Volunteering

A Different Kind of Christmas Family / Finances / Goals / Personal / Volunteering

A Different Kind of Christmas

by Dec 01, 2011 23 Comments

Christmas has been very different for us since we moved abroad, in more ways than just being far from extended family. Even before we left, we became disenchanted with certain aspects of the holiday, particularly surrounding gift giving. Actually, I love giving and receiving gifts, but it’s not always as satisfying as I’d like. I think giving is most enjoyable for both sides when the...

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Don’t Use it? Don’t Keep it! Personal / Travel / Volunteering

Don’t Use it? Don’t Keep it!

by Sep 11, 2011 15 Comments

About two years ago, we sold our house and got rid of most of our possessions. Doing so gave us a feeling of relief and lightness. Since then, we’ve been living out of what could fit in one carry-on suitcase, and one backpack each. I wondered if our kids would miss all the toys, or if we’d miss certain decorations or other items. I’m pleased...

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Making origami with Yanapay kids Peru / Volunteering

Volunteering at Aldea Yanapay School

by Sep 29, 2010 13 Comments

One of the main reasons we wanted to come to Cusco, Peru – besides visiting Machu Picchu, of course – was to volunteer; and Cusco did not disappoint us in that regard. There are a number of volunteering opportunities here. We found a school called Aldea Yanapay where kids can go after regular school hours to experience a kind of love and learning they don’t...

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Peruvian woman at ruins Peru / Volunteering

Cusco, Peru

by Sep 27, 2010 13 Comments

My first impression of Cusco, Peru was that it was dry, dusty and hot – until night time. Then it was dry, dusty and cold. Granted, we arrived near the end of Cusco’s dry season, so I can’t expect to see much green. But between the clay-brown buildings, sandy mountains, and dusty streets, there isn’t much color except for the local women, who wrap brightly-colored...

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Feeding the kinkajou Costa Rica / Volunteering

Proyecto Asis Wildlife Rescue Center

by Apr 16, 2010 7 Comments

Recently, we paid a visit to an animal rescue center near La Fortuna, Costa Rica called Proyecto Asis. Our kids can never seem to get enough of animals, and this seemed like a good opportunity to not only see them, but interact with them, learn about them, feed them, and even clean up after them. And it was a blast! The drive toward La Fortuna...

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Making origami with Yanapay kids Volunteering

Volunteer Vacations for Families with Young Children

by May 24, 2009 10 Comments

Since we got back from our Panama trip, we’ve been thinking a lot about where we want to go and what we want to do for our next trip. Because of our dislike for cold weather, and the Salt Lake Inversion, we’re probably going to head out during the winter months, like last year (starting in January, 2010), and go somewhere warm. We also would...

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Micro loans that change lives Volunteering

Micro loans that change lives

by May 17, 2009 5 Comments

Recently, I’ve started participating a little bit at kiva.org, a website that allows you to loan money to individuals in developing countries looking to create small businesses to support their families. There are other websites that do similar things (www.globalgiving.com, www.microplace.com), but I liked how personal this one is – almost like getting to meet who you’re helping. And it’s not just a charity or...

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