Because they will ask: Kiva means “unity” or “agreement” in Swahili. (Kate Bennett, KF15 Ecuador & KF16)

What to Bring

Do: bring a tuperwear container. Sporks can also come in handy, for that mid-morning mountain climb.

17. My three smartest investments for my fellowships? A SteriPen, a tuperwear container, and a pocket knife with a corkscrew. (Also, if you like to bake, bring down baking soda- you can’t get it anywhere in Ecuador or Perú). (Kate Bennett, KF15 Ecuador & KF16 Peru)

18. Always carry a small, sturdy umbrella. It will get you through unexpected showers; as well as hot, sunny days. (Alba Castillo, KF16 Paraguay)

19. Rain is as plentiful is the air we breathe. Bring an umbrella if you prefer to shower before getting dressed. (Julie Kerr, KF16 Costa Rica)

20. Bug spray, bug spray and MORE bug spray!! For those of you who like more natural alternatives, anything with menthol or eucalyptus helps repel the mightiest of mammoth mosquitoes, sand flies, ticks and chiggers. Slather it on THICK! (Julie Kerr, KF16 Costa Rica)

21. Bring clothes or shoes that need to be fixed, mended, or altered. It is cheap and the work is top quality. The sasterías and zapateros are EVERYWHERE. (Jim Burke, KF16 Nicaragua)

There’s no place like home (in a new country!)

22. If you can, try to find accommodation near the central market building: there’s nothing like eating shrimp ceviche with avocado at 7 o’clock in the morning. Besides, this may be your only chance for the entire day to get your hands on food that’s neither triple-fried nor made out of pure pork fat. (Emmanuel von Arx, KF16 Ecuador)

23. If it’s possible, go with a homestay! Local food, local language, and a solid support group in-country are just a few of the obvious perks of living with a family. (Kate Bennett, KF15 Ecuador and KF16 Peru)

Getting from point A to B

If you're feeling the need for speed, do: hop on your loan officer's motorcycle.

24. When moving around by taxi in Cuzco, do everything possible to seem local to get cheaper prices (there are lots of local gringos, so you can pull it off). How to go about it?

• Say hi to your taxista like this “Buenas, maestro.” Saying hola is touristy, saying chofer is touristy, and asking anything about anything is touristy. You don’t care. You are local.
• Tell him where you are going by saying “I will get off at such and such location”. If you are going to a restaurant, know its name, what street it is on, the nearest cross street, and a reference point nearby BEFORE you get in. Otherwise you won’t be able to pull off the “trabajo aquí.”(Miss any of those four, you are officially a tourist.) (Rob Gradoville, KF16 Peru)

25. If you’re taking the bus and you don’t know where you need to get off, just ask the bus diver. Costa Rica has the nicest bus drivers around! (Andrea Ramirez, KF16 Costa Rica & El Salvador)

26. For safety’s sake, always make a show of noting your taxi’s license plate number in Quito, Ecuador or Ica, Peru- I’ve actually started pantomiming phone calls in Spanish to friends, relaying the plate number and how soon I’ll be arriving to meet them. (Kate Bennett, KF15 Ecuador and KF16 Peru)

Get to work!

27. If you have any freedom to do borrower visits, have no shame in visiting anyone who owns a panatería, heladería, or pisco vineyard. Peruvian hospitality and pride in their business translate to homemade treats for you. Microtenterprise never tasted so good. (Kate Bennett, KF15 Ecuador & KF16)

28. Email coworkers when you leave! – Even if they weren’t helpful with that one thing you were working on…they still care and want to hear from you when you’re gone. (Eric Rindal, KF15 Sierra Leone, KF16 Bolivia)

29. Make people laugh, even when it’s awkward. Visiting clients who are on a spectrum from extreme introvert, to slightly less extreme introvert, can be daunting, but like everything else in life, there is nothing better than a laugh. You’d be amazed how many times my laughing at people and saying “por favor, sonria porque se me va a romper la camera si sigue asi,” actually made them smile. Don’t rush, don’t pull out your pen and BV template, and don’t start dangerously pointing your camera right way. Chill out, smile, shake hands, take in the scenery, interact! (Mariela Cedeno, KF16 Bolivia)

