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

Well I handed in the application – I just decided to go for it!

There are 7 projects going away for 6-8 weeks in summer 2010. I have applied for Nepal, Malawi, and Zambia, and then said I will do any of the others if I cannot go on one of those. But because of the limited numbers we had to fill in a question and answer application form, and will have to go for an interview. I am a bit hit and miss with those. I really hope I get chosen…..

In the end I thought that although I could just go when I finish uni, the fundraising target will be so much easier to reach working as a group, and with the help of the uni EGP society. Also a work colleague reminded me that I can learn to drive when I’m stuck in a job, or stuck in a flat contract and can’t go away even if I want to. I know what she means, because when I left my first degree it was mostly because I wanted to go away travelling and volunteering, but it didn’t happen then – I got stuck just like that. I will miss C too, but he is being really supportive about it because he knows that it’s something I have always wanted to do.

I just had to remember that I regret many things I didn’t do, but barely anything that I did do!

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!!!

I went to a presentation a week ago for EGP. There might be an opportunity to go away next summer to work on a sustainable development project with a small group from uni.

This might sort of count as ‘by myself’ as you get assigned to the group and no one knows each other – that’s not too different than just going and then being put in a group – a little easier I suppose.

I have to hand in an application by the 30th but I’m conflicted. On the one hand I feel like I should jump at opportunities like this, cos you never know if they’ll come round again! On the other hand I seriously need to sort out my finances, learn to drive, concentrate on uni, and could always go the year after….

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.