While service to children and families is the purpose of Global Volunteers programs, working alongside local people is the best way to experience culture and traditions in your host country.  Learn more about some of the customs, language and history that comes alive when serving for one, two or three weeks with Global Volunteers.

Christmas Traditions in Romania

                  For Romanians Christmas is one of the most important holidays of the year and it is celebrated on the 25th of December. People need to prepare themselves for the celebration of Jesus’ birth by purifying their bodies and therefore, according to the Romanian Orthodox Church, they do […]

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Out Exploring the History & Folk Customs of Yunnan!

Message of the Day: Even if one could live 100 years, life would be too short to explore the history and inexhaustible folk customs of Yunnan Province. Team Journal Entry: Today is a free day but one with a plan. After breakfast, we met Mr. Mah, our guide for the day, and began our journey to […]

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Mount Festival

  Today, the 18th of December, is celebrated as Mount Festival. The festival is celebrated at St. Thomas Mount, Chennai. The belief is that St. Thomas, one of the 12 Apostles of Jesus Christ who lived on this Mount around 72 AD, had carved a cross out of a rock and used to pray in […]

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Article: Google Makes Internet Freedom Visit to Cuba

Google Makes Internet Freedom Visit to Cuba By Tom Risen June 30, 2014 | 10:52 a.m. EDT Only 2.6 million of 11.2 million living in Cuba have Internet access, with many of the access points run by the government or hotels for wealthy foreigners. Google wants to change that, so top executive Eric Schmidt is […]

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Free time – Visit to the Koyembedu Market and the Churches

 Message of the Day:  “Travel is more than seeing sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living” –Miriam Beard (Madeline Chastain)   Today was our first day to not be with the kids because we don’t work on the weekends. Although we missed them, it was a […]

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Waterfalls and Rainforest with the Shuar People

Many indigenous groups live in the Amazon region of Ecuador, including the Huaorani, the Shuar, the Cofán, and the Secoya, to name only some. Prior to the arrival of the Spaniards, the economy of these peoples was based essentially on silviculture and horticulture. They extracted dyes from the achiote plant for face paint and curare […]

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Ambedkar Jayanthi

Ambedkar Jayanti  is celebrated as birth anniversary of Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, who was born on 14th April, 1891. It is a National Holiday in India. The saying among us is Gandhi got us Independence but Ambedkar got us our Freedom. He is regarded among the lower castes as an champion who fought against the caste system […]

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“Iniya Tamizh Puthandu Nalvaazhthukkal” – Happy Tamil New Year

Tamil people all around the world celebrate Tamil new year on 14 April. It falls in the month of Chitterai, the first month of the Tamil solar calendar.  It is a state holiday in the state of Tamil Nadu. On the occasion people visit temples and greet everyone Puthandu Vaazhthukkal. Beautiful, elaborate and colorful kollams are […]

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What ‘Life In The New Cuba’ Is Really Like

Cuban car

Broadcast on NPR April 13, 2014 Summary: Since Fidel Castro ceded authority to his brother Raul in 2006, life in Cuba has slowly been changing. Young Cubans are more comfortable talking about their government, and cellphones have begun to open up the island more, connecting it in a small way to the outside world. Julia […]

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The Culture of Cuba

Internet access in Cuba

“To be cultured is the only way to be free.” José Martí For a small country, Cuba has a very large soul. It’s all owing to a culture which is rich, vibrant and immensely varied. At the island’s heart are the Cubans, brought here by the trade winds from all corners of the earth to forge […]

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