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How to Volunteer Abroad in Spain

Thu, 06/16/2011 - 23:29

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This awesome article was brought to you by Christine Medina

In 2009 I graduated early and eagerly into what what would become the world’s worst economic recession in years. After my dreams of becoming a corporate slave (not!) evaporated before me, I faced my own truth that if I was going to see the world, the time was now.

Volunteering in Spain

What You Need to Know:

Despite being rated a first-world country, there are still many opportunities to volunteer in Spain
Teaching English and wildlife care and restoration are two great ways to volunteer in Spain

Traveling through a first-world country such as Spain, where the standard of living is much higher than the rest of the world, volunteering you time and talents may not be the first thing that comes to your mind. However, with stunning flora and fauna, and one of the lowest percentages of English speakers in the European Union, you'll actually find an abundance of opportunities to give back while immersing yourself in the Spanish language and culture.

The sheer amount of opportunities available may be overwhelming, so I've broken it down into the two main categories of concentrated volunteer efforts in Spain; Teaching English and Wildlife Care and Restoration. I’ve focused on two reputable programs below to get you started, and before you know it you won’t be able to decide which is warmer, the Spanish sun, or the warm-fuzzy feeling from volunteering.

Teaching English

An excellent way to go abroad without having to worry about saving enough money for food and accommodation is to live with a host family and teach them English in exchange for room and board.

Volunteer with WAVA

¿Quien? WorkandVolunteer.com
¿Que? Born with the gift of the English language? Be a Language Assistant in Spain with a host family!
¿Cuando? Throughout the year with programs ranging from 2 weeks to 1 year.
¿Donde? Crave funky architecture, sun-bathing on the beach and a dash of Catalán? Placements are in Barcelona! Or maybe you desire the more traditional Spain found in the bullfighting, flamenco of Madrid? Placements are in Madrid as well.
¿Porqué? Living with a host family means no rent to pay, and more money for tapas and traveling. Your room and board are taken care of in exchange for tutoring the family in English for a time-commitment of only 15 hours weekly. That leaves lots of time for the finer things: learning Spanish, enjoying the immersion of living with a local family and introducing your palette to Spanish vino.
¿Intersado? ¡Venga!

Wildlife Care and Restoration

Spain has beautiful and varied paisajes (landscapes), and millions of tourists come yearly in search of them. Do your part to restore what heavy tourism has done to Spain's flora and fauna, and consider a volunteer project that benefits the environment and educates you on sustainable living.

Volunteer with Greenheart

¿Quien? Greenheart Travel
¿Que? Learn about sustainable living and study the effects of heavy tourism on the beautiful island of Ibiza.
¿Cuando? 2-4 weeks and 1-3 months.
¿Donde? The infamous party-island of Ibiza.
¿Porqué? More famous for its hedonism than biodiversity, Ibiza is actually a UNESCO heritage site for biodiversity, as it is home to a rare species of seagrass that supports a variety of marine life. As a global party destination, Ibiza attracts hoards of summer tourists, but unfortunately they’re there for the fiesta, and their mass numbers have a negative impact on the island. Help reverse the damage done by volunteering at La Casita Verde, where you’ll live and work on a sustainable farm with other like-minded individuals.
¿Intersado? ¡Venga!

If you're still stuck, head over to the forum here on GO! Overseas to ask the community a question, or view the list of volunteer programs available in Spain.