Just do it!

Hi, my name is Berni. I’m from the UK and I have just returned from three months working on the Bird Research project at Jalova, Costa Rica.

Well, where do I begin??? …..so much I want to tell you.

I’ve always had an interest in wildlife but I will confess to being an ‘armchair’ enthusiast. I love watching anything wildlife related on TV, have a love of being outdoors and take an interest in conservation but have never actually done any conservation work before. My work involved helping children and young people with emotional difficulties, so doing wildlife conservation work was very different for me.

Circumstances within my work environment provided me with an opportunity to take some time out…. a gap year. So I decided to stop sitting in the armchair, get out there and do something about my conservation interest. I knew about Costa Rica’s diverse wildlife and, in terms of places I wanted to visit, it was right up there at the top of my bucket list.

I started to do some research into companies offering ecotourism and was overwhelmed by the choice! I’d heard that some organisations would quite happily take your money and not give you a genuine, worthwhile experience, and I wanted to make sure I would be working for an organisation which was credible and was making a real difference on environmental issues. So I contacted several organisations and asked lots of questions! And, for me, this project ticked all the boxes. After a lot of extensive research, I knew I’d found the organisation I wanted to work with.

The weeks leading up to my trip were busy. Flights; insurance; making sure I had all the right equipment… the list seemed endless, but finally the day arrived when I was ready to go. To say I was nervous was an understatement! But as soon as I was met by Vix, Amber and Ben at San Jose airport, I felt at ease and knew I would be well looked after. Some of the other volunteers and interns were also at the airport, and I met others when we arrived at the hostel in San Jose.

Then the following day, we were all transported to Jalova, which was going to be my home for the next three months. After a good night’s sleep, I was able to get used to my surroundings and I fell in love with Jalova straight away. Yes, the facilities are basic and not what I was used to at home; electricity is solar powered – Jalova is in the middle of a rainforest which meant that some days there was no sun – and therefore no power – so charging devices, and even lighting was limited to say the least; there was sufficient water to have a shower each day, but all other water came from the well. Still, base camp has such charm and I saw a multitude of wildlife within a few metres of my dorm. Oh, and did I mention that the beach (and the Caribbean) is only metres from the camp???

Very quickly after arriving at camp, the training began. As a mature traveller, it was several years since I’d done any studying and I felt as though I was never going to learn the names and characteristics of all the necessary birds, lizards, frogs and mammals. But the staff and other volunteers were so supportive. We would all study together and test each other on our knowledge. It seemed the staff’s motto of ‘we believe in you’ paid off and the studying, along with getting out in the field and seeing some of the species ‘in the flesh’ (which I did very soon after arriving at Jalova), helped me to pass the necessary tests.

As I’d signed up for the Wildlife programme, I became involved in all aspects of the project which was exactly what I wanted. Surveys were varied; – forest surveys, butterfly walks, night walks, nest checks, jag walk, jag cams, frog walks and bird boat. I loved going out on the bird boat – the canals which surround Jalova are absolutely stunning – so peaceful and calm, and we saw an abundance of birds and other wildlife (but be prepared to do lots of rowing!). But my favourites have to be nest check and night walk because that was where I had the opportunity to see turtles! For me, seeing these beautiful creatures in the flesh, after years of only seeing them from my armchair on TV, was beyond my wildest dreams! I got the opportunity to ‘work’ some green adult female turtles – this involved counting the eggs as she was laying them (what an experience!), measuring her, marking the nest and doing a body check. I can’t begin to describe the feeling I got the first time I did that. And then on nest check I saw baby leatherbacks making their way to the ocean – so many special memories that I will treasure forever.

Going to Jalova and working with the project has truly been a life-changing experience for me. Every single person I met was warm, friendly, accepting and kind, and we all shared a passion for helping the beautiful creatures we encountered. The staff could not have done more to make me feel welcome, accepted, and that I was truly making a difference to the work we were doing. Their belief in me has really boosted my confidence. I can’t thank them enough.

If you are thinking of doing some wildlife conservation and considering going to Jalova, my advice would be ‘just do it’.

