Chiang Mai is a centre for groups and organisations working with a variety of humanitarian projects. Special skills aren’t required and all help is appreciated.

Friends For Asia

Friends For Asia works to benefit local communities through short and long term volunteer programs. Unafilliated with any government or religion, Friends For Asia offers a wide selection of volunteer projects to choose from, including building, gardening, caregiving, helping in orphanages, and working at elephant camps.

If interested in volunteering, contact Friends For Asia via their online form.

Viengping Children’s Home

Viengping Children’s Home is an orphanage establishment situated just north of Chiang Mai’s city centre.

Always looking for new and eager volunteers, the children’s home allow visitors to spend time connecting with children, playing, teaching English, helping staff, and taking part in numerous activities.

Clothing, food and educational materials are appreciated donations and the children are enthusiastic to see visitors. Situated along the Chiang Mai – Mae Rim Road, around ten kilometres from the heart of Chiang Mai, the children’s home is happy to accept walk in visitors during reasonable hours.

Alternatively, you can contact the orphanage by email directly at vpch@cmnet.co.th or have a look at their website.

Helping Hands

Helping Hands is a distinguished organisation that focuses on refugees and the hill tribe people who are struggling to stay alive within the mountainous regions along the border of Myanmar/Burma and Thailand. Basic living necessities, education, medical care and many other services are provided by the organisation.

Anyone passionate about helping displaced people is happily welcomed into the Helping Hands team. This unique experience offers volunteers a chance to help Thailand’s ethnic minorities.

For more information, visit the Helping Hands website or send an email to trekeagl@cm.ksc.co.th

Photo: ruben i

The Elephant Nature Park

If animals are your calling, Chiang Mai is home to a large and important elephant conversation centre, The Elephant Nature Park. The park accepts volunteers regularly and allows volunteers to experience the beautiful creatures that are native to the region.

Volunteers can choose between helping with medical care, bathing the elephants, or travelling to various hill tribe areas to lend a hand with injured elephants. Volunteers of all ages are welcomes.

Visit their website for more information.

Teaching English

One of the most common volunteering options available in Chiang Mai is to teach English at various institutes. Depending on your preference or skill, volunteers can teach at schools, organisations, and summer programmes. Orphanages welcome applicants and if there is a volunteer position available, enthusiastic and interested parties are sure to be selected.

Volunteers will find a wide range of options for volunteering in Chiang Mai. If you are looking to be placed in volunteer positions, several companies charge a fee to organise and place foreigners who wish to help out in a specific area of interest. A personal favourite is the School for Life organisation. School for Life applicants must participate in an interview and selection process and specific requirements must be met by prospective volunteers.

Doing your own research and contacting the relevant organisations in Chiang Mai is another way to secure volunteering and does not require money. If you find it more convenient to use a middleman, by all means do so.

The important thing is giving a great experience to whichever volunteer option you choose.

Community Connection:

All of Matador’s articles and resources related to Thailand can be accessed easily in one place, our Thailand Focus Page.

All photos by Heather and Duarte Carreiro

In Pakistan, you will not find short-term volunteer opportunities that cater to the traveler or combine volunteering with tourism.

If you are looking for raw volunteering, without extras like pre-dawn yoga classes and sunset trips to the Taj, there are several organizations you can get involved with in Pakistan. Since there isn’t an infrastructure for casual volunteering, applicants are expected to commit at least six months for the majority of volunteer positions.

Alternatively, you could sign up for a short-term work camp or visit a local NGO during your travels to see if there are any opportunities available.

Volunteer Service International (VSO)

VSO is one of the international organizations that has stuck it out in Pakistan when other companies and NGOs have pulled out. In Pakistan, VSO places volunteers in three fields: education, HIV and AIDS, and participation and governance awareness. Each VSO volunteer works directly with a local NGO, school or institution.

A limited number of short-term assignments of three to six months are available, but most volunteers sign a two-year contract. Volunteer benefits include training, transportation, accommodation, life and health insurance, and necessary vaccinations.

VSO also applies for and secures volunteers a work or NGO visa, which can be an onerous and lengthy process if you try to do it yourself. Volunteers comfortably have enough for a modest living, although if you want to travel and splurge on mocha lattés, you’ll need to have some cash reserves.

Applicants must have professional training and at least two years work experience. When you apply, VSO matches your professional profile with open positions around the world. Teacher trainers and curriculum development specialists stand a good chance of being able to find a position in Pakistan.

United Nations Volunteers

If you’re over 25 with a degree and two years of work experience, you can apply to be a UN volunteer in Pakistan. Renewable contracts are offered for six to 12 months, although volunteers are expected to commit at least one year to a specific post.

Some of the projects that UN volunteers have been involved with in Pakistan include human rights advocacy, earthquake relief and recovery, and working with Afghan refugees. Volunteers are provided with a living allowance, settling-in grant, travel expenses, life insurance, and health insurance.

Whereas VSO workers often find themselves working with other foreigners, UN volunteers should be prepared to work independently and live in more remote regions.

World Wildlife Federation

Located in Lahore, WWF Pakistan is involved with a variety of countrywide conservation projects. If your background is in environmental protection, agriculture, climate change, or wildlife management, you can apply to volunteer with WWF. Current projects include an initiative for sustainable cotton farming, ensuring water security in the Indus River Basin, restoring the native vulture population, and protecting Pakistani wetlands and highlands.

Most employees at the WWF Lahore base are locals, but international volunteers are welcome to contact Maryam Aurangzeb to find out how you can get involved.

Service Civil International

More than 5,000 volunteers filter through SCI’s short-term work camps in over 60 countries each year. In previous years, Pakistan has hosted SCI volunteer teams for work camps two to three weeks in duration. Camp work often involves physical labor and collaborating with community organizations.

“Since there isn’t an infrastructure for casual volunteering, applicants are expected to commit at least six months for the majority of volunteer positions.”

To sign up for a work camp, you’ll need to pay a $35 annual membership fee plus $235 for participation in the camp. All travel related costs are the responsibility of the volunteer. No camps have been listed yet for Pakistan in 2010, but you can check SCI’s news page to find out when new camps are added.

Applicants must be at least 21 to apply, but no technical skills are necessary for general volunteers.

Remember, if you accept a volunteer position with benefits or a stipend, you will need to apply for a valid work or NGO visa. Be wary of any volunteer organization that cannot provide a visa, as it can be nearly impossible to get one on your own. The visa application process can take anywhere from two months to an entire year, so if you’d like to volunteer in Pakistan, it’s essential to plan ahead.

If you plan on visiting Pakistan as a tourist and offering a few hours or days of your time to a local NGO, you should be fine with a tourist visa. Just don’t mention the volunteer part when you are going through immigration so as not to raise any eyebrows or rob your wallet of a few thousand rupees in “fines.”

Community Connection:

Check out our Middle East Travel Focus Page for more articles about Pakistan.

]]> http://matadorchange.com/volunteering-in-pakistan/feed 16 http://matadorchange.com/urban-volunteering-boston http://matadorchange.com/urban-volunteering-boston#comments Tue, 23 Mar 2010 16:07:31 +0000 Jacqui Bryant http://matadorchange.com/?p=3371

Photo: Public Relations

Like most big cities, Boston grapples with the challenges of homelessness, cultural preservation, and education.

In our series about urban volunteering opportunities, our writers highlight organizations in big cities that need your help.

Rosie’s Place

Rosie’s Place is a resource center and shelter for impoverished and homeless women. A dining room, pantry, computer room, craft co-op, legal help, ESOL education, clothing and showers are among the resources they have and services they offer. Rosie’s Place is in the South End and accessible by the Silver Line and the Green Line (E, Symphony).

Volunteers need to submit an individual interest form, provided at their website. A member of the volunteer services staff will contact you. Group volunteers should contact Volunteer Services at 617-442-9322. The minimum time commitment is two times a month on the same shift for three months.

Both females and males are encouraged to volunteer. The minimum age is 12 in the dining room and 18 for all other programs. Volunteers between the ages 12 and 15 need to be accompanied by an adult. For more information, please visit Rosie’s website.

Asian Community Development Corporation




Photo: Pho-Toe

The Asian Community Development Corporation is dedicated to improving all aspects of the Asian community’s life in the Greater Boston area, concentrating primarily on the revitalization of Chinatown.


The headquarters, located on Oak Street in Chinatown, is accessible on the T’s Orange Line (Chinatown) or Green Line (Boylston). ACDC is involved in many projects- from real estate acquisition to the A-VOYCE youth development program.


For more information on the volunteer opportunities or for each program’s specific details, visit ACDC’s website.

MAB Community Services

MAB Community Services is dedicated to helping people with disabilities lead dignified lives. Their Volunteers for Vision program matches volunteers with blind adults to help with errands, paying bills, and reading printed material.

The minimum age to volunteer is 18 and the organization requires a six-month commitment. MAB offices are located in Watertown and Worcester, but a volunteer’s placement depends on where the blind individual lives. MAB tries to match you with someone close to where you live.

Interested individuals should visit MAB Community Services’ volunteer website for more information and to apply.

Spare Change News

Spare Change News is part of the Homeless Empowerment Project that produces street papers the homeless can buy and then re-sell for a profit. Main volunteer jobs at Spare Change are writing related— like on-call reporters and editorial assistants. Volunteer on-call reporters need some kind of writing background. Editorial assistants work in the office and need editorial experience.

Spare Change offices are in Harvard Square, located on the T’s Red Line (Harvard Square), which is not in Boston, but the on-call reporters work throughout Boston, covering subjects they feel need to be reported on. Most of the articles address social activism and advocacy.

For more information visit Spare Change News’ website.

New England Aquarium

The New England Aquarium educates the general public and encourages people to take action with them on a number of issues important to marine life and the ocean through entertainment like IMAX and interactive exhibits. The aquarium is located on the waterfront within walking distance of the North End and is on the T’s Blue Line (Aquarium stop).


Photo: julz91

Volunteer openings include animal husbandry, helping with administration, assisting on conservation research projects and conducting marine wildlife rescue. The minimum age is 16 to work with education department and 18 to work with animals; most jobs require one full day (8 AM to 6 PM) of service for a duration for six months.

Other opportunities are also available; interested individuals should email vols@neaq.org to be added to a volunteer project mailing list. For more information or to apply, visit New England Aquarium’s Volunteer page.

826 Boston



826 Boston is a place where youth ages six through 18 are tutored and can learn to express themselves creatively through writing. 826 Boston is the seventh chapter spawned from Dave Eggers’ non-profit writing and tutoring center 826 Valencia in San Francisco, and opened its doors in 2007.

