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Volunteering with VSO

 
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Esterita



Joined: 01 Feb 2003
Posts: 18
Location: Finland

PostPosted: Thu Apr 24, 2003 9:19 am    Post subject: Volunteering with VSO Reply with quote

I'm really wanting to go to a developing country to teach EFL, and have a applied to VSO.

Has anyone worked as a volunteer with VSO before? Any positive or negative experiences of this?

I'm really excited - the only thing I worry about is that I probably won't get to choose where to go - I want to go to the Indian Ocean/South Asia, but apparently they'll send me to China or Africa instead.

Any comments appreciated!
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bnix



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 645

PostPosted: Thu Apr 24, 2003 11:49 pm    Post subject: VSO....Well...Think It Over Carefully Reply with quote

I applied a few years ago..went to a workshop in London,interviewed...was told I was "too qualified"(?)(although the fact I am from the US MAY have had something to do with it...yes,I had already "done" Peace Corps years ago..so I was trying something different)The fact I had done Peace Corps apparently did not set too well with them,either.

In my brief experience with them at the workshop and interview...I would characterize them as"shaky'....definitely not as organized as the Peace Corps.And yes,both VSO and the Peace Corps do not guarantee the placement of your choice.You might want some nice idyllic island in the Pacific...and wind up actually going to some very shaky place in Africa...Central African Republic or something like that...I would advise caution with these people. Rolling Eyes
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Fri Apr 25, 2003 9:32 am    Post subject: vso Reply with quote

There were other partners in the British Volunteer Program. VSO was the biggest but there was also IVS , basedin Leicester, (renamed Skillshare ?) and the Catholic Institute of International Relations. They all recruited from the UK but you were not required to be a UK citizen. There was also the UN Volunteer Programme.
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itslatedoors



Joined: 17 Feb 2003
Posts: 97

PostPosted: Sun Apr 27, 2003 10:45 am    Post subject: UH OH Reply with quote

I just knew this was a religeous forum............
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bnix



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 645

PostPosted: Sun Apr 27, 2003 10:53 pm    Post subject: Sigh....Maybe He's Been Smoking That Laotian Rope Again... Reply with quote

C'mon "doors".Just because Scot happens to mention some Catholic organization,does not make this a "religeous"(sic!"killer" spelling there,"doors") forum.Or maybe you prefer your own "religeous" experience,like "smoking with the Montagnards in Laos".Oh,whoops!Sorry,forgot...that one was just one of your fabrications,right? Laughing Rolling Eyes

Yeah,Scot is right.In addition,VSO also has a branch in the Netherlands...
I also believe they have a separate organization,roughly analogous to the Peace Corps,but I am not sure about that one.Also(though this probably will not help anyone on this board much),the Koreans also have their own version of the Peace Corps and send Korean volunteers to Africa,and maybe some other places...although I am not sure.
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Mon Apr 28, 2003 4:34 am    Post subject: vso Reply with quote

The Dutch branch is "Stichting Nederlands Vrijwilligers". There was also a Canadian one called CUSO. Is it still alive ? Many people I know working as career EFL teachers (!!!) started their overseas experience in VSO, CUSO or the Peace Corps.

Last edited by scot47 on Mon Apr 28, 2003 5:28 am; edited 1 time in total
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Roger



Joined: 19 Jan 2003
Posts: 9138

PostPosted: Mon Apr 28, 2003 5:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Another volunteer organisation that employes TEFLers is khamaid, named after a former Tibetan province, now part of Sichuan. If you can pass the rigorous Chinese PC vetting, then you will be off to one of the most remote and inaccessible parts of China (but not Tibet).
This organisation was mentioned to me by an AUssie friend of mine that was working in Xinjiang. I have no personal experience with this outfit.
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itslatedoors



Joined: 17 Feb 2003
Posts: 97

PostPosted: Mon Apr 28, 2003 9:09 am    Post subject: VSO Reply with quote

Voluntary. Suckers .Overseas.
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scot47



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Posts: 15343

PostPosted: Mon Apr 28, 2003 11:53 am    Post subject: vso Reply with quote

The fact is that sometimes they get a better deal than tecahers recruited locally. The terms imnclude a salary equivalent to what a local would get. There is also a bonus paid at the end of term. And medical cover.

I would not do it myself but........ You know how liberal and open-minded I am - in my new incarnation.
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itslatedoors



Joined: 17 Feb 2003
Posts: 97

PostPosted: Tue Apr 29, 2003 9:00 am    Post subject: bnix Reply with quote

Sorry guru typing is not one of my greatest skills.'Ious/ Eous what a crime it'll keep me awake for days.Oh yeah, you've been corrected for spelling all over this forum....a whiff of hypocrisy I fear.
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richard ame



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 319
Location: Republic of Turkey

PostPosted: Tue Apr 29, 2003 1:57 pm    Post subject: vso???? Reply with quote

Hi
Who are these strange people who want to work for nothing or next to it ?
Don't they have some commitment to making a dollar or two ? No perhaps, how strange , how *beep*,how weird, must be somebody rich who doesn't have a habit of some sort to support weird or what?
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bnix



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 645

PostPosted: Tue Apr 29, 2003 11:35 pm    Post subject: "Doors" and "Hypocrisy" Reply with quote

"Doors' is a guy who gets his jollies by posting false info on the forum(the Montagnards in Laos,etc.) and then he lectures other people about "hypocrisy" Laughing It is news to me if my spelling has "been corrected all over the forum".I suggest you lay off that Laotian rope and worldsex.com for awhile.I think they are clouding your judgment(spelled "judgment" or "judgement"). Rolling Eyes
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itslatedoors



Joined: 17 Feb 2003
Posts: 97

PostPosted: Wed Apr 30, 2003 5:05 am    Post subject: bnix Reply with quote

Who's lecturing now? The war's over son....you can come home now.
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arioch36



Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 3589

PostPosted: Thu May 01, 2003 1:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Personally, I think working as a volunteer is a great experience. I'm too old to afford to do it. There are some places, honestly, where it is a scam. Almost no place in China should have volunteer teaching. I am putting that badly. There are many places in China that are too ppor for teachers. But it seems to me that all to often these "volunteer" teachers end up at a college that can really aford to pay a foreign teacher, but are too cheap to.
So you might get some envy from old men like me you are envious of you; or you might get some hatred from scared teachers who see you as competition and as driving the wages down (which is not true in most peace corps volunteer situations)

Best of luck, remember why you are there, whereever you end up

Chris in Henan
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