volunteer overseas

I don’t actually want to go on any long trips until late 2011. I have enough to do right now and i really need to save up money. But it’s never too early to do a little research, right? Well, except programs are still likely to change, and prices will definetely change, and dates haven’t even been roughly planned out yet, so my little bit of research is more like a miniscule amount of research. Whatever.

Thus far Cross-Cultural Solutions looks pretty good as far as volunteer organisations go. And it seems the trip will likely cost about $4000 (not counting airfare, which i’m not even going to try to guess at two years in advance), so i’ve a rough starting point for my savings account. That’s pretty much the extent of my research skills right now :P

About 4.5 weeks til I leave. I received my volunteer project allocation yesterday, I will be doing the leatherback and green sea turtle conservation project. This involves patrolling the beach (mostly at night) to look for turtle coming ashore, taking details of these turtles, nest relocation of low chance survival turtle nests, making sure people aren’t coming to steal the eggs (they sell them), helping to build and working in the turtle hatchery, and cleaning up the beach. SOOOOOO excited!! Still got a few things to buy for the trip, but i will only be taking a backpack so i wont be able to pack too much… I really hope we do get plenty of chances to do laundry cos i’m not wearing dirty underwear for 5.5 weeks!!!

With all my current plans and projects I might ending up leaving this till very late, I don’t know I’d love to help in projects in Africa in a positive and direct way for the bottom billion (if you don’t know about that term read the book).

I’m hoping to do a 6 month project somewhere and I’m keeping my eyes open for something I can squeeze into my now very busy life.

It’s just over 4 months until I go to Costa Rica. I’ve eaten so many fundrasing chocolates bahaha. (of course I am paying for them!) Everything’s coming along… I’ve applied for my passport and it has been approved and I should be receiving it by registered post this week! (so i’ll be able to tick that goal off!) I’ve booked flights from Adelaide (my hometown) to Melbourne where the international flight departs from, and I’ve bought travel insurance, and sent off pretty much all the paperwork I need to. I’ve still got a lot of money to save up but my parents hav offered to help me out and I will pay them back whn I get back – before I can start saving for my next trip :( sigh haha – luckily I’ve been getting a few more shifts at work too…

So my application for an ISV trip was accepted and was given a place in the program going to Costa Rica on 30 November 2009!!! :O :D

I’ve been selling freddos and other fundraising chocolates like crazy and i’m having a huge trash & treasure sale and writing to people for sponsorship dollars… taking bottles to the recycling centre for the 10c cash back we have in south australia (not sure if this is done elsewhere?)

SMILES…

for an International Student Volunteer trip to either Costa Rica, South Africa or Thailand! I should know really soon if I’ve got a spot on the program (its pretty competitive as there aren’t a huge number of spots) and I need to save/fundraise about $7000!!! by the end of september :O I’m going to try selling chocolates, have a car boot sale / trash and treasure sale & ebaying stuff to raise money, as well as saving as much as possible from my part time job, and sucking up to my parents a little! If anyone has any ideas on how to fundraise for this type of thing your ideas would be greatly appreciated!!! :D I know I’ll get there somehow but i’d really rather not have to get a loan

i really want to do this, i have a passion for kids and so i want to go to america work in a summer camp, go to Africa work in schools, go to thailand build houses, i just want to travel the world and make a postive impact on every community i visit

Sounds like a good idea to me.

...and loving every second.

I think to pull this off (at least for the first time) I’m going to need to find a travel buddy. I don’t think I can work up enough nerve to go it alone. :(
On the bright side I figured out I’d like to volunteer most in China, India, West Africa, or Eastern Europe and would most likely want to do it the summer after I graduate college. AND I know I would most like to teach English, work with kids, or do disaster relief/medical (if qualified, lol). At least that’s a start?