Travel plans are taking off!
Ever since the Asian tsunami hit in 2004, I've been saving money to volunteer somewhere overseas. I want to work with underprivileged kids. Unfortunately, it's been really hard to find an organization with reasonable costs. Finally, I found one.
As some of you already know, I have applied to be a volunteer for an organization called Voluntarios de la Esperanza, which is in Santiago, Chile. If I were to go, I would leave in September to go to Santiago for six months to work in an orphanage. A couple months ago I began working on my application, which involved essay questions, a resume, a recommendation letter, and a list of references. I finally sent it in in late March.
The website says that it takes up to six weeks for them to process applications and move on to the next step, a phone interview. I've been a little nervous, although I have more experience with children than the current volunteers whose bio's are on the website. I've been dying to know if I'll be accepted. Also, my boss sent out letters of intent to all the teachers; we're supposed to fill them out to let her know if we'll be back in the fall or if she needs to find a replacement. She wants them back by May 5th, and I explained my situation, but she wasn't too thrilled with waiting 'til mid- to late-May. So the sooner I know, the better.
Anyway, I just received an email about arranging the phone interview. Yay! It's scheduled for tomorrow evening, and I'm hoping that it doesn't take long for them to decide after that. I'm not too nervous, but I am crossing my fingers that they don't make me speak Spanish, 'cause I really need a refresher course before I go anywhere where I'll need it.
So. Interview tomorrow. Wish me luck!
As some of you already know, I have applied to be a volunteer for an organization called Voluntarios de la Esperanza, which is in Santiago, Chile. If I were to go, I would leave in September to go to Santiago for six months to work in an orphanage. A couple months ago I began working on my application, which involved essay questions, a resume, a recommendation letter, and a list of references. I finally sent it in in late March.
The website says that it takes up to six weeks for them to process applications and move on to the next step, a phone interview. I've been a little nervous, although I have more experience with children than the current volunteers whose bio's are on the website. I've been dying to know if I'll be accepted. Also, my boss sent out letters of intent to all the teachers; we're supposed to fill them out to let her know if we'll be back in the fall or if she needs to find a replacement. She wants them back by May 5th, and I explained my situation, but she wasn't too thrilled with waiting 'til mid- to late-May. So the sooner I know, the better.
Anyway, I just received an email about arranging the phone interview. Yay! It's scheduled for tomorrow evening, and I'm hoping that it doesn't take long for them to decide after that. I'm not too nervous, but I am crossing my fingers that they don't make me speak Spanish, 'cause I really need a refresher course before I go anywhere where I'll need it.
So. Interview tomorrow. Wish me luck!