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Blog: The Hopeful Traveler
 The New Voluntourism
Dear Santa Claus,
According to universally recognized standards, I have been a very good boy this year and, as per our agreement of 8/20/2001, I feel I am now due certain items: (list does not imply order of preference)
1. Trek Fat Possum LX Bicycle (valued at $2400)
2. X-Box 360 with accompanying software to be decided at later date
(valued in excess of $1200)
3. Cash (valued at no less than $1500)
4. NO CLOTHES
5. Summer 2008 Vacation of no less than 2 (two) weeks in Orlando Florida or Hollywood, California, but NOT- under any circumstances- Branson, Missouri.
6. An ironclad guarantee of NO additional siblings added to my family.
I think you will agree that these requests are in no way unreasonable and I therefore look forward to hearing from at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely,
Timothy Fairchild
Dear Timothy,
Thank you for your recent letter. In accordance with article VIII, paragraph 6 of our agreement: "Santa Claus will use his own discretion in ascertaining the appropriate compensation package for each individual." Therefore, it has been decided that the holiday endowment for your family this year will be the following:
A 2008 vacation of no less than 2 (two) weeks, at a destination of your choice, from the enclosed list, where you, along with your family, will also perform services to the good of mankind, which is what this whole thing is about anyway.
Please see enclosed information:
Sincerely,
Santa Claus, Inc.
American Hiking Society
The American Hiking Society offers more than 100 one- and two-week trail work trips from January to November. Join other dedicated volunteers as they experience working on a trail and conserving a legacy in America's most remote wild places. All trips are $130 ($100 for American Hiking Members).
301-565-6704, www.americanhiking.org
Amizade
Amizade has partnerships with 13 sites in 11 countries, including the U.S., Brazil, India and Tanzania. Individuals can join existing programs or groups can customize a program, such as youth empowerment, construction and maintenance, or hospice visits. 888-973-4443, www.amizade.org
Best Friends Animal Society
This sanctuary is located on a 33,000 acre ranch in southern Utah. Funded entirely by donations, Best Friends Animal Society is home to about 1,500 homeless dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, birds and other animals. Volunteers are welcome to visit the animals, take them hiking, and even borrow a dog for a sleepover. 435-644-2001, http://www.bestfriends.org
Centre for Education, Research and Conservation of Primates and Nature
This non-profit operates a Nigerian sanctuary that researches and aids the conservation of primates. Short-term volunteers (three months or less), are welcome if they can manage their own accommodations and meals. Skilled longer-term volunteers of six months to a year are offered room and board. http://www.cercopan.org
Cross-Cultural Solutions
Cross-Cultural Solutions is focused on promoting cross-cultural exchange as a way of improving the world. While volunteers participate in mostly health and education-oriented endeavors, most trips include some cultural and learning activities as well. Cross-Cultural Solutions offers trips in Asia (China, Thailand, India) as well as Africa (Ghana, South Africa, Morocco, Tanzania) and Latin America (Brazil, Peru, Guatemala, Costa Rica). 800-380-4777,
www.crossculturalsolutions.org
Earthwatch Institute
Earthwatch Institute organizes volunteer expeditions to mine data in rainforest ecology, wildlife conservation, marine science, archaeology, and more. Family, senior and teen-specific expeditions are also available.
800-776-0188, www.earthwatch.org
Globe Aware
Globe Aware operates in about a dozen countries, with a strong presence in both Latin America and Southeast Asia. They even operated in Cuba until a recent clampdown by the Bush Administration, and may again. Globe Aware trips usually require few skills and therefore appropriate for nearly all travelers. 877-588-4562,
www.globeaware.org.
Global Volunteers
Global Volunteers, founded in 1984, now mobilizes some 3,000 short-term volunteers annually to work on long-term development projects on six continents. Work projects focus on helping at-risk children and their families and include caring for babies in orphanages, nurturing disabled youth, teaching conversational English skills, assisting local health care efforts, and a wide array of labor projects, including painting, landscaping, building playgrounds, repairing community buildings, and improving public works. www.globalvolunteers.org
I-to-I
I-to-I offers volunteer vacations involving working with sustainable, locally-run community projects, environmental conservation efforts, teaching children abroad and building schools and homes in developing nations.
1-800-985-4864, www.i-to-i.com
Oceanic Society
The Oceanic Society offers research expeditions, conservation efforts and educational workshops. Volunteers can participate in dolphin research in the Bahamas, tracking humpback whales in Costa Rica, and monitoring sea turtles in Suriname, among many other projects. There are also family-specific expeditions, such as Belize Family Week in which parents and children ages 10 and older can work with biologists to study dolphins and manatees and exploring the coral reefs by snorkel. 800-326-7491, www.oceanicsociety.org
Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is one of the oldest grassroots environmental organizations in the country, offering everything from family backpacking trips in your own state to wildlife safaris in Kenya to volunteering on a Hawaiian farming community.
415-977-5522, www.sierraclub.org
Wild Dolphin Foundation
Make some waves. Volunteer with dolphins, whales, turtles and coral reefs as a field researcher to help conserve, protect and study marine life. Duties may include gathering data, identifying species and recording behaviors and activities. 808-306-3968, http://wilddolphin.org
This list was taken from Peter Greenberg Worldwide at www.petergreenberg.com. Other information can be found at www.voluntourism.org. Or simply "google" Voluntourism.
Happy Holidays
Steven Berrier 2007
posted on: 12/7/2007 1:00:00 PM by Steven Berrier and Leslie Coles
category: Travel
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The Hopeful Traveler
by Steven Berrier and Leslie Coles
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About Steven And Leslie:
Steven Berrier and Leslie Coles are the owners of Natural Order, specializing in home organization in San Diego and Southern California. Both are avid travelers who can't resist giving advice.
Steven And Leslie's Website:
www.naturalorder.us
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