Raleigh International gives young people between 17 and 25 years old and volunteer staff over 25 years old the chance to live and work on expeditions abroad. Not only do they develop personally and contribute to the country they are working in but they learn to work together with people from different cultures.

Rebecca Riddy signed up as an expedition translator on a Raleigh International expedition in Chile for 3 months. This is the fourth, and last of her 'emails' back home reporting on her experiences. Check out her previous emails sent to us via remote South American Internet Cafes!

Rebecca in Chile: Raleigh International expedition translator
Drawing to a close

16/03/2001

Hola Wola,
This will be my last message from Raleigh International as I leave on Sunday for the last phase, which ends the first week of April.

I am going as the interpreter on a community project to build a Fire Station, five hrs north of Coyhaique. I am really looking forward to it as the two other staff are a real laugh and the group of venturers we are getting look really good. It is supposed to be a very picuresque place with good fishing in the lake and mountains around. Fab!

The last couple of weeks in the office have been hard work, long hours and quite stressful, so I will be very relieved to get out. I am fed up of booking transport and doing other phone stuff. I have learned lots about using the radio in Spanish and generally my Spanish will have improved a lot.

My travel plans are still uncertain, I will change my flight date from 14 April, but only want to do it once as the 2nd change costs. Still don't know who I will end up travelling with but there are a few people who are staying around so we will see.

I think I will be relieved when the expedition is over, and am looking forward to being able to decide what I want to do when and I have some time off! I am off for dinner with some people tonight. It is the changeover this weekend so there are loads of people around and deployment (very army!) is on Sunday for the new (and final) ones. I am looking forward to the staff party at the end!

The last phase ends on 4ish of April and then we have 'venturer wash up' for 4 days or so, have the 'venturer party' and then they leave, and we wash up (i.e. party!) and leave too.

Rebecca

Further information

Raleigh International currently runs eleven expeditions a year. In 2000-2001 expeditions are going to Belize, Brunei, Chile, Costa Rica, Ghana, Mongolia and Namibia. The three-month expedition is part of a longer programme involving training weekends and workshops. These workshops concentrate on personal development and global awareness. After an expedition, there is the chance to join Raleigh International support groups all over the world, to continue the Raleigh experience and to help others take part.

You can see updates about this and other projects on the Raleigh International website.

© travel-quest.co.uk 2001

Links:
Follow these links for other organisations offering volunteer work,
or if you are interested in expeditions or expedition training.
For Raleigh International: http://www.raleigh.org.uk