Last week, I decided to spend some time volunteering abroad this summer. (It might have had something to do with the cold spring break weather we were having!) After researching some volunteer organizations online, I decided to check into one called "A Broader View Volunteer Corps" that offers a program in La Ceiba, Honduras, teaching children in poverty to speak English. In Central America, speaking English is a valuable skill when it comes to finding a job. Schools are always looking for volunteers to come work with their students as there are not many native English speakers to work with them. Having taken Spanish in high school, I thought this would be a great opportunity for me to strengthen my own language skills while giving my time to help others.
Within hours of completing my application to the program, I was contacted by the organization (based out of Pennsylvania) with further information. By the next day, my request was approved, and I renewed my passport and began to look for airline tickets. I headed to Barnes & Noble and the local libraries to find some Spanish instructional materials and travel guides for Central America. Not to mention, I found some great iPhone apps to help me build my vocabulary and practice my Spanish speaking skills. "Mind Snacks" has apps for several different languages and provides a great interactive tool for building vocabulary.
By the end of the week, I had set up a meeting with the Passport Health office at Strong to go over recommended immunizations and safety precautions to take while in Honduras. It is widely known that the drinking water in Central America is not the safest, so I plan to rely mostly on bottled water. However, I am sure there is a lot more that will be helpful to know before I get down there.
Just yesterday, I set up a donation page to help fund-raise some of the costs of this volunteer program. Along with the program fee, it is my responsibility to cover my airfare, travel insurance, and travel expenses while in Honduras. If you are able to contribute to this cause, please visit my donation page at WePay. Every little bit will help, so even if you can donate $5, I would appreciate it. In addition to my volunteer services, I would like to bring some classroom supplies down to the kids. When I have an idea of what I want to bring, I will post a list if you are interested in donating materials instead.
Stay tuned for more information about the program!
No comments:
Post a Comment