Besides offering tutoring opportunities, 826 Boston also has opportunities to lead writing workshops. 
There is no minimum time commitment but minimum age to volunteer is 18. 826 Boston is located in Roxbury off the T’s Orange Line (Stony Brook and Jackson Square).

All volunteers must attend a mandatory orientation meeting and those wanting to tutor students need to stay for a training that follows the orientation. To apply visit 826 Boston’s website for information on the next orientation and to download the application.

Community Connection:

If you’re interested in being the change you wish to see in the world but can’t currently travel the world to do it, be sure to check out How to Dress Green, Why We Should Bring The Teach English Phenomenon Home.

]]> http://matadorchange.com/urban-volunteering-boston/feed 5 http://matadorchange.com/urban-volunteering-miami http://matadorchange.com/urban-volunteering-miami#comments Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:47:13 +0000 Gabriela Garcia http://matadorchange.com/?p=3301 Feature Photo: ewilman / Photo above: BrentOzar

It’s also home to 460,000 acres of national park land, and a multitude of beaches that get much less attention than South Beach and are badly in need of cleanups. If you are in town, consider taking a break from the sun and surf to contribute some time and explore aspects of the city that rarely get notice.

Refugees and Migrant Workers

International Rescue Committee

The International Rescue Committee first established its presence in Miami to help Cubans relocating to the city in the 1960s, but today serves the thousands of refugees primarily from South America, Central America, and the Caribbean who reach Miami’s shores each year.

Volunteers assist them in finding homes, employment, and rehabilitation for those escaping extreme violence and oppression. Long term volunteers have the opportunity to become mentors. Email VolunteerMiami@theIRC.org

WeCount! Community Workers Center

Located in Homestead, an agricultural area of Miami where many Central American, Mayan, and Haitian migrant workers live and work, this center seeks to provide a safe space for day laborers to find employment as a dignified alternative to standing in the street.

Volunteers are needed to teach English and computer skills classes. You can call the center at 305-278-7740 or email Albert Rodriguez at ralbert@we-count.org

Haiti Disaster Relief

Konbit for Haiti

Home to the largest Haitian American community in the United States, and serving as the nearest port, opportunities abound to assist in earthquake relief efforts for Haiti from South Florida.

Volunteers are urgently needed to package and ship donations, coordinate healthcare professional deployments, provide grief counseling, assist with Temporary Protected Status applications, and provide administrative support to organizations working from Miami.

Stop by Konbit for Haiti, a storefront turned community center in the heart of the Little Haiti, which is serving as an information hub for volunteers. They are located at 521 NE 81st Street.

Environmental Issues

Miami Group of the Sierra Club

Rapid expansion and development are constant threats to Miami’s ecosystem of beaches, swamps, and forests, and to its many endangered species like manatees and sea turtles.

Sierra Club volunteers can participate in everything from beach cleanups to writing news items to leading groups of inner city kids on nature outings. A list of email contacts for different areas of volunteering is available on their website.

Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

Though it’s about an hour drive from the mainland to the various islands that compose the Florida Keys, it’s a worthy endeavor for anyone interested in unique conservation contributions.

There are short and long term volunteer opportunities like assisting in the therapy of injured dolphins or performing dives to conduct fish counts in natural coral reefs. There is housing available for some of the long term programs. Inquire with Lilli Ferguson, the volunteer coordinator, at (305) 292-0311 x245 or Lilli.Ferguson@noaa.gov.

Hunger and Homelessness

Camillus House

Photo: Billa

Camillus House has had a presence in Miami for over 50 years as one of its largest homeless shelters, even as the community surrounding it has increasingly gentrified and pushed for its relocation, which will finally happen in 2011.

Started as a small endeavor by some Irish priests, the towering building on the outskirts of Miami’s Overtown district offers housing, food, and health services for the homeless. Short term volunteers can assist in food distribution at the daily soup kitchens, while long term volunteers can get more involved with its various programs.

Instructions for volunteering can be found here.

For those with limited time, a great resource for volunteer opportunities on a day to day basis is Hands On Miami. There are also community volunteer events throughout the year such as MLK Day of Service in January, Biscayne Bay Cleanup in April, Coastal Cleanup in September, and Hands on Miami Day in November.

Community Connection:

If you’re headed to Miami for a visit, be sure to read Jared Romey’s Budget Guide to South Beach.

Photo: the tahoe guy

To a visitor in Downtown San Francisco who wanders into the Tenderloin and catches a glimpse of the squalor there, some of these issues can be quite apparent. But many of the problems are tucked away far from tourist centers and out of sight of many of San Francisco’s own residents.

Fortunately, thinking of innovative ways to make the future better is embedded in the culture of the city. San Francisco is home to a wide variety of non-profits that work creatively to improve lives locally and around the world.

San Francisco Food Bank

The San Francisco Food Bank relies heavily on volunteers in its efforts to reduce hunger. The Food Bank’s highly organized system allows volunteers accomplish quite a bit of work in a relatively short period of time.

San Francisco Food Bank, Photo: SterlingPR

As a volunteer, you can sort, repackage, and prepare boxes of food that will be given away to senior citizens in need.

The Food Bank has two three-hour shifts seven days a week and two-hour shifts on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings. At the end of the shifts, you have the option to tour the warehouse and learn more about the people they serve.

Visit the Food Bank’s volunteer page for more information and send an email to Anna Fleishman at volunteer@sffb.org to sign up for a shift.

Literacy for Environmental Justice

Bayview-Hunters Point, a neighborhood on the southeastern edge of San Francisco, contains a disproportionately large amount of the city’s toxic sites. Most of its residents are low-income people of color who suffer from a higher rate of environmental and food-related diseases than residents of many other parts of the city.

Literacy for Environmental Justice (LEJ) works to rectify this situation by educating young people about the environment and empowering them to get involved, providing organically and sustainably grown produce for locals, and restoring wetlands by removing non-native plants and planting native plants.

Photo: Karl Horton

LEJ offers monthly opportunities for volunteers to get their hands dirty while working in their plant nursery or doing restoration work at Heron’s Head Park.

Creativity Explored

At Creativity Explored, adults with developmental disabilities are given the chance to acquire new artistic skills, make art, and create income by selling their artwork.

Volunteers can share their skills with Creativity Explored in a variety of ways. There are opportunities to help in the art studio, in the office, with exhibition set up, and at special events. To sign up to volunteer, check out their website for more information and fill out a volunteer application.

At the Crossroads

Since 1997, At the Crossroads has been reaching out to homeless youth and young adults in the Mission and Downtown/Tenderloin neighborhoods.This organization strives to provide homeless youth with resources and support to achieve their individual goals: whether it’s employment assistance, drug rehabilitation, a housing program, or simply someone to talk to.

Examples of volunteer assignments include office work, food bank shopping, assembling packages of toiletries, organizing clothing donations, and getting creative by making greeting cards handed out to homeless youth for birthdays and moments of success.

The work that volunteers do for At the Crossroads leaves the small staff with the vital time they need to do street outreach and one-on-one counseling. Weekly and monthly volunteer assignments are available. If you would like to volunteer with At the Crossroads, send an email to Rachel at volunteer@atthecrossroads.com.

Randall Museum

The Randall Museum is an interactive science and art children’s museum with exhibitions that concentrate on the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition to exhibitions, the museum offers a variety of classes for all ages, lectures, summer camps, and seasonal events for children and families.

Photo: TheNickster

Casual volunteers can sign up to help out at special events and doing restoration work. Animal and children loving volunteers who can commit more time can sign up to be an Animal Docent.

Streetside Stories

Despite an abundance of social media, it can often be difficult for youth to feel like they can reveal their histories and let people know what they’re all about. Streetside Stories is an organization that does not overlook the need to be heard.

Their programs allow youth to share their personal stories while building literacy, technological, and artistic skills. There are several options for volunteers to put their writing abilities to use for long term or flexible assignments. People with film editing skills can also volunteer for Tech Tales, a program where middle school students learn how to make short movies based on their life stories.

To get details on all of the ways you can get involved in Streetside Stories and learn how to apply, visit their volunteer page.

Project Ahimsa

“Ahimsa” means “non-violence” in Sanskrit, and Project Ahimsa works to promote this message through music.

Project Ahimsa provides grants for youth-empowering music organizations around the world. Since Project Ahimsa began in 2001, it has helped to supply funds for music education and instruments in India, Colombia, Ghana, Uganda, Mexico and the United States.

Project Ahimsa allows volunteers to get involved in projects such as assisting with special event planning, educational ventures, raising awareness about music education, and conducting site visits. If you want to learn more about how you can give your time Project Ahimsa, send an email to info@projectahimsa.org.

Community Connection:

Visiting San Francisco for the first time? Be sure to read Lauren Quinn’s “What NOT to Do in San Francisco.”

Photo: Gary Edenfield

Serving in the Peace Corps is a two-year commitment on the part of both the volunteer and the U.S. government. It requires time, finances, and a sincere interest to embark on a long-term volunteer career, and in order for a volunteer to be most effective, it is important the application process be taken seriously.

According to the Peace Corps website, the application process generally takes six months to a year, but it can take much longer in some instances. Regardless of how long the process takes, realize that going through the paperwork, interviews, and appointments while applying for the Peace Corps is good practice in patience and flexibility—both of which you will need to perfect before beginning your service.

Here is what you can expect if you apply:

The Research

Before you begin the application process for the Peace Corps, do your research. Read the Peace Corps website thoroughly, follow blogs of current Peace Corps volunteers, attend informational meetings, and ask questions of returned volunteers and recruiters.

Peace Corps Connect is an online community of future, current, and returned volunteers who are interested in sharing information and providing support.

The Application

You’ll have to fill out an application, which details education, employment, and volunteer history and will likely take several sessions to complete. Two essays and three references are required. You also need to submit a copy of your college transcripts, information about relevant financial history such as student loans and mortgage obligations, and basic information about your medical history (both physical and psychological).

The Interview

After the Peace Corps has received and reviewed your completed application, you’ll be contacted for an interview if recruiters feel you could be qualified to volunteer. You will interview with a recruiter who is most likely a returned Peace Corps volunteer, so feel free to ask tough questions about the experience.

During the interview, the recruiter will ask you about your educational and volunteer background. The recruiter will want to know about your language and technical skills and interests. You’ll touch on your ability to handle changing circumstances and stressful situations.

It is unbelievably important for you to be completely honest during this interview. Though it is true that flexibility and the ability to adapt easily are good characteristics to have as a volunteer, if you aren’t completely honest and upfront about your interests, abilities, fears, and motivations for applying, you may be setting yourself up for unsuccessful service before you’ve even left the country.

Many people think they can go anywhere and do anything and be completely happy, but this just isn’t the case. Be honest about how you might respond to different situations such as loneliness, unclean conditions, and unusual public transportation.

