Sunday, November 15, 2009

Volunteering in Buenos Aires - Don't Pay!

Read more! Volunteering in Buenos Aires: Don’t PAY for the chance to help!

Buenos Aires is full of free volunteer opportunities. Many of these opportunities are sold to bright-eyed travelers for upwards of $300 USD and many pay up to $1000 USD just to join a program. Some of these programs offer Spanish lessons and advisors as part of the package and say you are also making a ‘donation.’ These things are true but too often the advisor is notably absent and while you are making a donation, you can’t be sure what the money is going towards and you are also paying salaries.

It is clear that these organizations are not out to steal your money (although it would be a great scam) but basically what they do is hook you up with a community center or project going on in the city that needs volunteers. They are middlemen and the savvy Internet researcher can easily find these opportunities without handing over any cash.

I write from personal experience. When I arrived in Buenos Aires 2+ years ago I had no plan, no Spanish language skills and a little money. I moonlighted as the worst translator ever (Sorry to the lady who paid me $40 to translate that wine article...I didn’t even use subjunctive!) and decided I had to find some way to occupy my time- and fast.
Volunteering had always been a hobby so I put my fingers to the keyboard and searched Google for volunteer opportunities in Buenos Aires. I quickly found a link to Centro Conviven, emailed the director and got a response the next day. He invited me to an “interview” at the gas station coffee shop around the corner from the community center, explained to me what activities I could do there and that I could begin the very next day. Since I had done some research and found those expensive umbrella organizations I asked the director how much I’d have to pay. He laughed and now I’m laughing. But you know who was not laughing? All of the volunteers I met at Conviven who were paying $300 USD to do the same volunteer work as me.

They were all part of an organization that promised an advisor who always disappointed, and not much else. They were all pretty P.O’ed when I told them I had arrived on my own. I understand that having a program waiting for you once you arrive in a new country is comforting- but anyone is who is brave enough to come all the way to Buenos Aires can handle a few scary days, do a little research and find a great program.

The moral of the story is that travelers are a strong, courageous, intelligent breed, equipped with the power to find our own opportunities and spend our money wisely.

As for the money paid upfront “going towards to programs” the truth is you never know how the money is spent. When I arrived at Conviven I saw the need for many improvements. I took my USDs and helped buy fans and heaters to keep the classrooms pleasant all year round. When it’s too cold to be outside, the kids know they have a warm place to come and play where they are safe from street violence. When the summer sun gets a little too unbearable they know they can come to Conviven, sit in front of a fan and learn English, do art or just be.

Centro Conviven is just one of the many exciting places to volunteer for free in Buenos Aires. If you have had a positive experience with the middlemen organizations or a specific program please comment about it here!
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Sunday, November 8, 2009

Design Suites hotel chain

Read more! My favorite line of hotels in Argentina is Design Suites - specifically those in Salta and El Calafate by the glaciars And here is the rest of it. Read more!