Volunteering is a great way to meet locals and become better acquainted with a country’s culture. This can take many forms, from teaching English to helping to plant community gardens. It can also help you sharpen language skills and discover other skills you may not know you have.
Eileen:
When I look back at all the volunteer experiences we’ve had in the past 16 months, it brings up a roller-coaster of emotions. There are lifelong friends made working side-by-side for an inspiring cause and others you so aptly described as “one and done.”
Mike:
Do you mean planting 600 coffee tree seedlings in four days on a farm in Ecuador? That’s not exactly everyone’s idea of a good time. I don’t know how those Wwoofers (volunteers for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) do it. The morning after my first day I was so sore I thought they were going to need to carry me from my top bunk in a stretcher.
Eileen:
Hah! I was just happy you survived. And then the following week we got to serve international customers as a mesero (waiter) and mesera (waitress) at a restaurant in Quito. While I learned how to make a Cafe Americano and pour a proper draft beer, I certainly won’t miss carrying a loaded tray up two narrow flights of stairs for four hours.
Mike:
Funny how even the $0.25 tips split among us were appreciated. Speaking Spanish to the patrons was great practice and more times than not, we even got the order right. And there were also amazing experiences like teaching leadership skills to youth in a poor Colombian barrio.
Eileen:
I think there are two main things to keep in mind when looking at potential volunteer opportunities. Not all gigs are suited for all ages and not all hosts know how to treat and manage volunteers. That’s why websites such as HelpStay and WorkAway are so useful. Volunteers review the host. These websites allow you to get a good idea of the type of work required and how you’ll be treated.
Mike:
There’s also Volunteer South America which has a great list of host organizations. I particularly like how easy it is to see the recommended opportunities by simply passing the mouse over each listing. It’s well organized, with separate lists for no-cost and low-cost (pay for accommodations) situations.
Eileen:
Mike:
And we’ve met inspiring young people in their 20s and 30s from all over the world taking a gap year after graduation or time off from jobs to explore.
Eileen:
Yeah, and even though we couldn’t keep up with their drinking…or their Spanish…or their sleep (read: non-sleep) schedules, we still got along famously.
Looking to volunteer without subsidizing some large tour company’s overhead? Let us know–we’re happy to share our hard-won knowledge.
by: Mike & Eileen Brill-Wagner
