International Volunteer

Volunteer Eco Students Abroad (VESA) is one of the many volunteer organisations in the world. So why should students choose for this particular one as a volunteer program?

Well, VESA is a unique volunteer organization which provides students and other open-minded people to go into a country and become a meaningful part of the community as a volunteer abroad, combined with adventure tourism. The program provides a balance between helping the less fortunate through volunteering and an adventurous trip by exploring a new country.

The program focuses on volunteer work in Fiji and Ecuador. You can help villages provide fresh water, restore local school equipment, teach English to primary school children, … in a program that is worked out for you day by day.

The 14 day program costs 1995 dollars and you can subscribe online or give a call to +1 310 734 8412. All the VESA programs are accompanied by staff members who are bilingual and familiar with the habits of the people in Ecuador and Fiji. Furthermore, all the local guides speak fluent English. You can make a difference while enjoying beautiful parts of the world as an international volunteer.

Of course there are many good organisations for volunteer work abroad. But I consider this organisation as a good one which offers programs with a nice balance between volunteers work and cultural tripping. You can enjoy new experiences in some of the world’s nicest countries while knowing that you are a meaningful help for the local communities.

I really do not know if Samoa is considered as a cheap international travel destination. But my interest in the country was picked when I met a volunteer from Samoa. I am also a volunteer in our community and what surprises me is when this Samoan volunteer speaks my language fluently that I could. He has terms and vocabulary that is so deep that I can not help but ask from where he is.

Then when I visited a college friend; I was so enthralled by the beautiful beaches and pictures that he took of a place and not knowing that it is Samoa. The similarity of Samoa and our country is great. Perhaps the difference lies in the fact that it belongs in the other parts of the globe.

Samoa is a good volunteer abroad destination. The people welcome volunteers like family. We know that Samoa has just been devastated by calamities in the recent years. Thus, it is only but befitting to help this nation build its life again.

Volunteer who is looking for a destination should also considered this beautiful country. Samoa is composed of 9 islands. These islands are great destinations for adventure activities during free time. You can surf the ocean Samoan style as the Pacific Ocean kisses the country’s reef.

Spas are also present in the many islands. For these islands became the refuge of fatigue and tired people. The scene being offered to them for free is indeed a cut out from heaven. Volunteer placements abroad in Samoa are varied and huge. If you seek certain volunteer destination then Samoa is sure to have something for you.

One dreamed activity by the volunteers in Samoa is to swim with turtles. The country is gifted with hundreds and thousands of these beautiful and slow creatures.

I was searching for a volunteer program, then I stumbled upon an article about a teacher volunteer in Uganda who went to propose an Afri-pad. They said that they were sewing reusable sanitary pads. The issue here is that female secondary students are absent from 3 to 7 days a month due to their menstruation. For the fact that they can not afford to buy sanitary pads thus they prefer to stay home during their monthly period. One pack of sanitary pads usually cost them 2000 Uganda shilling.

Thus a teaching volunteer with some efforts has come up with a project and donation scheme to give the Ugandian women the chance of making their own reusable sanitary pads out from a fleece. Fleece is a term for a soft fabric.

The women and girls in Uganda showed great joy in receiving kits for making their own sanitary pads. I remember making reusable sanitary napkins out from soft cloth and using them. They are good. Thus this teaching volunteer had made a little yet significant contributions in Ugandian women.

Right after a day’s volunteer work the volunteers would usually enjoy the sight in Uganda. They know the country has so many possibilities as soon as they touch down and saw the view of Lake Victoria. That alone took their hearts away.

As the home of the Gorilla, Uganda has already received thousands of guests. Those who are excited to visit the domain of the apes to those who would like to experience the beauty of Lake Victoria.

Everyday is a challenging day for the volunteers but at the end of each project lays the fact that the surroundings welcome them with great beauty. The free safari, which they can enjoy right after work, is already a gift. A volunteer can have every sight to his liking during break days.

I really do not see the rationale when people go abroad then they pay for the fair and all the expenses that goes with it. They pay expensively to work and help their build their homes. Is this a practical decision making? Is this what the world really needs? Or is this just also another mediocre attempt to help others.

The answers:

Yes the world needs volunteers abroad. Other people also need the help of other people. No man is an island. That also applies to the wealthiest nation. These nations – though are financially capable of existing without the help of other nations still needs the existence of other poor countries.

No it is not a mediocre attempt to help others. Volunteers are of so many kinds. Some volunteers usually pay for their fare and expenses as they travel. It’s like paying for a travel abroad but this time you do not see the sights but you help the life of others in some way.

Some volunteer professional are sponsored by organizations when they volunteer abroad to help others. Some doctors coming from the west come to developing countries with their travel expenses paid. Professionals like engineers and real estate valuation experts are needed in certain countries and they volunteer for some projects in the developing country without pay.

