AS THE CLICHÉ GOES, “CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE.” BY jumping into kid-centered work, study, and volunteer programs, you get to participate in the formative years of our world’s population. Helping a child learn English, or just a few new soccer moves, may be the spark they need to lead a happy, productive life. Also, hanging out with kids is the best way to get insider intel on any given culture. Win, win.
THERE’S A BITTER PROBLEM lingering around the production of chocolate. Cocoa farms in the Ivory Coast—which supply major companies like Hershey and produce over a third of the world’s cocoa—enslave tens of thousands of kids as young as ten years old to crop their fields. Kids are overworked and beaten regularly, all in the name of turning cocoa beans into green. While the issue has gained some global awareness and caused consumer outrage, the major problem has not yet melted away.
At the turn of the millennium, the dark side behind chocolate was revealed, and the Cocoa Protocol came into effect, a program which aimed to eliminate child labor in cocoa production. Years later and leading up to today, children in the Ivory Coast and all along West Africa are still being forced to work 100-hour weeks at low (if any) pay cropping cocoa plantations. Some are ripped from or sold by their families while others voluntarily go, lured by the false promises of food and pay; many even arrive through the sex trade that spans the continent. Upon arrival at their “jobs,” all of these children face regular beatings, starvation, and exhaustion while working in the fields.
Mega companies like Hershey and Mars claim that tracing the sources of all of their products is next to impossible, which is why the problem persists. We think that’s a shitty excuse, and here’s how you can help:
STOP FUELING THE FIRE
Americans alone spend over $13 billion a year on chocolate, much of which comes from the Ivory Coast. Seek out Fair Trade chocolates instead, which are produced without slave labor—or just lay off the sweets. Some great-tasting, good-feeling companies include Equal Exchange, Madécasse, and Dagoba. The money is the motivator; until your dollar is missed, these mega companies won’t soon change their methods.
GET OVER THERE
Put up against the standard of living in complete poverty, working in this environment seems like a more productive way of life. Uneducated, hungry, and poor, these children often opt for manual labor because no better option is available. Volunteer organizations are set up throughout the continent and are the best means through which you can give these kids something better to live for. Kids Worldwide (KidsWorldwide.org) is a unique organization that is approaching kid-focused development in Africa by cutting out the moneymaking middlemen who normally stand between you and volunteer projects. An organization run by volunteers for volunteers, Kids Worldwide “scaffolds” existing grassroots projects and helps develop them until they become self-sustainable, or for about five years.
As such, opportunities at Kids Worldwide are multifaceted. You can volunteer to help in project development or jump into an already self-running program in schools and orphanages in many areas of Africa, like Ghana and Sierra Leone. The children forced into making chocolate to feed our need never get to taste the products of their slave labor. Volunteer to help stop this cruel practice and take a bit of bitterness out of these sweets.
HOMEBRED AMERICANS,
Brits, and Aussies have a skill that’s in high demand in many parts of the world: English. Your native language is pretty much The Man when it comes to business, education, and foreign affairs, and the need for English-language teachers is higher than the supply. Some language-based volunteering opportunities focus on teaching kids, while others are all about adults. Either way, the experiences you’ll gain being the head honcho of a classroom will look good on your résumé and feel great in the soul.
The world’s fastest-growing economy wants native English speakers like MSG wants noodles, and the swelling market ensures competitive salaries and great perks. As could be expected, certification regulation isn’t terribly stringent—a Bachelor’s degree is usually enough. Respectful students and community-oriented people will help to temper the cultural shock and send you home with some bones in your pocket at the end of the school year. Check out the English Teaching Program in Shenzhen (ChinaProgram.org) and the Council on International Education Exchange (Ciee.org).
Riding high on the Asiatic TEFL/ESL boom, teaching English at one of many South Korean gigs offers perks like free accommodations, insurance benefits, and return airfare. Contracts usually last for a year, and the low cost of living outside of ultra-modern Seoul affords plenty of time to save up a respectable salary. Be warned: you’ll need to brush up on regional cultural norms before you go because Korean social etiquette can be a bit tricky. South Korea boasts the world’s highest-estimated national IQ and the most sophisticated IT infrastructure on the planet. So bring the smarts, hard. You can rest assured it’s legit: the Korean government has introduced English program initiatives such as English Program in Korea (EPIK) and Teach and Learn in Korea (TALK).
Though you’ll have to apply for a special work visa if you’re not one of those lucky EU passport-holding bastards, teaching in the Czech Republic is your ticket to history’s playground. There’s a super-tight expat community here, and the beer is literally cheaper than water. If you’re looking for a place with plenty of weekendtrip opportunities, you’ve hit gold—the country is landlocked by Germany, Poland, Slovakia, and Austria. Prague is where the party’s at, but if cultural immersion is what you’re after, consider teaching in a smaller town such as Plzen or Brno. The weekly English-language newspaper, The Prague Post, is a good source to browse while looking for jobs from home. Check out TEFL Worldwide Prague (TeflWorldwidePrague.com) for additional information.
In the interest of being straight-up, you’re not going to make megabucks here. But the country’s ancient heritage and mix of international influence casts a spell on Westerners. We’re talkin’ ridiculous architecture, delicious grub, and gorgeous people. The Turkish middle class is eager to speak our language, and there are plenty of TEFL/ESL opportunities. Istanbul is pricey, so scoping out gigs in smaller cities is your best bet. No matter where you go, you’ll be in the land of Turkish baths and the geographical wonders of Kapadokya and Ölüdeniz. For job postings, keep an eye on Turkey Daily News and Craigslist Istanbul. Try your luck with the English Centre, a language institute in Istanbul and online resources such as My Merhaba and Expat in Turkey.
