EIL UK - Volunteer

Volunteering in Turkey

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 10:15:54 +0000

Lucy, a recent volunteer to Turkey writes;

"We had the most amazing time....... Our host familes were so welcoming and generous. They were so kind and made it seem like we weren't a hassle! They had the most amazing house with a midblowing view of the Bosphorus river.

We went to our project which was extremely hectic as there were dozens of women waiting for their aid boxes. We were set to organise their store room - which was a task as it was so messy!

Unfortunatly we were not able to teach English as it was Ramadan and it was too difficult for the families to walk to the project in the heat. However we had an amazing time at the project and everyone there was so kind and funny, depsite the language barrier. They ladened us with Turkish Deligh and Turkish coffee when we left!

One day we were taken on a boat tour along the Bosphorus which was beautiful and so much fun. Another day we were proper tourists! We visitied the huge palaces and saw the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, although we didn't go inside the mosques. The palaces were so elaborate and beautiful - definitly worth a visit! We then went on to the maze of shops in the Grand Bazaar and purchased some typically Turkish things with the aid of bartering!

We are extremely lucky to have had a trip like this, - the trip of a lifetime! Not many people are able to live and work with the locals. everyone we met was so welcoming and so kind. Thank you so much!"

Travel Abroad

Volunteer Abroad

Turkey

Volunteer

Turkey

host family

Swimming with sharks in the Galapagos Islands

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 09:13:22 +0000

Cat, a Conversation Corps volunteer to the Galapagos Islands, found herself close to this shark while diving at Kicker Rock on San Cristobel Island.

Conversation Corps

Volunteer

Ecuador

Conversation Corps to the Galapagos Islands

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 09:09:51 +0000

Cat, a Conversation Corps volunteer to the Galapagos Islands, sent this about her recent experience -

I had great experience in the Galapagos - my host family were really special and made an effort to make sure I had a positive local experience taking me on weekends to their farm, out on their family boat and even to visit their giant pet tortoise, Pepe, who now lives in the church grounds.

San Cristobal is a small place so you soon get to know the locals and feel part of the community. The locals co-exist with the seals all around the bay and it is not uncommon to be sunbathing next to a few seals on the beach. They are also known to play with you in the water sometimes which is an incredible experience. Many times I hired a snorkel and swam with upwards of 20 sea turtles and schools and schools of fish both at La Loberia and Tarjetas Hill on San Cristobel - once I even swam past a white-tipped shark but that was a bit scary so I left the water quickly as I was on my own :-) Its possible to get a boat to the other inhabited islands at weekends and explore Santa Cruz and Isabela - both with many attractive aspects. My host family were really flexible both with the number of hours I taught and when they needed me so we just worked around each others schedules.

I think that by volunteering this way, it is a great way to get to know the Galapagos and is a much cheaper option too because I think the cost of tours and other accommodation on the Galapagos is high and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants teaching work in an incredible setting.

Conversation Corps

Ecuador

Galapagos

Ecuador

Galapagos Islands Hospital

Ecuador

Conversation Corps

Volunteer

Ecuador

End of a lovely day in the Galapagos Islands

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 09:05:26 +0000

Cat, a Conversation Corps volunteer to the Galapagos Islands, caught this beautiful sunset.

Conversation Corps

Volunteer

Ecuador

Sleeping seal.

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 09:02:31 +0000

This photo of a seal on the Galapagos Islands was taken by Cat, a Conversation Corps volunteer. Looks good - shame about the smell!

Conversation Corps

Volunteer

Ecuador

Galapagos Islands

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 08:59:39 +0000

Cat, a Conversation Corps volunteer to the Galapagos Islands, took this wonderful picture of iguana.

Conversation Corps

Volunteer

Galapagos Islands

Ecuador

Call me chicken!

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 08:57:23 +0000

Cat, a Conversation Corps volunteer, while travelling in Brazil

Conversation Corps

Volunteer

Brazil

Siesta!

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 08:55:21 +0000

Cat, a Conversation Corps volunteer, took this photo while travelling in Ecuador.

Conversation Corps

Volunteer

Ecuador

Small child in mountain village in Ecuador

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 08:52:29 +0000

Cat, a Conversation Corps volunteer took this photo while travelling in Ecuador.