30. Make sure to hang out with MFI staff outside of work. Don’t worry so much about about keeping it strictly ‘professional.’ I built trust, learned office hierarchy, gossip, and got a lot of technical questions answered after a few beers with loan officers. (Jim Burke, KF16 Nicaragua)

31. Fake it ’til you make it. You will be considered an expert in all things Kiva, even if you’re not. Embrace the challenge. You will have multiple resources at your disposal: use them. Learn along the way and don’t be afraid to tell your field partner, “Can I get back to you on that? I want to confirm with Kiva.” (Sandra Pina, KF16, Honduras)

32. If it should take a day or two, it’ll take three or four. If it’s your Borrower Verification, it’ll take a month. (Kate Bennett, KF15 Ecuador & KF16)

33. Figure out how your MFI communicates. They are probably using chat or skype. Get your coworkers chat/skype info early on. sometimes you can formulate better questions, get better responses and be less annoying chatting rather than visiting their office for every little thing. (Jim Burke, KF16 Nicaragua)

Safety

34. Always ask before you snap a photo of someone (especially if they’re not a borrower, especially if you’re in Guatemala). Not only can it be extremely rude, but tourists’ cameras, and persons, have been roughed up for this transgression in the past. (Kate Bennett, KF15 Ecuador & KF16)

35. Never carry your credit card unless you are making a withdrawal. I prefer to carry large sums of money in my shoe rather than bringing my card out of hiding. (Jim Burke, KF16 Nicaragua)

36. Make and carry a photocopy of your passport. Carrying it around for real is a real bad idea, and having no record makes it hard to check into hostels/hotels. (Jim Burke, KF16 Nicaragua)

37. I’ve also got a list of my credit card numbers (scrambled) and call-in information should my wallet get stolen. I also keep an emergency cash supply. Call me paranoid, call me what you will, but this list and back-up cash have come in handy three times in the past year. (Kate Bennett, KF15 Ecuador & KF16)

Do: try to dance like the locals. Don't: fool yourself into thinking you're really, really good at it.

Living and Looking Local:

37. Never take the first price- haggling is expected. On the other side of the coin, though, don’t haggle some old woman trying to sell you a scarf in the Sunday market into oblivion- that extra dollar probably means an awful lot more than her than it does to you. Lay aside your hubris and indignation from time to time and accept the gringo tax. (Kate Bennett, KF15 Ecuador & KF16)

38. Be a guest (and a friend) – allow people in your host country to take you around…you don’t always have to pretend like you’re not a tourist…let’s be real, this is not your native country (if it is, still go on some trips!). (Eric Rindal, KF15 Sierra Leone, KF16 Bolivia)

39. Get off the internet! Your friends at home really don’t need to hear from you every day (although your mother/father probably does). It’s way cooler to say, “I was out of internet range…” (Eric Rindal, KF15 Sierra Leone, KF16 Bolivia)

40. Outside of San Salvador the people are pretty conservative. Men won’t shake a woman’s hand unless she extends her hand first. (Andrea Ramirez, KF16 Costa Rica & El Salvador)

41. In Paraguay, you greet and say goodbye to friends with not one, but two kisses – one on each cheek. (Alba Castillo, KF16 Paraguay)

42. If you want to look like a local, wear jeans. Even if it’s 100 degrees outside. Tourists are associated with shorts. (Andrea Ramirez, KF16 Costa Rica & El Salvador)

43. When in Rome…always pour some out for Pachamama. If you find yourself sitting around a big bucket of Chicha with nothing but a full gourd in hand, don’t be stingy, pour some out for Mother Earth, she’s thirsty too. (Mariela Cedeno, KF16 Bolivia)

44. Walk, walk everywhere, all the time. Yes you need to be at the office at 8 a.m. and you get up at 7:40, but maybe during your two hour lunch break and on weekends you can make sure to take the time to pace yourself. Remember to absorb everything around you: the sounds, the streets, the people, the street vendors, the conversations, the protests, the smells. For some reason, those were also my most peaceful times. (Mariela Cedeno, KF16 Bolivia)

45. Getting haircuts is cheap and always a great experience. Getting a straight razor shave sounds bad ass but is just bad and hurts a lot. (Jim Burke, KF16 Nicaragua)

For more hints and tips, check out the original 33 Tips from Kiva Fellows post from November 2009! To learn more about the Kiva Fellowship experience, check out “Why I Volunteer Abroad” by Eric Rindal, “Migration, Microloans, and the Journey of a Kiva Fellow” by Kate Bennett, or the official Kiva Fellows Blog.