The Nomination

You need a US passport. Photo: Tom Purves

After your interview, your recruiter will determine if you’re fit to be a volunteer. You’ll receive a vague assignment with a general geographical region and area of work, as well as a tentative departure date. This is by no means final—my location and job were changed three times before I received a definite assignment.

The Medical, Legal, Suitability, and Competitive Reviews

At this point you’ll receive paperwork for medical and legal clearance. The medical review requires a full physical examination, a dental exam with x-rays, and an eye exam. You may also be asked to complete a psychological evaluation. Try to complete the medical review within 45 days, and, if for any reason your medical status changes (for example, I had an emergency surgery after being medically cleared), contact Peace Corps immediately to update your clearance forms.

The legal review requires you to disclose any financial obligations, previous arrests and convictions, and obligations you have to dependents.

Once these are complete, a placement officer will contact you regarding placement matches that coincide with any medical needs you have and your ability to leave for service on specific dates.

The Invitation

The day will come when you finally receive the coveted invitation in the mail with a solidified country of service, job title, and date of departure. If you accept, you’ve just made it through the first laborious step of becoming a Peace Corps volunteer.

That said, you don’t have to accept the invitation.

There is an unwritten rule about declining invitations.

Photo: LizMarie

You can decline an invitation once with a sound reason about why you don’t want to serve in that location or in that job capacity. Once you receive a second invitation, you should consider long and hard about declining. Though you need to commit 100% to the Peace Corps, you should have had enough conversations and provided enough background information that an invitation should fit you well on the first or second try.

If you decline too many invitations, there is a possibility that you’ll be tossed back into the application pool.

The Pre-Departure

You’ll have approximately two or three months between invitation to departure. In that time, you’ll receive a packet of information about your country of service and a tentative packing list. You’ll also receive your e-ticket to your stateside staging site, where you’ll spend three days getting information and immunizations necessary for departure.

From there, you will finally depart for your service as a Peace Corps volunteer.

Community Connection:

JoAnna provides more advice in 5 Things You Should Know Before Joining the Peace Corps. And don’t think you’re ineligible if you’re a senior citizen. Read about 84 year old Peace Corps volunteer Muriel Johnston in Seniors in the Peace Corps.

Photo: United Nations Development Programme

Earlier this week, a Matador member wrote to say:

“I’ve been finding myself wanting to fly out & lend a hand for the tsunami, Katrina & now this, but I just don’t have the experience & feel I would only be in the way. I was wondering what you might suggest for getting the training I might need to be able to do the work I want to do to help.”

If you’ve been wondering how to get disaster training, here are a few resources that will prepare you to help:

1. American Red Cross Disaster Training

If you want to get started with your disaster training right away, the American Red Cross has a comprehensive introductory course online– and it’s free.

The course consists of three modules, which familiarize you with the Red Cross and its role in disaster response; the specific skills and actions required of disaster response volunteers; and the opportunities for volunteering with your local Red Cross chapter.

While in-person disaster training courses provide better opportunities for question and answer, as well as interaction with other learners and seasoned disaster response experts, the ARC online course seems like a solid way to begin learning some basic disaster relief principles.

If you do prefer in-person training, many Red Cross chapters offer classes at their local offices.

2. FEMA Emergency Management Training

Though many Americans are likely to argue that FEMA–the Federal Emergency Management Agency– could benefit from some training itself in light of its poor response to Hurricane Katrina, the agency offers independent study courses that cover a range of disasters, including earthquakes.

Specialized topics include how to respond to emergencies involving animals, hazardous materials, and pandemics.

The courses are self-paced, delivered online, and are free. You can even earn college credit for your coursework.

3. Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services Training Program

“Trained volunteers are effective volunteers,” says the Salvation Army, which has been providing disaster response and relief services for more than 100 years.

Like FEMA, the Salvation Army offers courses focusing on specific aspects of disaster, such as “Psychological First Aid” and “Emotional and Spiritual Care in Disaster Operations.” They also offer an “Intro to Disaster Services” class for new volunteers.

These classes take place at Salvation Army locations around the United States. Check the schedule of trainings to see if there’s a location near you.

4. The National Center for Disaster Preparedness

Students pay thousands of dollars a year to attend Columbia University, but you can access the university’s National Center for Disaster Preparedness courses–offered through its highly respected Mailman School of Public Health– for free.

Online webinars offered by the NCDP go far beyond your basic disaster preparedness and response curricula offered by the other organizations… these topics are high-tech: “Geospatial Intelligence, Social Data, and the Future of Public Health Preparedness and Response.” Having organized Matador’s social media response to the Haiti earthquake, I’m all about this course: “Learning Networks of People & Places from Mobile Data.”

Seriously, dig into this website. Columbia’s offering some highly specialized knowledge delivered by world-renowned scholars.

5. Centers for Disease Control

Need to deepen your knowledge and skills about bioterrorism attacks, bombings, or other chemically-related emergencies? The CDC is your one-stop shop in these areas. Download courses for free–in English AND in Spanish– on their website.

Most of these resources are focused on learners based in the United States. If you’re from another country, what resources are available to you locally? Share them in the comments!

Community Connection:

Learn more about disasters and disaster relief in these articles from our archives:

Disaster Aid: Killing with Kindness?

How to Survive Travel Disasters: Lessons from Hurricane Katrina

Photo: The author at her NGO in Indonesia.

I recently started an NGO, 4th World Love, that focuses on community development in distant lands and I’ve learned a few lessons on the front lines of grassroots NGO’dom.

Here are a few bullet points to consider after you’ve already got your cause, your website, and your plan.

Start by remembering this one – don’t forget to laugh – because in the end, if there is no laughing-til-you-cry, it’s just not worth it.

1. Communication Is Primo.

Once you’ve got your organization’s base set up, there will come a time when you must get back home to raise money, make money, and ponder new ideas. Once you’re gone, things can quickly go downhill unless you set up a chain of command, with loads of communication.

We appointed a local Field Director and Field Coordinator before we left with very specific instructions (we need a cash flow report once a month, make sure the volunteers sign this waiver before they start the program, always text back confirmation when you get information).

Things like this keep the program from bursting at the seams. It’s hard when the village has no internet, but with texting at the fingertips of most third world’ers, we’ve had no problem staying in touch… even though there are multiple black outs per day.

REMEMBER: You have to set the parameters in order for them to be followed. Period.

2. And, Then There’s The Exact Opposite – Miscommunication.

Everyone from the village becomes a friend; therefore, they want to text and e-mail all the time. This is fantastic because updates and passing information along is crucial to NGO success. What isn’t great is when everyone starts ignoring the chain of command and breaks free of the system to share their trivial issues.

Better to set up a precise method of relaying information before you leave. Better yet, create a job description document so everyone knows who is responsible for sharing what. You wanna tell me that a baby who had cleft palate surgery is doing well– that rocks. But, if you wanna tell me all about the late petty cash report… well, that gets the smack-down.

REMEMBER: Set up proper channels and make sure your appointed directors are clear with everyone involved about the rules and their specifics. If you don’t, expect chaos.

3. Fundraising – The Ultimate Challenge.

This little diddy is the hardest part of NGO’dom. Where do funds come from? You can’t expect people to keep giving cash, especially in an economy like this.

Therefore, one must get incredibly creative.

We came up with an idea for a contest – Donate $100 to win a free trip to Indonesia was the one we ran last year; this year we’re doing the same thing, but in Baja. People really respond to this idea because there’s a chance for them to win something crazy-cool…not just donate a bit of cash.

But just because they did it once doesn’t mean they’ll do it twice.

Again, thinking cap goes on. We started producing Pilates/volunteering retreats in Mexico where all profits go to fund 4WL – and the cost of the trip is a write-off. Pretty brilliant.

We also scour local villages for things we can sell (handmade scarves, cool bamboo bags and boxes, and organic soap). But we’re gonna have to amp it up a level and get more than just individual sales – we’ll have to go gangbusters, and try to sell mass quantities from the samples we currently have. Get the order and then worry about getting them made. All profits fund local projects.

REMEMBER: Most people who say they will donate DO NOT. It’s the random folks who really kick in the dinero. Bless them all.

4. Bring in Volunteers…or Not?

The intrepid souls who traipse the world working for free are the backbone of any NGO. They storm in with good ideas, piles of energy, and the will to get things done.

However, they can be a full time job for those running things back on the home front.

Dozens of e-mails have to be answered from online volunteer shout-outs, money has to be wired, transportation has to be coordinated, home stays have to be arranged, and thousands of questions have to be answered. The key is to develop a system for managing it all.

Let’s say someone e-mails, curious about 4WL. Instead of getting really detailed at the top, I just send them a Volunteer 101 sheet, an article I wrote about the village, a volunteer form for them to fill out, and the permanent volunteer schedule.

If they plow through all that information, as well as the highly detailed website, and then blast back specific questions, then I know they are legit and might actually make the trek to Indonesia. If they just ask evasive generic questions and haven’t taken the time to really get deep with our materials, then they aren’t worth the effort.

They probably just sent out a blanket email to 50 orgs and still have no idea what they want to do. I’m not saying don’t be nice, I’m just saying read between the lines.

REMEMBER: Hold their hand, but only if they hold yours back.

5. Establish Your NGO’s EXACT Cause.

Folks ask all the time, “What is your cause, exactly?” Until my last scouting excursion, I wasn’t able to pinpoint it. But, now I can – we focus on community development. Pure and simple.

Whether it’s through organic farming initiatives, carpentry workshops, cleft palate surgeries, English lessons, a new t-shirt business, opening a small café, or teaching photography and video skills – it doesn’t matter. We do it if the village requests it.

I can’t imagine rolling into a township and hearing all of the various ideas and dreams and then shutting someone down ’cause we just do “healthcare” or “AIDS prevention.” Though both noble causes, we’re about more than one thing. And, getting to that determination took some hard digging on the soul front. Even though we lived it, wrote it, and hatched the very idea, crafting the exact statement that surrounds the sentiment took some time.

REMEMBER: Think hard about your cause before you start promoting, because you will be fronted and you most definitely need an answer. A good, telling, inspiring one.

6. Boil Down New Ideas.

Phase 1 is complete. Now it’s time to take it all to the next level and take stock in your recent progress. What is the next level, especially since everything is running so well? Maybe you want to expand your efforts into another village; perhaps you need more volunteers and on-site facilitators; you might even want to start another fund raising scheme.

At this point, it’s time to take it all to paper because a wing and a prayer might have worked for the first round of goodness, but now, things bear a little more investigating. We just put together our first 4WL newsletter and it was incredible to have all our happenings laid out in one super-fly PDF. Not only did it help all our supporters get the inside tip to all that were doing, it helped us hone in on where we’re headed in the near future…and what might be missing in the right now.

