ABCs of Traveling Abroad

A – Address peel and stick labels for all your family and friends before you go. Then stick to postcards along the way and you’ll come home looking good.

B – Bottled water is a must – don’t drink anything else.

C – Cookbooks from your travels are always a great souvenir. Cook a dish from one when you have friends over to see your video and pictures

D – Digital cameras save the day; their small and you never run out of film

E – Expect excitement; go with anticipation, not trepidation

F – Food is fun, try something you’ve never eaten before like zebra pate or Australian wine

G – Give generous tips, especially in poor countries, you’ll be so glad you did

H – Hang out with the locals. Get to know a new person on your trip and get a photo with them

I – Inform someone at home of your itinerary

J – Journal every day. Can you remember now what you did last week?

K – Kids love it when you have packed little surprises to open along the way

L – Learn something: Take a pasta making course in Italy, Scuba diving in Argentina or Belly dancing in Bagdad (just kidding)!

N – Note the local artisans and buy something authentic

O – One substantial souvenir is better than a lot of small things. Then ship it home to lighten your luggage

P – Postcards will rescue you when your photography fails. You can never have too many

Q – Questions help you get the most out of all you see and experience.

R – Read before you leave. Read lots of books about your destination. Find out who the local best sellers are, and read one of their books.

S – Scrapbook within the first week of getting home

T – Travel as light as humanly possible. Dragging luggage is no fun.

U – Unpack as soon as you get home.

V – Vaccinations and certain medications are necessary in some countries – be sure to check with the World Health Organization about what you need.

W – Whining never fixes anything – buck up and deal with the differences

X – exchange your currency at the airport or a bank and be sure you understand the value of your money

Y – You are the one who will make or break your adventure. Plan to be positive

Z – Zero in on one or two experiences and squeeze the most out of them. Adventure overload will leave you confused.

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8 Tips for Packing and Traveling Light

Use the following pithy packing tips to make your travel light:

Make a list. Compose a pack list. Be sure to coordinate shirts and blouses with bottoms. To maximize your traveling wardrobe fashion savoir faire, stick with solids and versatile basics. Rule-out any clothes that do not match other items.

Roll ‘em up please. The best way to fit all your clothes is by rolling pants and shirts. First fold each item in half. Then simply roll. To try to maintain any creases, start on the bulkiest end of the article of clothing.

Gear up. How to make an awe-inspiring impression out of a basic or mundane outfit? For the most glam appeal, accessorize with a vibrant tie (for him) or a florid scarf (for her). Multihued accessories can liven up just about any attire.

Minimize bulk. After you check for space, edit outfits – ruthlessly. Try to pack microfibers with wrinkle and stain free comfort. With most of your attire, stay in the same color scheme – in case you have to layer up for warmth.

Employ shoe smarts. For men, any leather rubber-soled shoes can make the day and night transition, easy. For woman, a pair of flip-flops, strappy sandals and comfy wedges can serve all casual – chic dressing needs.

Put under garments on the top. To reduce the embarrassment of under garments becoming the side show attraction of the open luggage scan, place all panties in a plastic bag free of any clippers, lighters or other questionable paraphernalia. For expedient security review, place the transparent bag on top of your other items so security can access the bag without ruining your efficient packing method.

Lose Extra Baggage. Leave the heavy travel guide at home. Duplicate important resources to keep your luggage free of extra pounds. Since most hotels and resorts provide irons and blow-dryers –leave yours at home for light travel.

Leave restricted items at home. If you want to make it through security extra fast, avoid any firearms, weapons, box-cutters, scissors, razors, lighters and any other item that may be used in a terrorist situation.

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Volunteer Abroad in Philippines Tacloban Tanauan Olango Island Orphans

Volunteer Abroad in Philippines: Volunteering Opportunities

Volunteering Abroad in Philippines: The culture of the Philippines is a combination of Asian and Spanish influence. The people are an ethnic mix of Malay, Chinese, Spanish, American, and Indian. Since the Spaniards dominated the Philippines for over 300 years, many of their traditions, and holidays originate from the Spaniards. Over 90% of the country is Christian and 80% of these are Catholics. Local feasts for patron saints are some of the popular catholic celebrations. Religion plays an important role in the lives of the Filipinos.

Filipino, also known as Tagalog, is the official national language in the Philippines with English considered as the country’s unofficial one. Both English and Tagalog are taught in school starting in grade one. In addition, there are over 111 dialects spoken throughout the different regions of the country.

Hospitality is one of the Filipino characters that truly distinguish them from other Southeast Asian people. A visitor is treated as the most important person they have ever met and will be introduced to the best the family can offer – the best food, the best place in the table, the best things, and, if they have to stay overnight, the best room and beddings!

The Philippines primarily has a tropical rainforest climate. Heavy rains are common from June to October because of the Southwest Monsoon. Monsoons are rare from December through June so there is little rainfall during these months. Strong typhoons are a concern from June through November.

Our projects are located in the Visayans, on the Leyte Island, supporting the education of orphan and rural children from the surrounding areas. The poverty experienced in this area is not just a lack of money but also the inability to access basic needs, such as health care and health facilities, as well as basic quality education for all of its children.

Our programs allow you to take part in meaningful community service work, while discovering the people, sights, smells and tastes of the Philippines.

Volunteering while traveling n the Philippines is a way to totally immerse you in Filipino culture.