I love my job.

Now, these critics have a point. If volunteering abroad could be a full-time, financially viable profession, I would jump on that boat in a heartbeat. Currently, I am home working my tail off, specifically so that I can afford to venture back to Central America and volunteer with another non-profit organization.

But working abroad can be a “serious” job too. As a 23-year-old American, I believe that my generation’s conception of a “real” job differs from that of my parents’. When my parents were in their 20s, the professional world existed largely within various office settings and occurred between the hours of 9am and 5pm. Sure, Mad Men, Pleasantville, and I Love Lucy have impressed upon us a generalization of professionalism in the 50’s and 60’s, but that generalization is grounded in truth.

However, in the globalized and tech-savvy world of today, “serious” jobs can have many different forms. While many young adults work the traditional 40 hour weeks in offices (which can be very productive and fulfilling), the advancement of communication technology enables many young professionals to work from home. Likewise, increasing numbers of young adults seek careers as consultants, which allow them to travel throughout the country and work with different companies. For me and many others, the most rewarding jobs are based in developing countries. Nonprofit jobs look very different depending on the country, the organization, the coworkers, etc., but they all require a commitment to development, and a passion for experiencing new lifestyles and cultures.

As fruitless job hunts and the media remind me frequently, the current job market in the US is uninspiring. Nevertheless, I feel so lucky to be part of a generation that has options in the types of jobs available. Any job is a “serious” job, if it supports me and allows me to pursue my passions.

Ginny just finished a thirteen-month commitment as Program Director with Manna Project International-Guatemala. For more on Ginny’s experiences in Guatemala, check out her blog.

As a volunteer we do have to do our research. Just like someone donating (discussed pointedly in Amanda’s recent post “Too Much Charity“) in order to make a difference, we have to do a background check on who we donate our time to. We also must realize that volunteer organizations operating in Latin America under the “do-gooder” guise are not always that transparent or altruistic.

I guess I didn’t do my research.

When I volunteered last year with a foundation in Tena, Ecuador (doing trail maintenance), I felt mislead. After finishing my two-week stay, I was to understand that the organization was in a “transitional phase” during my visit, but even considering this, I was a bit let down.

The facilities were functional but surprisingly run down. The food was good but simple. And more than once during my 2-week stay the “manager” was found in the morning arguing with the kitchen help about buying enough food for the week, and basically telling the cook to make due because there was no money to buy food. This surprised me. Considering the amount of money that the volunteers from the states paid to do the same work I was doing, I was appalled that this site was short on cash.

But the frustrating part was it seemed that the organization had a really successful history. There was evidence of some really productive volunteer projects.  However, it seemed the “transitional phase” really was impacting their work. The new volunteer coordinator seemed more motivated to talk to me about the “monas locas de Guayaquil” than any kind of project. He was open to ideas, but during our Friday meetings, it seemed that he would come up with excuses to not do many of them.

I am not complaining. I still enjoyed myself immensely. We did some useful projects to improve the trail infrastructure in the short time I was there, and I met some great people with whom I am still in contact.

However, if you are going to volunteer in Ecuador, I would follow the same recommendations that Amanda mentions for donations. Mainly, just do your research and try to work directly with the organization where you are going to volunteer.
I realize that these places do need to spend money on marketing to attract their target audience in the US and Europe, but I would like to have seen more of the cost of the program go directly to the site. I left questioning the integrity of these booking agencies that set up the projects from the states and wondering where does the revenue go from the high program costs if not directly into the site?