Bottom line, you must share the intel. Take loads of pictures when you are on site. Follow up with volunteers and get them to send you testimonials that you can post on your website and share. Plot, plan, scheme, dream, share– it’s the only way to ratchet up the vibe you’re trying to create.

REMEMBER: Make people proud to be a part of your organization and they will go to war for you…as you would for them.

7. Don’t Forget About Personal Sanity.

All of this work is draining and can be heavy on the soul. Am I doing enough? Where do I get new ideas? Will I ever be able to pull it all off? All these questions keep me and my partner-in-crime awake at night, but the more balance we try to create in our own personal lives, the better off we are.

If I work out every day, my energy soars and I’m off-the-charts productive. If I go out til the wee hours drinking and do a midnight slam down of pizza with ranch dressing, well the next AM ain’t so great.

Finding my own personal level of balance is crucial in making all these great things happen.

You also have to have a level of self-promotion that would make most cringe. I’m certain people get sick to death of my weekly e-mails about new far-flung contests, retreats, and excursions. But, you never know, I might just hit them at the moment they are fed up with their own existence and are looking to make a change.

Be it within you, your network, your village, or your organization’s plans for the future, that’s what it’s all about – making a difference in the world and feeling really, really good about it.

REMEMBER: To a person who makes $20 bones a month, every single penny counts, and if you put your energy in the right place, in the most positive spot, then you will reap rewards like no other. Might not be a penny, but it will shine like one.

Community Connection:

Wondering how to start an NGO? Ryan Libre gives you a primer in How to Start a Successful NGO in 10 Steps.

A group of Peace Corps volunteers in Armenia. Photo: Tommy and Georgie

If you’re ready to sign up, pack your bags, and take off on a 27-month assignment, here are five things you should know before you begin the labor-intensive and heart-breaking process of joining the Peace Corps.

1. Be honest with yourself.

Are you really cut out for living in an underdeveloped country on your own for more than two years? Can you handle being surrounded by poverty for an extensive amount of time? Is using a pit toilet (or less) and taking a bucket bath something you can stand?

Have you taken a close look at your skills and abilities? Consider what your strengths and interests are. Just as you wouldn’t be a teacher if you didn’t care for kids in the United States, you shouldn’t accept any position just so you can live and work overseas.

It may take longer to receive an assignment if you have specifications on what you can and can not tolerate or do, but you’ll find a more gratifying experience abroad if you take the time to evaluate yourself upfront.

2. Prepare yourself to adjust to local culture.

Prepare for meetings that begin with prayers, communal food, and afternoons that drift by when there’s work to be done. The world works on a different plane than the United States, so you’ll need to ease your way into a new mindset. Bow your head, wash your hands, and take off your watch.

There’s a reason why Peace Corps service lasts two years. You will spend the first year settling in, and a whole year working on a project. Don’t be surprised if you leave feeling like you’ve achieved nothing. It’s during those long afternoons and your communal meal chats that cultural exchange happens, and that alone meets Peace Corps’ second and third goals of promoting understanding.

3. Understand that poverty is real.

When you visit larger cities in your country of service, you will encounter street kids and poverty. But poverty isn’t limited to the visible corners of the world’s largest cities. The sad truth is that your friends, neighbors, and co-workers will also be hungry and poor. They won’t have money to pay for their kids to go to school or take their babies to the doctor. When drought strikes, their crops will dry up, and they will go hungry.

You, on the other hand, will still receive a stipend and will be able to eat. Try explaining that to your community when you’ve already told them you live at their means and are equal to them as a productive member of their society. You will be asked for money to cover the cost of food, medical expenses, travel, school fees, and more.

Consider your stance on if and what you want to give, even to your neighbors and closest friends. Your actions will follow you throughout the rest of your service.

4. Remember: You are an American.

It may sound strange, but you will try hard to fit in with your community and trying to shed your American skin can be difficult. Despite every effort you make to fit in to the local culture, you are still an American.

Learning the language will go a long way to break down barriers. Dress appropriately and abide by traditional standards and you’ll begin to make leeway. And while you may convince your neighbors that you are just like them, most people you encounter in your host country will take you for another American tourist.

Use these opportunities to be yourself and educate people about what it is like to live in the United States. Tell them about your interests, dreams and fears. Break down the “typical American stereotype” and put a friendly face on what most people only see in movies and read in the news.

In your attempt to fit in culturally, you may also struggle with your personal ideals and values. You might feel like you can’t say “no” because it’s not the culturally appropriate thing to do, but if you’ve been singled out and harassed because you clearly aren’t a local, then don’t act like one. Stand up for yourself and move on. Letting people take advantage of you because you are an American while you try desperately to fit in culturally will wear you down and make you feel used long before your service is over.

5. Realize that you will change.

The toughest job you’ll ever love does not end when you complete your service. One of the hardest parts begins when you step back onto American soil. People will ask you about your service, but two years are not easily summarized in two sentences, and people don’t have the time to hear more than two sentences.

You will also find that not much changed in your absence. People will still throw away food they don’t finish. They will waste water, be consumed with stuff, and care too much about Hollywood. People will expect you to get an apartment, get a job, and get on with your life, but it’s not that easy.

Many Peace Corps volunteers make extreme career choices based on their service, not on the college degree they got before they left. This often means that they’ll return to school or take jobs in low-paying service and non-profit sectors. To former volunteers, this makes sense, but family and friends may scratch their heads in confusion.

Readjustment will take time. Stay in touch with your fellow Peace Corps volunteers and join your local Peace Corps alumni group. The hyperactive United States can be very overwhelming for a person who just spent 27 months living by the sun.

Community Connection:

Not prepared to make the commitment to the Peace Corps? A short-term volunteer placement also requires planning. Read “Five Expectations to Avoid Before Volunteering Abroad” to prepare yourself.

For tips about coping with reverse culture shock, check out “How to Understand (And Beat) Your Homecoming Hangover” or “6 Simple Ways to Beat the Post-Travel Blues.”

And to really get inspired, real Audrey Scott’s interview with Muriel Johnston, in “Seniors in the Peace Corps.”

Feature photo: www.worldon2wheels.com; Photo: emma.maria

In response to my question about how many hours a day the WWOOFers worked, the host replied, “We expect the WWOFers to enjoy the work enough not to mind how many hours they work.”

A red flag should have begun waving itself madly, but all I could see was the cheese factory on site, the fact they made their own pasta, and the assortment of animals on the farm. I ended up working about 12 hours a day on that farm, but never with the cheese or the pasta.

After having good and bad experiences WWOOFing in four different countries, these are the questions I’ve learned to ask:

1. How many hours do I work each day?

The purpose of this question is to be prepared for the expectations of the farm. The answer also gives you a reference point for addressing concerns if you find a significant discrepancy once you’re at the farm.

Asking about days off is also a good idea. One guy arrived at a farm and thought he had every weekend off. He was unpleasantly surprised to learn this was not the case.

2. What kind of work will I be doing?

Photo: strikeael

I always like to know there is a variety of work to be done. At one farm I never did the same thing twice; I faced new challenges like milking goats and making a basket out of willow.

At another farm I only did two things: herd goats and cut grass. Which one do you think I enjoyed most? This question is important because you can find out if the work will suit you physically and if the tasks offer the experiences and challenges what you want.

3. I only speak English. Does that matter?

In France, I WWOOFed at a host who had moved from England, so language was not a problem. In Italy, however, I encountered a few problems at two farms. The first host did not like speaking in English. Instead, the host spoke to the other WWOOFers who spoke Italian, never directing anything to me.

Photo: strikeael

Their listing had indicated English was spoken, but it was a quiet and unsocial two weeks. At the second farm there was frequent miscommunication because the host spoke little English and was impatient with misunderstandings. Better to be clear from the start!

4. Do you allow WWOOFers to use the internet?

WWOOFers are often travelers who want to stay in touch with family and be able to make further travel arrangements. Yet I was surprised by the number of farms that were unhappy to let me send a quick email or look up a train schedule.

Some people are simply of an earlier generation, don’t use the internet themselves, and don’t see why you should. Others have had bad experiences of WWOOFers using their computers. Either way, if you plan to stay connected, it’s wise to ask about the host’s policy.

Make sure you leave for a host prepared; otherwise, unpleasant surprises might take away from what could be a rewarding experience.

Community Connection:

Read some other practical tips in our First-Timer’s Guide to WWOOFing.

Photo: Courtesy of author

Many volunteers have harbored secret dreams of what the headlines will say when they return from their heroic adventures:

“Volunteer saves rural village from mudslide.”

“Philanthropist banishes malaria from Africa.”

“Educated Westerner teaches hundreds of poor children to read.”

And below the front-page title, a black and white photograph that perfectly captures a tired smile, tousled hair, and a few beads of sweat earned valiantly in the battle against all that is wrong in the world.

There are many excellent reasons to volunteer, but in order to truly make the most of your experience, you must carefully and honestly assess your expectations. Holding onto an unrealistic fantasy, no matter how big or small, can only lead to disenchantment.

Here are a few common expectations best avoided:

Expectation 1: Immediate, world-changing results

While blogs and photo-sharing websites are a modern blessing for the avid traveler, they may have the unfortunate side effect of putting undue pressure on many volunteers to show the immediate results of their labor.

Not every moment of a volunteer experience is blog, picture, or Nobel Prize worthy. If you find yourself huddled over a computer in a humid, overcrowded office writing reports for your host organization, that doesn’t mean you aren’t accomplishing anything.

While the world likes to glorify those with the sentimental pictures and heroic stories, some of the most successful volunteers are the ones who contribute to a long-term project, the effects of which may not be seen until long after the volunteer has left.

Volunteering isn’t about fixing the world’s problems in less than a year or receiving recognition from everyone who reads your web page. It’s about contributing to sustainable projects and making positive adjustments in your own life so that your work will continue to change the world–and you– long after your temporary volunteer post has finished.

Photo: Courtesy of author

Expectation 2: Organized work

The number of times I played solitaire the first few weeks I spent volunteering registers easily in the three-digit zone.

This was before I learned an all-important lesson: sometimes, volunteers have to invent their own work.

Photo: Courtesy of author

For any number of reasons, your temporary employers might not know what to do with you. Without some serious initiative on your part, you may end up twiddling your thumbs and drinking 200 cups of herbal tea a day. Be clear with your organization about what you are and aren’t capable of doing. It might take some work on your part to ensure that their plan includes reasonable goals and concrete tasks.

