Summer - what to do?

Parent Cafe
1

<p>My freshman year just ended about a week ago, I still don’t have any plans for my summer yet. I’m pretty big on volunteering and I’d love to volunteer abroad somewhere. But so far the volunteer trips abroad I found are all really expensive, like at least $5,000-$6,000 for 3 months. I’m sure if I tell my parents I want to go they would pay for it, but I just don’t think it’s worth the money. I heard some people at my school are going to places like Israel and Ghana to do volunteer projects. I understand most parents on this forum are dads/moms of very successful students. Would you guys be kind enough to recommend some volunteer projects/trips abroad that your son/daughter attended? It doesn’t have to look good on resume or anything as long as your son/daughter got a lot out of it… Thanks so much for your help!</p>

2

<p>Have you heard of this organization? I heard someone interviewed once who had traveled around doing this. It’s the Worldwide Organization of Organic Farms. You work for five hours per day, five days a week, and receive room and board.</p>

<p>[WWOOF</a> Israel](<a href=“http://www.wwoof.org.il/wwoof/wwoof.aspx]WWOOF”>http://www.wwoof.org.il/wwoof/wwoof.aspx)</p>

3

<p>What about volunteering in your own backyard? I’m sure there are many local organizations in your town that could use a helping hand or two.</p>

<p>[VolunteerMatch</a> - Where Volunteering Begins](<a href=“http://www.volunteermatch.org/]VolunteerMatch”>http://www.volunteermatch.org/)</p>

4

<p>My friends daughter just finished her second college year and decided to be an au paire for an Itlalian family for three months this summer, in fact she leaves next week… Her host family lives in Rome and has a summer house in Tuscanny. They were looking for an english speaking young woman and she gets to practice her Italian. She also is getting paid. its a fabulous way to experience another culture, speak and learn the language and get paid.</p>

<p>There are plenty of websites that are looking for college students to do this type of work in the summer. Good luck.</p>