Ok, well not right away. I will be going to South Africa for a 6 week volunteer trip in June 2008! YAHOO!
Ok, so for a few years now I have been looking into international volunteering, with my focus on South Africa. Mostly because I have a strong interest in the AIDS epidemic and all that has been affected by that. I don't know what made me interested, but especially since I gave a speech about it in December 2003, I have wanted to get over there and just have been waiting until I found the right opportunity and the money! And I finally think I have. I made the deposit!
The organization is called AVIVA. They are located in Cape Town, South Africa, and only do volunteer work in South Africa. So that was kind of nice to me, the headquarter's local, the people in charge are close by and therefore know exactly what goes on in their volunteer locations and visit them frequently. Comforting.
Plus, they're the cheapest place I found. Yes, you have to pay to volunteer. There's a lot of reasons for that-- what you pay helps with their operation costs, some goes as a donation to where you're volunteering, they provide your housing and some meals, and they include some fun tourist stuff as well.
Another thing I liked about them is that you're housing is like a dorm for all the volunteers. Some other places you stay with a host family or in a hostel-- for my first visit to a whole nother continent I'm a little bit more comfortable with having a nice little place to stay!
So, with all of that said-- where I have chosen to volunteer is called "Home of Hope." It's an orphanage, which has children from infants to 3 years old. Some kids have parents who can't take care of them, some have been abused, some have HIV/AIDS, some have lost their parents to HIV/AIDS or other reasons. Basically, my job there will be like working in a day care. Taking care of the kids, feeding, playing with them, giving their medications, all the basic stuff kids need. From what I read on the website, I think you work 3.5 days and then are off 3.5 days to do tourist stuff. And there is so much to do! I'm so excited :)
So I just wanted to share that with everyone. It's not until next June, but I will already be planning and saving up for that trip. If anyone wants to donate any money for me to take with me to give to Home of Hope, I will glady do that as well. But that's all for now. You'll hear much more about it the year ahead! Check out the website www.aviva-sa.com And if you want to come too I'm sure you won't regret it!
