Children Raise the Village

Honeymooners Volunteering!

childrenraisethevillage — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 15:47:35 +0000

OK, So most of them don’t have kids, yet. But I would guess that a couple who volunteers on their honeymoon will be more likely to volunteer as a family when they do have children ).

See today’s article by CNN.

Profile in MetroParent magazine

childrenraisethevillage — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 05:19:32 +0000

My family’s volunteer vacation experience is mentioned in this month’s issue of Portland’s MetroParent magazine as part of an article on Raising Global Citizens. See it on page 20 of the August issue.

One girl’s story – Ellen, age 14, Tanzania

childrenraisethevillage — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 12:33:55 +0000

Ellen is an engaging 14-year-old who also happens to be the daughter of a staffer at Global Citizen’s Network. Last August, the mother-daughter team traveled to Tanzania for a three-week volunteer vacation. I asked Ellen some questions via email about her experience; here are her thoughts:

What started you thinking about a volunteer vacation?

My mom works for GCN and she had already gone on two trips previous to Bukoba. I eventually just told her I want to have one of those experiences so she took me with.

Did you consider a trip in the US or were you specifically looking to go overseas?

I was willing to go where ever she took me, but I’ve never been out of the country before so I guess I wanted to go out of the country.

How did you decide which trip to take?

I walked in the door from school one day and she just asked, “Do you wanna go to Africa?” I just said, “YES!”

How did you know you were ready for this kind of trip?

My mom was actually the team leader on the trip and I knew she was ready, it was more just me being ready I was worried about.

Did you do anything special to prepare?

GCN is partners with COSAD. Which is another non-profit based out of Bukoba. Smart Baitani, who is the Founder, has ties in Minnesota and has many fundraisers here. So I went to as many of those as I could possibly go to.

Did you have any concerns about safety?

Not really. At first I was nervous, but that was just because it was somewhere new.

What were your expectations? What were you hoping to get out of the trip? Did the trip meet your expectations?

I didn’t really have any expectations because I didn’t want to anticipate anything that would happen, I just wanted to get there and be completely surprised. And even though I didn’t have any expectations, it was a trip that was absolutely amazing and I will never forget it.

What was the best part of the experience?

The people I met. I have a feeling that I will be lifelong friends with many of the people I met because I know I have good friends somewhere when I can’t wait to go back.

What was the most challenging part of the experience?

The language barrier. I don’t speak Swahili whatsoever but even then most people there know little bits and pieces of English so I got by. I have no complaints about the language barrier but at times it was a little annoying.

Would you do it again?

In a heartbeat.

What recommendations would you give to other families considering a similar trip?

Bring peanut butter and a journal. Peanut butter because you need some sort of protein because there isn’t much. A journal because you will want to remember every single detail.

What story can you share about your experience?

We went to the School for the Deaf and played soccer. It was the quietest game of soccer I have ever played. And the only Old Country Buffet is Africa isn’t really a buffet

What did your family get out of the experience?

That my mom and I got closer

What project did you work on while you were there? Was the project complete during your visit or carried on by other future volunteers?

We worked in the Primary school if Kangabusharo. We built a wall and painted the entire room with the new wall. It was finished and it now looks pretty good!

What else would you like to share about the experience?

That if you ever do take one of these trips it will change your life.

What motivates you to volunteer?

childrenraisethevillage — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:47:09 +0000

I was reading an old post on the Voluntourism.org blog from May 5, 2010 (http://blog.voluntourism.org/?p=238) about a voluntourism study conducted in Hong Kong titled Motivations and perceived value of volunteer tourists from Hong Kong. This piqued my interest, but not enough to pay the $20 read the full article. Instead, I settled for the published abstract:

This study examines the motivational factors and perceived value of Hong Kong volunteer tourists. The results of a focus group and in-depth interviews reveal five main motives for travelers to partake in volunteer trips:

cultural immersion and interaction with the local people;
desire to give back and show love and concern;
a shared experience with family members and an educational opportunity for children;
religious involvement;
escape from everyday life.

The perceived value of these volunteer travelers includes personal growth and development, relationship enhancement, and change in perspective on life. The factors influencing their future decision to participate in volunteer tourism include time, financial ability, safety and health issues, arrangements and scale of the tour, and reputation of the organizer.

Sounds to me like the motivations for the volunteers in this survey are spot on with my own, and I suspect many volunteer travelers. Reinforcement that from a global perspective our goals are similar.

Motivations and perceived value of volunteer tourists from Hong Kong by Ada S. Lo and Candy Y.S. Lee, School of Hotel and Tourism Management, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Received 8 September 2008; accepted 8 March 2010. Available online 2 April 2010.