Expectation 3: Everybody will like you

A few months is a short period of time to form deep, lasting relationships. Many volunteers, discouraged by overwhelming cultural barriers, never connect with more than a few people. Even the volunteers who seem to become beloved local heroes often struggle with feelings of being misunderstood and lonely.

Don’t be discouraged if you haven’t made 10 new best friends by week two, and please don’t give up cross-cultural relationships altogether and hide away in the nearest expat club. Bonding only with fellow travelers deprives you of much of the vulnerability that makes the volunteer experience so powerful.

Expectation 4: Rapid language fluency

After spending eight years studying Spanish, I expected to arrive in Peru and sound like a native within a matter of weeks. Instead, I was the laughingstock of Lima for months because of my verbal blunders.

Some people who volunteer can pick up languages in a few days flat, and I will spend all of eternity shaking a jealous fist at them, but they are the exception, not the rule. Don’t become discouraged when language acquisition takes time.

Expectation 5: You will find yourself

Culture shock, loneliness, language frustration, and stomach bugs… this is not the time to figure out who you are. You need to already have at least a basic self-awareness of your strengths and weaknesses, your techniques for coping with challenges, and your tolerance for difficulties before you arrive.

Who you are at home is still who you are in any other country.

The only baggage you should be bringing on the trip is that which can be stored below the plane. Those who try to sneak too many negative emotions and insecurities through customs only end up leaving bitter and disappointed.

Community Connection:

Volunteer experiences can be immensely rewarding, but are occasionally disappointing. How have you had to adjust your expectations about yourself, your work, and other people while volunteering abroad? Share your tips below.

Photo: joehastings

“But we are in Thailand; of course we are planning to ride an elephant. It’s what you do here,” she said. It was a few weeks later and I was talking to a girl in the hostel’s common room in Chiang Mai. I had just been telling her about my experience working at a wildlife centre south of Bangkok. I told her about Pai Lin, the elephant I had fallen in love with, and my hope to deter people from supporting elephant tourism.

Pai Lin’s story is similar to that of many domesticated elephants in Thailand, used for trekking and begging on the streets. This 60 year old elephant used to carry up to six people on her back. Seats made of a heavy wood are placed directly on their spine, thanks to which Pai Lin had a deformed back. She arrived at the centre a few years ago, malnourished, ill, and having spent many years on the streets. She’s a gentle elephant who enjoys splashing around in the water and eating pineapples or banana trees, but more than anything, enjoys the peaceful, quiet life.

If you see an elephant in Thailand and it looks okay, don’t be fooled. Domesticated elephants go through abusive training called phajan when they are young; the training makes them docile enough to be close to people and it’s called “breaking their spirit.” The elephants are often malnourished and don’t get enough water or shade. Elephants begging on the streets are often drugged to keep them going for long hours.

Lately, I’ve been reading a lot about responsible travel, but without education or knowledge, someone might just not know any better. A lot of people I met in Thailand often felt uncomfortable after riding the elephants or while watching them do tricks to entertain tourists.

Photo: caspermoller

The appeal remains, however; visitors coming to Thailand want to see an elephant. It doesn’t have to be on their backs, though. There are other options. Watching elephants being elephants is an amazing thing on its own. So if you want to go to Thailand and see an elephant, here are some options for you to do so:

Recommended Volunteer Programs and Places to Visit:

Elephant Nature Park: Volunteer for a day and see elephants being elephants. You get to feed and bathe the amazing creatures and witness them in a natural environment. Located just outside Chiang Mai. A great alternative to trekking.

Boon Lott’s Elephant Sanctuary: The sanctuary was started by a woman from London after becoming involved in the story of a baby elephant called Boon Lott. Her dedication to the baby and to the other elephants led her to open the sanctuary that now seven elephants.

Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand: Although they only have six elephants at the moment, there are a lot of other animals at the WFFT. Go for a visit and ask to be shown around. The volunteers can take you to see the elephants and tell you personal stories of the animals at the wildlife centre. Or spend a week volunteering with the elephants and get to know the amazing personalities of these animals.

Community Connection:

Thailand isn’t the only place where elephants are a tourist attraction. Read one Matador member’s tale about riding an elephant and reflecting on the experience in this blog. And if you’re looking for other volunteer opportunities that will put you in contact with elephants, check out this post in our community forum.

Photo above: Hamed Saber, Feature photo: papalars

Volunteering “isn’t a simple summer vacation alternative or an excuse to travel to an exotic locale. It’s work. You signed up for it, and you should put as much effort into it as if you were getting paid.”

These are my words from “Volunteer Voice: 10 Tips for Surviving the Transition.”

While it’s true volunteering shouldn’t be undertaken purely out of a desire to travel, or to fulfill any other personal whim, there are benefits in scheduling some “exploration days” during a volunteer placement.

A personal trip can actually enhance your volunteer experience, on both an individual and a professional level. Here are 5 reasons why:

1. Take a break

Admit it: maybe you need a little break. No shame there.

Photo: vidrio

Some volunteer assignments are more taxing than others. If you’re working in a shelter for abused women, a daycare for disabled children, or somewhere equally draining, periodic time off could well be essential to your sanity.

Even those who aren’t placed in high-tension environments can benefit from some R&R. Your org doesn’t want you to burn out any more than you do.

Taking a step back can remind you of why you decided to volunteer in the first place and how your actions are making a difference. Whether you use this time to travel or not doesn’t matter.

2. Further your cultural education

Learning about the history and culture of your temporary home is as vital for volunteers abroad as it is for travelers—probably more so.

In Bolivia, my travels around the country have shown me the differences in quality of life between city dwellers of Cochabamba and livestock ranchers up on the high, cold Altiplano.

Studying the War of the Pacific, and then seeing firsthand the land Bolivia lost during that conflict, has shed light on the country’s contemporary relations with Chile and Peru.

Visiting the vast, amenity-less rural expanse that is the birthplace of President Evo Morales has informed my understanding of his socialist platform and activist-style political maneuvering.

And of course, learning the language can’t be stressed enough. It’s what allows you to interact with, influence, and assist the locals, which is the whole point of volunteering. Travel gives you the chance to practice your verb tenses in real-world settings, beyond your comfort zone.

3. Support the economy

You spend more when you travel, and your money is spread more widely.

Photo: Unhindered by Talent

Tourism is a central industry in many regions popular with volunteers, and your support can have a positive impact.

Just make sure any tour operators you use demonstrate a commitment to giving back to their communities and adhering to socially and environmentally responsible standards.

Knowing your money is going where it’s needed can feel almost as good as volunteering itself.

4. Link to your project

Personal travel doesn’t have to mean a vacation from your volunteer work. Depending on what you’re doing, there may be a way to merge the two.

Photo: Author

One of my current projects with the Cochabamba-based green energy developer Energética is the creation of a publication featuring interviews and photographs on the theme of energy in rural Bolivia.

I recently had the chance to take a 5-day tour of the country’s “Southwest Circuit.” Though heavily touristed, much of the population in this region is highly dispersed and quite poor.

During the tour, I talked to people—from village students to proprietors of tourist accommodations—about how energy, or the lack of it, affects their lives, and I’ll be including this material in my publication.

5. Research future opportunities

Volunteer opportunities are practically innumerable; all you have to do is find them. You may think you’ve landed the most rewarding gig in the world, but a trip to the other side of the country could uncover something you’re even better suited for.

Once you finish your original assignment, you can take that experience to a new post. You can bet they’ll be happy to have you.

Community Connection:

Past posts in Hal’s Volunteer Voice series include “Tracking Down a Chance to Give Back,” “Ten Tips for Surviving the Transition,” and “Learning More about Sustainable Bolivia.”

Photo above by Dave Bezaire & Susi Havens-Bezaire

[Editor's Note: This is the second in an ongoing series by regular contributor Hal Amen, who is volunteering in South America in 2009. Read the first article in the series here.]

Final Approach

As the bus from La Paz crested the pass and began its harrowing descent into the Cochabamba Valley, my stomach sank. Though I’d later learn that this was the result of the street food purchased the night before (and the start of a two-day bout of traveler’s diarrhea), at the time I chalked it up to nerves.

For someone who puts the furniture in storage and beelines it to the opposite side of the globe every couple years, I don’t handle life changes very well. Leaping headlong into South America to begin a year of volunteering certainly falls in this category.

Over time though, I’ve learned a few tips for helping survive the transition:

Photo above by Phillie Casablanca

Tip 1.Define your personal goals before you arrive.

Are you planning to take language lessons in addition to volunteering? Do you hope to travel frequently in the region? What do you want your life to look like during the next days/weeks/months?

My grasp of Bolivian culture was non-existent, my Spanish decidedly subpar. Sustainable Bolivia, my placement organization, seemed reputable but had been founded only recently, so there was no way of knowing exactly what lay in store.

Primarily, though, the apprehension I felt stemmed from my volunteer placement. Energética was a development agency that engineered and installed green energy systems, a technical field I had no experience in.

Assurances were given that my lack of expertise was not an issue, but was this true?

Photo above by Phillie Casablanca

Landing

2. If there’s something that doesn’t work for you, whether in your living situation or your volunteer position, speak up as soon as possible.

There’s no point in wasting time following a dead-end road.

3. Ask as many questions as you can think of, establishing that everything on the ground matches up to what was advertised.

Sustainable Bolivia was indeed a young organization, just a year and a half old. I wasn’t the only new face around, either. Several staff members had begun their tenures just two weeks before, along with a handful of volunteers.

4. Don’t be intimidated by your fellow volunteers, even if this is your first stint and their seventh.

You’re all there for the same reason, and no one’s going to question your credentials or sincerity. The agency’s youth was not a shortcoming as I had feared; rather, it was exciting to feel that I was getting in on the ground floor.

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Moreover, the volunteer housing was nice, the promised wireless Internet connection functioned, and everyone seemed intent on ensuring my individual needs were provided for.

5. Don’t be afraid to make a request.

Do you need a desk for your room, or help acquiring a cell phone on the local network? The organization wants you to want to stay, so assistance should be offered generously and cheerfully.

In fact, the hardest part about settling into my new home proved to be remembering how to live with roommates again. Not since college had I been forced to share my kitchen and bathroom space. But in time, the communal nature of the volunteer house would serve to enrich my experience.

6. Set your standard-of-living expectations low.

You’re not schmoozing about on a luxury tourism junket; you’re giving your time to the less fortunate. Besides, preparing for the worst will almost certainly leave you pleasantly surprised on arrival.

After a quick interim spent touring Cochabamba and recovering from the untimely TD, it was time to begin what I’d come here to do.

Photo above by Habitat for Humanity in the
Dominican Republic

Getting Down to Business

7. Approach your volunteer assignment with the proper mindset.

This isn’t a simple summer vacation alternative or an excuse to travel to an exotic locale. It’s work. You signed up for it, and you should put as much effort into it as if you were getting paid.