Bird Research and Conservation in Costa Rica

An undeniable and direct positive impact

This program was one of the best choices I’ve made. I worked in Community Development in Fiji and this covered a wide range of jobs. For the most part I was helping develop the door to door recycling information package, which explained what to recycle and what was safe to burn. I also spent time working in the community garden, and a few days doing physical work (clearing out a lot, transporting sand bags, etc.).

I also even taught in the mothers and babies clinic for a few days. There were a lot of amazing aspects to this placement and aside from the undeniable and direct positive impact that it has on the community, my favorite part was the diversity of tasks. The project did an amazing job of tailoring what volunteers do to their strong suits and skills. I honestly cannot think of a better way for a young person to spend their time. Travel with an open mind (as these are simpler living conditions than what you’re used to), and I can guarantee you’ll have an experience you will never forget. I can’t wait for my next project!

Alternative Livelihoods and Community Empowerment in Fiji

Community Development in Fiji

When I first signed up for this trip I had no clue what to expect or what I would be doing. I arrived in a small village called Silana and were instantly welcomed into the community with open arms and a friendly Bula (hello). The people in the village are the kindest and most genuine people I have ever met. We were welcomed into many of their homes where they would cook meals for us or just enjoy our company by telling stories and learning about their culture. I worked with the community development program where we worked closely with members of the community, helping them build recycling points, start up school gardens, and talk about health and preventative care.

It was an amazing opportunity to get close with the members of the community as well as make an impact on their village. I was only there for 2 short weeks but I’ve learned more from them about happiness, life, and family than I have in my entire life. It was truly a humbling experience and tears were shed when it was time to leave. I would highly recommend this program because you get a first hand experience on the culture and lifestyle of the community as well as get to experience all the beauty the island has to offer!

Alternative Livelihoods and Community Empowerment in Fiji

Elizabeth Moyer Reflections – Amazonian Traditional Medicine, Amazonian Arts, Public Health Placement

Google is a saint. I remember sitting down in my living room, stressed out about all the pressure I felt to pursue more schooling after I just finished sixteen years straight of intense schooling and focus. Why did I feel like I needed to go back?! It was my time to continue doing something I love – traveling. But not just to pin another place on my map on my wall.

But why is Google a saint? You can type whatever you want and it will answer you. With my interests in health education, reaching out to people who don’t have luxurious hospitals and clinics surrounding them, sports, and art, I typed in exactly what I wanted in the search box. The first result to come up lead me to Global Nomadic then to the project, and the rest was history…!

It was a dream to move to a Spanish-speaking country for at least a few months after having experienced a short mission trip to Nicaragua a few years back. Something about Latin America inspires and intrigues me. So I had no issue looking into Ecuador. Super busy at home trying to fund myself independently, I didn’t have any time to create expectations. All I knew was I would be speaking an insane amount of Spanish, dancing salsa, playing soccer, living with a host family, and exploring careers in a random country in South America.

After a valuable and thorough orientation by the wonderful team in Tena, Ecuador, I felt prepared for this new adventure I was to live. I arrived at my host house, which at first felt like it was in the middle of nowhere. Women were carrying canisters from their foreheads, my house was a treehouse, and my family consisted of more than 11 people. All of which I was surprised by. That first day, though, was the most memorable. I may have laughed the hardest I have ever laughed. The indigenous Kichwa family I welcomed me into their family so quickly; they became like family and will be forever. Living with this family has been by far the most valuable part of this internship because I learned about how to live simplistically without forgetting to care for myself and others, live happily without taking offense to any of the endless jokes, and live with purpose, initiation, and patience.

Walter – my host brother who was a tour guide, chef, and painter – inspired me tremendously to have curiosity, learn through experimenting and not through how-to videos online, care for everyone in the family, and use creativity in everything I do. At first, my ability to adjust to the mystery of where we were going or what we were doing for the day was challenged because I am a planner. Whenever I asked where we were going, I quickly learned to expect the unknown and throw in a laugh.

