Current News, Field Reports and Volunteer Voices

Several times each week, we post stories about work we do in our host communities – through the voices of our partners, volunteers, and those we serve. Subscribe using the form below to receive updates in your inbox when they’re published. If you’re looking for deeper insight into service in a specific country, on a particular type of project, how you can share your unique skills or volunteering as a family or a group, you can find a wealth of information here. Use the categories next to the posts here or on any page (below right column) to explore more stories that suit your interests.

We welcome your ideas on topics you’d like to see here. Please contact us at marketing@globalvolunteers.org. Enjoy our blog!

Conversational English, Volunteer Voices China

We Are All so Much More Alike than We Are Different

China Team 218 Journal for Monday October 19, 2015 by Jo Carol Message of the day: "I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start, with perhaps a bit of magic waiting somewhere behind the morning."…

fight poverty in Peru

Cultures and Traditions Peru

Fight Poverty in Peru

The 2015 World Bank and International Monetary Fund annual meetings took place in Lima, Peru. The highest authorities of both institutions, ministers of economy and finance, and governors of central banks, met in Lima to discuss poverty…

Free Time Options, Volunteer Voices China

A Great Weekend of Cultural Learning and Friendship

China Team 218 Journal for Saturday and Sunday, October 17 & 18, 2015 Message of the Day: Treasure family & friends, respect everyone, work for harmony and peace. Anonymous Saturday: Carolyn & Jo-Carol departed…

Free Time Options, Volunteer Voices China

Opera Night – Gorgeous Music and Dancing!

China Team 218 Journal for Wednesday October 14, 2015 Message of the day: "Don't judge a man by where he is because you don't know how far he has come." C.S. Lewis I see China and my students through virgin eyes. This is my first…

Volunteer Voices Greece

My Goals Accomplished!

Today I was delighted to spend a third session with one of the High School Students. After the usual greeting, we opened the workbook to practice English, role playing, and pronunciation, which is the usual class work. After reading…

Costa Rican chocolate

Cultures and Traditions

Calling All Chocolate Lovers!

Magical Cacao Beans Most people appreciate the deliciousness of chocolate, but most are entirely unaware of where it comes from or how it becomes so delicious. While volunteering in Monteverde, you can learn about and delight in Costa Rican…

Team of returning volunteers to Poland

Volunteer Voices Poland

The Unique 251st Global Volunteer Team to Poland

Constance, a volunteer serving in Poland, talks about the experience of team 251: a Team of returning volunteers to Poland. The joy of wrapping one’s tongue around three consonants in a row – how one forgets the difficulty entailed…

Reaching Children's Potential Tanzania

Our Journey to The Host Community.

The adventure of Global Volunteers Team in Tanzania began with a warm welcome and hug from country manager Edward at the Slipway Hotel in Dar es Salaam.We enjoyed an outdoor welcome dinner while watching some small fishing boats on the Indian…

teaching English

Conversational English, Volunteer Voices Greece

A Volunteer’s First Day Of Teaching in Crete

This excerpt from one day of a team journal describes team members' daily assignments on a Greece service program. After another beautiful sunrise and another animated discussion with my other team members at breakfast, we all made…

Volunteer Voices Poland

Final Reflections from Team # 250

"This being the last journal article I want to thank all those involved in making this a pleasant and worthwhile venture. This has been my fourth volunteer assignment in Poland. I have enjoyed every minute of experiencing a new culture, making…

Cultures and Traditions

‘Pura Vida’ – The Costa Rican Way of Life

"Pura vida" is more than just a slogan that so easily rolls of the tongues of Costa Ricans; the phrase is a true mantra for the way of life in this Central American country. Said only by Costa Ricans, this phrase would literally be translated…

Volunteer Voices Italy

Our Last Day – Celebrating 20 Years

WHAT A STUPENDOUS DAY - CELEBRATING 20 YEARS Fond Farewells - Final Glimpses of Our Beautiful City of Monopoli. Everything was happening for the last time - last class, last lunch, last time to shop, but more importantly the last…