How to Live Your Dream of Volunteering Overseas and over 360,000 other books are available for Amazon Kindle – Amazon’s new wireless reading device. Learn more

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
 
Express Checkout with PayPhrase
What's this? | Create PayPhrase
Sorry!
More Buying Choices
61 used & new from $3.69

Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
How to Live Your Dream of Volunteering Overseas
 
 
Start reading How to Live Your Dream of Volunteering Overseas on your Kindle in under a minute.

Don’t have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here.
 
  

How to Live Your Dream of Volunteering Overseas (Paperback)

~ (Author), Stefano DeZerega (Author), Zahara Heckscher (Author) "During our research for this book, we met hundreds of people who wanted to volunteer overseas-college students who hope to begin an international career by..." (more)
Key Phrases: effective international volunteer, volunteer placement organizations, international volunteer experience, Peace Corps, United States, Costa Rica (more...)
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)

List Price: $20.00
Price: $13.60 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save: $6.40 (32%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

Want it delivered Monday, November 16? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details
32 new from $10.53 29 used from $3.69

Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
  Kindle Edition $9.99 -- --
  Paperback $13.60 $10.53 $3.69

Frequently Bought Together

How to Live Your Dream of Volunteering Overseas + Volunteer Vacations: Short-Term Adventures That Will Benefit You and Others + Volunteer: A Traveler's Guide to Making a Difference Around the World (Lonely Planet)
Price For All Three: $40.08

Show availability and shipping details


Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Volunteer: A Traveler's Guide to Making a Difference Around the World (Lonely Planet)

Volunteer: A Traveler's Guide to Making a Difference Around the World (Lonely Planet)

by Charlotte Hindle; Nate Cavalieri; Rachel Collinson; Korina Miller; Mike Richard
4.0 out of 5 stars (3)  $13.59
Alternatives to the Peace Corps: A Guide of Global Volunteer Opportunities, 11th Edition

Alternatives to the Peace Corps: A Guide of Global Volunteer Opportunities, 11th Edition

by Paul Backhurst
Alternatives to the Peace Corps: A Guide to Global Volunteer Opportunities, 12th Edition

Alternatives to the Peace Corps: A Guide to Global Volunteer Opportunities, 12th Edition

by Caitlin Hachmyer
5.0 out of 5 stars (1)  $10.75
So, You Want to Join the Peace Corps: What to Know Before You Go

So, You Want to Join the Peace Corps: What to Know Before You Go

by Dillon Banerjee
The Insider's Guide to the Peace Corps: What to Know Before You Go

The Insider's Guide to the Peace Corps: What to Know Before You Go

by Dillon Banerjee
4.8 out of 5 stars (5)  $10.17
Explore similar items

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

More than 100,000 people contact the Peace Corps every year, but only 3,000 are placed overseas. To help more Americans find volunteer opportunities abroad Joseph Collins, Stefano DeZerega, and Zahara Heckscher-all founders of respected volunteer organizations-have written a guide that provides all the necessary information on volunteering in Latin America, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe. Presented in a user-friendly format that includes case studies, worksheets, and quotes from international volunteers, How to Live Your Dream of Volunteering Overseas provides college students, senior citizens, and everyone in between with information on:

* How to decide if volunteering overseas is for you
* How to choose the right program
* What to do before and after you go abroad
* Fundraising and financing
* How to be an effective volunteer
* Political and social contexts of Americans volunteering abroad
* The Peace Corps
* More than one hundred volunteer organizations


About the Author

Joseph Collins is the co-founder of the Institute for Food and Development Policy (Food First). A Guggenheim Fellow and recipient of the Alternative Nobel Prize, he is a frequent lecturer and a consultant to the United Nations, specializing in evaluations and development of community organization.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 496 pages
  • Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (December 31, 2001)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 014200071X
  • ISBN-13: 978-0142000717
  • Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 1.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #156,037 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category: (What's this?)

    #28 in  Books > Business & Investing > Job Hunting & Careers > Volunteer Work

More About the Author

Joseph Collins
Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Visit Amazon's Joseph Collins Page

Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
During our research for this book, we met hundreds of people who wanted to volunteer overseas-college students who hope to begin an international career by volunteering, busy professionals who sough to use vacation time to make a difference, and retired people who wanted to give something back through serving overseas. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
effective international volunteer, volunteer placement organizations, international volunteer experience, countries where volunteers, international volunteering, volunteer responsibilities, international volunteer programs, profiled organizations, international volunteer opportunities, other volunteer programs, loan deferrals, returned volunteers, considering volunteering, volunteering overseas, placing volunteers, global volunteers, volunteer placements, volunteer component, previous volunteers, past volunteers, prospective volunteers, fundraising plan, evacuation insurance, international volunteers, volunteer options
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Peace Corps, United States, Costa Rica, Latin America, South Africa, New York, Global Routes, Global Volunteers, North America, United Kingdom, Flying Doctors, World Bank, Dominican Republic, San Francisco Bay, United Nations, Community Service Program, Eastern Europe, Zimbabwe Field, Operation Smile, Burkina Faso, Child Haven, Joint Service Projects, Summer Project, Central America, Concern America
New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:




What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?


Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

 

Customer Reviews

22 Reviews
5 star:
 (17)
4 star:
 (3)
3 star:
 (2)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.7 out of 5 stars (22 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
40 of 41 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Socially responsible guide to volunteering, October 30, 2005
By Robert Reid (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)      
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
If you have a good heart, are curious about other cultures, and are new to volunteering, the opening section of this book may come as a bit of a shock.

First, volunteering isn't free. Most volunteer placement organizations require substantial fees (usually $1,000 plus) to arrange for your food, accommodation, and provide basic training.

Second, altruism, when applied to international development, isn't always helpful. There's a beautiful example of this in Chapter 3. You imagine that three volunteer groups from around the world come to Washington DC to help the city develop and get past its problems of violence and poverty. The first group is from Zambia- they identify the problem as a shortage of churches, and lack of respect for elders. The second group is from the Amazon- they propose knocking down skyscrapers to add more green space. The third group is a Rastafarian youth organization- they criticize the focus on power and money, and help DC by training politicians to grow ganja.

Similarly, the best intentions of American volunteers aren't always welcomed or even potentially helpful abroad unless they are developed in the context of the host culture.

From this point, the book describes the practical logistics of volunteering abroad- from fundraising to support your trip, learning about your host country, preparing for your travel, and ultimately being an effective volunteer.

The bulk of the book focuses on organizational profiles of volunteer organizations. These are extraordinarily helpful as critical analyses of many such organizations, and should help you navigate through the bewildering maze of opportunities. Unfortunately, the "over 100" organizations that they profile are just a fraction of what's out there, and there's really no easy way to navigate through these. There are a few indexes in the back (organizations offering short term programs, organizations placing volunteers in Latin America, etc), but there's no easy way to look for volunteer opportunities in a specific country, for example. If this organizational profile guide was online or on a CD, it would be infinitely more useful (and cheaper to publish...)
Comment Comment (1) | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars This book was my bible..., January 13, 2006
By ecd "ecd" (Cambridge, MA) - See all my reviews
I did extensive research before going overseas to volunteer, and this book was my bible, beacon, guiding light, whatever you want to call it. It answered questions I didn't even know I had, and opened my eyes to the various ways I could accomplish a goal that, at the beginning, I thought had very few options for accomplishment. The appendix is incredibly thorough, and that alone could be a great resource. This book changed my ideas about how I wanted to volunteer, and in the end I completely restructured my plan and had a wonderful experience abroad. I would have felt very lost without this resource..
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars This Book is a Treasure, March 18, 2002
By Suzanne (San Francisco, Ca) - See all my reviews
This book is a treasure. It is a good book for anyone in the age group of about 18-75 of any ethnicity, religion and socio-economic background. It addresses safety, among other issues, for women travelers. This book includes more than information one could find on the Internet about particular opportunities and organizations in any region of the world. It includes in depth studies as well as information for the person considering volunteering overseas to examine his/her motivations and come up with criteria to apply to choosing an organization as well as a location. In addition, this book discusses issues surrounding language barriers and how to overcome the obstacles as well as use the volunteer opportunity to become fluent in another language. This book makes a wonderful gift.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun to Volunteer
I got this book before I went on a trip with Habitat for Humanity. I'm glad I did. If you are considering volunteering overseas, please buy this book. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Mike Webber

5.0 out of 5 stars Objective and realistic
Very objective. The book helps to drop some myths and show you the real true behind poor countries and why volunteering by itself is unable to change this reality.
Published 19 months ago by Clessio C. Mendes

3.0 out of 5 stars Great overview except for Peace Corps bias
I am a former PC volunteer (RPCV) so my review may be considered jaded but the overview of the PC I found to be detailed and full of useful information but with many negative... Read more
Published on July 22, 2007 by J. J. Corona

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Informative
There are so many volunteer opportunities available that I really didn't know where to start my search. This book is a terrific resource. Read more
Published on March 14, 2007 by Kat

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Guide, but kind of dry for everyday reading.
This guide is very informative, but I was hoping it give me a better idea of what it's like to volunteer overseas, and how I could get involved. Read more
Published on December 14, 2006 by Nikita706

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Reference
A great reference for those thinking of volunteering overseas. Gives good profiles of each organization, including those geared towards high school students to retirees. Read more
Published on October 2, 2005 by Madeline06

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-read for those who want to do it right
A lot of people seek to broaden their personal horizons overseas, and some of them hope to make the world a better place while they do. Read more
Published on March 9, 2005 by Eric Pape

5.0 out of 5 stars A valuable tool
I would like to say to anyone looking into volunteering overseas, this book is a Must Have! But as with any major decision- and as the book itself suggests- research, research,... Read more
Published on March 7, 2005 by K. Romano

5.0 out of 5 stars Intelligent and Engaging Resource
If you are interested in giving something back overseas, this book is for you. This is a thoughtful and comprehensive approach to the issues, logistics and options for pursuing an... Read more
Published on March 5, 2005 by Urban Nature Boy

3.0 out of 5 stars Exercise Extreme Caution with This Book
The bad air surrounding this particular book needs clearing, as it has a number of problems, though a few less than its erstwhile predecessor, Bridging the Global Gap, by Medea... Read more
Published on February 18, 2005 by Gregory McMahan

Only search this product's reviews



Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   


Listmania!


So You'd Like to...


Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Beta (What's this?)


Look for Similar Items by Category


Look for Similar Items by Subject

 

Feedback

If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.
 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?

Your comments can help make our site better for everyone.


Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.