For more posts on paying (or not paying) to volunteer abroad in Latin America, check out “It Pays To Do Some Research,” “Pesos and centavos: Should you pay to volunteer abroad in Latin America?” by Megan Kaseburg, “Making a Difference While Making a Living – But How?” by Caitlin McHale,  or “From Volunteering to Paid Work: Development Careers in Latin America” by Andrew Wainer. Philip Dixon is an English literature teacher in Ecuador, who has just relocated from Guayaquil to Quito, and a devoted mountain biker. For more information on his experiences, check out his blog.

Overlooking San Antonio de Flores

My journey into the field of international development was bred from a mix of wanting to be like Indiana Jones and a champion for world peace. I also really liked the idea of getting paid to travel around the world and interact with local people. That being said, I didn’t always want to be a Peace Corps Volunteer. It was always an option, but it wasn’t the option for a while.

I got into the Elliott School for International Affairs at George Washington University and was dead set on becoming a global somebody. Then I took a class my sophomore year on the Anthropology of Development and my world got shaken up a bit.

Before that class, I had a very naïve view of international development and foreign aid. Professor Shepherd quickly broke all of that down. As students we were presented with harsh realities and taught to look deeper and question the effectiveness and purpose of development work. The role of aid institutions in the Rwandan Genocide, what? You mean a dam the World Bank built actually damaged the local environment and its inhabitants? Peace Corps Volunteers aren’t the change-makers of the world? So you’re saying that international aid organizations can do more harm than good? Now, it’s not as though Professor Shepard crushed all of my hopes and dreams, but he definitely broke my rose-tinted glasses when it came to development work.

After learning that development work is much more complicated and messier than it seemed, I told myself I did not want to be a PCV. I wanted to create effective change. I wanted to make a real impact. I didn’t want to go to some far off place for 2 years of my life and have the local people resent me for my arrogance and assuming they don’t know better. I didn’t want to be a part of any organization that patronized the people it was claiming to help and empower. Furthermore, two years felt like a long time, a serious commitment. I didn’t want to commit to something that I wasn’t completely confident in. Things that had once been black and white were quickly turning gray.

So what made me change my mind about the Peace Corps?

A couple of things. First, after filling my head with more and more questions and not a whole lot of answers about international development and what working in such a field meant, I decided to do my research and see what this business was all about. Secondly, I realized that many programs like Peace Corps are about experience and perspective, not necessarily saving the world. By sharing experiences, both professional and personal, volunteers can help empower others in their community. It may not be the big impact that many an aspirante expects or hopes for when entering service, but they provide the building blocks for bigger changes that take time to develop. Much more time than two years.

Before deciding to apply to Peace Corps, I went to a number of information sessions. I hounded my local recruiter with questions about his experiences, how volunteers are supported, what the expectations are, etc. I was still hung up on the idea of committing two years of my life to this. My inner thought process was: when I finish I could be 26 and then I need two more years to get my Master’s degree so I’ll be like, 28. And then what if I want to start a family, and I’ll be so old…and down the slippery slope I went. An older, wiser friend knocked some sense into me and I concluded that two years really is not as much time as it seems.

I also went back to talk to Professor Shepherd, also an RPCV (returned Peace Corps volunteer), to get some direct, no-holds-barred advice as well. He told me (to paraphrase), “Look: the Peace Corps is a great experience and you will never have another job like it. But you can’t go into it thinking you are going to save the world and do big, amazing things for your community. If you go into it with such high expectations you are going to be disappointed and it will be much more difficult for you to be an effective volunteer. You need to focus on the little things. If Peace Corps is what you want to do, you will get the most out of it if you don’t expect too much of yourself and keep your mind open to learning everything you can from the experience.”

Armed with plenty of advice and information, I decided that I’d give Peace Corps a shot and now here I am in Honduras. The application process took a little over a year. I started writing my application in February, submitted it in April, was nominated in May (on my birthday as fate would have it), but I didn’t receive an invitation to serve until the following March with my departure date set for mid-June. It is a process that requires some patience.