My host father, Ricardo, was a Yachak – a traditional healer. He performed Ayahuasca ceremonies and cleanings or “limpiezas.” My first experience of traditional medicine and healing was in San Pablo, the community I stayed in. There was an event to elect a “reina” or queen of the community. Ricardo and I woke at 4am to perform a limpieza of the authorities and important figures who were going to attend. These ceremonies are essentially performed to suck the negative energy out of bodies and spirits. Ricardo used his spiritual connections and special leaves to absorb the negative energy and leave the positive energy. Witnessing traditional practices like this left me feeling even more curious about all of the other indigenous and long-lived practices that still live on today within Kichwa culture.

My host sisters and mother inspired me with their work ethic and care for themselves and others. Marcelena, my host mother, worked in her chakra – self-sustaining, agroforestry farm – everyday starting at 6am. She would collect produce, feed the chickens, plant what needed to be planted, and tend to the land. Such a strong woman who will never be seen without a machete in her hands! My sisters, Glida and Karen, and host brother, Gandhi, had voluntarily spent hours of their time teaching me how to make beaded jewelry out of seeds, dance Kichwa including the lovely hair flips, dance salsa, and laugh at every mistake I made with my Spanish!

These women never complained and actually inspired me to care for others by hand washing clothes at home, making meals for my whole family, growing a garden, and creating my own artisan goods shop.

The other part of my internship consisted of spending time teaching English at my community’s school and spending time at a health center in the community. Both of these collaborations challenged me to take initiative and give back to my host community. Taking initiative was not easy. Sometimes I would overthink and convince myself that my involvement wasn’t necessary or worth too much. But I quickly turned those defeating thoughts around with the encouragement of the local staff, my program coordinator, and my host family. I used my ukulele to teach the English to local kids which they absolutely LOVED! I have come to realize that being around young people gives me so much positive energy and keeps me feeling young and vibrant. Then, I used my time in the health clinic to discover the health issues of my community and indigenous communities in general, learn medical Spanish, and be a helpful part of the team during medical brigades!

In addition to all of this, I spent time in the town of Tena, meeting other volunteers, playing sports with locals, dancing salsa, passing time in cafes, and always finding someone to talk to that brought some sort of light and hope and motivation to my day.

All of these experiences include people. People are what kept and keep me going. The energy of the Ecuadorian Amazon was like no other, and I struggle with the fact that I had to leave a place that brought me so much joy. It doesn’t take money, a big house, a busy schedule, or a fit body to be happy there. All you need is an open heart, a wide smile, and a willingness to laugh at yourself to feel like you belong in the local culture which is full of life. After four months of being in Ecuador, I became part of an extensive family that I know I will return to and I gained a plethora of new skills to use. Having already traveled to four continents and over 20 countries, where I grew up in Chicago, Illinois, and where I spent my time in San Pablo/Tena, Ecuador are two places I can genuinely consider I have family.

I was having a conversation with someone the other day, and we concluded that if you open your heart to the region, it will open its own back to you. I will be back, San Pablo and Tena! For now, keep playing soccer, laughing, and living life to the fullest!

Amazonian Traditional Medicine, Herbalism & Ethnobotany in Ecuador

First step to study cetaceans

I found out about the project and Global Nomadic quite unexpectedly. I had a last time change in my plans for summer that did not depend on me. Eventually, I was left in Italy all alone without any suggestions what to do here. So, I hit the Google to make myself useful. I am a professional ornithologist but since my years in university I always wanted to study cetaceans. And this project looked like a good place to start. I was lucky that there was still one position left because in August everything is usually fully booked in Italy. Thus, I didn’t do any planning in advance, I just booked it in a week before my shift started.

After I had paid and confirmed my booking, project manager Barbara had sent me a pdf with nice and detailed description of the project and conditions. That’s where I learned that I have to bring my sleeping bag or bed linen with me. In my opinion, the details like this should be mentioned from the very beginning, because not everyone is planning their trip in advance. As I learned later, there were many people coming with absolutely no idea about this… But I was lucky again because there was one spare sleeping bag on board and I arrived earlier than the others.

I arrived on Ischia 4 days before my shift and went for a run the next evening. That’s when I’ve seen the project boat for the first time. I hesitated because there was another group of volunteers, but still decided to say hi. And… stayed there until late night, just talking and talking. I already had some background about cetacean biology and was happy to discuss some interesting details about local fauna. The crew and the volunteers were absolutely amazing. After that I came to the boat every evening to spend time with the guys. On Sunday they had a day off and we went to relax at the thermal spa nearby.

