Ever had that inner voice telling you that you could be doing much more? Ever felt that you are stuck in the day-to-day routine while life is waiting out there? Sometimes we are so focused on our daily tasks that we forget to ask ourselves if we are living the life we would like to or if we are contributing enough to make the world a better place.
If you find yourself wondering when it will be the time to step out of your comfort zone, we have good news for you: there is a way to do it all. Many Latin American countries offer the possibility of enrolling in a volunteer program and living a unique experience.
Volunteers help change the world and themselves. Once you start volunteering, whether at your local animal shelter, at the old people’s home or in a construction project in Nepal, the lives of others and our lives change forever. This is not intended to be taken literally, we need to be aware of unrealistic expectations. We will not solve all problems of the world by taking part in a volunteering project, but we will for sure affect the lives of those involved and ours in the process and, by doing that, we will be making an impact. That is something so enriching words can’t describe.
Volunteering means helping those who need it the most altruistically, making our contribution to make the world a better place and being aware of the environmental conditions of our planet. In return, volunteering helps to reinforce our self-esteem, to meet new people from different backgrounds to learn a lot from and to make new friendships for life. Volunteering helps to create conscious, tolerant and open-minded adults. In short, by volunteering, we are doing our bit to leave a better world for our children and to leave better children for our world.
Why in Latin America?
When it comes to volunteering, bear in mind that wherever you decide to volunteer it will be equally beneficial and you will be making a good impact on society. But if you have been thinking for a long time to learn Spanish in Latin America and discover its countries and culture, enrolling in a volunteering program is an excellent option. Not only Spanish is the second most spoken language worldwide by native speakers, but the figures are expected to continue increasing in the upcoming years. The daily and constant contact with the language makes easy for volunteers to learn Spanish. It is not the same visiting some Latin American countries and discovering the language just as a tourist than working daily in a Spanish-speaking environment.
Also, we can’t forget to mention the natural treasures we can find in Latin America. Places such as the Amazon rainforest, the Machu Picchu, the Uyuni Salt Flats, the Moai statues in Chile…the list never ends. The hospitality and welcoming nature of Latin Americans, together with their rich culture and exquisite gastronomy, make Latin American countries worth visiting.
There are many projects you can take part in. Academia Latinoamericana de Español, a Spanish-language school based in Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia, offers volunteering programs in many areas. Youth outreach and educational projects, health programs, cultural programs, and ecological programs, you can choose which one fits you the best and in which area you would like to contribute.
Make an impact on the world, make an impact on yourself.