The author at an HIV/AIDS charla

Now that I am past the halfway mark of my service, the advice I received is all the more relevant. Peace Corps is a great experience. I have never before felt so sure about a decision and what I am doing. However it is not without its challenges. You definitely have to be proactive, you need to maintain confidence, and “flexibility” takes on a whole new meaning. I am also incredibly grateful that Prof. Shepherd always kept it straight and taught his students how to think and question projects, programs, and expectations. Many PCV’s struggle with the harsh reality of their communities and the limits of being one volunteer in a sea of complex issues and systems. It is challenging, invigorating, and no one volunteer’s experience is identical. It is definitely not for everyone, but it is a worthy challenge for those who choose accept it.

Check out two more interesting takes on the life of a PCV: the Official PSA, and So you want to join the Peace Corps? Amanda is currently a Municipal Development Advisor for the Peace Corps in Honduras. For more on her experiences, check out her blog.

Before I volunteered as a Kiva Fellow in Sierra Leone (May of 2011) and Bolivia (September 2011), I was living in Santa Barbara, California. Imagine: Santa Barbara beaches saturated with color, mansions with the smell of jasmine twisting through the air, and a pace of life only to be set by the sun. While there, I was working for a de jure artist and took up the ranks as a de facto artist myself. Life was pretty easy, and moving to a developing country and working with microfinance seemed a million miles away. Leaving it all made me wonder why I would forfeit the comfort and normalcy of home for places where it feels like I have to relearn basic parts of life (i.e. restroom, showers, and food).

While volunteering, I was often asked , “Why would you come volunteer in my country?” Each time, I rambled about a desire to foster opportunities in the development of people around the world. But that is just it, how concise can pre-volunteers really be?

Well, the life of a volunteer goes with the wind. Four weeks ago I was living in Sierra Leone and today I am sitting in an office in Bolivia. Obviously, volunteering is not the most advantageous financial move one can make; in fact, while in the States, I qualified for free immunizations before coming to Bolivia because I was “low income”. In all honesty, most volunteers are a footnote to an organization’s real employees, and the “We couldn’t do it without you” speech only gets volunteers high for a split second. So why endure the bucket showers in Sierra Leone and language barriers in South America? Why volunteer?

For me, it has to do with something I encountered as a child while hiking around my home in Washington State. I saw the diverse beauty of nature: cedars, Douglas firs, ferns, and myriad wildflowers. I then thought about the diverse beauty of humanity (although those weren’t my exact thoughts as a child…). What it came down to was that I knew people (and the world) had to be different beyond my hometown population of ninety-something.

I didn’t leave and volunteer to “save the world.” (Do people still do that?) Rather, I had this desire to cease to be dichotomized from the developing world. Volunteering was a means to share life with people and hope to understand why populations live at different standards of living. This, hopefully, is joining in the process of lifting people out of poverty –the more minds and hearts that are included in the “process” (any process or cause you are voluneering for), the more potential there is to yield results and answers.

The wonder in volunteering, I have found, is simply in the interaction between me and a Kiva Borrower (those who recieve loans). In most cases, we each have something to add to the life of the other. With Kiva, microfinance volunteer work is geared to sustainably enable entrepreneurs in developing countries by facilitating capital for their business through loans.

My greatest interest in life was to see this “process,” and I have been so encouraged by what Kiva Borrowers are doing with their loans to better their lives. In reality, when any volunteers collaborate with people in development, we begin to answer for ourselves the questions we could not articulate beforehand. Within it all, volunteers are fortunate to take the time and witness the diverse beauty of humanity.

First off, thanks Rob for the recent guest series on various volunteer and development opportunities. Your experiences and incites were concise and objective, great advice to the budding idealist in Latin America. While reading your entries and others on the site lately, I have been deeply considering whether my job belongs on the site. I was inspired by your posts to copy (if the editors keep it this way) your format, and I just wanted to make sure we didn’t leave out another breed of idealist; the international teacher!

1) What it’s Like and What is was Like for Me

I am an English literature teacher in Quito, Ecuador. Being an international teacher in Latin America is filled with options  and great benefits. If you are an experienced teacher in the states looking for a change, or a new teacher looking to experience a new culture, seriously consider this option.  After attending a job fair in Atlanta last year for international schools in Latin America, I became newly fascinated with the career. The caliber of some of the tops schools is really impressive and the opportunity for advancement in the field is abundant. Considering that most international teachers stay at a school for an average of 2-3 years, if you invest some time, and stay longer than that, you will be rewarded with more responsibilities and pay.