Thus, when I finally checked in with by bags, I was already familiar with everybody and extremely excited about my week. It was quite hot, so I slept on the deck under the stars which was great and romantic. But remember that August is a national holiday in Italy! So it was quite hard to sleep because of the bright lights, traffic noise, loud music and fireworks at 2 AM (and you have to wake up at 8!). In my opinion, during these days it is better to stay overnight in a more quiet place, like another bay. They said the skipper Angelo does it sometimes (not on my week). And during the day we had the skipper’s girlfriend on board with a small baby that was very loud. This was actually the hardest thing… In my opinion that should be also mentioned in pdf because not all the people could really tolerate baby cries… I had constant headaches.

So, if you want a quiet week on the ship among the sea, this could not be the best project to choose.

All the food is cooked by a skipper who is indeed an excellent cook. Every day research assistant with volunteers go to the market to get fresh bread, fruits and vegetables that are very good! You eat four times a day. First, breakfast – you just grab something while you do your cleaning duties on the boat before departure. Then, at about 12 AM skipped cooks bruschetta, then pasta for lunch. Then we come back to the harbor and you have dinner. After that you have free time. There is also plenty of excellent home white vine on board, so usually we just stayed there talking and drinking. I just couldn’t get enough of talking because all the people on me week were amazing and interesting.

The project is very important from the scientific and conservation point of view because they do the monitoring of cetacean populations in Mediterranean which is surrounded my many countries and isolated from the rest of the ocean. There are many endemic species and populations, most of them are rapidly declining, some coming close to extinction. This happens because of overfishing, pollution, unwise regulation of marine traffic. Skipper Angelo was born on Ischia and lived there all his life and he can tell you a lot how it used to be. He said, that 20 years ago there were huge pods of common dolphins, when you see animals up to the horizon. Now you hardly see a common dolphin anymore, rarely 1-2 individuals occur in the group of striped dolphins.

This is actually the saddest thing. The Mediterranean is dying. Most of the time you just watch the empty sea and struggle to find anything living in there. Not even jumping fish. During my week, we had only one brief sighting of the couple ofstriped dolphins. With the hydrophones, we heard occasional clicking of the sperm whale, but had never seen the animal. This was very sad and disappointing because I really wanted to get more experience in field identification of cetaceans.

Fortunately, we had lots of lectures on cetacean biology and identification provided by researcher Ash. He was working in this project almost every season for 5 years, so he has a lot of knowledge and experience. Also, he is a perfect lecturer and storyteller. I learned a lot from him and I thing we made good friends.

One day there were 2 m waves so we had to stay in the harbor. Some people went scuba diving in Ischia Porta, some with me included went hiking in the island’s mountains with Angelo. Hiking there is beautiful, there are rocks and forests and you can see so far into the sea that it is hard to tell where the sky begins.

Overall,despite the absence of sightings and lots of noise, this was a good experience. I would recommend this project to a friend as a first step on the way to cetacean research career, but not from recreational point of view.

Whale & Dolphin Conservation in Italy

Teaching in Guatemala

My name is Kat and I had been planning a trip around Latin America. I originally was only researching Spanish lessons to help me with my trip but then came across this project and saw they offered opportunities to learn Spanish and volunteer as a teacher in Guatemala. After a lot of research and conversations with the team, I decided this looked like a great experience.

I was placed with the charity which focuses on education for disadvantaged families in rural communities, and my time there was short and packed. I was helping their co-ordinator, Carlos, develop after-school activities, which included two sports days. The charity has a lot of space and a little basketball/football pitch which made it easy to set this up. I was also able to use my financial background to set up a math’s homework-workshop which encouraged critical thinking skills through educational games and activities. There were around 20 children between the ages of 5 and 14 and it was an amazing experience working with such an energetic, enthusiastic and positive group of kids.

Another main activity was to help raise funds. A local bar (Shamrock) had given us their space to organise a music event and all entrance fees would go to the charity. I helped organise the bands for the night and all the logistics. The night was a success and it was great to see local Guatemalan bands.