This is a great opportunity to make life-long friends, learn a new culture from the inside out and discover that one person really can make a difference.

Volunteer overseas with us and see A Broader View of the World.

Locations pages:

• Tacloban
• Tanauan
• Olango Island

1001 Dell Lane Suite B, Wyncote, PA 19095, USA Volunteer Abroad Project

Tel: 1-215-780-1845 / Toll Free: 1-866-423-3258 / Fax: 1-215-887-0915

volunteers@abroaderview.org – www.abroaderview.org – info@abroaderview.org

Volunteer Abroad in Costa Rica Central America, Limon & Guanacaste, Pacific and Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Programs www.abroaderview.org

Volunteer Abroad in Costa Rica Central America, Limon & Guanacaste, Pacific and Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Programs http://www.abroaderview.org

In 1502, on his fourth and last voyage to the New World, Christopher Columbus made the first European landfall in the area. Settlement of Costa Rica began in 1522. For nearly three centuries, Spain administered the region as part of the Captaincy General of Guatemala under a military governor. The Spanish optimistically called the country “Rich Coast.” Finding little gold or other valuable minerals in Costa Rica, however, the Spanish turned to agriculture.

Mention Costa Rica and people think paradise. The country’s Disney-like cast of creatures — ranging from howler monkeys to toucans — is prolific and relatively easy to spot. The waves are prime; the beauty is staggering and the sluggish pace seductive.

Costa Rica, despite being such a tiny nation, draws well over a million visitors every year – and you can see why. The incredibly varied topography means you can cruise a cloud forest one day, climb a volcano the next, and finish passed out on a hot sandy beach.

Costa Rica is a tropical country and experiences only two seasons: wet and dry. The dry season is generally between late December and April; the wet season lasts the rest of the year. The highlands are cold: San José and the Central Valley get an ‘eternal spring’ with lows averaging 15°C (60°F) and highs averaging 26°C (79°F). Both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts are pretty much sweltering year-round – get ready for some bad-hair days. Temperatures vary little between seasons; the main influence on temperature is altitude. The humidity at low altitudes can be oppressive.

We offer the following programs in Costa Rica: (1-4 week placements – Optional start date)

Program Length: 1-4 weeks Program Date: Flexible Start & End Date Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8 hour per day Accommodations: Local home stay or hostal Meals: Yes, 3 meals a day Requirements: 18 years +, Basic Spanish knowledge, an able body, can-do attitude, self-starter and adventurous nature.

Animal Welfare / Turtle Conservation: Placements are available in wild-life refuge which receives animals that have been in captivity or have been sold illegally by animal traffickers. The main objective of this project is to rehabilitate the animals and reincorporate them back into their natural habitat. Volunteers will feed animals and clean and repair cages. In addition, they will help build new cages and improve existing facilities. Volunteers will ordinarily work about 8- 10 hours per day, depending on the projects they are involved in. Most refuge centers offer on-site shared volunteer accommodation, including meals. These accommodations typically have electricity and running water, and shared bathrooms. Proficiency in Spanish is highly recommended. *2 week minimum suggested.

Indigenous Community: Live and work among the people of a multiethnic indigenous community with members of different ethnicities. The community obtains their income from fishing, agriculture, hunting, and horticulture, combined with handicrafts, communitarian tourism, conservation and reforestation. Volunteers will be involved in a wide range of exciting activities including teaching English at the local school, working at the children’s day care center, rain forest restoration projects, horticultural and fish farming projects and infrastructure construction projects including work on a Women’s Center. This is a great opportunity to experience the life and culture of the local indigenous people. Volunteers live with a local host family in a shared room; all meals are provided by the host family. Proficiency is Spanish is required, as well as an adventurous spirit. *2 week minimum suggested.

Social/Welfare Service:. Volunteers work at a local children’s home which doubles as an orphanage and day care. The children range in age from infancy to 12yrs old, some with mild handicaps. Volunteers assist the local staff with the basic needs such as feeding, bathing and clothing; as well arrange games and day trips with the kids. Teaching English, math, as well as manual labor (sweeping, painting, and gardening) may be involved. Basic/Proficient Spanish is required, as well as a positive, self-starter and flexible attitude.

Education/Teaching: Volunteers can teach, or assist the local teacher with English classes. The kids vary in age and most do not have any proper schooling. By speaking English, new opportunities are available to the children that would otherwise be destined to stay in the cycle of poverty. Volunteers do not need previous teaching experience, although it would be helpful. Basic/Proficient Spanish is required, as well as a positive, flexible and committed attitude. Volunteers will need to create their own lesson plans with the help of the local teachers.

Program Includes: Homestay or local guesthouse or on-site volunteer accommodations at orphanage. Includes three meals a day. Airport (or bus) transfers on arrival and departure. Our local Project Coordinators will provide orientation briefing, city tour, half day Spanish lessons. Introduction and placement in a volunteer work project. *Additional Spanish classes can be arranged for you locally.

The project coordinator is available 24/7 in case of emergency, health-related or otherwise. They can assist in arranging sightseeing excursion before, during or after the volunteer program.

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AbroaderView.org – 1001 Dell Lane Suite B, Wyncote, PA 19095, USA

Tel: 1-215-780-1845/ Toll Free: (866)-423-3258 / Fax: 1-215-887-0915
volunteers@abroaderview.org – www.abroaderview.org – info@abroaderview.org