globalstories experience learning

Studying or Practicing English Abroad

1. Willing Workers on Organic Farms (WWOOF)

http://www.wwoof.org/

This is not a language school. Instead, it’s a chance for homestays where you can use English naturally. This is a great way to travel. In fact, during my five months in New Zealand, I worked at many WWOOF houses. To join, I paid about 2,000 yen for a list of WWOOF contacts. Then, I contacted various people, telling them I would like to stay at their house. If they said yes, I went to their house where I worked outside in their garden in exchange for a room and food. Of course, sometimes they said ‘no’ in which case I called other people. WWOOF organizations exist in many countries around the world, including Canada, Australia, and throughout Europe.

2. NICE Japan

http://nice1.gr.jp/ (in Japanese)

This is an organization that offers volunteer opportunities, mostly in Japan but also other Asian countries. Even if the volunteer camp is in Japan, the language spoken is English. I volunteered for NICE twice, once in Minamata, and the other time in a small town called Aya in Miyazaki. Even when Japanese speak to each other, they use English! Both were great experiences. NICE is actually a branch of a larger volunteer organization called “Volunteers for Peace.” See http://www.vfp.org/ for details.

3. Habitat for Humanity

http://www.habitat.org/ap/

Habitat for Humanity is a Christian organization that builds houses for poor people. It’s Christian, but anybody can join. This is an excellent opportunity to practice English in a natural environment. However, their programs are a little expensive including airfare, homestay, and meals.

4. Peace Boat

http://www.peaceboat.org/english/index.html
Peace Boat is a Japan-based international organization that works to promote peace, human rights, equal and sustainable development and respect for the environment. Peace Boat seeks to create awareness and action based on effecting positive social and political change in the world. They pursue this through the organization of global educational programmes, responsible travel, cooperative projects and advocacy activities. These activities are carried out on a partnership basis with other civil society organizations and communities in Japan, Northeast Asia, and around the world. Peace Boat carries out its main activities through a chartered passenger ship that travels the world on peace voyages.

5. Lake Wanaka Language Centre http://www.wanaka-english.ac.nz/
Okay, I admit, these are my friends. They live in New Zealand. I knew Paul when he was an instructor at Akita International University. He is a computer expert, and a very relaxed, kind guy. If you love nature, New Zealand is a great place. In fact, I traveled there for five months in the early 1990s and had a great time. The school offers interesting courses such as “English for Global Adventurers” and “Workplace English.”

1. Charity Teaching

Click here for a description of one teacher's effort to link community classes with financial support for NGOs abroad.

2. Community Volunteer Work

Students of Akita International University do a beach cleanup and barbeque.

Environmental Field Trips in Nagasaki.

3. Volunteer/Service Learning Projects Worldwide

2. Asian Youth Forum (AYF) is a five day international youth event held in Bangkok, Thailand in 2007 (2008 will be in Tokyo) which brings together college-aged young people from across Asia for academic seminars, intercultural workshops, social events and interpersonal exchanges. The purpose is to promote international understanding, intercultural communication and leadership skills through the medium of English-as-an-international language.

3. Servas is a worldwide cooperative cultural exchange network established in 1948 and composed of member hosts and travelers working together to foster peace, goodwill and mutual respect. Servas seeks to realize these aims by providing opportunities for person-to-person contacts between people of diverse cultures and backgrounds. Our mission includes providing approved US and international travelers with opportunities to be guests of Servas member hosts around the world. This international community of friends work together on a volunteer basis to create a climate of mutual understanding and tolerance. Originally called "Peacebuilders," Servas now encompasses over 14,000 homes and institutions in more than 130 countries on six continents. Our members believe that by meeting new people in our own homes and sharing our everyday lives with them, individuals have the power to build the necessary foundations for world peace.

4. The Global Volunteer Network offers volunteer opportunities in community projects throughout the world through partner organizations in Alaska , China , Ecuador , El Salvador , Ghana , India , Nepal , New Zealand , Philippines , Romania , Russia , South Africa , Thailand , Uganda and Vietnam . The network continues to expand with new programs currently being researched and assessed.
Their vision is to support the work of local community organizations in developing countries through the placement of international volunteers. They believe that local communities are in the best position to determine their needs, and we provide volunteers to help them achieve their goals.
Volunteering is a great way to contribute to the global community and gain experience, and also fosters personal growth. Whether you would like to take a short volunteer vacation or a prolonged gap year, the Global Volunteer Network provides challenging and affordable international programs.

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6. OISCA-International contributes to Humanity's environmentally sustainable development emphasizing the interconnectedness of agriculture, ecological intergrity, and the human spirit. To accomplish this, they implement and advocate hands-on experiential programs for world citizens of all ages, transmitting knowledge and skills, and cultivating such spiritual qualities as dedication, self-reliance, and universal brother-sisterhood.

8. “Help Asia” – This website does not contain information about one volunteer organization but rather contains links to several NGOs in Asia like orphanages. Below are listed nine projects in different parts of Asia which are in need of assistance. In each case the goal is to make life better for children so that they may be free to study and grow and have a dream for the future.

9. Japan : NICE – This website describes workcamps involving environmental work, culture activities (festivals, etc.) and kids’ camps in Japan for Japanese and foreigners. Workcamps are generally conducted in English.