Although I have only been to one country so far, Ecuador, I think international teaching offers a comfortable way to get to know another culture and country. Depending on your position, you will have the option to meet and make lasting friendships with a great group of like minded teachers from all over the world, and locals as well.

2) Level of Freedom or Structure

This depends heavily on the individual school. In my first position in Guayaquil, the school gave me a great deal of freedom as a teacher, and as long as the kids or parents didn’t complain too much, I was free to do basically what I chose. Here in Quito, with norms like scheduled “walk throughs” and formal observations from my superiors, setting smart goals, uploading unit and lesson plans; it’s a bit more formal.

When looking for a position, sorting through the myrid of opportunities and finding real schools  can be overwhelming. So, if you are interested in a legitimate international school rather than a language institute,  it is worth it to pay for a subscription to one of the recruiting sites like  TIE online, www.tieonline.com; search associates, http://www.searchassociates.com/; or International School Services, http://www.iss.edu/

3) Was I Useful? Did I make a ‘Difference’?

This is the where I think my experience differs from some of the options Rob detailed. As an international teacher, you usually work with upper class students. The families have money, they can afford to send their kids to bilingual, international caliber, IB diploma school; so they do.

So these are the questions my conscience has been wrestling with: do I need to work with kids in poverty to make a difference? Can I teach privledged Ecuadoriadian kids and get paid almost 10 times the amount of minimum wage here and still be considered an idealist? I certainly see the allure of working with less privileged students, they need the English instruction more than the rich kids do to raise themselves out of poverty, and I have done some fun volunteer projects during my summer breaks here.

But this is my chosen profession, so I am forced to defend it. I am encouraged (and sometimes scared) to think about how many of my students will undoubtedly become leaders in the business or political community here in Quito and Ecuador. So perhaps my influence can make a difference. If I can teach an ounce of humility, I think it could go a long way.

David Whyte, a poet who writes on teaching and imagination,explains it best; “There is a lovely root to the word humiliation – from the latin word humus, meaning soil or ground. When we are humiliated, we are in effect returning to the ground of our being.”

If I can help my students understand themselves and the complex world around them a little better, I feel like I have done my job.

Also, I currently enjoy an ideal situation in which to accomplish the goal above. I have one class of 19 students and 4 classes of 10-13 students each. Small classes are a dream come true for me as a teacher, as (despite what the research says) small classes allow for deeper conversation and appreciation of the material. Not to mention, more one on one attention for each student goes a long way in their development.

4) Dolla Dolla Bills Y’all

The pay is usually enough to live comfortably and save a little. You can easily save 2-3 times as much as I do teaching in China or the middle east, but if you’re on this site  I don’t need to explain the attractiveness of Latin culture!

Other benefits can include professional development opportunities. I am currently pursuing a distance learning masters degree through a university in New York state, and my school here in Quito is subsidizing the program heavily, so I am getting a masters degree as well as experience working and living abroad

5) Was it Worth it?

My favorite professor in university used the phrase “Journey of Self” in all her classes. It served not only as a theme to investigate the literature we read, but also as a reflective tool to evaluate our own development.

For me it is worth it. Teaching is a profession that requires commitment to long term goals and not always instant gratification. If I can force my students into some reflective moments and guide them through their “Journey of Self” during adolescence, I am happy.

For more tips on volunteering abroad, check out the aforementioned guest series by Rob Gradoville (parts the three, two, and one), “Can English Really Open Doors?” by Meredith Price, ”How Much Difference Did I Really Make After 5 Months of Teaching English?” by Jon Clarke, or “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction” and “Ready to Teach Abroad? Be Ready for Anything,” by Kent Green. Philip Dixon is an English literature teacher in Ecuador, who has just relocated from Guayaquil to Quito, and a devoted mountain biker. For more information on his experiences, check out his blog.