Connecting you to free and low fee Volunteer Abroad Opportunities

What to do if you are arrested while volunteering abroad

May 18, 2012 by Leave a Comment

“You can be arrested and not charged. You can be arrested and have no right to counsel.”-
Harry Belafonte. When volunteering abroad, your biggest hope is that nothing goes wrong during your experience while in a foreign country, but as fate would have it things can often go wrong, and most likely when you least expect it. It will help you a lot if you are prepared for some likely unfortunate circumstances that you may find yourself in. Here are some guidelines in case you get arrested.

A volunteer can get arrested for a number of reasons, ranging in seriousness; one can be arrested for something as simple as a traffic offence, or something more serious like drug possession. Whatever the reason for your arrest, it helps for volunteers to try and not get arrested for blatantly breaking the law of the country you are in. While you are abroad you are subject to the laws of the country you are in, and therefore you have to obey them to the best of your ability.

There are some instances where as a volunteer you could be committing a crime and you don’t know you are breaking the law. In such cases you can’t tell the police officers that you didn’t know you are committing a crime, as ignorance of the law is not a defense. For example chewing of gum in Malaysia is a crime and the punishment is a few days in prison or a hefty fine. To avoid this from happening it is advisable to be properly oriented about the rules and regulations of a certain place. If you are not sure of the rules ask for some help from the locals who will guide you.

If you are in a country and you don’t speak the native tongue it will be hard for you to explain yourself. When you commit a crime, the police will arrest you despite of the fact that you are a foreigner and they won’t extend you the courtesy to try and speak to you in a language in which you understand. As most of the police officers won’t be able to communicate with you effectively and hence defending yourself could be an issue. In such extreme cases ask for permission to call one of the local people who is your friend and who would help with the translation.

If arrested, first thing you should do is contact your embassy or high commission office. Officers from your embassy will help get in touch with your emergency contacts, and in some instances help you get a local lawyer who understands and speaks your language. This is one of your rights, so do not be afraid to ask for legal representation. Always try and be polite and not lose your cool while dealing with the local or arresting officers, especially if you have been arrested for a minor offence, this can help you come to a speedier and simpler resolution and release, also ask if you can be released on bond while the issue is being resolved.

If arrested abroad, ensure that proper documentation is provided for all the belongings that were in your possession when arrested, make sure nothing incriminating has been added to the list of your belongings, also ensure that you thoroughly check your personal effects when released to make sure that nothing is missing.

One more thing to look out for if arrested while volunteering abroad is to make sure you do not put your signature on anything that you have not thoroughly read, and if possible gotten some legal advice on, you do not need to make things any more worse for yourself

For more free information and low cost volunteer in Africa programs visit http://www.volunteercapitalcentre.org/ghana.aspx

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

5 questions you must ask yourself before volunteering abroad

May 18, 2011 by 1 Comment

Volunteering, especially volunteering abroad, is one of those life changing experiences an individual can go through, it can form some of the best moments of one’s life or the worst, and so before a person commits themselves to volunteering abroad, there are a few things you need to ask yourself, to ensure you are making the best choice. Here are a few questions you may consider.

Why do you want volunteer abroad?

There are many reasons why people choose to volunteer abroad, one may just feel as though they need to do some good for those people whom they feel are less fortunate than they are, some do it for the experience of travelling abroad and working with people of different cultures, and therefore in doing so, get a different perspective of the world in general.  A common reason for volunteering abroad is simply to make your resume that much more interesting than the next guys, but a good many people do it for reasons that are personal to them. Whatever reason you may choose to volunteer abroad, you should, it helps one to know that the good you are doing for others is also fulfilling to yourself in one way or another, this way your experience becomes worthwhile to you the volunteer as well.

Where do you want to go?

Once you have established your reason for volunteering abroad, then you need to have an idea of which foreign country you want to volunteer in. This is a stage that can be influenced by a number of things going on around the world. For most people this choice is influenced greatly by the media, many people signed up to volunteer in Haiti, Japan, New Zealand and Australia after the earthquakes and floods that occurred there. Again for some the place you volunteer in may be a place that is of personal significance, some people who may have managed to change nationalities in search of greener pastures sometimes choose to volunteer back in their home countries, giving back to the community that they left behind. Culture and language help to influence where you can volunteer.

