As I write this article, I am waiting for confirmation of where in Italy I will be flying to over the summer. I am not going on holiday — at least, not in the strictest sense, but instead hoping to be an au pair of sorts. My real task, though, is not to attend to an Italian home, but to teach “conversational English” to the children I am placed with. And I can’t wait to leave.
Just a quick online glimpse of the countless organisations offering such opportunities reveals the fascinating world of summers abroad, whether you want to spend a month in France or the entirety of your time off in some distant corner of Asia. In fact, before settling on Italy, I deliberated over an English journalism internship in Thailand, and even considered a variety of educational courses in the USA. Not all placements involve sitting around in summer schools; for those who want to indulge in a bit more culture, it isn’t as intimidating to dive in as it may seem.
Indeed the most fantastic thing about my application — and in my experience of researching and applying, — was the simplicity of the process itself. After registering my interest, it took only a few hours to be deep in a Skype call with an American woman advising me as to which of her company’s programs would work best for me. Was she just trying to make her own profit? Most likely — but she did nothing but make it easy for me to become comfortably engrossed in the world of volunteering abroad.
Needless to say, stuff like this looks good on your rusting CV; or at least that’s what you’ve been told. Your supervisor’s chorus of “You’ll just learn so much about another culture — and yourself!” also sounds vaguely enticing. But dig a little deeper, ask some questions, talk to some people, and you’ll soon find yourself considering a very different, and very exciting, experience.
However I’m not here to sell the idea, and as a result of my research I have a few cautionary tales to pass on. Firstly: the price; it would be amazing if everybody could go abroad cost-free, but frankly this is just not how the process works. Admittedly there are university- or charity-organised programs that can get you sponsored, but not everybody is so lucky. In other words, be prepared to spend a bit of cash. If you are really serious about minimising your outgoings, though, find out whether your intended program includes things like your health insurance (most do), flights (most don’t), and 24/7 food costs (this one can get a bit tricky) in its price. Don’t forget that if you’re working with children you might have to fork out for your own DBS check, as well. A lot of companies out there are also picky about you having a doctor’s note symbolising your apparent medical excellence — this can cost you some extra money, too.
Try not to be too crazed with your choice of destination, either; be ambitious, but realistic. I’ve seen many a friend pursue their humanitarian dream of teaching in villages on the outskirts of another continent, only to come back despondent at their lack of inspiration drawn from the experience. It is an admirable cause, to be sure, but make sure you’re up to the task. After all, four months of building schools across Africa may not be the best idea, especially if you’re just starting out. There are, of course, always other ways to help people.
To leave you with some parting advice, though, all I can emphasise is just how easy it was to get involved. Even if you don’t end up committing, it isn’t as daunting as it may seem just to have a few conversations and get yourself some basic information. I can empathise with these feelings myself, as I was often put off by the faceless companies and the unreasonably depressing cheques I’d be forced to send them. Although finance nevertheless remains an issue, I can assure you that there are some surprisingly magnanimous people out there who actually care about getting you a decent placement for the cheapest price, if only you make the first move. I encourage you to do just that. But if my words lead you down the path to an appalling summer placement, then sleep easy in your uncomfortable foreign bed knowing that I am probably equally as disconcerted with my Italian placement. Probably.