Are You Volunteer Material?

Have you ever thought of taking on a volunteer project in a Second World or Third World Country? If so, it is important to consider seriously the type of work you would be taking on, and whether you would be suited to the work. Some work placements require quite a lot of hard physical work, others can be emotionally challenging, and almost all will require the volunteer to be completely immersed in cultures that may be entirely alien to them - often while communicating in another language. For those that feel they are able to rise to the challenge of taking on a volunteer project overseas, it should be pointed out some volunteer placements are much more or much less challenging than others, and some will require volunteers to be largely independent while others offer much more of a support network and involve large groups of volunteers working together on projects such as building houses, health centres or schools in impoverished areas of Second World or Third World countries.
For an example of an extremely isolated volunteer project, I need to look no further than my own brother, who once spent six months on an extremely remote turtle conservation project in South Africa. As the lone worker on the project, many miles from the nearest town or village, he would go weeks at a time with no human contact whatsoever. His remit was to make sure that the baby turtles, the size of a 50 pence coin when hatched, were not eaten by predators or trodden underfoot. As it turns out, the project was too isolated for him, and he conceded defeat and returned home six months into what should have been a year-long placement (don't worry, turtle-lovers, another volunteer was sent over to look after the hatchlings.)

This is an extreme example, and a volunteer in Guatemala, for example, is far more likely to be bombarded with attention from children in a busy school or orphanage than they are to be left without human contact for weeks at a time.

To volunteer in Latin America is in fact a good way to get to know the locals in a part of the world where foreigners are greeted with enormous warmth and hospitality.

Volunteering may present some significant challenges but, for those who feel ready to rise to those challenges, the rewards are enormous.