Volunteer holidays

[Ezteq]

Hay guys n' gals,

quick question, you know those holidays where you go and do work for people and get free food and board (or very cheap at least) you see them advertised in the back of magazines? The ones I am really interested in are usually in the back of the BBC wildlife magazine and you go off to madagascar or somewhere and help with conservation projects but they are quite expensive.

Anyway I was wondering if any of you have experience with anything like this (or know someone who has done it) and can recommend me some ideas. A gal at my work went to work on an organic farm for a holiday and that sounds quite nice (see this http://www.wwoof.org.uk/how_it_works), anything to do with interesting stuff basically is what I'm after.

Many thanks
Ez
xxx

 

[Zede]

My brother did "Camp America" for years as a chef, he loved it ! Work was hard, but he got to tour the states after the stint was completed.

Met a woman in India few years back, her daughter had just been to the punjab c/o some relief organisation to help with the then earthquake effort. They really really didnt need any "helping hands" out there, as they had more than enough people. Lets hope with a conservation project you at least get to oggle at at least a few small cuddly furry things

 

[Ezteq]

lol going to a disaster zone just to score a free holiday isn't my cup of tea but the camp America sounds interesting!

 

[Fafnir]

If i new i had the money to keep my apartment etc i would go, but thats not the case. And here is a real hassle to find a new apartment and dont want to move back home to the parents.

 

[Aph3x]

Camp America is supposed to be a very good experience, have a few friends who've done it.

I did work with a lad a few years ago in Spain who did a summer working in Cyprus, basically he said he counted turtles on a beach for a summer, had a fantastic time and didnt really want to stop when his contract ended. Quite fancy doing something like that myself.

 

[Fafnir]

Camp America is supposed to be a very good experience, have a few friends who've done it.

I did work with a lad a few years ago in Spain who did a summer working in Cyprus, basically he said he counted turtles on a beach for a summer, had a fantastic time and didnt really want to stop when his contract ended. Quite fancy doing something like that myself.

Found campho where you can count crabs.

 

[Mikah75]

I'd love to something similar, applied and queried a few things myself recently regarding this. More aid organisations though.

Let me know if you find anything I'll sign up lol. Don't think you'd like Camp America going from no kid lifestyle to looking after loads of mental ones running around you'd have blood on your hands after first day I think.

 

[Ezteq]

...yes I was thinking of working more with non-human wildlife tbh, something a lot friendlier and more cuddly (scorpions for example lol). Though I do like the idea of going to Americee, maybe they have ranch work, I'm sure I saw something where people went and worked as cowboys...omg mike we have to go and be cowboys, pleeeeeeeease!!!!

 

[Mikah75]

Lol I would actually do that would be funny, prob get pretty buff too working on a farm

 

[Turamber]

I have a work colleague who went to the States and worked on ecological issues. Sounds like it was hard work but she had a blast. Can find out more details for you if you like?

Also, although this is probably completely useless info, when I was in Albania two years ago I met two English women who had subsidised travel and accomodation to Albania, but during their time there were helping excavate an ancient Roman holy site on top of a mountain.

 

[sayward]

Not wildlife but know someone who went to Madrid to a language school for business people. They just had to hold a reasonable English conversation. Think they had afternoons off but not quite sure. Easier if you don't speak any Spanish as not allowed.

 

[Ezteq]

cool that rules me in...unless 'hasta la vista baby' counts?

 

[sayward]

Unfortunately don't know the details and can't find the newspaper cutting I had. Will post if I find it.

 

[Vasconcelos]

Unfortunately don't know the details and can't find the newspaper cutting I had. Will post if I find it.

Employment - Madrid

I once met a bird who was working as english teacher in Madrid throu that webby