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Volunteer in South Africa

SarcasticDwarf

SarcasticDwarf

Diamond Member
I am currently in grad school for Library and Information Science. My Bachelors is in Environmental Studies.


I heard about a volunteership lasting four months at a wildlife college in SA. Specifically, they are looking for someone to run their resource center and do some education stuff. The reason I am interested in this is because it is the first position I have seen that combines my undergrad and grad programs. Am I crazy for wanting to do this? I have not been out of the country before, though I have traveled extensively within it. They provide room and meals and my university would cover at least part of the ticket.


Thoughts?
 
Well, SA has really gone to hell in the last 10 years, but you should be alright for a few months. What city will you be in? The violent crime rate is astronomical in some parts of the country.
 
As long as this isn't voluntourism (that is, the cost of sending you out there and training you outweighs the benefits the organization is receiving by employing you, rather than taking that cost as a cash donation), go for it. Especially if you have never left the country. Traveling extensively within America means nothing, Americans are the same all over (in a relative sense).

Go go go. I cannot stress this enough. Living abroad makes you a better person. I'd explain less vaguely but it is difficult to describe in words how valuable the experience is.
 
Sounds like a great opportunity and learning experience

I had some reservations about visiting Africa due to travel advisories from the state department but was happy I did. I was in North Africa though.
 
Originally posted by: bignateyk
Well, SA has really gone to hell in the last 10 years, but you should be alright for a few months. What city will you be in? The violent crime rate is astronomical in some parts of the country.
Click to expand...

Hoedspruit, Northern Province
 
Originally posted by: Farang
As long as this isn't voluntourism (that is, the cost of sending you out there and training you outweighs the benefits the organization is receiving by employing you, rather than taking that cost as a cash donation), go for it. Especially if you have never left the country. Traveling extensively within America means nothing, Americans are the same all over (in a relative sense).
Click to expand...

A lot will depend on the cost of the flight. They will only pay for my room and meals, but that at least means my ongoing costs will be minimal. I am more concerned about getting a ticket.
 
Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf
Originally posted by: Farang
As long as this isn't voluntourism (that is, the cost of sending you out there and training you outweighs the benefits the organization is receiving by employing you, rather than taking that cost as a cash donation), go for it. Especially if you have never left the country. Traveling extensively within America means nothing, Americans are the same all over (in a relative sense).
Click to expand...

A lot will depend on the cost of the flight. They will only pay for my room and meals, but that at least means my ongoing costs will be minimal. I am more concerned about getting a ticket.
Click to expand...

Not just the cost to the organization, but as a whole. If the amount being spent to send you out there and volunteer exceeds the benefit to the organization, you aren't helping anyone and should understand that this volunteer work is being done purely for self pleasure. In that case, the money for your ticket would be better served as a donation.

On a side note, I've seen deals Seattle - Johannesburg for as little as $600 one-way on student travel sites. Look into those while you still qualify, and play with the flight dates and you should be able to find something similar. I noticed booking months in advance yields the normal, $1000+ ticket, while flights closer to the current date are cheaper.
 
Originally posted by: potato28
Just don't go outside late at night. Should be a fun thing to do!
Click to expand...

I actually had a friend go down to South Africa for a little less than a semester and she loved it. The above adivce is more for girls because they are a target for rape (she said they even have a point system for blondes/brunettes and so forth).

Go for it, just be careful when you swim in the water.
 
Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf
Originally posted by: bignateyk
Well, SA has really gone to hell in the last 10 years, but you should be alright for a few months. What city will you be in? The violent crime rate is astronomical in some parts of the country.
Click to expand...

Hoedspruit, Northern Province
Click to expand...

hmm.. not sure how the crime is there. The country is absolutely gorgeous though. It's a shame what it has become after the apartheid ended.

That said, i'd go back.. you just have to be careful.
 
Originally posted by: Farang
Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf
Originally posted by: Farang
As long as this isn't voluntourism (that is, the cost of sending you out there and training you outweighs the benefits the organization is receiving by employing you, rather than taking that cost as a cash donation), go for it. Especially if you have never left the country. Traveling extensively within America means nothing, Americans are the same all over (in a relative sense).
Click to expand...

A lot will depend on the cost of the flight. They will only pay for my room and meals, but that at least means my ongoing costs will be minimal. I am more concerned about getting a ticket.
Click to expand...