My choice to go work abroad and spend for my travel expenses is a well thought of decision and not a haphazard kind of decision making. I volunteered for the reasons that I wanted to share my skills and somebody out there in the whole wide world needs my skills and would appreciate it.

Thus my choice to go to developing countries such as Egypt and Ecuador are really dream of a woman who wants to share in a race different from her own.

International Volunteers are scattered around the world to help humans. This time a group will organize and mobilize individuals around the world to help the ocean. The groups philosophies lies in the fact that the ocean is one important part and its connection to the biome can never be deleted.

The group, Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup encourages people to clean their oceans, waterways, seas and beaches free from debris and trash. Then they got to point the source of trash and perhaps unlearned the behavior that causes it.

In this view, I saw an opportunity to travel and volunteer at the same time. Volunteer work abroad does not always have to be associated with a tie and office work. International volunteering in this kind of activity is a sure way of finding news friends, crossing borders, knowing an in-depth history and of course a very effective crash course of culture.

So I see a very good opportunity for those people who would want to join forces and volunteer abroad. This is a chance to visit another country and volunteer and help up save life. This international group will be cleaning the ocean on September 19, 2009; so if going abroad is impossible with this very soon date then perhaps this year you can get involve with the group and got to volunteer locally.

That is your first step and then perhaps you inquire on an international volunteer program. If they do not have it yet then maybe inquire on a location or destination that the group will do the ocean cleaning and perhaps target it on your next travel next year. The Ocean conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup is a yearly or annual event. So there may be a variety of destination that you can choose from if ever you wanted to join the group on a yearly basis.

This may also give organizers another new idea.

I always wonder about the wonders of doing international volunteer programs. Come to think of it, from the word ‘volunteer’ itself, only the purely good-hearted individuals must be able do such thing. But on the other side, I guess all kinds of people can engage in volunteer works. On top of having an experience of a trip outside your hometown, not to mention culture immersion the whole idea must be great! I’ve read an article about volunteering in China and it really fired up my curiosity. I think the Chinese culture is fascinating, if not interesting. I can point out a number of things that make it so. Chinese is one of the oldest civilizations in the world. I believe they have a lot of great minds there too, or we would not have had paper or printing. The most spoken dialect in the region is Mandarin, which I actually find complicated, yet ironically it is interesting because it is so. I also find the religion of Taoism particularly captivating in its philosophy on “the way’. However, I never really understood the whole idea of Buddhism, but why does it seem to have a very large number of devotees from the public. I sure like to find the reason behind that when I get there to volunteer. I’m sure that regardless of the duration of time I’m going to spend for volunteer work abroad, it already makes one lifetime experience. The idea of total immersion alone; being with the people, understanding their way of life, knowing their beliefs and living their culture already feeds me enough. I’ve read most volunteer programs in China are based either in Shanghai or Beijing, but if choosing where to volunteer is entirely up to me I think I’ll choose both. The two cities are great and I’m sure it makes the whole job a fulfilling endeavor. Furthermore, if volunteer programs are either in rural or urban areas, I think the rural area is more appealing. I believe it is the common people who have had a good share of extraordinary life experiences and it should teach me more. Nonetheless, I am certain the language barrier is a potential problem. Perhaps if I can have just a brief background of Mandarin while I teach English or take care of little children, I can get by smoothly.

Global volunteers know that there are so many ways to volunteer abroad and help others. Indeed it will be a volunteer vacation that you will experience. If you are a native speaker of the English language or you know ho9w to speak the language; perhaps you can volunteer, stay in a host family and teach them the English language.

When an English speaker is integrated into a household of non-English speakers; the family will be compelled to learn the language for them to communicate with their volunteer guests. This is a very popular choice for volunteer abroad teens.

Sometimes the situation is reversed, a non-English speaker student volunteer abroad Canada so that he will immersed and exposed to a family who speaks the English language and get to know the Canadian culture.

Free Volunteer abroad, global vision international and habitat for humanity are some of the main themes, group and kinds for volunteering abroad. Yet, teaching the English language abroad is one of the most popular ideas abroad.

Italy, German, France and Spain are the popular choices in volunteering to teach a family the English language.

Italy has a fascinating array of natural landscape, modern cities, rich cultural heritage, breathtaking architecture, fascinating art, very pleasant countryside and just simply splendid attractions that you can devour when you chance to take a volunteer program in this country.

Germany is a perfect potpourri of major attractions from bustling nightlife, gorgeous landscape, festivals, historical places, picturesque scenery, architecture, museums and many more. You should not miss the Bavarian Alps and Black Forest.

Never dare miss this metal monstrosity- the Eiffel Tower in France. If you have a lot of time; better walk up to the highest part of this tower without using the cable car to feel the magnitude and history of this giant monument.

When we talk of tapas, café, Catalan cuisine, and Sagrada Familia- we of course know it is Spain. A country most frequented by tourist because of its lovely temperature and perfect beaches.