As my intentions were originally to travel I am so glad I came to Guatemala. If it weren’t for this project I wouldn’t even think of visiting this beautiful country. It is so diverse from Mayan temples to beautiful lakes and volcanoes. It is also a lot cheaper than other countries I was researching to visit in Latin America.

My Spanish classes definitely helped as very few people spoke English in the organisation. However, this was good because it immersed me more in the culture. Two weeks was a little short to volunteer and because of that my responsibilities were relatively limited. However, what I did notice was that the members of the charity took the time to listen to my suggestions. It is a great charity, doing amazing work and I will definitely be keeping in touch with the people there.

Teaching and Education Project in Guatemala

Healthcare Volunteering in Guatemala

My name is Jane I am married and have two grown up children. My career over the last twenty five years has been as a swimming teacher taking classes ranging from 3 month old babies to adults. I’ve coached in schools and clubs to county level. Latterly I studied in nutrition and have worked with groups and individuals that were suffering with weight and health problems. Since having lessons for over two years I became more aware and interested in the charity that we support – “Association Fatima”. I decided I wanted to help by volunteering and in turn improve my Spanish.

After much discussion, research and preparation, it became apparent that my experience in health and hygiene, nutrition and fitness would be the most beneficial for the charity. A programme was put in place, and shortly after my arrival, myself, Lucy, and other volunteers (when necessary) went into rural communities, to assess their nutritional level by weighing and measuring hundreds of children from different communities. During my stay we also completed a Cookery Workshop -Sport and Fitness Workshop – Foot and Personal Hygiene Workshop. These were all successful indifferent ways, and seeing the problems first-hand was humbling and most rewarding.

Association Fatima is re-building itself, and is laying very solid foundations, with Lucy at the forefront. Lucy the director has been involved with the charity for over thirty years, however, they are always open to consider ideas and input. Being involved with a small growing charity, for me was important as everything was very transparent, and I look forward to watching the charity grow in the future.

Guatemala is a beautiful country, with dramatic volcanoes, cobblestone streets and traditionally dressed women. It was important for me to travel whilst volunteering, and Tikal and Lake Atitlan were certainly highlights.

Now, reflecting on my trip to Guatemala, I feel it was a great success, I’ve gained confidence in myself and communicating in Spanish. Working with the charity and traveling to the remote areas from my base “Quetzaltenango” (Xela), in many different forms of transport, and spending many hours with these mothers and children in the rural communities and schools, has helped me to understand the problems and difficulties of this country. Seeing how difficult everyday chores are in these rural communities can at times be upsetting, but, however difficult these people lives are, the mothers and children are kind and happy. I feel now the charity and the people within it will always have a place in my heart, and they have become good friends.

Medical and Healthcare Project in Guatemala

Human Rights and Legal Aid Internship

Do you feel the project makes an impact in its field?

I strongly feel that AWLAHURIO is making a huge impact in the field of Human Rights. The organisation provides free legal aid and representation mainly to women and children. It also raises awareness of human rights to the society.

Do you feel that you have made a difference to the project?

Yes i feel that i made a difference to the project. I conducted legal research which included searching for precedents that were useful to our cases. I also compiled a lot of cases for the organizations database. Though it was a lot of work to be done under a short space of time, i managed to fulfill my tasks.

What challenges have you encountered ?

During my one month internship, not all was rosy. I encountered quite a number of challenges. The first challenge was that not much work was assigned to me at the Legal Clinic. Another challenge was that all the meetings with the clients were conducted in Swahili, but thanks to Ms Martha who would explain everything to us after the meetings.

Did the project meet your expectations?

Yes the project met my expectations. I learnt a lot about the Tanzanian legal system. I also got the privilege of working with Advocate Charles Adiel Abraham at his law firm for two weeks. We attended a mediation session and a lot of other court proceedings.Unlike at the Legal Clinic, Charles would keep me busy everyday. It was a great and quite enlightening experience working with him and i hope to do it again. In addition,we also visited the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights and it was a wonderful and informative visit.

Would you recommend this project to a friend?

Yes

Human Rights & Legal Aid Internship in Tanzania