Conversation Corps

Volunteer

Ecuador

Volunteer in Italy

EIL UK1 — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 13:23:28 +0000

Finding out peoples' views in Altamura.

Italy

Volunteer

youth

Altamura

Leonardo da Vinci

Paris volunteering in Italy

EIL UK1 — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 13:20:52 +0000

Our volunteer, Paris, with staff and volunteers from LINK.

Volunteer

Italy

youth

media

Altamura

Leonardo da Vinci

Volunteers in Albania

EIL UK1 — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 13:12:01 +0000

Our volunteers Sam and Chris at the Romani Baxt Albania centre in Tirana, Albania.

Albania

Volunteer

young people

VIP

Volunteer in Ghana

EIL UK1 — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 11:26:06 +0000

Our volunteer, Stephen, with a pupil.

Volunteer

Ghana

young people

VIP

Volunteers in Turkey

EIL UK1 — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 10:51:06 +0000

Volunteers in Turkey

Volunteer

Turkey

Volunteers in Turkey

EIL UK1 — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 10:48:42 +0000

Volunteers in Turkey

Volunteer

Turkey

Albania volunteering

Tue, 31 May 2011 09:31:53 +0000

Between April 25^th and May 13^th 2011 Chris Davie and Sam Walker volunteered through EIL UK at the Rromani Baxt Albania centre in Tirana, Albania.

‘We arrived at the centre not quite knowing what to expect for the next three weeks of our time at Rromani Baxt Albania (RBA). We were greeted by many beaming smiles attached to about 30 excited children all enthusiastic to know who we were and why we were in their classroom.

Rromani Baxt Albania is an organisation based in the capital of Albania, Tirana. The centre there aims to provide education for young Roma children who come from a community that is mainly poor and uneducated.

We taught the children English numbers and colours in the form of songs and games. We invented new games using a coloured parachute that we had brought with us.I t was good to see the children playing and learning together as a group.

As schools finish in the afternoons the centre provides extra lessons for children of secondary school age. Here we set up an English department to help children with their English homework as well as give them the opportunity to practice speaking English.

It was a pleasure to see when a child had learnt something from what we had taught. For example one of the songs we used to teach English numbers was often sung to us when we entered the room. Once understanding some of the children’s background and home environment, it was good to see and experience that this centre offered a place of fun and rest from a life that has many challenges.

As well as teaching we also assisted the centre with some of their administration tasks. The RBA produces reports on the development and progress of each child and the centre itself. The reports were written in English so we would ensure the correct translation from Albanian into English.

The staff at RBA were always pleasant, friendly and very understanding of the language barrier. In fact we were able to learn many new words from them and also get a more in-depth understanding of what Albanian life is really like. Likewise we were given a taste of Albanian food and were well looked after throughout our time there.

Overall it was a privilege to be awarded the opportunity through EIL to work with RBA for 3 weeks. It was good to see how the centre is trying to reach out to this minority and help lift the next generation above the poverty line. We hope that their good work will continue with greater success and effectiveness. We would recommend this volunteer programme to anyone who has a heart to experience a different culture and help make the difference in a poor and disadvantaged community.’

Volunteer Abroad

Albania

Volunteer

Volunteers in Albania

Tue, 31 May 2011 09:31:16 +0000

Volunteers Chris and Sam with some of the students and staff at the Romani Baxt Albania centre in Tirana, Albania

Albania

Volunteer

Medical / Health programme, Peru

Tue, 17 May 2011 11:08:39 +0000

medical/health programmes

Peru

Volunteer

New Medical / Health programmes available

Fri, 06 May 2011 11:55:51 +0000

Two new programmes have been added to the opportunities available for volunteers interested in a medical / health placement.

A project is available in Cordoba in Argentina to volunteer with orphaned and disadvenateged children. For 1 - 3 months volunteers can assist with many different tasks to support the children and staff in the centre. For more information Help orphaned and disadvantaged children in Argentina

A new project in Malta provides the chance for volunteers to work in different clinics across Malta, helping both patients and staff. For more information Volunteer in clinics around Malta

Volunteer working with children in Argentina

Fri, 06 May 2011 11:17:12 +0000

Argentina

medical/health programmes

Volunteer