Many of them travel to foreign countries during their summer holidays to help preserve wildlife, teach languages or get involved in local communities in different ways. Some students even take a year off their studies, that is, a gap year, to do volunteer work.
These experiences are highly valued when participants are back in their countries - some of the most prestigious universities and companies offering jobs prefer candidates who have volunteered in the past because they believe volunteering teaches people skills that are important for life.
Although volunteering opportunities are often expensive (because of flight tickets, meals, insurances, etc.) and not all households can afford them, there are some companies and websites that help teenagers and their families to find the right project. One of them is https://www.goeco.org.
Your task
Browse GoEco's website and pick a project that you would like to participate in if you had the opportunity. Take short notes and write a short text (100-120 words) about it. You must:
- Present your favourite project briefly.
- Explain why you would like to participate and why you think the project is good for you.
- Explain the things you would like to do and learn during your volunteering experience.
- Discuss any worries, concerns or doubts you have about the project.
- Take a look at the section Travel Highlights, which includes interesting things to do in your free time during your stay abroad. Explain which of them you find most exciting and why.
Remember
Before you start writing, plan your text:
- Decide what information in your notes you are going to use and how you are going to organise the information into paragraphs (introduction, body and conclusion).
- Use conditionals to talk about hypothetical or imaginary situations.
- Use appropriate vocabulary related to volunteer work and some phrasal verbs. Please recycle vocabulary from units 1 and 4 in your student's book.
Hand in your first draft to me. After you have improved the text following my feedback and using the correction code, post your edited version here as a comment. Please include your name and first surname.
My project is a trip to Mozambique, exactly in Praia do Tofo, and it is to investigate and conserve the marine ecosystem and unique marine life found in Mozambique.
ReplyDeleteI would like to participate in this project because I like animals, especially marine animals, and I wouldn't like animals to disappear in the future, because if I were a child I would like to enjoy them.
I would like to learn to vaccinate animals, to learn surf and scuba diving, I would like to know other culture, and I would like to make friends, and expand my curriculum.
My worries are that I don't know if there will be mosquitoes in Mozambique, and if I have to go to the hospital to get vaccinated.
For four or seven days I will do an open water scuba diving course, and this is to receive a certificate that will allow me to dive at eighteen or thirty meters. I think that it is good because with this certificate I would travel to others places to work.
I'm going to be a volunteer!
ReplyDeleteHi everybody I have some bigs news for you. Well as you know the last week was my birthday, and that day my parents gave me an amazing present.
They gave me a volunteering course for my gap year!
In these courses you can choose the destination and the activities.
My destination is going to be Costa Rica and I have chosen the project called: Jaguar research and conservation.
If I go on this project I will assist to the protection of endangered jaguars that are living in Costa Rica's raainforest.
I picked this project beacuse I love animals so much (especially felines) and I want to understand their behavior. In addition, probably If I do this volunteer project I will change my point of view about NGOS (Now I think that they aren't help so much).
If I went to Costa Rica I would like to enjoy its beaches and eat its food. Moreover I'm going to do some studies of turtles, aquatic birds or biological assessment apart of the main project.
I'm going to stay in Costa Rica one year but I don't know If they are going to give me a certificate.
However I'm very excited because with this trip also I'm going to gain a global understanding of Costa Rica's rainforest.
This is going to be amazing and of course I'm going to tell you about the experience.
Regards,
Araceli
First of all, I would like to present my favourite project from the web page. I like animals a lot, so I've thought that going to Australia to help koalas and kangaroos would be great for mi.
ReplyDeleteSo I would like to participate in this project wich is 1 month long and costs 1200€.
Thats because I love animals and it would be great to help them.
If I were there, I would help the animals, I would relax at the beach in my free time and I would visit the city or do a bit of tourism. Also, I would like to learn more things about australian animals.
Although I think that this is a good idea, I have some doubts, for example, I think that the project costs a lot of money just for going to help animals and the experience is too short. It would be great if it were cheaper or longer.
The project is about the monitoring,maintenance and protection of the marine ecosystem of one of the most beautiful island in Cuba.No matter what your task will be because in one way or another you are going to contribute with this project.
ReplyDeleteMy project is called coral conservation in Cuba.I would like to participate in this project,because I really like nature and it´s a way to protect it.It costs nothing and I will enjoy it because I really like diving!
I would like to dive and to meet new people,and at the same time I´ll try to learn how marine animals live and the most important thing how to repect nature.
My problem with the project is that I am not old enough and also because it costs a lot of money, but when I'm old I'll try to go to Cuba because it's a great experience.
VOLUNTEERING ABROAD
ReplyDelete-China- Giant Panda Center
I was lookig for a project on the internet,I was interested in a lot of projects,but finally I have choosen Giant Panda Center in China,that consists in taking care the pandas.
