Volunteering in Mexico

(photo from blog.usa.gov)
As the semester comes to an end, most students are frantically trying to decide what to do for the summer. For some, they may want to study abroad, other may want to lay pool-side and sip icy drinks, but there are students out there interested in volunteering this summer. Did you ever think about combining philanthropy with a vacation? Well, if that sounds appealing, volunteering in Mexico may be perfect for you.

Here are some sites for you to check out if you're interested in volunteering abroad:

Projects Abroad- "The large city of Guadalajara is the home of Projects Abroad Mexico. ... Teaching, Care, Culture & Community, Conservation & Environment, Medicine, Journalism, Animal care, Arts & Crafts and Spanish language placements are all available to volunteers."

Transitions Abroad- This is a great resource that can help you find a program or opportunity based on your volunteer interests. They also provide links to featured news articles that discuss volunteer work and service work in Mexico. It may be helpful to read some articles to get a better, more neutral idea of the different programs.

The International Partnership for Service-Learning and Leadership- This unique program includes studying and volunteering in Mexico. Students are required to volunteer a 15-20 hours per week. According to the site, they go "beyond the traditional study abroad programs."

Volunteer Abroad- This is another site that helps people to find volunteer programs or internships based on their interests and needs. There is a vast variety of programs, with everything from animal care to journalism.

There are a lot more sites, so if these don't have what you want, try searching for the type of program you're looking for! Happy searching and I hope you consider volunteering in Mexico. If not, at least try to give back to your locally community over the summer if you have any time.