Lasso Communications posts State of the Volunteer Travel Industry

childrenraisethevillage — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 13:30:30 +0000

I’m a little late posting this as the new report came out in May, but Voluntourism Gal puts together an annual report of sorts on the Volunteer Travel industry; useful for trip organizers and coordinators, but also for the saavy traveler who wants to be as well-equipped as possible before embarking on a volunteer adventure. Here’s her report:

http://voluntourismgal.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/state-of-the-volunteer-travel-industry-20093.pdf

National Geographic creates Global Action Atlas

childrenraisethevillage — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 01:30:51 +0000

National Geographic has created a database of opportunities aimed at individuals looking to make a positive difference. Their intent is to harnass their global audience as participants in local projects to affect change. In their own words:

“The Global Action Atlas spotlights hundreds of local, cause-related projects from around the world to a large audience of concerned citizens, giving individuals opportunities to take action by donating, volunteering, advocating, and sharing information. The Atlas enhances and extends the mission of the National Geographic Society –to inspire people to care about the planet– by turning inspiration into action.

The Action Atlas seeks to feature local and regional projects that aim to:

■Reduce human suffering
■Improve the well-being of individuals and populations
■Conserve, restore, or enhance natural habitats and the plants and animals that inhabit them
■Seek sustainable use of Earth’s resources and the harmonious coexistence of human societies and natural systems”

Click the link below to see the Global Action Atlas -

http://actionatlas.org/home

Opportunities in Ecuador, Trinidad and Tobago, and Thailand

childrenraisethevillage — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:19:32 +0000

Travelanthropist outlines three family opportunities: a rural Ecuador community, Sea Turtles in Trinidad and Tobago, Elephants in Thailand:

http://travelanthropist.com/2010/06/family-voluntourism-adventures-that-create-memories.html/comment-page-1#comment-1711

Royal Caribbean offers side trips with a volunteer spin

childrenraisethevillage — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 01:50:07 +0000

Royal Caribbean has gotten into the volunteer vacation game providing side trip options for cruise guests that incorporate volunteering. Craig Milan, President, Royal Celebrity Tours, listed the current offerings on his blog stating that “if successful, [these side trips] will be expanded to other areas of need within the regions of our global deployment.” I have to admit that the fact his blog is titled “Why Not?” made me question if this is a half-hearted venture to capitalize on their client’s interests (note the whole blog bears that title, not just this post). But if you’re planning a cruise anyway, it might serve travelers well to ask “Why Not?” and jump in to what may be a rewarding experience.

http://www.nationofwhynot.com/blog/?p=1591

CNN Highlights Volunteer Vacations

childrenraisethevillage — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 03:17:58 +0000

Take a look at this CNN article summarizing the volunteer vacation experience. CNN reporter Marnie Hunter talks with PEPY and Globe Aware: http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/05/31/voluntourism.tips/index.html

Review: Travel Therapy: Where do you need to go? By Karen Schaler

childrenraisethevillage — Thu, 27 May 2010 19:16:07 +0000

Travel Therapy: Where do you need to go? By Karen Schaler Seal Press: Berkeley, CA, 2009.

In Travel Therapy, Karen Schaler addresses ten reasons for traveling to improve your life. From recovering from heartbreak to celebrations, Schaler offers suggestions for destinations to fit life’s major milestones. The book design is excellent, laid out in an easy-to-read format highlighted by beautiful photographs, quotes and tips.

My primary interest in the book was Chapter 4: Pay It Forward. I was excited about the chapter introduction; she underscores a broadly used therapy tool – when you’re feeling sorry for yourself, help somebody else:

“We all know how easy it is to get caught up in our own stress. We end up shutting out the rest of the world. You figure you’re having a hard enough time dealing with your own issues, so there’s no way you can deal with all the other problems going on around you. Ironically, living in your own bubble can backfire, making you feel even more isolated and alone. Taking off your protective blinders and getting involved in what’s happening to other people—and doing something to help—can be empowering beyond belief.”

The book is directed toward adults, so you won’t find family friendly travel tips here, but she does do a good job of getting ideas flowing for volunteer travel opportunities. Her own volunteer experience was traveling with Ambassadors for Children, so that organization is heavily featured. The chapter opening quiz isn’t a particularly useful tool – the obvious answers lead you to three primary volunteer vacation categories covered in this chapter: construction volunteer projects, volunteering with children and going green – but you can only cover so much ground in a 20-page chapter. Schaler provides links (in the back of the book) to seven reputable organizations involved in volunteer travel. The quotes of professionals and travelers in this chapter are inspirational.