A team from Sustainable Bolivia accompanied me to the offices of Energética. My anxiety had hit a peak. Energética is a Bolivian organization, plain and simple. Its entire staff is local, with Spanish clearly the operational language. As stated, my Spanish barely operates.

8. If the company handling your placement is separate from your actual volunteer organization, find out who’s responsible for what.

Who do you contact if you need to call in sick? To whom do you pay your fees, and who oversees your work?

I’ll admit I was literally shaking at the knees as we visited the desks of 30+ Energética employees, exchanging cursory Spanish salutations and cheek kisses (per Bolivian fashion). It wasn’t until the next day, when I had the opportunity to meet with the director, that my fears were finally put to rest.

9. Above all else, make sure you understand what your position entails.

Everyone loses if you’re wandering around lost, uncertain about exactly what it is you’re doing. The director had obviously been briefed on my background, work experience, and interests, and had several project ideas lined up for someone with no engineering or technical experience.

Translating the website? Check. Photographing system installations? Check. Interviewing project beneficiaries and putting together a publication? Check, check.

Enveloped in the humid perfume of the Cochabamba Valley, and charged with a specific purpose, at last I felt I’d arrived.

10. Wear a smile.

No matter how twisted your insides or how fast your mind is racing, convey to those around you that you’re happy to be there and ready to help. After all, you have a lot to be thankful for.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Read more about Sustainable Bolivia here. To learn more about Bolivian politics, check out Hal’s dispatch about the recent constitutional referendum.

Photo: The Pocket

The toddler cradled in his mother’s arms on a cold Shanghai street corner, pink hand outstretched. The family overflowing from its Chalco slum home on the fringes of Mexico City. Emaciated children, kindergarten-aged, hawking cheap souvenirs in front of Angkor Wat.

Common tableau to the seasoned traveler.

Photo: asalexander

We’ve seen so much. We’ve felt the steady accumulation of shock, sympathy, outrage, and intimacy such scenes engender. We’ve looked into others’ lives and tried to fathom the kind of help they need.

And then we reach the point where we’re ready to act, to engage. We’re ready to give back.

I’ve been at that point for a year now. But in grappling with how to respond to the volunteer impulse, I’ve come to realize that feeling compassion and doing something about it are two very different things.

It takes a flexible work schedule and some measure of financial stability, not to mention a fair bit of courage and determination.

And even when these factors align, there’s still the matter of selecting a compatible organization, one that works where and how you want to work. For me, that task was the most difficult.

Location

I’ve lived and traveled in Asia and witnessed stark poverty on that continent. Perennial stories of African impoverishment have nearly defined what it means to volunteer.

But need is non-geographical.

Therefore, you’re able to throw some personal preference into the mix. In my case, the desires to learn Spanish and visit South America directed my attention to that part of the world. Idle online browsing further narrowed the destination spectrum to three contenders: Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina.

Photo: NeilsPhotography

From the beginning, I knew Bolivia would likely win, being by far the poorest. But researching opportunities elsewhere allowed me to learn by comparison, develop a plan B, and ultimately decide that I’d like to participate in two projects over the course of a year instead of one.

Vocation

I’m not good with kids, nor am I a capable teacher. This automatically cut my options in half.

Photo: kiki-bolivien

Instead, I was most interested in community organizing, economic development, and sustainable practices. I have no formal background in these areas, so finding an organization open to providing some training was essential.

Such restrictive parameters, strangely enough, made my hunt easier. Searching by process of elimination proved more efficient than trying to track down exactly what I wanted.

Over time, I accumulated a shortlist of webpage bookmarks for programs that met the majority of my criteria. Now all I had to ask was, “Can I afford this?”

Cost

Frustratingly, the answer was often “no.” No, I can’t cough up $1,000 dollars a week to conduct glacier research in Patagonia or staff a homeless shelter in Chile, no matter how many perks are included.

The more of these opulent price tags I found, the more I wondered, “How could it cost so much to give back?”

If you find yourself asking this question, chances are you’re paying a middleman—a most decidedly for-profit company—to place you with the actual non-profit with which you’ll be volunteering.

They do all the legwork for you: assess your skills, identify a suitable organization, arrange local accommodation, and provide orientation resources and language lessons. This assistance isn’t cheap, even if your placement company is honest and knows what it’s doing.

Obviously, then, if you can arrange something directly with the group you want to work with, costs plummet substantially. But this is much harder to accomplish armed only with Google; likewise, small-scale charities may not have the time or manpower to help you acquire everything you need on the ground.

So what does this mean? In my experience, the equation goes like this: more research = happier (and cheaper) results. If you invest sincere effort in the search process, the right opportunity will present itself.

Resources

Sites like Idealist, Volunteer Abroad*, and other volunteerism search engines are good places to start.

(*tip: Search by country and examine the end of the list first. The smaller, cheaper operations get pushed to the back of the returns.)

But nothing compares with testimonials from people like you who’ve been there, done that. Post a query here on Matador and to the Lonely Planet Thorn Tree Forum, and check out Transitions Abroad to see what people are saying about the organizations on your shortlist.

Led by the resources above, I came in contact with Sustainable Bolivia, a Cochabamba-based nonprofit that both runs its own programs and places volunteers with local partner groups.

I’ll pay only for my housing and volunteer my time with an institute called Energetica in the area of renewable energy development. I start in two weeks.

While in many ways I have no idea what to expect, I feel confident that I’ve done my homework and uncovered the right position for me.

Now all that’s left is to go and see.

COMMUNITY CONNECTION: Did you know that more than 350 organizations from 35 countries are Matador members? Check out their profiles–and their volunteer needs–here.

Feature photo by Andris Bjornson. Photo above by got80s.

Photo by Andris Bjornson.

Whether it’s the trekking guide who shares a closet-sized apartment with his sister, the homestay host who can’t scrape together the cash to repair her leaky roof, or the bright-eyed children who study in a thatched-roof schoolhouse, people in developing regions bring you face-to-face with the massive gaps in standards of living.

Confronting this economic divide can generate powerful emotions ranging from shock to shame to outright anger at the state of the world.

Point these emotions in a constructive direction, though, and you may find yourself planning your next big trip around finding a way to help.

The only question is how to make it happen.

Local voluntourism organizations can arrange every detail of your volunteer experience from placement to lodging. This can be ideal if you’re on a tight schedule.

Fees vary from reasonable to downright extravagant, and may leave you wondering why you’re paying for the privilege of volunteering. Often, organizations won’t put much thought into how best to leverage your professional skills, which can be frustrating if you’ve been in the workforce for a while and feel you have a lot to offer.

Photo by Andris Bjornson.

International long-term volunteer organizations like VSO, Peace Corps, and UNVolunteers do a better job of matching volunteer skills with specific needs.

Living expenses will be covered, and you may even receive a small stipend. However, you won’t have much control over what country you end up in, and the application process is lengthy. You may have to plan a year in advance or more.

If neither of these options works for you, there is an alternative: find a local NGO and plan your own volunteer experience from scratch. This is no small feat, and can be frustrating, rewarding, or both. Here are a few tips to get you started:

• Assess your skills: What can you do? Are you a writer? Foreign NGOs often need help writing grants. Are you an IT person?

  Most NGOs need computer help and can’t afford it. Are you an athlete? Run a sports program for kids. Your creativity is your only limit. Presenting organizations with a list of your skills makes it easier for them to imagine how they can put you to work, especially if they haven’t collaborated with western volunteers before.

• Assess your goals: As much as possible, visualize what you hope your experience will be. Are you looking in a specific country, or will the best opportunity to use your skills choose your location for you?

  Do you want to work full-time, or do you want part-time work with more time to explore on your own? Do you hope to work directly with local people, or do you see yourself working in an office? Do you needan organization that will cover room and board, or are you okay with paying for your accomodations?

• Research: Now you’re ready to start your search. Matador and Idealist are good places to start, but there are many small local organizations that those sites miss.

  Google will prove invaluable here. Come up with search terms based on your skills and goals. An IT person hoping to volunteer in Nepal might try “Nepal computer vocational training,” “Nepal rural computing,” and “Nepal computer lab” for starters.

  Begin a list of contact information for organizations you find. Keep in mind that the organizations needing the most help don’t have the resources to even be on the web.

• Look in your own backyard: Seek out community organizations of immigrants from your target country. Though hard to find, these groups are often the most useful to know. They’ll be excited to meet someone who wants to help people in their homeland, and they may provide you with local contacts you wouldn’t have found otherwise.
  

  Photo by Andris Bjornson.

  Other organizations at home may be interested in what you’re trying to do. Some Rotary clubs provide a small amount of travel funding if you’re willing to give a presentation at a chapter meeting or write an article for their newsletter when you return.

• Get in touch: Write up a friendly e-mail articulating your skills and goals, and send it to the organizations you’ve identified. Don’t patronize, but use easy to understand language.

  You can recycle the same letter, but tailor it a bit each time. Don’t be afraid to cast a wide net; it never hurts to have too many options. Also, always ask if organizations can suggest other people you should contact.

• Prepare for uncertainty: People in developing countries often take a different approach to e-mail. Don’t despair if your well-crafted letter elicits one line responses inviting you to discuss options over tea when you arrive.

  These organizations do need your help, but they may not have the written language skills to explain why. A second e-mail or even an international phone call via Skype may prove more enlightening, but be ready to not have all the answers.

If you’ve done your homework, you’ll likely find yourself sitting on a plane to a developing country with a list of organizations you’re excited to meet, but with no mental picture of what your life will be like once you get there.

Breathe deeply, and remind yourself that opportunities exist that you can’t even be aware of from a distance. Be patient, and you’ll almost certainly find a way to fit in once you hit the ground. You’ve set yourself up for one hell of an adventure; now just hang on for the ride.

This is the first installment in a three-part series. Stay tuned for more!

Community Connection:

Matador member MST is currently running a contest that combines volunteering with tourism. Check out her website for contest details.

Photo above by Cross-Cultural Solutions.

We’ve all heard about the importance of sustainable tourism, ecotourism, voluntourism and a multitude of other buzz worlds that help locals benefit from travelers. But as individuals, it can be difficult to believe we’ll ever be in a position to really make a difference.

However, we never know where tomorrow may take us. The stories and examples below show how one traveler can make a difference. There is no reason why we can’t–why you can’t–change the world. Read on.

Help

Ellin Yourgsen was enjoying her break in Thailand when the tsunami hit on December 27, 2004. She gave up the rest of her gap year travel plans to help out wherever she could.