What are you going to do?

A number of volunteering opportunities exist abroad; they include provision of medical services, teaching, construction, among a long list of other opportunities.  You may need to know this so as to make sure you are in the right frame of mind psychologically to handle whatever situation you may find yourself in. It is never easy to work with people who have a lot less than you do, if you are not well prepared some unfortunate situations can lead to you breaking down while volunteering.

For how long would you like to volunteer?

Some people get home sick after just a couple of days away from their home countries, while others can stay away from home for weeks or even make themselves at home away from home in the countries they are volunteering in. the amount of time you are away, will help you with your packing, light or heavy. It will also help you to make preparations for yourself back home, like getting someone to pick up your mail for you or take care of your pet

How are you going to make your stay comfortable as you volunteer

Volunteering abroad can be very expensive with regards to accommodation and food. For some this may not be an issue, while others may have friends or family where they are going to volunteer. If you are not in this category then you can look into volunteer service organizations to help you make your stay as comfortable and convenient as possible.

For more free information and low cost volunteer in Africa, and Asia programs visit http://www.volunteercapitalcentre.org/ghana.aspx

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Honeymooning while volunteering abroad

May 18, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Research has it that this is a growing trend among newlywed couples in this day. Newlyweds do not want their honeymoon to be a simple self centered holiday, as it was during the older more traditional days. More and more couples are carrying out their marriage ceremonies abroad; this scenario leads to a situation where most of these couples are in the most opportune destination for their honeymoon. Couples therefore see this as an opportunity to use the beginning of their matrimonial life to give back, and use this opportunity abroad to volunteer.

For a volunteer experience to fully be appreciated by both the locals and the newlywed couple, then it is recommended that the couple take at least a period of a full month volunteering while enjoying their honeymoon. You can do this in two ways, either use part of your day volunteering and an equal amount of the rest of the day relaxing and just plain old honeymooning activities or you can use the beginning of your honeymoon, say the first two weeks to volunteer then the last two weeks as a full honeymoon period.

You may notice that wedding traditions have changed, whereas it was common place for most newlywed couples to start living together after the wedding, today, most couples have already been living together for a while even years by the time they finally get married, some even have children together, and have the wedding ceremony mainly to formalize their relationship and to affirm their love for each other. One plus that comes with volunteering during your honeymoon is that the couple gets to further solidify their unity by working together on something that they both feel passionate about, in many situations the experience that he couple has while volunteering will form part of their most memorable time spent during their honeymoon, and they will also to get to learn more about their culture and the culture of others, not to mention getting to appreciate themselves and all they have in each other so much more.]

Many have a misconception that if volunteering while honeymooning you will have to spend your nights in  a locals home, this does not have to be the case many volunteer organizations can make arrangements for a honeymooning couple to stay in a hotel or just organize for suitable quarters for the couple.]

The honey moon does not have to lose its original purpose; a self centered time dedicated to knowing and exploring your partner further, some would prefer it to stay this way, after all many more holidays may come up and you can use these holidays to give back. But why not make your honeymoon experience mean much more by sharing not only with yourself but with others. The act of your wedding does not have to change just your life; it may also change the life of an eight year old orphan. Times have changed, it’s a new day, why not change with the times. Volunteering during your honeymoon otherwise known as ‘honeyteering’, or the honeymonth, is the trend of the future, so get with the times.

There are some volunteering programs that prepare the newlyweds about life. The married couple can work with kids and this will help them to understand how having kids will change their lives. It also prepares them for having kids. Community development programs which involve women help the couple to understand the value of both husband and wife. These programs show the power of unity and how much that can be achieved if both parties are there.

For more free information and low cost volunteer in Africa and Asia programs visit http://www.volunteercapitalcentre.org

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Impact of volunteering abroad on the community

April 29, 2011 by Leave a Comment

“I can no other answer make, but, thanks, and thanks.” ~William Shakespeare. When you are volunteering abroad, you do so for several reasons, some may be personal, while some may be career oriented. However a volunteer usually has an immense impact on the local community you are working in. The impact may vary in different places, depending on the local’s attitude towards what you are doing for the community, in most cases it is a positive impact, but in some rare cases it can be negative. Here is a brief overview on some impact that your work abroad may have on the locals.

