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!

sad good-byes

Volunteer Voices Greece

Stories of Labyrinths and Minotaurs

Sometimes, for a moment, things go really well if you just let it play out. In anticipation of our proposed afternoon visit to Knossos, we asked the class to tell us what Lesley and I should know before our visit. It appeared that all had…

sad good-byes

Volunteer Voices

Working on a very important brochure

Today was spent almost entirely in the teacher's salon working with Karen on one of the most important tasks so far: creating a bilingual pamphlet detailing the five main projects undertaken by the students of Colegio. These projects include: -…

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Volunteer Voices Cook Islands

Feeling welcome in the community

We had another amazing day! We went to school and had a great time with the children. After just three days, it is surprising how comfortable the children are with us and we are with them! Many of them greet us by name and remember some of…

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Volunteer Voices Poland

Great show of heritage

Message of the Day: "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change.. the courage to change the things I can…and the wisdom to know the difference". Shared by Greg Our team of early risers had breakfast of apple fritters…

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Volunteer Voices Greece

We Discover Extraordinarily Bright Kids

Today the kids did many different activities. They learned different English verbs such as “eat”, “be hungry”, and “laugh.” With these newly learned verbs we had the girls compete with the boys as we tested their knowledge. During…

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Volunteer Voices

Feeling spoiled by our team leader in Costa Rica

Our scheduled plan to paint a classroom today had to be postponed as the pain had not yet arrived. (It is an oil-based paint they use and the machine to make it required repair.) So we will plan to paint later in the week. In preparation for…

sad good-byes

Reaching Children's Potential, Volunteer Voices

Our first day volunteering at Colegio

We woke up and had breakfast in the hotel. Then we walked to the Colegio. We walked to the principal’s office where we were greeted by Karen. She took us around to each classroom and answered all of our questions. After we saw the classrooms,…

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Volunteer Voices Greece

First Day of English Classes!

For the first day of class we started off by introducing ourselves. Shortly after, the kids learned to spell their names on construction paper. Then we played a picture game that was very interactive where the kids came to the board one by…

sad good-byes

Volunteer Voices Greece

Creating a community among us

Community is what comes to mind as I reflect on our first day in Greece. Our team leader Sam has created a community among us and for us. Our stay is at a hotel owned by a local family Greek family, Dimitris and Suzanna Tsalopoulos. They put…

sad good-byes

Volunteer Voices Poland

Sad good-byes…

Lori, a repeat volunteer serving in Poland, talks about her last days teaching English to children at Reymontowka camp and the team's sad good-byes. Our last day! Time flew by quickly. Our day again begins at a great Reymontówka breakfast.…

sad good-byes

Volunteer Voices

Recognizing special relationships

The day started as would any other. The billowing clouds packed the sky and the sound of rain dancing around us stifled our mixed emotions. The now normal routine laid itself out. Ryan got us going with his favorite quote, “Out of the night…

sad good-byes

Volunteer Voices Montana

Relationship building on Blackfeet Reservation

By Tuesday, our team had fallen into a comfortable morning routine of navigating the showers, having breakfast together, and assembling our brown-bag lunches of peanut butter and/or jelly sandwiches. After receiving our assignments in…