From helping in the removal and burial of bodies to building temporary shelters; she was just one of tens of thousands of travellers who gave (and are still giving) anything they could to help those who needed them most.

www.tsunamivolunteer.net

Photo above by subcomandanta.

Educate

In Africa alone 6,000 people die of AIDS each day; that’s more than the combined total of deaths from war famine and natural disasters.

Volunteer on sex education projects and you’ll be helping to alleviate one of the biggest issues facing humanity in the 21st century. If this doesn’t appeal, simply give out as many condoms as you can afford (while keeping back a plentiful supply for yourself, of course).

www.worldvolunteerweb.org

Unite

What better way to link two different cultures than to get married. Jasmine Avissar, an Israeli Jew, and Osama Zaatar, a Muslim Palestinian, have truly bridged the gaps of a cultural and religious divide since meeting in Jerusalem in 2004.

Sadly, not everyone has welcomed the union between these two bitterly divided states, yet if one can start, could others follow?

http://projecthope.ps

Photo above by locket479.

Enjoy

Matt Harding loved travel so much he danced for his entire journey (well, kind of). His loosely termed ‘music video’ has shown the world to millions and opened people‘s eyes to the wonders of the world.

Whether this has had any benefit to the international community is questionable, but another person’s travel videos have never been so entertaining.

www.wherethehellismatt.com

Observe

When Charles Darwin stepped onto the Galapagos Islands in 1835, he was a young man part way through a world voyage. The species he saw on the islands and from future explorations led him to develop his ideas on natural selection and evolution.

Twenty-three years after his first voyage he published The Origin of the Species, a text that revolutionised our thinking on the world.

www.darwinfoundation.org

Share

The very basis of helping and volunteering relies on a person sharing something with another, whether that be time, a particular skill, material goods or something else.

Gary Myers, a trained doctor, left his home in Oklahoma to help victims of election violence in Kenya. He faced a daily barrage of extreme injuries-most caused by machetes-inflicted by those with opposing political views.

Many would have lost limbs and sometimes their lives, were it not for his extensive training.

www.doctorswithoutborders.org

Explore

Rosie Swale-Pope, who is 52 years old, is currently running across the UK in her last leg of a run that has crossed Europe, Asia and North America- she is expecting to reach the finish line in the middle of August 2008, having raised thousands for various international charities.

In 1983, at just 16 years old, Fyona Campbell set out to walk around the world. She crossed four continents- Europe, North America, Australia and Africa- and walked 32,000 km while raising over £120,000 ($230,000) for charity.

www.survival-international.org

Give

Shortly after the fall of Communism in Eastern Europe, David Savage was so moved by the state of Romania’s orphanages that he moved there to help: setting up a small team of volunteers and later building a school, community centre and holiday home to give these under privileged children, many whom are HIV positive, a brighter life.

He was awarded an MBE in 2003 and still continues his work in the small town of Cernavoda, south east Romania.

www.nightingaleschildrensproject.co.uk

Photo above by Island Spice.

Conserve

The destruction of the world’s rainforests- ‘the lungs of the world’- is one of the greatest threats to our natural world. 25% of western medicine is derived from rainforest plants and we can only guess what cures still lie hidden.

With 50,000,000 tribal people still estimated to live in the world’s rainforests, the need to preserve their world and way of life has never been more apparent.

www.yachana.edu.ec

Donate

Half the world- that’s three billion people – live on less than two dollars a day (of those about 1.5 – 2 billion live on less than one dollar a day).

One billion children (that’s half the world’s children) live in poverty and around 30,000 die each day because of that poverty. In comparison, the travel industry is expected to generate almost $7 trillion this year alone.

I’ll leave you to do the math…..

www.stopchildpoverty.org

Founder of The Uncultured Project with an impoverished Bangladeshi widow and her two children. Above photo and feature photo by Shawn.

With volunteer tours growing in number, more and more tour operators are including fundraising minimums either within tour fees or as an additional requirement for tour participants. Learn the basics of how to raise funds for your cause, organization, or favorite volunteer program.

1. Start close to home.

The people who will inevitably be the most invested in your cause are those that know you and can see your passion.

Start with friends, family, and acquaintances. Speak to everyone you know about the cause and be specific about your needs. Don’t be afraid to ask for dollar amounts from those around you!

The best requests highlight your personal involvement and ask for specific amounts of money for specific goods. Write to your address book and don’t forget to include friends who have long since been out of touch. What better way to spread the word while getting in touch with old friends?

2. Utilize local and small businesses.

Often small businesses are happy to provide goods in exchange for getting the word out about their services. Try asking small restaurants to provide free or discounted food for a dinner and charge a small entrance fee.

Or throw a dinner party at your home and ask friends to donate potluck dishes. Getting publicity in local newspapers, company newsletters, on radio stations, etc., will introduce you to a wealth of possibilities for gaining both corporate and individual sponsorship.

Photo by Maryann

3. Find a common interest.

Though your cause might be across the ocean from your home, there are always local networks that share similar goals and are great avenues to access funding.

Is your cause education related? Tap into local high schools or universities. Is it sports related? See if teams in your area would be willing to provide sponsorship or in-kind donations. Raising money for a particular country or group? See if there are locals from that country who can mobilize their networks. Check online groups, such as MeetUp.com to find people who are passionate about the same cause.

4. Be a social butterfly.

Organize a karaoke night, pub quiz, or concert with local musicians willing to share their talent. Better yet, do a clothing or book auction with your friends. Everyone brings a few items and you can buy items back for a set donation. You refresh your wardrobe/bookshelf and recycling is good for the earth!

Make sure that any event has minimal costs to you and as many costs as possible are donated in-kind.

5. Share your talents.

What is your skill? Yoga, surfing, karate, tennis, cooking lessons? Raise money by offering to share your talent with others!

Additional Tips

Know your cause.

The easiest way to put off potential donors is to not have answers to basic questions:

Any responsible voluntourism operator or NGO should be able to answer these questions. If you aren’t sure yet where the money will go, try to be as specific as possible with friends, family, and potential donors about how you will make decisions about putting the money to work.

Find a responsible charity/NGO.

As a fundraiser it is your responsibility to make sure your donors are putting their money into a sustainable and responsible project. Consider:

Match.

Be sure to also ask donors to check with their employers. Their donations might be easily doubled with company matching plans!

Say thank you.

Be sure to acknowledge donations and follow up after your trip or once the funds are spent.

Community Connection

For an extensive list of great orgs to support or research, please reference the Organizations Page at Matador.

Feature photo by technicolorcavalry Photo by AsianInsights

The chance to give something back, an opportunity to share your skills and knowledge, to meet other travellers or simply to meet the locals…

There are many reasons to volunteer while you’re travelling and there are literally thousands of charities and organisations that look for help from passing travellers.

Many ask for donations or fees to cover costs, others operate as profitable businesses but the list below is just a few that cost little or nothing to become involved and help out:

1. WWOOF (Willing Workers on Organic Farms), Worldwide

Board and lodging is offered in exchange for a days’ work on the farm. Stays available from one week to many years, and with thousands of hosts available in 53 countries there is an opportunity suitable for everyone. Contact: WWOOF.

For more information, check out A First-Timer’s Guide to WWOOF-ing.

2. Turtle Teams, Worldwide

A generic name for the thousands of small groups that help threatened sea turtles. Most groups are based on one or two nesting beaches–which are typically at risk from over exploitation-and appreciate help for even just one night.

Search for groups at the local tourist office close to any tropical beach and help a species come off the endangered list. More information can be found at these larger organisations: www.seaturtles.org and www.cccturtle.org.

Photo by aimabroad

Conservation Volunteers, Australia and New Zealand

– www.conservationvolunteers.com.au – Short-term project in Australia, New Zealand and a few international locations. Working in teams to protect habitats and promote eco tourism.

A small fee (usually around AUS$100 for a week) is usually required to participate, but covers all food and lodging. British based BTCV (British Trust for Conservation Volunteers) also has similar opportunities. www.btcv.org.uk

Sudan Volunteer Programme, Sudan

– www.svp-uk.com – Teach English in one of the world’s most impoverished countries. Placements are at schools or universities but many volunteers help with community projects in additional to their teaching.

Volunteers must pay for their airfare but all other costs are covered, including a small monthly stipend.

Appalachian Trail Conference, USA

– www.appalachiantrail.org – At over 2,000 miles long the Appalachian Trail is the classic long trail in the Eastern US an home to almost 2,000 endangered or threatened species.

Volunteers help with trail building and maintenance in return for food and (usually very basic) accommodation

Photo by law_keven

Trip Leader for HF Holidays, Europe

– www.hfholidays.co.uk – One of Europe’s most popular walking holiday operators is searching for volunteers to lead their walking holidays. Leaders are provided with accommodation, meals and the chance to explore Europe in return for sharing their passion and knowledge with groups they accompany.

Help Exchange, Worldwide

– www.helpx.net – A website that lists worldwide hosts that are looking for an extra pair of hands; whether it be in their farm or garden, working in schools or on religious projects, building houses or community centres to simply helping a family take the kids to school.

A small memberships fee is required to access the details of hosts but board and lodging is provided in exchange for your work.

Photo by jonrawlinson

Peace Corps, Worldwide

– www.peacecorps.gov – A unique chance to live and work in another country; working on a variety of projects from healthcare and the environment to business development.

A real commitment to 27 months on placement is required, but for those that are willing, this is a life-changing position. Open only to US residents but similar projects are available for other nationals with VSO.

United Nations Volunteers, Worldwide

– www.unv.org – From health care and economic development to assisting after natural disasters, the UN offers positions for those that are dedicated to making a difference abroad.

While many positions are open only to experienced professions, the UN has links to hundreds of international NGOs and QANGOS that are looking for help in similar fields on a less formal basis.

Photo by aripeskoe

Kibbutz Volunteer, Israel – www.kibbutzvolunteer.com – An area that is rarely out of the news, Israel offers superb community but complicated politics.

Being a volunteer gives you the opportunity to experience this region first hand while living as part of a socialist community where everything is provided. The region also serves as a good base from which to explore the Middle East and North Africa

This is just a small sample of what’s on offer; be sure to thoroughly research any options before undertaking a project. And remember, while it’s always nice to get something for free, if a project is requesting money, it is usually going to a good cause.

Photo from TinyFarmBlog

First night at the farm

Some time very late I was startled by a rustling, no, more like a crunching sound, coming from the woods behind my tent. I sat up and reached for the knife Don had given me the previous morning. “If something decides to poke its nose into your tent, you want to be able to poke back,” he’d said.

The thing kept coming closer, so close I heard it brushing up against my tent. I could smell it then, a pungent, musky odor. Scared out of my wits, I slapped the side of the tent and let out a smallish scream (I didn’t want to wake anyone up), and heard it run away.

