Livvy completes the London Marathon and raises funds for the children in Kenya

Huge congratulations to Livvy Partington for successfully completing the gruelling London Marathon last week.

Livvy writes via Facebook:
Hope you are well, I did the marathon on Sunday and I have got £1000 for the orhanage from it so hopefully with all our fundraising we'll be able to get it off the ground this year! Speak soon, Livvy'

Livvy, a former Rugby School student, went to Nakuru last summer with Changing Worlds. She spent three months working in an orphanage for street children.

Such is the impact these kids had on her life Livvy is determined to not only give her own time but to continue to work for their benefit.

Well done Livvy!

News Update - read the March 2010 Changing Worlds newsletter

Read our latest March 2010 newsletter at:
http://www.changingworlds.co.uk/Home.aspx?vurl=%2f%2fRoot%2fContent%2fNewsletterMarch2010

News updates includes further information about the on going political situation in Bangkok, Thailand, our new Changing Worlds placements in Germany and New Zealand and updates from participants from around the World.

Shannon offers advice on volunteering overseas

Shannon is offering potential volunteers some worthy words of advice:

How to Enhance Your Volunteering Abroad Experience
It’s not only a way to help other people, it’s also a great way to see more of the world and broaden your horizons.

In short, volunteering abroad is a two-way street that generates as many advantages for you as it does for the community you’re volunteering in. You get to learn about new cultures and experience the lives of people who belong to those cultures; you’re able to travel and visit new places and countries and meet new people who will change your life in various ways; and besides all this, you’re making a positive difference in the lives of the people you choose to live amongst.

If you’ve decided to be a volunteer abroad and are looking to make your volunteering experience more fruitful and enjoyable, here’s what you could do:
· Choose a country you’re comfortable with:
Don’t go somewhere just because your friends are going or because it’s the in thing to do. Rather, choose to volunteer at a location where you’ll be comfortable – with the weather, the way of life, the culture, the language, and the people. When you’re at ease in your environment, you find it easier to be a better volunteer and be of help to the community you’ve chosen to live amongst.
· Learn about the country and people you will be visiting:
It’s not that hard to learn about the ways and customs of any country and people today, what with the Internet throwing open to us a world of resources that were not available easily a few decades ago. So before you board that plane, take some time to know the country and people you’re going to visit and volunteer in, not just to broaden your knowledge, but also to find ways to improve your volunteering services and customize them to the needs of the locals.
· Respect their culture and customs:
You may find their culture and customs strange and even weird at times, but even if you don’t agree with their way of life or adapt to it, respect it. Don’t make fun of their ways of doing things or look down on them. And even if you cannot bring yourself to do as Romans do in Rome, be tolerant and understanding and remember that you are the stranger there, not them.
· Learn a little of their language:
You don’t have to go the whole hog and become fluent in their native tongue, but it would help if you learned a few words and phrases that are used often. This will help you bond better with the people you’re living amongst and make you a better volunteer in the long run.
· Keep an open mind:
And last, but certainly not the least, keep an open mind when it comes to new experiences and trying out something that seems strange to you. When you’re open to change, you not only adapt to it better and faster; you also become more mature and more knowledgeable because of your experiences.

Thanks Shannon.

By-line:
This guest post is contributed by Shannon Wills, she writes on the topic of Online Engineering Degree . She welcomes your comments at her email id: shannonwills23@gmail.com.

Graham sets up a new Field Studies Centre in Dubai

Graham our rep based in Dubai in the Middle East has enjoyed an incredibly successful year. He has continued to work hard at building up relationships with local schools in tne city.

His company offers opportunities to school children to enjoy outdoor education. Over the last two years volunteers from Changing Worlds have been supporting Graham teaching the kids things like kayaking, teambuilding, surviving skills for the desert and trekking (to name but a few!)

This year due to this success Graham is looking to expand the programme to include a Field Studies Centre.

He writes:

'The Graduates will need to have an interest/academic background in either or field studies, Geography/Biology and environmental sciences.

They need to be comfortable working with students from 8 to 18 years old and be passionate about the Outdoors. The Field Studies will be run from two main locations. Our Mangrove centre, where we utilise a large house boat as a teaching platform that takes students into the heart of the Mangroves. Overnight accommodation is in our field studies centre on the Umm Al Quwain coast.

For the desert field studies we have a centre in the heart of the sand dunes with tented accommodation with easy access to the study area.

The placement will run from approx 20th Sept 2010 to end May 2011. Graduates will receive shared accommodation, access to a vehicle to drive (if over 21), use of all centre equipment, all food provided while working on the placement and allowance of 2000 dirhams per month. (Gap year students 1000 per month)

Working hours are flexible but we are looking at a 5 day working week with a two week holiday over Christmas.

The placement is suited to a Graduate who is truly conscientious about the environment and is keen to pass on their knowledge to students. An interest in Outdoor Ed Adventure is an advantage. The Graduates would need an up to date first Aid qualification as would the Gap Year students.

The placement, similar to the Adventure camps, is not suitable for an individual who is keen to "party hard". There are a number of restrictions as we are living in a muslim country.'

If you are interested in finding out more about either the New Field Studies position or the existing Outdoor Education programme then drop me a line to:

david@changingworlds.co.uk and I can provide you with further information.

Jack invites volunteers to spend a Summer in China

Jack Lui our representative in Yantai, China has devised the new Summer programme for volunteers.

He writes:
Summer Volunteer Teaching Program in China
Enriching Yourself While Helping Others in Need!
Place and Location:
Various affiliate campuses throughout Yantai City, Shandong Province, P.R. China
Program Description:
_ Teaching conversational English in class
_ Local hiking and excursion activities
Workload:
About 4-6 hours per day from Monday to Friday
Categories of Age Groups:
_ 6-12 years old (primary pupils);
_ 13 to 15 years old (junior high school students);
_ 16-18 years old (senior high school students);
_ 19 to 23 years old (college students).
Program Dates:
Four weeks in July and August 2010
Recommended Date for 2010:
Starting Date: July 12 (Monday)
Ending Date: August 6 Friday)
Program Fee:
GB£2 020 per person, including the following items:
_ Accommodation on campus during the program
_ Three meals in school cafeteria per day during the program placement.
_ Internet access on campus;
_ Airport pick-up and see-off service in Yantai;
_ Program supervision and logistics service;
_ Any emergency aid 24/7;
_ International return airfare from London Heathrow to Yantai, China (via Beijing).
Excluding the following costs:
_ Overseas insurance and medical bills if any;
_ Visa fees;
_ Any personal expenses such as the drinks, taxi, phone, laundry and traveling costs in China etc.
Jack Liu

Photo: Jack and David enjoying a quiet lunch

If you would like to know more then contact me at:

david@changingworlds.co.uk

Ross reports back after his adventures in Ghana

Ross and James continue to enjoy their time in Kumasi in Ghana. They are both completing a medical placement in the city.

Recently they have been travelling north to the Mole National Park. The park is famous for its elephants - as captured by this photograph:

Ross writes:
Hi David,
yes thanks, we are both settling into the routine well
now. everything is great,
please find the photos attached, ones
in mole and the other was taken when we were travelling by land rover
from mole park to the hippo sanctuary 6 hours or so away. it broke down
in a small desolate village full of kids and i decided to give them a
long english lesson in the dirt! well, anyway, they were the two photos
ive chosen.
hope all is well in the uk,
ross
p.s.
we understand there are other gappers coming out soon? when are they
coming? francis wasnt overly sure with exact dates. would be great to
know so we can make plans.

Unfortunately I did get a photo of the broken down land rover - I hope to receive this soon!