Some people volunteer in programmes meant to build infrastructure in less fortunate places like third world countries. This infrastructure may include schools, hospitals, roadwork among other buildings. In such a case then you will have a positive impact where you get to leave the locals with a form of empowerment, where they can help themselves in the future, for instance if you help build a school then you will help create generations of educated youth, who can help their community in the future, and in turn build more infrastructure in the area.

One can have some social impact on the community, you can help the locals get to understand your culture better while at the same time help them understand yours. The social impact however may turn out as a negative, in some cases your culture may clash so much with the local culture to the extent where whatever you may achieve during your volunteer period, may not have the desired impact. The same may apply for the spiritual impact that you may have on the community. If you are volunteering in a missionary capacity, you may run into a situation where your work is not appreciated, for instance if you are a woman volunteering with a community that does not allow women to do the work of a preacher or spiritual leader. So remember to do your research well before volunteering abroad, so that your work can have the desired effect.

On another level, your volunteer work can have an economic impact on the community. As before where you may have helped to put up some infrastructure for the local community, then they may use this to help them make some money, good infrastructure creates jobs for the local community, and also generates new business into the area, all leading to some economic good fortune for the locals, as they say, teach a man how to fish, and he will be able to fend for himself.

One of the impacts a foreign volunteer can have on then locals is an inspirational or motivational impact. If you have the kind of impact where you inspire one person to begin their own programme to help himself/ herself and also give back to their community. When one has such an impact on someone else then it helps the volunteer cause because once one person is inspired to give back then soon enough more people will get inspired and more good will be done in the community.

For more free information and low cost volunteer in Asia programs visit http://www.volunteercapitalcentre.org/india.aspx

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

What to do if robbed while volunteering abroad

April 27, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Being a victim of a robbery can be very traumatising to anyone, the situation can be made worse if you are in a foreign country. Many people get caught off guard in such a situation, and in most cases you don’t know what to do first. If you are in shock, you may find yourself not knowing who to turn to or where to go, so the first thing you should try to remember is to take some deep breaths and try to get a good bearing of where you are, this may be use full to you, later on when dealing with the police, because petty thugs and gangs tend to be territorial. Also try your best not to get in a tussle with the robbers; this may be a sure way of provoking them to harm you

 

When it comes to robbery especially in a foreign country, then what your motto should be to take at most precaution before it happens. You therefore need to remember a few things, first and most obvious is clothing, do not walk around with flashy clothing or jewellery in your day to day volunteer work or while walking around, this will make you a target of opportunity criminals. Never leave any luggage you may have unattended or in the company of strangers, again you never know who May be watching.

 

Just in case of anything, before you leave home, make a copy of your passport and visa and leave it with your emergency contact. Also make a copy of your itinerary and leave it with your emergency contact. Always have 2 copies of your emergency contacts number with you, and the numbers of your embassy or high commission office.

 

First thing you need to do if robbed while in a foreign country is to find the nearest police station. You also need to get an affidavit of all the items you lost during the robbery, either in case your items are found or just in case there may arise a need for its use if you lose any important documents.

 

Once you have reported the crime to the police, then the next thing you should do is contact your embassy or high commission office. You may do so by phone or go directly too their offices, it is however most advisable to visit their offices in person. Once you visit the offices then the officers of tour embassy or high commission can assist you in a number of ways.

 

Embassy or high commission officers may help you to get a new passport if you lost yours in the robbery, and in some cases they may send you some emergency cash if you lost your money as well. While doing this, they will also help you to process or cancel any credit cards that you may have lost in the ordeal.

 

After going through such an ordeal, then you may need to talk to some family or friends to help you to get over what has happened, you can also seek local counsellors who speak your language to help you come to terms with things. Time however is the best healer for such things so give yourself some time and you are likely to get back to your volunteering, and feeling like your old self again.

 

 

For more free information and low cost volunteer in Africa programs visit http://www.volunteercapitalcentre.org/ghana.aspx

 

Filed Under: Articles Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
«Older Posts