I woke up at first light to the crowing of the neighbors’ rooster and peaked out of the tent cautiously, half expecting to be greeted by a bear or a mountain lion.

Then I saw them – three deer, three little Bambis with their spots still on, munching away at the flora behind my tent. They raised their heads when I came out, stared for a moment with expressions of sheer panic, and then bolted.

Greatly relieved (and only mildly humiliated), I got dressed and prepared for a day of work on the farm.

What is WWOOF?

Farmer and philosopher Wendell Berry once quipped, “Our model citizen is a sophisticate who before puberty understands how to produce a baby, but who at the age of thirty will not know how to produce a potato.”

One of my goals as a WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) volunteer, was to make sure that the second half of this statement would not apply to me.

Wwoof-ing, as it is known by WWOOF volunteers (or wwoof-ers), is a great way to take a relatively inexpensive trip that’s also an incredible learning experience. A WWOOF working vacation can range in length from a week or less to an entire season or more.

Through the WWOOF website, potential volunteers purchase a list of farms in the country in which they want to wwoof.

Artichoke flowers in front of Author’s tent. Photo by Jim Proctor.

It is up to volunteers to make their own arrangements with hosts for length of stay and the terms of the exchange. Typically, volunteers agree to work for four hours a day in exchange for room and board. Accommodations range from a simple tent site to a private room. Likewise, the type of labor and skills required range widely. As with everything WWOOF-related, it is up to volunteers and hosts to make arrangements that work for them.

Elkdream farm

I first met Don and Elin of Elkdream Farm at a diner in Eugene, Oregon. Over eggs, we talked about the sorry state of eating in America, the possibilities of permaculture, food production in a post-oil world, and the challenge of shifting from urban living to homesteading.

The couple had lived in San Francisco for many years until a dock fire cut off shipments of food into the Bay. Within two days, grocery store shelves were empty.

The author with Don, Elin, and Kory of Elkdream farm.

That experience, and the grim reality that oil shortages would produce similar shortages in the future, convinced Don and Elin that it was time to find a place where they could grow most of their own food. They have been in southern Oregon for 17 years now.

I chose Don and Elin’s farm because it was small and diverse. I was attracted to the homesteading element of their operation; they describe themselves as being almost fruit- and vegetable- self sufficient, growing all year round in what Elin describes as less a farm and more “a large garden”, rotating crops to take advantage of different parts of the growing season and increase soil fertility.

When I arrived at Elkdream, the plum trees were bearing fruit, apples were beginning to ripen, and wild blackberries were everywhere. There were also green beans, artichokes, potatoes, lettuce, grapes, tomatoes, kale, broccoli, collard greens, sunflower seeds, rose hips, lavender, blueberries, and garlic.

I spent my first afternoon on the farm harvesting potatoes (Take that, Wendell!), digging through straw and dirt for the golden spuds that lay there like Easter eggs, unconnected to anything. The potato plants had flowered and died weeks before, leaving only the mature tubers just below the ground.

We worked with simple tools – a shovel, a wheelbarrow, a spade – reveling in a quiet interrupted intermittently by logging trucks traveling back and forth from a clear cut up the road. Elin would shake her head in disgust each time a truck drove by.

During my time at Elkdream, I became accustomed to the quiet rhythm of life on a farm. Early mornings harvesting and mulching and planting; long, lazy afternoons reading and resting, avoiding the intense heat of the late-summer sun; hearty dinners Elin and I cooked together with fresh fruit pies for dessert. In the evenings, we might work again, or Don would prepare me a bath of solar-heated water in their large, outdoor bath tub.

Don and Elin took an active interest in sharing their knowledge with me. When I arrived, they presented me with a packet of reading materials. We had frequent discussions on everything from how to farm with less water to the excesses of the American lifestyle. By the time I left Elkdream, I felt a deep connection to Don and Elin and to their way of life.

And I was even sleeping soundly in my tent.

Resources and recommendations

Although WWOOF is the biggest, most popular organization to offer farm work exchanges, there are many others.

• 1. Transitions Abroad offers a list of international farm work programs that includes WWOOF and others.
• 2. Help Exchange is another organization that connects volunteers with farms and ranches, as well as hostels and even sailing boats.
• 3. For those seeking an experience living in community, there are several eco-villages that offer internship opportunities. For more information on eco-villages, see the Intentional Communities website. Larger eco-villages such as Earthaven , Dancing Rabbit, and Lost Valley offer educational internships that focus on building, planting, and organization.
• 4. Idealist.org offers a searchable data base of internship and volunteer opportunities in a variety of fields, including farming and agriculture, in all 50 states and around the world.

If you go:

Choose your farm wisely. If you don’t like animals, pick a farm that doesn’t keep them. Likewise, if you’re dying to learn how to milk a cow, don’t go for a farm that only grows vegetables.

Be clear about your arrangements with your host. Make sure you know what kind of work you will be doing, how much work you will be expected to do each day, what meals will be included, and where you will be sleeping.

Choose when to go. If you go early in the season (late spring – mid summer) you will probably be doing different work than if you go during the harvest (late summer). Since Don and Elin plant throughout the year, I was able to do multiple kinds of work, but this may not be the case at all farms.

A few essential items to bring: good work gloves, a sun hat, sunscreen, shoes and clothes that can get muddy.

4 days trekking into thick Colombian rainforest we came upon this village. –Ross Borden

People defined as “indigenous” are those with the earliest historical connection to the places they inhabit. More often than not, they are isolated from modern civilization, which has both positive and negative implications. Access to modern health care and education is limited, but their culture and way of life is most often, pristinely intact.

As a westerner, visiting an indigenous community can be among the most eye-opening experiences a traveler can have. After camping with indigenous people in Kenya, Thailand, Colombia and Peru, I have learned that the principles hold true regardless of where you are.

1. Use sign language

Chances are, even if you speak the national language of the country you’re in, the indigenous people probably don’t. In Peru, many of the Quechua don’t speak Spanish; in Kenya many Samburu don’t speak Swahili and Thai is not commonly spoken in the hill tribes of Chiang Mai.

That said, you will be amazed at how much communication can be achieved with simple sign language and hand gestures.

2. Smile

Indigenous girl in her hammock, Sierra Nevada, N. Colombia

The most basic and important form of sign language, smiling, can break the ice of unfamiliarity, almost immediately. For a long time, especially in Africa, I was intimidated by the looks I got from people in the bush. But don’t make the mistake of interpreting a curious look for a dirty one.

Remember that you are unquestionably one of the strangest people they have ever laid eyes on; they don’t understand your dress, appearance, and may wonder how the hell you just landed in their village. Smiling and laughter is universal among all cultures and societies and, often it is the single most important trait to let them know you have something in common.

3. Ask before you take photographs

It’s understandable that people will feel exploited and offended if you just walk up and start snapping away with your camera. However since many indigenous people, especially children, are strikingly beautiful, it would be a shame not take any quality photos of the people you encounter.

The best policy here is to ask–which can be done completely in sign language. If an elder is present, even better to ask them if you can take a photo of his or her child.

4. Show them your photos

Two young brothers in a traditional house half way up a volcano, N. Colombia

Once you’ve taken a couple shots, include them in the fun. If you’re just taking photos and moving on, they feel like an attraction.

If you go over and show them how beautiful they are after every shot, it will bring them into the experience and they won’t be as shy. This is the beauty of digital photography.

Remember that many of the kids especially, may have only seen themselves in the reflection of water. A high resolution digital photo can be pretty exciting!

(Check here for more on travel photography and children.)

5. Get permission

When you’re a guest in someone else’s village it is best to be very aware of your own actions. I have found that asking permission or advice about where to set up your tent, or take a pee, goes a long way.

It shows them that you respect their space and you are grateful for their hospitality. It’s almost always a good rule of thumb to assume that the oldest guy in the group has the most authority, and is therefore the one to ask.

6. Accept invites and eat up

Curious brothers. Sierra Nevada, Colombia

Some of the best moments I’ve had with indigenous people have been experienced over meals. The chances are good that you’ll be invited into some one’s hut for some dinner. Make sure you bring whatever you have to eat as well so you can all cook together.

What you brought in your backpack is probably pretty exotic to them and since their diet is likely repetitive, maybe they’d appreciate a couple new flavors.

The only way you could offend someone in this situation is by denying their invitation to eat with them, so no matter how over-the-top their offer might feel, graciously accept and don’t take a big helping of something you’re not prepared to finish.

I once had to fire down an entire bowl of cow blood stew in Kenya. Lesson learned.

7. Take a walk

If you have the chance, find someone in the community that you can at least partially communicate with and ask them to take you away from the village and deeper into the mountains/jungle/forest. You will be amazed at their knowledge of their native environment.

They will be able to spot animals you never would have seen, and give you tips such as what plants will irritate your skin–as well as those that can be rubbed on your skin to repel mosquitoes.

8. Buy some of their goods

Cooking dinner for the kids. Hill Tribe, Chiang Mai, N. Thailand

Chances are some of the children in the village will approach you offering handcrafts. Whether they’re carved wood figurines or little bracelets, they’re never expensive and it will show your appreciation for their culture if you pack a couple souvenirs for friends and family at home.

In many cases this is their only source of revenue for purchasing goods on the rare trip an elder takes into civilization, so this very insignificant amount of money could go a long way for a family.

9. Come Prepared

A little planning ahead can go a long way. Here’s what to pack in order to foster interaction with the indigenous population, and create happy kids and thankful moms.

Trinkets and candy

Bringing some tiny plastic toys or some tootsie rolls into a remote village can create hours of fun and excitement for the kids. Remember, they are completely cut off from the rest of modern civilization and don’t have the access to even the most basic toys or candy. The Jolly Ranchers are a no-brainer, but pack a mini soccer ball or some little coloring books and some magic markers, and you will create fun for the kids long after you leave the village.

Medicine

Another thing indigenous people are usually short on is simple, over the counter medicine. Even the most basic types of medicine such as Ibuprofen, Tylenol, or Pepto Bysmol will be greatly appreciated. Usually when westerners travel abroad, they pack some kind of prescription meds for dysentery, such as Cipro.

If you can spare a couple tablets and put them in the hands of the community medicine man, powerful medicine like this is invaluable when children get really sick in remote areas.

Feeding piglets. Hill Tribe, Chiang Mai, N. Thailand

10. Enjoy and Respect

Unfortunately, due to shrinking natural territories of many indigenous populations, societies that operate in complete isolation are disappearing.

As a traveler, visiting one of these rare and remote communities can be a truly remarkable experience. Enjoy this opportunity while it’s still available to you and as always, do everything you can to respect the local culture, environment and way of life.