When I decided to go volunteering abroad, I didn't have a country in mind; I just wanted to participate in a project related to the environment. That's how I started to browse the internet, looking for NGOs that I could join, and I stumbled on a website listing South American organizations. As soon as I read about Otra Cosa, I knew I wanted to go there, and my email exchanges with the staff confirmed it - it's a very well organized NGO, with some very interesting projects and the staff and volunteers make a great team to work and live with.
Alumni Spotlight: Julie Jeliazovski
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Julie has always liked to help others, as long as she can remember. She even wanted to become a firefighter when she was younger, to help save other people's lives. Growing up she discovered that she really enjoyed traveling and meeting new people, discovering their culture, so it became obvious that she needed to volunteer for an NGO!
Why did you choose this program?
What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?
Otra Cosa helps their volunteers to find good accommodation depending on personal preferences, and the volunteer coordinator even came to pick me up when I arrived at the local airport in Trujillo. We went on a tour of the town so I could get used to the area, and the staff is really available in case you need any help. Volunteers have to book their flights on their own, but as I said before if you need some advice on bus companies or safety for example, someone will be there to answer you.
What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?
The first thing I think about when someone asks me "What would you do differently?" is my suitcase. I packed way too many things, and I ended up not using half of them. Plus it would have been much easier to travel around with a smaller bag. But it was my first time traveling this far and for such a program, so now I know better and can tell others about it!
What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?
Volunteers at Otra Cosa are asked to work for around 20 hours a week, but there is no definite schedule as it depends on the projects: sometimes you will have a few workshops planned, other days you have to prepare events, so it's on your own schedule. It really is variable, which means you can also arrange it most of the time if you want to go participate in other projects like I did: teaching English in school or helping with the after school program, for example. You can also fit in surf lessons, or go to the market ... As long as your work is done and you put in the hours, there's quite a lot of freedom!
Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?
I was a bit scared because Peru is not famous for being super safe, and my Spanish was far from good when I arrived, but in the end I never once felt threatened and everyone is helpful despite the language issues. So don't be scared (I'm not saying to be foolish either, far from it, but being terrified will make your experience much less enjoyable) and just go for it. You won't regret it! And if you really struggle with the language, then you can always take classes once in the country, and you can easily find another tourist or someone who speaks English to help you.