Volunteering Abroad Part 1

Travel tip 013: Volunteer! Okay, so I understand the desire to travel around to every popular place and famous (or infamous) landmark available, but the next time you or someone you know either studies abroad or travels to a particular country, try out a volunteer activity. While studying abroad in Montevideo, Uruguay, I was tempted to put myself on a plane and set out for Chili, Bolivia, Brazil, Peru and others. How amazing would it have been to be able to tell people where I had gone? Don’t get me wrong; it would have been adventurous, life-changing, and heart-poundingly invigorating to have seen a little more of the world. But it never hurts to consider your other options.

The first volunteer activity I participated in was teaching a group of Uruguayan students, ages 9 -12, in the English language. The opportunity presented itself to me while I was attending the University Catolica of Uruguay. My fellow travelers and I were invited to participate in Proyectos or Projects that would serve the community. After short interviews in which coordinators determined our fields of interest and language capabilities, my classmates and I were separated into distinct groups with particular project goals. My group, made up of travelers from the U.S., was given the task of teaching a group of disinterested kids the English language with the use of recreation and fun activities. Without knowing what to expect, I found myself standing in a teacher’s shoes.

The first day of class set the standard for the rest of the semester. Expecting a group of unruly children bent upon our destruction, we found ourselves faced by something unexpected: a group of kids willing to learn. It may have been the atmosphere of fun we brought along with us in our bag of tricks, but working with the school teachers and school director, setting up recreational activities that would promote English learning, and bonding with the children came easy. It wasn’t until my fellow student-teachers headed state side and I found myself alone with 30 or more children, that I acknowledged some of the challenges: the walk through the red zone (a more impoverished part of the city charged with tension), ensuring that every child was participating in activities, keeping everyone safe, and watching the soccer ball fly over the concrete wall that enclosed the school area. Despite these minor setbacks, the experience was enlightening. I discovered abilities to entertain and communicate that I never thought I had. I shared my time in something that was bigger than me.

The next time I volunteered in Uruguay, I did so with a non-profit organization called “Un techo para mi pais” translated as ‘A roof for my country.’ The non-profit entity sets up either week or weekend-long building projects done entirely by college students and other volunteers. I participated in late fall, two to three weeks after Easter. A few other acquaintances did the same. We decided to travel to Paysandú, a smaller city nestled 4 hours of bus travel north of Montevideo. I, in stylistic and foreigner fashion, signed up to volunteer in Montevideo and mistakenly road 4 hours north anyway.