Stray from the typical teaching curriculum, and land on the roof of the world—Central Asia remains virtually untouched by the tourism boom. Kyrgyzstan is the easiest country in Central Asia to enter with a Western passport, has a young capital (Bishkek), and is rich in nomadic culture. Though the city doesn’t have much to offer by way of history, it has a bright nightlife and enough bars to pump you full of all the antifreeze you’ll need to get through a Kyrgyz winter. Nearly entirely blanketed by the mighty Tien Shan mountain range, the country offers some awesome trekking, horseback riding, and camping adventures. The Kyrgyz are known for their hospitality, but be prepared: they also have a strange penchant for Chinese food and karaoke. The London School in Bishkek (TheLondonSchool.org) offers TEFL jobs. As a foreign teacher, you’ll get free accommodations and be paid fortnightly (a little foreign-speak for you).
Before you start packing your bags, make sure you’ve done your research. Your contract should be transparent in terms of duration, duties and compensation, and you need to read it closely. You don’t want to be blindsided by a situation where you’re stuck longer than you want, or get into more than you signed up for. Teaching abroad isn’t just about making money or having the ability to wander longer. You’re fueling the future by filling in-demand voids.
IF YOUR ONLY BABY EXPERIence is playing peek-a-boo with your cousin’s kid at Thanksgiving, forget about it. Blubbery mini-humans expel shit (and other foul goo) that’s not worth the time unless you’re an experienced, cheek-pinching baby enthusiast—and if you are, the juice is worth the squeeze. You can easily learn the basics of a language from a toddler and go places with the family that you’d never be able to afford to see on your own. Europe and Singapore are popular destinations and the British Jobs Abroad Bulletin is your go-to site. Great Au Pair has listings for au pairs, babysitters, pet sitters, house sitters, senior caretakers, and tutors. Not a job for nomads, but if you’re planning on settling down for a while, you can make mad money watching rugrats.
Some countries (like Belgium) have strict regulations on non-EU au pairs. Italians tend to take their au pairs on summer vacation and pay a little more for their services. Germans and the French prefer longer-term au pairs (six to twelve months) and require basic language skills in the host language. Native English-speaking au pairs are in high demand in Spain, and it’s one of the best bets for easy job placement.
If you want to stand out in a sea of nanny wannabes, make sure you’ve logged some hours babysitting at home with a formal agency that can write you a reference. Some countries and agencies require 200 hours of sitting before they’ll consider taking you onboard. Brush up on your skills in the language of the country of your choice so you can at least babble with the babies (and understand your hosts!). Ditch your smoking habit while you’re at it—while you might end up in a smoking household, you’re more appealing to potential employers if you can check the nonsmoker box. First-Aid certification is essential.
These days, mannies (or male nannies) are all the rage with the enlightened set. While there’s still some hesitation in many places on letting the guys in on the kid fun, more agencies these days are accepting male applicants, particularly ones that place au pairs in France. And chicks dig dudes who are awesome with kids.
If you love watching Blue’s Clues in a foreign language and chillin’ with pint-sized poopers, then get into the au pair game. You’ll learn a language, have a roof over your head, and earn party money for your days off (and breath-mint money for your days on).
YOUR GLORY DAYS OF HIGH school speedball domination may be long gone, but playing (and owning at) sports will forever live on. For all you gym-class-heroes-turned-vagabond-supertramps, volunteer organizations worldwide offer opportunities to live in foreign lands, play games, and change the lives of poverty-stricken kids on a daily basis.
During Osama bin Laden’s cave-jumping days, Kabul got bombed and shred to pieces as part of the search. Today, Afghanistan’s largest city is still recovering, and the youth of the nation are often forgotten amidst all the chaos. Rather than waiting for the next bomb to drop, a group of international skaters got together and started Skateistan (Skateistan.org), a skateboarding school in Kabul where displaced local kids not only learn to skate, but also get instruction in language, arts, and civic responsibility. Kickflip your volunteer career into action here with Skateistan, and they’ll cover all of your expenses (from flights to food) over a six-month stint.
True that Transylvania is decorated with creepy castles, but it also packs hike-friendly mountains and beach-side resorts. Romania has been free from communism since 1989, but this now-capitalist country could still use your help. Physical education is brushed aside throughout schooling, so more and more volunteer organizations are popping up to fill the gap. Your workweek will be split up between teaching and playing whichever sports you’d like at various orphanages, centers for disabled children, and daycare centers for economically disadvantaged children—all of which seek out ablebodied and fun-spirited volunteers regularly.
Formerly known as the Gold Coast and famous for its friendly inhabitants, the English-speaking country of Ghana is situated on Africa’s West Coast. Politically stable and safe, Ghana is one of the best places in which to experience your first African adventure; it’s filled with beaches, offers safari tours, and boasts dense rainforests. The gold and cocoa plantations were once profitable enough to build a kingdom for the Ashanti (Ghana’s largest tribe), but the country as a whole is terribly poor. Still, in 2006, Ghana kicked some serious ass in the World Cup, and the popularity of soccer in the country has since surged. Through the sports coaching programs of Cosmic Volunteers (CosmicVolunteers.org), you can spend between one and three weeks of your summer as a soccer coach or camp counselor, helping enthusiastic kids reach their superstar potentials. The love of basketball is also creeping into the country, and similar opportunities are available.