Not just the cost to the organization, but as a whole. If the amount being spent to send you out there and volunteer exceeds the benefit to the organization, you aren't helping anyone and should understand that this volunteer work is being done purely for self pleasure. In that case, the money for your ticket would be better served as a donation.

On a side note, I've seen deals Seattle - Johannesburg for as little as $600 one-way on student travel sites. Look into those while you still qualify, and play with the flight dates and you should be able to find something similar. I noticed booking months in advance yields the normal, $1000+ ticket, while flights closer to the current date are cheaper.
Click to expand...

Well obviously I am doing this strictly for my benefit. My suspicion is that they would like to get a westerner there in order to provide more diverse training and for the fact that for all practical purposes it is only Western Europe, the US, and Canada that even train professional librarians...even as a student I would have more training that most of the librarians on the continent.


I just ran a search through orbitz and it is looking to be around $2k.
 
If you end up paying $2000 you've paid too much. Only you, grasshopper, can save yourself money on that plane ticket.
 
Originally posted by: tyler811
If you get horny while you there, break out the porn and your right hand.




Both HIV prevalence rates and the numbers of people dying from AIDS vary greatly between African countries. In Somalia and Senegal the HIV prevalence is under 1% of the adult population, whereas in South Africa and Zambia around 15-20% of adults are infected with HIV.
Click to expand...

Quote taken from here
Click to expand...



Yeah🙁 I can only hope there is some hot, lonely American or European girl there with me.
 
Be careful.
Be careful.
Be careful.

Did I mention..? Be careful. Appearing wealthy + being white would be the worst combo.
 
Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf
Originally posted by: bignateyk
Well, SA has really gone to hell in the last 10 years, but you should be alright for a few months. What city will you be in? The violent crime rate is astronomical in some parts of the country.
Click to expand...

Hoedspruit, Northern Province
Click to expand...

I lived in Tzaneen, looks like it is ~50 miles to the northwest of Hoedspruit, for a couple of months. Beautiful country and that area is much safer than Johannesburg (lived in South Africa for two years on an LDS mission). If you go, make sure to take a trip up to see the 'edge of the world' (where the coke bottle is thrown in 'The Gods Must be Crazy'). Definitely go, it is a beautiful country, just use common sense to stay safe 🙂
 
Originally posted by: MechJinx
Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf
Originally posted by: bignateyk
Well, SA has really gone to hell in the last 10 years, but you should be alright for a few months. What city will you be in? The violent crime rate is astronomical in some parts of the country.
Click to expand...

Hoedspruit, Northern Province
Click to expand...

I lived in Tzaneen, looks like it is ~50 miles to the northwest of Hoedspruit, for a couple of months. Beautiful country and that area is much safer than Johannesburg (lived in South Africa for two years on an LDS mission). If you go, make sure to take a trip up to see the 'edge of the world' (where the coke bottle is thrown in 'The Gods Must be Crazy'). Definitely go, it is a beautiful country, just use common sense to stay safe 🙂
Click to expand...

lived in Tzaneen, looks like it is ~50 miles to the northwest of Hoedspruit, for a couple of months. Beautiful country and that area is much safer than Johannesburg (lived in South Africa for two years on an LSD mission). If you go, make sure to take a trip up to see the 'edge of the world' (where the coke bottle is thrown in 'The Gods Must be Crazy'). Definitely go, it is a beautiful country, just use common sense to stay safe 🙂
Click to expand...


Fixed 😀
 
Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf
Originally posted by: tyler811
If you get horny while you there, break out the porn and your right hand.




Both HIV prevalence rates and the numbers of people dying from AIDS vary greatly between African countries. In Somalia and Senegal the HIV prevalence is under 1% of the adult population, whereas in South Africa and Zambia around 15-20% of adults are infected with HIV.
Click to expand...

Quote taken from here
Click to expand...



Yeah🙁 I can only hope there is some hot, lonely American or European girl there with me.
Click to expand...
Not if she got the fever before you came.

Personally, I think Africa basically all of it is a festering sh*t hole. I wouldn't touch it with a ten million foot pole. Even the "nicer" countries like Egypt are hellholes. Now, SA is better, but it's only good by African standards.

Scenery would be nice, though, and I'm sure some areas are comparitively safe.
 
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