People of all ages and from all walks of life serve on Global Volunteers programs. You’ll find active retirees with a wide range of skills to share; all uniting in a common vision of global possibility.
Retired professor and avid amateur photographer Dr. Candice Francis and her husband Mike like to combine service work with their travels for pleasure. To celebrate their 42nd wedding anniversary this year they traveled to Ipalamwa, Tanzania to take part in the RCP (Reaching Children’s Potential) project. Here Candice shares her thoughts with her excerpt from […]
Retired special education teacher Mary Rowlette said she learned in the rural village of Ipalamwa that we’re all more alike than different. Her personal goal, she said was to learn, observe, support others and make a difference on her volunteer experience in Tanzania in July 2018. Read on for her interview: Mary, tell us about […]
“A healthy mind in a healthy body” was an ideal first advanced by the ancient Greeks as a prescription for living wisely. Staying active physically and mentally in retirement is mentioned by many of our volunteers as a reason for service. In an online interview, five-time Global Volunteer Elsa Boykin, says volunteering enhances her well-being […]
Linda Noonan says teaching English to children as a volunteer abroad was an opportunity to fulfill a long-time dream. But, it wasn’t without a bit of anxiety as well! As a retired teacher from Illinois, she knew her knowledge and education were top-notch qualifications. Yet, teaching students in a Mexican classroom was initially daunting on […]
Team #172 to Ecuador had the opportunity to visit the home of a child served at an early childhood development center in Calderón, on the northeastern-most border of the sprawling capital city of Quito nestled high in the Andes Mountains. The two centers where Global Volunteers partners in Calderón are for disadvantaged families, and mainly […]
20-time alumni Steve Fox is a retired teacher from Washington State who participated on his first Global Volunteers program in Minnesota in 2003. 15 years later, as a retiree and octogenarian, Steve has contributed 1360 hours of service on 20 service programs worldwide. Here he shares his reflections on volunteering in retirement. (pictured here with […]
Choosing to volunteer abroad in retirement can be the most fulfilling decision you make! Unencumbered by work schedules, you can respond to needs worldwide and in the U.S. as they occur, and be assured that your contributions are appreciated and useful. What’s more, the personal connections you make on a service program with Global Volunteers can be profound […]
International volunteer work is rewarding, and can be especially so in retirement. While giving back and helping others, you make new friends, learn about a different culture and get out of your “comfort zone.” Mature adults who volunteer report higher levels of well-being. Some studies indicate those that volunteer live longer than those who lead more […]
Global Volunteers received this letter from Don Maher III, who has served on 10 programs since 2006 in Mexico, Romania, Italy, China, Tanzania, Costa Rica, India, Vietnam and Poland. One Man’s View of Global Volunteers Travel Worldwide Do you want to be a traveler or a tourist in life? That is, do you want to […]