I select this project because since I was a child I'm loving pandas so I thinkit could be one of the best experiencies in my life,and also how is living in another country and be more dependable.
I would loike to learn more things about pandas and how I have to take care to a panda.Also their habits,what they eat,how many hours they sleep and how is their daily life.A lot of people say that a panda's life is very boring,but I don't think so.If I were them,I would looking for inormation on internet about their lifes.
In my opinion,I think I will be worried If I won't know anyone because I wouldn't be comfortable.Also,If I won't know what I have to do,but I will make an effort and make the most of myself.
There,the things I would like to do are: I would go to Zhougang hot springa because I love these places,and I think it's the most relaxing thing in the world and also I would slow down there and I would go to Ya'an that is the perfect city to going shopping and look for some bargains.
South Africa-Wildlife Santuary
ReplyDeleteThe project is about a place called the Santuary, where animals who have lost their parents can live. Also, those animals are not able to survive on their own so they need volunters to take care of them.
The main objective of this project is to make sure that they are always healthy and safe providing enrichment to both, volunters and animals.
I would like it because I like to help animals and I think that many times they are better than people.
I'm worried about the diseases that exist in Africa and also if I find some dangerous animal
In my free time I will go through the savanna to see the landscape and the animals.
Mario Fons Argudo 4A
The project I have chose is about saving species that are in danger of extinction and all those that need help.This volunteering is done in Australia in the "Wild Animal Sanctuary".
ReplyDeleteI participate in that project because I love saving animals and I think it's a good experience to meet new people and do fun activities.
I would like to explore the city,go to Australia's museums,feed and touch the animals,go sightseeing and learn more kinds of animals and plants.
I don't know if the acommodation could be a single room.I don't want share the room with other people because I don't know them and I would feel uncomfortable.
I think the best place to spend my free time is in"Hyde Park" because I love nature and it could be an interesting stroll to learn and see the several types of trees that are in the beautiful gardens.Then,I can relax too.
My project is called "Diving and Marine Conservation Expedition", it's located on Caqalai Island, Fiji. The lenght of the project varies between 4, 8, 12 or 24 weeks. It costs 2 900 € and we must be at least 24 people.
ReplyDeleteI would like to participate in this project in this project because I have never traveled to this type of islands. If I go to Fiji, I will dive under the sea and I will look after the animals and the vegetation.
If I went to Fiji, I would like to do something different, something that makes me feel good, I would like to climb up mountains or swim in caves. If I have a problem or I'm scared of something, I will face up to it and I will do it.
I have some doubts, when I arrive at the airport, will there be anyone waiting for me to guide me? and, if I want to call my parents, will I be able to do it when I want or there will be a timetable?
Finally, I would like to learn Fijian, see beautiful rivers and water falls, and swim in exotic beaches with exotic animals.
My project is Private Island Marine expirience in Belize. My objective is learn to dive all while I assist the underwater preservation.
ReplyDeleteI would like to participate in this project becouse coral reefs are dying on the planet becouse of use besides that corals reefs are the ones that feed and protect a lot of fish.
I wont to learn dive becouse I like the sea a lot and in a future I would like to dive in many places, also if I learn to dive I could help save corals, and save the world.
This project is in Belize, and I don´t know if there will be sharks, beacouse sharks scare me. When I was little I was on a beach and a shark appeared near a friend, since then I'm afraid of sharks.
I think the most exciting place to visit in my free-time is an eco-ladge in a rainforest of southem belize becouse it is so exciting and after that I could visit the restaurant near the zone.
I have chosen the wildlife orphanage of Zimbabwe because I love animals and I think it will be a fantastic experience to be able to work with them.
ReplyDeleteI want to work there because I think it would be a good way to take care of the injured animals, to be able to teach the children to respect them and take care of their natural habitat.
I think it is a unique experience to learn more about animals, their care and their nature.
It's a great way to connect with nature and get children to appreciate nature and animal life.
If I went to work in the orphanage I would take care of injured animals.I will also protect nature and teach children to respect animals and learn a lot of interesting things about the culture of Zimbabwe.
The project that i want yo do os the África Wild Life orphanage, It takes place un Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. It consists in an Orphanage were they take care of animales, they educate them, and a lot of interesting things.
ReplyDeleteMy work would be to clean animals and they're rooms, prepare they're food and promotor enviromental education.
I want to participate in this project because i like so much animals and i want to learn about cultures from other countries.
I'm only worried about sharing room with more people, because i like to be alone when i'm sleeping.
When i have free time i will like to visit the surroundings of the place, after that i would like to visit the Victoria Falls because they may be amazing.