This trip is more than just a vacation. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend a year giving back to people all around the globe. Of the 10 countries we have planned to visit (Australia, China, France, Morocco, Botswana, South Africa, Argentina, Antarctica, Chile, and Ecuador), we will be volunteering in half of them. This post is to give a little bit of insight into what exactly we will be doing in those locations.
- Taylor
- Taylor
Chengdu, China (July): Our first location is the capital city of the Sichuan province in Southwest China. Chengdu is China's 7th most populated city (by urban area), with a population of over 7.5 million people. It is a UNESCO City of Gastronomy well known for it's spicy food and tea houses, and is the home of the giant panda (80% of the global population of giant pandas live in the Sichuan province). Originally we were going to be working at a panda nature reserve outside of the main city of Chengdu, but due to some allergy concerns, we will working in the main city of Chengdu in two separate businesses for the 4 weeks we will be there. We don't know too much about these assignments yet, but will soon! |
Rabat, Morocco (August-September): After a brief stay in Paris, we will be spending 8 weeks in the city of Rabat, Morocco. Rabat is the capital city of Morocco, and with a population of 621,000, is the 6th most populated city in the country. Rabat began in the 12th century as a fortress, used to launch attacks. After a long period of decline (13th-16th centuries), Rabat and it's neighboring city, Salé, came together to form the Republic of Bou Regreg, and was run by Barbary pirates until the 19th century. While we're in Rabat, we will be working with a program that places volunteers where they happen to be most needed at the time. This means that we can potentially be doing anything from taking care of young children, to working in an orphanage, to teaching English to adults. |
Kwa Tuli Nature Reserve, Botswana (October): Kwa Tuli is a Nature Reserve on the border of Botswana and South Africa. The focus of this project is conservation in the African bushveld. In the week we are there, we will likely be taking on activities such as: elephant research, baobab tree surveys, soil erosion control, constructing natural watering holes, etc. |
Cape Town, South Africa (October-December): Cape Town is well known for many things, though it's natural setting at the southern most tip of Africa may be what it's most well known for. Today it is also one of the most multicultural cities in the world, the largest tourist destination in Africa, and also one of the most adventurous cities we will be visiting. The volunteer program we will be working at is a building project located in the neighborhood of Lavender Hill, where currently they are building a community center. This means that we will be going in to what has already been done and either finishing the buildings that are being built now (plastering/painting), or beginning new buildings (digging foundations, mixing cement, laying eco-bags for walls, or building roofs). |
Galapagos, Ecuador (February-April): The islands are most well-known for their natural beauty and abundant wildlife (such as the Galapagos Tortoise) and for Charles Darwin's 5-week visit in 1835, where he studied the animals (in particular the finches) on the islands, these studies were key in his theory of natural selection and evolution (published in The Origin of Species). We'll be staying and working on San Cristobal Island (the large one to the for right), and while there we will be working to eliminate the alien species brought into the islands on boats and planes by humans; researching species such as: sea lions, marine iguanas, giant tortoises, and sea birds; and educating the local children and community on conservation issues that the Galapagos are facing. |