10. Japan International Volunteer Center (JVC) has various projects such as agriculture, water provision, forest preservation/utilization, children's education, peace building, and emergency relief. Cambodia, Viet Nam, Laos, Thailand, South Africa, Ethiopia, Palestine, Afghanistan and North Korea are the current fields of our projects. Here in Japan, we are devoting to enlightenment activities toward the fair and just society through advocacy, development education and networking.

11. Japan: Council Exchanges is explained on this Japanese website:

12. Vulnerable Children's Assistance Organization (VCAO): Helps kids in Camboida (English and Japanese).

13. Cambodia Kids : Mr. Kurimoto was interviewed by John Spiri years ago for “Japanese at Work” (see World at Work link) While traveling Japan he slept in his car because he said he ‘knew how much 5,000 yen could benefit people in Cambodia.’ You can read my interview of him at www.globalstories.net then clicking “Japanese at Work,” then scrolling down to the NGO Worker interview. These activities would be conducted in Japanese.

14. Ban Rom Sai: This is an orphanage in Thailand which Akita International University service travel club members visited in Chiangmai, Thailand. The orphanage is run by Japanese women.

15. Education for Development (EFD) is a small international organization that works with Vietnamese partners to improve and expand their services for disadvantaged children. In 1996 EFD was established by Koen Van Acoleyen and Sebastien Barmaz in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. In the early days, the main goal was to increase educational opportunities through teaching English on the streets. The organisation has since expanded and developed into a dynamic and multicultural team of staff and volunteers. EFD is recognised as having a genuine commitment towards projects and processes, both with partners and our organisation, that have sustainable outcomes. EFD is also proud of its commitment towards sharing information and resources.

16. Volunteering in Vietnam – Some projects include :

Teach English:You're needed to change lives through English.
Conservation: From turtles to trees you can preserve our planet.
Community Development From street kids to theatre groups, you can help.
Paid teaching in Asia: Earn money teaching English for 6 or 12 months.
Humanitarian Tours: Four-country tour helping communities in Africa.
Building: Create real homes for real communities.

17. Cosmo Language School, Siberia : English and other language classes take place in a pleasant wooded area outside the city of Novosibirsk, near the River Ob. The main negative point to going here is it’s difficult to get to. For information contact John Spiri who volunteer taught there in 2000.

18. Habitat for Humanity – Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, Christian organization that welcomes people of all backgrounds, races and religions. Founded in 1976 by Millard Fuller , Habitat seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world, and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action.
INDI-05-02191-KM.jpg-480.jpg Volunteers work together with families in need. Habitat has built more than 165,000 houses, providing more than 825,000 people in more than 3,000 communities with safe, decent, affordable shelter. It has a presence in nearly 100 countries and territories.
Habitat’s headquarters, located in Americus, Georgia, USA, provides information, training and a variety of other support services to Habitat offices and affiliates worldwide.

1. Willing Workers on Organic Farms (WWOOF) http://www.wwoof.org/	This is not a language school. Instead, it’s a chance for homestays where you can use English naturally. This is a great way to travel. In fact, during my five months in New Zealand, I worked at many WWOOF houses. To join, I paid about 2,000 yen for a list of WWOOF contacts. Then, I contacted various people, telling them I would like to stay at their house. If they said yes, I went to their house where I worked outside in their garden in exchange for a room and food. Of course, sometimes they said ‘no’ in which case I called other people. WWOOF organizations exist in many countries around the world, including Canada, Australia, and throughout Europe.
2. NICE Japan http://nice1.gr.jp/ (in Japanese)	This is an organization that offers volunteer opportunities, mostly in Japan but also other Asian countries. Even if the volunteer camp is in Japan, the language spoken is English. I volunteered for NICE twice, once in Minamata, and the other time in a small town called Aya in Miyazaki. Even when Japanese speak to each other, they use English! Both were great experiences. NICE is actually a branch of a larger volunteer organization called “Volunteers for Peace.” See http://www.vfp.org/ for details.
3. Habitat for Humanity http://www.habitat.org/ap/	Habitat for Humanity is a Christian organization that builds houses for poor people. It’s Christian, but anybody can join. This is an excellent opportunity to practice English in a natural environment. However, their programs are a little expensive including airfare, homestay, and meals.
4. Peace Boat http://www.peaceboat.org/english/index.html	Peace Boat is a Japan-based international organization that works to promote peace, human rights, equal and sustainable development and respect for the environment. Peace Boat seeks to create awareness and action based on effecting positive social and political change in the world. They pursue this through the organization of global educational programmes, responsible travel, cooperative projects and advocacy activities. These activities are carried out on a partnership basis with other civil society organizations and communities in Japan, Northeast Asia, and around the world. Peace Boat carries out its main activities through a chartered passenger ship that travels the world on peace voyages.
5. Lake Wanaka Language Centre http://www.wanaka-english.ac.nz/	Okay, I admit, these are my friends. They live in New Zealand. I knew Paul when he was an instructor at Akita International University. He is a computer expert, and a very relaxed, kind guy. If you love nature, New Zealand is a great place. In fact, I traveled there for five months in the early 1990s and had a great time. The school offers interesting courses such as “English for Global Adventurers” and “Workplace English.”