Help girls go to school in Northern Ghana

October 27th, 2007 | By Joshua | 1 Comment »

Last year, Tay and I met Peace Corps Volunteer Carl “Ka” Allen in Northern Ghana, in the village of Nakpanduri where Carl was living and where Tay and I were guests of Chief David Kansuk Laari. It was a classic encounter in the Chief’s “palace,” where we watched World Cup soccer and drank beer under a starry African sky. Well, Carl is still in Ghana and he — and the girls of Nakpanduri — need your help. For a number of reasons, educating the world’s girls is probably the single most effective way to improve the quality of life and eradicate poverty, so this project will have far-reaching and long-lasting outcomes. Donate Now! or learn more from Carl himself–> (more…)

Denver Fundraiser for Nicaragua and Nepal Rural Schools

September 18th, 2007 | By Joshua | No Comments »

Call today (303/399-3649) to make a reservation for Namlo International’s Ninth Annual Fall Dinner and Celebration, featuring a Nepalese buffet dinner in Denver, Colorado. There will be a silent auction of several vacation destinations (Costa Rica, Mexico, Estes Park, and others) and crafts for sale from Namlo’s communities in Nepal and Nicaragua, including a fashion show of cotton and silk Dhaka weaving shawls made by the women in Nepal.

Namlo International was founded in 1999 by mountaineer Magda King (the first Spanish woman to climb a 8,000 meter peak) and her husband, Dr. Hugh King. With funds from private donors, Namlo has built and helped communities to support four schools — two in Nepal and the most recent two in Nicaragua. A site for an additional school in Miraflor, Nicaragua, has been selected with construction scheduled to start in October 2007.

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Become an AJWS World Partners Fellow

May 29th, 2007 | By Joshua | No Comments »

This is a great opportunity to gain experience volunteering abroad for an excellent organization. I was just informed that AJWS is now accepting applications for their World Partners Fellowship in Central America, departing in February 2008 for a nine-month assignment. AJWS World Partners Fellowship is awarded to Jewish recent college graduates and young professionals who wish to volunteer at a non-governmental organization (NGO), live independently in a developing country and participate in a peer-learning community. (more…)

11 Tips for Being an Effective Volunteer Abroad

May 24th, 2007 | By Joshua | 2 Comments »

Rob Meyer has been working with a volunteer orgnaization in Ecuador for two years and offers some great advice in his recent article, “How to Actually ‘Make a Difference’ as a Foreign Volunteer: 11 tips,” featured on the site he created for responsible travel in Ecuador: www.theecuatraveler.com. From seemingly obvious pre-departure tips like “learn the language,” “volunteer as long as possible,” and “be knowledgeable about the region and host organization,” to nitty-gritty in-country advice like “Take time to actively learn how the organization runs and how things function in this part of the world,” this piece is a must-read for anyone about to  take their good intentions on the road. (more…)

Sri Lanka Volunteer’s Blog

April 18th, 2007 | By Joshua | 2 Comments »

Meet Doug. Doug is an Engineer and Humanitarian Aid Worker from San Francisco who is stationed in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. Doug is helping to build schools while avoiding land mines and dealing with poisonous snakes in his toilet. Doug and my brother met at Burning Man a few years back, and he and I tried to get together when I was in Sri Lanka last year, but it didn’t work out. Although some of the world’s most beautiful beaches are reportedly just up the coast from Trincomalee, it was too far from our post in Nuwara Eliya and we ended up opting for Hikkaduwa for our one beach vacation. In any case, here’s his blog for your enjoyment.

$5,000 Volunteer Vacation Grants from Travelocity

April 15th, 2007 | By Joshua | 2 Comments »

Travelocity.com is one of the first major online travel companies making a concerted effort to spread the word about volunteer vacation opportunities, offering links to a number of non-profits and even awarding $5,000 volunteer vacation grants to deserving individuals who would not otherwise be able to afford a voluntourism trip (two grants per quarter to customers and one grant per quarter to employees). This Change Ambassador grant program is part of the company’s new Travel for Good campaign. (more…)

BootsnAll Volunteer Travel Guide

April 7th, 2007 | By Joshua | No Comments »

To keep up on various opportunities, advice, and resources, keep an eye on the Volunteer Logue, written by and for like-minded travelers. VL is part of a new suite of BootsnAll travel pages, found at this central LogueIt hub. Enjoy.

In Praise of Volunteering—and another Tranquilo Traveler

April 6th, 2007 | By Joshua | No Comments »

It was only after I’d started reading the Brave New Traveler article, “10 Reasons Why Volunteering is Better Than Traveling,” (#6. You get to know the neighborhood: In Vietnam I’d say “HALLO!” 30 times before I reached the end of my street. Even my grumpiest moods were transformed), that I realized why the face in the photos looked so familiar. I’d just met Steve Jackson, a.k.a. “Our Man in Granada,” at breakfast with mutual friends in Nicaragua. After reading the above article, I strongly encourage you to browse Steve’s  Nicaragua blog, which features scrumptious photography to illustrate the author’s practical, fun entries. The site will also undoubtedly talk about Steve’s new gig helping out at Cafe Chavalos, a worthy project that teaches ex-street kids how to be chefs and maitre-d’s. Enjoy.

Two Weeks Among the Maya

March 27th, 2007 | By Joshua | 1 Comment »

My recent trips to two indigenous villages in Central America were unlike any I’ve ever taken in the region. Listening to the unique rhythms of the Yucatec and Achi tongues, I learned a little about the ancient Maya calendar, visited sacred churches and graves, and worked side by side with several proud groups of modern Maya, one of the most historically marginalized peoples in this hemisphere. Before this trip, I’d visited the Maya archaeological sites of Tikal, Caracol, Xunantunich, Copan, Lamanai, and a dozen others. But the real-life, modern-day experience of these past few weeks was infinitely more engaging than puttering about the forested ruins of fallen cities.

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The Tranquilo Traveler Rides South: Mexico, Guatemala & Nicaragua

March 3rd, 2007 | By Joshua | 3 Comments »

That’s right, amigos, I’m puttin’ my money where my mouth is, packin’ up and headin’ south — and not touching my computer for three whole weeks. My mission? To serve as Group Leader for an AJWS Study/Service Delegation from Seattle to a small Maya village on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. From there, I travel to southern Guatemala to lead a university group from Athens, Georgia on an AJWS Alternative Break Trip; not your typical booze-binging spring break for these undergrads. (more…)