I could not pull this project together without the dedication and hard work of my new friends at GO Overseas and CLOUD Inc as well as all of your generous financial contributions. We are at 58% of our total goal and climbing! I am also incredibly grateful for the opportunity to partner with a growing group of reputable international volunteer partners.

INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEER PARTNERS/ITINERARY

GeoVisions

January 12 – February 10 -GeoVisions in Vietnam. When I first heard about GeoVisions  and its unique programs, I knew I wanted to involve them in my upcoming Adventure of Hope. Randy LeGrant, the Executive Director of GeoVisions, is personally involved in creating a customized experience that will allow me to connect with and support members of the cancer community during my stay in Vietnam. I am looking forward to immersing myself in the Vietnamese culture and supporting fellow cancer warriors on another continent.

Cross-Cultural Solutions

February 11 – March 3rd - Cross – Cultural Solutions in India. It was because of my life-changing experience with CCS in Cape Town that I came up with My Big Hairy Audacious Dream of creating an organization to help other cancer survivors volunteer internationally. Does traveling to a city of 15 million people make me nervous? Absolutely. But in a city with an illiteracy rate of 48% among women, there are plenty of opportunities for me to work on community led projects that make a difference locally. I know I will be in great hands with CCS.

Global Volunteer Network

March 15 – 29th - Global Volunteer Network in Rwanda. As soon as I spoke with Erin Cassidy the CEO of GVN, I knew I had found a kindred spirit. She suggested GVN’s program in Rwanda because of its connection to survivorship. Surviving genocide and surviving cancer are two very different challenges. But, what a powerful opportunity for cancer survivors to support people who have seen the absolute worst and made it to the other side. As soon as I saw this picture on the GVN website, I knew I had to go to Rwanda.

Pueblos Ingles

April 20 – 27th – Pueblos Ingles in Spain. I will be volunteering in a little village outside of Madrid. In exchange for vowing to not utter one single word of Spanish (no problem for me), I will get my room and board covered (including wine) and spend my days speaking English to a group of Spanish business people on a week long English Immersion Retreat. Compared to the more intense volunteer projects of India and Rwanda, I wanted to include a “lighter” volunteer project. What person (survivor or not) wouldn’t want to spend a week eating Spanish food, drinking Spanish wine, and making new Spanish friends? This will be the perfect way to fit in a short volunteer stint on the European continent.

International Volunteer HQ

April 29 – May 12th - International Volunteer HQ in Cusco, Peru. “International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ) aims to provide volunteer travellers with quality, flexible, safe and highly affordable volunteering placements in developing countries.” So far, my experience working with Daniel Radcliffe, Executive Director of IVHQ, has been fantastic. While in Cusco, I will have the opportunity to work within the childcare field and if my time in Africa is any indication, I am sure I will fall in love with more than one Peruvian child. Stay tuned to hear more specifics about this placement, as we get closer to the start date.

ProWorld

May 19 – 31st - ProWorld in Urubamba, Peru. I love that ProWorld’s mission is “To empower communities, promote social and economic development, conserve the environment, and cultivate educated compassionate global citizens.” While in Urubamba, I am excited to have the opportunity to volunteer on both a clean water filtration project and a clean burning stove project. As hard as it is to believe, approximately 1.8M deaths occur every year due to the consumption of unsafe water. It’s even harder to believe that “indoor air pollution is now the fourth largest health risk facing the developing world today. Smoke from primitive indoor stoves kills 1.9 million people each year, mostly women and children from lung and heart disease.” Since 2000, ProWorld volunteers have installed over 5,400 clean burning stoves in Peruvian homes. I feel lucky to have the chance to work on both of these incredibly worthwhile projects. So far, my experience working with the ProWorld team has been fantastic and I can’t wait to share the hi-lights of this program with you.

GVI

June 2 – 16, 2012, GVI in Quepos, Costa Rica. For two weeks in June, I will have the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast to join this community project volunteering to help disadvantaged children. Located just outside the Manuel Antonio National Park, I will live and work in the town of Quepos, and have a chance to lend assistance to the local school district to make up for a shortage of teachers. “Global Vision International (GVI) was formed in 1997 to provide support and services to international charities, non-profits and governmental agencies, through volunteering opportunities, internship programs, training and direct funding.” I can’t wait to experience this program in Costa Rica and to bring you along for the final volunteer experience on this whirlwind around the world journey.

CONTRIBUTING SPONSORS

Platinum Sponsors – $3000:

Silver Sponsors – $750

Bronze Sponsors – $500

• Flight Centre
• Volunteer Card