Transitions Abroad's TAzine Introductory Issue

Upon arriving at the San José airport, a three-dollar ride quickly took my aspiring career as a wildlife biologist to La Casa de Margarita in the Giralda neighborhood of Alajuela. There, I enjoyed Central American hospitality and lived with other travelers while learning the ropes of the 'Amigos de las Aves' captive breeding and wild release program for endangered scarlet macaws. I helped chop mangoes and bananas to feed toucans at the breeding center just down the street, and I dined on the decadent chicken burritos and cinnamon fried plantains that were included with the room and laundry services for $12 a day. Meetings with colleagues and careful study of biological records prepared me to learn about each macaw at the release-site on the Panama border...

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It has become quite difficult to find work in Europe without a proper work permit, but I found that with a little bit of creativity and tenacity, it is still possible to find short-term work and odd jobs. In my case, I managed to work and survive in the Catalan capital of Barcelona for a whole year. After spending my entire sophomore year in a study abroad program at the University of Barcelona, I knew I couldn't go home right away. There were far too many amazing and undiscovered places to see and there was no reason not to start now...

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When introducing myself at a recent alumni event for my college, I spoke of teaching history and managing a boys' dormitory at a boarding school. The crowd's reaction was, "you run a dorm, very brave." When I mentioned my summer job of leading high school students to Africa, the response was "even braver!" Maybe they had a valid point. Leading sixteen adolescents on a month of community service work and safari in rural Tanzania does come with great responsibility. If you think you are not qualified to work with high school students abroad, stop and consider what you have to offer, and you might just find that your resume is more competitive than you thought.

Many student travel companies offer international summer programs for high school students. Group size varies, but usually hovers in the teens with two co-leaders. Lengths generally fall between three and six weeks. Program themes range from community service to language acquisition, cultural exploration, academic study, global issues, and wilderness adventure. In the past, programs outside of Europe and North America were rare, and while these destinations remain popular, programs in South America, Asia, and Africa are now a hot commodity among adventurous teenagers. A European summer program presents its own set of challenges. However, programs in the developing world demand that leaders have the skills to meet program objectives, amid unforeseen obstacles, and often without access to first world resources...

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The boat was packed. Of the 125 passengers jammed into the main cabin and perched atop the roof in the baking sun, about 95 percent were foreigners, mostly Europeans with a smattering of Aussies and a few Canadians for ballast. Most have been to tour Angkor Wat , the world famous jungle temple complex in northern Cambodia, and taking the fast ferry back to the capital of Phnom Penh was an adventure. Nobody knew that it would be a life-changing experience...

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